Category: CNN Regional

By Michele Gile, Dean Fioresi

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    ORANGE COUNTY, California (KCAL, KCBS) — The Orange County woman who faces a series of felonies for registering her dog to vote in 2021 and 2022 made her first court appearance on Tuesday, saying through her legal team that she did so to “expose flaws” in California’s voting system.

Laura Lee Yourex, 62, of Costa Mesa, was charged with five felonies last week as she registered her dog, Maya, to vote in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election and the 2022 primary election, Orange County District Attorney prosecutors said.

“The dog’s vote was successfully counted in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election but was rejected in the 2022 primary,” said the DOJ’s office in a release.

During Tuesday’s appearance, Yourex did not enter a plea for the five felonies she faces, which include one count of perjury, one count of procuring or offering a false or forged document to be filed, one count of registering a non-existent person to vote and two counts of casting a ballot when not entitled to vote. Her arraignment was postponed until December.

“Laura Yourex sincerely regrets her unwise attempt to expose flaws in our state voting system intending to improve it by demonstrating that even a dog can be registered to vote,” said her attorney, Jaime Coulter, while reading a statement outside of the courthouse in Santa Ana on Tuesday. “Ms. Yourex never hid from taking personal responsibility as she self-reported the matter to the Orange County Registrar of Voters, intending to have them investigate and ultimately improve our voting registration system.”

The case caused concern amongst Orange County leaders on Tuesday during a meeting. Two members of the county’s Board of Supervisors pushed for an emergency motion to have voter rules examined, but it failed.

One of those supervisors was District 1’s Janet Nguyen, who wants to have the county’s dog license records reviewed in order to expose illegal voters.

“If we can cross-reference the addresses and the names to see, is there potentially a name that could be suspicious and then we can say, ‘Wait a minute, let’s flag this,” Nguyen said while speaking with CBS News Los Angeles.

Bob Page, the Orange County Registrar of Voters, said that his office received a report about a fictitious voter last year.

“We take voter fraud very serious,” Page said. “When I received a report in October that there may have been a fictitious person who was registered to vote, and had voted, attempted to vote in two elections, we referred that immediately to the district attorney to investigate and he ultimately filed charges.”

Supervisor Katrina Foley said that since the presidential election last year, 175,000 names have been removed from the county’s voter files.

“They moved, they died, they were ineligible to vote,” she said. “I don’t support what I think is an anti-democratic way to try to test our system. People should be held accountable for that.”

Records show that Yourex is a registered Republican, but Maya was listed as having no party preference.

Yourex faces up to six years in state prison if convicted as charged of the five felonies.

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KCBS

By Michele Gile, Dean Fioresi

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    ORANGE COUNTY, California (KCAL, KCBS) — The Orange County woman who faces a series of felonies for registering her dog to vote in 2021 and 2022 made her first court appearance on Tuesday, saying through her legal team that she did so to “expose flaws” in California’s voting system.

Laura Lee Yourex, 62, of Costa Mesa, was charged with five felonies last week as she registered her dog, Maya, to vote in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election and the 2022 primary election, Orange County District Attorney prosecutors said.

“The dog’s vote was successfully counted in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election but was rejected in the 2022 primary,” said the DOJ’s office in a release.

During Tuesday’s appearance, Yourex did not enter a plea for the five felonies she faces, which include one count of perjury, one count of procuring or offering a false or forged document to be filed, one count of registering a non-existent person to vote and two counts of casting a ballot when not entitled to vote. Her arraignment was postponed until December.

“Laura Yourex sincerely regrets her unwise attempt to expose flaws in our state voting system intending to improve it by demonstrating that even a dog can be registered to vote,” said her attorney, Jaime Coulter, while reading a statement outside of the courthouse in Santa Ana on Tuesday. “Ms. Yourex never hid from taking personal responsibility as she self-reported the matter to the Orange County Registrar of Voters, intending to have them investigate and ultimately improve our voting registration system.”

The case caused concern amongst Orange County leaders on Tuesday during a meeting. Two members of the county’s Board of Supervisors pushed for an emergency motion to have voter rules examined, but it failed.

One of those supervisors was District 1’s Janet Nguyen, who wants to have the county’s dog license records reviewed in order to expose illegal voters.

“If we can cross-reference the addresses and the names to see, is there potentially a name that could be suspicious and then we can say, ‘Wait a minute, let’s flag this,” Nguyen said while speaking with CBS News Los Angeles.

Bob Page, the Orange County Registrar of Voters, said that his office received a report about a fictitious voter last year.

“We take voter fraud very serious,” Page said. “When I received a report in October that there may have been a fictitious person who was registered to vote, and had voted, attempted to vote in two elections, we referred that immediately to the district attorney to investigate and he ultimately filed charges.”

Supervisor Katrina Foley said that since the presidential election last year, 175,000 names have been removed from the county’s voter files.

“They moved, they died, they were ineligible to vote,” she said. “I don’t support what I think is an anti-democratic way to try to test our system. People should be held accountable for that.”

Records show that Yourex is a registered Republican, but Maya was listed as having no party preference.

Yourex faces up to six years in state prison if convicted as charged of the five felonies.

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By Austin Turner, Dean Fioresi

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    LONG BEACH, California (KCAL, KCBS) — An apparent accident involving a cargo ship at the Port of Long Beach left a mess in the ocean on Tuesday morning.

Aerial footage captured around 10:30 a.m. showed dozens of shipping containers in the ocean water along the coast at the port near Pier G. The vessel, identified as the “Mississippi,” arrived at Long Beach from southern China sometime within the 24 hours before the incident.

Port of Long Beach spokesperson Art Marroquin said in a statement that the incident occurred just before 9 a.m. as the containers were unloaded. No major injuries have been reported, and the exact cause of the incident is under investigation.

Approximately 67 containers spilled into the ocean, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Stunning images from the scene showed several containers toppled over on the rear of the Mississippi, as well as some that spilled over onto a smaller vessel, a clean air barge that was connected to the cargo ship.

It’s not yet clear exactly what cargo the containers held, but port workers said that some of the items were clothing, shoes, electronics and furniture. Operations have been temporarily suspended at the Pier G container terminal as responders work to secure the containers, according to Marroquin. They are expected to remain closed at least through Wednesday.

“Unified Command agencies have dispatched numerous vessels and aircraft to assess the situation and provide assistance,” said a news release shared by the Port of Long Beach. “The Coast Guard established a safety zone 500 yards around the Mississippi and is issuing marine safety broadcasts every hour to alert other vessels of the navigation and safety hazards. The Coast Guard is also leading the effort to determine the cause of the incident.”

Late Tuesday night, a boom was placed around the containers that remained in the water. A crane will be necessary to remove the containers that sunk to the bottom of the water.

Authorities with the Coast Guard, Long Beach Fire Department, Long Beach Police Department, Port of Long Beach and the Army Corps of Engineers were called to help with the ongoing investigation and assessment.

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By Jonathan Greco

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    MINCO, Oklahoma (KOCO) — Minco Public Schools has canceled the rest of its junior high and high school softball season after seven people were injured in a bus crash.

Around 8 p.m. Monday, a Minco Public Schools bus crashed while on State Highway 152 near County Street 2760 just west of Minco. Eighteen people were on the bus, and seven people – including softball players and a coach – were injured.

One adult remained in critical condition as of Tuesday afternoon. Officials initially told KOCO 5 that six people were critically injured in the crash.

The school bus was the only vehicle involved in the crash, and no fatalities have been reported as of Tuesday afternoon.

“Last night, our school and community were shaken by an accident that could have been truly tragic,” Superintendent Kevin Sims posted to Minco Public Schools’ Facebook page. “We are very fortunate, as the outcome could have been so much worse for our student-athletes, coaches, and community. I am deeply grateful to God for sparing their lives.”

Sims went on to say that the first responders’ quick actions “undoubtedly saved lives.” He also thanked Minco First Baptist Church for hosting a prayer vigil and support from schools across the state and leaders such as Gov. Kevin Stitt, Attorney General Gentner Drummond, Sen. James Lankford, Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton and state Rep. Dick Lowe.

In the post, Sims said school will resume on Wednesday and that homecoming has been rescheduled for Oct. 3. The homecoming parade will be held on Oct. 2.

He added that the junior high and high school softball season has ended for the fall semester.

“Life is fragile — hold tightly to your loved ones,” Sims wrote. “We feel your prayers and support, and we ask that you continue lifting up our student-athletes, coaches, and their families as they recover.”

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By John Kosich

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    BROOK PARK, Ohio (WEWS) — While the weightlessness of space eliminates the risk of a fall for astronauts, working in this environment does present its unique set of risks. When injuries occur, a trip to the urgent care is not a possibility, so NASA is constantly looking for ways to provide its astronauts with the medical attention they need. That’s where the folks at NASA Glenn come in.

“What we’re looking at is a portable X-ray system,” said Dr. Chase Haddix, NASA Glenn’s lead engineer on the project. “We’ve been looking at X-ray for many years, but unfortunately it’s been too bulky to really be practical to go up in space.”

In 2023, they initiated a study of 250 different options, narrowing it down to three. Devices that can check for broken bones and also broken equipment.

“We want to find the most use or get the biggest bang for our buck out of these systems and so we’re looking at the non-clinical,” said Dr. Cy Peverill, NASA’s Task Lead on the project. “As you can see over here we have some rover tires or EVA space suits if there’s cracks or fractures that we can identify.”

To test the devices, though, they need to go outside of the lab at NASA Glenn, but fortunately not very far.

“It works out really well that there are two renowned institutions for radiography right here in Northeast Ohio,” said Haddix.

They would be Cuyahoga Community College and University Hospitals, which have partnered with Glenn. Tri-C is offering its advanced radiography lab and anatomical phantoms to support hands-on testing, while University Hospitals’ radiography experts are capturing X-ray images from real patients and providing feedback on device performance. Together, these Cleveland-based teams are helping determine which X-ray device works best for the tight quarters of a spacecraft and the harsh conditions of deep space.

“They really wanted to see a comparison to a hospital x-ray machine or an x-ray taken in a hospital to kind of get an idea of what their medical teams could expect if the crews had to use this equipment on a space mission,” said David Jordan, University Hospital’s chief medical physicist.

For Tri-C and UH, they were happy to help out with the space effort.

“Anytime your work sort of touches on space and rockets and astronauts it’s always cool to sort of feel like well you know I’m going to go to work today I’m doing my regular job but I’m also kind of a rocket scientist,” said Jordan.

NASA Glenn hopes to select a device by the end of the year and test it out on the International Space Station sometime in 2026 or 2027.

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By Logan Hall

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    BOSTON, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A piece of family history has found its way home after decades of being lost. The Purple Heart awarded to Sgt. Thomas Lynch for his service in World War I was returned Tuesday to his grandson, Thomas Brigham, during a ceremony at the Massachusetts State House.

Purple Heart found in safety deposit box The medal was recovered by the state’s Unclaimed Property Division after being discovered in an old safety deposit box.

“Something about this being long lost and here it is – reappeared,” said Brigham.

Brigham said his family believed the medal had been stolen and never expected to see it again.

“My siblings are thrilled, my sister and three brothers, it just kind of reconnects that history of military service and now it’s coming back,” he said.

State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, who presented the medal, said returning the honor to Lynch’s family was a meaningful moment. “It gave me the chills to know that we have found people who deserve these medals and that we are able to honor the families who are so committed to people throughout our country,” Goldberg said.

The Purple Heart is awarded to service members who are killed or severely wounded in combat. Lynch, who served in the Massachusetts National Guard, was wounded in battle while fighting overseas during World War I.

Brigham said recovering the medal has sparked new interest in his grandfather’s legacy.

“It brought his memory to the forefront. He talked about getting gassed in France and being in the trenches, as if that’s just what they did. It was what was expected of them,” Brigham said.

Brigham plans to frame the medal as a tribute to his grandfather’s service and sacrifice.

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By Kaicey Baylor

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    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJZ) — As football season kicks off, phase two of the Baltimore Ravens’ three-year renovation at M&T Bank Stadium is nearly complete.

The $450 million project is aimed at enhancing the game day experience for fans.

From expanded food options to high-tech displays, the improvements will be noticeable during every home game.

Upgraded entertainment spaces

Construction outside the stadium is wrapping up on a new retail and hospitality village that will be open year-round.

Inside the stadium, fans will see large new video displays, including one that spans 216 feet.

A walk-through drink market with self-serve food and beverage coolers has been added behind Gate A. The goal is to reduce wait times.

The Ravens have also introduced three new club memberships: The Trust, The Raven and Champions Club. Each offers a different lounge experience.

The Champions Club was inspired by the Ravens’ Super Bowl XLVII victory, according to Brad Downs, Senior Vice President of Marketing for the Baltimore Ravens.

The club areas are multi-purpose and can be used for non-game day events.

The Legends Suites lead straight to the field.

“These suites are supported by seats on the outside. So, you have 16 seats per suite. 12 of those are heated,” said Rich Tamayo, Senior Vice President of Stadium Operations and Guest Experience.

Throughout the new spaces, the Ravens paid tribute to their former players and the infamous poem by Edgar Allen Poe.

Outside, the Flock Shop, filled with Ravens gear, is almost finished. You’ll also find a Tailgate and Concert venue, which, when completed, will include a stage and indoor sports bar.

“Bringing some of that great Ravens traditional tailgate right onto the premises with the plaza. It’s also delivering on what fans told us they wanted,” said Baltimore Ravens President Sashi Brown.

The full renovation project is expected to be completed in 2026.

Menu upgrades

The team partnered with Hospitality Evermore to refresh the stadium’s Flock Friendly Fare menu. The updated menu includes 11 items priced under $5, including a BBQ sandwich, nachos, pretzels and hot dogs.

“It’s been in existence since 2018, I believe,” said Jessica Gomes, vice president of hospitality strategy at Hospitality Evermore. “That’s something that we’re just developing on. Honestly, if you look at the stadiums and the surrounding environments, we want to make sure that our fans can come in and enjoy themselves but also feel like they’re able to get a good price.”

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By Juli McDonald

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    BOSTON, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Quincy police say a pair of criminals orchestrated a scheme to steal cars from pizza shop employees who were delivering food. The most recent incident targeted Mama Bear’s Kitchen in Quincy this weekend.

A team of two keeps Mama Bear’s preparing and delivering orders until 3 a.m. After a busy Sunday this past weekend, driver Paul Bates was delivering an order to Southern Artery around 11 o’clock.

“As I turned around, there were two hooded people, all dressed in black, black COVID surgical masks on and everything. I swore at them and asked what they were doing, and they jumped right in the vehicle and off they went,” Bates recalled.

Those suspects had called in the fake order.

Investigators say the same thing happened to a different pizza place over Labor Day weekend. On August 31, around 8:30 p.m. on Berlin Street, a man wearing dark clothing and a mask acted as a decoy by occupying the driver on the porch of the delivery location. While the driver was distracted, a second person entered the vehicle and drove away. The first man then ran off.

“You’re not here to make millions but to make a buck and live and survive,” Mama Bear’s owner Noemi LeBron said. “It causes anxiety. Now you always have to watch your back.”

Bates had the car’s key fob in his pocket, so after a long joy ride on a full tank of gas, the car was found a day later dumped at the mall.

Quincy police are reminding business owners and all drivers to stay alert, lock cars, and limit how much cash you carry. At Mama Bear’s Kitchen, they’ve borrowed a car to make deliveries until they know their own is safe to drive.

“That’s part of the business. The show must go on. Just keep on going, just pray, and hopefully it doesn’t happen again,” LeBron said.

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