Category: CNN Regional

By Abigail Kurten

Click here for updates on this story

    NORWALK, Iowa (KCCI) — A Norwalk woman who lost her ability to speak to ALS got it back in an unexpected way.

Robin Leaper was diagnosed with ALS, or Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in 2023. Since then, she’s struggled with muscle weakness, difficulty eating, and she’s no longer able to speak.

It’s been an adjustment, to say the least.

“For the first year, I couldn’t even say ALS without crying.” she said.

When she was diagnosed, she was the the Parks and Recreation Director for the City of Norwalk.

Since then, she’s tried to communicate in other ways, like text-to-speech software or sign language, but neither one has allowed her to use her own voice.

Until the city’s Marketing and Communications Specialist, Tai Lieu, came in.

Lieu combed through hours of public meeting recordings in which Leaper spoke, isolating her vocals and uploading them to an AI voice recreation software.

That software allows Leaper to type her words, which are then read aloud in her own voice.

“It sounded as if she was just standing there, speaking on her own,” Lieu said of Leaper’s first attempt at using the software when she won Norwalk’s Citizen of the Year Award last year. “I had several people say ‘I didn’t realize she was playing a recording of her voice.'”

But for Leaper, the AI recreation does more than allow her to use her own voice; it allows her to feel like herself again.

“It’s your identity,” she said. “People can hear your voice without seeing and they know it’s you. It gave me back a little piece ALS stole from me.”

As for what’s next, Leaper says she has a new priority: finding a cure.

She plans to start with Altoona’s Walk to Defeat ALS on Saturday.

Please note: 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 John Dias

Click here for updates on this story

    SMITHTOWN, New York (WCBS) — A broken wing almost ended a monarch butterfly’s journey on Long Island, but a caring hand, and a clever idea, gave it a second chance to fly again.

At the Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown, experts know what it takes to keep even the smallest lives in flight, especially those with the toughest odds.

Janine Bendicksen, the center’s director of wildlife rehabilitation, described one of her most recent patients, which was brought in by Deer Park resident Dagmar Hoffdavis.

“He was unable to flap it, or fly,” Bendicksen said.

“Butterfly, they say, is good luck from the other side, and so it’s a spiritual thing for me,” Hoffdavis said.

Bendicksen had a bold idea to transplant a wing from a dead butterfly inside her vivarium to the injured one.

“I scoured the floor for a dead butterfly and I found a monarch. The wing was in perfect shape,” Bendicksen said.

She then got right to work, recording the five-minute procedure, which, after being posted to the center’s social media page, went viral, with millions of views.

“It was so intricate, because this butterfly could fall apart if I pressed too hard,” Bendicksen said. “We used contact cement, we had corn starch, a little piece of wire that we could hold the butterfly down with.”

She said the butterfly was unharmed the entire time.

“They have no nerve receptors, no blood flow going into the end portion of the wing,” Bendicksen said.

A delicate touch gave the monarch a new set of wings, and a new lease on life. Bendicksen said it was the first time she tried this type of procedure like this, and now she’s inspiring other professionals across the world.

“I’m getting calls from Minnesota, Costa Rica, California,” she said. “This butterfly would have died if we didn’t try. We need hope in this world today.”

For the staff at Sweet Briar, it was not just about saving one insect. It was about starting a movement. Experts say monarch butterflies have near-endangered status.

“Every animal has its place in the world, especially this one, that has such a big journey ahead of it,” said Veronica Sayers, the vivarium’s director.

With one borrowed wing, the monarch is now migrating toward Mexico — a small life, given a second change.

Experts say to leave a procedure like this to the professionals.

Please note: 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 Ivan Taylor

Click here for updates on this story

    HIALEAH, Florida (WFOR) — An 84-year-old Hialeah man accused of threatening a teenage neighbor with a gun is speaking out, insisting he was misunderstood and wrongfully arrested.

The man, identified as Elso Lino Rodríguez, out on bond, said he never pulled a firearm—only a cellphone from his pocket.

Rodríguez said police and witnesses mistook his cellphone for a weapon. “I was wearing a jacket. They must have thought I had a gun,” Rodríguez said, showing CBS News Miami the jacket he wore and the cellphone he claims was mistaken for a firearm.

Despite his explanation, police arrested Rodríguez on a charge of aggravated assault with a firearm.

During his bond hearing, Miami-Dade Judge Mindy Glazer acknowledged his age but emphasized the seriousness of the case.

“I understand you’re 84 years old, but you’re going to have to find another place to live because these are very serious allegations,” Glazer said.

Rodríguez maintains that the firearm police confiscated was legally owned and stored safely in his home. “I have the right to own a gun,” he said. “But it was in my house, not with me.”

The alleged victim’s mother, Ena Herrera, described a frightening encounter outside the apartment building.

“I was shaking—it was horrible,” Herrera said. “He pointed a gun at my son and said he was going to kill him. He told me I was going to have to pick up his body.”

According to Hialeah police, the incident happened Saturday evening at 138 West 26th Street, just steps from Rodríguez’s apartment.

The police report said Rodríguez confronted the teenager in an outdoor area of the building and allegedly threatened him.

Rodríguez denied that version of events. He maintained he went to speak with the building manager after being harassed for several nights by neighborhood kids.

“I haven’t been sleeping well for nights because of these teenagers bothering me,” he said. “I went there to talk to the manager, not to threaten anyone.”

His girlfriend supported his account, saying the teens had been disturbing Rodríguez late at night. “They knock on his window at 10 or 11 p.m.,” she said. “They don’t let him sleep.”

Herrera insists Rodríguez targeted the wrong child.

“Two boys were there that night, but they weren’t my son’s friends,” she said. “He came after them and pointed at my son, saying, ‘I’m going to kill him.'”

Rodríguez maintains his innocence and says he plans to clear his name. “I intend to prove I’m innocent. I’ve been wrongly accused,” he said.

As part of his bond conditions, Rodríguez will live with one of his daughters and must stay away from the teenager and the neighborhood where he has lived for years.

Please note: 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 Nakell Williams

Click here for updates on this story

    ATLANTA (WUPA) — When Georgia resident Ashley Smith first heard that she was diagnosed with schizophrenia 20 years ago, it felt like the world stopped.

“I’ve been arrested because of my diagnosis, which was very challenging, and that’s in fact how I learned about my diagnosis, going through a high-speed chase with police and being jailed,” Smith said.

In the decades following, Smith says treatment and hope are the key to her journey—carrying her from some of her darkest days to a brighter tomorrow.

While precise numbers are hard to obtain, the National Institutes of Health estimates between 0.25% and 0.64% of people in the United States are diagnosed with schizophrenia and related psychiatric disorders. Most of these cases are diagnosed inthe late teens to early thirties.

For Smith, the diagnosis wasn’t the most difficult part.

“One of the toughest situations I’ve experienced in my recovery is being separated from my son,” she said.

Now, the 38-year-old says she knows recovery doesn’t mean being perfect. It means progress, which starts with hope.

“Hope is crucial. Through hope, I can see a better future,” she said. “Hope reassures me that I can be a parent.”

Smith says she knows hope doesn’t erase the challenges of the disorder, because she had an episode several years ago, but it does help her face them each day.

“Every morning I get out of bed, I pray, and I thank God for my medication and my support system,” she said.

Smith credits family members who have passed and her two dogs, Bella and Spike, as playing big roles in her support system.

Treatment, faith, and community, she says, are all part of her recovery, and she believes sharing her story helps reduce the disorder’s stigma.

“I can still achieve my goals. I can still walk with my head high, despite having this diagnosis, because I’m a fighter, I am a blogger, I’m a writer, I’m a friend, mother, daughter,” she said.

Her message is especially for those who are newly diagnosed, people who may feel like there is no way forward.

“Recovery is possible. Take your medication, especially if that’s what’s working for you. Stay involved in your therapy and really work on your support system,” she said.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, you can call the NAMI Georgia Helpline at 1-800-715-4225.

Please note: 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 Tara Lynch

Click here for updates on this story

    BEL AIR, Maryland (WJZ) — The author of the illustrated novel “Flamer” spoke to a crowd in Harford County on Tuesday after his book was banned by the county’s Board of Education.

The fireside chat in Bel Air, Maryland, included an audience question-and-answer segment and a general discussion about the book and book banning. Event organizers said the discussion was sold out.

The event was sponsored by Upper Chesapeake Bay Pride Foundation and the Harford County chapter of the American Association of University Women.

The book, “Flamer” by Mike Curato, was previously approved by district committees. However, parents said the school board voted to ban the book during a closed-door session in late June, after public appeals.

This was the first book to be removed by the district after it created a process to review books flagged by concerned parents.

The controversial novel is about a teenage boy who “navigates friendships, deals with bullies, and spends time with Elias (a boy he can’t stop thinking about), he finds himself on a path of self-discovery and acceptance,” according to the author.

Curato told WJZ the book is meant to help young people who are going through difficult times and those who are trying to find themselves.

“A lot of people who ban ‘Flamer’ don’t talk about how the book is about suicidal ideation and prevention,” Curato said. “That’s why I made this book, because I know that there are kids out there right now who are going through exactly what I went through in 1995.”

This book and its ban have sparked debates between parents and Board of Education members for months. Some argue they want their children to have access to all material.

“I would say I’m frustrated that people are using their political ideations or political thoughts to guide what we are allowed to teach and learn about in schools,” said Olivia Rines, a parent of an elementary school student in the district.

Other parents have spoken out against the book at several board meetings, saying it isn’t appropriate.

“We want to curate the best library possible, so there’s just no room for sexually explicit and vulgar materials in the school library,” Suzie Scott, Chair of Moms For Liberty Harford County, said in July.

The group sent the following statement to WJZ regarding Tuesday’s book discussion:

“Contrary to the shrill accusations and name-calling being directed at parents, taxpayers and school board members who are trying to uphold a basic community standard of what is and is not age-appropriate material for young readers, no parent or Moms for Liberty member is calling for any book to be removed from bookstores, public libraries or Amazon. Challenging the placement of obscene materials in school libraries is not censorship or banning. It is a reasonable demand to prevent children from being exposed to age-inappropriate materials,” the statement read.

The decision to ban “Flamer” has also prompted division among board members who had a heated debate at a July meeting.

Curato said he thinks these types of bans diminish people’s rights.

“The emphasis of the book banning was on marginalized communities, but now, because we’ve set this precedent of like…we can erase these stories from the shelf, but now that’s opened the door for people to take anything off the shelf,” Curato said.

The Harford County Board of Education said it is looking into changing the banning process. One suggestion is to allow the board to simply restrict books based on the age of a student.

Curato said all board members should be required to read and write a report on a book before banning it.

Please note: 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 Kara Finnstrom

Click here for updates on this story

    California (KCAL, KCBS) — With the city of Long Beach set to host 18 events as part of the 2028 Olympic Games and 2029 Paralympic Games, the most for any city other than Los Angeles, local leaders are searching for creative ways to transport spectators and tourists across the vast county.

In May, the LA County Board of Supervisors floated the idea of using a water taxi service between San Pedro and Long Beach to get visitors around while dodging air emissions from cars – and traffic. The service would be emissions-free and quick, making it perfect for a heavy-tourist season like the one that will come during the 2028 Summer Olympics.

“I think it’s time to look at our blue highway and think outside of the box for transit,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn.

This week, members with the county took a ride on some of the vessels that would be used for the proposed service and came away impressed.

“[We want to] put systems in place that not only benefits the experience during 2028 but they can be left in place [after the Olympics],” said Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson.

A service currently exists that transports patrons between the pier and the Queen Mary, but service is heavily limited and seasonal. No line between San Pedro and Long Beach exists currently. In addition to transportation for tourists, an alternate route for commuters could be an advantage in battling traffic.

Hahn suggested that the LA Metro could connect to the boats in some way, making for car-free trips throughout the county during the Olympics.

A car-free Olympics is a lofty objective for local leaders as they prepare for the quickly approaching games. The city of LA is making 500 emissions-free LAUSD buses available for transportation purposes, since school will be out for the summer during that time.

Please note: 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.

KCBS

By Kara Finnstrom

Click here for updates on this story

    California (KCAL, KCBS) — With the city of Long Beach set to host 18 events as part of the 2028 Olympic Games and 2029 Paralympic Games, the most for any city other than Los Angeles, local leaders are searching for creative ways to transport spectators and tourists across the vast county.

In May, the LA County Board of Supervisors floated the idea of using a water taxi service between San Pedro and Long Beach to get visitors around while dodging air emissions from cars – and traffic. The service would be emissions-free and quick, making it perfect for a heavy-tourist season like the one that will come during the 2028 Summer Olympics.

“I think it’s time to look at our blue highway and think outside of the box for transit,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn.

This week, members with the county took a ride on some of the vessels that would be used for the proposed service and came away impressed.

“[We want to] put systems in place that not only benefits the experience during 2028 but they can be left in place [after the Olympics],” said Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson.

A service currently exists that transports patrons between the pier and the Queen Mary, but service is heavily limited and seasonal. No line between San Pedro and Long Beach exists currently. In addition to transportation for tourists, an alternate route for commuters could be an advantage in battling traffic.

Hahn suggested that the LA Metro could connect to the boats in some way, making for car-free trips throughout the county during the Olympics.

A car-free Olympics is a lofty objective for local leaders as they prepare for the quickly approaching games. The city of LA is making 500 emissions-free LAUSD buses available for transportation purposes, since school will be out for the summer during that time.

Please note: 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.