Author: CNN Newsource

By John Ramos

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    NEWARK, California (KPIX) — The high school community in the East Bay city of Newark is in an uproar as a result of a new policy by the local school district.

At the end of this school year, all high school sports coaches and their assistants will be fired, with an option to reapply for their old jobs. The district says it’s a new Human Resources policy, but to the coaches and team supporters, it feels like an insult.

It may have been a Saturday, but the Newark Memorial High School soccer team was still hard at work, giving up part of their weekend to play a game on the school field. But so was the team’s coach and that’s why the decision revealed on Thursday had parents scratching their heads.

“It was out of nowhere. It was something that’s just, out of nowhere,” said Jazmin Padilla, who has a son on the team.

She, like a lot of parents and students, is upset by a district announcement that the coaches and assistants on every one of the school’s sports teams will be terminated at the end of their seasons. They will then be allowed to reapply for the position.

“These coaches have been here for so long,” said Padilla. “It’s surprising. It’s a decision that, why all of a sudden are they doing this?”

She said she felt the district owed her an explanation.

“I feel like they owe everybody an explanation, not just myself, but everybody,” Padilla said.

In a written statement, the school’s Assistant Superintendent for Human Relations explained that the purpose is to strengthen its hiring practice for coaches, to complete required vetting and background checks for the sake of student safety.

“I’ve been a teacher here for a long time,” said Gordon Crosby. “I’ve been fingerprinted many times. I’m not sure why we’re all lumped into one group. If there’s some coaches that weren’t fingerprinted or weren’t background checked, I would think that they would start with them first.”

Crosby is the long-time head coach for the swim and water polo teams. He noticed that in the district’s statement, it describes the new policy as “releasing coaches at the end of each season,” and claims it is a common practice in most districts.

“It’s never happened before in my 30-plus years of coaching,” Crosby said, “and I’ve never heard of it happening anywhere else, that coaches have to reapply every single season of every single year.”

Not surprisingly, the sports community is up in arms about it. In a Facebook post, board member Katherine Jones shared a message from Superintendent Tracey Vackar explaining the new policy and its intention. It includes an apology for the way the decision was communicated.

“I recognize that this is a new practice, and while it was brought forward with good intentions, that intent was not clearly communicated. I take responsibility for that,” wrote Vackar.

But what isn’t mentioned is why the policy is changing at this time, and with such urgency. It has people wondering if the district is in some kind of legal jeopardy because of a coach. And by doing background checks on every coach every year, it could cast a shadow of suspicion on anybody and everybody.

“I think they should just let everybody know if there is,” said soccer mom Padilla, “just so nobody is doubting or has any thoughts of ‘what ifs and buts.'”

The district did not respond to multiple requests for comment Friday and Saturday. And while Vackar is taking responsibility for the way the matter was communicated, she won’t be for long.

The district is currently searching for her replacement as she is set to retire at the end of the school year. The district insists it is just a harmless change to its Human Resources hiring policy to ensure the school has a quality coaching staff.

But coach Crosby thinks the opposite could happen.

“I would think that they would have the foresight to see that this is not going to attract quality candidates to a school,” he said, “but it’s going to chase them away.”

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 Michael Abeyta

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    AURORA, Colorado (KCNC) — Aurora police visited the northeast Aurora community at a town hall held by Aurora City Council Member Gianina Horton to talk about the police department’s new “Drone as a First Responder” program that officials say has helped crack down on crime.

Some community members who were in attendance have concerns, especially about their privacy.

“A drone was stopped over my property for 20 minutes as you started talking,” Dr. P.J. Parmar said in the meeting. He later provided that video to CBS News Colorado.

“When you might see the drone near or over your backyard. He’s probably not even looking anywhere near you in the upwards of a mile off,” an APD officer said in response.

Jan Kalkus is a healthcare worker at Mango House, a community hub on East Colfax Avenue. He and his colleagues say what the police are telling them doesn’t match their experiences. They say they have seen drones hover over their property for many minutes at a time.

“I think there are legitimate uses for it,” Kalkus said; however, “it’s important to know that that’s how it’s being used.”

APD says they know this is a new experience for many, but they want people to know they follow a strict policy to protect resident privacy.

“Obviously, the community is going to have questions about something that’s new, which is why we’ve taken the approach to really be upfront and public about our use of the technology,” said Phillip Rathbun, deputy chief of the Professional Standards and Training Division for the Aurora Police Department. “All of our flight logs are posted online. You can go to our website and find that from our real-time information center. In fact, we’re going to be expanding, some of that in the future.”

“We can’t go over and fly it over your house. Look into your backyard that is completely fenced off, see what you’re doing, and then monitor it, and then report back on it,” an officer said at the town hall.

Residents also worry that the video APD collects will be shared with Flock, the company working with APD on this project, to enhance its AI program and build databases.

“So ultimately, this video is our video,” said Rathbun. “And so, the retention of that is up to us. In fact, when we talked about that, evidence, and with those videos as we collect those, those are actually moved over into a different system in our department.”

Residents are hesitant to take APD at their word.

“There’s issues of trust in the community. And I saw these drones starting last summer flying over my properties,” said Parmar.

That’s especially been the case since the website APD created to track drone flights seems to not to be updated right after every flight.

“They are delayed for reasons, obviously, to protect our active investigations,” Rathbun said.

Kalkus says he thinks only time will tell if APD follows its own policies to protect privacy.

“It sounds nice. It would just be nice to be able to see that in practice,” he said.

APD asks the community to give them time to earn the public’s trust with this new program, because it’s just a crime-fighting tool that will not only keep officers safe but also the community at large.

“This technology is focused on response to criminal activity,” said Rathbun.

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 Ahmad Bajjey

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    FLINT, Michigan (WWJ) — Police at the University of Michigan Flint are crediting an anonymous tipster with saving a life Friday morning. Officers discovered a man collapsed during dangerously freezing conditions.

The incident occurred in the early morning hours as wind chills dipped well below zero. According to the U of M Flint Department of Public Safety, an anonymous caller contacted dispatch to request a welfare check, reporting concern for a person believed to be lying on the ground near the intersection of Harrison and 2nd Street in Flint.

Officers canvassed the area at about 12:37 a.m. During the search, Sergeant Thrower spotted an object on the sidewalk that initially appeared to be debris and described in the report as a “snow-covered clump” resembling a crumpled traffic cone. Upon closer inspection, he realized the object was the individual in distress, who was already partially buried by the snow.

The man told officers he had suffered seizures, which caused him to collapse, leaving him unable to move as the extreme cold set in.

Thrower and Officer Fray immediately coordinated with Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The man was successfully rescued and transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Authorities emphasized that the outcome could have been tragic without the tip.

“Given the extreme cold at the time,” the department said. “this caller may have saved a life.”

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 Trevor Sochocki

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    FORT WORTH, Texas (KTVT) — A woman is recovering after two community members helped save her when she was found frozen outside a South Fort Worth food mart during this week’s winter storm.

The woman, known by locals as Bobbi, often stays near Evans Food Mart. While many unhoused residents found shelter as temperatures dropped, she remained outside overnight.

Faris Hussain, a manager at the store, said another regular customer rushed in Thursday morning after spotting Bobbi on the ground.

“When I heard her name, it was one of my good customers, so I instantly was like, ‘Hey man, no no no, there’s no way. We gotta go help her right now,'” Hussain said.

Hussain ran outside and lifted her himself.

“She felt like a rock, as stiff as a rock,” he said. “I mean, it was, when I picked her up, her entire body was just, it was like, no matter which way you picked her up, her body was going to stay the same form.”

He carried her inside, where she slowly warmed up and began thanking the people around her. She told them she had been outside all night.

The Fort Worth Fire Department confirmed crews responded to Evans Food Mart between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., and paramedics took her to a hospital.

Hussain said helping people in need is part of the store’s daily routine.

“I don’t really consider myself a hero or nothing, but we just, we do this on a daily for our community,” he said. “Doing it once in a while, it’s not going to cut it. That’s just, you know, we do it on a daily for our daily customers all the time, every time.”

Bobbi’s condition was unknown after being hospitalized. Hussain said he would share an update when he sees her again.

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 Jermont Terry

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — Amid the extreme cold in Chicago on Friday, a South Side church’s mission to help those in need went on regardless of the frigid conditions.

On a chilly corner in Roseland outside an RV camper, volunteers brought supplies like jackets and shoes.

Advocate United Church of Christ Pastor Malcolm Griffith and his flock did not let the sub-zero temperatures stop their ministry.

“There’s some people that will not go to the warming centers, and so I wanted to be a beacon of hope for those,” Griffith said.

He was providing basic essentials to anyone who walked up, and within minutes those in need showed up.

“If it can just make it just a little easier for them tonight, that’s all we’re trying to do,” he said.

On a night when frostbite can set in within minutes, a pair of gloves becomes more essential than food.

“We’re out here because we believe the lord we serve want us to help them,” Griffith said.

Church members offered prayer. Griffith said that opens the door to get them help.

“It’s like a gateway. You know, the food and stuff, those are nice, but also for those that want the help, they will ask for it,” Griffith said.

Every fourth Friday of the month, the RV pulls up and a table is set up at 111th and State, and despite the extreme cold this Friday, the group didn’t hesitate to come out.

“The warm scripture is the blood of Jesus. It’s just gonna cover us,” Griffith said.

Griffith and volunteers were layered and covered up, but they know those out on such a frigid night might not have that option.

“That’s why I try to give them these nice coats. They’ve got hoods on them. They’re brand new,” Griffith 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 Laura Fay, Scott Jacobson, CBS News Philadelphia Staff

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    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — A series of informational signs about slavery was removed Thursday from the President’s House in Old City Philadelphia, a historic site operated by the National Park Service.

Before the President’s House exhibit site at 6th and Market streets — once the home of Presidents George Washington and John Adams — opened in 2010, local activists urged the creators to include information about the enslaved people who lived at the home. Those stories made it into the final exhibit.

The city filed a lawsuit in federal court Thursday seeking to have the signs put back. The suit says the city has prior agreements with NPS that require any disputes to be resolved “in an informal fashion through communication and consultation…or other forms of non-binding alternative dispute resolution that are mutually acceptable to the parties.”

In this case, NPS and the Interior Department “did not engage with the city and do not have the city’s approval to make unilateral changes to the President’s House exhibit,” the lawsuit says.

Mayor Cherelle Parker said the city’s agreement with the federal government dates back to 2006 and “requires parties to meet and confer if there are to be any changes made to an exhibit.”

“Our city solicitor Renee Garcia is working in conjunction with the amazing members of our law department team in working on following up on that cooperative agreement and we will keep you posted as to the result to all of our action,” Parker said.

Paul Steinke, executive director of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, told CBS Philadelphia that workers from the park service removed the signage.

“The decision to do this appears to be made because the President’s House Site memorialized the nine enslaved individuals that were held there against their will by President Washington and his wife Martha, and this is the only federal historic site that commemorates the history of slavery in America,” Steinke said.

A spokesperson with the Interior Department said in a statement Friday that the displays were removed as the department implements President Trump’s executive order “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.”

“All federal agencies are to review interpretive materials to ensure accuracy, honesty, and alignment with shared national values. Following completion of the required review, the National Park Service is now taking appropriate action in accordance with the Order,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “We encourage the City of Philadelphia to focus on getting their jobless rates down and ending their reckless cashless bail policy instead of filing frivolous lawsuits in the hopes of demeaning our brave Founding Fathers who set the brilliant road map for the greatest country in the world – the United States of America.”

In September, Mr. Trump signed an executive order aimed at removing “ideological indoctrination or divisive narratives.” The order specifically mentioned Philadelphia’s Independence National Historic Park, home of the Liberty Bell and the President’s House, as well as the Smithsonian Institution’s museums in Washington, D.C.

At the time, dozens of Philadelphia organizations signed a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum opposing the changes.

Burgum was given a deadline of July 4, 2026, to complete any changes to Independence National Historical Park — a day when the site will take center stage as the country celebrates its 250th anniversary.

The executive order directed Burgum to ensure memorials “do not contain descriptions, depictions, or other content that inappropriately disparage Americans past or living (including persons living in colonial times), and instead focus on the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people.”

After the president signed the order, Philadelphia City Council passed two resolutions condemning it.

Steinke said the exhibit “was created after years of scholarship and research to make sure we got the story right.”

“Today in a matter of minutes it was all ripped down, and presumably put away in storage for who knows how long. It’s a terrible day for American history, it’s a terrible day for Independence National Historical Park. It’s a terrible day for our city,” he said.

Steinke said he believes the stories will reemerge in other places in Philadelphia in the days and weeks to come.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said on social media that, “Donald Trump will take any opportunity to rewrite and whitewash our history. But he picked the wrong city — and he sure as hell picked the wrong Commonwealth. We learn from our history in Pennsylvania, even when it’s painful.”

Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle, who represents Philadelphia, said in a statement that the signs’ removal was “absolutely unacceptable.”

“Philadelphia and the entire country deserve an honest accounting of our history, and this effort to hide it is wrong,” the statement read.

In a statement released Friday, Democratic Rep. Dwight Evans of Philadelphia called the Trump administration’s decision to remove signs at the President’s House an “outrage.”

“Their shameful desecration of this exhibit raises broader, disturbing questions about this administration’s continued abuse of power and commitment to whitewashing history,” Evans’ statement read. “True patriotism requires facing our nation’s past — and learning from it. The Trump-Vance administration may try to whitewash an exhibit, but they cannot erase the shame of what they have done. I support the city of Philadelphia’s lawsuit to restore this truthful, accurate, and important exhibit.”

Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson said in a statement the removal of the slavery displays is an “effort to whitewash American history.”

“History cannot be erased simply because it is uncomfortable,” Johnson said in a statement in part. “Removing items from the President’s House merely changes the landscape, not the historical record.”

As of Thursday evening, the official park service website for the President’s House said, “The outdoor exhibits examine the paradox between slavery and freedom in the new nation.” It also notes that the exhibit includes the perspectives of “enslaved individuals.”

“Although the house was demolished in 1832, some of it’s stories are preserved through videos shared from the perspective of enslaved individuals who lived and worked here, and text panels shed light on everything from visiting tribal delegations to the work of the executive branch,” the website states.

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 Steve Overmyer

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — The future of air travel touched down in New York City on Friday.

An all-electric air taxi was on display for the public to check out at Pier 76.

The aircraft will take travelers from Manhattan to John F. Kennedy International Airport in seven minutes, according to Vertical Aerospace.

“That’s the best thing I’ve ever heard,” Manhattan resident Alexandra Ellerstein said. “I have had some treks to JFK.”

Some Bronx High School of Science students saw up close what the future looks like. The air taxi has four seats, an intercom to the pilot, and a display screen showing the aircraft’s speed, height and distance from destination.

According to Vertical Aerospace, the air taxi takes off vertically and can fly 100 miles, and since it’s electric, it’s virtually silent.

So how much will it cost? Vertical Aerospace said it will cost you about $300 to get to JFK.

“The market’s for everyone. We’re aiming to build this as-cost effective as possible,” said Eddie Moulton, senior systems tech for Vertical Aerospace.

The air taxi won’t be available to the public until 2028, but it’s already inspiring curiosity and showing what’s possible.

“One of the biggest complaints people have is just how congested the city constantly is. So I think to see the concept of a flying car come to life in Manhattan and kind of like alleviate some of that difficulty just getting around the city is awesome,” Ellerstein said. “As a New Yorker, it’s something I’m very excited about.”

In a city built on shortcuts, this could be the next one.

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 Carolyn Gusoff

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — A Long Island school district is caught in the middle of a growing state vs. federal showdown with its mascot at the center of the fight.

In 2022, 13 Long Island districts were ordered to drop mascot names like “Chiefs” and “Warriors” after the state ruled the imagery is outdated, demeaning and offensive to Native Americans, but the Trump administration sided with opponents of the ban.

Now, the Connetquot Central School District has been threatened with funding cuts unless it reinstates its old mascot name.

After changing their mascot from Thunderbirds to T-Birds to comply with the ban, the change was just ruled a violation of federal law.

“It’s caught in the crossfire with the Trump administration, which is at war with blue states and diversity,” Hofstra University education scholar Alan Singer said.

Singer said Connetquot’s mascot is part of a much larger political fight.

The United States Department of Education ruled New York’s mandate discriminatory because it only banned Native American mascots and not European heritage names, like “Dutchman” and “Huguenots.”

“It’s gonna have to be fought out in the courts,” Singer said.

The school district told CBS News New York it’s reviewing the federal ruling and weighing its options.

CBS News New York reached out to the U.S. DOE for comment, but they have not yet responded.

A spokesperson for the New York State Department of Education said in a statement:

“The U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) continues to make a mockery of our nation’s civil rights laws. USDOE has offered no explanation as to whose civil rights were violated by changing a team name from Thunderbirds to T-birds. And USDOE has still not explained why it maintains an open consent decree with a New York State school district to eliminate its Native American mascot. NYSED remains committed to ending the use of harmful, outdated, and offensive depictions of Indigenous people and will not sacrifice the dignity of the students and families we serve for political expediency.

“In April 2023, the Board of Regents adopted regulations developed in collaboration with a Mascot Advisory Council composed of representatives and leaders of Indigenous nations with connections to New York State to end the use of demeaning Indigenous names and mascots in New York’s public schools once and for all. They were compelled to act because certain Native American names and images have been shown to perpetuate negative stereotypes that are demonstrably harmful to children. If we truly wish to honor our Native American people, we will teach our students the true history of the state’s Indigenous people and how they advanced our civilization – rather than perpetuating outdated and disproven myths.”

Some in the Connetquot School District are in favor of returning to the old team name.

“That’s all complimentary to Native Americans,” one person said.

“I don’t think it’s offensive at all,” another person said.

“I feel like they’re being honored in a way,” another man said.

Chief Harry Wallace of Long Island’s Unkechaug Nation disagrees.

“It’s a total fallacy to say that it honors the Native American people,” he said.

He said the imagery is a desecration of their symbols and harms students.

“As they grow up from children into adults, they carry with them that stereotypical image of hurt and harm and shame,” he said.

Meanwhile, Connetquot is left in a legal and financial bind with funding cuts threatened by both sides, and the issue leaves students confused.

“Not only is it going to cost a lot of money for school to rechange everything, but now, we have to rebrand all our school apparel,” one student 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.