Loose wire on ship led to Baltimore Key Bridge collision and collapse, per NTSB

By JT Moodee Lockman

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    BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A loose wire on the ship Dali may have been responsible for the power outages that eventually led to the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in 2024, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

The board heard from several marine and engineering experts during a hearing in Washington, D.C., Tuesday. They also discussed their final report and voted on the probable cause of the deadly bridge collision and collapse.

The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) said it is reviewing the findings from the final report, and maintained that the bridge collapse was the sole fault of the Dali.

“…The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and the tragic loss of life were the sole fault of the DALI and the gross negligence of its owners and operators,” MDTA said in a statement Tuesday. “The Key Bridge was approved and permitted by the federal government and complied with those permits.”

During their investigation, the NTSB determined that a loose wire led to Dali’s power failures after it tripped a breaker that supplied power for most of the ship’s equipment.

In their preliminary report, the board detailed that the ship lost power four times in the 12 hours before it collided with the Key Bridge on March 26, 2024. Six construction workers died in the ensuing bridge collapse.

“That connection was likely made 10 years ago during the vessel construction,” said NTSB member Bart Barnum. “So, over the length of those 10 years, that wire, like all the other wires, was exposed to normal vessel conditions.”

According to the board, Dali’s crew discovered the wire issue and acted quickly to resolve it. However, the loss of propulsion “rendered their actions ineffective.”

NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said the crew did the impossible in locating the loose wire, comparing it to “finding a loose bolt on the Eiffel Tower.”

During their investigation, NTSB officials said they were able to replicate the issue.

“This very small component is what caused the problem,” NTSB member Thomas Chapman said while holding a replica of the cord.

According to engineers, another wire with the same issue may not have had the same detrimental impact.

During Tuesday’s hearing, the board emphasized that the collapse of the Key Bridge was preventable.

“The fact is, we shouldn’t be here today; this tragedy should’ve never occurred,” Chairwoman Homenday said. “Lives should’ve never been lost. As with all accidents we investigate, this was preventable.”

During the hearing, officials pointed out numerous issues, including improper labels on wiring that prevented cables from being securely connected; a lack of redundant safety systems; issues with electrical inspections; and improperly configured electrical systems and generators that made it hard for the crew to recover from power outages.

NTSB leaders also criticized Maryland for failing to conduct a vulnerability assessment on the Key Bridge, saying the risk was 30 times higher than acceptable due to the larger-sized vessels in the Patapsco River.

The initial findings shared by the NTSB in March sparked strong reactions from Maryland leaders, including Gov. Wes Moore, who argued that there wasn’t a bridge in the U.S. that could have withstood a strike from the 984-foot-long Dali.

According to the NTSB, the road crew working on the Key Bridge on the night of the collapse was not warned of the impending ship collision, despite providing their cellphone numbers in case of emergencies. The board did not find any fault with the ship’s crew or issues with the ship’s fuel.

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Macy’s debuting 7 new floats in 2025 Thanksgiving Day Parade

By Renee Anderson and Natalie Duddridge

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City is just over a week away. Organizers debuted seven new floats joining this year’s lineup Tuesday, including the very first Labubu float.

The other new floats include: The Land of Glaciers, Wildlife & Wonder by Holland America Line, Brick-tastic Winter Mountain by The LEGO Group, Master Chocolatier Ballroom by Lindt, Upside Down Invasion: Stranger Things by Netflix, The Counting Sheep’s Dream Generator by Serta, and The Littlest Float from Goldfish.

Organizers previously announced the Friendsgiving in POP CITY float will feature beloved characters, including LABUBU and MOKOKO as 16-foot tall fuzzy inflatables, a first of their kind.

“Our goal at POP MART is to light up passion and bring joy, and Macy’s Parade has been doing that for nearly a century,” Larry Lu, president of POP MART, The Americas, said last month. “Bringing our characters to life at such a storied event represents a significant milestone for us as we kick off our 15th anniversary. It is an honor to represent our team, artist partners, and the global POP MART community during one of the great traditions of the holiday season.”

This year will be the 99th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to march through Manhattan. The new floats will join longtime favorites, like the Sesame Street and Peanuts characters, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Tom Turkey.

The holiday tradition kicks off with the balloon inflation celebration on Wednesday, Nov. 26 along Central Park West, followed by the parade Thursday morning down Sixth Avenue.

But first, the parade studio in Moonachie, New Jersey transforms into the North Pole, filled with carpenters, engineers, painters, sculptors and animators all working side-by-side for months.

“We are, basically, in Santa’s workshop right now. We are at the Macy’s parade studio getting ready for the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade — which lets you know that the 100th is soon on the way,” explained Brendan Kennedy, director of creative production at Macy’s Studios.

CBS News New York got a sneak peek at the magical preparation behind one of New York City’s biggest holiday traditions, and even got to test drive some floats.

Around every corner is a sweet surprise, like LABABU, the viral collectors’ fan favorite.

“She is the moment, she is the icon LABABU,” Kennedy said. “I would say the LABABU here is about 800 times the size of a regular LABABU.”

While Macy’s isn’t revealing all of its parade surprises just yet, it did tell us this year LABABU will feature the first-ever giant furry balloon.

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State trooper’s cruiser struck by gunfire in chase Sunday night on interstate

By Sam Hartle

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    KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KSHB) — A patrol car belonging to a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper was struck by gunfire during a police chase Sunday night.

A highway patrol spokesperson said around 10:27 p.m. Sunday, a trooper spotted a gray passenger car speeding on southbound Interstate 35 near Missouri 291 Highway in Liberty and attempted to pull over the vehicle.

The vehicle failed to stop, and the trooper initiated a pursuit.

Shortly after the start of the pursuit, the trooper reported a passenger in the vehicle shot toward the trooper.

The chase continued south into Jackson County. The trooper said the passenger again opened fire toward the trooper as they drove on Interstate 70 near 18th Street. The trooper’s vehicle was struck at least twice by gunfire.

The chase ended near E. 41st Street and Cleveland Avenue, where four suspects bailed from the car on foot. Three of the suspects were taken into custody just before 11 p.m.

The fourth suspect was located in a storm drain and was taken into custody around 4 a.m.

Troopers say one of the four suspects was a juvenile. It’s not clear if the juvenile was the suspect who opened fire on the trooper’s vehicle.

No troopers or civilians were struck by gunfire during the chase.

——– If you have any information about a crime, you may contact your local police department directly. But if you want or need to remain anonymous, you should contact the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com. Depending on your tip, Crime Stoppers could offer you a cash reward.

Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.

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Back in the game: 43-year-old KC woman returns to college basketball 24 years after career-ending injury

By Tod Palmer

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    KANSAS CITY (KSHB) — Tressa Barnes thought injury ended her college basketball career 24 years ago.

Diving along the sideline to make a pass for the Calvary Warriors volleyball team, Barnes suffered a torn ACL in her right knee.

“My body went this way, and my knee went that way,” Barnes said. “It just popped, and people in the crowd heard it.”

It was the second time she’d torn the ACL in that knee.

Doctors told her she could keep playing “and have a knee replacement when you’re 30,” which might impact her ability to be active with children, or she could give up competitive sports.

“I grieved,” Barnes said. “As any student athlete does, you grieve when you know that your career is over with. It’s like a death.”

But earlier this month, fate — and the pursuit of a master’s degree in counseling — intervened, leading Calvary University’s small gym to erupt with cheers during the Warriors women’s basketball team’s season opener when Barnes checked in with 3:39 remaining in the first quarter.

On the day she turned 43, and only steps away from the spot on the same court where she’d lain in a heap in October 2002, Barnes returned to the sport she loves as a 43-year-old graduate student.

“I remember it was literally right here,” Barnes said, pointing to a spot on the floor as I interviewed her Wednesday morning, “and I was thinking, ‘OK, I’m done.’”

Barnes, who also teaches at Calvary and let me know about her comeback in a news tip to the station, was classified as a full-time graduate student when she re-enrolled for the fall semester.

“I jokingly said to her, ‘Oh, so I could play basketball?” Barnes, who tore the ACL in her left knee after college, said of the registrar’s office, “and we kind of laughed about it.”

But after relaying that joke to Warriors senior Tyonna Garcia and head women’s basketball coach Cameron Coleman, it was no longer a laughing matter.

“It took a little bit of arm-twisting,” said Coleman, who was hired in April 2025 and also serves as assistant athletic director. “… If you know anything about Tressa’s journey, you know she’s had some injuries, so she was a little bit hesitant about getting back on the court. But I just told her, you know, how much of a blessing she would be to these girls.”

Coleman was correct.

“To be honest, I was excited,” Garcia said. “… I think I was the first person she told that she had eligibility.”

She’s had Barnes as a teacher and knew her from around campus.

“She just brings the light,” Garcia said of Barnes. “Honestly, she brings a light. She brings inspiration with her.”

And a high basketball IQ as a veteran of the sport.

“It’s been amazing,” Coleman said. “They’ve got nicknames for her. They call her ‘Mama T,’ so she’s kind of taken a motherly role on our team.”

Barnes, now a stepmom to 8- and 13-year-old girls, embraces the role, even if joining the Warriors comes with a level of trepidation after three ACL tears.

“Every practice, every game, is just a thought process of, how am I going to move? What am I going to do?” Barnes said.

But checking into Calvary’s 75-65 win against Randall University from Moore, Oklahoma, felt sublime.

“Just stepping in on the court, it literally took me back 24 years ago, and I was like, ‘I’m here. This is a dream,'” Barnes said.

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Nurse at correctional facility overdoses, charged with possessing cocaine

By WRAL staff

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    North Carolina (WRAL) — A nurse at Harnett Correctional was charged with possessing cocaine after police said she overdosed on drugs while at the facility.

Lillington officers found that a nurse at the facility had overdosed on Friday, Nov. 14.

Kathy Williams of Fayetteville was taken to Harnett Central Hospital for treatment.

On Saturday, police arrested Williams on charges of possession of cocaine and possession of a controlled substance at a prison.

Williams received a $10,000 secured bond.

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Man tied to girl’s death in 2022 Raleigh Christmas Parade sentenced to prison

By Lora Lavigne and Shaun Gallagher

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    North Carolina (WRAL) — The man charged in the death of a child during the 2022 Raleigh Christmas Parade will serve time in prison, in addition to community service.

Landen Glass was behind the wheel of an out-of-control pickup truck that hit and killed 11-year-old Hailey Brooks during the parade.

On Friday, Glass pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, death by motor vehicle and having a dangerous weapon at the parade.

Glass then faced sentencing, with victim impact statements from Brooks’ family.

‘She had no idea what was coming’ “Landen, no punishment I would feel to be sufficient for killing my daughter,” said Hailey ‘s mother, April Brooks, said Friday. “The only thing I want is to have sweet Hailey back.”

“Look at the joy and pure innocence on her face,” April Brooks continued. “She had no idea what was coming.”

Hailey’s aunt Heather addressed Glass, saying, “You are not defined by this moment in time; however, you do have a choice in how you allow it to shape your future here on earth and, most importantly, for eternity.”

Court resumed Monday morning with Hailey’s father, Trey Brooks, sharing two videos of his daughter’s last performances with her dance company.

Trey Brooks thanked first responders for working to try to save Hailey on the parade route. He then remembered the day Hailey was born, remembering the dreams he had for her. He then recalled the day of the parade, dropping her off and then finding out someone had been hurt during the event.

“Our grief is indescribable,” Trey Brooks said, recalling that the family didn’t drive for weeks following the incident. He described moments of PTSD and guilt.

Judge Paul Ridgeway sentenced Glass to:

75-day sentence in Wake County Jail for a misdemeanor charge of death by vehicle in Wake County Jail 45-day sentence in Wake County Jail for a misdemeanor charge of carrying a firearm in a parade in Wake County Jail 8-to-19 month sentence for an obstruction charge to be served in the Department of Adult Corrections and go into effect at the conclusion of the prior two sentences. Required 400 hours of community service Part of the ruling determined that the Brooks family will take over ownership of the truck Glass was driving during the parade, a 2011 GMC Sierra 2500. Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman believes the family will have the truck destroyed.

“It was important to the family that this truck be taken off the road to ensure it cannot harm anyone else,” Freeman told WRAL News.

Ridgeway said he hopes the verdict serves as a teaching moment for Glass as a young man. Glass was 20 at the time of the accident.

“I hope that you commit today to use this moment in your life to commit to live your life in a way that would honor Hailey’s life,” Ridgeway said to Glass.

Glass offers an apology Glass’ attorney, Roger Smith, said Glass had no criminal record other than inspection violations on the truck driven in the parade, which played a crucial role in the tragedy. Glass has been on electronic monitoring for most of the three years since the accident.

“From the bottom of my heart, how terribly sorry I am to Mr. and Mrs. Brooks and the rest of the family,” Glass said in a statement to the court. “I know there are no words I can say that would truly tell you how sorry I am…I’ve never had any intentions to hurt Hailey…I want you to know that I do take responsibility for my actions and I am sorry for all the pain and sadness that I caused you.”

Glass had ties to the parade and the dance group that Hailey was a part of. He was a dancer with CC& Company for five years as a boy. He and his family would routinely drive from their hometown of Goode, Virginia, to Raleigh to perform routines and classes with the group.

“I do not believe you intentionally took Hailey’s life that day, but I do believe you selfishly disobeyed the law and Hailey’s life and liberty was taken from her as a result,” Trey Brooks said.

Brooks’ family did not speak to reporters after the proceedings. A wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family will not go to trial until 2026.

An attorney said that in the coming weeks, Trey and April will likely be speaking more about the legislation they’re working on that would increase safety procedures at parades across the state. The Shine Like Hailey Parade Safety Act, introduced in 2023, would bring on state-enforced safety requirements for operating a parade vehicle.

What took so long? Almost exactly three years to the date of the 2022 parade, a verdict was reached, but not before plenty of agony, questions and ruminating for everyone involved.

Freeman spoke to how difficult laying the groundwork for a case of this magnitude was for prosecutors and investigators. She said the sentence Glass received was about the same length as he would have received for involuntary manslaughter. Recreating the circumstances was a complex and intricate process.

“Going back and doing the reconstruction in these types of accidents, you know, takes a tremendous amount of work,” she said. “There was a lot of investigation involved here, a lot of investigation regarding the defendant’s prior record and then working with the family to get to a resolution that they felt was appropriate and that we could obtain without having to go through a trial took some time.”

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New evidence reveals fifth child dead in murder case

By Eric Miller

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    North Carolina (WRAL) — New warrants released Monday reveal the Zebulon father accused of murdering his four children had a fifth child, whom he buried behind the family’s home.

Wellington Dickens III is facing multiple counts of first-degree murder. He was arrested in October, after calling 911 and telling the dispatcher he’d killed the children through a combination of neglect and over-discipline.

The warrants released Monday say Dickens and his wife also had a fifth child, named Riley, who died shortly after the family moved into the Zebulon home. Court records show Dickens took possession of the home in May 2023.

Dickens told investigators that Riley was about a month old when the child’s health began to decline. It’s not clear how Riley died.

After the child died, Dickens said he wrapped the body in paper or plastic material and buried the child in a four-foot-deep unmarked grave in a wooded area behind the home. Investigators said Riley’s death was never reported in any capacity.

Family members told investigators they had never seen, heard from or about Riley once the family moved.

Investigators have been searching for Riley’s grave, but so far, they have not found any signs of the baby’s body.

Neighbors told WRAL News that sheriff’s deputies and members of the State Bureau of Investigation have visited the home multiple times since Dickens was arrested. That includes one visit on October 31, when a video shared by neighbors shows Dickens himself leading investigators across the property. In the video, Dickens is wearing an orange and white jumpsuit and has his hands and feet shackled.

He told dispatchers he did not use a knife or gun to kill the children. According to arrest warrants, he over-disciplined them and wanted to turn himself in.

The warrants also revealed the order in which the other children died.

According to investigators, Dickens said his 5-year-old daughter, Leah Dickens, was the first to die. He said he had disciplined her, and after returning to her room to check on her, she was dead.

Dickens said his 9-year-old daughter, Zoe Dickens, was the next child to die. According to warrants, Dickens told investigators that Zoe began asking about her sister. Dickens admitted to investigators that he taped her mouth shut to discipline her, and when he returned to check on her, she was also dead.

Dickens told investigators his 10-year-old son, Wellington Dickens IV, was the third child to die. According to arrest warrants, Dickens said he was teaching the boy how to box. He said the boy had stopped eating, and his father believed he died from malnutrition.

The fourth child to die was his 18-year-old stepson, Sean Brasfield, who he believed also died from malnutrition.

Warrants also revealed that much of the inside of Dickens’ home had recently been repainted. These warrants say Dickens had also been searching Amazon for a type of paint capable of covering up stains.

Investigators now want to bring in chemicals that could reveal bloodstains under that paint.

The investigation is still active and ongoing.

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Coach John Beam voiced concerns about Laney College safety a day before shooting

By Luz Pena

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    OAKLAND, California (KGO) — A day before the legendary Laney College Athletic Director John Beam was shot and killed, he raised concerns about campus security.

“We lost something that we can’t really grasp yet, but you can feel it. You can feel it in the air; you can feel it around,” said Nolan White, a Laney College student.

One of the last times many saw Coach Beam was at a public presentation with the interim director of community safety, advocating campus safety.

“I believe his exact words as he was expressing frustration about the response was ‘six guards, 24 hours – how does that work?'” said Desmond Meagley, Editor-in-Chief of the Peralta Citizen. “He was saying that there was inadequate response, that there weren’t enough guards, and the response time wasn’t sufficient and that the follow-up wasn’t there.”

Student journalists with the Peralta Citizen publication reported on coach Beam speaking up about a break-in that happened at the field house days earlier and his push for answers just one day before he was shot and killed.

Here’s what we know about Laney College Athletic Director John Beam and his legendary career in Oakland sports, following the campus shooting. “He was dissatisfied with the response that came from our security. He said that they were able to show him essentially footage of what happened but were not actually able to pursue or detain a suspect because they are armed private security guards and their job is to observe and report. They are limited in what they can do, they can’t arrest as private security,” said Meagley.

According to a student at the event, Coach Beam said he felt the campus was less safe after the Peralta Community College District, which includes Laney College, terminated its contract with the Alameda County sheriff’s Office in 2020.

On campus, ABC7 News saw several security guards with Diligence Security Group. On their website, Diligence offers both unarmed and armed officers. ABC7 News contacted Laney College to get more clarity on their contract and have not heard back in the aftermath of the shooting, many students are still questioning campus security.

Those who knew Coach Beam want to carry on his legacy.

“He kind of used to tell me don’t ever give up on yourself. Not just him but other groups but he was the one who always told me that,” said White and added, “Give back to the city that raised me. I owe it to the city. I owe it to coach Beam.”

Students say Beam would want them and Laney to keep growing.

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2 injured after high-speed SF crash leaves truck in building: officials

By KGO staff

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    SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — San Francisco fire crews responded Tuesday morning to the scene of a truck that went into a building, sending two people to the hospital.

It happened in the area of Broderick Street and Lombard Street.

Videos posted by SFFD on social media show the bed of the truck sticking out of the side of the building.

Two other vehicles were damaged in what officials are calling a high-speed crash.

Boderick Street is currently closed between Lombard and Greenwich Street.

The Department of Building Inspection is on the scene, assessing the damage.

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Deputies capture escaped inmate after bike theft, pond chase

By Frances Lin

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    SUMTER COUNTY, Florida (WFTS) — According to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), deputies from Sumter and Citrus counties worked together Sunday night to capture an escaped inmate who authorities said fled from a jail kitchen work detail, stole an e-bike and a vehicle, and tried to hide in a pond.

Deputies said Joseph Brown, 39, removed the top of his green and white striped inmate uniform about 50 yards east of the jail kitchens before escaping.

A search involving K-9 units, deputies, drones, and helicopters from both counties began quickly, with Brown later spotted on a doorbell camera taking a white e-bike from a home on North Jasper Street.

Deputies determined Brown also stole a vehicle and was in the area of County Road 675. He ran into a pond in an attempt to hide but was found and exited without problems.

Officials said new security measures are being implemented to prevent similar escapes in the future.

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