Author: Edward Campbell

An hourslong search for a man accused of killing a woman in Iowa Hill ended early Monday when Placer County sheriff’s deputies fatally shot him after he opened fire during a standoff in rugged forest terrain. Derek Spencer, 44, had been the focus of an overnight manhunt after authorities said he was suspected of killing 76-year-old Cheryl Macy inside a home in the Iowa Hill area. Investigators believe Spencer fled into the surrounding forest after Macy was killed, leading to a large-scale search involving multiple law enforcement agencies. Shortly before 2:30 a.m. Monday, members of the Placer County Sheriff’s Office…

Authorities are asking for the public’s help locating a 22-year-old Sacramento mother and her 2-year-old son who have been missing since Sunday and are considered at risk. Alexia James and her son, Michael Keola, were last seen around 1 p.m. Sunday in the 6900 block of Wagon Wheel Way in Sacramento’s Florin area, according to police. Police said James is considered at risk because of a mental health condition, while Michael is considered at risk because of his young age. California authorities have also issued an Endangered Missing Advisory for the pair as the search continues. Investigators believe the mother…

For Dan and Shaina Janeda, their daughter Macy was the kind of kid who could make almost anyone laugh. The 10-year-old from Pennsylvania’s South Hills played softball, joked around with her older sister and was known by her friends for being energetic and fun to be around. Then, after a strep throat infection, everything changed. Within days, Macy began experiencing severe tics, obsessive-compulsive symptoms and dramatic changes in her behavior. Her parents said they went from watching an outgoing child enjoy school and sports to struggling to recognize the daughter they knew. The family eventually received a PANDAS diagnosis, but…

Two young kittens are safe after being abandoned behind a McKeesport Housing Authority property, but authorities are still trying to identify the man captured on surveillance video leaving them there. The incident happened Friday afternoon behind Steelview Manor on Pirl Street in McKeesport. The housing authority said an eyewitness reported seeing a man arrive in a vehicle, remove two kittens from the trunk and leave them on a hillside behind the building. Staff members went to the area after the report and found the kittens in a wooded section behind the property. Both are female and are believed to be…

An 18-year-old man was killed Monday night after being shot inside a corner store in Philadelphia’s Summerdale section, with police investigating the shooting as a homicide. Officers were called to the area of Marcella Street and Summerdale Avenue shortly before 9 p.m. and found the teenager unresponsive on the floor of the store’s takeout area. He had suffered a gunshot wound to the head. The victim was taken to Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly afterward. Investigators said the young man was a regular at the store and was known to frequent the location. Police are…

Philadelphia police have identified a suspect wanted in connection with a series of armed robberies in Center City in which masked offenders targeted people carrying expensive watches and jewelry. Investigators have obtained an arrest warrant for Shakur Nichols, whom police identified as one of the suspects seen in surveillance footage from a robbery on the 1200 block of Sansom Street. Police released additional video and images on September 21 as they asked the public for help locating him. The Sansom Street robbery happened around 2:23 a.m. on August 28. Police said the victim was walking east on Sansom Street when…

MINNEAPOLIS — Parents of Minneapolis Public Schools students are organizing against proposed changes that could reshape school assignments across the city, including the possible closure or consolidation of as many as 16 school buildings. The district presented three school transformation options to the school board on Sept. 15 after several years of planning and community engagement. The proposals are tied to declining enrollment, underused school buildings and concerns about how resources are distributed across the district. No final decision has been made. School Board Chair Collin Beachy said Sept. 21 that the proposals could still change as the board considers…

Drivers in Lakeville have spent years navigating the two-lane roundabout at Kenwood Trail and 185th Street, but repeated crashes are now prompting city and county officials to take another look at how the intersection works. The roundabout, located at Dakota County Roads 50 and 60, opened in 2015 after the former traffic-signal intersection was redesigned. Since then, crashes have continued to occur at a rate that has made the intersection one of Dakota County’s most closely watched traffic-safety locations. Recent reporting and county records show the problem has not gone away. Nearly 300 crashes were recorded at the intersection over…

A contractor died Sunday afternoon while working at the Marathon Petroleum refinery in St. Paul Park, Minnesota, prompting an investigation by local authorities. Police were called to the refinery at about 4:15 p.m. after receiving a report that a contractor had been injured at the facility. Emergency crews responded, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not released the contractor’s name. His identity is being withheld while the investigation continues. Marathon Petroleum said the contractor lost consciousness while working on a refinery unit. The company expressed condolences to the man’s family, friends and coworkers and said…

Heavy rainfall turned parts of Broward County into a difficult scene Monday, with flooded roads leaving vehicles stranded and making it difficult for some residents to get back to their homes. North Lauderdale was among the communities dealing with high water as afternoon thunderstorms moved through the area. Streets remained covered in standing water even after the heaviest rain had passed, forcing drivers to slow down or find another route. The flooding came during another unusually wet stretch for South Florida. The National Weather Service said 2 to 4 inches of rain had fallen across parts of central Broward County…