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Southern California nurse retires after accident leaves her paralyzed 

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Southern California nurse retires after accident leaves her paralyzed 


A Southern California nurse is ending her career on a bittersweet note after an accident left her paralyzed from the chest down.

Deanne Niedziela was a nurse director at Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo who oversaw the Spine and Neuroscience Institute and Acute Care Service. She has worked for over 30 years in healthcare, dedicating her life to saving others.

She was on a dream vacation visiting waterfalls in Costa Rica that turned into tragedy after a tree limb fell down and crushed her spinal cord. 

After a nine-hour life-saving surgery, Niedziela survived but she was paralyzed from the chest down.

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“This is a tragic accident that happened to me, but it’s outside of my control,” Niedziela said. “I can’t turn back the calendar.”

Niedziela flew back home and for months, she spent her time recovering in the same hospital she dedicated her career to.

  • Deanne Niedziela and her husband, Ken, are seen on vacation in Costa Rica. (Niedziela Family)
  • Deanne Niedziela and her husband, Ken, are seen on vacation in Costa Rica. (Niedziela Family)
  • Colleagues bid farewell to Deanne Niedziela at Mission Hospital on June 13, 2024 as she retires after experiencing an accident that left her paralyzed. (KTLA)
  • Deanne Niedziela making her last rounds at Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo as her colleagues bid her farewell on her retirement on June 13, 2024. (KTLA)
  • Colleagues bid farewell to Deanne Niedziela at Mission Hospital on June 13, 2024 as she retires after experiencing an accident that left her paralyzed. (KTLA)
  • Deanne Niedziela making her last rounds at Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo as her colleagues bid her farewell on her retirement on June 13, 2024. (KTLA)
  • Colleagues held a reception for an honorary farewell to Deanne Niedziela, a nurse director at Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo on June 13, 2024. (KTLA)
  • Colleagues bid farewell to Deanne Niedziela at Mission Hospital on June 13, 2024 as she retires after experiencing an accident that left her paralyzed. (KTLA)
  • Colleagues bid farewell to Deanne Niedziela at Mission Hospital on June 13, 2024 as she retires after experiencing an accident that left her paralyzed. (KTLA)

“I just really appreciate the caregivers who took care of me,” Niedziela said.

She said being cared for by her colleagues has been fulfilling in many ways.

“The patients come and go, but it’s the coworkers that make this workplace so special, and this is a special place at Mission Viejo Hospital,” she said.

On Friday, Niedziela was surrounded by her colleagues at the hospital for an honorary farewell.

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Coworkers said Niedziela has always been a guiding light to others and remains so after working decades in the industry.

“To have taken care of patients and to have led the Spine Institute and to have been a patient participating in that is really just an extraordinary triumph of courage and strength,” said Cherri Fox, a nursing director and Niedziela’s colleague. 

Niedziela will now be shifting her focus to the next chapter of her life as she works on regaining her independence.

“Nobody gets a [farewell] reception in the lobby, so having them to do that and have such a special reception for me, I just know my coworkers are just amazing people,” Niedziela said.

While making her final rounds at the hospital, she reflects on her time spent there, recalling all the happy memories spent in a rewarding career she adored. 

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“I’m just so blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life,” Niedziela said tearfully. 

A GoFundMe page to help Niedziela cover medical expenses and costs to make her home ADA-compliant can be found here.



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California Shelves Repeal of 1950 Housing Law That Stoked Racial Tension | KQED

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California Shelves Repeal of 1950 Housing Law That Stoked Racial Tension | KQED


“While SCA 2 was one of many efforts to help address the housing crisis, the November’s ballot will be very crowded, and reaching voters will be difficult and expensive,” Allen said in a statement. “In addition, the legislature recently passed my SB 469, which substantially addresses some of the most significant concerns about how Article 34 might be impacting housing production.”

SB 469 clarifies that the use of state affordable housing dollars does not trigger Article 34’s requirement for voter approval. Allen said his focus is on determining whether these efforts are “making a significant dent in addressing the problem,” adding that quickly building more affordable housing is a priority.

Backed by the California Real Estate Association, the forerunner to the current California Association of Realtors, Article 34 was first adopted by voters in 1950. Realtors played on voters’ fears that affordable housing would lead to greater racial integration of exclusively white neighborhoods.

CAR issued a formal apology in 2022 for its past support of Article 34, with association President Otto Catrina condemning the actions and vowing to address the legacy of its “discriminatory policies and practices.”

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The organization “remains a strong supporter of the repeal of Article 34 … which adds unnecessary hurdles and costs to the creation of affordable housing,” CAR spokesperson Sanjay Wagle said in a statement.

Wagle noted that a majority of Californians support repealing the provision but cited research showing a voter education campaign would be needed to explain the article’s effects.

“The cost of such a campaign in an election year with so many initiatives on the ballot made this campaign more costly and difficult, thus making it more logical to pursue a repeal on a future ballot,” Wagle wrote. “We thank Sen. Allen and Sen. Wiener for their efforts on this repeal effort and look forward to working [with] them and other stakeholders on this issue in the future.”





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California Quarterback Commits to Penn State’s 2026 Recruiting Class

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California Quarterback Commits to Penn State’s 2026 Recruiting Class


Though Penn State has been busily filling its 2025 recruiting class in June, the program hasn’t stopped looking ahead. The Nittany Lions on Tuesday received a commitment from 4-star California quarterback Troy Huhn, who became the second player in Penn State football’s 2026 recruiting class.

Huhn (6-4, 205 pounds) will be a junior at Mission Hills High, just north of San Diego. He threw for 1,623 yards and 16 touchdowns as a sophomore last season. Huhn quickly built a strong offer sheet that included Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, Auburn and Notre Dame, among many others. Huhn took an unofficial visits to Ohio State and Penn State in June, committing to the Nittany Lions two weeks after his trip.

Huhn is the 2026 recruiting class’ 10th-rated quarterback prospect, according to the 247Sports Composite, and a top-15 player in California. On3 ranks Huhn highest among the major recruiting services, slotting him at No. 60 nationally and sixth at quarterback.

Huhn, who committed to Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki and quarterbacks coach Danny O’Brien, spent time with head coach James Franklin during his unofficial visit. He told Sean Fitz of Blue-White Illustrated that Franklin made an impression.

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“Coach O’Brien was great, but really my main thing when I was getting out there was to have more time with coach Franklin. They definitely gave that to me,” Huhn said in his interview with Blue-White Illustrated. “I really felt the love from coach Franklin. He’s very business, he’s awesome, he’s a funny guy. My mom loves him, he loves my mom. That relationship with him is now a lot better and I’m glad I got to spend that time with him.”

Huhn joins Harrisburg athlete Messiah Mickens on the ground floor of Penn State’s 2026 recruiting class. Mickens committed to Penn State in August 2023. Penn State had been recruiting several 2026 quarterbacks alongside Huhn. One of their targets, Dia Bell, recently committed to Texas.

Huhn’s commitment continued a prolific stretch for the Nittany Lions. Franklin and his staff have received commitments from five players in a four-day stretch. Four of them committed to Penn State’s 2025 recruiting class.

The most recent 2025 commitment belonged to Max Granville, a 4-star prospect from Texas and first-team all-state honoree as a junior. Granville, who will be a senior at Fort Bend Christian Academy, is rated as a 4-star linebacker according to the 247Sports Composite. However, the 6-3, 220-pound Granville projects at defensive end and was recruited by Penn State defensive line coach Deion Barnes. Granville chose Penn State after making an official visit to State College earlier in June. He also visited USC, Texas A&M and Oklahoma in June and took an official visit to Baylor in April.

Penn State opens the 2024 football season Aug. 31 at West Virginia. The game is scheduled for a noon kickoff on FOX.

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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich.





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Butte County issues evacuation orders for Apache wildfire

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Butte County issues evacuation orders for Apache wildfire


(FOX40.COM) — An evacuation order is in effect for areas of Butte County amid a wildfire, according to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office.

Around 8:30 p.m. on Monday, BCSO issued an evacuation order for the Apache Fire on the south side of Grubbs Road between Crossa Country Road and Alta Arosa Drive in zones 884 and 885. Shortly after, evacuation orders were also issued for all of zone 884, 865, 866, 868, and 869. For information about zone locations click or tap here.

An evacuation warning was also issued for zones 867 and 883.

At 9:45 p.m., the Apache Fire has burned through 466 acres, according to Cal Fire. By 10:30 p.m. it reached more than 650 acres.

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For more information visit www.buttecounty.net, or call (833) 512-5378.



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