Category: CNN Regional

By Erin Burnett

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    CLEMMONS, North Carolina (WXII) — February is recognized as American Heart Month.

A team at the Duke University School of Medicine is trying to increase the number of people who survive cardiac arrest while setting a world record.

On Wednesday, the team will attempt to train the most people in hands-only CPR in one day — at least 30,000 people.

Lisa Monk is the Implmentation Director at Duke Clinical Reaearch Institute, and is helping organize the event.

“Cardiac arrest is different than heart attack. Heart Attack is a plumbing problem where you have minutes, if not hours, to treat. But cardiac arrest is an electrical problem, and it needs immediate treatment with CPR,” Monk explained.

According to experts at Duke University, cardiac arrest is one of the most common causes of death in the United States.

University experts say only one in ten victims survive a cardiac arrest.

The trainings will happen all day across 30 counties in North Carolina, including Forsyth County.

Organizers say they are attempting to beat this record as part of a study focused on improving out-of-hospital survival rates from cardiac arrest.

“We’ve been doing this [trainings] for the last four years. But we wanted one last opportunity to try to break the world record in teaching people compression only, CPR,” Monk said.

Organizers say the training is free and only takes a few minutes.

Experts emphasize that bystander CPR can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival.

“Every minute that goes by, the chance of survival decreases by 10 percent. So it’s important that as soon as somebody collapses, that we check to see if they’re responsive. We call 911, and then we need to start compressions and then get in AED if there’s one available,” Monk explained.

Monk said especially in rural communities where quick access to EMS and fire stations varies, it is important for every-day residents to be able to step in and help save a life.

“If it’s not for the bystander doing CPR, it could be, up to 20 minutes for them trying to do compressions, waiting on somebody to get there, but if that bystander doesn’t step in, that person has no chance at recovery,” she said.

Monk said there are also a few stigmas that stop CPR-certified people from taking action during an emergency.

These include being sued, (especially in the instance something goes wrong), and injuring the victim.

Monk debunked these fears.

“In North Carolina, we have the Good Samaritan Law. So you cannot be sued. You are not going to hurt the person. They can recover from a broken rib, but they can’t recover… you know from death, if you don’t step in and do it,” she explained.

There is a list of popular songs that can help even an untrained person step in and perform CPR at a moments notice. A popular one is ‘Staying Alive’ by Bee Gees, with a tempo of 103 beats per minute.

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 Raquel Ciampi

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    PETERS TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania (WTAE) — A Peters Township High School senior is facing hundreds of charges after authorities said he exploited multiple juveniles to send him pornographic videos or photos of themselves.

Authorities say the investigation into the “large-scale criminal network,” involving catfishing and sextortion, began on Dec. 5, 2025.

According to the criminal complaint, authorities interviewed 30 juveniles connected to the case. At least 21 of those juveniles have been identified as victims of the catfishing sextortion.

Authorities say Zachariah Meyers, an 18-year-old senior at Peters Township High School, used social media, including TikTok and Telegram, to lure the other juveniles to connect with him.

“It’s not the predator who traveled from far away. It is the predator who was sitting next to them in class,” said Alicia Kozak, an internet safety expert and speaker.

Meyers allegedly catfished some of the victims by pretending to be fictitious people using photos and videos of people who were not involved. One of which, authorities say, was an adult film actress from a different country.

“What we are seeing is it up sick in juveniles perpetrating crimes against other juveniles. And that is because they have access to their potential victims,” said Christopher Giordano, assistant special agent in charge of Pittsburgh FBI Field office.

“Meyers was able to deceive and coerce juvenile males into sending explicit pornographic images and videos of themselves,” authorities said in their report.

In one case, officials say Meyers directed a juvenile to have sexual intercourse with two adult men, record video inside a gym locker room and then send those videos to an account.

“This is a truly violent sexual predator. You do not need to physically touch somebody to sexually violate them,” Kozak said.

Meyers was identified by police after they say they executed a search warrant for information on the social usernames and Google accounts being used on platforms.

On Feb. 20, authorities took Meyers into custody for questioning.

He faces more than 300 charges, including dozens of counts of sexual abuse of children, sexual exploitation of children and sexual extortion.

Meyers has since been arraigned.

Statement from Peters Township School District

“Earlier today, the Peters Township Police made the District aware of an ongoing investigation related to a student at Peters Township High School. The Police have indicated that there is no immediate safety risk to our schools, and we will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation.

The safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families remain our highest priority, and we appreciate all the efforts of the Peters Township Police in this matter.”

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By Marcie Cipriani

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    PITTSBURGH (WTAE) — Ty Ballou, known for creating products honoring athletes, was deeply moved by Team USA hockey’s tribute to the Gaudreau family after their gold medal win.

Ballou recently created a cereal box honoring the Gaudreau brothers, free of charge, to raise funds for their family foundation.

“To see a father losing two sons in one day, it’s impossible,” Ballou said, reflecting on the tragedy.

Ballou understands the pain of losing a child.

“I have, had, a special needs son who passed away last year,” he said. “My son Ryan was 37 last year.”

The loss of Ryan and the way he lived inspired Ballou to reach out to the widows of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, Meredith and Madeline, to create a cereal in their honor and raise money for the family foundation.

The Gaudreau brothers were bicycling together the day before their sister’s wedding in 2024 when they were struck and killed. Both men had young families and played hockey, with Johnny set to play for Team USA when they won the gold.

The team raised his jersey in victory, a moment that filled Ballou with pride and sadness.

“What an incredible tribute by the US hockey team,” Ballou said. “First of all, to win that game, to go into the stands, where Meredith was … And it’s Johnny Junior’s birthday yesterday.”

While the loss remains tough for the Gaudreau family, Ballou is grateful to help.

He has worked with athletes to create products like Flutie Flakes and Jerome Bettis’ Championship Crunch, but the Gaudreau family holds a special place in his heart, with his son Ryan as his inspiration.

“I just sent them a check for $20,000 that was raised from the cereal,” Ballou said. “Hopefully, much more after this. And there’s really no cap to it. We’re going to continue to do this as long as they want to work together.”

The Bond of Brothers cereal, with all proceeds going to the Gaudreau Family Foundation, is available for purchase online.

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 Gerron Jordan

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    MILWAUKEE (WISN) — Antonia Anderson has turned her Milwaukee living room into a museum filled with thousands of artifacts that reflect Black music, history and culture.

“I started with 5 — maybe now 10, … yes, thousand,” Anderson said, describing the number of artifacts she has accumulated.

Anderson, curator of the Milwaukee Hip Hop Museum, has collected items from flea markets, eBay, donations and her own collection over the years.

Her collection includes 8-track tapes, cassettes, vinyl albums, posters and magazines like Write On and Word Up, offering snapshots in time and showcasing the Black influences who inspired them.

“I have blues, I have Bessie Smith, I have Nina Simone, and they really started with the different music — jazz, blues, all of that. That led to the civil rights and hip-hop,” Anderson said.

Reflecting on her upbringing, Anderson said, “When I grew up, African Americans weren’t celebrated or weren’t put in the media in a positive light. Even the movies were negative.” It’s why she wanted to create the Milwaukee Hip Hop Museum.

“Preserving African American history by any means necessary,” she said. “Just to put us in a positive light. … Just a space where people can come and feel comfortable learning, interacting with our music and just catching up on history.”

She believes celebrating that history can help write the melody for the future. “Whether through books, music, community events … keep going out and doing it because our youth need it. They need to know where they came from so they know where they’re going,” Anderson said.

Anderson’s collection can be visited by appointment only, and she hopes to move into a larger, more public space soon. She also operates a mobile museum, bringing artifacts and exhibits into schools and community centers.

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 Sheldon Ingram

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    NEW CASTLE, Pennsylvania (WTAE) — On February 3, students at Neshannock High School sent more than 300 letters of support to lift the morale of Ukrainian soldiers.

Those letters arrived a week ago, and on Tuesday, Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 showed the students a video of the soldiers receiving their letters and reading them out loud.

“I was tearing up a lot, just seeing the circumstances everyone is living under and what they’re going through, and to be able to fight for the country they love, and the people they love, is really inspiring,” says Catherine Spor.

She and many of her classmates were persuaded to write the letters by another student named Arsenii, who fled Ukraine with his mother and sister while his father stayed behind to fight on the front line.

Arsenii watched with his schoolmates as the soldiers read their letters and cards, while expressing gratitude.

“They were really happy that kids from another country, from another continent across the ocean, know about their problems,” he says.

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 Jade Jarvis

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    STUART, Florida (WPBF) — A Martin County mom and pediatric ICU nurse is seeking justice after a crash involving a suspected drunk driver who left her paralyzed from the chest down.

Rebecca Engle and her attorneys said the driver who left her critically injured hasn’t been arrested yet and have filed a civil lawsuit seeking damages for her pain, suffering, and financial burden.

“This accident has significantly changed the course of my life. I’m now having to be — 24 hours a day, seven days a week — cared for by my husband and my kids,” Engle said.

A loss of independence has been the hardest thing to deal with for Engle after 34 years of staying busy and being fulfilled as a registered nurse.

“It’s just my calling. It’s always been what I’ve done. And now to be on the opposite side of the, you know, patient bed, it’s been very humbling,” Engle said.

Engle’s car was left mangled after a serious car crash on Nov. 30, 2025.

“On that night, she was coming home on Southwest Kanner Highway from doing some early Christmas shopping when this intoxicated driver was driving erratically and collided with her at a high rate of speed,” said Ryan McCarthy, Engle’s attorney.

She had to be airlifted to the hospital, is now a quadriplegic, and unable to go back to her nursing job at HCA Lawnwood’s pediatric ICU and needing round-the-clock care from her husband and children.

“It’s almost three months since the accident. Why hasn’t there been an arrest made? We’ve been told that an arrest warrant may be issued next week. But it’s time. It’s time for justice,” said Gary Lesser, Engle’s attorney.

Engle’s attorneys, Lesser, Landy, Smith & Siegel, PLLC, believe the other driver, identified as Steven Hererra Valdez, was drunk at the time of the crash based on the accident report, his speed, and information determined from a blood draw.

Now, they’ve filed a civil lawsuit against him on behalf of Engle seeking damages in excess of $50,000.

WPBF 25 News spoke with Martin County State Attorney Tom Bakkedahl, who said Herrera Valdez wasn’t initially arrested because he was also severely injured and placed in the ICU, and then a mistake in filing paperwork related to the case delayed it further.

“I really just want my day in court to see Mr. Herrera so he can see what he has done to me and to my family. I feel he needs to pay the price for this for sure,” Engle said.

Bakkedahl said there is a hearing scheduled for Mar. 4 in this case to hear testimony from Engle, investigators and witnesses to potentially bring criminal charges forth against Herrera Valdez.

Engle’s friends have set up a GoFundMe page to help her family with medical and living expenses.

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 Angela Rozier

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    INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Florida (WPBF) — A dispatcher at the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office is being recognized for helping a woman deliver her baby over the phone on Valentine’s Day, just weeks after starting her job.

Autumn Martin, who began working as a dispatcher on December 8, received a 911 call on February 14 from a woman in active labor.

The caller explained that the midwife was on her way, but the baby was arriving faster than expected.

Martin admitted feeling a bit scared initially but followed her training with her supervisor by her side. She said the mother’s sister and husband were also present to assist during the call.

“I was just answering calls as they were coming in. I got the call, and they said the baby’s crowning, and I said, okay—we’re having a baby,” Martin said.

Shannon Wells, the mother, said Evie is her fifth child.

Wells and her husband had planned a water birth at home with a midwife, but Evie had other plans.

“I looked at my sister and I said, we’re not going to make it. I can feel her head. I could feel she had shifted her position finally and was coming,” Wells said.

While the midwife was en route, they were advised to dial 911, and Evie made her entrance on Valentine’s Day.

“It’s sweet to hear a baby cry. I have two of my own, and I think it’s music to your ears when you first hear the little baby cry,” Martin 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.