Sandoval Regional Medical Center enhances surgeries with robotic technology

CNN Newsource on December 12, 2025

By Alyssa Munoz

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    RIO RANCHO, N.M. (KOAT) — Sandoval Regional Medical Center has introduced two surgical robots, the Da Vinci Xi and the Mako, to improve precision and reduce pain in surgeries.

The Da Vinci robot, acquired in March, resembles a gaming console and allows surgeons to control its arms for general surgery. The latest addition, the Mako robot, features a robotic arm and sensors, primarily used in orthopedic surgery. It enables surgeons to create 3-D models of patients’ bones, such as hips or knees.

“It’s almost like being like Tony Stark and Iron Man, where you can move around all the components on the screen and put them right where you want to and design the perfect hip for that patient,” said Dr. John Krumme, an orthopedic surgeon at SRMC. “The second part is actually going in and doing it. So, you go into the room. You do the same exposure you would do with traditional implants. But then when you go to put the implants, you can actually register your model to the patient’s anatomy using a series of specialized cameras and their computer registration, and then a robotic arm will come in, and it will place those implants.”

Krumme said he uses the Mako robot about 11 times a week. The Sandoval Regional Medical Center reported that the Mako technology costs $2.2 million.

“I got a lot of people in New Mexico that love hiking, that love mountain biking, and they want to keep doing that stuff, and they quit doing it because they got a bad knee or they got a bad hip. I think this gives us the ability to get closer to giving them a reconstruction that lets them get back to those kinds of things,” Krumme said. “That’s what these robots allow us to do; it allows us to be as precise as our preoperative plan comes out as, rather than having a margin of error of a couple of millimeters or a couple degrees.”

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Two males detained in Kenner, witnesses believe they were students wearing uniform

CNN Newsource on December 12, 2025

By Jonah Gilmore

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    KENNER, La. (WDSU) — A viral video showing two young males being detained by federal agents in Kenner is sending shockwaves through Jefferson Parish and intensifying fears already gripping immigrant families as school attendance plummets across the district.

The witness who recorded the encounter, Mimi Spiehler, said the individuals looked like teenagers and appeared to be wearing Bonnabel High School uniforms.

While WDSU has not confirmed whether they were students, the timing has deepened concerns. Absences among Hispanic students in some Jefferson Parish schools have surged to as high as 40% in recent weeks.

Community members say this video explains exactly why.

“I cannot imagine how these people feel and how scared they are, ” Spiehler said.

She described the moment federal agents detained the pair as terrifying, not just for those taken into custody, but for anyone watching.

“I was shaking. I couldn’t stop shaking for hours. You hear about it, but when you actually see it,” Spiehler said.

Immigration attorney Paula Ferreira said that federal agents can detain minors, a fact many families are only now learning.

“Technically, a minor child can be detained. There are safeguards, but it does happen,” Ferreira said.

Those safeguards, however, may do little to reassure undocumented parents who face a painful dilemma: come forward for a detained child and risk being detained themselves.

“If the parents are undocumented and appear for their child, they could likely be detained and possibly removed,” Ferreira said.

Advocates say the current climate is pushing families into hiding and keeping students out of classrooms, a ripple effect that, they warn, will have long-term consequences for the parish.

“It’s a travesty,” Spiehler said.

Kenner police confirmed they assisted federal agents with transport during the incident, but said they could not verify whether the individuals detained were students.

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Des Moines man now faces federal charges for hidden cameras in porta-potties

CNN Newsource on December 12, 2025

By Kelby Wingert

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    DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — A Des Moines man accused of hiding cameras in porta-potties now faces federal charges after a grand jury returned a 19-count indictment against him, according to court documents.

Tyler Pavlick, 32, was already facing 88 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and invasion of privacy in state court.

Now, he faces charges of sexual exploitation of a child and child pornography in federal court.

Law enforcement said Pavlick placed cameras in porta-potties at a public event in Des Moines and a high school track meet in State Center.

Police said there could be dozens of victims in the case.

Pavlick still faces multiple charges in state court.

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Jackson woman goes viral for helping monks walking across the US for peace

CNN Newsource on December 12, 2025

By Chris Oswalt

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    JACKSON, Miss. (WAPT) — A Jackson woman is gaining attention online after helping a group of peace advocates traveling on foot across the country.

TikTok user Ray Ray shared that she met members of the Walk for Peace pilgrimage as they passed through the metro this week. She says she handed out bags filled with water, bananas, crackers and other snacks to help keep the monks energized on their long journey from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C.

The group stopped at the Mississippi State Capitol on Thursday, where they continued their message of unity and resilience. They are resting Thursday night in Pelahatchie before continuing east across Mississippi.

According to Walk for Peace organizers, Day 48 of their journey includes travel toward Morton and Forest along U.S. 80. Supporters can meet them during two scheduled public visiting windows: the lunch stop from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at coordinates 32°21’12.0”N 89°38’41.6”W, and the overnight rest from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at coordinates 32°21’38.8”N 89°26’33.5”W.

Organizers say they are grateful for the warm welcome in Mississippi and encourage anyone interested to check their live map in the pinned post on their social media page for updated stop locations.

“May you and all beings be happy and at peace,” the group wrote in Thursday’s update.

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Maine CDC warns of rabies risk after raccoon contact in Wells

CNN Newsource on December 12, 2025

By Jon Chrisos

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    WELLS, Maine (WMTW) — Maine health officials were able to locate a person who touched a rabid raccoon in Wells after the animal tested positive for the virus this week.

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention says the animal was reported acting strangely near Sanford Road and Evergreen Drive on Monday, Dec. 8.

Someone reportedly tried to move the raccoon out of the road before police collected it. Tests later confirmed the raccoon was infected with rabies.

The Wells Police Department told Maine’s Total Coverage the person who moved the raccoon has been found and is receiving treatment.

Rabies is rare but almost always deadly once symptoms appear, making quick medical evaluation essential for anyone who may have had direct contact with the animal, officials said.

The virus spreads through bites or scratches from infected animals, and it can also be transmitted if infected saliva comes into contact with an open wound.

Health officials continue to remind people not to approach or feed wildlife and to keep garbage and pet food secured.

Pet owners are encouraged to maintain current rabies vaccinations, and anyone who suffers an animal bite or scratch should wash the wound thoroughly and seek medical advice.

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Body camera video shows rescue of man in crisis from Tobin Bridge

CNN Newsource on December 12, 2025

By Rhondella Richardson, Phil Tenser

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    BOSTON (WCVB) — Video shared by Massachusetts State Police shows a trooper rescuing a man who was experiencing a mental health crisis on the Tobin Bridge.

Chelsea firefighters used a bucket truck to lift Trooper Charles up to where the man was standing, and they talked for a few minutes. Eventually, the trooper saw an opportunity to get the man off the bridge.

With the help of firefighters and secured by a harness, the trooper got the man off the bridge, where he received hugs from emergency medical services.

“Today we’re sharing some of the body-worn camera video to raise awareness of the important issue of mental health,” state police wrote.

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‘Any kid could have picked those up’: Bag of guns found abandoned on Florida roadside

CNN Newsource on December 12, 2025

By Justin Schecker, LeeAnn Huntoon

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    PALM BAY, Fla. (WESH) — Robin Pisciotta was driving through the 1400 block of Norbert Road in Palm Bay when she noticed a child near a police officer searching through a suspicious bag on Thursday.

“That’s when the kid explained to me that a bag of rifles had been thrown out of a vehicle, so I pulled out my phone and started recording,” Pisciotta said.

She said the bag was black and orange and it was very large. By the time she had gotten there, it looked like the cop was sifting through ammo boxes.

Palm Bay police confirmed they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the bag of guns left on the side of the road.

Pisciotta expressed her concern, saying, “When they told me it was a bag of rifles, guns, and ammo at first I was like, ‘Woah, woah, woah — that is so dangerous there’s tons of kids that play around here all day long and my next thought was that there’s probably a lot more to it because people wouldn’t just throw out a bag of rifles on the side of the road those are very valuable.”

Pisciotta mentioned that her son was in the car with her as she recorded the video.

“Him and the other kid were like they could have been loaded, any kid could have picked those up, like how dangerous that was,” she said.

Now that police have secured the guns and ammo, Pisciotta hopes detectives can piece together how this happened and find out who did it.

“I thought that was so crazy. This is a regular, nice neighborhood. You don’t see any crime or any weird things happening around here; it was just very shocking, especially with so many kids around,” she said.

Crimeline Crimeline’s mission is to increase the safety of the Central Florida community by assisting law enforcement agencies in removing undesirable individuals from the community, according to its mission statement.

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Cape Coral firefighters rescue cat from canal

CNN Newsource on December 12, 2025

By Carson Zorn

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    CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WBBH) — Cape Coral firefighters rescued a cat from a canal on Thursday morning.

According to a Facebook post from the Cape Coral Fire Department, crews from Truck Two rescued a cat that had somehow gotten stuck in a canal.

They wrapped the cat in a towel and took her back to the station, where Lee County Domestic Animal Services picked her up.

CCFD encourages anyone who knows the cat to contact the Lee County shelter. The cat was found in the 1400 block of Southeast 13th Street.

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Man who attacked Lancaster County officers with his own urine, feces sentenced up to 12 years in prison, DA says

CNN Newsource on December 12, 2025

By Rachael Lardani

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    LANCASTER, Pa. (WGAL) — A man was sentenced to up to 12 years in state prison after attacking officers with his own urine and feces in Lancaster County, the district attorney’s office announced in a recent release.

Robinson Pena, 39, pleaded guilty on Nov. 20 to the following charges after “viciously assaulting several city police officers and attempting to disarm one of them,” the district attorney said.

Five counts of aggravated assault Three counts of assault of a law enforcement officer Two counts of institutional vandalism Disarming a law enforcement officer Resisting arrest Disorderly conduct Single summary offense Violent attack On April 4, 2025, Pena was arrested in the first block of East Chestnut Street in Lancaster City after ignoring a crosswalk signal and continuing to shout at people in the area despite officers’ warnings to stop, according to police.

Once he was in his holding cell, Pena smeared his feces on himself as well as the walls, the floor, the door, the intercom system and a camera, according to the district attorney.

When officers attempted to place Pena in handcuffs to stop him, Pena attacked the officers, kicking one of them in the chest and scratching another on the arm, officials said.

“During the struggle, Pena bit one officer’s hand with such force that he broke through a nitrile glove and skin. The same officer was spit on in the face five times during the encounter with Pena,” the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office said. “Pena struggled so much during the incident that he tore apart another officer’s Tyvek suit that was intended to provide protection from Pena’s urine and feces.”

Once Pena was placed in handcuffs, investigators said he continued to struggle by biting, head-butting, kicking and spitting on officers.

According to the district attorney, it took crews more than an hour to clean Pena’s holding cell.

Attempted to disarm officer Pena was taken to Lancaster General Hospital after he fought the officers, according to investigators.

While at the hospital, police said Pena tried to take one of the officer’s handguns with such force that Pena cut his own fingers, causing blood to get into the holster and around the exterior of the firearm.

Sentenced to up to 12 years Pena, an unhoused man, was sentenced to five to 12 years in state prison.

During his sentencing, Pena chuckled at Judge Thomas Sponaugle and said he was “ready to upstate,” according to the district attorney.

Judge Sponaugle told Pena that he behaved “like an animal” and that his actions were “self-evidently despicable,” the district attorney said.

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Tucson traffic stop yields $5.5M in fentanyl — more than 1 million pills

CNN Newsource on December 12, 2025

By Don Davis

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    MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Tucson police and members of the Southern Arizona Counter Narcotics Alliance (CNA) announced Wednesday that a traffic stop in the I‑10 and Cortaro area resulted in the recovery of what authorities described as more than 1 million fentanyl pills.

In a social media post, the Tucson Police Department said CNA members discovered roughly 245 pounds of fentanyl during a vehicle search — a quantity the department estimated has a street value of about $5.5 million. Police said the defendant in the case has pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges.

Officials emphasized that fentanyl remains a significant public‑safety concern for Tucson and that the department and partner agencies are committed to removing the drug from the community. The CNA, which coordinates investigations and interdictions across the region, handled the traffic stop and follow‑up investigation, according to police.

The seizure comes amid a series of fentanyl enforcement actions reported across the region this year. KGUN9 has documented several large busts in 2025: in June, Tucson police said they recovered more than 2,500 fentanyl pills in a Southside drug bust, as well as over 1,000 pills following a Midtown traffic stop.

KGUN9 also reported larger multi‑jurisdictional actions in the state this year — including investigations that led to seizures measured in the hundreds of thousands to millions of pills. In one case, federal authorities seized an estimated 700,000 pills linked to a Phoenix investigation. Also, in January, AZ Attorney General Kris Mayes announced the seizure of over 75 pounds of fentanyl at a residence in the Tucson area.

Public health experts and law enforcement warn that fentanyl — often pressed into counterfeit pills or mixed with other drugs — is highly potent and has been a key driver of overdose deaths nationwide. Police said the latest seizure will be forwarded to prosecutors and investigators for continued work on trafficking networks connected to the case.

Tucson police encouraged anyone with information about fentanyl distribution to contact CrimeStoppers or the department’s narcotics unit.

The Southern Arizona Counter Narcotics Alliance (CNA) is a multi-agency law enforcement task force that investigates and disrupts illegal drug trafficking operations. It operates as part of the Arizona High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AZHIDTA) program. The CNA is composed of detectives, officers and agents from multiple federal, state and local agencies. Key participating agencies include the Tucson Police Department (TPD), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Pima County Sheriff’s Department (PCSD) and Marana Police Department.

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