Month: March 2026

By WTKR Web Staff

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    NORFOLK, Virginia (WTKR) — Old Dominion University students returned to campus from spring break on Monday, attending classes for the first time since the deadly shooting unfolded on campus.

On March 12, 36-year-old Mohamed Bailor Jalloh opened fire on an ROTC classroom in Constant Hall. Lt. Col. Brandon Shah was killed and two others were injured as a result. The students in the classroom then subdued and killed Jalloh.

ODU students were let out for spring break from March 16 to 20.

On Monday, students were greeted by university-staffed tents scattered around campus and several therapy dog teams.

“It’s honestly good to see so many people and see all these tents here supporting students,” said Ben Collins, a freshman who stopped to pet a golden retriever named Otis.

People also gathered around Constant Hall, where the memorial for Shah continues to grow. Students and staff that would normally have class in the now-closed building could scan a QR code to find the new location where they’ll be for the rest of the semester.

Faculty who organized the return told News 3 they wanted to make sure both students and staff had an easy transition back.

“I don’t think we’re any different, as employees. We want to welcome each other back. We want our students to feel like they belong,” said Bridget Weikel, ODU’s Associated Vice President for Wellbeing and Belonging.

In a statement sent to the campus community, Old Dominion University President Dr. Brian Hemphill highlighted resources offered by the university to assist those impacted by this tragic incident:

“As we re-engage with campus life, I ask that we move with a heightened sense of empathy and a gentle heart toward one another. Healing is not a linear process; it is a personal and often difficult journey that requires time, space, and the unwavering presence of a supportive community. Please look out for your peers, your colleagues, and yourselves with renewed kindness. If you find yourself struggling, please reach out. There is no shame in seeking a helping hand, and there is great strength in allowing others to help carry the weight with you,” Hemphill’s statement reads, in part.

The community came together on Sunday at Chartway Arena to celebrate the life of Shah. Those closest to him shared memories of the man they called a hero.

“There’s Superman, Black Panther, Captain America, but above all we have a real hero Lt. Col. Brandon Shah. Your cape is the real deal now, soar brother and fly high,” Shah’s sister said.

His wife, Katherine Shah, also spoke at the service.

“Brandon believed something simple. Don’t just talk about change, do. Execute. And that’s exactly what we’re going to do for Brandon every single day. We love you babe and you take your rest, knowing we got this,” Katherine Shah said.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the terrorism-related investigation into Jalloh’s shooting and what may have prompted him to target this group on this campus on this day.

ODU is offering a range of support resources in the aftermath of the shooting.

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 Scott Sutton, Joel Lopez

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    BOYNTON BEACH, Florida (WPTV) — Fatalities were reported after a small helicopter crashed into the roof of a vacant warehouse in Boynton Beach on Monday, according to local authorities.

According to a post on the Boynton Beach Police Department’s Facebook page, the crash occurred near the 3800 block of South Congress Avenue near the Monterey Bay community just before 12:30 p.m.

During a news conference held just after 2 p.m., Boynton Beach Battalion Chief Matt Oxendine said everyone on the helicopter died.

“There were no survivors,” Oxendine said.

According to a statement from the FAA, two people were on board the aircraft, a Robinson R44, when it went down.

“I don’t know if they were trying to land or not. That’s just where they ended up, on the roof, and went through. It’s a lightweight truss roof, so it actually crashed through it,” Oxendine said.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate what caused the helicopter to crash.

The NTSB will lead the investigation and will provide further updates.

Oxendine said they were first alerted to the crash by area residents who called 911.

“(There was) no fire, no smoke. Usually, you would see it from far away. We actually got dispatched to the next neighborhood over … We had to come back and search to find it,” Oxendine said.

WPTV reporter Joel Lopez spoke to Michel Elet, who was working nearby at the time of the crash.

“Did you hear a crash or anything or an explosion?” asked Lopez.

“I heard the noise but didn’t know what happened,” Elet said. “I was in my car. I heard that happened in the building, but I didn’t know exactly what happened. When the police came in, they asked us to get out. That’s when I knew the helicopter crashed into the building. That’s very crazy.”

The identities of the victims have not been released.

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 Taylor Epps

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    ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Maryland (WMAR) — As TSA agents continue to work without pay during the partial government shutdown, members of the community are stepping up to help them keep food on the table.

Volunteers at the Anne Arundel County Food Bank have been filling 600 boxes each week with grocery staples.

“We want to be able to help. People need food,” volunteer Mary Brigid Frye said. “I picked up a couple of additional shifts this week just to help them move it because there’s certainly a need for it. Usually, we don’t have this many people all in one day.”

The initiative started with a call for help from someone at BWI.

“Whenever we can, we want to respond as quickly as possible. In this instance, thanks to the generosity of our county, which had made some resources available during the last shutdown, some of the remaining resources were able to be redirected here,” Anne Arundel County Food Bank CEO Leah Paley said.

The Anne Arundel County Office of Emergency Management provided the funding to make the donations happen.

“In addition to shelf-stable items, we’ll also be providing some produce, onions, potatoes, apples. We want to provide a full meal,” Paley said.

Neighbors have also helped out by dropping off donations. World Central Kitchen is also delivering meals from local restaurants like Miss Shirley’s Cafe. All of these efforts are making an impact.

“I received a call from one of the TSA workers at the airport, and she reached out and spoke with our receptionist and said just how grateful she was to receive the box and just felt that it really did make a difference,” Paley said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WMAR 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 Ryan Lovell

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    TUSCALOOSA, Alabama (WVTM) — Students of two suspended University of Alabama magazines are suing the trustees of the University of Alabama System, including Gov. Kay Ivey, alleging the suspension of their publications violated their First Amendment rights.

Alice and Nineteen Fifty-Six were university-affiliated magazines before they were shut down indefinitely by administrators on Dec. 1, 2025. The university cited a July 2025 memo from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding federal funding and unlawful discrimination, claiming the magazines served as “unlawful proxies” because their content targeted specific audiences.

The suspended magazines later returned, but they are now independently published under new names and are no longer affiliated with the university.

Filed on behalf of the students by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the ACLU of Alabama and the law firm Arnold & Porter, the federal lawsuit says the decision to suspend the magazines constitutes viewpoint discrimination. It argues the suspension of both publications does not align with the university’s treatment of other student media enterprises that do not share specific perspectives on race and gender, using The Crimson White as an example.

It also argues that the university suspended the magazines because the viewpoints of Alice and Nineteen Fifty-Six are of interest to women and Black students, respectively.

The lawsuit alleges the suspensions caused irreparable harm to the affected students.

It asks for a declaration that the suspensions and termination of funding violate the First Amendment, preliminary and permanent injunctive relief, and associated court and attorney’s fees.

The University of Alabama System did not immediately respond to a request for comment from WVTM 13.

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 Ayron Lewallen

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    TUSCALOOSA, Alabama (WVTM) — Friends and fraternity brothers of Jimmy Gracey gathered in Tuscaloosa on Monday for a memorial Mass to honor and pray for the University of Alabama student whose body was found at sea near Barcelona last week.

Gracey’s Theta Chi fraternity brothers and Bama Catholic organized the service at St. Francis of Assisi University Parish on Alabama’s campus. Organizers said they ran out of printed programs to hand out and had to create a virtual version on the spot. Some feel that goes to show how much Gracey meant to this community.

“This tragic tragedy is really terrible for our entire school,” Kiersten Martin, a University of Alabama student, said. “As you can see, all the people behind me have also come here to celebrate Jimmy and the impact that he has made on their lives as well. I think we’re all growing together because of this, but overall, it’s awful, and we’re here to support each other in any way we can.”

As the campus continues to mourn, many say they’re holding tight to faith, to each other and to the memory of a young man who clearly left a mark.

“We didn’t know him personally, but we have close friends that did know of him, and it just breaks our heart,” Meagan Carney, an Alabama student, said. “Anything we can do to come here and support him and his family and be in the presence of the Lord.”

Members of the Theta Chi fraternity’s Alpha Phi chapter will also come together Tuesday for a private memorial vigil for Gracey, joined by selected speakers who will share memories of Gracey’s faith, life and legacy.

Many of Gracey’s fraternity brothers aided in search efforts until his body was found Thursday, the organization said.

An initial examination of the body indicates Gracey drowned, according to Spanish newspaper El Periodico.

It was done at the Institute of Legal Medicine of Catalonia. The examination revealed that the student had bruises from repeatedly hitting the rocks during the days between his disappearance and the discovery of his body.

Police believe that foul play has been ruled out and support the conclusion of a tragic accident.

The official autopsy results will determine whether he consumed alcohol or any other substances before falling into the water.

El Periodico states Gracey’s family is in Barcelona waiting for judicial authorization to take their son’s body home for burial in his hometown of Elmhurst, Illinois.

Security camera footage from Port Olímpic and witness accounts indicated he headed toward the water alone. Officers reviewed security camera footage, which captured the moment he fell into the sea, according to El Periodico.

Gracey’s death is still being investigated.

Police believe Jimmy left the nightclub with someone and are trying to figure out what prompted him to head toward Somorrostro Beach. Security camera footage shows him initially speaking with someone at the venue’s entrance before walking alone toward the coast.

Police also haven’t proven Jimmy’s phone was stolen, according to El Periodico. A patrol from the Municipal Guard found it in the possession of a habitual offender from Barcelona during a search early Tuesday morning. The man claimed he found it on the beach, and officers took it, although they have not linked him to the theft. The police managed to unlock the phone and that’s how they contacted Jimmy’s family.

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 Megan Matthews

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    LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WLKY) — For Glenn Fisher, serving in the Army was never a question.

“It was something that I just laid down my life for, and it’s something that I earned. It’s something that should be presented [to me],” Fisher said.

Now, after decades of trying, the World War II veteran is making one final attempt to receive the Purple Heart he believes he earned during combat in 1945.

Monday marks 83 years since Fisher enlisted to serve in World War II. According to his friend, Jeff Thoke, Fisher was so determined to join that he altered his birth year so he could get in early.

“He changed the date because you could only be 17 or older to go in with your parent’s permission. He changed the 6 to a 7, and he went in as a 16-year-old,” Thoke said.

Fisher was deployed to England in September 1944 and later moved through Utah Beach, France, and the Netherlands before taking part in the Rhine River crossing in March 1945. It was there, he said, that he was wounded by German fire.

“They shot so many rounds that it was an airburst, and the shell went over about 20 feet off the ground and slings hundred and some pieces of shrapnel, well, one hit me,” Fisher said.

He said two men in his unit were killed and 14 others were injured, including himself. But Fisher says the date of his injury was recorded incorrectly, creating a major obstacle in proving his case.

“They put it in June. Something that I wasn’t there for. How’s that going to be possible?” Fisher said.

Three years ago, during an unrelated surgery, doctors discovered a piece of shrapnel still inside Fisher’s body, something they believed may have been there for more than 80 years.

“It was hard to tell what happened to it, but that was really fascinating that I carried that,” Fisher said.

That piece of shrapnel has since been lost, and Thoke said missing documentation from the day Fisher was wounded remains the biggest hurdle, because when getting the Purple Heart, everything must be documented.

“We have a lot of circumstantial evidence, but we don’t have anything saying Glenn was wounded. That’s the issue,” Thoke said.

Still, there is documentation showing Fisher was hospitalized, discharged and then hospitalized again months later for a reinfected wound.

Now, with Fisher approaching his 100th birthday this year, Thoke is asking the Army to interview him directly and consider the evidence they do have. He hopes Fisher’s story, scars and service record will finally be enough to bring him the recognition he has sought for nearly half a century.

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 Jamie Azulay

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    BATH, Maine (WMTW) — Members of the Bath Marine Draftsmen’s Association were joined by their president, Trent Vellella, on the picket line Monday. More than 600 workers with the UAW Local 3999 started a labor strike at midnight after voting to reject the “best and final offer” from General Dynamics-Bath Iron Works (BIW) on Sunday.

The company offered what they consider a “historic annual wage increase” with a total compounding wage growth of 23.8% over the 4-year contract period. Vellella said that offer is below the national average for this line of work.

“We’re trying to address the livable wage issue in Maine,” he said. “I think everyone knows that prices have increased, and the cost of living in Maine has increased.” Union leadership is also considering health insurance and retirement income security.

Vellella said, “Our members are concerned about increased deductible and out-of-pocket maximums.” However, BIW wrote in a statement that their proposal includes health insurance rates that are “significantly below market.”

BIW also noted the preservation of work from home, flexible workweek and vacation purchase opportunities. Vellella said the purpose of their strike is not to bash the company; it is to support the workers who are eager to be back on the job.

“We all just want to get back to work, continue supporting the U.S. Navy,” he said. This strike comes about a month and a half after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Bath and praised those employees for their work.

In a written statement released by the union, Vellella said, “We had hoped the Company took to heart the statements made by Secretary Hegseth here at GD BIW on February 9th because our membership certainly did.”

During that visit, Secretary Hegseth said, “To your leadership, like I say to all leadership, invest in your plants and invest in your people.” Vellella specifically appreciated Hegseth’s comments about corporations in the defense industry.

“No more excuses,” Hegseth said. “No more barriers to entry. No more monopolies. No more egregious executive bonuses. No more stock buybacks. No more ridiculous CEO salaries.”

Vellella said, “Secretary Hegseth has made it clear that the administration has taken attention to the fact that corporations, particularly in the defense industry, are paying more attention to the shareholders than they are to the employees that generate those profits.”

Negotiations between the union and BIW are expected to pick back up Monday evening. The company wrote in a statement they are “continuing to negotiate in good faith with the BMDA to explore opportunities to better align company and union objectives. “

BIW has a page for negotiation updates available on their website.

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By Marissa Tansino

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    LITCHFIELD, New Hampshire (WMUR) — A Litchfield woman is running the Boston Marathon to raise awareness for spinal muscular atrophy and honor her daughter, who defied medical expectations by living beyond her second birthday.

Keleigh Morin said her daughter, Meriden, was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) Type 1 shortly after birth.

Despite doctors predicting she wouldn’t live past age 2, Meriden will turn 10 in June.

“So, Mer was diagnosed, when she was 6 months old,” Morin said. “At the time when she was diagnosed, it was very much a life-limiting diagnosis.”

Meriden’s daily life involves using a g-tube for eating and communicating through texts, picture talk and an iPad.

Despite her challenges, Meriden has made significant progress, which Morin attributes to the care received at Boston Children’s Hospital.

“They’ve done so much for us,” she said. “And even though they say you don’t owe them anything, or that’s not why they’re there, it feels amazing to give back in some way.”

Morin is running the marathon to raise awareness for SMA Type 1 and Boston Children’s Hospital, fulfilling a promise she made to her daughter.

“When I found out she would eventually lose the ability to move, I decided that I would move enough for both of us,” Morin said.

Inspired by other families, Morin began training for races with an adaptive stroller.

“In her words, she’ll say if it’s a nice day that she wants to go running. She is so, so happy to go running,” Morin said. “And she loves to tell people that she’s run these races with her mom.”

“I’ve committed myself to moving for her in all the ways and to have it combine in a way that I’m not only moving, but raising money and bringing awareness and bringing solidarity for these kids,” Morin continued.

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 Angela Rozier

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    PALM BEACH GARDENS, Florida (WPBF) — Sixteen-year-old Sawyer Tinsley from Jupiter High School is using her love for fostering kittens to support mental health and raise funds for animal rescues in Palm Beach County.

Tinsley began fostering kittens from Palm Beach Purrs during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she found it difficult to make friends.

“You would have to be six feet away, you couldn’t really speak, you had masks on, you couldn’t really see people. So, it started there when I was just like … this is hard, like, this is hard to do school in these conditions,” Tinsley said. “It was the best thing for helping me transition during COVID time when it was really hard.”

To help other middle school girls facing similar challenges, Tinsley created a club called “PAUSE,” inviting them to her home to spend time with foster kittens.

“And then they just come and we put them downstairs and then they can just run around. The kids play with them and talk about their, like, stressors (they) have been going through in middle school, cause that’s when it starts to like amp up for elementary school,” Tinsley said.

Florida Atlantic University student Chloee Wilkerson, who was taking a break from studying at PetSmart in Palm Beach Gardens, where the foster kittens are located, shared her experience.

“It’s my favorite coping mechanism. I’ll wake up at night to, but this is the least consequential one to do,” Wilkerson said.

Tinsley has also launched Flamingo Flocking, an annual fundraiser where pink flamingos are placed in yards overnight each August, raising about $3,000 a year for Palm Beach Purrs. Additionally, a 5K Flamingo Run 4 Rescues fundraiser is scheduled for May 9 at Riverbend Park to support four other animal rescue groups in the area:

Palm Beach Purrs palmbeachpurrs.org Wild Whiskers wildwhiskers.org Great Dane Rescue of South Florida greatdanerescueofsouthflorida.com Kelly’s Fosters kellysfosters.com

Looking ahead, Tinsley hopes to pursue a career in sports psychology. “Hopefully I am in a successful career and have lots of cats. I gotta have cats and dogs. I love animals,” Tinsley 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.