Month: February 2026

By Donald Fountain

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    ATLANTA (WUPA) — T.I. has spent decades commanding stages as a chart-topping rapper, but these days, the Atlanta icon is chasing laughs instead of platinum plaques and finding healing along the way.

Known to fans as T.I. or T.I.P., Clifford “Tip” Harris has stepped into a new role as a standup comedian, a move he admits was never part of the plan. Harris said comedy wasn’t something he set out to pursue, even as his career expanded into acting, writing and producing.

“I ain’t never really had no interest in being a comedian,” Harris said. “But I have had interest in doing comedies and movies, writing them, producing them, acting in them.”

That changed a few years ago when the Atlanta native began performing standup sets around the country. Harris said he quickly fell in love with being on stage, returning night after night to sharpen his craft. His commitment eventually earned him a spot opening for Dave Chappelle, one of comedy’s most respected voices.

“I fell in love with it,” Harris said. “Every day, I was coming back to try and get back on stage everywhere I was. I think that’s what kind of made people know that I was serious about it.” Harris’ new comedy special, “Cheaper Than Therapy,” reflects both his growth as a performer and his willingness to be vulnerable. He said filming the special offered a sense of relief during a challenging period in his life.

“I’ve gone through some stuff,” Harris said. “And to make sense of it all, you have to kind of toss it out there. You have to converse about it. Laughing about things that I would have normally maybe kept to myself, laughing with others about it, has proven itself to be therapeutic for me.”

The pivot to comedy marks a major shift for Harris, whose career includes more than 10 million albums sold in the U.S., three Grammy Awards, and a long list of honors across music and entertainment. He is also the founder of Grand Hustle Records, owner of the Akoo and Hustle Gang clothing brands, an artist-owner of TIDAL, and a businessman with interests spanning real estate, technology, and sports.

Still, Harris knows not everyone will immediately embrace his evolution. He said that skepticism doesn’t concern him.

“I’m not looking for acceptance or for any reaction from anybody,” Harris said. “I’m not waiting for people to take me seriously. I’m worried about how long it can continue to heal me.”

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.

By Logan Hall

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    WAKEFIELD, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Lifelong New England Patriots fan Eric Jellison never imagined that rolling up his sleeve to donate blood would send him to the Super Bowl.

The Wakefield, Massachusetts resident was randomly selected by the American Red Cross from a nationwide pool of donors and won a trip for two to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California. At first, he didn’t believe the call was real.

“I have to say that I was very shocked, honestly. Like everyone says with all the scams and things going on in the world, you never know what to believe,” Jellison said.

He and a guest will now see the Patriots face the Seattle Seahawks in person Sunday. It will also be the first time he’s been to an NFL game.

“When I hit the stadium, when I’m there in the parking lot, that’s when it’s really going to hit. I’m just going to be in awe of the whole event,” Jellison said. “We are absolute fans. I have all my old jerseys, my Ty Law and all those different things that you get over the years, posters and signs.”

His connection to blood donation is personal. Jellison was in a traumatic accident as a child and said a blood transfusion saved his life. He’s been a donor ever since.

Kelly Isenor, director of communications for the Red Cross of Massachusetts, said they hope Jellison’s once-in-a-lifetime experience will shine a spotlight on the need for blood donations.

“Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood,” Isenor said. “For Eric to win this amazing prize for doing something that was so selfless, we love to be a part of that.”

For someone who has watched every Super Bowl from his couch, Jellison said the experience feels surreal.

“I’m just a regular person,” he said. “I’m just donating blood and just doing what I can to help others as best I can, and this reward just seems unbelievable.”

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.

By Samantha Chaney

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    MATTAPOISETT, Massachuetts (WBZ) — As lifelong fans of the Patriots and the Seahawks, a Mattapoisett couple may be picking sides this Super Bowl Sunday, but they’re celebrating both teams with a massive snow sculpture on their front lawn.

Mark Mooney and his wife, Judy, have been happily married for 38 years. But when it comes to football, they don’t always see eye to eye.

“In my house, we’re kind of like a house divided a little bit,” Mooney said.

Mark is a lifelong Patriots fan while his wife loves the Seattle Seahawks.

“Not speaking for my kids, but… go Patriots!” Mooney joked.

To honor both teams and their accomplishments heading into Super Bowl Sunday, Mooney built a large snow sculpture featuring each team’s logo.

“We’ve got the Super Bowl trophies, the six Patriots ones versus the Seahawks single one,” he explained.

Using snow from last week’s storm, the Mattapoisett man spent hours creating the sculpture.

“It takes about six hours total,” he said. “Piling up the snow is probably the biggest part and then carving it out.”

And when the game is over, he doesn’t destroy his hard work.

“Whatever team wins gets to keep the logo up,” Mooney said. “We’ll scrape the other logo off and put like ‘Super Bowl Champs’ up.”

Mooney says the tradition dates back to 2009. “When my kids were small, making piles,” he recalled.

Over the years, he’s built everything from football helmets to carved team logos out of snow mounds, using the displays to connect with his community.

“It’s just expressing my ‘Patriot-ism,’ right? And my love for the town, and being able to share my enthusiasm with them,” Mooney said.

The sculpture will remain on his lawn for as long as Mother Nature allows. As long as the cold sticks around, he says neighbors are welcome to stop by, show their own “Patriot-ism,” and snap a selfie.

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.

By WFTX Digital Team

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    NAPLES, Florida (WFTX) — New court documents are revealing disturbing information about the 13-year-old shot and killed, and deputies said his father pulled the trigger.

According to documents, Gergory Zecca is charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child. Deputies said Zecca, another man and the child were “playing with guns” at a Collier County apartment complex in July.

The shooting happened at the Crest Apartments on July 19, 2025, at 8:08 p.m.

According to court documents, the person who lives at the home called 911 after the shooting, telling dispatchers he believed there was a fatality from an “accidental firing.”

“I think we have a fatality,” the man said during the 911 call. He told dispatchers someone was shot but “didn’t shoot themselves,” documents said.

Deputies said they found two guns on the kitchen island. Jones was performing CPR on the child, who had been shot above the sternum, the report said.

The 13-year-old did not survive. The medical examiner determined the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the lower neck and ruled it a homicide. A doctor said Zecca was impaired by alcohol at the time he shot and killed the child, documents said.

The man who called 911 told investigators that Zecca inserted a magazine into a gun, pointed it at the teenager and the weapon discharged. The group had been drinking at a local bowling alley before returning to the house, where Zecca was practicing drawing the firearms in the kitchen, deputies said.

Deputies noted that Zecca smelled like alcohol. They also found marijuana at the scene.

After the shooting, the report said Zecca was emotionally distraught, expressing suicidal thoughts and asking deputies to shoot him. He was Baker Acted following the incident.

A witness told investigators that Zecca worked with his stepfather, who they identified as “Dog the Bounty Hunter.”

The group had been at the bowling alley celebrating the boy’s last day in Florida before returning to Colorado as part of a split custody arrangement, documents said. The child had been in Florida for 2.5 months.

Zecca is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday afternoon for a first appearance.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WFTX verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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.

By Maki Becker

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    BUFFALO, New York (WKBW) — A 7-year-old Buffalo boy is recovering in foster care after authorities say his mother and stepfather repeatedly tried to drown him in ice-cold water and starved him for over two months.

Jacklyn Balabis and Parris Woods were arrested on January 30 on charges related to the alleged abuse of the boy, which prosecutors say began in October. A third defendant, Cassandra Baughman, is accused of participating in the attempted drowning.

The case came to light on December 11 when emergency responders were called to an address on Parkdale Avenue on Buffalo’s West Side after the child was found unconscious in a bathtub.

“Seven year old male was not responding. He’s awake and breathing,” dispatch audio obtained through Broadcastify revealed.

Minutes later, dispatchers reported conflicting information about the boy’s condition as crews worked to revive him.

The child spent eight days in the hospital and made what Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane called “a remarkable recovery.”

“We expected this little boy to not survive for the first few days,” Keane said.

Three other younger children who lived in the home are now in foster care.

Ring camera footage from neighbors captured emergency vehicle lights as first responders worked at the scene. An additional video showed Buffalo police surrounding the building during the January 30 arrests.

Police records show multiple calls to the Parkdale address, including reports of screaming in November, along with domestic trouble, assault and ambulance calls.

One neighbor described hearing angry yelling from the residence.

“It was…somebody was angry,” the woman said. “Breaks my heart. It’s scary because I think of my son and I just, I don’t know. It’s a thought process that we can’t understand how somebody could do that to their own child.”

Roemello White from Child and Family Services joined Voices to discuss CFS’s role in helping the community, families, victims and survivors in the context of an abuse case.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WKBW verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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.

By Dominick Philippe-Auguste

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    BALTIMORE COUNTY, Maryland (WMAR) — A Baltimore County Fire paramedic is facing numerous charges following an investigation that began in November 2025.

Christopher M. Carroll, 36, is accused of tampering with and contaminating items that were later consumed by others.

The investigation began after a Baltimore County Fire Department supervisor called police on November 30, reporting potential criminal conduct involving a fire employee.

According to charging documents, the supervisor told police that he was made aware of an X account, formerly known as Twitter, belonging to Carroll with the username “TattedVersDaddy.”

The account was discovered by another supervisor, who saw videos depicting Carroll nude and engaged in multiple sexual activities.

Some of the videos, according to the charging documents, showed or alluded to sexual acts that would cause others to unknowingly come into contact with or ingest Carroll’s bodily fluids.

The videos appeared to have been filmed within Baltimore County Fire facilities and the Baltimore County Public Safety Building. Another video appeared to use Baltimore County Fire Department Station 2 in Pikesville as a backdrop.

Investigators reviewed Carroll’s X profile, which featured a “selfie style” image of Carroll that included his face and a large distinctive tattoo covering his chest.

A Linktree account was featured on the profile, which led to JustForFans and OnlyFans profiles.

Images and videos reviewed by investigators depicted Carroll engaged in sexual acts and posing nude.

Charging documents state that one video depicted a man, believed to be Carroll, showing himself from the waist down while wearing clothing consistent with a Baltimore County Fire employee uniform.

The video showed the man walking toward a large ice maker and then urinating into it.

Sixteen Baltimore County Fire employees who worked at Station 2 confirmed to detectives they had obtained ice from the ice maker after it was contaminated.

Carroll is also accused of ejaculating into a container of coffee creamer and onto a keyboard on another employee’s desk.

One supervisor confirmed to police that coffee creamer is regularly used by employees at the station.

Following reports of Carroll’s alleged actions, Baltimore County Fire conducted hazmat cleaning of all stations and offices.

Police executed a search warrant and conducted a traffic stop on Carroll, seizing his phone and collecting an oral swab.

His tablet, cellphone, and other electronic devices were also seized and forensically examined.

Carroll now faces 23 charges, including destruction of property and knowingly and willfully causing another to ingest bodily fluids.

He is currently being held without bond at the Baltimore County Detention Center.

WMAR-2 News reached out to Baltimore County Fire for comment and are waiting to hear back.

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.

By Vannia Joseph

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    PALM BEACH COUNTY, Florida (WPTV) — A Palm Beach County mother says she was left shocked, frustrated and ignored after learning a school bus driver who took her daughter off-route and stopped at his private residence was allowed to keep working after the incident was confirmed.

A four-second video taken from inside a school bus shows a man quickly running into a home while the bus remains idling outside. The video was recorded by the 15-year-old daughter of Rebecca Harley, who says the incident happened during afternoon drop-off on Nov. 5, 2025.

Harley says her daughter texted her that day: “My bus driver stopped off at his house lol.”

“At first it kind of looked like it may have been a joke,” Harley said.

But she now believes her daughter was quietly asking if this was normal.

“I feel like she was gauging me to say, ‘Is this okay? Like, am I safe? Is this normal?'”

Days later, Harley reported the incident to the school district’s transportation department. She says staff pulled bus surveillance video, confirmed her daughter was the only student on board when the driver made the stop, and told her the issue would be handled through proper channels.

“I do remember feeling validated when we finished that phone call,” Harley said.

But months later, Harley says she discovered nothing had changed during a conversation with her daughter.

“And I just make small talk saying, ‘How are things going with the new bus driver?’ And she says, ‘What new bus driver?'” Harley recalled.

Harley says her daughter continued riding with the same driver. She says she immediately began calling district staff again.

“Immediately, I got back on the phone with the same individual I spoke to,” she said. “I think I called every single day for like seven or eight days.”

She says she was eventually told the driver had been reassigned to a different route — not fired.

“I definitely feel like they dropped the ball,” Harley said.

She believes the incident should have resulted in termination.

“We’re trusting you with our kids. You have a responsibility to us to address that in the most aggressive manner possible, where there’s concrete evidence that they deviated from protocol. Anything could have happened to my child,” she said.

Harley says she is now speaking out because she wants accountability and transparency.

“I think other parents in Palm Beach County should know the lack of regard for procedure and protocol of the people that are transporting our kids,” said Harley. “It’s simple, follow the protocol, follow the route, do your personal errands on your own time, and without our children on your bus.”

WPTV has reached out to the School District of Palm Beach County to ask what policy applies when a driver deviates from an assigned route with a student still on board, and what safeguards are in place to ensure this does not happen again. We are still waiting for a response.

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.

By Colter Anstaett

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    HAMPTON, Virginia (WTKR) — As NASA makes final preparations for the launch of the Artemis II mission, some of your neighbors who work at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton are talking about their roles in the mission.

As of February 3, The Artemis II moon rocket remained on the launch pad after a hydrogen leak was discovered during a pre-launch test February 1-2.

“We learned a lesson again of how small hydrogen is,” said aerospace engineer Dave Piatak.

Piatak was involved in Monday’s test.

“I do transonic and supersonic, supersonic wind tunnel testing to understand the aerodynamic performance of the rocket,” Piatak explained.

“We have different assets that we’ll be videotaping and even live streaming,” aerospace engineer Shan Rufer said.

The video Rufer’s team gets helps them monitor what happens with the rocket during launch and re-entry. That includes how the engine’s exhaust affects the rocket.

“You want to understand how that interaction occurs so you can tell if, maybe, there’s going to be more heat in one area than another,” said Rufer.

Rufer and Piatak’s work won’t end when Artemis II’s mission is over. They’ll use what they learned to help with future missions, including the next Artemis III which, as of February 3, was scheduled to put astronauts on the moon for the first time in over 50 years.

“It’s an honor to be part of this generational moment,” said Piatak.

“It’s almost unbelievable, like you’re living in a dream,” Rufer said.

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.

By Kim Rafferty

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    NASHVILLE (WTVF) — A Nashville man with disabilities has been without power for 10 days, sleeping in his car to stay warm as temperatures dropped to 15 degrees.

Alfred Faler lives alone in a mobile home and relies on a medical bed and oxygen equipment that don’t work without electricity. He has been making calls to Nashville Electric Service multiple times daily, but says he’s getting little help from the automated system.

“I don’t ever get a text or nothing. Same thing that goes through every time. And I called down there during business hours customer service and finally talked to somebody one day and they just blew me off,” Faler said.

The automated outage reporting system only asks for his phone number, which Faler said isn’t reassuring given his vulnerable situation.

Faler said reporting outages online isn’t easy for him, and he’s exhausted. As one of the city’s most vulnerable residents, he has been forced to sleep in his car for warmth while waiting for power restoration.

According to his zip code, Faler’s address is scheduled for power restoration within two to four days. Nashville Electric Service said they are looking into his specific situation.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WTVF verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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.

By Shellye Leggett

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    LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — You may know the names of many African-American influential figures from Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks to Maya Angelou and Jackie Robinson. They’ve made an imprint on every aspect of American life.

But do you know Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, the first Black woman physician in the United States?

Or how about Mary Eliza Mahoney, the first Black licensed nurse in the United States?

It’s people like this that inspired Dr. Jade Norris, the founder and medical director of Nspire Primary Care in Las Vegas, to do what she does every day.

“At 4 years old, I started saying I wanted to be a doctor, and that dream just never changed,” Norris said.

Born and raised in the Las Vegas Valley, Dr. Jade Norris saw there was a need at a young age.

“Finding quality healthcare was really difficult. We just kind of grew up going to urgent care. I didn’t even know primary care was a specialty,” Norris said.

Norris says that perception of healthcare reaches deep in the African American community.

“Most Black people are struggling the most with chronic diseases, and almost every chronic disease we talk about is linked to obesity and lifestyle, and prevention could help,” Norris said.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for African Americans. They are more likely to have hypertension but less likely to have it controlled. African Americans have higher mortality rates for most cancers and are more than 50% more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than white counterparts.

Njeri Gitao with the African Diaspora of Las Vegas says part of the solution is knowing the history.

“We know that Black History Month isn’t just about the past. It’s also about protecting our future, and health disparities to a very large extent still impact the black community,” Gitao said.

She says it’s not only important to find the right medical professionals but also to take hold of the wellness aspect of your health.

“Fitness is a very important part of health and wellness because it supports more than just physical health. It helps reduce stress, improves mental well-being, and builds consistency and confidence,” Gitao said.

She and Norris say they want to encourage people to start now and make health a top priority, not just in February, but throughout the entire year.

“Most people don’t know that most chronic diseases are not only preventable, but also reversible,” Norris said.

“We all have a choice, right? And we can choose to value prevention, or we can choose to be reactive in our health,” Norris said.

Their goal is to help create longevity within the Black community.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KTNV verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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.