Category: CNN Regional

By Brandon Downs

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    Sacramento (KOVR) — An investigation is underway at a Northern California prison after a man died earlier this week, officials said.

Officials at the California State Prison, Sacramento — located in Folsom — found 49-year-old John Cisneros unresponsive in his cell on Monday around 9:15 p.m.

Despite life-saving measures, officials said Cisneros was pronounced dead about 45 minutes later. The extent of his injuries was not released.

Cisnero’s cellmate, 34-year-old Irvin Sanchez, was detained and placed into restricted housing pending an investigation by the investigative services unit and Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office.

Officials said Cinsero was received from Los Angeles County in July 2015 to serve a five-year sentence for second-degree robbery. He was later sentenced in October 2017 to 28 years for penetration, oral copulation and attempted rape with force/violence/fear of immediate bodily injury.

Sanchez was received from Los Angeles County in February 2013 to serve an 18-year sentence for attempted second-degree murder with a street gang enhancement.

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.

KPIX

By Carlos E. Castañeda

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    SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — Two women have been working to build a life-changing community of support in two Concord parks for some 2,000 unhoused people in Contra Costa County.

Their nonprofit serves meals and provides basic life necessities in a park setting where people living on the streets can feel welcome.

“We just want people to come here, have a safe meal, feel seen,” said Kelly McKinley.

McKinley’s program found its roots in 2022 when she helped give away excess fruit from a school that would otherwise have gone to waste.

“So, I came up with ten-dollar meals,” McKinley said. “So, I’d feed 10 to 12 people with $10.”

She spread the word over social media, and before she knew it, she and volunteer Andie Altman started a nonprofit to serve the unhoused.

They call it Grass Roots Outreach Warriors, or GROW Concord.

“We thought what we were doing was helping people grow and evolve,” Altman said. “And the community was growing and evolving because of what we were doing.”

GROW Concord has served more than 32,000 free meals since it started. That’s 300 free hot meals, six days a week – three nights at Baldwin Park and three nights at Cowell Park. The nonprofit relies on private donations, along with volunteers from churches, businesses and schools.

On a recent cold, windy day, volunteers offered nutritious homemade soup, salad and sandwiches. They also gave away donated clothing, basic supplies, and pet food. The nonprofit also provides access to weekly showers and laundry and connects people to resources, such as steps toward sober living.

Stacy Lestrange came to the dinners two years ago, feeling alone. GROW Concord became her family, and a launching pad for change.

“I was that person back then, homeless,” Lestrange said. “So it makes me feel good helping out.”

Today, Lestrange has a job, a roof over her head, two years’ sobriety, and a new purpose as a volunteer.

“Where I used to live underneath the bridge in Solano [County], we go up there and feed the people now,” Lestrange said.

She credits McKinley, Altman, and their volunteer team for giving her hope.

“They’re good people. They have big hearts,” Lestrange said.

McKinley and Altman marvel at the stories of people they’ve helped reunite with their families. People who are off the streets and living clean and sober lives. They’ve learned their small acts of kindness can spark big changes.

“It was to create a community of people that didn’t have a community,” Altman said.

McKinley added, “It kept going, and it ended up being a community labor of love.”

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 Carlos E. Castañeda

Click here for updates on this story

    SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — Two women have been working to build a life-changing community of support in two Concord parks for some 2,000 unhoused people in Contra Costa County.

Their nonprofit serves meals and provides basic life necessities in a park setting where people living on the streets can feel welcome.

“We just want people to come here, have a safe meal, feel seen,” said Kelly McKinley.

McKinley’s program found its roots in 2022 when she helped give away excess fruit from a school that would otherwise have gone to waste.

“So, I came up with ten-dollar meals,” McKinley said. “So, I’d feed 10 to 12 people with $10.”

She spread the word over social media, and before she knew it, she and volunteer Andie Altman started a nonprofit to serve the unhoused.

They call it Grass Roots Outreach Warriors, or GROW Concord.

“We thought what we were doing was helping people grow and evolve,” Altman said. “And the community was growing and evolving because of what we were doing.”

GROW Concord has served more than 32,000 free meals since it started. That’s 300 free hot meals, six days a week – three nights at Baldwin Park and three nights at Cowell Park. The nonprofit relies on private donations, along with volunteers from churches, businesses and schools.

On a recent cold, windy day, volunteers offered nutritious homemade soup, salad and sandwiches. They also gave away donated clothing, basic supplies, and pet food. The nonprofit also provides access to weekly showers and laundry and connects people to resources, such as steps toward sober living.

Stacy Lestrange came to the dinners two years ago, feeling alone. GROW Concord became her family, and a launching pad for change.

“I was that person back then, homeless,” Lestrange said. “So it makes me feel good helping out.”

Today, Lestrange has a job, a roof over her head, two years’ sobriety, and a new purpose as a volunteer.

“Where I used to live underneath the bridge in Solano [County], we go up there and feed the people now,” Lestrange said.

She credits McKinley, Altman, and their volunteer team for giving her hope.

“They’re good people. They have big hearts,” Lestrange said.

McKinley and Altman marvel at the stories of people they’ve helped reunite with their families. People who are off the streets and living clean and sober lives. They’ve learned their small acts of kindness can spark big changes.

“It was to create a community of people that didn’t have a community,” Altman said.

McKinley added, “It kept going, and it ended up being a community labor of love.”

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.

KCNC

By Jennifer McRae

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    COLORADO (KCNC) — A hiker discovered human remains in Douglas County, Colorado, prompting a bigger search for evidence. According to investigators, the search included an area near Crowfoot Valley Road and Pradera Parkway.

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office investigators teamed up with the Douglas County Search and Rescue Team for the investigation.

The search area is located east of I-25 and west of The Pinery, north of Castle Rock.

Investigators didn’t provide any additional details about the discovery, only stating that it was an “ongoing investigation.”

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 Jennifer McRae

Click here for updates on this story

    COLORADO (KCNC) — A hiker discovered human remains in Douglas County, Colorado, prompting a bigger search for evidence. According to investigators, the search included an area near Crowfoot Valley Road and Pradera Parkway.

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office investigators teamed up with the Douglas County Search and Rescue Team for the investigation.

The search area is located east of I-25 and west of The Pinery, north of Castle Rock.

Investigators didn’t provide any additional details about the discovery, only stating that it was an “ongoing investigation.”

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 Alan Gionet, Jesse Sarles

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    COLORADO (KCNC) — A fire in the northern part of the Denver metro area crept close to a school on Wednesday and created a frightening scene for some students. In the middle of the school day they spotted smoke and flames in the field outside the windows.

It happened at the Pinnacle Charter School in Thornton near 84th Avenue and Huron Street. School CEO Dr. Chris Miller said the fire, which grew quickly in windy and dry conditions and burned 10 acres, didn’t reach the high school building thanks to first responders.

“The way the wind was blowing, it came pretty close to the school. I’d say it got within about 50 to 100 feet from the back of our school,” Miller said. “But Federal Heights or Thornton Fire Department was there and they really fought hard.”

High school students were dismissed early from school because of the fire and Thornton Fire Chief Steve Kelley said the school was evacuated. In total, about 650 students and staff left the building.

Student Alejandro Hernandez-Manzouer said the situation evolved quickly.

“It’s just a bunch of dry grass everywhere surrounding that pathway,” he said. “Through the windows I saw fire starting outside and then I saw all the firefighters pulling up. And then I just saw like all the fire just start to spread and it got worse and worse and we got evacuated. And then I just saw a bunch of smoke behind the school.”

The school will resume its normal activities on Thursday.

Residents in a nearby neighborhood were also evacuated for several hours. Kelley said the fire got up to fence line of some of those homes.

Four firefighters and one civilian suffered injuries in the fire. Kelley said none of those injuries were critical.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The fire also forced a closure of I-25 about a half mile away for about 90 minutes due to heavy smoke.

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.

KOVR

By Charlie Lapastora

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    SACRAMENTO (KOVR) — Barry Hickerson has more than four decades of experience as a paramedic and worked as an EMS chief for 12 years for Farmington Fire in San Joaquin County. That is, until a few weeks ago, when he tendered his resignation after seeing his Battalion Chief Conni Bailey and Assistant Chief John Kalebaugh also resign.

Hickerson worked closely with both of them and said he talked to Bailey on Wednesday. Bailey’s been with the department for 34 years, and Kalebaugh for 25 years.

“It was tragic to see what happened to them,” Hickerson said. “I mean, the chief should’ve left with a retirement party, not being kicked to the curb. When you do that, when you have a small community like that and these people are connected and have been there for two or three decades, when you see that happen to one or two of them, the other ones are affected gravely.”

Hickerson said he thinks the “community is heartbroken” and told CBS News Sacramento why he decided to leave, as well, claiming there were “oppressive” conditions.

“I think anybody, you just couldn’t work under those conditions where somebody is oppressive. They’re over your shoulder every day, micromanaging what you’re doing, and just talking negatively about them every day, so it was just very challenging to see,” Hickerson said. “I wound up turning in my resignation after they did, given what the department was left with, I didn’t feel the department was safe to function as a firefighter or EMS responder.”

Two captains and a majority of volunteer firefighters also left, according to Hickerson.

“The community is left with now a couple of hopeful and willing probationary firefighters, but they have no senior members there now. They can’t even drive fire apparatus, so they had to have one of the board members that was involved in this, who was a former firefighter, I believe that he has his license to drive fire equipment,” Hickerson said.

This all came around six months after the board changed leadership, including a new board president, Jeff Briggs.

“It was the board’s decision to create that atmosphere that ran those leaders out,” Hickerson said. “They could’ve chose a different way to do it. If they wanted change, there’s definitely better ways to do it. But, literally, they created such a terrible atmosphere. They literally forced the hand of those fire executives to leave. And, believe me, that’s the last thing they wanted to do.”

Hickerson called the work environment “toxic.”

A San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors’ emergency meeting was recently held regarding a new ad-hoc committee looking into the Farmington Fire Department practices. Farmington Fire Board Vice President Jake Samuel represented the board at the meeting.

“At our last board meeting, after we presented that as a recommendation to move forward with the posting of that acting chief, is when we had some, guess you could say, distaste to the direction of where the board of directors was going with an acting chief, someone else from the outside of Farmington coming in and, hence, this is where we’re at today,” Samuel said. “But, we’re trying our hardest to make it right for our community.”

Samuel was appointed to the board in October 2025 and admitted they’ve had struggles.

“I live in the community,” Samuel said. “I want to make sure we have adequate coverage. That’s been the concern of a lot of the people in the area, to make sure we have that adequate coverage.”

Samuel also mentioned the board is looking to add someone outside of the fire district to help with the department administration work, including payroll and paying bills.

“The department ran fine,” Hickerson said. “Those individuals that lost their positions, they counted every dime in that place. There was no funny business, nothing. I mean, they ran that department tight. They never took an extra dollar out of it, and they did a great job year-after-year-after-year-after-year.”

The Farmington Fire board motioned to hire Collegeville’s chief, Vanessa Herrero, as their temporary emergency acting chief until they can find another acting chief while Conni Bailey’s son, Matt, who is Farmington’s Fire chief, is on disability leave.

Hickerson told CBS News Sacramento that if the situation were right, Bailey would come back.

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 Charlie Lapastora

Click here for updates on this story

    SACRAMENTO (KOVR) — Barry Hickerson has more than four decades of experience as a paramedic and worked as an EMS chief for 12 years for Farmington Fire in San Joaquin County. That is, until a few weeks ago, when he tendered his resignation after seeing his Battalion Chief Conni Bailey and Assistant Chief John Kalebaugh also resign.

Hickerson worked closely with both of them and said he talked to Bailey on Wednesday. Bailey’s been with the department for 34 years, and Kalebaugh for 25 years.

“It was tragic to see what happened to them,” Hickerson said. “I mean, the chief should’ve left with a retirement party, not being kicked to the curb. When you do that, when you have a small community like that and these people are connected and have been there for two or three decades, when you see that happen to one or two of them, the other ones are affected gravely.”

Hickerson said he thinks the “community is heartbroken” and told CBS News Sacramento why he decided to leave, as well, claiming there were “oppressive” conditions.

“I think anybody, you just couldn’t work under those conditions where somebody is oppressive. They’re over your shoulder every day, micromanaging what you’re doing, and just talking negatively about them every day, so it was just very challenging to see,” Hickerson said. “I wound up turning in my resignation after they did, given what the department was left with, I didn’t feel the department was safe to function as a firefighter or EMS responder.”

Two captains and a majority of volunteer firefighters also left, according to Hickerson.

“The community is left with now a couple of hopeful and willing probationary firefighters, but they have no senior members there now. They can’t even drive fire apparatus, so they had to have one of the board members that was involved in this, who was a former firefighter, I believe that he has his license to drive fire equipment,” Hickerson said.

This all came around six months after the board changed leadership, including a new board president, Jeff Briggs.

“It was the board’s decision to create that atmosphere that ran those leaders out,” Hickerson said. “They could’ve chose a different way to do it. If they wanted change, there’s definitely better ways to do it. But, literally, they created such a terrible atmosphere. They literally forced the hand of those fire executives to leave. And, believe me, that’s the last thing they wanted to do.”

Hickerson called the work environment “toxic.”

A San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors’ emergency meeting was recently held regarding a new ad-hoc committee looking into the Farmington Fire Department practices. Farmington Fire Board Vice President Jake Samuel represented the board at the meeting.

“At our last board meeting, after we presented that as a recommendation to move forward with the posting of that acting chief, is when we had some, guess you could say, distaste to the direction of where the board of directors was going with an acting chief, someone else from the outside of Farmington coming in and, hence, this is where we’re at today,” Samuel said. “But, we’re trying our hardest to make it right for our community.”

Samuel was appointed to the board in October 2025 and admitted they’ve had struggles.

“I live in the community,” Samuel said. “I want to make sure we have adequate coverage. That’s been the concern of a lot of the people in the area, to make sure we have that adequate coverage.”

Samuel also mentioned the board is looking to add someone outside of the fire district to help with the department administration work, including payroll and paying bills.

“The department ran fine,” Hickerson said. “Those individuals that lost their positions, they counted every dime in that place. There was no funny business, nothing. I mean, they ran that department tight. They never took an extra dollar out of it, and they did a great job year-after-year-after-year-after-year.”

The Farmington Fire board motioned to hire Collegeville’s chief, Vanessa Herrero, as their temporary emergency acting chief until they can find another acting chief while Conni Bailey’s son, Matt, who is Farmington’s Fire chief, is on disability leave.

Hickerson told CBS News Sacramento that if the situation were right, Bailey would come back.

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.