Category: CNN Regional

By Steven Rosenbaum

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    DALLAS (KTVT) — The Southern Methodist University Police Department is asking for the public’s help to find a missing student.

Brianna Arango, 21, was reported missing at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. SMU PD said a family member reported her missing after she had not met them as planned earlier in the afternoon. She was also absent from a 1 p.m. class, police said.

Arango was last seen on campus around 12:30 p.m. near Harold Simmons Hall. At the time, she was wearing a white shirt, blue sweatpants and carrying a beige tote bag, police said.

SMU PD said it officers are “actively working to locate Brianna and are treating this as a matter of concern.”

The department is asking for anyone in the community who has information to call 214-768-3388. Anonymous tips can also be submitted at 214-SMU-2TIP, online at smu.edu/2TIP or through the SMU Aware Safety App.

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 Mike Toole

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    DEDHAM, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Stefon Diggs, a star wide receiver with the New England Patriots, made a brief appearance in court in Dedham, Massachusetts Friday to face criminal charges after he allegedly assaulted his personal chef.

Diggs, 32, was arraigned in Dedham District Court on charges of felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery in the Dec. 2 incident. Diggs, who has denied the allegations, pleaded not guilty. He was allowed to leave without paying any bail. The entire session lasted less than three minutes. Diggs was ordered to stay away from his accuser. He’s due back in court for a pre-trial hearing on April 1.

According to a Dedham police report, Diggs’ personal chef reported the alleged assault on Dec. 16, two weeks after it happened. She said she was hired as Diggs’ personal chef for the entire NFL season and was allowed to stay in a room at his house in Dedham. She told investigators the confrontation was about money.

“She said that they began to discuss this, which apparently angered the male,” police said in the report. “She alleges that the male then smacked her across the face. She said that she tried to push him away. The male then tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck.”

David Meier, an attorney for Diggs, said in December that his client “categorically denies these allegations.” Meier called the woman’s accusations “unsubstantiated” and “the direct result of an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction.” According to the Boston Globe, Meier and another attorney withdrew from the case Thursday and Diggs is now represented by attorney Sara Silva.

After the allegations became public, Diggs called it a “very emotional time” and said he couldn’t say anything about the case. The Patriots issued a statement saying, “We support Stefon.”

Diggs was originally scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 23, which would have been two days before the AFC Championship Game. But, his arraignment was moved to Feb. 13, five days after the Patriots lost the Super Bowl to the Seattle Seahawks.

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 Mike Sullivan

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    BOSTON (WBZ) — An igloo has popped up in the backyard of a South Boston property and it’s taking the neighborhood and internet by storm. Jack Tarca and his buddies started building the structure two weeks ago when Boston’s cold weather hit.

They saw a news story about parents using cake pans to make small igloos with their children, and they decided to take it to the next level.

“We ordered 80 bins, and the next day started filling them up,” said Tarca of their ice brick creating prowess. “I knew nothing about making an igloo. I have some experience with ice. I played hockey all of my life, and I used to build outdoor rinks with my dad in the winter.”

He admits he and his friends knew how to build the first row, but after that they were winging it.

They learned some tricks of the trade online, but most of their advice came from people who watched the evolution of their build on Instagram. Each day, Tarca posted videos of the day’s progress.

“It evolved into millions of people commenting with their own advice on how to build an igloo,” said Tarca.

After 10 days, Tarca says his videos generated more than 33 million views. People wanted to see if they could finish it.

“Day 14, to get to this point with a roof over our head, it’s not a home yet. We need a little more ice furniture and decorating, but 14 days,” said Tarca.

The igloo is 12 feet wide by eight and half feet tall.

When he isn’t making ice houses, Tarca also owns a mental health apparel company called Find the Good.

“It’s been such a great community response. It’s what I am all about, and Find the Good is all about. I did this for my mental health,” said Tarca.

The hope is to make it to Saturday so they can have friends, family, and the neighborhood at the igloo for a party. The weather is a challenge. They have to constantly tend to the igloo even at 1 a.m. or 3 a.m. They must continue to spray water on the igloo to refreeze it. During the day they put a reflective tarp over it to block the sun.

“We are confident in the glue, or snow mortar if you will, just mixing snow and water, and it’s hardened overnight,” said Tarca.

His landlord and community have been supportive with some local families asking if they can come build igloos at their homes.

“Maybe I will do this full time,” joked Tarca, already an entrepreneur. “We just need 14 days and historically low temperatures.”

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 KCCI Staff

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    ESTHERVILLE, Iowa (KCCI) — Authorities have identified the member of the Iowa Lakes Community College baseball program who died in a bus crash while the team was traveling to its next series.

Carter “Tater” Johnson, 19, died in the crash. He was pronounced dead at the scene. More than 30 others on the bus were injured, including several who were hospitalized.

Johnson, from Rapid City, South Dakota, was listed as a freshman outfielder on the Iowa Lakes baseball roster.

“Our baseball team is more than a roster, they’re a family. Carter was a great teammate, a friend and a valued member of our athletic community,” Troy Larson, Iowa Lakes athletic director, said during a news conference on Thursday. “In his time here, he really impacted our campus, both within our halls, in the classrooms, as well as on the playing field. We’re heartbroken for this tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with Carter’s family. We cannot imagine the depth of their loss and we are holding them close in our hearts.”

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 Ryan Lynch

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    MADISON, Wisconsin (WQOW) — Doctors are exploring the integration of artificial intelligence into medicine with a new tool that assists in note-taking during patient visits.

The AI-powered tool aims to enhance face-to-face interactions between doctors and patients.

Dr. Matthew Swedlund of Group Health Cooperative is the first doctor to use an AI charting tool developed by Epic Systems.

“This is one of the first points in my career where I’ve seen a technology introduced that’s shifting attention away from the computer and more towards the patient,” Swedlund said.

Before using the recording tool on his phone, Dr. Swedlund always asks the paitent for permission.

During a simulated visit, Dr. Swedlund listened to symptoms and recommended medications. The recorded transcription provided a comprehensive summary of the conversation.

“I’m being pulled more in the space of engaging with my patients and away from the computer,” Swedlund said.

Despite the benefits, AI is not without skepticism.

“Even if a mistake were to be made, there’s always the opportunity for the clinician to see that, make those corrections and finalize before signing their note,” Swedlund said.

Privacy concerns are addressed by storing information securely within Epic’s charting system.

“This is not just out in the ‘cloud’ — available for anyone to have access to,” Swedlund said.

Even though AI continues to impact healthcare, professionals proceed with caution.

“Looking at every single instance of AI, thinking about, what are the risks, what are the benefits?” Swedlund 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.