Gypsy Rose Blanchard is free and reflecting on prison term for conspiring to kill her abusive mother

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:33:13 GMT

Gypsy Rose Blanchard is free and reflecting on prison term for conspiring to kill her abusive mother Gypsy Rose Blanchard said she has found a way to forgive her mother — and herself. But it has been a long journey from years of abuse and the darkest parts of her life splashed across tabloids to living in prison.Blanchard, now 32, was paroled last week from a Missouri women’s prison. Her release came 8 1/2 years after she persuaded her boyfriend at the time to kill her abusive mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard — in a desperate bid to be free of her. For years, her mother forced her to pretend that she was suffering from leukemia, muscular dystrophy and other serious illnesses.“At first I was really angry with her, very confused. And I’m still confused,” Blanchard told The Associated Press in a phone interview Tuesday. “But I understand that she had a lot of mental issues. And so I think that’s brought me to a place of forgiveness by just trying to understand where she was coming from. I don’t believe that she was evil.“I know, that she was very sick,” she cont...

9 hospitalized after train derailed, caught fire near San Francisco

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:33:13 GMT

9 hospitalized after train derailed, caught fire near San Francisco ORINDA, Calif. (KRON) -- Bay Area Rapid Transit train service on the Yellow Line in the Antioch and San Francisco International Airport directions was halted after a train derailed and caught fire between Orinda and Lafayette stations Monday morning.BART will be running normal train service on Tuesday between Rockridge and Walnut Creek stations following overnight repairs and safety inspections in the area. Mickey Mouse becomes horror’s newest villain A Yellow Line train heading eastbound was derailed outside of the Orinda Station around 9 a.m. Monday. The passengers self-evacuated and were escorted to Orinda Station by BART personnel, according to the BART Police Department.As of 4 p.m. Monday, two lanes of eastbound Highway 24 were closed and a crane was enroute for placement. Around 7:10 p.m., both of the impacted cars were re-railed and were being towed away to the yard. According to BART, two train cars were on fire. Orinda-Maraga Fire District ...

Earthquake confirmed in NYC, but shock felt most away from epicenter

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:33:13 GMT

Earthquake confirmed in NYC, but shock felt most away from epicenter ROOSEVELT ISLAND (PIX11) -- It’s now confirmed by federal seismologists that there was an earthquake in New York City on Tuesday morning. Even though it was not a high magnitude temblor, its effects were felt strongly, nonetheless.  “I kept hearing, like thuds, coming from above,” said Yasmin Clark, a Roosevelt Island resident, who’d been in bed when the episode happened around 5:45 a.m. “My mother said she definitely felt the walls shaking. She was up,” Clark said. “I just saw all the firetrucks and stuff,” she continued, “and heard the helicopters, but I didn't know what happened.”What happened was what the United States Geological Survey determined mid-morning — that there was an earthquake, measuring 1.7 in magnitude.  5 recent earthquakes that shook New York City, according to USGS It’s a far lower intensity than the 7.6 magnitude quake this week in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, which took the lives of at least 55 people. Nonetheless, as pointed out by Roose...

MedWatch Digest: Childhood obesity linked to early kidney disease — and more

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:33:13 GMT

MedWatch Digest: Childhood obesity linked to early kidney disease — and more For Jan. 2, WGN’s Dina Bair has the latest on new medical information, including: More Coverage: WGN's Medical Watch Childhood obesity and early kidney diseaseWhen adolescents have a high body mass index, it can wreak havoc on the kidneys. A study in JAMA Pediatrics reveals the impact of excess weight on kidney function. Doctors found overweight and obese children experience kidney disease in their early adult life. Researchers have long known weight is a problem for young people, but this is the first time they linked the issue to chronic and irreversible kidney damage.  Experts collaborated from major medical institutions around the world, studying half a million adolescents. New P.E.T. scan cancer gene tracerA new additive to a pet scan could help cancer patients find and eliminate their cancer more easily. A novel pet tracer called 18F-PFPMD identifies cancer gene mutations allowing for more precise diagnosis. The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging reports ...

Speaker Johnson to tour Eagle Pass amid surge at the border

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:33:13 GMT

Speaker Johnson to tour Eagle Pass amid surge at the border EAGLE PASS, Texas (Nexstar) — As migrant encounters at the southern border continue to hit record levels, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson is leading a Congressional delegation to Eagle Pass on Tuesday.The trip comes after a record-breaking number of encounters at the southern border last month. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents encountered more than 300,000 migrants in December. The Del Rio sector, which includes Eagle Pass, registered more than 71,000 migrant encounters-- the majority of them came from Venezuela. Former acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf told NewsNation he wants the congressional delegates to meet with border patrol agents to get a solid understanding of the problems and solutions."[Johnson] needs to understand from them, what are the what are the tools that they need to do their job? And what are the policies in place that they have seen to be effective over their career," Wolf said. "I think if he does that, and the other members of the delegation d...

Senior living apartment complex plans to hire security after rash of car break-ins

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:33:13 GMT

Senior living apartment complex plans to hire security after rash of car break-ins MANOR, Texas (KXAN) -- Just days after Christmas, residents at the Commons at Manor 55+ Apartments woke up to about a dozen cars with smashed windows.One woman, Patricia, who didn't want to publicize her last name due to safety concerns, couldn't find her car in the morning at all."My car was broken into and was stolen, and it was used to break into a business," she said. The police department confirmed that information with KXAN. INVESTIGATION: DATA: Auto theft happens across Austin — 8% of cases ended in arrest Patricia said most of her neighbors are retirees, so they're on a fixed income - and this situation has put many in a financial bind. "We feel trapped," she said. "We are afraid."And they're worried it will happen again because two of the complex's security gates are broken."When you've got the front gates wide open, the back gates wide open, anyone can come in here," Patricia said.The property's corporate office told KXAN it is aware of the break-ins, and that while tryi...

Men’s basketball: Eddie Lampkin familiar with CU Buffs’ rivalry against Arizona

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:33:13 GMT

Men’s basketball: Eddie Lampkin familiar with CU Buffs’ rivalry against Arizona Eddie Lampkin Jr. might still be a newcomer to the Pac-12 Conference. But he’s no stranger to the desire for a little payback against the Arizona Wildcats.Lampkin was a redshirt freshman at TCU two years ago when the Wildcats ended TCU’s season in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, eliminating the Horned Frogs despite a career game from Lampkin.The 20 points Lampkin scored in that game remains his collegiate career high, and he will get his first shot at Arizona as part of Colorado’s program when the Buffaloes visit the 10th-ranked Wildcats on Thursday night (7:30 p.m., ESPN).Arizona is coming off a 100-82 loss at Stanford on Sunday that dropped the Wildcats six spots in this week’s AP Top 25. The Buffs, meanwhile, opened Pac-12 play without starters Cody Williams (wrist) and Tristan da Silva (ankle) but still managed to post the program’s first 2-0 start within the conference since the 2014-15 season.“I owe them from two years ago,” Lampkin said. “They beat us in March Madnes...

Larimer County Coroner’s Office identifies man killed in Dec. 23 house fire

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:33:13 GMT

Larimer County Coroner’s Office identifies man killed in Dec. 23 house fire The Larimer County Coroner’s Office has identified Jesse Speker as the man killed in a late December Loveland house fire.However, the coroner’s office said the cause and manner of death of the 25-year-old Loveland resident are pending a toxicology test, according to a post on the office website.The Loveland Police Department dispatch center received a call for a structure fire in the 3100 block of Butternut Drive at 3:22 a.m. Dec. 23, according to previously released information; crews from the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority, Thompson Valley Emergency Medical Services and Berthoud Fire Protection District all responded with the LPD to the home.LFRA said in a Facebook post at the time that the first arriving engine company found one unit of the duplex with heavy fire that extended into the attic. Additional crews arrived on scene and, with the use of hose lines, were able to bring the fire under control in 15 minutes.One occupant was found dead while another was transport...

Battle-tested CSU Rams ready for Mountain West gauntlet

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:33:13 GMT

Battle-tested CSU Rams ready for Mountain West gauntlet As the page turns on the Colorado State men’s basketball team’s season, the Rams know what they have done so far has been historic, but what matters more is what they will do in their last 18 games of the regular season.The No. 13-ranked Rams, coming off a 12-1 run through nonconference play, open their Mountain West Conference schedule with some high expectations, not only by the group in the locker room, but also prognosticators all across the country.With quality wins over Creighton, Boston College and Pac-12 schools Colorado and Washington, the Rams have climbed to their highest AP Top 25 ranking ever and are in the midst of their longest run as a ranked team in program history. Before their Mountain West opener against New Mexico late Tuesday night, the Rams were also ranked No. 15 in the NET rankings and No. 30 in the KenPom rankings.While those rankings will eventually figure into when and where they play in March, the Rams’ goal of winning a conference championship, as well ...

Woman in her 60's robbed by 2 suspects in driveway of her SoCal home

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:33:13 GMT

Woman in her 60's robbed by 2 suspects in driveway of her SoCal home Surveillance video captured two suspects robbing a woman in her 60’s as she exited her vehicle just outside her Moreno Valley home last month and the victim’s family believes she may have been followed.  The incident in the 26000 block of Sugarcane Drive occurred on Dec. 26 just before 10 p.m. after the victim, identified only as Lien, had gotten off work as a server at a nearby restaurant, stopped for gas and made a quick trip to a Kohl’s department store.  For Lien’s daughter Sammie and her daughter-in-law Jill, the video is difficult to see.  “The video is kind of hard to watch because she is screaming for help,” Sammie told KTLA’s Shelby Nelson. “It’s hard for us to hear it.” The footage shows the two suspects approaching Lien as she’s getting out of her car.  Working together, one of the suspects blocks the woman from getting back in her car as the other suspect grabs her from behind.  Two suspects caught on camera robbing a Moreno Valley woman in her 60's on Dec...