Category: CNN Regional

By Alexa Velez

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    COLLIER COUNTY, Florida (WBBH) — Collier County Emergency Medical Services honored first responders Tuesday during the Phoenix Awards ceremony at the South Regional Library, recognizing extraordinary lifesaving efforts across the county.

Among those honored were the EMS crews who helped save the life of 4-year-old Victor Valdez Jr., who survived a near-drowning in his family’s pool in The Estates in February.

Victor’s mother, Lilmary Delgado, said her son was clinically dead for 30 minutes.

Ten months later, she thanked the very responders who brought him back.

“Thank you guys, for everything you did for my son,” Delgado said.

Delgado described the moment she realized how close she came to losing her child.

“I think that’s the worst experience a parent can go through, seeing your son lifeless on the floor, and you feel like you cannot do anything to bring him back from that,” she said.

It was Victor’s older sister who first found him in the water. His father, Victor Valdez Sr., pulled him out and immediately began CPR.

“I didn’t give up. I didn’t stop doing CPR on him until the EMS got there and they took over. But it’s just something I wouldn’t wish upon anybody,” he said.

One of the EMS lieutenants who responded to Victor’s call, Moises Galicia, was among those honored at the Phoenix Awards.

“It’s a very emotional call. It can be very stressful, not just obviously for us as responders, but for the parents and everybody going through it. It’s like the worst day of their life. So what goes through my head is I need to keep myself tempered so I can make sure everybody else is tempered,” Galicia said.

While Victor continues to recover, his mother says that while he may never be the same, she remains deeply grateful for a second chance.

“I believe that gratitude and grief can coexist together,” Delgado said. “The son that I had died that day. I have a new son, but he’s not less loved. If anything, he’s more loved.”

By the numbers, from January through June 2025, Collier County EMS responded to 258 cardiac arrests. Thirty-six percent of those patients achieved a return of spontaneous circulation, far above the national average of less than 10%.

A total of 190 first responders were recognized at Tuesday’s ceremony for their contributions to these lifesaving outcomes.

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By Shakeria Hawkins

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    LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Henderson woman is warning online sellers and holiday shoppers to take extra precautions after a few of her packages were damaged or disappeared while using eBay labels and UPS Store services.

Constance Carlson says she shipped four pieces of high-end Bang & Olufsen audio equipment in October. But only one made it safely to its destination. Three others arrived damaged and one never arrived at all.

“We sold a CD player, speakers, a subwoofer… all high-end equipment,” Carlson said.

Because she did not buy additional shipping insurance, Carlson says she lost nearly $4,000 and was unable to receive reimbursement from either eBay or the UPS Store.

“If you’re shipping expensive items, make sure you get the insurance,” she said.

Carlson is now sharing her story in hopes of preventing others from experiencing the same problem during the busy holiday shipping season.

“You want to make sure everything inside is secure,” she said.

According to eBay, six common factors can cause items to be damaged in transit:

Drops Compression Vibration Temperature changes Moisture Air pressure

The company recommends using a strong box, plenty of padding, and tightly sealed packaging to reduce the risk.

UPS and The UPS Store urge customers to:

File a claim immediately if a package is lost or arrives damaged Track every shipment from start to finish Consider purchasing additional insurance when shipping fragile or expensive items

Experts say just a few extra steps, including proper packing materials and added insurance, can make a major difference in preventing costly losses.

Carlson hopes her experience encourages others to prepare before sending out valuable items this holiday season.

“Do your homework and make sure everything’s right,” she said.

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By Steven Rosenbaum

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    DALLAS, Texas (KTVT) — A nurse who was seen on video asking a woman in labor to complete paperwork as she cried out in pain is no longer employed at the hospital where the incident took place.

In a statement issued Tuesday night, the Dallas Regional Medical Center said in part, “the individual shown in the video did not reflect our values or uphold our standards and is no longer employed at Dallas Regional Medical Center.”

The statement did not specify whether the nurse was fired or resigned.

“We take the actions seen in the video seriously. We have initiated training in recognizing the signs of imminent delivery, empathy, and compassionate care, as well as bias training for our staff and caregivers to ensure our values are upheld in every encounter,” the statement said.

Millions saw video of woman in pain

The incident happened last month in the emergency room of the Mesquite hospital.

The video, posted by the patient’s mother, shows her visibly struggling as she leans over her wheelchair in the waiting room.

The family says the woman was left without medical attention for more than 30 minutes. According to her mother, she delivered her son just 12 minutes after the recording was taken.

In another video, the woman’s mother said her daughter was scheduled to be induced earlier that day. She was told the hospital would call her when a bed became available, but no one followed up.

The family has retained two law firms and has asked for privacy as they consider next steps.

Amelia Mugavero contributed to this report.

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By Cameron Polom

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    PHOENIX (KNXV) — After being laid off from the company she’d devoted 12 years to, Chelsea Kenney suddenly found herself with something she wasn’t used to: time.

While her husband kept working, she took a moment to breathe before jumping back into the job hunt. But when SNAP benefits were delayed for many across the Valley, Chelsea decided to turn her time off into something that mattered.

She transformed her Phoenix home’s carport into “The Giving Shelf” pantry, a quiet, no-questions-asked spot stocked with food and essentials for anyone who needs them.

Chelsea has watched neighbors drop off donations, and others pick them up, all without applause or attention — that is, until a woman named Kimberly reached out to ABC15, wanting the world to know about the woman behind this humble little pantry, and the impact Chelsea is making on her street.

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By Sahana Patel

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    BOISE (KIVI) — Corpus Commons, Boise’s only daytime shelter, is experiencing one of its busiest years yet. As new city ordinances have taken effect, more people experiencing homelessness seek support for daily shelter.

The shelter is now feeding about 200 people daily, according to Executive Director Jessica Abbott. Demand increased after the Galloway Law took effect in July, making it a ticketable offense to sleep in public spaces like sidewalks, parks and vehicles.

“We saw easily about a 30% increase,” Abbott said. “Our showers doubled, our meals almost doubled as well. And that was kind of done without any warning or coordination.”

To help cover the cost of that surge, the shelter is turning to something a little sweeter: The Great Gingerbread Build Competition.

More than 30 local creators have signed on, including Rediscovered Books. The bookstore team spent their Sunday piecing together their entry, creating individual little gingerbread booksellers.

“It was also an opportunity for us to get together and do a project that we feel or we hope is going to benefit our neighbor,” said Rebecca Leber-Gottberg, co-owner of Rediscovered Books.

The community can cast their votes at a free event while enjoying hot cocoa and cookies.

“It’s kind of nice to be able to say thank you for all the people and community that has been helping us,” Abbott said.

For many participants, what they’re building goes beyond icing and sprinkles.

“We as a Boise community can’t be better until we help those people who are the most vulnerable and so giving us an opportunity as a small business to partner with an organization is really a nice way for us to invest in a better Boise,” Leber-Gottberg said.

The competition kicks off at the Creative Space in Garden City on Friday, Dec. 13, at 12 p.m. After the in-person event, all entries will be posted online, where supporters can purchase votes for their favorite gingerbread house until the end of the month.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KIVI verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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By Ben Elias

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    COLUMBIA, Missouri (KOMU) — Editor’s Note This article has been updated with information on past shots fired incidents in the area after the Boone County Sheriff’s Office issued a correction about information it shared with KOMU 8.

A 15-year-old boy was shot early Tuesday morning in Boone County.

Boone County Sheriff deputies found the juvenile with a gunshot wound in the face around 12:04 a.m. at North Parkview Court in the Sunrise Estates subdivision.

The teen was in stable condition as of Tuesday morning, according to the Boone County Sheriff’s office. The victim’s grandmother, Vanessa Lowe, confirmed the teen was still in stable condition Tuesday afternoon.

Boone County Sheriff Captain Brian Leer told KOMU 8 that there have been several nearby shots fired incidents in the last few months.

Victim’s grandmother reacts to shooting Lowe told KOMU 8 there were multiple children in her daughter’s house at the time of the shooting.

“You could have killed all my grandkids in that one house, you know, 15 bullet holes,” Lowe said.

She said there were even more bullet holes in other parts of the house.

“That’s just in the bedroom,” Lowe said. “That’s not out in the back door, the bathroom — they shot the bathroom, the toilet. If one of my grandkids were sitting on that toilet, it definitely would have killed them.”

After an initial investigation, the Sheriff’s Office said it is believed the 15-year-old was inside the residence when the gunshot rounds were fired into the home from outside.

“The boys were playing a video game and bullets started coming through the windows and the walls and everything else,” Lowe said. “It almost got my 9-year-old grandson. It almost got two of my other grandsons in the room. My nine-year-old was running down the hall trying to get to his mama.”

‘Warring groups’ in Columbia Lowe said she believes this was a targeted attack and could be gang-related.

Boone County Sheriff deputies confirmed to KOMU 8 Tuesday night that the shooting was a targeted attack.

Columbia’s Violence Prevention Administrator, D’Markus Thomas Brown, told KOMU 8 on Tuesday there are warring groups in Columbia, and that he believes it’s a problem the city has to address.

“These are groups that are warring at each other and (if you) let someone get between them, you’re going to get hit in the crossfire,” Brown said.

Brown said it’s not only important to address the crimes specifically, but also the factors that contribute to violence in the city.

“We must address the root of ‘why,'” Brown said. “What are the root causes spurring of these gangs, to those joining them? 
But also, what are the social terms of health that are there are causing an atmosphere as a festering bed for them to develop in our city?”

This investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made, according to the Boone County Sheriff’s Office.

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By Kate Devine

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    MCPHERSON, Kansas (KAKE) — A semi-truck hauling thousands of pounds of hydrochloric acid overturned Tuesday morning in McPherson, prompting evacuations, road closures and a large hazmat response. Officials later confirmed that only about 20 gallons of the chemical actually leaked, far less than originally feared.

The rollover happened just after 9 a.m. at the intersection of Kansas Avenue and the Old 81 Bypass. McPherson Fire Chief Chad Mayberry said the semi was carrying 34,000 pounds of hydrochloric acid inside large storage totes.

“When crews arrived on scene, they found a semi trailer that was attempting to turn west onto US 56,” Mayberry said. “The product was in storage totes, and when the trailer laid over, the acid started leaking.”

Residents at a nearby motel said they woke up to flashing lights and officers blocking the area.

“This morning, I was sleeping,” said Jennifer Brandon, who lives next to the intersection. “When I woke up, I had seen all the police cars outside trying to get out.”

Her friend, Alexis Ortiz, said neighbors first warned them that the truck was hauling chemicals.

“My girlfriend was walking her dogs, and the neighbor over there was talking about how there was like acid or something inside the truck,” Ortiz said. “No idea how the truck even got to that position. There wouldn’t be anything for it to hit.”

Hazmat crews placed booms around a storm drain to prevent the acid from entering the sewer system. The driver of the semi made it out safely and refused treatment at the scene.

For much of the day, crews believed thousands of gallons may have leaked, with cleanup expected to continue into the overnight hours.

“We were talking minus what has leaked originally, approximately 3,200 gallons,” Mayberry said earlier Tuesday. “It’ll definitely extend well into this evening, possibly into the overnight hours.”

Around 4 p.m., environmental contractors were able to access the back of the trailer and found a far better situation than expected.

“They determined that one tote narrowly missed hitting a pole and rupturing it by just a few inches,” Mayberry said. “They did locate one tote that had leaked about 20 gallons of hydrochloric acid.”

Mayberry called it “very good news” and said crews were able to upright the intact totes and move them to another truck, drastically reducing the cleanup time.

“There’s no ongoing danger,” he said. “We are actually in the process of reducing the area to a couple hundred feet.”

Brandon said she’s simply grateful the spill wasn’t worse.

“I’m just thankful everybody’s okay. There’s not major injuries.”

A warming and evacuation shelter was opened at The Cedars Conference Center for anyone displaced.

In an update late Tuesday night, McPherson Fire Chief Chad Mayberry said roadways were reopened at 11:30 p.m.

“The remediation contractor will return on Wednesday morning to complete the removal of contaminated soil adjacent to the intersection,” he said. “One lane will be closed to make room for the work to be completed. The intersection will be open while the work is being done.”

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