Category: CNN Regional

By Sharon Chin

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    SAN FRANCISCO, California (KPIX) — Nearly 40 percent of Santa Clara County’s unhoused population, or almost 4,000 people, sleep in their vehicles.

A Peninsula pastor is one of the first in the Bay Area to help provide a safe place for them while they search for housing in expensive Silicon Valley.

Pastor Brian Leong recalls a life-changing moment at a ministers’ conference several years ago when the speaker challenged the audience.

“If your church burned down tomorrow, would anybody in the community care?” he said. “That was a devastating question for me, because I know the answer right away, which is, ‘No.'”

So, Leong approached the office of County Supervisor Joe Simitian about what local churches could do.

The response: How about opening church parking lots as safe spaces for people living in their vehicles?

Churches had already begun to do so in Santa Barbara.

Leong pitched the community service idea he received to a gathering of faith leaders.

“‘Do you think you guys would want to do that?’ All of them said, ‘Yes, let’s do it,'” he recalled.

So, Leong started Move Mountain View in 2018, starting with six parking spaces at two churches, including his own church, Lord’s Grace and St. Timothy’s Episcopal. Today, the city and county-funded nonprofit manages 140 spaces in nine lots in Mountain View and Palo Alto.

About half the spots are occupied by families like Andres’

“Pretty much amazing. Treated like a family,” he said.

Andres, father of a newborn, can safely park the RV that his family’s been living in since he and his wife both lost their jobs months ago.

“It’s healthy. It’s clean. It’s organized,” Andres said of the safe parking lot. “The way that we look at it, it’s like going camping with a good family, a huge family. So, yeah, it’s amazing. “

But it’s not permanent.

Leong says the nonprofit must enforce a recent county policy that says after 120 days, clients have to leave if they cannot show they’re actively seeking housing.

All clients do get a case worker to help connect them with resources.

And Operations Manager David Temple adds that guests find support, security, and stability.

“Babies have been born in this lot. We’ve even had a wedding on this lot,” said Temple.

Nonprofit partners provide donations of food, clothes and more.

The Palo Alto location on Geng Road, a former city-owned firehouse, offers the widest range of on-site resources: a laundry and showers, kitchen, food pantry, and even a children’s library.

In July, a few dozen more parking spaces will be added to the Shoreline Amphitheater parking lot, bringing the total to about 200 spaces the nonprofit manages.

To qualify as a guest in a safe lot, one must live, work or have children going to school in Mountain View or Palo Alto, or be a senior citizen with living with a disability. You must have a valid driver’s license and a registered vehicle.

Since Leong began Move Mountain View, more than 600 people have found housing.

“In order to do this work, you have a big heart. And you want to serve. And Pastor Leong, obviously as a pastor, he has a big heart,” said Temple.

A heart transformed through service.

“It’s just made me more compassionate and understanding of people we often don’t look at,” Leong said.

So, for starting Move Mountain View’s safe parking lots for people living in their vehicles, this week’s CBS News Bay Area ICON Award goes to Pastor Brian Leong.

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 Brandon Downs

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    STOCKTON, California (KOVR) — The Stockton Police Department released video Thursday of an officer shooting a man wielding an ax in early May.

The shooting happened along Deep Cliff Way, off Houston Avenue, on May 4, around 7 a.m. Police said they responded to reports that a suspicious man was armed with an ax on Nevada Street, about a mile from where the shooting happened.

Police said the suspect, later identified as 25-year-old Moises Andrade, was trying to break down the door of a home but left the area.

Officers later contacted Andrade inside a garage along Deep Cliff Way. The video shows Andrade in the garage, unarmed, but he soon picked up an ax and closed the garage door.

He opened the garage door again and officers gave repeated commands to drop the ax, the video showed. Police said one officer grabbed his gun and another grabbed his taser.

This is when police said Andrade took a “pre-assaultive stance” and raised the ax. This is when an officer shot Andrade, who was later taken to a hospital where he died, police said.

The police department identified the officer involved as Gabriel Sixtos, who was hired in 2017 and assigned to the field operations division.

The department released the video on Facebook. Viewer discretion is advised.

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 Brandon Downs

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    STOCKTON, California (KOVR) — The Stockton Police Department released video Thursday of an officer shooting a man wielding an ax in early May.

The shooting happened along Deep Cliff Way, off Houston Avenue, on May 4, around 7 a.m. Police said they responded to reports that a suspicious man was armed with an ax on Nevada Street, about a mile from where the shooting happened.

Police said the suspect, later identified as 25-year-old Moises Andrade, was trying to break down the door of a home but left the area.

Officers later contacted Andrade inside a garage along Deep Cliff Way. The video shows Andrade in the garage, unarmed, but he soon picked up an ax and closed the garage door.

He opened the garage door again and officers gave repeated commands to drop the ax, the video showed. Police said one officer grabbed his gun and another grabbed his taser.

This is when police said Andrade took a “pre-assaultive stance” and raised the ax. This is when an officer shot Andrade, who was later taken to a hospital where he died, police said.

The police department identified the officer involved as Gabriel Sixtos, who was hired in 2017 and assigned to the field operations division.

The department released the video on Facebook. Viewer discretion is advised.

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 Doug Myers, Giles Hudson

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    DALLAS, Texas (KTVT) — A 29‑year‑old worker has died after being trapped under a building when a foundation collapsed during a concrete pour Thursday on Sage Hill Lane in Dallas, just outside the Coppell city limits, authorities said.

Emergency crews were called at 3:19 p.m. to the Sage Hill Apartments in the 2200 block of Sage Hill Lane, near Olympus Boulevard. According to Dallas Fire‑Rescue, workers were manually digging a tunnel when it collapsed, trapping him.

“Firefighters had to enter the interior of the structure, cut through the concrete floor, and then remove three feet of dirt in order to extricate the victim, who was deceased,” DFR said in a release.

Video from the CBS Texas Chopper showed a DFR trench‑rescue truck at the scene.

The Coppell Fire Department responded in a mutual‑aid role with an engine company and a medical unit, but Dallas Fire‑Rescue led the incident. Coppell Fire personnel were released and returned to service, officials said.

Representatives of the Medical Examiner’s Office and OSHA were called to the site to investigate.

CBS News Texas will provide updates as more information becomes available.

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 Ashley Williams

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    SACRAMENTO, California (KOVR) — A Sacramento museum dedicated to Black history is at risk of closing because of a lack of funding.

The Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum on Florin Road was opened 30 years ago by local activist Shonna McDaniels. Volunteers say it is the only museum in the Sacramento region focused on Black history.

Now, volunteers say funding is down. The museum continues to apply for grants, but those applications have been denied.

Supporters say similar funding challenges are affecting museums across the country. But they also say the Sojourner Truth Museum needs more visitors and community awareness to survive.

“A lot of people that live down the block are not aware that the museum is here – and I must admit, when I started working here, people asked where it is. They thought the murals on the wall was the museum,” volunteer Constance Arnick said.

The museum started in a space of about 800 square feet in 1996 and has since grown to more than 4,000 square feet. It is currently in a shared building, but volunteers hope it can eventually move into its own space and continue expanding.

Volunteers say people can support the museum by visiting or donating.

The Sojourner Truth Museum is also a sponsor of the upcoming Banana Festival, where it will have a booth for people who want to learn more or offer support.

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 Ashley Williams

Click here for updates on this story

    SACRAMENTO, California (KOVR) — A Sacramento museum dedicated to Black history is at risk of closing because of a lack of funding.

The Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum on Florin Road was opened 30 years ago by local activist Shonna McDaniels. Volunteers say it is the only museum in the Sacramento region focused on Black history.

Now, volunteers say funding is down. The museum continues to apply for grants, but those applications have been denied.

Supporters say similar funding challenges are affecting museums across the country. But they also say the Sojourner Truth Museum needs more visitors and community awareness to survive.

“A lot of people that live down the block are not aware that the museum is here – and I must admit, when I started working here, people asked where it is. They thought the murals on the wall was the museum,” volunteer Constance Arnick said.

The museum started in a space of about 800 square feet in 1996 and has since grown to more than 4,000 square feet. It is currently in a shared building, but volunteers hope it can eventually move into its own space and continue expanding.

Volunteers say people can support the museum by visiting or donating.

The Sojourner Truth Museum is also a sponsor of the upcoming Banana Festival, where it will have a booth for people who want to learn more or offer support.

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 Crystal Webb

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    SHREVEPORT, La. (KTBS) — Wastewater in Caddo Parish contains some of the highest levels of methamphetamine in the world, according to new research from LSU Health Shreveport.

The findings, presented to the Caddo Parish Commission this week, indicate the illicit stimulant is prevalent across all communities within the parish. Researchers have monitored local wastewater for controlled substances since 2020 and are partnering with regional laboratories to map drug concentrations by ZIP code.

Kevin Murnane, an associate professor at LSU Health Shreveport, said the data reflects heavy human consumption rather than discarded prescription medications. Researchers confirmed this by detecting amphetamine — the chemical byproduct created when the human body metabolizes methamphetamine.

“Although there are areas that are higher … it’s that every area is high, and some areas are extraordinarily high,” Murnane said. “So, it seems like there’s methamphetamine use happening in every community and every part of Caddo Parish.”

LSU Health officials emphasized that public drinking water remains safe. Test results indicate municipal water treatment facilities are successfully removing the substances, with no significant drug levels detected in water leaving the plants.

To address the findings, LSU Health Shreveport is deploying more than $1 million allocated by Caddo Parish in 2024. derived from an opioid settlement, the funding serves as seed money for seven research projects and 29 scientist trainees focusing on treatments for substance abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder.

One primary area of study examines the use of psychedelics, including psilocybin, to treat methamphetamine addiction. Early trials have yielded promising results, prompting the Louisiana Legislature to unanimously pass a bill supporting the research.

The local initiative aligns with recent federal actions. In April, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to accelerate research into psychedelic therapies. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has also issued fast-track priority review vouchers to incentivize companies studying substances such as psilocybin and methylone.

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 Mia Bearden

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    MILWAUKEE (WDJT) — As grocery stores continue closing across Milwaukee, more families are finding it harder to access fresh food close to home.

Since 2025, at least seven full-service grocery stores have closed across Milwaukee County, leaving some neighborhoods with fewer options and forcing residents to travel farther for basic necessities.

Ald. Russell Stamper II said his office was flooded with calls after several store closures.

“An abundance of calls related to what’s happening, why are they leaving, how come we did not know and what we’re going to do for groceries and prescriptions,” Stamper said. “The concern was immediate.”

Residents on Milwaukee’s north side say the closures have left communities struggling to find nearby food options.

Brittney Taylor, who lives near the closed Pick ‘n Save on N. 35th Street, said the loss has been devastating for residents.

“It’s leaving us high and dry. It’s leaving us with no resources, no food, no access,” she said.

Innocent Nwagbara, who lives near the former Sentry Foods location, said convenience matters when it comes to buying groceries.

“Where are you going to go and get tomatoes and oil and potatoes?” he said. “You need somewhere that’s close to home, convenient.”

For many residents, transportation has become another obstacle.

From N. 27th Street and W. Center Street, the nearest full-service grocery store is more than 2.5 miles away — roughly a 50-minute walk.

A trip by bus could require multiple steps. Traveling from the Pick ‘n Save at 5700 W. Capitol Drive to the 27th and Center area involves walking to a bus stop at 60th and Capitol, taking the RedLine to 27th and Capitol, transferring to the PurpleLine and then continuing south to Center Street.

There are a few routes you could take, but this was what was recommended by MCTS during our particular trip to the store.

The trip requires two buses, a transfer and several walks while carrying groceries. It also costs more after Milwaukee County Transit System increased its single-ride fare to $2.75 this year.

Ald. Stamper said transportation remains one of the biggest barriers to food access.

“You need groceries and access to healthy affordable food in your community and transportation is a barrier,” he said.

As access to grocery stores shrinks, community organizations are stepping in to help.

At UMOS, Wellpoint Care Network and its partners have added food distribution to monthly community events.

Marjorie Rivera-Torres, UMOS vice president of social services, said families receive enough food to last well beyond a single day.

“We bring all the food staples for the family so they can go home with everything that they need for more than a week,” Rivera-Torres said. “They have everything they need to fix an entire meal.”

Rivera-Torres said organizations are also working together to expand food distribution efforts throughout the city.

“We have some hubs with other organizations in the northside area. For example, Silver Spring is having distribution of food as well,” she said.

Still, community leaders say food pantries cannot fully replace neighborhood grocery stores.

To address the problem long term, Stamper introduced a resolution designed to help attract and retain grocery stores while giving residents more notice before a store closes.

“One was regarding notices,” Stamper said. “Grocery stores now have to notice the council and the community that they are interested in leaving. The first 30 days we look to retain them. After that we support their transition and let the community know that this grocery store is moving.”

The city is also working to distribute nearly $3 million in funding aimed at improving food access.

Under the proposal, between $30,000 and $100,000 would be available to support improvements at existing grocery stores. An additional $35,000 would help incentivize local hiring. About $1 million would help launch new grocery stores, while another $500,000 would support a Fresh Food Fund designed to increase access to fresh food in Milwaukee neighborhoods.

For residents watching stores disappear from their communities, city leaders hope those investments can help prevent food access from becoming an even bigger challenge.

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.