Chicago Archdiocese fires substitute teacher with history of child molestation allegations

CNN Newsource on January 27, 2026

By Todd Feurer, Jermont Terry, Tara Molina

Click here for updates on this story

    CHICAGO (WBBM) — The Archdiocese of Chicago has fired a substitute teacher with a long history of child molestation allegations in Illinois and other states.

The announcement on Monday has raised questions about how Brett Smith was hired in the first place, and parents at the school where he most recently worked in Evergreen Park are fired up.

The archdiocese said Smith, formerly known as Brett Zagorac, worked in at least four Catholic schools in the city and suburbs over the past 16 months.

Smith was a long-term substitute teacher last school year at St. Walter-St. Benedict School, which has campuses in the Morgan Park neighborhood and south suburban Blue Island. He also worked for a third-party vendor at Pope John Paul II School in the Brighton Park neighborhood at the beginning of this school year. He was a substitute teacher at Queen of Martyrs School in Evergreen Park this month. He also has worked as a private tutor for at least one family enrolled at a Catholic school in the south suburbs.

While the archdiocese said they are not aware of any allegations of sexual misconduct against Smith while working at St. Walter-St. Benedict, Pope John Paul II, or Queen of Martyrs schools, one family in the south suburbs filed a complaint against him for conduct while he was tutoring in their home.

“The presence of this individual in some of our schools and with some of our students is very alarming. We want to thank parents at Queen of Martyrs who have been instrumental in shedding light on this situation,” the archdiocese said in a statement. “We regret that this individual has been in several of our schools and are deeply committed to providing a safe environment for all our students.” Evergreen Park police confirmed they are investigating Smith, and a report of a possible incident involving a child, but wouldn’t address questions related to the case.

The archdiocese said they immediately moved to remove Smith from their schools and to fire him after they learned of his history of child molestation allegations. Officials said, despite that history, he had passed state background checks and fingerprint checks when he was first hired in 2024.

The archdiocese said it is cooperating with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and two suburban police departments as it seeks to learn more about Smith’s background.

A spokesperson for DCFS confirmed they’ve opened an investigation.

Illinois State Police said both the archdiocese and the Chicago Board of Education requested fingerprint checks for Smith in 2024 and 2025, but said they could not share the information provided by those criminal history checks.

Smith legally changed his name in 2019. He used to go by Brett Zagorac. Officials said he also goes by BJ Smith and has used the name BJ Wilhelm.

In Arizona, that state’s attorney general has accused Smith of legally changing his name to hide his past in 2021.

Accused by multiple families of inappropriately touching children, he was sentenced to probation on a forgery charge in 2022.

12News in Phoenix spoke to an Indiana parent who was the first to report him to police more than 20 years ago.

“The more I read this, the more it makes me angry he’s still doing it,” the parent told 12News.

In 2010, before changing his name, Smith was working as a tutor and was charged with child molesting in Porter County, Indiana. A jury convicted him of misdemeanor battery of a 5-year-old.

In 2015, he was charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse in Wilmette. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of battery/physical contact.

Parents at Queen of Martyrs did not want to go on camera on Monday, but in a statement, they called for new safeguards to prevent this in the future.

Smith is not facing any current criminal charges. Officials at the archdiocese asked anyone whose child has had contact with Smith that makes them uncomfortable to call their local police department or the DCFS Hotline (1.800.25.ABUSE). They can also contact the Archdiocese Office for the Protection of Children and Youth at 312-534-5254.

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.

FMU student raped on campus after suspect jumps wall; security response under scrutiny

CNN Newsource on January 27, 2026

By Anna McAllister, Zachary Bynum

Click here for updates on this story

    MIAMI (WFOR) — Police are searching for a suspect after a Florida Memorial University student was raped on campus early Sunday morning, according to Miami Gardens police. Authorities say the victim, an international student from Colombia, was attacked at around 6:15 a.m. after returning to campus from a bus stop on NW 42nd Avenue.

Investigators report that the suspect whistled at the victim before she sought safety by returning onto school grounds, where campus security checked her ID and let her in.

However, police say the suspect jumped a campus wall, chased the victim, and sexually assaulted her before fleeing.

At a Monday night news conference, Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt confirmed that the ongoing investigation shows security guards may have seen the suspect enter campus and follow the victim, but did not intervene. “That’s what the investigation is showing at this time,” Chief Noel-Pratt told CBS News Miami.

Students voiced frustration over campus safety, with one telling CBS News Miami, “Security needs to be a lot better, communication needs to be a lot better, there’s a lot that needs to improve.”

A letter sent to FMU students says the university is reviewing surveillance footage, increasing patrols, and strengthening security at residence halls and academic buildings.

The suspect is described as a man about six feet tall, wearing a black hoodie and black pants. Police are urging anyone with information to come forward and note that tips can be provided anonymously.

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.

Vail ski lift “stopped operating” Sunday — Colorado guests evacuated by rope

CNN Newsource on January 26, 2026

By Brian Maass

Click here for updates on this story

    VAIL, Colorado (KCNC) — Vail Resorts confirmed Monday that one of the lifts at Vail, the Little Eagle chair, “stopped operating” Sunday at around noon, leading ski patrollers to perform an evacuation. An estimated 40 guests at the Colorado ski resort were helped from the lift using ropes.

“We apologize to our skiers and riders who were inconvenienced by this event,” wrote Michelle Dallal, senior communications specialist for Vail Resorts.

In a statement sent to CBS Colorado, Dallal wrote: “We place the highest value on the safety of our guests and will resolve the issue before reopening Little Eagle to the public. Until then, the lift will remain closed.”

Dallal did not answer questions from CBS Colorado on what caused the problem and if anyone was injured. Her statement said Vail Mountain Ski Patrol used ropes to get people off the chairs.

On social media, some commenters claimed they heard a loud noise and that a cable snapped, but Dallal did not respond to questions about those accounts.

She said it took ski patrol about 90 minutes to evacuate guests from the chairlift.

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.

Pontiac glass studio turns ashes into memorial art to help families heal from loss

CNN Newsource on January 26, 2026

By Faraz Javed , Brian Schwartz

Click here for updates on this story

    PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — At the Epiphany Glass Studio in Pontiac, art takes on a deeply personal meaning as owner and artist April Wagner transforms cremation ashes into stunning memorial glass sculptures.

The studio has been crafting art of various shapes and sizes for years, but Wagner recently took her craft in this meaningful direction. Each piece is handcrafted, with a small portion of ashes fused into molten glass, whether ordered online or made in person during special workshops.

Wagner calls the process “healing through beauty,” and for many clients, it provides a way to channel grief into something lasting and beautiful.

“People tell me that it’s great to have their loved one immortalized in a piece of art or to be able to view instead of just an urn with a bunch of ash in it, something colorful,” Wagner said. “If it’s the shape of a heart or a flower, or in the case of a pet, if it looks like your cat with the coloration, it just really keeps that memory alive.”

For Lish Dorset, creating a memorial piece for her beloved cat Ronnie became part of her healing journey. Ronnie was the first cat Dorset adopted as an adult when she moved out on her own.

“She and I were together on our own for a couple of years, and then I met my husband, she met my husband, and we were just kind of a little trio for the longest time,” Dorset said.

When Ronnie passed away at age 13 on Dorset’s birthday, the loss hit particularly hard.

“I wasn’t expecting to spend my birthday that way, and so it was really, really difficult,” Dorset said.

As part of her healing process, Dorset created a glass piece in person at the studio.

“It does make me a little bit emotional when I see it, but it’s just a little piece of her and it feels like a little bit of her spirit,” Dorset said. “It’s just kind of moving throughout the glass piece.”

Studio Manager Shannon Teeple explains that the creation process takes about 15 minutes. The studio offers an entire line of memorial pieces available on their website in different styles and colors, and twice a year, provides a unique opportunity for clients to create pieces themselves with the artists.

The workshops bring together people from different walks of life, each with their own story to tell and person to celebrate.

“When I came for the workshop that day, everyone came from a different walk of life, had a different story to tell, and a different person to celebrate,” Dorset said.

For Dorset, the experience provided the closure she needed.

“It really was. And now I get to see this every day. And it’s just a happy reminder,” she said.

From the heat of the furnace to the cool touch of glass, these creations serve as far more than décor – they’re bridges between goodbye and forever, helping families hold onto memories in a tangible, beautiful way.

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

New documents reveal moments before deadly shooting at Lawrence, Kansas, bar

CNN Newsource on January 26, 2026

By Crystal Olney

Click here for updates on this story

    LAWRENCE, Kan. (KSHB) — Court documents unsealed last week provide new information in the hours leading to the Jan. 17 deadly shooting at The Hawk bar in Lawrence.

The incident at the Jayhawk Cafe, also known as The Hawk, resulted in the death of 18-year-old Aiden Sullivan Knowles and left 16-year-old Brady Clark injured.

In the days following the shooting, the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office filed murder charges against Caiden Clem and Daitron Daniels-Strickland, both 18.

A Douglas County District Court judge on Friday, Jan. 23, unsealed the affidavit filed by Lawrence police in support of the charges.

According to the affidavit, when police began setting up the crime scene on Jan. 17, officers were approached by three males who claimed to have witnessed the shooting and were familiar with the victims.

The group of males — including the victims — arrived at The Hawk around 10 p.m. on Jan. 16. While they were there, the group met another group that included Daniels-Strickland and Clem. The witnesses reported there were no issues between the groups during the evening.

Two of the males left The Hawk to go to The Wheel, and were later denied reentry to The Hawk. Before leaving, they noticed a group of males and Daniels-Strickland arguing with bar staff about a cell phone and shots were fired shortly after, according to witness statements in the court document.

Video from the Jayhawk Cafe’s surveillance system showed Clem, Daniels-Strickland and two other males sneak into the bar from an unstaffed side entrance around 11 p.m. on Jan. 16.

Staff at the bar instructed Clem and his associates to leave around 1:45 a.m. on Jan. 17, which led to an altercation with staff. During the fight, Clem is shown on video pulling out a semi-automatic handgun, but it is pinned to his side by another male.

The group is eventually forced outside, and staff convinces Clem to leave. The court document says Clem then points his firearm at the left side of a bouncer’s head at the western exit doors, where Daniels-Strickland and his group are attempting to reenter.

Clem and Daniels-Strickland fired shots toward the bar around 1:49 a.m., according to video surveillance evidence.

In Clem’s statement to police, he denied having a firearm, firing any weapons, being involved in any issues at the bar or hearing any gunshots.

Daniels-Strickland said in his interview with police he claimed he saw an altercation between a group and bar staff at closing and then heard multiple gunshots, which led him to firing his firearm “because he was scared.” In his statement, he also claimed he did not aim at anyone and fired his weapon upward.

When police showed Daniels-Strickland a video of the incident and showed he fired directly at people near the door, he said he did not remember seeing subjects in front of him, according to court documents.

During Daniels-Strickland’s interview, he said maybe it was a “good thing he caught a body on his first adult charge.”

Two firearms, believed to be related to the incident, were located by officers while searching the area the morning of the shooting. A tan colored semi-automatic handgun was found near Gertrude Sellards Peasron’s residence hall and a black Glock handgun was found under a vehicle inside a parking garage at 1136 Louisiana St., according to court documents.

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.

Thousands of Kaiser Permanente workers across California go on strike calling for new contracts

CNN Newsource on January 26, 2026

By Chelsea Hylton

Click here for updates on this story

    LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) — Thousands of Kaiser Permanente health care workers across California and Hawaii went on strike on Monday, calling for fair wages and safer working conditions.

The United Nurses Associations of California /Union of Health Care Professions (UNAC/UHCP), which represents healthcare workers, said the strike comes after stalled negotiations with Kaiser in December 2025. The unions filed an unfair labor practice charge against Kaiser, alleging the company walked away from the bargaining table and accused them of trying to bypass the agreed-upon national bargaining process.

UNAC/UHCP said about 31,000 nurses and health care workers are expected to join the picket lines across California. The union said they plan to highlight “Kaiser’s failure to invest in safe staffing levels, timely access to quality care, and fair wages for frontline caregivers.”

“We’re not going on strike to make noise. We’re striking because Kaiser has committed serious unfair labor practices and because Kaiser refuses to bargain in good faith over staffing that protects patients, workload standards that stop moral injury, and the respect and dignity that Kaiser caregivers have been denied for far too long,” said Charmaine S. Morales, RN, President of UNAC/UHCP.

A spokesperson for Kaiser said the company has been bargaining with UNAC/UHCP and the Alliance of Health Care Unions for more than 7 months, trying to reach an agreement on contracts.

“Our Alliance employees already earn, on average, about 16% more than similar roles at other health care organizations, and in some markets, they earn 24% more. Our current proposal builds on that, keeping Kaiser Permanente among the best-paying employers in health care,” the spokesperson said. “It includes the strongest compensation package in our national bargaining history: a 21.5% wage increase over the life of the contract, with 16% within the first 2 years. When step increases and local adjustments are factored in, the total average increase is approximately 30% — one of the strongest nursing contract offers in California this year.”

The Kaiser spokesperson called the strike “unnecessary when such a generous offer is on the table.” The spokesperson added that the strike is designed to disrupt the lives of patients.

“Striking is the lawful power of working people, and we are prepared to use it on behalf of our profession and patients,” Morales said.

The company said it has prepared contingency plans to ensure needs are met and services are still provided during the strike. Union leaders have said the strike will continue until an agreement is reached.

In Southern California, UNAC/UHCP represents nearly 27,000 health care workers.

Last fall, thousands of Kaiser employees participated in a five-day strike calling for better staffing, pay and patient care.

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.

Crash reconstructionist helps determine how accidents happen

CNN Newsource on January 26, 2026

By Ashley Portillo

Click here for updates on this story

    ARAPAHOE, Colorado (KCNC) — Serious or fatal accidents happen across Colorado regardless of the weather or traffic conditions. After a crash, the investigation aims to answer questions such as what happened and who was at fault.

It’s an important role, and something an Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office crash reconstructionist takes seriously. For Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Deputy Ben Sears, pictures help paint the story of how a car accident happened.

“There are times I have 500 photos from a crash,” said Deputy Sears.

Combining physics, formulas, measurements, and math, he says, reconstructing a crash is like a puzzle.

“We’re trying to put the pieces back together, we’re trying our best to put the crash back together,” said Sears.

As a crash reconstructionist with the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office since 2019, Deputy Sears is one of the first to respond to accidents that are fatal or serious. He gathers evidence like tire marks, vehicle damage, and data. By analyzing the scene, he can determine the cause of a crash, the sequence of events, and the vehicle’s speed.

“The big things that we’re looking at are human, vehicle, and environment with every single crash, because those three things are always in play,” said Sears. “Was weather a factor, was the engineering of the roadway a factor, or the human side, whether they’re impaired, whether they’re not impaired, distracted, and then did the vehicle play a role?”

Sears was the first on the scene at state Senator Faith Winters’ deadly crash in November. In her case, they initially thought it was a five-car accident, then determined there were two separate crashes.

“Ultimately, we figured out there was a vehicle that was involved in both wrecks, but that took a little while to put together,” said Sears.

Sears has gone through hours of training and is the first and only traffic reconstructionist in the agency nationally accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Traffic Accident Reconstruction.

His mission is to serve as a voice for those impacted.

“We’re speaking for the victims,” said Sears. “The phrase I use is to solve with integrity, and my goal is to solve this so that people get answers and hopefully closure.”

In some cases, information gathered during the investigation can also help determine if charges should be filed or help explain engineering issues on the roadway.

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.

3 people die while shoveling snow during winter storm, coroner says

CNN Newsource on January 26, 2026

By Alexandra Simon

Click here for updates on this story

    LEHIGH COUNTY, Pennsylvania (KYW) — Three people died while trying to shovel and clear snow during Sunday’s winter storm in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, the coroner’s office said.

The three people who died ranged in age from 60 to 84 years old and were reportedly shoveling snow before experiencing medical emergencies.

The Lehigh County Coroner’s Office said the deaths were all ruled natural, and are consistent with cardiac-related events that can happen during “strenuous activity such as snow removal, particularly in older adults or those with underlying health conditions.”

Parts of the Lehigh Valley received nearly a foot of snow Sunday. Allentown recorded 11.5 inches, Germansville got 14 inches and Emmaus had 13.3 inches.

Sunday’s snow started fluffy and soft, but hardened up when precipitation changed over to sleet and freezing rain, making it more difficult to shovel throughout the rest of the day.

Lehigh County Coroner Daniel Buglio urged anyone who continues to clear snow Monday to “use caution.”

“Take frequent breaks, stay hydrated, avoid overexertion, and seek assistance when possible – especially individuals with a history of heart disease or other medical concerns,” Buglio said.

The names of the three people who died have not been publicly released.

Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk on Monday urged people to help their neighbors when they can.

“If you’re young and strong and ready to shovel some snow, that’s phenomenal,” Tuerk said. “However you feel, just watch yourself. Just take care.”

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.

Man continues mission to run every single street in Chicago amid extreme cold

CNN Newsource on January 26, 2026

By Evelyn Holmes

Click here for updates on this story

    CHICAGO (WLS) — A man on a mission did not let the extreme cold Friday prevent him from reaching his goal.

Joabe Barbosa, 25, wants to become the first person to run every single street in Chicago. That’s about 4,000 miles.

It has become one of the missions in life for Barbosa, to run all of the about 4,000 miles of Chicago streets that make up the city’s 77 neighborhoods.

“Everywhere in Chicago, amazing people everywhere you go they always support me on my journey,” Barbosa said. “I feel safe everywhere I go.”

So far, the Roosevelt University graduate student has conquered about 80% of the city’s more than 2,000 street by mapping out a grid and using a zig-zag approach to make sure all blocks are covered.

Barbosa often uses public transportation to travel to neighborhoods, running on average 10 miles a day, six days a week regardless of the weather.

ABC7 caught up with him Friday morning at a CTA Blue Line station.

“Coldest day in years, but that doesn’t stop me,” Barbosa said. “Because I’m gonna be out there with the Chicago flag representing and trying to get more streets.”

Barbosa’s journey began in August 2024. He posts his progress on social media and documents his runs on an app called Strava. He’s managed to check off a lot of the city and says some of his favorite communities have been on the city’s South Side and West Side.

“I really like running on the South Side. Amazing people there always supporting me on my journey,” Barbosa said.

Born in Brazil and raised in England, Barbosa went to college in Kentucky on a sports scholarship before moving to the Windy City a few years ago to pursue his doctorate in clinical psychology.

Ironically, he says he really doesn’t like running, but started it as rehab after surviving a life-threatening mountaineering accident in March of last year that left him with frostbite and hypothermia. His doctor told him he needed to get his blood flowing, so since he couldn’t play his favorite soccer every day, he took to the lakefront trails.

‘So with that, I started running on the lakefront trail cause I play soccer, but you can’t play soccer every day, but you can run every day,” Barbosa said. “But when I was running on the Lakefront Trail, I was just thinking this is beautiful, but it’s boring and so I thought, why don’t I go to different neighborhoods.”

Donning the Chicago city flag as a cape, Barbosa says while he often runs alone, sometimes he’ll pick up a running partner along with way, who loves Chicago and its people as much as he does.

“Just encouraging people to go out there and just explore Chicago and explore the world,” Barbosa said.

The Chicago man is not the only runner pursuing the challenge. At least two others also have designs on the city.

Barbosa hopes to finish his quest by April or May.

Once the run is complete, he plans on submitting his accomplishment for official Guinness World Record recognition and maybe even take his run every street effort to other cities.

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.

From combat to canopy: Paraplegic veteran injured in Afghanistan finds healing in the sky

CNN Newsource on January 26, 2026

By Frances Lin

Click here for updates on this story

    BRADENTON, Florida (WFTS) — Soaring through the sky, Army veteran Alex Dillman is proving that nothing, not even paralysis, can keep him grounded.

Dillman, a Bradenton-area resident and former infantry soldier, was injured in 2011 during his second deployment in Afghanistan when an IED exploded under the vehicle he was riding in.

The blast killed his friend, Sgt. Christopher Gould, and left Dillman paralyzed from the chest down.

“That night, very bad weather conditions. Visibility was poor. I sustained severe injuries. And we also had a driver and gunner who sustained pretty severe injuries. But that was ultimately my life-changing event. And, after that, I woke up at Walter Reed,” Dillman said.

His recovery involved more than a year of inpatient care at Walter Reed, supported by his wife, whom he married in 2008.

“She’s definitely a trooper. She’s been through a lot.”

It wasn’t really until after my injury that I really saw my potential and how I could push my body when I was faced with those limitations.

As he started to recover, Dillman remained determined to continue living an adventurous life and began exploring adaptive sports, including scuba diving, hand cycling and marathons. Eventually, he discovered skydiving, which offered both physical challenges and the camaraderie he missed from his military service.

“With the life-changing mobility issues that I was faced with, that closed a lot of doors. And those doors closed, other doors opened. It allowed me to pursue things I wouldn’t normally have pursued and to ask for help. And it really helped me grow and evolve because I wasn’t one to particularly ask for help initially.”

Through months of training and with the help of staff and fellow jumpers at Skydive City in Zephyrhills, Dillman earned his B license, enabling him to participate in more advanced jumps. He credits the drop zone’s openness and encouragement for helping him push past both physical and psychological barriers.

I’ve never been part of a community that’s been so accepting.

Dillman described skydiving as a mix of preparation, adrenaline, and freedom, from checking gear and boarding the plane to the canopy opening and enjoying the view. While the freefall demands focus, the moments under the parachute give him time to appreciate the experience and reflect on how far he has come.

He encourages others facing disabilities or major life changes to set aside ego and seek help, noting that willingness to put in effort often inspires others to contribute to your success. His message: start small, embrace the process, and let each victory build toward your ultimate goal.

For Dillman, every jump is proof that life after injury can be full of possibilities, if you’re willing to take the leap.

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.