Atlanta woman files lawsuit over raid by deputies, U.S. Marshals for suspect already in jail

CNN Newsource on April 14, 2026

By La’Tasha Givens

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    ATLANTA, Georgia (WUPA) — An Atlanta woman is seeking justice after she says the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals executed a raid on her home searching for a suspect who was already behind bars. She and her attorneys are holding a press conference on Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the federal building in southwest Atlanta.

Cathy George’s attorneys allege that back in October of 2023, at around 5 a.m., agents executed a raid of her home. She says when she opened the door, laser equipment was pointed at her … and officers forced her outside in the cold while she was in a state of undress.

Surveillance footage obtained from George’s legal team appears to show agents entering the building from multiple angles. The lawsuit filed by George’s attorneys lists several alleged violations of her rights, emphasizing a startling oversight: the fugitive officers were searching for had been in jail for four months at the time of the raid.

The complaint further notes that the U.S. Marshals had even issued a press release regarding that suspect’s arrest the day after he was originally captured.

George’s attorneys argue the search was planned, noting that officers obtained permission to access locked areas of the building and the parking lot. Despite this preparation, the legal team says authorities failed to verify the address.

George maintains she has no connection to the suspect in question and says he never had access to her condo.

The lawsuit, which was originally filed in 2025, describes the event as a “terrifying experience” that left George traumatized. Her legal team is holding a press conference later this morning to discuss the lawsuit and their call for a jury trial.

CBS News Atlanta requested comments from the attorney representing the sheriff’s office and the U.S. Marshals. The inquiries were made after business hours. This story will be updated once a response is received.

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.

Championship ring stolen from display case in Massachusetts: “Significant piece of local sports heritage”

CNN on April 14, 2026


WBZ

By Neal Riley

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    PITTSFIELD, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Police in Pittsfield, Massachusetts are asking the public for help to recover a stolen ring that’s “a significant piece of local sports heritage.”

The department says someone stole a 1997 Pittsfield Mets championship ring from a display case Saturday during a ceremony at Wahconah Park. The ballpark, which was home to a minor league baseball team affiliated with the New York Mets until 2001, held a farewell event for the grandstand that is being demolished amid a renovation.

Pittsfield Parks & Recreation had advertised a “Berkshire Baseball Table” at the event featuring historic ballpark memorabilia. Police want to know if attendees “noticed any suspicious activity around the display cases.”

The stolen ring has a blue gem with a “P” in the middle. It commemorates the team as “NY-Penn League Champions” for 1997. According to The Berkshire Eagle, this was the city’s first minor league championship, won in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the 9th inning with two outs.

“If you see a ring matching this description on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or at a local pawn shop, report it immediately,” police said. “The more people who see this, the harder it becomes for the item to be sold or hidden.”

Police are asking anyone with information to send them a private message on Facebook, or call the department at 413-448-9700 Ext: 679.

The city has budgeted $17 million to demolish and renovate Wahconah Park, with a new grandstand capacity of 1,100 fans. They expect it to be ready for play in 2027.

Pittsfield is located 48 miles west of Springfield and just a few miles from the New York border.

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.

Championship ring stolen from display case in Massachusetts: “Significant piece of local sports heritage”

CNN Newsource on April 14, 2026

By Neal Riley

Click here for updates on this story

    PITTSFIELD, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Police in Pittsfield, Massachusetts are asking the public for help to recover a stolen ring that’s “a significant piece of local sports heritage.”

The department says someone stole a 1997 Pittsfield Mets championship ring from a display case Saturday during a ceremony at Wahconah Park. The ballpark, which was home to a minor league baseball team affiliated with the New York Mets until 2001, held a farewell event for the grandstand that is being demolished amid a renovation.

Pittsfield Parks & Recreation had advertised a “Berkshire Baseball Table” at the event featuring historic ballpark memorabilia. Police want to know if attendees “noticed any suspicious activity around the display cases.”

The stolen ring has a blue gem with a “P” in the middle. It commemorates the team as “NY-Penn League Champions” for 1997. According to The Berkshire Eagle, this was the city’s first minor league championship, won in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the 9th inning with two outs.

“If you see a ring matching this description on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or at a local pawn shop, report it immediately,” police said. “The more people who see this, the harder it becomes for the item to be sold or hidden.”

Police are asking anyone with information to send them a private message on Facebook, or call the department at 413-448-9700 Ext: 679.

The city has budgeted $17 million to demolish and renovate Wahconah Park, with a new grandstand capacity of 1,100 fans. They expect it to be ready for play in 2027.

Pittsfield is located 48 miles west of Springfield and just a few miles from the New York border.

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.

Rat birth control worked in Baltimore, so D.C. is giving it a try. Here’s how it works.

CNN Newsource on April 14, 2026

By JT Moodee Lockman

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    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJZ) — Washington, D.C., is launching a rat birth control program to lower the rodent population in the city.

The pilot program is set to begin this spring with the distribution of ContraPest according to DC Health officials.

Baltimore used the rodent contraceptive during a similar program from April 2025 to October 2025. The program’s success spurred a city-wide expansion on Feb. 24, 2026, according to Baltimore’s Department of Public Works (DPW).

ContraPest uses the chemicals 4-Vinylcyclohexene Diepoxide, and Triptolide to suppress fertility in female and male rats, DPW officials said.

Addressing the rodent population

Like Baltimore, D.C. also faces ongoing issues with rodents.

In 2025, pest control company Orkin ranked D.C. as the sixth “rattiest” city, while Baltimore ranked at number 12.

Aside from being a significant nuisance for neighbors and businesses, rats also impact public health in communities as they carry and transmit diseases and parasites.

A study released in February 2025 estimated that the “war on rats” costs about $500 million per year. Some areas, including D.C., have seen a spike in their rodent populations amid warming temperatures due to climate change, the study found.

Baltimore’s rat birth control success

In April, DPW officials said Baltimore’s pilot program showed a decline in rat activity in targeted areas. The program also resulted in a slight decrease in rat burrows in some areas.

As of April, DPW said ContraPest bait stations have been deployed across all 14 Baltimore city council districts as part of the pest management strategy.

ContraPest is administered through tamper-resistant stations that are placed in areas that see high rat activity, according to DPW. The stations are also placed in areas where frequent rat-related service calls are made.

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.

Kanaiyah’s Law, named after teen who died under Maryland supervision, passes on final day of session

CNN Newsource on April 14, 2026

By Adam Thompson

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    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJZ) — A Maryland bill named after 16-year-old Kanaiyah Ward, who died in a Baltimore hotel room while under state supervision in 2025, passed through the General Assembly ahead of the Sine Die deadline, which marks the end of the 2026 legislative session.

Kanaiyah’s Law restricts where the state can house children and strengthens oversight of Maryland’s child welfare system.

How will Kanaiyah’s Law work? Kanaiyah’s Law would stop the placement of certain children in unlicensed settings, including shelters, offices, and hotels.

The law will expand background checks for adults living with guardians and create a new Child Welfare Ombudsman, which is an independent advocate inside the attorney general’s office to handle complaints and review child welfare practices.

In November 2025, the Maryland Department of Human Services stopped housing children in hotels. Kanaiyah’s Law will formalize those changes into law.

Report: Kanaiyah Ward was neglected

A report by the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) revealed that Ward was neglected by the caretaker who was supposed to supervise her with hourly checks.

In September 2025, the contracted worker supervising Ward was assigned to a 53-hour shift, and the teenager took her own life during that time, according to the state’s report.

According to the report, Ward overdosed on a bottle of pills containing the active ingredient in Benadryl and became unresponsive.

The hotel room was a suite, with the caretaker in the living room and Ward was in the bedroom, the report stated. After a coworker called in sick, the caretaker’s shift was extended from Saturday at 10 a.m. until Monday at 3 p.m.

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.

Local Faith Leader Shares Thoughts Following President’s Posts

KEYT on April 14, 2026

Tracy Lehr

VENTURA, Calif. (KEYT) – Many members of the Catholic faith are offended by President Trump’s recent posts aimed at Pope Leo.

It puts church leaders in a difficult position.

A Truth Social post from President Trump criticized the Pope, calling him “weak,” and a “loser.”

The Pastor of Mission Basilica San Buenaventura said the timing following Easter should put the focus on peace.

“We are praying for everyone, we are praying for peace and we ask that everyone stop and take a little pause and let their hearts speak to what is important in our lives,” said Fr. Tom Elewaut.

Fr. Tom Elewaut prefers to think about past relationships.

Elewaut recommends the book “A Pope and a President” by Paul Kengor, PhD. about the close relationship between President Reagan and Pope John Paul II.

He has a signed copy and has heard the authors Dr. Paul Kengor and Robert Orlando speak at events at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley and the Reagan Ranch Center in Santa Barbara.

Elewaut also said it is worth remembering Vice President J.D. Vance became a Catholic last just year and visited the Vatican and met with Pope Francis on Easter Sunday 2025, the day before he died.

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Mayor Randy Rowse drops out of upcoming mayoral election and will finish current term

KEYT on April 14, 2026

Andrew Gillies

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Mayor Randy Rowse announced Monday afternoon that he will not be seeking reelection and will finish the remainder of his current term as Mayor of Santa Barbara.

Rowse shared a statement with Your News Channel on Monday:

It has been a pleasure and a great honor to serve the people of Santa Barbara over a nearly 14 year career on Council. While I’m proud of much we have done and mindful of how much there is ahead, I have made the decision to finish my career at the end of this term. My reasons are strictly personal and are not related to any issue or individual, it’s just my time to move on. I will continue to focus on my office and now can do so without the distraction of running and maintaining a campaign simultaneously. I truly love this city and have enjoyed the opportunity afforded to me. I’m not going anywhere and plan to be engaged in city issues and events in the future.

Rowse later took questions outside of his city hall office.

He was surprised the news spread so fast after he visited the clerk’s office.

He reiterated that he put a lot of thought into the decision to drop out of the race.

“I have been thinking about this for a long long time it is nothing to do with any subject, issue or personalities, it is a personal decision, I have some stuff in this stage of my life, I think it is time to move on and do something else,” said Rowse.

He said his family would have supported him either way.

Rowse attended a library event on Monday with Congressman Salud Carbajal and said he will stay involved with the city he loves.

“I plan to stay engaged, I might be more effective on the outside than the inside and I really like the ability to help people from time to time, but I really think I can do that on the outside as well,” said Rowse.

He recalled being on the council for 9 years and then taking a break before running for Mayor of Santa Barbara.

Rowse said after some negative campaign adds he received more campaign contribution.

He ended up raising about $315,000 for a job that pays $75,000 a year.

The former owner of the Paradise Cafe had a business owner’s perspective.

“Being in business doesn’t confer genius on anybody, but it gives you perspective and when you’ve signed the front of paychecks and when you’ve had to have the pressure of making payroll, from time to time, it’s a different, a different perspective, it’s something that you can’t get otherwise and so very few of us really get to have that perspective.”

The city’s 51st mayor hasn’t always been on the winning side of close controversial votes including votes to keep a portion of State Street closed or the 4-3 vote to create a Rent Stabilization ordinance, but he has high hopes for Santa Barbara.

He said he won’t miss the long meetings, but he will miss being mayor when the time comes.

Due to the city’s move to even year elections his 5th year as mayor comes to a close in 2027.

Rowse, 72, told Newsmakers with Jerry Roberts via zoom Monday evening that he will have time to write, sail and do other things septuagenarians do.

He mentioned he has had knee replacement and has been called “The Grumpy Old Walrus.”

Interested candidates have until this July to file the paperwork with the City Clerk’s Office in order to make the ballot.

With Mayor Rowse’s departure, the race to be the next Mayor of Santa Barbara currently comes down to City Councilmembers Eric Friedman (District 5) and Kristin Sneddon (District 4) who are the only two candidates to file campaign finance paperwork for the now-open race confirmed the Santa Barbara City Clerk’s Office Monday.

Friedman walked by Mayor Rowse during his comments outside city hall, but chose not to comment on the Mayor decision.

Rowse will try to get things done with the budget before his term comes to close.

The mayor plans to enjoy his role without the pressure of a campaign until the next mayor takes the oath of office.

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Northbound lanes of Providence Road near Hickman High School closed off after pedestrian hit by vehicle

KMIZ on April 14, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The northbound lanes of North Providence Road in Columbia near Hickman High School were taped off by police on Monday evening.

The road was closed after a crash. Boone County Joint Communications sent a notification at 10:11 p.m. stating that a vehicle collision happened at North Providence Road at East Forest Avenue.

Columbia Police Department spokesman Colin Imhoff wrote in an email that police were called at 9:45 p.m. and that one person was brought to an area hospital.

Anthony Bowne, of the Columbia Police Department, told ABC 17 News at the scene that a 33-year-old man was hit while he was crossing the road. The road will be closed for about 2 hours. The man had serious injuries.

The pedestrian and the driver have not been identified.

Traffic will be diverted to Third Street while the road is closed, according to Bowne.

Check back for updates.

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Teachers upset by new law banning taxpayer-funded support for teachers’ unions

KIFI on April 14, 2026

David Pace

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Local teachers are responding to a new law signed by Governor Brad Little that restricts the activities of teachers’ unions in Idaho.

“The big thing that this bill tries to do is to punish teachers’ unions for having what they call teachers’ union activities on school grounds. I don’t really know what it is that members of the Legislature think that we’re up to in the schools,” said Jake Snarr, a Taylorview Middle School teacher and member of the Idaho Falls Education Association. “I can tell you a lot of what we do is we hang a bulletin boards and talk about our upcoming events.”

The law prohibits taxpayer funding to support teachers’ unions. It does not allow school districts to provide paid time-off for union activities or permit unions to deduct dues from paychecks, according to Idaho Ed News.

Teachers fear they will no longer be able to use schools for teacher association meetings without being charged to rent the facility.

In arguments before the Idaho Senate on April 1, House Bill 516 amendment’s sponsor, State Senator Brian Lenney, (R)-Nampa, said, “This doesn’t prevent teachers from joining a union, from participating in union activities. It doesn’t prevent collective bargaining or anything like that. It answers one thing. It answers whether Idaho taxpayers should be asked to fund a private, Washington D.C.-based political organization [the National Education Association],” he said. “If this bill passes, what we’re basically saying is that you can’t give away taxpayers resources to do the teachers’ unions work for them.”

He argued that $4.4 million in Idaho teachers’ union dues were being automatically deducted through taxpayer-funded payroll systems.

The original bill had died in committee in the Idaho Senate, so Lenney “radiator capped” the bill by emptying the contents of another education bill, and inserting the language of this bill inside it, in accordance with Senate rules on the floor. It was then heard by the Idaho Senate.

State Senator Dave Lent, (R)-Idaho Falls, moved that the bill be sent to the Senate Education Committee for a public hearing, but that motion died on the floor.

The bill passed Idaho’s Senate 20-14 and cleared the House on the final day of the session in a 43-24 vote.

In an interview Monday, Snarr argued that teachers and the associations that represent them feel demoralized and unheard. He said some teachers will look outside of Idaho to continue their careers.

“We help teachers advocate for themselves if they don’t feel their evaluations were fair. We help teachers file grievances based on our collective bargaining agreement with the school district. It’s not like we’re in the schools, you know, promoting woke ideology or anything like that,” he said. “We’re just trying to make sure that teachers get a fair shake and our school district is a good place to work.”

Gov. Brad Little signed the bill Friday, with an accompanying letter stating he “strongly supported teachers’ ability to advocate for their profession.”

“However, while local and state teachers’ associations do important work, they remain private organizations that currently receive taxpayer-funded support not extended to other private entities. House Bill 516a addresses that imbalance,” Little’s letter stated. 

However, he called on the Legislature to address “some of the new definitions in the bill [that] are overly broad and ambiguous and will lead to increased scrutiny of a teacher’s actions purely based on their affiliation with their local association.”

He also warned the bill “may have a chilling effect on school districts’ ability to collaborate with their local association on professional development and charitable work in the community.”

Snarr said the Idaho Falls Education Association offers a “Children’s Fund” – a no-questions asked resource where teachers can submit requests for books, glasses, bedding, clothes, coats, help with heating bills and other supplies for students in need.

“If we can’t collaborate with the district on that, it’s hard to identify the needs of our students,” he said.

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Bend to shrink “Dirtworld” homeless camp by half, dozens still need to relocate

KTVZ on April 14, 2026

Campbell Porter

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The City of Bend is reducing the size of its “Temporary Safe Stay Area,” known as “Dirtworld,” by half. This effort aims to be completed by June 1 and affects approximately 30 people remaining in the area slated for closure.

The city intends to shrink the camp to mitigate fire risks, allow for more efficient patrolling of a smaller footprint and enhance access for service providers assisting people living there.

Matthew Stuart, Real Estate, Housing and Facility Director for Bend, highlighted the city’s consistent presence at the site. “That staff’s out there every day. We also have security that’s out there two or three times a day,” Stuart said. Stuart added that the city has established relationships with the residents.

“We’ve gotten to know the population quite well over the last year and a half that we’ve been operating. We’ve had success so far with a majority of the folks who are in the North, they’re already moving to the South. So we have a limited amount of people that are still left that need to move.”

The Safe Stay Area program is funded through June 2027. However, its future after that date is uncertain.

The city plans to complete the reduction of the “Temporary Safe Stay Area” by June 1.

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