Category: CNN Regional

By Madi Vollmer

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    BAKERSFIELD, California (KERO) — Im Madi Vollmer, Have you ever seen somebody fly? Well, I have — and it’s happening right here in Bakersfield.

I went out to Meadows Field Airport to watch humans fly — and I know that sounds crazy, but it was actually pretty incredible. Who would’ve thought this kind of technology was taking off right in our own backyard?

Gravity Industries hosted a jet suit flight demonstration here in Bakersfield. The company says this city is the ideal base for their operations — thanks to available space, room for noise, easy access to fuel — and even military training happening on site.

Richrd Browning is the founder and chief test pilot for Gravity Industries and he says, “The military application — the easiest way to describe it — is being able to take small, probably special forces teams, lift them and move them anywhere within a few-mile radius. Over minefields, over wire, over water, over mud, at night, in bad weather — to deliver an objective or find a casualty, and then self-extract without having to rely on a helicopter.”

The company was launched in 2017 and created the world’s first human-powered jet suit — turning science fiction into reality.

Paul Jones is the lead flight instructor and site operator and he says, “It’s a really weird connection between this kind of sci-fi world and real life — and we’re just trying to make that childhood dream come true and bring it to everyone.”

Paul Jones isn’t just the lead flight instructor — he’s also the site operator. He admits learning to fly the jet suit was tough at first, but says once you get the hang of it, it’s a lot like riding a bike or a skateboard — just a whole lot louder… and way off the ground.

“I fortunately get to do this quite a lot — which is pretty nice — but every time, it hits differently. It’s just the most insane feeling when you’re effortlessly flying around in the sky… it’s pretty surreal.” Jones said.

The company says they are making the impossible possible — one flight at a time.

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By Veronica Morley

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    BAKERSFIELD, California (KERO) — A Bakersfield Sikh family is speaking out after their home was riddled with bullets in what police believe appeared to be a targeted shooting earlier this month.

Jaswinder Kaur said the shooting happened around 2 a.m. on Sept. 7 in a typically quiet southwest Bakersfield neighborhood. Surveillance video from a neighbor shows a car driving down the street, then a person walking toward the house before opening fire.

“Somebody come like randomly to shoot on our home,” Kaur said. “Now I already change that garage, but like they are like six hole in my garage, and my car is broken.”

At least six bullets hit the home, some tearing through walls into the family’s laundry room and landing near a gas tank. Kaur said the damage to her car and home is extensive, estimating repairs and losses at more than $13,000.

“That one is $1,600, and my car is total loss,” she said. “I think 13,000 for a total loss. But I’m just like a thing, my kids are safe.”

No one in the family was injured, but Kaur said the emotional toll has been severe. Her 12-year-old son has struggled to return to school since the shooting.

“Very bad. He never go to school,” she said. “I know how can I push to school but he goes, ‘No, I don’t wanna go. Maybe somebody gonna shoot me.'”

Kaur said she believes the shooter may have known her family, noting that a similar car has since driven by their home.

“We don’t have any, like this kind of enemy, they gonna kill us,” she said. “I just, just scared, you know?”

Bakersfield police said they do not believe the shooting was random, but no suspect information has been released. The investigation remains ongoing.

Kaur said she hopes someone recognizes the suspect or the vehicle from surveillance video and comes forward.

“I know, like that time I just like overthinking, ‘Oh yeah, maybe against somebody shoot me,’” she said. “But still. You know, like, then just like a point to my kids.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Bakersfield Police Department at 661-327-7111.

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By Michelle Griego

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    Colorado (KCNC) — Bettye Garrett has been a Denver Broncos fan since the beginning. And that’s a lot of commitment, considering that she celebrated her 108th birthday this year.

Reaching 108 years old is so special that her celebration had to be special. That meant a trip to Broncos Training Camp to mark the occasion.

“I had a ball. The minute I got out of the car, there was a whole line of people all saying, ‘Happy Birthday!'” said Garrett.

At training camp, player after player shook her hand and signed her football, including her favorite player, Peyton Manning.

“Yeah, he shook my hand and the mascot kinda gave me a smooch,” said Garrett. “When I got home, I was sore from having smiled so much!”

Garrett has been a Broncos fan since she went to her first game in 1970.

When CBS Colorado’s Michelle Griego asked her, “What was that first game like that you went to in the 70s?” Garrett responded, “I have no idea!” as she laughed. “I’m quite sure the tickets were only $7.50.”

Garrett’s husband played football for the University of Colorado, so when the Broncos joined the NFL in 1970, the couple became instant fans.

“When we went to the games a couple times, actually, we took sleeping bags when it was so cold,” said Garrett. “But I had a block of wood like that size that I would put my feet on. My feet never got cold.”

Even in the cold, she said they rarely missed games. After her husband died in 1980, Garrett continued to go to the games with her four sons.

The last game she attended was five years ago, when she was 103 years old. She said her favorite games are always against division rivals.

When Griego asked her what she thought of the Raiders, Garrett replied, “Not much.” And the Chiefs? “Oh, bless…”

Garrett still dresses up for every game and watches on the big screen at her assisted living center.

“Last year, there was one game I completely forgot. I’ve never done that before and I’ll never do it again,” said Garrett.

Never missing a Broncos game and staying active may be her secret to longevity, “I’ve had a lot of fun in my life and I’ve always liked sports.”

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By Alexis Ramanjulu

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    SIERRA VISTA, Arizona (KGUN) — An 18-year-old lifeguard helped save a young girl’s life after she suffered a cardiac event while swimming at the City of Sierra Vista’s pool last week.

Nathan Gluck was off duty when he noticed the swimmer in distress between lanes two and three at the Cove, Sierra Vista’s aquatic center. Working alongside a former firefighter, Gluck assisted in life-saving CPR that restored the girl’s heartbeat and breathing.

“We just like went to worst case scenario,” Gluck said.

For Gluck, this was his first real emergency as a lifeguard.

“I’ve honestly never, like made a save. I’ve never jumped in the water like nothing has ever happened here. To be honest, I just kind of show up every day, like hoping nothing like that happens, because it’s really bad,” he said.

When the pair reached the swimmer, she had no pulse and wasn’t breathing. The former firefighter began chest compressions while Gluck provided rescue breathing.

“I asked the firefighter for a pulse. There was no pulse. She wasn’t breathing. The firefighter started compressions. I tilted her head back with the mask, started giving ventilations to her,” Gluck said.

Their quick actions successfully revived the young swimmer, before paramedics arrived.

“I was like, yes, like, she’s alive. Like, I would never want anybody to ever, like, lose their life or anything,” Gluck said.

Two days after the rescue, Gluck received acceptance to serve as a combat medic for the U.S. Army. The life-saving experience reinforced his career choice in emergency medicine.

“It was like really thankful that we’re able to save somebody’s life and keep them living,” Gluck said.

Before heading to basic training, Gluck hopes to meet the girl whose life he helped save.

“I haven’t met her or seen her at all, but hopefully, maybe soon, I don’t know that’d be cool,” Gluck said.

“This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KGUN’s editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.”

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By Alex Dowd

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    TUCSON, Arizona (KGUN) — September is National Recovery Month— a month dedicated to celebrating substance use recovery. That’s a feat that some treatment facilities are seeing as more difficult as the potency of drugs on the street grows.

Drug treatment facilities in Tucson are adapting their approach as stronger illegal drugs flood the streets

Community Medical Services in Tucson has found itself relying more heavily on methadone in recent years as synthetic opioids like fentanyl become more prevalent. For the past two decades, treatment facilities have used medications like Suboxone, Buprenorphine and Methadone to treat opioid addiction, choosing the drug based on the patient’s stage of withdrawal.

“Methadone is what we call a full opioid agonist, so it replaces the opioid—the illicit opioid— in somebody’s opioid receptor,” said Desiree Auge, Community Impact Manager at Community Medical Services.

The popularity of synthetic opioids has led the facility to not only prescribe methadone over Suboxone more frequently, but also to increase those doses.

“It’s been a little bit more difficult to try to get people on track. Some clients are reporting— at intake— using 60, 80, 100 pills a day,” Auge said.

Over 1,200 deaths have been reported in Arizona, according to the Arizona Department of Health.

“People are not really using even to get high anymore, they’re just using not to be sick,” Auge said.

The medications help ease withdrawal symptoms, encouraging people into treatment without the pain of detox.

“That’s all you remember is the pain that your body was going through during that time. So when you have people consistently doing that, when you mention treatment to them, their automatic thought may go to detox, and they’re going to say no,” Auge said.

At Community Medical Services, the goal is stability, not sobriety, achieved with the help of medication-assisted treatment. Auge says her team is changing the narrative of what treatment means, and they’ve seen steady growth in clients over the past few years. The facility now serves 2,228 people in Pima County.

Earlier this year, the treatment facility opened their third clinic in Tucson at Grant and Alvernon.

Auge stressed that methadone or Suboxone is just one piece of the recovery work they do at Community Medical Services. Treatment is paired with therapy and peer mentors.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KGUN’s editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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By Paula Wethington

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    MICHIGAN (WWJ) — The local government of Genesee County, Michigan, has declared a local state of emergency in response to Sunday’s attack on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township.

Four victims were killed in the shooting and fire. The shooter is also dead, officials said. Eight others who were at the church that day are in hospital care, according to updates Monday from authorities.

Delrico J. Loyd, chairman of the Genesee County Board of Commissioners, signed the county declaration Monday, in support of one that Grand Blanc Township had already issued.

“We stand with the victims of this senseless act of violence and destruction that has struck at the heart of our community,” Loyd said. “Making this declaration ensures that we are doing everything in our power to protect our community, provide the necessary support, and stand shoulder to shoulder during this time of grief. My prayers, and the prayers of our entire board, are with everyone impacted by this tragedy.”

Under Michigan law, a local state of emergency declaration activates emergency operations plans and authorizes the furnishing of aid, assistance, and directives under those plans.

The declaration enables Genesee County to request additional support and resources from the State of Michigan, which might include the deployment of emergency personnel and resources, and to expedite aid to residents and organizations directly impacted by the incident.

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By Taylor Thompson

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    LAKE LURE, North Carolina (WLOS) — It was a touching and emotional moment for WLOS’s general manager, Courtney Youngblood, when volunteers in Lake Lure uncovered part of a special memorial that was lost to Hurricane Helene.

Last week, workers clearing the channel to the Lake Lure boat marina discovered a section of the town’s Rainbow Bridge in the sediment.

The Rainbow Bridge is a memorial on the Flowering Bridge where pet owners can put their departed dogs’ collars and leashes.

Last week’s recovery of some of these important memories brought relief to many pet owners, including one of our own, Courtney Youngblood.

She left part of her heart on the rainbow bridge on Sept. 8, 2024.

Youngblood said that she never thought she would part with anything from the dogs she’s had throughout her life. But when she stepped onto the Rainbow Bridge, she felt overwhelmed by all the love.

“So many loved animals are represented, even if you didn’t have a dog that was out there, if you had a heart for animals, it would bring you to tears,” she said.

Youngblood and her husband decided to put their three pups’ tags together on one leash to hang on the bridge. She said it felt right in her heart. She had no idea that just 19 days later, Helene would sweep through Lake Lure and wash the bridge away.

She remained cautiously optimistic, but part of her knew that these memories of her dogs were probably gone forever.

“I remember sitting down in the hallway with Meghan Danahay here at WLOS when we saw that the bridge was gone because, as dog lovers, it was just the thing that finally made us sit down, and we just cried,” she said.

If you’re a dog person, you get it.

“They don’t care even if you had a bad day, they make your day better, they greet you at the door,” she said. “It’s just the definition of love for me.”

364 days later, the day before the one-year mark of the storm, a miracle happened.

Youngblood was scrolling through Facebook and saw a post saying that part of the Rainbow Bridge had been found. She spent several minutes looking closely at every photo to see if she could find their collar, but no luck.

Later that day, archives of all the collars found were posted, and her beloved pups were listed as number 51.

“I looked and I didn’t even know they were archiving the collars,” she said. “It’s a beautiful thing, and there they were.”

She couldn’t believe that her pups found their way home.

Now, all of the found collars will be cleaned and stored until the new Rainbow Bridge is built.

The new bridge is expected to be completed next spring.

“How special it is to know that history will always be there and that my dogs will always be on the new bridge,” she said.

Lots of happy tears took place on the old bridge, and Youngblood is thrilled that Pugsley, Hemingway and Johnny’s memories will forever live on the new bridge.

“I felt like – for all of the sadness and all of the destruction that happened – the day before the one-year mark of Helene just did feel like a little bit of magic, a little bit of happiness in a time where we all need it,” she said.

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