Pittsburgh Public Schools finds success with Hogwarts-style house system

CNN Newsource on May 15, 2026

By Kristine Sorensen

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    PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — If you’ve read or seen “Harry Potter,” you know how the school, Hogwarts, is broken into houses that compete: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. The house system that started in British boarding schools is now being embraced in Pittsburgh Public Schools’ middle schools.

At Pittsburgh Mifflin PreK-8, every quarter, the school has what’s called a House Hype Day, and hyped is an understatement. The kids cheer wildly, waving glow wands and shaking pom poms, when their houses win awards for everything from attendance to academics like reading rockstars and math masters.

Eighth grader Kaydence Dettlinger, who is a house lead, says it’s a friendly competition that “makes people bond a whole lot more.”

Each house is comprised of kids from all grade levels, kindergarten through eighth grade, and also includes teachers and staff, from the cafeteria workers to the security guards.

Art teacher Ryan Philip’s room was always an ode to Harry Potter, so he was a natural choice to help start the house system at Pittsburgh Mifflin four years ago. The teachers came up with unique houses for their school, each with a different name, color and quality, like courage, resilience or kindness. Principal Amy Carricato says they chose to do the house system to improve the school culture, and it’s working.

“Allowing the older students in the middle school to see themselves as role models for the younger students and become mentors was really powerful,” Carricato says.

Dettlinger and sixth grade house lead E’Saun Pettus say they like mentoring the younger kids. Pettus says he likes “to help little kids out and make sure they don’t give up on what they’re doing.”

Dettlinger says, “The house system definitely has brought us a whole lot closer and it makes these kindergarteners feel safe around us and not so scared.”

Carricato says they’re seeing attendance improve and behavior problems go down. The students say they’re motivated to help their house win the field trip that the winning house gets each quarter, which is announced at the House Hype Day.

Carricato and Philip say the system has also helped engage the entire staff and parents.

“I’ve seen the drastic changes that it’s made with school culture, the way students treat staff, the way staff treats students, the way students treat students,” Philip says.

“It definitely opens up your friend group and makes you feel more welcome and wanted,” Dettlinger says.

The house system is being piloted in nine Pittsburgh public middle schools this year and 13 more this fall.

You can get more information on new trends in learning and education at Kidsburgh.org.

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.

Georgia bike shop owner helps refugees gain independence through bicycles and community support

CNN Newsource on May 15, 2026

By Rashad Williams, CBS News Atlanta

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    CLARKSTON, Georgia (WUPA) — Clarkston, Georgia, is often referred to as “the most diverse square mile in America.” The city has welcomed tens of thousands of refugees since the 1980s, many of whom arrive in the United States without reliable transportation.

That’s a reality Timothy Bourne knows well.

Bourne manages Narrow Path Cycles in Clarkston. A former competitive cyclist, he nearly lost his life during a racing accident several years ago.

“I had a really bad crash a few years ago that nearly killed me and took me out of the racing scene,” Bourne said.

After recovering, Bourne said the birth of his first child shifted his perspective and ultimately led him toward a different passion within the cycling world — bike repair.

Today, hundreds of bicycles pass through the doors of Narrow Path Cycles, where Bourne combines technical expertise with a commitment to helping others.

“This is a passion,” Bourne said. “I’ve got a kid now, so no more of the crazy racing. I’ve had plenty of other jobs, but nothing quite as fun as working in the bike industry, or a bike shop specifically. Being able to get people out on the road and doing what I love, what I’m best at, is very rewarding.”

Two years ago, Bourne met Raphael Kiiza in a nearby parking lot where furniture had been dumped. Bourne said he was searching for items that might fit into his new apartment when Kiiza approached him and introduced himself.

Kiiza, who had recently resettled in Clarkston with his family as a refugee from Democratic Republic of the Congo, explained that he did not have a car and needed help transporting furniture home.

Bourne said he loaded as much furniture as he could, helped Kiiza move it into his apartment, and the two quickly formed a friendship.

At the time, Kiiza was traveling everywhere on foot. As their friendship grew, Bourne surprised him with his first bicycle.

“I get a lot of donations to help out with giving bikes to the community,” Bourne said. “Really solid bikes that can be fixed up or used as parts to help refugees and refugee kids in the community. This one was donated to the shop by someone in the community, so I fixed it up for him, got it running, and was able to give it to him. He was able to use this to get a job and make it to and from work on time.”

After about a year and a half of working and saving money, Kiiza was eventually able to upgrade from a bicycle to a car with Bourne’s help locating an affordable vehicle.

Now a father of five, including a newborn, Kiiza said having reliable transportation has made life significantly easier for his family.

“Things like this, where I get to help these kids and refugees and see them grow and move through the ladder of life, is just incredibly rewarding,” Bourne said.

During the interview, Kiiza gave Bourne and CBS News Atlanta’s Rashad Williams a ride in his car.

“How does it feel to give Tim a ride now?” Rashad asked.

“I feel good because I remember he gave me the bike,” Kiiza said. “From the bike to the car. Now I’m happy that he’s become my passenger in the car.”

Kiiza said he remains deeply grateful for Bourne’s friendship and the support he has shown his family since arriving in the United States.

Bourne said he plans to continue helping as many people as possible through the power of transportation and community support.

Narrow Path Cycles accepts donations of used bikes, parts, and cycling gear to help provide more refugees in Clarkston with reliable transportation.

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.

A Bethel Park homeowner paid a contractor nearly $3,000 to repair his porch. He says no one showed up.

CNN Newsource on May 15, 2026

By Meghan Schiller

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    BETHEL PARK, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — A Bethel Park homeowner says he’s out thousands of dollars after hiring a contractor to replace his front porch.

Jeffrey Markoff says he hired Quaker State Construction and Supply for an $8,500 porch replacement project and paid a $2,833 deposit to secure a spot on the company’s schedule. According to paperwork reviewed by KDKA Investigates, the contract listed an approximate start date in the spring with an estimated completion time of two weeks.

Months later, Markoff says no construction crew ever arrived. He then tried to contact the owner, Gabe Clouse.

“I call the company number, and there’s no answer. The number had been disconnected, called the designer, and he gave me the cell number for the owner,” said Markoff.

When asked if he ever heard back, Markoff responded: “Never heard back and called that number twice.”

Markoff says losing the money has been frustrating.

“It’s money out of your pocket you feel somebody stole from you,” said Markoff.

KDKA Investigates took Markoff’s concerns to attorney Mike Fiffik of the Fiffik Law Group, a LegalShield provider firm, to find out what consumers can do in situations like this.

“In this situation, he has a couple of different options available to him,” said Fiffik. “If he paid the deposit with his credit card, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act will permit him to submit a dispute.”

That process is known as a chargeback and is generally most effective when initiated within 60 days of receiving the statement. However, Markoff paid by check, meaning that the option was unavailable to him.

Instead, Fiffik recommends several other steps consumers can take:

Contact local police and report the incident as a theft File a complaint with the local magistrate if the amount lost is under $12,000 File a complaint with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General When asked where homeowners should file if the contractor lives elsewhere, Fiffik said, “I would file with the magistrate where the homeowner lives.”

KDKA Investigates also attempted to contact Clouse multiple times, but our messages were not returned.

KDKA Investigates learned Clouse recently took over Quaker State and Supply as the new owner. The previous owner told KDKA he sold the business to Clouse in 2024, when the company still held an A-plus rating with the Better Business Bureau. The business is now listed as closed.

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Healey asks Navy for help retrieving “key piece of equipment” from sunken fishing vessel Lily Jean

CNN Newsource on May 15, 2026

By Neal Riley, Samantha Chaney

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    GLOUCESTER, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is appealing to the U.S. Navy to help retrieve a “key piece of equipment” from the fishing vessel Lily Jean, which sank off the coast of Gloucester earlier this year.

Seven crew members were lost at sea after the 72-foot vessel activated its emergency beacon about 20 miles off Cape Ann on Jan. 30. But the families of those who died still have no answers about what went wrong.

Healey and Gloucester state Sen. Bruce Tarr wrote to Secretary of the Navy Sec. Hung Cao this week, asking for help.

“Officials from the Massachusetts State Police have received information suggesting that a video recorder and hard drive installed on the F/V Lily Jean remains intact, with the potential to provide essential details in the immediate moments before the ship was lost,” the letter states. “The company that installed the technology believes the video captured is retrievable.”

Healey and Tarr also asked the Navy to “assess the feasibility of recovering the remains of lost crew members.” Only one body has been recovered so far.

“While we understand the potential risk to personnel and substantial cost, we believe it is a worthwhile investment to provide closure to the families of those lost, improve safety for future vessels, and prevent further loss of life,” they wrote.

The seven people who were on board the Lily Jean were: • Accursio “Gus” Sanfilippo, captain • Paul Beal Sr., crew • Paul Beal Jr., crew • John Rousanidis, crew • Freeman Short, crew • Sean Therrien, crew • Jada Samitt, NOAA fisheries observer

Tiffany Leigh has not lost hope that the remains of her boyfriend, Freeman Short, will be brought back home for a proper goodbye. “I would like some humanity to be shown, because if you know where your loved one was and you couldn’t reach them, it’s devastating,” Leigh said.

For more than 100 days, she has been making a desperate plea to state officials, asking them for help. “They lost their lives at sea, but they’re not lost at sea,” Leigh said. “We’ve known from February 4, maybe, where the boat was. We know the exact coordinates. We know it’s 320 feet deep.”

Sen. Tarr said the U.S. Navy has confirmed receipt of that letter and in the next few days, he’s hoping to hear back on whether the request is feasible.

“Some of the families have certainly expressed the desire to have remains recovered from the vessel. Others, I do not believe, hold that same opinion,” Sen. Tarr told WBZ News.

While Leigh says she does respect that decision for some families. She says she won’t rest until Freeman is brought back home. “I want to know where his body is and I want to sit by his gravesite and for him to have a tombstone,” Leigh said.

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Auction for Karen Read’s Lexus SUV called off due to low bidder turnout

CNN Newsource on May 15, 2026

By Mike Sullivan

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    WOBURN, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Karen Read’s now famous Lexus SUV drew the eyeballs of the nation for years as she fought in court to prove her innocence. On Thursday, the vehicle was up for auction, but it was called off 30 minutes before a bid even came in.

“Usually that would be followed by some boos, and sighs and awes,” said auctioneer Justin Manning while addressing bidders and Read supporters at Manzi Appraisers in Woburn, Massachusetts.

Manning told the crowd the owner, Bill Brusard, was presented an offer prior to the auction. He chose to take the deal after hearing that the bidder turnout was in the single digits. Brusard is the owner of JB Auto, which is the same group that worked to repair the vehicle. The number of Karen Read supporters and trial followers far outweighed the total number of bidders.

“I know what they did to the car,” said Danielle Archer, a follower of the trial who came, but didn’t plan to bid. “I don’t know how they put it back together.”

Manning says Brusard was expected to give the proceeds from the auction back to Karen Read. He added that the deal went through with a group, but it’s unclear who that is or what their intentions are. The Alcatraz East Crime Museum in Tennessee says they were in talks to purchase the car last year but decided to pass. It became less of a fit once they realized the car had been repaired.

“There has been steady interest from those two groups prior to today, and I think today was a little bit more investor-driven group than those type of groups,” said Manning.

He expects the deal to be official in the coming days.

Read was charged with murder in the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe and stood trial twice. She was accused of hitting O’Keefe with her SUV during a blizzard after a night of heavy drinking and leaving him to die in the snow outside of a Canton, Massachusetts home.

Read’s first trial ended in a mistrial due to hung jury. During her retrial in 2025, Read was acquitted of the most serious charges and found guilty of operating under the influence of liquor. She received one year of probation.

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Georgia patients, dispensaries hopeful new medical marijuana expansion will bring more relief

CNN Newsource on May 15, 2026

By Daniel Wilkerson

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    ATLANTA, Georgia (WUPA) — Georgians with chronic pain and dispensary operators are hopeful for a new law that expands access to medical marijuana in the state.

Gov. Brian Kemp signed Senate Bill 220 into law on Tuesday, removing a cap on the amount of THC in medical products and allowing vaping as one of the acceptable uses.

The law also drops some restrictions on what illnesses medical marijuana can be used to treat.

Juan Merced said THC helped him move away from years of opioid use tied to his severe chronic pain.

“It has been a godsend, actually,” said Merced. “I spent 16 years on opiates, medication, pain medications.”

Merced said doctors repeatedly increased his dosage over the years as he struggled with chronic pain tied to nerve damage and neck injuries.

“Someone suggested THC, and I had – I tried to replace that with my opioid medication with THC, which helped me tremendously,” he said.

Inside Fine Fettle’s Lawrenceville dispensary, workers are already preparing for the expansion.

Judson Hill, the market president for the dispensary, said supporters believe the changes could help patients who previously relied on low-THC oil products.

“It completely changes things,” said Hill. “What we’ve had to date has been a low-THC oil program. So that was really giving the weakest medicine to the sickest people.”

Hill said the new products could provide faster relief for some patients dealing with severe medical conditions.

“SB 220 adds flower and vape as products that can be purchased by the patients,” said Hill. “So those products have immediate efficacy.”

He said many patients are also asking questions about cost and whether insurance could eventually help cover medical cannabis products.

“Short story is to date, it’s been all out-of-pocket purchase,” said Hill.

Hill said products currently range from a few dollars for some single-use products to more expensive options designed to last weeks.

“I would say we have products that range from as low as $5 to $10 for a single-use product to, you know, 60 to $75 for maybe a pack of gummies or let’s say, a vape that someone may purchase that should last them two weeks to a month’s supply of medicine,” said Hill.

Merced said as Georgia’s medical cannabis program expands, affordability will remain important for patients looking for long-term relief options.

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Swedish family sues Miami Beach resort for $15 million over 11-year-old daughter’s alleged attack at pool

CNN Newsource on May 15, 2026

By Larry Seward

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    MIAMI BEACH, Florida (WFOR) — A couple from Sweden is suing the owners of a Miami Beach resort and demanding at least $15 million, claiming the facility provided “grossly inadequate security.” The lawsuit follows an alleged attack on their 11-year-old daughter at the resort pool in October 2025.

The family, including the parents and their three daughters, ages 19, 14, and 11, was vacationing in South Florida for the first time, spending a week at the Radisson Resort Miami Beach.

According to a police report filed by the family, the attack occurred just two days into their trip. Miami Beach Police said that Osvaldo Diaz, 68, attacked the 11-year-old girl in the resort pool. Diaz was not a resort guest and allegedly sneaked around the hotel’s key card security system.

Once in the pool, Diaz grabbed and groped the girl, police said.

Investigators noted that the girl’s family was on the pool deck when the attack happened. The girl was able to get away from Diaz and immediately told her sisters and parents, according to authorities.

The girl’s father called the police and followed Diaz, who left the property by going through a neighboring hotel. Officers subsequently arrested the suspect on Collins Avenue.

The family’s attorney, Justin Shapiro, said the resort lacked proper security.

“There was no supervision, no access control,” Shapiro said. “Anyone could have followed guests into that pool area from the beach (or) from the lobby”.

The lawsuit, filed by Shapiro on behalf of his clients, targets Radisson Resort Miami Beach’s owners, operators, managers, and Diaz.

“We have no indication that (the resort) had visible presence of security anywhere on that hotel’s grounds, which is grossly inadequate,” Shapiro said, adding that such a lack of security is “highly unusual in Miami Beach.”

The parents said the incident has caused their daughter “life-changing trauma”.

“Our daughter is not the same anymore,” the father said. “She is scared of things that she was not scared of before. She comes to our bedroom and sleeps now in our bedroom often.” The father declined to provide his name to protect his daughter’s privacy.

The girl’s mother added, “We just want to make sure this never, ever happens to any other child”.

CBS News Miami called and messaged the owners of the resort, but no one responded before the deadline.

Diaz remains in jail without bond. Last month, his public defender filed a motion asking for a speedy trial, claiming the statutory period for securing one ended in April.

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.

Construction worker alive after 30-foot fall from building in Madison, Wisconsin

CNN Newsource on May 14, 2026

By Tanner Kahler

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    MADISON, Wisconsin (WISN) — Firefighters in Madison said a construction worker is alive after falling approximately 30 feet from a building.

It happened around 10:45 Wednesday morning near Johnson Street and Bassett Street in downtown Madison.

According to the Madison Fire Department, workers said they were moving scaffolding on the side of a building when the scaffolding and a piece of machinery tipped over. A worker on the scaffolding was left clinging to the side of a building until he lost his grip and fell to the ground below.

Medics took the worker to a hospital. The fire department says the worker’s injuries are believed to be non-life-threatening.

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.

Three students charged after assaults on teachers, SRO at High School

CNN Newsource on May 14, 2026

By Jessica Genader

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    MURFREESBORO, Tennessee (WTVF) — Three students face charges after a series of assaults involving teachers and a school resource officer at Siegel High School on Wednesday.

The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office said SRO Caleb Shadwick responded to the cafeteria, where he saw a 16-year-old student repeatedly shoving a teacher. Shadwick intervened, took the student to the ground to control the situation, and handcuffed him after the student continued to resist.

Authorities said that while escorting the student to his office, a 17-year-old student shoved Shadwick from behind. When Shadwick asked him to back away, the 17-year-old then punched Shadwick in the face multiple times. Shadwick punched the student, pulled him close to stop the assault, and sprayed him with pepper spray, ending the fight.

The sheriff’s office said a teacher and Shadwick then escorted the student to the library for decontamination to wash and rinse his face.

The 17-year-old was charged with felony assault on a first responder, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct. The 16-year-old was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

In a separate incident, SRO Alex Weatherford said he responded to the cafeteria when Principal Stephen Wayne told him a student had assaulted a teacher, knocking him to the floor. Weatherford tried to calm the student and called for backup from Murfreesboro Police.

The sheriff’s office said a teacher obtained juvenile petitions charging the student with assault.

All three students were taken to the Rutherford County Juvenile Detention Center.

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Teen survives cardiac arrest, inspires heart safety advocacy

CNN Newsource on May 14, 2026

By Emily Pofahl

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    FRANKLIN, Wisconsin (WISN) — A Franklin teen who survived cardiac arrest during a basketball tournament is now part of the reason why a new AED is installed at a local community center.

Carter Zahn, now 18, collapsed five minutes into a basketball tournament in Illinois two years ago at the age of 16. He had no prior heart issues or underlying conditions.

“It could happen at a school. It could happen at a park. It could happen at a basketball court,” said Lori Peters, who helps lead manufacturer ZOLL. “Age, size, shape — doesn’t matter.”

Reflecting on the incident, Zahn said he was shocked it happened to him.

“You were 16, were you even thinking about your heart?” asked Emily Pofahl.

“Yeah, no. No. I knew nothing about my heart,” Zahn said.

He credits a nearby AED, or automated external defibrillator, with saving his life.

“A parent from my AU team came down and started CPR for me. An AED saved me,” Zahn said.

On Wednesday, a new AED was installed outside the Franklin Middle School Community Recreation Center, donated by manufacturers ZOLL and SaveStation.

The donation was made possible by the Franklin Fire Department.

“Yes, we respond in our average just under five minutes, but we need our first responders to be able to call 911, grab the closest AED, and start those chest compressions,” said Shannon Anthoine, assistant chief of the Franklin Fire Department.

Medical professionals say AED use within minutes of a collapse can double survival chances.

Officials estimate 30,000 to 40,000 people will pass by the new Franklin AED each year.

Zahn said he is motivated to continue advocating for AEDs and heart safety.

“I know what happened. But now I’m more like — just trying to think of it in a positive way, and I want to make it my mission to motivate people,” Zahn said.

The AED, thanks to SaveStation, is climate-controlled to withstand Wisconsin winters and sends alerts to nearby first responders when opened.

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.