Author: CNN Newsource

By Conor Wight

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    MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (WCCO) — The parents of 10-year-old Harper Moyski, who was killed in the mass shooting at Annunciation Church, say that the Republican candidate for governor lied to them.

Jackie Flavin and Mike Moyski said that Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth promised them a vote on gun control legislation when she met with them in their home in the wake of the shooting, which left two children dead— including their daughter Harper— and 21 injured.

“Not only did she lie to us and not do anything to make Minnesota safer, she just doesn’t seem to have an answer or have anything to say,” Flavin said.

The couple said that they had hope when, with just a few weeks left to go in the year’s legislative session, the Minnesota State Senate narrowly passed a sweeping bill which would have banned semiautomatic weapons and high capacity magazines.

Their peers in the Minnesota State House never voted on the same package before legislators broke for the year; members of the DFL and the Moyski family blame Demuth.

“I think she lied to us in our living room,” Moyski said, “intentionally? I don’t know.”

Flavin and Moyski made the renewed comments standing alongside Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the democrat running against Demuth.

“When Minnesotans wanted action, Lisa Demuth ensured nothing would happen,” Klobuchar said in a press conference with the Moyskis on Thursday.

Sen. Klobuchar brought up the issue during their final televised debate on Wednesday. There, Demuth countered, once again arguing that the house did evaluate gun control issues.

“When I had the honor of meeting with the families that were highly impacted by the tragedy at annunciation, I gave them my word. I would not lie to them. But I said bills will be introduced, they will go through the process and they will be voted on. That happened eight times. I was true to my word,” Demuth said.

A campaign spokesperson clarified that there were seven votes, pointing WCCO to various gun control measures that house members evaluated between March and May during the legislative session. This included instances where the house was determining whether to bring these measures to a full vote; the campaign is also counting votes related to rules and procedures that would have to be approved in order to take legislative votes. In a house split evenly between the DFL and the GOP, these measures didn’t make it out of committee or otherwise didn’t move forward.

“The heartbreaking loss of life at Annunciation is a horrendous tragedy in our state’s history. Speaker Demuth’s own children were on the campus of Rocori High School when a shooter killed two classmates in 2003. She has fought for and will continue to fight for greater security upgrades and mental health resources for all kids,” Demuth’s campaign spokesperson said in a statement, “There were seven votes during the legislative session on these issues, and Speaker Demuth supported elements of the Annunciation parents’ agenda, including mobile crisis grants and required anonymous threat reporting systems in all schools. Speaker Demuth has supported security funding for all kids in all schools, including in private schools, which Democrats over and over again have blocked.”

Flavin called Demuth’s response “bull****.”

On May 14, House lawmakers opted not to bring the gun reform bill passed by the Senate to the chamber floor for a vote.

This is where the Moyskis argue Demuth failed them, believing the package that the Senate agreed on could have won support in the house. Demuth argued at the time that it did not properly pass through the committee process.

“It is my opponent who stopped it in it’s tracks. She wouldn’t even let it come up for a vote,” Klobuchar said.

Klobuchar said that she would sign the bill passed by the Senate as is, but would also be open to tweaks.

Demuth has been firm in her legislative record voting against gun control measures, continuing to point to the importance of mental health measures.

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 Sara Tenenbaum, Jermont Terry

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    CHICAGO, Illinois (WBBM) — All elevated Loop CTA train lines will shut down for the weekend, the city said, as they do work on the Loop and Lake junction.

The shutdown will affect the Green, Brown, Orange and Pink lines. The work is part of the Chicago Department of Transportation’s Lake Street Bridge replacement project.

Green and Pink line service has already been disrupted since Oct 12, with tracks not operating between the Clinton and Clark/Lake stations as part of the bridge project. That work ends Friday, according to the city.

Shuttle buses will be provided to bridge the gaps.

Green Line trains will operate between Harlem/Lake and Clinton, and separately between Roosevelt and the South Side terminals. Shuttle buses will be in place between Clinton and Roosevelt, replacing the Clinton to Clark/Lake shuttle that’s been running the past two weeks.

Riders traveling downtown from the South Side can also connect to the Red Line at Roosevelt, CTA said.

Brown Line trains will run between Kimball and Merchandise Mart. Riders headed to the Red Line can connect at Belmont and Fullerton. Shuttle buses will replace service between Merchandise Mart and Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren.

The Orange Line will operate between Midway and Roosevelt, and shuttle buses will operate between Roosevelt and Clinton.

Pink Line trains will run between 54th/Cermak and the Racine Blue Line station. Pink Line trains will not operate around the Loop. Customers can transfer between the Pink and Blue lines at Racine.

The Red and Blue lines, which run underground, are not affected.

Loop service will be shut down between 4 a.m. Saturday and 4 a.m. Monday. Riders should plan to allow extra time over the weekend, and may want to consider alternate routes. CTA buses are running on their normal weekend schedule.

The Lake Street Bridge, which is 109 years old, closed for two years in October 2025 for extensive reconstruction and repairs. The bridge is closed to all drivers, pedestrians and bikers for the duration of the project, but the L tracks running over it have been operational with some pauses, re-routes and disruptions along the way.

CTA shut down elevated train traffic in the Loop in a nearly identical way one year ago.

Terrence Russell is among the thousands of CTA riders whose commute will have a huge change this weekend.

“It is actually quite devastating to learn this information,” he said.

With the people, construction, and vehicles already in the Loop on a typical weekend, expect more congestion with no Loop elevated trains running on Saturday and Sunday. Downtown will also be host to Halloween street festivals, the ALS Walk for Life and the Will Run for Beer Chicago 5K & Brewfest.

“That’s a lot of inconvenience,” CTA rider Adam Chan said. “It’s a core piece of infrastructure for the city.”

Chicago is the only city in the nation with elevated rails running in its downtown. The oldest line dates back 134 years. The State/Lake station has already been closed for major renovations since January. CTA officials said halting downtown elevated trains is its way of staying on top of required maintenance.

“Getting it repaired rapidly without dragging it out, there’s big benefits in that,” said DePaul University transportation expert Joe Schwieterman.

He said safety must be considered for workers with the work CTA must get done.

“If you want to do any kind of heavy work, you really have to bring in the big equipment, and those trains have to stop,” he said.

Nonetheless, Russell said he doesn’t approve, because he has to work this weekend, and he can’t risk delays from the CTA’s shuttle buses, so he’ll have to rely on rideshares.

“Somewhere close to $150 this weekend just getting back and forth,” he said, compared to just $20 for riding the CTA.

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 Amelia Mugavero

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    DALLAS, Texas (KTVT) — A Dallas mother says she witnessed a caregiver physically handling children at her 3-year-old daughter’s daycare, prompting an investigation and an arrest. Now, she is suing the daycare, raising questions about what happened before the incident and how the classroom video was monitored.

Fran Wilson said she chose The Learning Experience on Frankford Road in Dallas after researching the facility and speaking with its director.

“And she assured me that, you know, we can trust them,” Wilson said.

Wilson described her daughter as independent, bubbly, and social. But about three to four months after her daughter began attending the daycare, Wilson said she noticed changes in her behavior.

“So she just became different,” Wilson said. She described nightmares and said her daughter became clingy and did not want to leave her side.

Wilson said her daughter also told her that a teacher had hit her.

On Sept. 3, Wilson said she made an unannounced visit to the daycare. She said she watched live footage of activity inside the facility with the director and another employee.

“I noticed the caregiver yanking her arm, forcefully making her stumble to the sink and turning around and grabbing a little boy by the shirt and throwing him down,” Wilson said.

Caregiver arrested for assault The caregiver was arrested on two assault charges stemming from the incident, according to information provided to CBS News Texas. The Learning Experience told CBS News Texas that the caregiver no longer works at that location. CBS News Texas has tried to reach the individual but has not heard back.

Wilson said the experience has had a lasting effect on her family.

“What has happened to my daughter has changed our life forever,” she said.

Wilson has filed a lawsuit against the daycare, seeking accountability and answers about whether other incidents may have occurred, according to her account of the case.

Asked what seeing the footage showed her, Wilson said it undermined her trust in the facility.

“Basically, showed me that they can’t be trusted. And they are not being held accountable of what has been going on and also not knowing what has happened before this incident, if anything else has happened,” she said.

The Learning Experience says on its website that cameras in each classroom are monitored from administrative offices.

However, Wilson’s attorney, Russell Button, said the daycare had indicated that the incident was not recorded.

“What good are cameras if no one’s watching?” Button said. He questioned whether the facility’s camera system was being used effectively and alleged that caregivers knew cameras were present in the rooms.

Those statements reflect the attorney’s characterization of the case and do not independently establish what staff members knew or whether anyone was monitoring the footage at the time.

State investigates facility Texas Health and Human Services also investigated the facility. The agency’s publicly available childcare monitoring record lists findings involving “Grabbing and Pulling” and “Failure of Employees and Caregivers to Demonstrate Competency, Good Judgment, Self-control.”

The agency’s findings are documented in its childcare monitoring and inspection record.

The Learning Experience provided the following statement to CBS News Texas:

“The safety and well-being of every child in our care is our highest priority. We will not make any further comments as this is an ongoing legal matter.”

Wilson said she hopes sharing her experience encourages other parents to speak up if they have concerns about their children’s care.

“Just to let other parents know, to trust their instincts, never second-guess yourself if they feel like something is wrong. Just to speak up,” she 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 Marvin Hurst

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    FORT WORTH, Texas (KTVT) — The Southwest Effect is turning up the heat at Southwest High School in Fort Worth. But for members of the school’s nationally ranked show choir, the sweat isn’t just coming from their dance moves.

It’s coming from a broken air conditioning system.

Students have been rehearsing inside the school’s auditorium without working A/C since before summer break, according to parents. Now, with an early November performance approaching, frustration is reaching a boiling point.

“It’s been super hot, to the point where I’m sweating,” said student Rayana Ferrell. “I don’t even want to perform anymore. I’m just tired in general.”

The choir’s demanding rehearsals can stretch three hours a day, four days a week.

Dr. Elvia Espino, whose son performs with the group, said students have been forced to endure the heat while preparing for performances.

“Our children have been tasked with performing and doing grueling rehearsals upwards of four days a week for three-hour-long rehearsals without appropriate air conditioning,” Espino said. “This is an epic leadership failure.”

Espino said the problem existed before school dismissed for the summer, when families and community members attended performances inside the auditorium.

Students say fans have offered occasional relief, but not enough.

“Me personally, I bring my own little fan to go around my neck,” Ferrell said.

CBS News Texas pressed Fort Worth ISD for answers.

The district said in a statement:

“We understand the concerns regarding the air conditioning outage and want to provide an update on the repair timeline.

“The necessary replacement parts are currently scheduled to be shipped from the manufacturer on October 26. The parts were initially expected to arrive on October 23; however, the shipment was delayed by the manufacturer. We have confirmed that the correct parts were ordered. The delay is the result of the parts no longer being maintained as regular stock inventory. Although the equipment remains under warranty, the required components were either out of stock, no longer readily available, or needed to be manufactured before shipment, resulting in a longer-than-usual lead time.

“To help mitigate temperatures while repairs are pending, the district is planning to provide portable cooling units for practices and scheduled events next week. This effort will involve coordination among campus custodial staff, on-site personnel, and HVAC technicians to ensure the units are functioning properly and are set up and removed as needed around scheduled activities.

“We appreciate the community’s patience as we work to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.”

For Espino, the response raises another question: Why weren’t parents told sooner?

“It took getting a reporter. It took notifying a TV station to get this type of response,” she said.

Espino said she regularly receives school communications through ParentSquare but was never notified of the malfunction or of the steps being taken to protect students from the heat.

“This is a very reactive response, and I find that disheartening,” she said.

There is still no confirmed date for the restoration of the auditorium’s air conditioning.

Meanwhile, the Southwest Effect isn’t letting the heat steal its spotlight.

“I believe in my teammates,” Ferrell said. “If they can believe in me, then I believe in them.”

She believes their next show could be their best yet.

“Better than Hamilton,” she said.

The students are determined to bring down the house. Their parents just want the district to bring the temperature down.

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 Elijah Westbrook, Adi Guajardo, Lisa Rozner

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    NEW YORK, New York (WCBS) — The New York City Council passed a bill banning horse-drawn carriage rides in the city by 2028.

Lawmakers voted Thursday afternoon on Romanch’s Law. The legislation is named after Romanch Mahajan, 18, who died during a carriage accident in June in Central Park.

“We want to make sure Romanch’s death was not in vain,” Saggar Chadha, the attorney for Romanch’s family said. “Not just for Romanch, but so no one else is killed or injured by horse-drawn carriages in New York City.”

The bill is now headed to Mayor Zohran Mamdani to sign.

“The mayor will sign this bill, and the Mamdani administration is working every day to ensure we can do so while providing the strongest possible protections for the owners and workers in this industry,” Mamdani’s office said in a statement to CBS News New York on Thursday night.

“With a majority of the Council behind us, we have a historic opportunity to protect New Yorkers, visitors, workers, and animals, and we intend to finish the job,” council member Christopher Marte said prior to the vote.

The bill is making history, as the carriages have been part of the park since its inception more than 160 years ago. It’s ending operations in June 2028, with a transition plan for workers and owners required in 2027. The bill also calls for the humane placement of animals.

Carriage owners and their families are arguing, however, that the plan doesn’t go far enough. They rallied outside City Hall Wednesday and Thursday to push back. One family said they have spent nearly a century building their business.

“I invested $400,000 two years ago to expand my father’s dream, and you’re coming here to steal it,” owner Francesco Riccobono said.

“We are asking for fairness. We are asking for compassion. We are asking for a seat at the table,” said his wife, Natalie.

The Transport Workers Union said it is prepared to challenge the ban in federal court. TWU lawyer Ben Kallos said he believes a judge will overturn the legislation.

“They were supposed to figure out what the economic impact was. It’s required by the city charter, and if you pull the economic impact analysis, it’s blank,” he said.

City Council Speaker Julie Menin said in an interview with NY1 that the ban is necessary to protect animals and public safety.

“Forty-two million people use Central Park each and every year, and the horse carriages are operating in a very crowded area. We’ve had numerous accidents that have happened where horses have been spooked; they’ve broken free,” she said.

Menin said it has been a long-time issue.

“The first city council bill to ban the horse carriage industry happened 19 years ago. So certainly from an animal welfare perspective, this is very important to do,” she said.

President Donald Trump also weighed in on the vote, calling the end of the horse-drawn carriage industry “sad” and arguing the move was driven by a single tragic accident.

“When there is a car accident in the area, of which there are many, they don’t stop cars from entering the Park. So why would they stop the carriages? It was a great tradition. Another piece of history that’s gone. It will be missed,” he added.

Supporters of the bill praised the vote and thanked city leaders for advancing the measure.

Betsy Smith, CEO of the Central Park Conservancy, said in a statement that the carriage rides pose a “serious and even fatal safety risk to Park visitors, carriage drivers, and the horses themselves. Our hearts break for the family of Romanch Mahajan, who stepped into a carriage earlier this summer and never thought he might lose his life.”

Kathleen Schatzmann, strategic legislative affairs manager at the Animal Legal Defense Fund, called the vote “the start of a more humane and safe approach to New York tourism” and said the law would responsibly phase out the horse-drawn carriage industry while providing support for workers and protections for horses.

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 Erika Stanish

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    FAYETTE COUNTY, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — A Fayette County family is demanding answers after their loved one was shot to death and no one has been charged days later.

Authorities said 39-year-old Shaun Davis was shot and killed inside a home in Georges Township on Walnut Hill Road on Sunday. Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele said a juvenile shot Davis, calling it a domestic situation between Davis and his girlfriend when the juvenile stepped in to defend the woman. Investigators said Davis allegedly had a knife and a gun when he began threatening those inside the home.

Davis’ family said that the woman had bailed Davis out of jail and married him just days before the shooting, questioning how the state could allow that to happen when the two were allegedly under a no-contact order.

“How did the state fail my brother? That’s what I really want to know. How?” said Tyla Davis, Shaun Davis’ sister.

“I can sit here, and some people may blame him, and some people may blame her. But I think who I’m going to start with is the state, because why was that allowed?” Shaun Davis’ ex-girlfriend, Paige Kersten, said.

Kersten said she’s now left raising their four children — ages 6, 5 and 4-year-old twins — without a father.

“My world, our world, and most importantly, his children’s world is upside down,” Kersten said.

Kersten said Davis was recently bailed out of jail by the woman he’d just married, but admitted their relationship was riddled with a history of domestic violence.

“She got Shaun out of jail. But on the bailout paperwork, it stated they were not to be around each other,” Kersten said. “Why, why, why did that happen? Because she really shouldn’t have been able to get him out, and if she didn’t, no one else would have. He’d be alive, and my kids would have their father.”

“How did the state allow the victim to bail out her defendant when he was so abusive? Was the state so greedy that they needed $1,500?” Tyla Davis said.

KDKA took their questions to the district attorney.

“In Pennsylvania, a no-contact order does not apply to a victim,” Aubele said. “A victim has no obligation to stay away from a defendant. That may not seem right, and I think it’s certainly in some situations problematic, especially if a victim is trying to contact the defendant. But it’s not illegal. It is not a crime as to her.”

Aubele told KDKA on the day of the shooting that Davis’ manner of death was ruled as a homicide and confirmed this week that a juvenile inside the home shot him multiple times.

“We are right now investigating this as potentially a domestic violence situation in which Mr. Davis was the aggressor,” Aubele said. “The information that we have received and what is being told to us is that Mr. Davis was assaulting his girlfriend in the home, and that the juvenile intervened.”

Aubele said a juvenile then used another gun that was inside the house to shoot Davis after he began threatening people inside the home.

“The individual that shot Mr. Davis is claiming that he was coming to the defense of another, and the information that we have right now seems to back that up,” Aubele said.

Davis’ family said they are aware he and the woman had a toxic relationship and understand Davis has a history, but believe more should have been done on the state level to prevent it.

“I will not sit up here and say that my brother was innocent,” Tyla Davis said. “We’re not going to say that. But at the end of the day, he deserves justice.”

Aubele said they are still gathering interviews and evidence and seeking information that anyone has about the case.

“Mr. Davis does have a history. That’s something that we have to look at in any case where self-defense or justification is raised. That includes the fact that he has numerous drug offenses. He has been incarcerated for being a felon not to possess, and we do believe that he had a weapon on his person at the time that he was shot,” Aubele said. “We also note that there is a significant history of domestic violence in that home, with Mr. Davis being the assailant. We have had at least one case that was withdrawn at the request of the victim. We have another case for which he was actually pending charges at the time of this incident, where he admitted to biting the female in the home.”

Aubele said the investigation is far from over as they wait for results from forensic evidence to come back as well as autopsy results. The identity of the juvenile shooter has not been released, and no charges have been filed.

“Depending on what charges could be filed, if any charges are filed, would determine whether or not his identity would ever be released. There could be a chance that he’s processed through juvenile court if there are charges filed,” Aubele 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 Liz Crawford

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    PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (KYW) — Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel was about as fired up as we’ve ever seen him.

Bethel admitted it’s been an emotional week, just coming off the funeral of officer Shane Seiber, but he called out District Attorney Larry Krasner in a way he hasn’t done before.

Thursday at a news conference about federal charges against 35-year-old Eric Lewis, the man accused of killing Seiber, Bethel was emotional, saying, “I will hold my department accountable when we are wrong, but everybody else should hold them damn selves accountable as well.”

This all stems from a shocking announcement by Krasner days after Seiber was shot. In a YouTube video, Krasner alleged that Eric Lewis was previously acquitted of murder in 2023 because of a flawed investigation by police, including an officer who lied about tips because he was dating Lewis’ sister.

For the first time, Bethel responded directly to Krasner’s allegations, saying, “In that case, the officer was engaged in his behavior, and I fired him last year. And I would say that young officer did not know this was going to happen. So I mean, I get that. We have to walk through all of it — who did what, and when did they do it? But at the end of the day, we just have to remind ourselves that is not going to bring Shane back, right?”

Bethel also said that if prosecutors don’t have an effective case, “they wouldn’t even walk in the door with it.”

Lewis was charged for the 2019 murder of Christopher Williams in West Philadelphia following a road rage incident. Williams’ mother told CBS News Philadelphia the family never understood why Lewis was acquitted and said she found out about the possibility of a flawed investigation from Krasner’s YouTube announcement.

Bethel found that announcement and its timing unacceptable.

“I’ve never seen that in my entire career, where when my family was suffering, when the city was suffering, and it wasn’t just about me and the Philadelphia Police Department, the community was suffering, my officers were suffering, and you stand up and you talk about something that is unnecessary,” Bethel said at the news conference.

In a statement, Krasner said he supports the federal charges against Lewis and looks forward to working with local, state and federal partners in this case.

“The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office will continue leading our prosecution with vigor, determination, fairness and transparency. The transparent statement and video released by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office on Oct. 13, 2026, was intended to correct false information communicated to multiple media outlets by a senior-level law enforcement official who works directly for Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel,” Krasner said in the statement in part.

Krasner said he “will continue to make outreach” to Bethel and Mayor Cherelle Parker “with hopes to work together.”

Krasner also said he has been in touch with Roosevelt Poplar, the local Fraternal Order of Police president, about supporting the family and has offered a meeting to share more information.

Last week, Krasner hinted at the possibility of charges for that former police officer who allegedly lied about the 2019 murder case.

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By Aaron Parseghian

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    WATERTOWN, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A growing number of Massachusetts high schools have been forced to forfeit football games in recent weeks, with many citing dwindling rosters and player safety concerns as participation in the sport continues to decline across the state.

Schools including Millis/Norfolk, Lexington, Saugus, Quabbin Regional and Manchester Essex have been impacted by cancellations recently.

According to the latest participation survey from the National Federation of State High School Associations, the number of boys playing high school football in Massachusetts has dropped 18% over the past decade.

Matt Noonan, a Massachusetts sports content creator with Noontime Media, said the recent forfeitures are part of a broader trend that has been developing for years.

“It’s a violent sport, it’s a physical sport, there are more injuries,” Noonan said. “Young men and young women might perhaps say, hey, you know what, I want to go out for soccer, I want to go out for cross country, I want to go for golf.”

Noonan said increased awareness of injuries, particularly concussions, and a growing emphasis on athletes specializing in individual sports could be contributing to the decline.

He also pointed to the disappearance of some junior varsity, freshman and middle school football programs, which traditionally help develop younger players before they reach the varsity level.

Noonan believes the issue requires attention even from schools that have maintained strong participation.

“Football coaches need to look hard at the situation and realize, hey, if it may not be affecting your program, it’s affecting a program a couple of miles away or a couple towns over,” Noonan said.

Despite the declining participation numbers, some Massachusetts programs are thriving.

At Watertown High School, the Raiders have opened the season with a 6-0 record, one of the program’s strongest starts in recent years.

Head coach Joey Carroll, now in his third season, credits the team’s success to a committed group of seniors and a consistent message from the coaching staff.

“We haven’t changed our standards. We haven’t changed anything in the messages that we’re saying to the kids. I think now they’re just kind of seeing the evidence,” Carroll said.

Carroll said the program has maintained the same philosophy since his first season, when the Raiders finished 4-7. He credits the players’ offseason work, particularly in the weight room, with helping turn the program around.

But even with the team’s success, Carroll recognizes the challenges facing high school football across Massachusetts.

“Eighteen percent in the last decade that participation has been down in Massachusetts. That’s about eight kids. You know, eight or 10 kids in our program that I would love to have, and that would be a tremendous help for us,” Carroll said.

The coach said Watertown has adjusted its practice approach to prioritize player health and limit injuries.

Players are required to wear Guardian Caps during practices, while coaches emphasize safer tackling techniques. Carroll said the team also places a greater focus on recovery, nutrition and reducing physical demands as the season progresses.

Carroll also believes encouraging students to participate in multiple sports could help reverse declining football participation.

He estimates that 96% of Watertown’s football players participate in at least one additional sport, while roughly 85% are three-sport athletes.

“I think we’re going to see brighter days,” Carroll said. “I think if we see that with the concussions and how people’s approach to it, and then I think if we can just encourage multi-sport athletes, I think that would be a big rise.”

Several schools impacted by the recent forfeitures have expressed hope that their cancellations will be temporary, lasting only a week or two, and that they will have enough healthy players to safely return to the field before the season ends.

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By Amanda Callahan

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    NEW BEDFORD, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Two New Bedford, Massachusetts, police officers are off the force for allegedly misusing Flock cameras around the city. That was a decision made by the mayor, but the city council is in a back and forth with the city’s leader over having this technology exist at all.

The New Bedford City Council voted to ban the city’s automatic license plate reader system (ALPR) or Flock cameras.

The cameras have been shut off since early August after the police department suspended their use when an internal investigation found New Bedford Police Officer Emily Pacheco was using the technology to track her ex-girlfriend.

The police chief ordered an audit be done for the entire department’s use.

The investigation also revealed Sergeant James Martinelli allegedly misused the technology. He’s accused of tracking a woman he was dating and an ex of that woman.

The mayor announced Thursday that both officers were terminated from the department.

“Yes, they shouldn’t have done what they had done, but at the same time there’s some blame to be shared by the former chief and the mayor,” New Bedford City Councilor at large Shane Burgo said.

Burgo is pushing for these cameras to be taken down entirely. “Fine, let’s just ban it all outright until we can come to an agreement and that’s what passed tonight,” he said.

Burgo expects New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell to veto the council’s decision, but the ordinance passed with a majority to override him.

“This is a useful tool. It can be, but in the wrong hands can be abused and that’s why it’s so important that we regulate it and make sure that it’s safe,” Burgo said.

“I feel like we have enough surveillance out here on the streets now,” New Bedford resident Steven Hebert said.

And some residents support the idea of taking them down for good.

“They’re kind of very invading the privacy of the citizens and that’s very concerning. Being a native of New Bedford, I feel like the citizens should have the opinion of that rather than police departments or City Hall,” Hebert added.

The cameras will remain off while an audit is still ongoing. The city’s existing contract with Flock expires on November 12.

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By Renee Anderson, Kaicey Baylor

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    COLLEGE PARK, Maryland (WJZ) — A band says its trailer was broken into and several instruments were stolen following a concert earlier this week in Maryland.

The band, called Sponge, performed at The Fillmore Theatre in Silver Spring on Tuesday and was staying at the Holiday Inn hotel in College Park.

The next morning, they discovered their trailer had been broken into in the hotel parking lot, and six instruments were stolen.

The band shared photos on social media showing the damage and what appeared to be a broken padlock. The trailer could be seen propped open, with empty guitar cases on the ground.

“They sawed off the locks and just cracked it enough to get the small items out of the back,” said guitarist Andy Patalan.

The band told CBS News Baltimore the stolen instruments included four electric guitars and two bass guitars.

They are now offering a $1,000 reward and hoping to spread the word in case anyone recognizes the instruments at local pawn shops or music stores.

“We would like to get these back, no questions asked,” Patalan said, adding, “One was especially dear to my heart, was a vintage 90s Reverend Commando that is kind of irreplaceable.”

The band shared the following descriptions:

1990s Reverend Commando, orange/pink sparkle, offset body, cream pickguard Reverend Pete Anderson Signature Eastsider S, satin black, with a Railhammer Hyper Vintage bridge pickup Reverend Warhawk, avocado/green burst, white pickguard Black Fender Stratocaster, made in Corona, CA around 1997-98, serial Z0152378 Black Fender Jaguar bass Black Fender Precision bass The Prince George’s Police Department confirmed it is investigating the burglary.

Sponge is an American alternative rock band from Detroit, Michigan best known for their 1990s hits, “Plowed,” “Molly (16 Candles),” “Wax Ecstatic,” and “Have You Seen Mary.”

They are currently on the road as the supporting act for Candlebox’s “Can’t Quit You Tour.”

After the Maryland stop, they were scheduled to perform Wednesday in Buffalo, New York. In another post on social media, the band thanked Candlebox for loaning them guitars so that show could go on.

Patalan said the company Reverend Guitars is now sending them a few guitars to use for the rest of the tour.

“We’re doing our best to try to protect what we’ve got just to keep going. We’re living on a shoestring budget traveling. We don’t have a road crew or anything, traveling in a van across the country,” he said.

To make matters worse, this isn’t the first time the band has been robbed. They were also hit a few years ago in Seattle.

“Not again, because, like I said, a few years ago, it happened to us,” said Patalan. “It feels heartless.”

Asked whether this will stop them from touring or returning to Maryland, he replied, “No, we’ll sing a cappella if we have to.”

Their tour continues Thursday in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, before wrapping up on Oct. 30 in Sayreville, New Jersey. Then, the band will be back in Maryland for Ocean City’s Boardwalk Rock music festival next May.

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