Southwest
New Gerber baby is named for 2024: Meet adorable 'Sonny' from Arizona
The newest Gerber baby has been crowned.
Akil “Sonny” McLeod from Arizona has been named the winner of Gerber’s 14th annual Photo Search contest.
Sonny caught the attention of the selection committee, which for the first time ever was made up of parents of previous Gerber babies, according to a press release from the company.
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The winning photo captured the essence of Sonny’s name, as it shows him dressed in a bright yellow outfit with a toy sun hanging in the background.
As this year’s winner, Sonny will be featured on Gerber’s social media channels and marketing campaigns throughout the year.
The McLeod family was awarded $25,000 in cash, free Gerber products for a year and a new wardrobe for Sonny. (The McLeod family)
The McLeod family was awarded $25,000 in cash, free Gerber products for a year, a new wardrobe provided by Gerber Childrenswear and prizes from other early childhood brands, according to the company.
“Sonny immediately captured our hearts with his joyful smile and his family’s heartwarming demonstration of what it means to grow with love.”
Gerber announced that it will also match Sonny’s cash prize with a donation to support March of Dimes’ maternal and infant health program.
“After 14 incredible years of Photo Search, this year, we are grateful our former Gerber Baby families could join us in selecting Sonny as our 2024 Gerber Baby,” Chandra Kumar, president of Nestlé Nutrition (the owner of Gerber) in Virginia, said in a statement.
“I can tell that his smile, his attitude, has really made a positive impact,” said Sonny’s father Akil McLeod. (The McLeod family)
“Sonny immediately captured our hearts with his joyful smile and his family’s heartwarming demonstration of what it means to grow with love,” she added.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, the McLeod family reacted to their son being named the new Gerber baby.
“It’s crazy,” said Sonny’s father, Akil McLeod Sr. “He’s a little celebrity … He’s always getting stuff sent to the house.”
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“It’s just amazing,” he went on. “It’s a blessing. And he’s just so happy … I love this stage for him.”
Sonny’s mother, Dominique McLeod, agreed that her son’s win has brought about an “abundance of things,” from prizes to charitable donations.
Sonny was given his nickname to avoid confusing him with his father, Akil McLeod Sr., pictured here. (The McLeod family)
This includes Gerber’s additional donation of $5,000 to M.A.N.C.A.V.E., a fatherhood program created in a collaboration between the Greater Phoenix Urban League, the City of Phoenix and My Brother’s Keeper in honor of the McLeod family.
“All of that because we have a cute baby,” Dominique McLeod said, laughing.
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Sonny McLeod, who turned 1 year old on June 20, “loves to eat” and is always happy, his parents said.
The family gave the baby his nickname to avoid confusing him with his father, Akil McLeod, Sr.
Dominique McLeod, left, is pictured with Sonny McLeod, center, and Sonny’s 2-year-old sister, Sage McLeod. (The McLeod family)
“One day we were lying in bed and the sun just peeked through the window right on my belly so perfectly, and I was like, ‘Oh, Sonny,’” his mother said. “We went with that ever since.”
Dominique McLeod said she’d received multiple comments about how Sonny “looks like the Gerber baby” — which prompted her to enter her son in the contest.
While Sonny has already clinched the “Gerber baby” title, his parents agreed that he’s free to pursue “whatever he wants” as he grows up.
“I pray it’s something impactful for the world.”
“I just want him and our daughter to know this world is whatever they want to make of it,” his mother said.
“I pray it’s something positive. I pray it’s something impactful for the world. But I don’t ever want to put a restriction on what they can or can’t do.”
Big sister Sage McLeod kisses baby Sonny McLeod on the head. (The McLeod family)
“If he told me, ‘Mom, I want to be an astronaut,’ I’d contact NASA and figure out how we can try to make that dream a reality.”
Akil McLeod emphasized the importance of supporting each child’s dreams.
“I know what it’s like when you have family or friends who don’t support a dream or a goal,” he said. “And I just never want him to feel that way.”
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Los Angeles, Ca
LADWP begins long-term repairs after West Hollywood water main rupture
Crews worked overnight on what is expected to be a long-term effort to clean up and repair a broken water main that caused extensive damage in West Hollywood on Thursday.
Yellow tape remained in place Friday morning, blocking streets around Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive as crews continued pumping water out of the century-old trunk line.
Asphalt and soil were also being removed so crews could get a better look at the damaged 36-inch trunk line, a major feeder pipe serving the area.
“First and foremost is our crews’ safety,” a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power spokesperson said Thursday. “When we excavate, we are going to have to make sure the area is safe before we send crews in to proceed and start the actual repairs on the pipe.”
The water main ruptured around 3 a.m. Thursday, sending thousands of gallons of water rushing through West Hollywood streets, flooding dozens of garages and pushing parked cars into one another.
A Metro bus yard was also flooded, leaving several buses partially submerged.
The force of the water washed away dirt and gravel supporting the roadway, creating a massive sinkhole on Sunset Boulevard and a smaller one near Palm Avenue, where two people fell in.
“I’m astounded by the massive sinkhole that has just opened up before our eyes,” KTLA’s Annie Rose Ramos reported Thursday from Palm Avenue.
The two men appeared to be uninjured.
As for the larger trunk line that burst beneath Sunset Boulevard, KTLA’s Carlos Herrera reported it was scheduled for replacement in 2031.
LADWP officials now hope to establish a repair timeline after getting a closer look at the damage Friday. For now, the intersection is expected to remain closed for anywhere from several days to several weeks.
The cause of the rupture remains under investigation.
Los Angeles, Ca
Arrest made in deadly shooting at 4th of July gathering in Compton; search for 2nd suspect continues
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna gave an update Thursday on several shootings over the Fourth of July weekend that left three people dead and several others injured.
Police arrested Antoine Jones, a 50-year-old man from the Los Angeles area, who they believe is responsible for the murder of a 19-year-old woman and the attempted murder of two additional surviving female victims who were attending a large community block party in Compton.
On July 4 at approximately 11:40 p.m., deputies from the Compton station responded to an apartment complex on the 700 block of West Laurel Street following reports of multiple people being shot.
Meah Bordenave-Jenkins, a 19-year-old nursing student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, was killed when gunfire broke out at the party.
Deputies located Bordenave-Jenkins and the two other women suffering from gunshot wounds outside of the apartment complex.
“While today’s announcement represents an important step towards justice for Meah and her family, our work is very far from being over,” said LASD Sheriff Robert Luna.
The LASD is also seeking the public’s help in identifying those responsible for the murder of Eric Washington, 37, a beloved community activist and former government staffer, and the attempted murder of another surviving man injured that same night at the same party.
Washington was reportedly killed while trying to deescalate a conflict at the party, his family said. Deputies found victim Washington suffering from a gunshot wound inside the complex.
Investigators later learned that another man had also been shot at some point during the incident.
Bordenave-Jenkins and Washington both died from their injuries. The remaining victims, two women and a man, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and have been released from the hospital. They have not been identified by police.
Detectives determined the two shootings happened moments apart at the party but appear to be separate and unrelated.
Detectives identified Jones as the suspect responsible for Bordenave-Jenkins’ death and the attempted murder of the two surviving women. Authorities located Jones on July 14 in Los Angeles and took him into custody.
The LASD is still searching for the suspect or suspects responsible for the murder of Washington and the attempted murder of the surviving male victim.
“Although today’s arrest is significant, this investigation remains extremely active,” Luna said.
“There were hundreds of people at this gathering,” Luna said. “Somebody knows, somebody saw or somebody heard what happened.”
The LASD also announced they’re searching for a suspect in a separate shooting at a different Fourth of July gathering that occurred in the early morning of July 5.
At approximately 12:10 a.m., Compton deputies responded to the 2100 block of North Grandee Avenue, where they located a 30-year-old victim, Thaddeus Clark, and a second victim suffering from gunshot wounds at the gathering.
Clark, a father of three, did not survive his injuries, Luna said.
The LASD is urging anyone with information about Clark’s murder and the attempted murder of the surviving victim to contact the LASD Homicide Bureau.
Although these shooting incidents occurred at gatherings less than an hour apart, investigators found no evidence that the two were connected, Luna said.
Luna also announced three suspects have been arrested in connection with a shooting in East L.A. on July 5. It happened as crowds crossed the intersection near Whittier Boulevard and Leonard Avenue during a World Cup match.
Four people were hit by gunfire, including two men, one woman and a boy. None of the injuries were life-threatening.
The sheriff said the alleged shooter, a 15-year-old known gang member, was arrested. Two female suspects, ages 21 and 38, have been arrested in the Lancaster and Palmdale areas for their alleged roles in luring the primary victim to the location and assisting the shooting suspect in evading arrest.
They’re all facing four counts of attempted murder.
Los Angeles, Ca
Water main break floods West Hollywood streets, traps cars
A broken water main sent water gushing from an apartment building and turned nearby streets into rivers in West Hollywood early Thursday morning. The break was reported around 3 a.m. near Holloway Drive and Sunset Boulevard. “It’s a rupture of one of the significant mains that goes through here. West Hollywood, as it turns out, […]
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