Couple speaks out after woman tells camera crew to ‘go back to Mexico’ during mariachi proposal

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2026

By Bianca Buono

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    LAGUNA BEACH, California (KABC) — A wedding proposal in Laguna Beach has gone viral after a woman confronted a camera crew preparing to photograph the moment and made racist comments that were captured on video.

The incident happened Friday at Crescent Bay Point Park, where Emmanuel Banuelos had organized flowers and a mariachi band before proposing to his girlfriend, Hayley Lugo.

Video from the encounter shows a woman addressing the camera crew and telling them to “Go back to Mexico.”

Trinity Lugo of Trinity Films, who was photographing the proposal and is Hayley Lugo’s sister, said she was shocked by the encounter.

“I could not believe that I was being told those words. At first I thought, you know, she was just a normal Karen,” Lugo said.

Lugo said she chose not to escalate the situation because she did not want to disrupt the occasion.

“It was a really special moment. That’s part of the reason that I really didn’t want to escalate the situation further,” she said.

According to those involved, Lugo had set up her camera before the couple arrived when a woman walking her dog approached and complained about the setup.

Video captured the exchange, including the woman saying she had called police and was frustrated by what she described as recurring events at the location.

As mariachi music began playing, the woman made additional remarks, including, “This isn’t Mexico either you [explicit]” and “Go back to Mexico!”

Banuelos said he selected the oceanfront lookout for the proposal and included mariachi music because of Hayley Lugo’s appreciation for it.

“She, in fact, loves mariachi so I really wanted it there. She’s fallen in love with it,” Banuelos said.

Hayley Lugo said she became aware of the confrontation and was later stunned when she watched the video, which has since spread widely online.

“It hurts a lot because it’s not just us there. She’s being mean to the whole Mexican culture, the whole Hispanic culture, like everyone’s felt it,” she said.

Despite the incident, the couple said they have not allowed the comments to overshadow their engagement and hope the viral video sparks reflection.

“You can’t be doing this anymore. Like it’s not right. You never know like if you’re going to be in the next viral moment, like if you could take anything from this, you do not want to be this lady,” Hayley Lugo said.

In a statement, the city of Laguna Beach said pre-planned setups and professional photography are subject to specific rules and permit requirements. The city also said it rejects the hateful language and behavior shown in the video.

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.

Freshman Mizzou football player in need of heart transplant, coach Eli Drinkwitz says

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2026

By Chloe Godding

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    COLUMBIA, Missouri (KMBC) — A freshman football player at the University of Missouri is in the hospital and in need of a heart transplant, coach Eli Drinkwitz said Tuesday.

Drinkwitz wrapped up a news conference with an emotional answer about the status of offensive lineman Johnnie “DJ” Jones, who he shouted out after the Tigers’ win on Saturday.

Drinkwitz said that while doing freshman intake assessments over the summer, they discovered a heart issue with Jones.

After monitoring him for a few weeks, Mizzou staff decided to send him to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, for a second opinion and to get more information.

But after that evaluation, Drinkwitz said they discovered “a much more significant issue.”

“Last week, we found out that Johnnie’s now on a heart transplant list, and he’s at Mayo, and it’s tough right now,” Drinkwitz said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family as they go through this. I know Johnnie was watching our game.”

Drinkwitz asked fans to pray for Jones as he and his family navigate this challenging time.

“It’s just hard. An 18-year-old with everything in front of him. And you’re just not prepared for that kind of news. Our team wasn’t prepared for that kind of news. But we’re praying for him and I know a lot of Mizzou fans will hopefully join in that prayer because he does need help in a hurry.”

Drinkwitz ended the news conference with a message of support for Jones: “We’re pulling for you, buddy.”

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.

Kentucky pastor completes 850-mile bike ride to raise money for church food pantry

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2026

By Sydney St. Claire

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    FRENCHBURG, Kentucky (WLEX) — A Kentucky pastor is back home after completing an 850-mile bicycle ride from Eastern Kentucky to Florida to raise money for his church’s food pantry.

Pastor Rodney Coffey spent 11 days pedaling from Frenchburg, Kentucky, to Pine Island Beach, Florida, raising nearly $12,000 for the Dayspring Food Pantry through online and cash donations.

The ride was especially challenging for Coffey, who had both knees replaced last year. He spent months working with his doctor and physical therapist to prepare for the journey.

“Just because you have an injury or sickness or a knee replacement or hip replacement, you don’t have to give up,” Coffey said. “You don’t have to sit down. You can work through those things.”

Coffey began the ride Sept. 15, leaving from his church’s food pantry with his wife following behind in an RV. He traveled through four states, including the mountains of Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia.

Some days, Coffey rode more than 100 miles.

“When you climb a mountain for two hours straight, it’s no fun,” Coffey said. “But when you get to the top, what a blessing it is to know what you accomplished.”

Along the way, people followed Coffey’s journey online, praying for him, sharing his videos and donating to the food pantry.

For Coffey, the ride was about more than raising money. He wanted to draw attention to the needs of people facing hunger in Kentucky and show that physical setbacks do not have to prevent someone from pursuing a goal.

“The biggest blessing is to get the word out that there’s people that’s still hungry, there’s people that need help and they wanted to be a part of that,” Coffey said.

The Dayspring Food Pantry serves roughly 400 to 600 families and relies entirely on donations and volunteers. The money raised by Coffey’s ride will help the pantry purchase food and supplies and, hopefully, replace its aging truck.

Coffey said the pantry’s mission goes beyond providing meals.

For him, it is also about showing people they are cared for.

Donations to the Dayspring Food Pantry are still being accepted. Coffey hopes his ride will continue to raise awareness about the need for food pantries and hunger relief in Kentucky.

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.

Community Spotlight: Gilbert Garcia’s Commitment to Houston and the Next Generation

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2026

By Lisa Valadez

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    Houston, TX (Houston Style Magazine) — For Hispanic Heritage Month, Houston Style Magazine highlights Gilbert Garcia, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Garcia Hamilton & Associates (GHA), a Houston-based fixed-income investment management firm. Garcia has spent more than forty years in the financial services industry and has held leadership positions with civic organizations, pension systems and federal advisory committees.

From Yale to Houston

Garcia grew up in Corpus Christi and is a product of public schools. He was a First-Generation college undergraduate at Yale University. But, Garcia’s path to Wall Street began in 1983 when he was a sophomore. That summer, Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO), a nonprofit that places minority undergraduates on Wall Street summer internships, placed him at Salomon Brothers in New York. The experience changed his life! After earning his bachelor’s degree in economics from Yale in 1985, he joined Salomon Brothers full-time and became the company’s first Hispanic Vice-President where he specialized in mortgage-backed securities.

In 1990, Garcia moved to Houston and joined former San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros to build Cisneros Asset Management Company, ultimately becoming its President.

He joined GHA in early 2002. The firm had approximately $200 million in fixed-income assets under management when he arrived; and $800 million when he became Managing Partner in 2008. As of June 30, 2026, the firm managed more than $24.8 billion. GHA is an employee-owned, certified MWBE investment management firm offering fixed-income strategies to institutional investors.

Garcia has built a national reputation as a financial expert. He is often quoted in industry publications and provides market commentary on CNBC regularly. His most recent appearance was on September 25, 2026, with Brian Sullivan on CNBC’s “Power Lunch.”

Giving Back to SEO

Garcia has given back to SEO over the years. He joined SEO’s Board of Directors in 1987 as the first alumnus to serve on the Board of Directors and has served as Treasurer for over 30 years. He is now its longest-serving board member, serving alongside Chairman Henry Kravis. Garcia, his wife Dee Dee, and GHA are longtime supporters of SEO and consistently donate their time and treasure to the organization.

In 2015, SEO honored Garcia with its Alumni Leadership Award at an awards dinner that also honored Michael R. Bloomberg, the former Mayor of New York City, and David M. Rubenstein, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of The Carlyle Group.

Federal Financial Market Service

Garcia established a significant legacy of regulatory advocacy and systemic reform through his key leadership terms on two key U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) advisory committees, FIMSAC and AMAC. The Fixed Income Market Structure Advisory Committee (FIMSAC) advised the agency on the structure and regulation of U.S. fixed-income markets. The Asset Management Advisory Committee (AMAC) advised the agency on trends, regulations and market impacts affecting the asset management industry. On AMAC, Garcia was appointed as Chairman of the Diversity and Inclusion subcommittee and led landmark recommendations including redefining fiduciary duty to advocate for diverse-owned firms, improving transparency, and targeting exclusionary metrics that systemically shut out emerging and minority-owned firms.

Investing in the Next Generation

GHA runs a paid summer internship program for more than 20 high school and undergraduate students spread across two summer sessions. Interns get hands-on exposure to the investment industry and the chance to learn from the industry’s best. The firm also takes part in career days and speaks at colleges, high schools and conferences across the country.

Five current GHA employees are former interns, including two Partners who are now senior members of the investment team.

“We have a robust internship program each summer with 22 interns over two sessions. We concentrate on interns of color and women as they are most underrepresented in the industry. We take high schoolers, as well as undergrads, from many institutions including UChicago, Harvard, Princeton, PVAMU, Howard, UT, Texas A&M, TSU and UH. We focus on young people with great attitudes, strong work ethic and individuals who believe in something bigger than themselves,” said Garcia.

Houston Civic Service

From 2010 through 2016, Garcia served as chairman of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO). Under his leadership, METRO reduced debt, completed its first comprehensive bus network redesign in over 100 years, secured $900 million in federal funding to add 15 miles of light rail, and won a referendum securing additional funding with almost 80% of the vote. Additionally, METRO’s Pension Board implemented the “Garcia Rule,” which requires at least one diverse investment manager to be included in every asset class search. The agency also received numerous transparency awards and the American Public Transportation Association’s 2015 Award for Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement.

Garcia has also served on the Board of Trustees of the Houston Municipal Employees Pension System, the Board of Trustees of the Dallas Police & Fire Pension System, and he spent 13 years as Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Houston Downtown Management District. He is also a Class X graduate of Leadership Houston.

In 2023, Garcia’s commitment to Houston led him to run for Mayor centered on a “Pledge to Houston” that set out priorities for his first 100 days including increased public safety, greater transparency, improved infrastructure and ending “pay to play” practices at City Hall. He finished third out of 18 candidates in the November election, but the campaign marked another chapter in a long record of civic involvement.

Dee Dee and Gilbert Garcia

A Legacy of Family, Service and Community

Family and community have been the foundation of Garcia’s life. He and his wife, Dee Dee, have raised four children (Andrew, Daniel, Ben and Juju) while staying deeply involved in local activities and charitable causes. Garcia has coached 40 seasons of youth soccer, served as the school mascot (Bolt the Colt), and spent several years as “The Voice of GHCAA track and field” during track meets.

The Garcias are also active philanthropists. Through their family and firm, they have donated more than $6 million to schools, churches and charitable organizations. Their gifts include the Dee Dee and Gilbert Garcia Foyer, a newly renovated entrance and administration space at St. Agnes Academy, and the Dee Dee and Gilbert Garcia Board Room at St. Thomas High School.

Recognition From Houston’s Hispanic Business Community

In 2018, the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce named Garcia its Male Entrepreneur of the Year. “The Hispanic community in Houston is a mecca of great history, rich culture, delicious food and beautiful people. It is the future of Houston!” said Garcia. He also co-chaired the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Houston. In 2020, he received the National Association of Securities Professionals’ Maynard Holbrook Jackson Jr. Award, which recognizes a financial services professional for entrepreneurial achievement, community service and high moral standards. The award was presented by SEO President William Goodloe and former SEC Chairman and current Director of US Intelligence Jay Clayton.

A Career Rooted in Houston

Garcia’s life and career have been an incredible journey. Along the way, he has mentored, hired, and supported hundreds of youth, particularly Hispanics.

For Hispanic Heritage Month, Garcia’s career offers a look at a national leader who is living in Houston and is proud to be Hispanic. His work spans Wall Street, transit, philanthropy, civic institutions, youth sports and other programs that open doors for the next generation of leaders, much as SEO once did for him!

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.

Lisa Valadez
Lisa@stylemagazine.com
713-748-6300

Man arrested for shooting on I-35 in Iowa says he ‘had to kill people’

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2026

By Abigail Kurten

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    WARREN COUNTY, Iowa (KCCI) — A 27-year-old man was taken into custody Monday after firing multiple shots on Interstate 35 in Iowa, injuring one woman and causing a 16-mile stretch of the highway to be shut down for investigation.

The suspect was identified as Andrew Tanaka, 27, of West Des Moines. According to court documents, Tanaka fired at least two shots into a passing car before law enforcement arrived, striking the driver in her shoulder. He then fired another round into a separate car.

Tanaka later rear-ended another vehicle carrying two people. When they exited their car to check on him, he fired at least one more shot into the windshield of their car, court documents said.

Investigators closed the interstate to process the scene. While few details have been released, court documents revealed that Tanaka told police he “had to kill people today.”

Those documents show he’s also facing a $1 million cash-only bond.

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.

KCCI Investigates: Iowa homebuilder installing extra water filters in new homes

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2026

By Suzanne Behnke

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    WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — A filtering system is being added to new residential construction by Hubbell Homes, one of the first Iowa builders to make it standard.

Reverse osmosis is an extra treatment to already finished water coming from taps in homes.

“We felt like having better water built in from the beginning was super important,” says Sarah Eggers, vice president of marketing of Hubbell Homes, a subsidiary of Hubbell Realty.

New homes built Sept. 1 or after will contain a system through Bright Water Kinetico in Des Moines.

Water quality has become a top interest for potential Iowa voters in November’s election, according to a recent poll. Sixty percent say it is one of their top five concerns for the state.

In Central Iowa, there have been two water restrictions for 600,000 Central Iowa Water Works customers due to high nitrate levels in the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers and high demand for lawn watering. CIWW has run its nitrate removal facility a record 193 days so far this year.

“We wanted to respond in a meaningful way,” says Eggers. “Reverse osmosis was a no-brainer.”

RO systems use pressure to push water through another round of filtering. Drinking water in homes arrives already treated after being sourced from rivers and groundwater. Water utilities are required to meet EPA standards for contaminants such as nitrates.

“Hubbell approached us about looking at drinking water solutions for their homes,” says Brook Haas, president of Bright Water. “I love their forward thinking and drawing a line in the sand.”

This isn’t the first time Hubbell has considered the well-being of homebuyers.

“Radon is something that we’ve been doing standard in our homes for 10 years,” says Eggers.

Radon is an odorless, colorless gas that comes from Iowa’s geological features. Iowa has some of the highest rates of radon in the U.S. The gas can seep into homes and has been linked to lung cancer.

As of July 1, radon mitigation systems must be part of new home builds, according to state law.

Now Hubbell Homes, alongside the radon mitigation pipe, will have RO systems going into all its new townhomes, condos and family dwellings. The cost is typically $3,000. That is not being passed to home buyers.

“When you think of water, it’s essential to life,” says Eggers. “The fact that you even move into your new home and have to worry about is my water as good as it could be? We just don’t want our homeowners to have to worry about that.”

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.

51-year-old man arrested for terroristic threatening in downtown Honolulu

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2026

By Kayli Pascal-Martinez

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    HONOLULU (KITV) — Police arrested a suspect following an apparent terroristic threatening incident that occurred in the Downtown area early Tuesday morning.

According to police documents, it was reported that a 40-year-old woman and a 51-year-old man got into a verbal argument around 3 a.m. The argument then escalated to the 51-year-old man allegedly grabbing a firearm and threatening the woman.

When officers arrived, they identified the suspect and arrested him for Terroristic Threatening in the First Degree and Abuse PM.

The 51-year-old man remains in police custody, pending investigation, at this time.

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.

Unknown virus leaves some Iowa patients sick for weeks

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2026

By Pepper Purpura

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    DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — An unidentified illness is stumping medical professionals and keeping patients sick for weeks on end in the Des Moines area.

Janae Brown, an advanced registered nurse practitioner at UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine on Ingersoll, said the clinic and attached urgent care are seeing multiple patients each day with runny noses, coughs and congestion. Many feel sick for about a week, but symptoms return soon after.

“What’s strange is, we’re seeing them come back in soon after with similar symptoms,” Brown said. “They’re hanging on to this bug for around a month.”

Brown said the cases do not appear to be COVID-19, flu or strep, and give negative results when she tests for those viruses or other common illnesses. With no clear diagnosis, it’s difficult to give patients a clear timeline or guidance for recovery.

Brown said patients generally improve with rest and care at home, but some cases have developed into pneumonia. She advised people to seek medical help if they begin to feel worse after making progress, particularly if they develop chest pain, trouble breathing or a fever.

To help prevent illness, Brown recommends washing hands and getting annual vaccinations. If you get sick, she advises staying away from others, drinking fluids and resting.

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.

Twin Cities boy gets Star Wars-themed wheelchair costume

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2026

By Jason Rantala

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    MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A Twin Cities boy living with a rare form of muscular dystrophy received a gift from a galaxy far, far away this Halloween season.

Eleven-year-old Dash Stanton knew something special was hidden beneath a blue sheet Sunday morning at the Minnesota Fire Museum.

“I feel like this is going to be very, very cool,” Dash Stanton said before the reveal.

A self-described Star Wars fan who recently finished watching every movie in the franchise, Dash Stanton eagerly waited to see what had been built for him.

When the cover finally came off, he was greeted by a custom N-1 Starfighter complete with a Grogu, better known as Baby Yoda, figure. The spacecraft attaches to his power wheelchair, turning it into a ride fit for a Jedi.

The creation came from Magic Wheelchair, an Oregon-based nonprofit that designs and builds custom wheelchair costumes at no cost to families.

“It was way cooler than I thought it would be,” Dash Stanton said. “Honestly, it’s very, very sick.”

For his parents, the moment was especially meaningful.

About a decade ago, they noticed their son was not meeting the physical milestones typical for most children his age.

“After neurologists and physical therapy and all this, we ended up finding out that he had SMA, which is something we had never even heard of before,” said his mother, Amanda Stanton.

SMA, or spinal muscular atrophy, is a rare neuromuscular disorder that affects muscle movement.

Despite the diagnosis, Dash Stanton has remained active. He participates in musical theater and excels in power soccer, a sport designed for athletes who use power wheelchairs.

“We’ve hit a much more stable point. He’s doing really well,” Amanda Stanton said.

As for Dash Stanton, his immediate goal is a little less ambitious than piloting a starfighter across the galaxy.

He just wants to be the coolest kid out trick-or-treating this Halloween.

The surprise comes as local firefighters kick off the annual Fill the Boot campaign benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Funds raised help support people living with muscular dystrophy, ALS and other neuromuscular diseases.

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.

Twin Cities Marathon runner carries canoe on his back to highlight Boundary Waters as mining debate heats up

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2026

By WCCO Staff

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    MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A Minnesota runner took on a 26.2-mile portage, carrying a canoe the whole way, to speak up for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Travis Meier is a portage runner who carries canoes to raise awareness for Minnesota’s public lands. Meier said adding a canoe to a marathon makes people “pay more attention.”

He said that attention is the point, especially as debate continues over mining near the Boundary Waters.

In September 2023, a federal judge dismissed Twin Metals Minnesota’s lawsuit seeking to regain mineral leases the Biden administration canceled near the wilderness. That November, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources approved an exploratory drilling plan from the company on property next to it.

“It hasn’t been touched and that’s the way it should be,” Meier said. “And if we don’t protect it, you can’t put the genie back in the bottle once all that water is poisoned.”

Meier says he is speaking for a wilderness that can’t speak for itself.

“Someone has to speak for the public lands,” he said. “I would say I’m a Lorax with a lesser stash.”

For Meier, the Boundary Waters is worth the pain of carrying a canoe for an entire marathon. He said the Northern Lights “just came right out” the first night he visited, while he was at a campsite.

“You can see some of the most amazing things you never thought you could see,” he said.

Now, Meier plans to take that message on the road with 52 portage marathons in 52 weeks. He’s looking for races to join.

“I would love to run in your race and raise more awareness for our public lands,” he said.

Wherever his next race is, Meier said, he’ll have the same mission and the same canoe.

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.