Month: March 2026

By Jiovanni Lieggi

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    CHEEKTOWAGA, New York (WKBW) — At the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, a simple haircut is becoming something more.

For more than a decade, Hamdi Ismail has been behind the chair. Now, he is offering free haircuts to TSA agents and military members, as some federal workers have gone weeks without pay during the ongoing partial government shutdown.

“It’s one team, it’s not anything else, it’s one team. We work together,” said Ismail.

The shutdown is at the center of a political standoff in Washington. A bipartisan deal to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security passed in the Senate, but was quickly rejected by House Republicans, who say it does not go far enough on immigration enforcement.

Lawmakers in the House are now working on a short-term funding plan instead.

New York Senator Chuck Schumer placed blame on Republicans for the delay.

“This could have been accomplished weeks ago if Republicans hadn’t stood in the way,” said Schumer.

Meanwhile, Western New York Congressman Nick Langworthy says his focus is on the workers impacted by the shutdown.

“I’m focused on getting the TSA agents paid,” said Langworthy. “I believe this is a national security gap, to have an agency with really low morale that hasn’t been paid in five to six weeks. They are our first line of defense.”

While negotiations continue in Washington, the impact in Buffalo looks different from that in some other parts of the country.

There have been no major delays reported at the airport, but for TSA workers still waiting on a paycheck, support is showing up in other ways.

“Buffalo is always together, no matter what we do, you always have somebody behind you to help you,” said Ismail. “That’s Buffalo.”

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 Pheben Kassahun

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    BUFFALO, New York (WKBW) — A social club in Western New York is gaining momentum after just one year, building a growing community of women through curated events designed to foster genuine connection.

The Buffalo Girls Club hosted a “Prosecco and Clay” event this weekend, giving attendees the chance to unwind and learn a new skill while also supporting a women-owned small business in Buffalo. About 12 women gathered for the experience by shaping their own clay pieces and connecting over conversation and a glass of prosecco.

Organizers said the event is just one example of how the club is redefining what social spaces for women can look like.

“I started the Buffalo Girls Club to create a third space for women outside of work, outside of school, outside of home to give them a space to connect, meet new women, because it is hard to build friendships when you’re older. So I wanted to create that opportunity,” founder Carisse Scott said.

The club was launched last summer by Scott, alongside Social Media Manager Amanda Cusack and Communications Director Kerri Perry. Together, the trio has focused on creating experiences that go beyond traditional networking, where women can build authentic relationships.

The Buffalo Girls Club is planning a larger event, featuring a gathering of nearly 150 women at Delaware Park, which will benefit local organizations, including Kaylee’s Kindness Foundation and Taylor’s Harvest. The team is currently seeking sponsors to support that initiative.

Upcoming events for April include:

Art of Femme Movement Heels Dance Class: April 11, 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at House of Hips, 1863 Clinton Street, Buffalo Barre, Boba, and Bouquet (in partnership with Barre3): April 19, Noon – 5:00 p.m. at 1665 Main Street, Buffalo (must register through Barre3 app) Prosecco and Clay (Sold Out): April 26, 1:30 p.m. in B2958 Delaware Avenue Wellness Crawl: Date TBD For more information on upcoming events, sponsorship opportunities, or membership, you can reach out via email at buflogirlsclub@gmail.com or visit their Instagram page at @buflogirlsclub, or Linktree.

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 Kamilah Williams

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    NORFOLK, Virginia (WTKR) — What began as a routine task of sorting through belongings turned into a powerful and emotional discovery for one Hampton Roads family.

Stacy Brown said she had no idea her mother, Elizabeth Christina Moore, also known as Elizabeth Barnes, served in the military until after her death in December 2025. The revelation came when Brown’s daughter found her grandmother’s discharge papers while cleaning out her apartment.

“Did you guys know grandma was in the military?” Brown recalled her daughter asking in a text message. “And I was like, no.”

That discovery connected Moore to the historic 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-Black, all-female unit deployed overseas during World War II. The battalion was responsible for clearing a massive backlog of mail to boost morale among U.S. troops.

Brown said she was aware of the unit after watching the 2024 Netflix film about the 6888th, but didn’t realize her mother was among the women honored.

“I rewatched the movie, and it hit completely differently,” Brown said. “Knowing that my mom was a part of it, I was honored. I was proud. I was emotional.”

She described the moment she saw her mother’s name listed among the women in the battalion as “surreal.”

“I just cried like a baby,” she said. “Like, ‘Mama, why did you never tell us?'”

Brown said her mother’s service helped explain aspects of her personality, including her deep appreciation for communication.

“If you got a card, there was always a letter included,” she said.

Moore went on to live a life of service beyond the military. After her time in the battalion, she attended Virginia State College, graduated in 1957, and became an elementary school teacher in Norfolk, where she worked for nearly four decades.

“She was super organized,” Brown said. “Now I understand where that came from.”

In addition to her professional career, Moore was deeply involved in her church, serving in multiple ministries and leadership roles for years.

Brown was recently honored during a church ceremony recognizing her mother’s military service, a moment she said meant everything to her family.

“They didn’t take it lightly,” she said. “They did the research. They honored her in a way that lets her legacy live on like she deserves.”

Still, Brown said she wishes she could hear her mother tell the story herself.

“She always had stories,” she said. “That was our holiday dinners. But that’s one story I never got.”

Now, Brown hopes to learn more about her mother’s experience by connecting with others who may have known her or served alongside her.

“I would love to talk to someone who could elaborate on that part of her life,” she said.

Despite the unanswered questions, Brown says her mother’s legacy is clear.

“She lived an amazing life,” she said. “Through the ups and downs, she did it, and she did it well.”

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Scripps editorial team 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 Nick Lentz

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    PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP, Michigan (WWJ) — A runner is in the hospital after he was attacked by three dogs in Plymouth Township, Michigan, on Saturday morning, police said, and at least one of the animals was shot by an officer.

Officers responded to the incident on the 12000 block of Canton Center Road around 6:35 a.m. Police said the dogs approached the first officer at the scene in an “aggressive manner” when they tried to approach the runner, identified by officials as a male.

The officer then shot their firearm, according to police. At least one of the dogs was hit by the bullet and all three ran from the scene.

The male, whose age has yet to be disclosed, was taken to the hospital where he was in stable condition on Saturday afternoon, officials said.

Police found one of the dogs suspected in the attack, a cane corso, running near an elementary school. Officials said it was taken to the Huron Valley Humane Society to be quarantined.

A dog that was injured in the shooting, also a cane corso, was found in the backyard of a home around five blocks from where the attack happened. According to officials, the animal was “dispatched” for “the safety of the officers and the public” after police tried to secure it with a catch pole.

Law enforcement is searching for the third dog, police said. The animal’s owner, who officials said also owns the other two dogs, describes it as a pit bull.

The dog police are searching for was last seen in the area of Ann Arbor Road and General Drive, according to officials. Anyone who sees it is asked to call the law enforcement at 734-354-3250.

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 Kamilah Williams

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    VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia (WTKR) — When Trevor Koch watched volunteers arrive at his home to build his daughter a playset, he said he was overwhelmed by something he hadn’t expected to feel: love from strangers.

“I’d never expected the love that you feel from a foundation like Roc Solid and Groundworks to come and do this just out of the grace of their hearts to make a child feel good,” Koch said. “To me, that means more than anything.”

His daughter, Wednesday Koch, is 3 years old. She was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of cancer, on Aug. 16, 2025. Since her diagnosis, her compromised immune system has kept her away from public playgrounds, school, and even many of the family members she was once surrounded by every day.

Roc Solid Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides hope for children and families fighting pediatric cancer, partnered with Groundworks to build Wednesday a safe place to play in her own backyard.

“The first thing taken away from a kiddo diagnosed with cancer is their ability to play,” said Hannah Plott, senior playset coordinator for Roc Solid Foundation. “A lot of times these kiddos are immunocompromised, so they can’t go to public playgrounds, they can’t go to school and play outside. So that’s where Rock Solid comes in.”

Roc Solid Foundation plans to build approximately 150 playsets for children across the country this year alone. The organization also provides what it calls a Ready Bag, a blue backpack given to families at the time of a child’s cancer diagnosis, stocked with essentials for an unexpected hospital stay.

Plott said the foundation cannot carry out its mission without the support of corporate partners like Groundworks.

“Every 80 seconds, a child is diagnosed with cancer, and Roc Solid can’t do it by themselves,” Plott said. “So we’re looking for organizations who believe in this mission as well to help us carry this.”

For Trevor Koch, the day was about more than a playset. It was a reminder that his daughter’s story is still being written.

“Her story is not over. It’s just beginning,” Koch said. “For anybody else who may be going through it or goes through it in the future, you just have to remember to stay positive, trust the process, listen to the doctors, and do everything you can to make sure that your child is safe.”

Wednesday is currently cancer-free. Her father said she has additional radiation and chemotherapy ahead and hopes she will be fully cleared by mid-2027.

According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, around 16,000 children in the United States are diagnosed with cancer each year.

Those interested in learning more about Roc Solid Foundation or getting involved can visit the organization’s website. On September 18, they will be packing 16,000 ready bags for families at the Scope Arena.

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 Charlie De Mar

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — A plane full of passengers finally made it to Chicago Sunday night, after their flight from New York was diverted to Detroit because of an unruly passenger.

American Airlines flight 2819 took off from John F. Kennedy International Airport just before 9 a.m. ET (8 a.m. CT) and landed at the Detroit Metro Airport in Romulus, Michigan, at 11:08 a.m. ET.

The FBI and the Wayne County, Michigan Airport Authority responded to the flight, according to an airport spokesperson. The carrier said passengers were taken off the plane while law enforcement searched and cleared the aircraft.

“There was a guy who came on the plane with machine gun, and we’re being told, ‘Put your head down and hands up,'” said passenger Esther Sutofsky.

Some travelers took video as FBI agents swarmed the plane.

“It was an awfully, awfully long day for all of us, and pretty spooky,” said passenger Sona Jones. “I think, like, the kids handled it well.”

In all, the flight between JFK and Chicago — not an especially long one under normal circumstances — took seven hours with all the disruptions.

Jones described what happened with the unruly passenger.

“Something to the effect of, ‘If you don’t land this plane, I’m going to, I’ll blow it the plane,’ or, ‘If you don’t land this plane, I’m going to do something to it, and you will see,'” she said.

“And about an hour out of Chicago, we hear this person in the back screaming, yelling, and: ‘No! No! No!’ And he’s not going to — ‘I can’t get off the plane!'” said passenger Gerry Sutofsky. “According to the people who came on the plane, he was threatening — he said there was a bomb.”

Once on the ground in Detroit, first responders boarded the flight and removed the disruptive passenger. Jones provided and circled a picture that showed the man’s luggage on the tarmac after it was pulled from the plane.

Jones described what happened with the unruly passenger.

“Something to the effect of, ‘If you don’t land this plane, I’m going to, I’ll blow it the plane,’ or, ‘If you don’t land this plane, I’m going to do something to it, and you will see,'” she said.

“And about an hour out of Chicago, we hear this person in the back screaming, yelling, and: ‘No! No! No!’ And he’s not going to — ‘I can’t get off the plane!'” said passenger Gerry Sutofsky. “According to the people who came on the plane, he was threatening — he said there was a bomb.”

Once on the ground in Detroit, first responders boarded the flight and removed the disruptive passenger. Jones provided and circled a picture that showed the man’s luggage on the tarmac after it was pulled from the plane.

“I’m exhausted, and I’m upset,” said Esther Sutofsky. “We were just sitting there not knowing anything, hour after hour.”

While the flight was an eventful one, the passengers who spoke with CBS News Chicago said at no point during the flight did they feel unsafe or threatened. They described the whole ordeal as more of a nuisance.

Nick Lentz contributed to this report.

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 A.J. Bayatpour

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    WEST ALLIS, Wisconsin (WDJT) — For more than two weeks, Nelson Rivera only knew her as “the blue-eyed lady.” That was all Rivera said he remembered after a driver struck him earlier this month as he walked home from the grocery store.

On Friday, March 27, Rivera met the woman who stopped and stayed by his side until paramedics got to the scene. Turns out, she doesn’t have blue eyes.

Following the March 11 crash, both Rivera and Sarah Foley contacted CBS 58.

Rivera wanted to tell his story of being struck as a pedestrian at a busy West Allis intersection. Foley asked if we knew anything about the victim who she’d comforted that night.

On Friday, the two met outside Rivera’s home. Rivera realized it was Foley’s distinctive light blue glasses frames he remembered from the night of the crash.

Rivera, 61, was walking west on W. National Ave. after 8:30 p.m. on March 11. West Allis police said as Rivera tried to cross S. 70th St., a driver turning to north on 70th St. hit him.

The collision left Rivera with stitches across his left knee. He’s now using a manual wheelchair to get around.

Police said the driver, a 22-year-old West Allis man, stayed at the scene. Police added he showed no signs of being impaired and was ticketed for failing to yield to a pedestrian.

“As I was going to place my right foot onto the sidewalk,” Rivera said Friday. “Something came and took me from there.”

After that, Rivera said his next memory was a woman comforting him.

“Her blue eyes,” he said before laughing. “They’re not blue anymore.”

Foley said she noticed Rivera’s groceries were scattered over the street after the crash. So, she raised money over the last two weeks.

When she met Rivera on Friday, she handed him a $300 Pick ‘n Save gift cart. She also vowed to get Rivera a new wagon to replace the one he’d been using to haul groceries down National Ave. to his home on S. 84th St.

Rivera became emotional when considering what Foley’s compassion meant to him. He said he had been homeless as recently as last fall.

“I remember that somebody was there for me,” he said before getting choked up. “I just remember that I felt safe.”

Foley said there’s no way she would have left Rivera’s side. When she pulled up to ask if he was OK, he asked for her to help.

“Nelson reached up and grabbed a hold of my hand and said, ‘Don’t leave me, don’t leave me,'” Foley said. “And I said, ‘OK.'”

Rivera said he was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Milwaukee as a child in 1974. He said he doesn’t have much of a support system, relying on a personal care worker.

Rivera explained that was why he was overcome by emotion when seeing Foley again.

“That meant the world to me. I don’t have people like that in my life,” he said. “My mom passed away about 10 years ago, and other than my mom being there- you know how mothers are; they never leave you. That’s what she reminded me of.”

Foley also became emotional during the interview, sharing she’s often referred to as the mom-type figure in her friend group.

She said she grew up in the Northwoods community of Ladysmith before moving to Milwaukee as a young adult.

Now, two people born more than 2,000 miles apart are forever connected by a West Allis intersection.

Before leaving, Foley got Rivera’s phone number. She said she’d follow up to deliver his new wagon.

“People come together in such weird ways. That’s the best way I can describe it,” Foley said. “Just reach out to your community and be part of your community.”

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.