Month: March 2026

By Emily Pofahl

Click here for updates on this story

    GERMANTOWN, Wis. (WISN) — Voters in Germantown received flyers in the mail last week encouraging them to vote for Eric Brown, promoting him as a “conservative” candidate for the Germantown school board.

“Get out and vote or the liberal activists will,” the flyer reads in all capital letters.

The catch is, though, Brown isn’t running for the position.

Brown, the current board vice president, said he was surprised by the mailers and, in a statement to WISN 12 News, said he filed his non-candidacy paperwork in December.

“Every decision has been guided by the same goal: doing what is best for our students, our staff, and our community,” Brown said. “I hope the individual who fills seat number No. 5 for the Germantown School Board will find this role as rewarding as I have.”

The flyers were distributed by the Virginia-based The 1776 Project political action committee. The 1776 Project PAC is the fourth-largest campaign spender in Wisconsin in 2026, according to state ethics commission data, spending more than $240,000. On its website, the PAC said it is “dedicated to electing conservative school board members.”

Two candidates, Molly Bussie and Richard Yu, are running to replace Brown. Bussie said she received one of the flyers at her home last week. Yu described the situation as a misinformation campaign.

Despite the PAC’s political stance, the school board member position is nonpartisan on the ballot.

“I want to keep politics out of it. Because at the end of the day, it’s about the kids,” Yu said.

“I don’t think it should be political, no matter what your personal political beliefs are,” Bussie said.

Neither candidate was comfortable with large PACs from out-of-state playing a role in local school board races.

“Do your research. Find out what’s going to be on your ballot. Research the candidates,” Bussie said.

“We aren’t going to let any outside organization pit us against each other and divide us with misinformation. We are much stronger and smarter than that,” Yu said.

Attempts to reach the PAC for comment were unsuccessful, and Brown remains listed on their website as an endorsed candidate.

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 Brett Rains

Click here for updates on this story

    POTEAU, Okla. (KHBS/KHOG) — The man accused of killing his twin sister and her baby daughter in LeFlore County waived extradition after being captured in Georgia.

Grant Wilson was arrested in Atlanta after being tracked by LeFlore County sheriff’s deputies for allegedly shooting his sister, Gabrielle Wilson, and her 17-month-old daughter in Poteau, Oklahoma.

Deputies with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia told 40/29 News that Wilson waived extradition back to Oklahoma. He’s expected to be returned to LeFlore County, where he will face murder charges.

“This is an extremely sad case,” said Hunter McKee, public information manager with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. “This was a senseless crime, and it’s been a heartbreaking story so far.”

On Saturday afternoon, emergency responders and LeFlore County deputies found 31-year-old Gabrielle Wilson and her daughter dead inside their home on Old Tarby Road, just outside Poteau city limits. Investigators say both had been shot.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, nearby surveillance footage identified a car at the house for only four minutes before it left. Investigators said the car belongs to Gabrielle’s twin brother, Grant Wilson. By early Sunday morning, Wilson was found in Atlanta, Georgia. After leading Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies on a brief pursuit, Wilson was arrested.

According to the incident report, deputies recovered numerous firearms, including two handguns that Oklahoma state investigators believe were used in the deadly shootings.

As for a motive, McKee said, “We don’t have the answers to that yet. I know that this is an extremely, it’s just something that is hard to fathom when you’re talking about a brother to our victim and to know that she had such a young child.”

According to court records, family members told investigators that the twin brother and sister had a history of violent arguments and physical altercations. Wilson is now facing two felony first-degree murder charges in Oklahoma.

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 Sera Congi, Ted Wayman, Phil Tenser

Click here for updates on this story

    LAWRENCE, Massachusetts (WCVB) — Testimony will resume Tuesday morning in the bench trial of Kelsey Fitzsimmons, the North Andover, Massachusetts, police officer who was shot by a colleague while they served her a restraining order last summer.

Officer Patrick Noonan was on the stand Monday afternoon when the court adjourned for the day and is expected to resume his testimony on Tuesday. Under direct examination by the prosecution, he had described Fitzsimmons lunging behind the door of a bedroom and emerging with a gun. He said she pulled the trigger twice, but it did not fire.

Noonan said he shouted at Fitzsimmons while she worked the weapon and that he fired at her when she successfully got a round in the chamber.

Fitzsimmons, 28, who was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, is facing a bench trial in Lawrence District Court. She waived her right to a jury trial, opting for the judge to decide the outcome of the case.

She pleaded not guilty after being shot in a June 2025 confrontation with North Andover officers who were attempting to serve her with a restraining order filed by her fiancé. He had alleged that Fitzsimmons threatened him and their newborn child.

In the prosecution’s opening statements, ADA James Gubitose said Fitzsimmons had a full magazine in her handgun and that she pulled the trigger while pointing it at one of the officers. The only reasons the officer is alive today, Gubitose said, are that there was no bullet in the chamber and because of Officer Patrick Noonan’s training.

Defense attorney Tim Bradl argued that Fitzsimmons felt her life falling apart, estranged from her colleagues and betrayed by her fiancé. In the defense’s version of events, Fitzsimmons had made the decision to end her life using her firearm. Bradl denied that Fitzsimmons pointed the gun at Noonan and said she actually pointed it at her own temple.

Testimony on the first day of the trial included Fitzsimmons’ ex-fiancé, Justin Aylaian, and his sister. Aylaian described making his decision to seek a restraining order against Fitzsimmons and a custody order for their child from a judge. After it was issued, he said police went to serve the order before calling him to the home to retrieve the infant.

Lt. Sean Daley and Noonan were among the officers who served that restraining order. Daley said in his testimony that he heard Noonan calling out, “Kelsey, don’t do it,” before hearing two gunshots. Afterward, he said that Fitzsimmons kept saying, “I’m sorry, I want to die.”

Dramatic video shown during Daley’s testimony came from surveillance cameras at Fitzsimmons’ home. Clips showed her mother and the fiancé arriving, and the frantic response after the shooting. The footage is important because there was no body-worn camera footage from the police.

The footage showed Aylaian running out of the house through the garage. He testified that he was “screaming for my sister to run” from the home with the baby.

Prior to this trial, Fitzsimmons had been ordered by the court not to drink any alcohol or possess any weapons. More recently, Fitzsimmons was given permission to move out of her mother’s home to prepare for what she hopes will be reunification with her child.

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 Darla Miles

Click here for updates on this story

    ROSELLE PARK, New Jersey (WABC) — A family is desperately searching to find a missing dog belonging to their loved one who died while on vacation.

The 2-year-old dog, “Major,” is being cared for by a pet sitter, but the family doesn’t know who.

“That’s her dog. You know, he got her that dog. And, while she’s asking for her father, she’s also asking for Major,” said David, the best friend of the dog owner, Javon.

The cockapoo was a birthday gift from Javon to his 9-year-old daughter.

“He was supposed to be picked up on Friday, March 20. Now, that was the time Javon was scheduled to return back, from his time abroad,” David said.

But Javon never made it home. The 40-year-old died suddenly while on vacation abroad.

Major’s whereabouts are unknown. The family posted on social media, desperately trying to locate the dog sitter.

“We were hoping that an emergency contact was provided, and it seems that would be protocol for someone that is a professional sitter,” David said. “So, we are wondering if she may have left Major with someone that’s, you know, fresh and new.”

Javon’s 9-year-old daughter has already lost her father. The family doesn’t want her to lose the dog that he gave her.

“I think that’s going to really help, you know, with the closure of her loss,” David said. “I really hope we can find him as soon a possible so we can provide that to her.”

The family believes Major is being boarded in or near Roselle Park where he lived. The family is asking anyone who knows where he is to contact Roselle Park or Linden Police.

“We were dealing with the loss of a brother, a father, and a friend,” David said. “So, I think dealing with that and then also the loss of potentially our dog Major, I think that’s just really going to, you know, put us in a different space. But if we are able to find out more, just make things just a little, a little better than it is right now.”

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 DeJuan Hoggard

Click here for updates on this story

    RALEIGH, North Carolina (WTVD) — A Raleigh father is grieving the loss of his only child after his 15-year-old son was shot and killed Friday inside their home, allegedly by a teen who pretended to be his friend.

CJ Alston told ABC11 that the shooting stemmed from a dispute involving a pair of jeans.

Alston said his son, Cayden, was trying to sell the jeans when two boys came to the house in the 1400 block of Springshire Court near Sunnybrook Road. He said he had told Cayden the night before not to have anyone over, as he was on punishment.

“I literally told Cayden that night before,” said Alston. “I’m like, they can’t come back over here. You can’t have no company.”

According to Alston, when the boys refused to pay for the jeans, and Cayden refused to hand them over without payment, one of the boys shot him.

Alston said he reviewed footage from the family’s Ring doorbell camera and noticed the boys acting suspiciously outside the home before the shooting.

“I could tell by the way they were acting, they were a little bit kind of adamant about getting in (the house). “They was going around to the back of the house … asking which one was his window,” Alston said.

He said the Ring timestamps portrayed the entire incident to have all unfolded in roughly 15 minutes. According to the Ring camera footage, the boys arrived at 11:36 a.m., and police were on scene by 11:51 a.m.

“Cayden was in here running around … trying to clean up his own blood. From the bathroom, the closet door, the kitchen. Everywhere,” Alston said.

Alston has been left with photographs and memories of his son.

“Everything,” said Alston of what he will miss about his son. “I miss most is his face. Talking to him. Cayden was my only kid.”

Alston had a message for young people caught up in gun violence: “I just want to let the youth know, leave the guns alone.”

A juvenile petition has been filed against the teen accused of shooting Cayden. Because of the suspect’s age, police have not released his identity.

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 Melissa Hipolit

Click here for updates on this story

    CAROLINE COUNTY, Virginia (WTVR) — Danielle Brown went to the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office on March 9 to get an accident report after hitting a deer. Instead, she ended up in jail for three days for a crime she did not commit.

“It’s crazy, something I feel like you see in the movies, but you don’t think actually happens,” Brown said.

Brown said a sheriff’s deputy ran her Social Security number and date of birth, and her name came back as an alias for Julia Bickford, a woman wanted on an arrest warrant out of Chesterfield County.

“He takes my ID and he runs my name,” Brown said. “He comes back to tell me that he has a warrant for my arrest, which was jaw dropping to say the least, because, to my knowledge, there was nothing that I could have a warrant for.”

“He said that Julia Bickford was an alias of mine, and that, because it was my alias, he had to take me in,” she continued. “I told him I’d never even heard the name before.”

CBS 6 investigative reporter Melissa Hipolit asked Brown what the deputy said when she pushed back.

“He just kept telling me that, that he had to take me in, that it was that. It was me, basically,” Brown said.

Hipolit asked if the deputy put handcuffs on her.

“Oh, yeah, he put handcuffs on me. As soon as he told me that he had a warrant for my arrest,” Brown said.

Despite her pushback, the deputy consulted with a magistrate, and they decided to hold her at Pamunkey Regional Jail.

“The magistrate, even he was confused and said that he didn’t think that it was me, but that I had to go in front of a judge, so they were going to keep me for the night until I could see the judge the next day, next day came and never saw the judge,” Brown said.

Brown sat in jail under the name Julia Bickford on Monday and Tuesday night.

On Wednesday afternoon, Chesterfield authorities arrived and moved her to the Chesterfield jail.

“It wasn’t until Pamunkey went to give Chesterfield my all my rings, my property, they said they couldn’t take them, so I had to sign a property release for somebody to come pick up my property. It was then that I looked at her and said, ‘Do you want me to sign it as my name or her name?’ That’s when Chesterfield started asking questions, because they were like, ‘What do you mean her name?’ And I was like, ‘Well, I’m not Julia Bickford,'” Brown said.

The Chesterfield Sheriff’s Office told CBS 6 they identified her as Danielle Brown and not Julia Bickford based on her Real ID, DMV photographs, fingerprinting and FBI identifiers.

She was in their facility for less than an hour before they obtained a court order to release her immediately.

According to the court order, records in Albemarle County, Virginia, state the defendant, Julia Bickford, has used the alias name of Danielle Brown in the past.

Brown believes Bickford stole her identity in the past, although the Chesterfield Sheriff’s Office told CBS 6 one cannot automatically infer her identity was stolen.

Brown wonders how Chesterfield was able to find out so quickly that she was Danielle Brown and release her, while Caroline County and Pamunkey held her in jail from Monday to Wednesday.

Hipolit asked Brown what it was like to be in jail for something she did not do.

“It was horrible. It was jaw dropping. Again, like I was worried about my job. I was scared that I [would] lose my job, mainly,” Brown said.

We asked Pamunkey Regional Jail why they decided to hold Brown and received the following statement:

“As you may be aware, Ms. Bickford [sic] was only arrested on Chesterfield County charges and PRJ does not have the authority to modify paperwork or charges for another jurisdiction. Although we were made aware of this potential discrepancy, we are obligated to rely on the judicial paperwork presented to us by the Magistrate. As the charging jurisdiction, we are pleased that Chesterfield County took swift action to correct the situation.”

Caroline County Sheriff Scott Moser said his office is conducting an internal investigation. He called the episode unfortunate and said he is really sorry this happened.

But for Brown, sorry is not enough. Hipolit asked if she thinks somebody should be held accountable.

“Yes, ma’am, the person that locked me up,” Brown said. “I don’t think he deserves his job. He’s definitely not doing a good job at it. I’d like to see his badge taken from him.”

We also asked about Pamunkey Regional Jail’s responsibility, as well as the magistrate.

“They need to step up altogether… I think all of them need to be held accountable in some way,” Brown said.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WTVR 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 Tracy Sears

Click here for updates on this story

    PRINCE GEORGE, Virginia (WTVR) — A 2-year-old boy is recovering after he was accidentally run over by a riding lawnmower in Prince George County on Friday.

Cohen Johnson was med-flighted to the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU following the accident in his father’s yard. Over the weekend, he underwent two surgeries, including the amputation of his right foot just above the ankle.

Brittney Walls, Cohen’s mother, said her husband, Kenny Johnson, was mowing the lawn while their four children played nearby. Cohen suddenly ran up behind the mower while it was in reverse.

“I was here and my husband called me or texted me, ‘911 — stop what you’re doing and answer your phone,’ and I answered, and you could tell he was hysterical and he said, ‘I’ve run over Cohen,’ and I’m like, ‘What? What do you mean?'” Walls said.

Their daughter, 9-year-old Lakin Walls, witnessed the accident.

“Of everything she had seen, I think she’s the one who screamed, ‘Daddy his leg, his leg,'” Walls said.

Lakin said, “I remember hearing, ‘Oh Cohen, oh Cohen, it’s OK,’ and my dad just screamed.”

Johnson, a law enforcement officer, immediately jumped into action by applying a tourniquet and starting first aid.

“He’s been a law enforcement officer for a long time, so he has experience. He saved his life,” Walls said.

Walls, a former emergency room nurse, said she did not leave her son’s side at the hospital.

“There was probably 45 people in the hospital room, and they let me stay there the whole time, and I told them I want to be right there,” Walls said. “I was rubbing his head and kissing him telling him I loved him, mommy and daddy are there.”

By Monday, Cohen was sitting up and playing with his siblings.

“I was kind of excited, but also worried about him,” Lakin said.

“Our 3-year-old said that he could make his brother a new foot with Play-Doh, which was really sweet,” Walls said.

Cohen faces a long road to recovery, including future surgeries and physical therapy, but his parents know he is a fighter.

“He is our trooper. A year ago, he knocked his front tooth out, and he’s just a resilient kid and there’s nothing that will hold him back. I know he’ll recover from this, and I think he’ll do anything that a child without a missing limb could do,” Walls said. “Again, I’m a blessed mom, and he’s alive, so everything else — I’ll be there every step of the way.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family: gofundme.com/f/help-2yearold-cohen-heal-after-devastating-accident

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 Forrest Sanders

Click here for updates on this story

    SCOTTSVILLE, Kentucky (WTVF) — For one mother and daughter, a destination has meant so much more than just a few days out of the house. It’s brought about a deeper understanding that has been truly life changing.

“Keep goin’! We gotta fill it all the way up!” said mom Denise Parker, sitting with daughter Amaya.

The two poured a mix of chocolate pretzels, chocolate chips, cereal, graham crackers, and marshmallows into a bag. Denise and Amaya were among the crews making a mix.

“You know what? I think you can probably put all of it in there!” Denise smiled, the two pouring in more ingredients.

Truth is, you don’t know you have a good mix until you try it.

“Crunchy!” Denise said. “What do you think?”

“What is it?” Amaya asked.

“You don’t know! Try one.”

This was a cooking class at camp; the Center for Courageous Kids in Scottsville, Kentucky. It’s a not-for-profit medical camp about an hour north of Nashville.

“One of our goals at camp is to make sure kids are able to connect with other kids that know what they’re going through, who understand their day-to-day struggles, things they find challenging,” said camp director Brittany Ransom-Doss. “Coming to camp may be the only time each year they get to interact with kids who know what they’re going through.”

What that means is the camp hosts family weekend retreats throughout the year and summer independent camps. Each event is tailored to a certain diagnosis like autism or epilepsy. The visit with Denise and Amaya was during the family retreat for children with down syndrome. It’s no cost to families due to donors.

“I’m a speech therapist, that’s my day job,” said Denise. “Amaya is what we call a gestalt thinker. The things she says are repeating something she’s heard before, typically from a song or movie. Having a back and forth conversation, we’ve never been able to do. Limited verbal autism and down syndrome together can be a very isolating combination.”

The Center for Courageous Kids offers something unique for Denise and Amaya. The variety of things to do helps Denise discover Amaya’s interests. Here, she found out Amaya loves theater and fishing and something else unexpected.

“I discovered Amaya loves to ride horses!” Denise smiled. “She did that for the first time here. I opened my eyes to who she is and what she likes. I had no way, really, of knowing.”

Denise and Amaya are making those discoveries in a gentle environment full of friends.

“Look at you!” Denise shouted to Amaya as she rode a horse back to a stable. “Queen on the throne!”

“When Amaya is in an activity of something she really likes, and what I’d call her element, you’ll hear her talk, talk, talk, talking!” Denise continued.

“I love you, mommy,” Amaya said, walking over to Denise.

“I love you the most. You did amazing. You did awesome.”

For Denise and Amaya, it’s just about finding that good mix.

By the way, The Center for Courageous Kids is hosting a Be Courageous Nashville event at the Adventure Science Center. The event is for families of children with medical conditions and special needs.

It will be held on Sunday, May 17 from 1-4 p.m. at Adventure Science Center. The first 300 registered families will get free admission.

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.