Category: CNN Regional

By Beth Carlson

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    OMAHA, Nebraska (KETV) — The two Omaha police officers call rescuing a 4-year-old from a house fire “100% instinctual.”

Omaha police released photos from body-worn cameras showing what happened during the rescue near 69th and Mason streets on Tuesday morning.

Officers David Eckstrom and Ian Baxter were responding to an abandoned car in the street near 72nd and Pacific streets when they saw an explosion and a large fire.

“I just kind of glance over to the east, well just east of us, and saw an orange glow, small, and at first thought it was like a little bonfire or something like that,” Baxter said. “It grew extremely rapidly to the point where it ended up being a big fireball.”

Baxter said he radioed to Eckstrom and asked him to go check it out. At the scene, residents told the officers that their 4-year-old son was still in the basement, officials said. Eckstrom kicked out a basement window and called for the child.

“I’m a dad before a cop,” Eckstrom said. “Every kid I see reminds me of my own kids. So just did what I could. It all happened so fast. It’s nothing you can really plan for.”

Omaha police said the child followed the sound of the officers’ voices to the window, where Eckstrom pulled him to safety.

Eckstrom suffered lacerations to his forearms from the broken glass during the rescue.

Officials said the child was treated at the scene for possible smoke inhalation, but otherwise was not injured.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Abby Smith, Marina Garcia

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    COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (KRDO) — The community gathered on Wednesday to celebrate the life and legacy of Jamie Novick, a flight nurse and Air Force veteran who was killed in a medical plane crash on May 14.

Novick died along with three other people when their medical plane went down.

According to ABC, four people on board a medical plane were killed when the flight crashed near Ruidoso, New Mexico. Officials say the Beechcraft King Air 90 had departed from Roswell Air Center and was headed to Sierra Blanca Regional Airport when it crashed around 4 a.m.

Jamie Novick’s family says that before becoming a flight nurse, Jamie spent five years as an ER nurse.

“When we came into the hospital, and we saw Jamie, we knew that the patient was in good hands. It’s a huge loss for our community to be without Jamie,” says Austin Pugh, who worked with Jamie for years as the deputy commander for the Colorado Springs Fire Department honor guard.

The celebration of life ceremony in Colorado Springs was well-attended, with family, friends and people from across the state filling the room.

Jamie’s uniform was displayed at the ceremony, symbolizing her dedication to nursing and blessing others.

Greg Bunch, Novick’s father, reflected on his daughter’s life, emphasizing her role as a mother. “It was truly a privilege and an honor to be Jamie’s dad. She was absolutely amazing, kid. She was worried about being a good mom. And I said, you know, when you’re worried about being a good parent, those are the ones that are good parents. And I was reminded of that as I wrote that in her Mother’s Day card, gave it to her. And that was the last time I saw her alive.”

Novick is survived by her husband and two kids.

Novick’s husband recalled meeting her when he was just 15, knowing immediately she was the one he wanted to get to know. He also spoke of her strength as a mother, noting she would cheer her children on and lift them up to be the best versions of themselves.

Loved ones stated that Novick’s infectious personality stemmed from her deep love for God.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Brittney Ermon

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    LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) — For many students in Los Angeles, breaking into Hollywood can feel like a dream that’s out of reach. But on Wednesday, the first graduating class of a unique film and television program is proving that talent can come from any ZIP code.

Out of a sea of caps and gowns, 46 students are ready to make waves in the entertainment industry.

“Being able to wear the cap and gown, saying that I made it this far with all the trials and tribulations, it’s a great thing,” student Nathan Zacarias said.

Zacarias said his diploma is more than the traditional milestone; it’s a ticket into the film and television industry that he grew up watching from the outside.

“It really leads us to understand what it is to be in this industry before we even step foot in it,” Zacarias said.

He’s part of the first class to graduate from Roybal Film and Television Magnet, which was co-founded by actor George Clooney. As part of the LA Unified School District, the high school was created four years ago to build a pipeline into the film and television industry that’s inclusive for underrepresented students.

“As we pay it forward, we also came from the community. We know what it’s like to struggle,” principal Blanca Cruz said. “To see my kids also achieve, for what many may seem to be impossible, that’s very powerful.”

From costume design to cinematography, students learn the craft behind the camera. The program also connects teens with mentors and industry professionals to help set the stage for what comes next.

Industry leaders said the school helps fill a labor gap as Hollywood will need tens of thousands of behind-the-scenes crew in the coming years.

“Our community has a lot of talent, and many times we don’t give them an opportunity to show that talent,” Cruz said. “Many times, we don’t tap into it. Many times we don’t invest in it.”

For students like Xavier Calderon, the investment is life-changing.

“I feel very accomplished being able to stand before all these very accomplished individuals,” he said. “Then be able to see me for who I am, and not just, as I want to say, a statistic.”

Calderon is heading to the New York University Tisch School of the Arts, and Zacarias is attending California State University, Northridge.

“I will make it to the big screen,” Zacarias said. “No doubt about that.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Joy Benedict

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    BIG BEAR, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Team Rubicon volunteers are set to remove dozens of dead trees and vegetation to help mitigate wildfire risk on Big Bear as part of a nearly four-year plan to remove what was left behind by the 2022 Radford Fire and the 2024 Line Fire.

Since the fire broke out in September that year, the area has been closed to the public due to lingering hazards like felled or dead trees and unstable land.

“All the dead trees have a chance of falling at any time; particularly the older it gets, the danger, it increases,” said Robin Brown, a retired firefighter who works with Team Rubicon, which is a veteran-led disaster response organization that has 200,000 volunteers across North America.

He says that volunteers flew in from places like Colorado, Alaska and Canada to help assist with the mitigation process as they work to chop down and remove hundreds of charred trees near Skyline Road. The work is being done in conjunction with Team Rubicon and the U.S. Forest Service.

“Anywhere where we have these fire scars in heavy timber, it is a problem,” said Mike Page, with the U.S. Forest Service in the San Bernardino National Forest. “They have the ability to come in and supplement the work we’re doing and help out in a big way to get it done faster.”

After five days of work, Team Rubicon has successfully dropped more than 350 trees. They expect to remain in the area for at least two weeks. The team has taken over an elementary school in Big Bear as their incident command center, which is being led by Bob Yturralde.

“Normally, you’d see Team Rubicon after the fact to mitigate a crisis, and now, we’re trying to be ahead of the game and mitigate problems that become bigger problems,” Yturralde said.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Julie Sharp

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    PLAYA DEL REY, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Three sea lion pups cared for at the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro were released back to their ocean habitat on Monday.

Staff from MMCC transported the pups named Marshmallow, Cascatelli, and Orecchiette in a cage, and when the door opened, they did their best “sprint” to the ocean water.

Three sea lion pups cared for at the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro were released back to their ocean habitat on Monday.

Staff from MMCC transported the pups named Marshmallow, Cascatelli, and Orecchiette in a cage, and when the door opened, they did their best “sprint” to the ocean water.

The public is also a critical part of marine mammal health. Warner said staff from MMCC will respond and bring ailing marine mammals from LA County beaches to its San Pedro facility.

“We ask the public, who are really the eyes on the beaches for us, to call our center, 1-800-39-whale, it’s a marine mammal hotline,” Warner said.

The facility is open to the public for viewing of the animals’ rehabilitation journey. Currently, there are 23 California sea lions, 20 northern elephant seals, and two Pacific harbor seals in care. marinemammalcare.org/visit.

The public is also a critical part of marine mammal health. Warner said staff from MMCC will respond and bring ailing marine mammals from LA County beaches to its San Pedro facility.

“We ask the public, who are really the eyes on the beaches for us, to call our center, 1-800-39-whale, it’s a marine mammal hotline,” Warner said.

The facility is open to the public for viewing of the animals’ rehabilitation journey. Currently, there are 23 California sea lions, 20 northern elephant seals, and two Pacific harbor seals in care. marinemammalcare.org/visit.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Evelyn Schultz

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    LEXINGTON, Kentucky (WLEX) — A Lexington fashion designer who came to the United States as a Congolese refugee is building a high-fashion brand, dressing some of the most recognizable names in sports, music, and politics along the way.

Albert Lukonga is the founder of Albert Couture, a custom clothing brand based on Third Street in Lexington. Eight years after launching the label, his client list includes jockeys, NBA players like Reed Shepherd, and the CEO of the Grammy Awards.

“That’s the best part, you know, especially when you get to travel to all these places, meet a lot of talented people who are very, very successful, but they trust you over Gucci, Tom Ford, and Balenciaga,” Lukonga told LEX News as we sat down in Kentucky’s first fashion house.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is among those clients. Lukonga was the tailor on Beshear’s Vogue photoshoot last year. He says he approached the project with one goal in mind.

“I wanted to address him as not for who he was then, but who he’s becoming,” Lukonga said.

As speculation grows about a potential 2028 presidential run for Beshear, Lukonga says his work with the governor will evolve.

“It’s fun because we’re working on something casual, some casual wear,” said Lukonga. “We call it the American dad style. So stay tuned for that.”

Lukonga’s journey to dressing the governor started before he ever arrived in Kentucky two decades ago, through a United Nations resettlement program. Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, he grew up learning about clothing from his mother, a fashion designer herself. But after graduating from Henry Clay High School in Lexington, he initially considered a different path.

“Every foreign kid out there that knows their parents is like physician, lawyer, whatever, engineering. So I was like, OK, I’ll try this med school, this med stuff, let’s see what happens,” Lukonga said. Fashion ultimately won out, and now he’s responsible for creating one-of-a-kind pieces for discerning clients.

In the future, Lukonga wants to put Lexington on the map alongside fashion capitals like New York City and Paris. He hopes his story motivates other Kentuckians to pursue their own goals.

“Somebody who’s started from nothing and was able to show and remind Americans that it is possible to have a dream still,” Lukonga said.

Lukonga’s next fashion show showcasing his fall collection is scheduled for August 1 in Lexington.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Mya Constantino

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    UTAH COUNTY, Utah (KSTU) — After more than 20 years of health concerns, officials say it is now safe to eat carp caught in Utah Lake.

Utah Lake Authority officials said the change comes after years of watershed restoration projects and removing nearly 30 million pounds of invasive carp and reducing toxic Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) — man-made industrial chemicals used in industrial and electrical equipment — found in carp.

These efforts have helped improve the lake’s health and made it safer for recreation.

One of the people recreating on Wednesday was Skinny Chantharath, who lives in Provo. Chantharath has fished at the lake for over 30 years.

Over that time, he has caught a wide range of fish, including carp. But he said he hasn’t eaten Carp since the late 1980s.

“The first time I came to the U.S., I ate that Carp, you know?” he said while at a fishing dock.

For years, many anglers avoided exactly that.

According to Utah Lake Authority executive director Luke Peterson, those toxic chemicals likely came from old electronics dumped at the old Geneva Steel mill in Vineyard, which then washed into the lake. Since carp are bottom feeders, the chemicals settled into the mud and ended up inside the fish.

“We went from having dramatically high PCBS in 2005 to where they have dropped so dramatically,” said Luke Peterson, executive director of the Utah Lake Authority.

“It means that the future of Utah Lake is bright. I always say the lake is the healthiest it has been in at least 100 years. We’re excited to say as we’re entering summer, that the lake is healthy, it’s a place to recreate.”

And perhaps a place for Chantharath to catch and eat Carp after all these years.

“You know, some people just come fish for fun,” Chantharath said.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Mythili Gubbi

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    OGDEN VALLEY, Utah (KSTU) — While farms across the state are trying to figure out how to work with limited water from the lack of snowpack, one Ogden Valley farmer is going down to the roots.

Argyle Acres is a regenerative farm in Liberty working to increase the organic matter in soil to make it healthier and hold water better.

For Chris Argyle, farming is his way of making the world a better place.

“This is something that is deep down in your soul that you feel when you’re seeing a farm working in rhythm with Mother Nature, it is awe-inspiring,” he said.

To help build topsoil, he rotates where his cows graze using virtual fencing.

“By the time the cows come back around their full circle, this is regrown and ready to go again and they eat again and it’s just kind of a circle that keep going,” said Argyle.

The cows don’t overgraze in one spot and they move around, helping all parts of the land.

They also have chicken tractors with about 400 meat chickens that go through the pasture.

“They just move through the field,” explained Argyle. “They’re leaving all that beautiful fertilizer. Give it a couple weeks, that’s going to come back thicker, greener, lusher.”

Argyle said he is hoping to increase the organic matter in his soil and use less water — something that’s especially important this year.

“We can go off as, probably as much as an eighth to a quarter of the water that any other farms might use,” Argyle said. “The goal here is deeper roots, not disturbing the soil, keeping it covered, and basically what you’re doing is you’re growing a sponge underground.”

This is a slow process and could take Argyle a couple more years to get to that point. He is two years into regenerative farming on this land, but has used his practices before on a smaller scale and seen successful results.

“This is going to change things and make years like these feel not so terrible,” Argyle added.

To help farmers and growers use less water this year, Professor Burdette Barker with Utah State University Extension advises Utahns to just make sure the water you do get is used the right way.

“Depending on the type of irrigation system they have, this is a good year to make sure that things are well maintained, sprinklers are functioning properly, so we’re getting good uniform applications of water,” he said.

Argyle said his method helps produce healthier meat, fills aquafers, and doesn’t use chemical fertilizers.

“This farm is feeding my community,” Argyle said proudly.

They also do agritourism events and want people to visit to learn more about their farming techniques.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.