Author: CNN Newsource

By Zach Rainey

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    SOUTH CAROLINA (WJCL) — A man in South Carolina has been sentenced to decades behind bars for subjecting an 8-year-old child to physical, emotional, and psychological abuse.

On Monday, 28-year-old Ian Tatro, of Wellford, pleaded guilty to 20 counts of unlawful neglect of a child and one count of obstruction of justice.

The seventh circuit solicitor’s office said the crimes occurred while the child lived with her stepmother and father, Tatro.

According to court documents, the child was given animal feces as a Christmas gift, made to stand in a garbage can for hours with trash thrown on her, locked in a closet, made to wear a diaper, restricted from using a bathroom, repeatedly hit with a cutting board, yelled at, force-fed laxatives, and beaten by Tatro.

Officials said Tatro also used temporary tattoos to disguise the bruises left on the child from the abuse.

Cases against the others who participated in the abuse remain pending

“The amount of abuse this child suffered at the hands of adults who should have loved and cared for her is staggering,” Solicitor Barry J. Barnette said. “The abuse was not just physical abuse but repeated psychological abuse.”

Circuit Court Judge R. Keith Kelly sentenced Tatro to a total of 50 years in prison.

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By Ayron Lewallen, Riley Conlon

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    BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WVTM) — A former educator at Auburn University and the University of Alabama is suing several school leaders over her firing, which she says occurred due to a statement she made on social media regarding the assassination of conservative-activist and Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk.

Candice Hale, formerly a lecturer in Auburn’s College of Liberal Arts, argues her comments about Kirk’s death were constitutionally protected speech on matters of public concern and that the university’s decision to fire her was a violation of her First Amendment rights.

“Such retaliation cuts to the heart of democratic principles, where open discourse and the free exchange of ideas are essential to the preservation of liberty and justice,” the complaint reads.

The statement that allegedly led to Hale’s firing was posted to Facebook on Sept. 11, the day after Kirk was killed.

On Sept. 17, Auburn University released a statement announcing the termination of employees that had made “social media posts that were hurtful, insensitive and completely at odds with Auburn’s values of respect, integrity and responsibility in violation of our Code of Conduct.”

While Kirk’s death was not mentioned in the statement, U.S. Senator and former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville attributed the move to comments about the assassination.

“Thank you, @AuburnU, for taking action and FIRING these sick people who mocked the assassination of Charlie Kirk,” Tuberville posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Wednesday. “They have NO PLACE in our state’s public education system.”

That same day, Hale alleges that she was asked to join an online meeting with Scott Forehand, Director of Compliance, Investigations, and Security at Auburn University, and Chris Hardman, a Behavioral Threat Assessment Coordinator.

Hale says she was asked several questions regarding her post, including:

“How students who were in the University’s Turning Point USA chapter would feel about her comments.” “How she would interact with white male students if they identified themselves with Kirk’s views.” “If she had access to firearms or had any intent to harm anyone in the Turning Point USA chapter at Auburn.” Hale says that, following the meeting, Forehand and Hardman found her not to be a threat to the safety of those on campus.

However, two days later, Hale was requested for another meeting, this time with Tami Poe, Senior Manager of Human Resources in the Dean’s Office, and Jason Hicks, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. Ahead of the meeting, Hale was told that she was being placed on paid leave and would not be allowed to contact her students.

On Sept. 22, Hale alleges she was told by Poe that she could not have legal counsel during the meeting. Hale joined the second online meeting the next day and was told they planned to fire her and offered her a severance agreement.

Poe, Hicks, Forehand, Hardman and Auburn President Christopher Roberts are all named in the suit, which seeks both monetary compensation and job reinstatement, along with measures to prevent future retaliation.

Hale says is also pursuing legal action against leadership at the University of Alabama where she was employed in an adjunct position and allegedly fired for her comments on Kirk’s death as well.

“Both institutions have tried to silence my voice,” she said in a Facebook post Thursday. “I reject these efforts. I remain steadfast in defending my right to speak truth to power and to challenge white supremacy, misogyny, and injustice—especially within academic spaces.”

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By Addie Meiners

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    LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WLKY) — Louisville’s iconic Slugger bat celebrated its 30th birthday on Tuesday, marking three decades since the massive structure was installed downtown.

Tuesday’s celebration included a rendition of “Happy Birthday,” highlighting the bat’s significance to the community.

It was Oct. 21, 1995 when Louisville’s iconic baseball bat made its way through the streets of downtown to the Slugger Museum.

Andrew Soliday, with the museum, recounted the bat’s journey to its current location, “I think they were down on Preston, and they brought that down 12 miles. Shut down some of the roads. They had to take down a street light on Brook and Main, so it could make the turn. And it made it through. So it was really just an exciting time.”

The bat, which is hollow inside, but made of hand-painted steel on the outside, has become likely the most photographed bat in the world.

Soliday emphasized its social media appeal, saying, “I mean, you want to talk about Instagram worthy? Social media worthy? That’s it right there.”

Seventy million people have visited the bat over its 30-year lifespan, making it a major tourist destination.

Louisville residents Hope Zeller and Joe Desensi expressed their enthusiasm for the birthday.

“I mean, if you love Louisville, like, this is just one of those things that you like to be a part of,” Zeller said.

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By Russ Reed

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    BANGOR, Maine (WMTW) — The Maine Department of Public Safety has confirmed the state’s emergency communications director has resigned after he was charged in connection with the death of a comfort dog.

Brodie Hinckley, who was on paid administrative leave, resigned as director of the Maine Bureau of Emergency Communications effective Oct. 3, according to a DPS spokesperson.

Hinckley also served as the handler of Baxter, a 3-year-old chocolate Labrador retriever who was Maine’s first official comfort dog.

Baxter was found dead on May 28 inside a state vehicle, which was parked at the Bangor Regional Communications Center.

At the time of Baxter’s death, DPS officials said the vehicle the dog was in unexpectedly stopped running, which caused its air conditioning system to shut down. The National Weather Service said Bangor reached a high temperature of 83 degrees on May 28.

Last month, the Penobscot County District Attorney’s Office charged Hinckley with a civil violation of animal cruelty.

District Attorney Christopher Almy said Baxter was inside the building with Hinckley at the start of the day, but got moved to the vehicle after making a mess inside.

“The dog itself had caused a little problem inside the building. It had defecated, urinated and whatnot. So, he took the dog out to the car and put it in the car while he was working inside the building,” Almy said.

Almy said evidence shows that Baxter was left in the car for around 4 hours. The car was initially left on, but the battery ran low, causing the air conditioning to turn off.

In Maine, animal cruelty can either be a criminal offense or a civil violation. Punishment for the civil violation includes fines and potentially barring the person from owning an animal.

“I think the evidence would show that this particular handler had some knowledge of how long a dog should be in a vehicle and under what conditions,” Almy said. “He had a lot of feelings for the dog, and he was quite remorseful. So, balancing those two things, that’s why we came to the conclusion that a civil charge was appropriate.”

Hinckley is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 6.

State officials said the vehicle Baxter died in was regularly used to transport the dog. Following Baxter’s death, the vehicle went through a thorough inspection to identify potential malfunctions.

Baxter joined the Maine Bureau of Emergency Communications in 2022 and offered emotional support to emergency telecommunicators at the state’s three regional dispatch centers.

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By Marissa Barrett

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    MANCHESTER, N.H. (WMUR) — A Manchester aldermanic committee met Tuesday to discuss possible changes to the city’s homestead law.

The discussion stems from a controversy involving homemade pickles.

The Manchester Health Department sent a cease-and-desist letter to Daniel Mowery in August, telling him he needed a permit to continue canning and a commercial license for his kitchen.

Committee members reviewed the city’s current food safety regulations and how they might be updated.

“This particular item has been on the books for over six decades, and it’s a lot to deal with, and we’re doing the best we can with what we have now in front of us,” said Alderman Norm Vincent.

“I really believe we should be aligning with the state 100% and we shouldn’t as Manchester citizens be treated any different than our surrounding towns,” said Alderman Crissy Kantor.

News 9 Investigates found that the health department issued 33 cease-and-desist letters for homemade foods between 2019 and 2025.

The committee plans to consider potential exemptions for things like baked goods next month.

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By Veronica Haynes, Peter Eliopoulos

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    BARNSTABLE, Mass. (WCVB) — An Arlington, Massachusetts, man is facing assault and battery charges after an altercation with a 77-year-old man at a “No Kings” rally on Cape Cod on Saturday.

Peter Afouxenides, 61, was charged with assault and battery on a person older than 60 in connection with the incident that happened near the Airport Rotary in Hyannis as crowds left the rally, Barnstable police said.

According to police officers who were monitoring traffic and pedestrian flow on Route 28, they saw a blue Toyota SUV stop abruptly in the roadway and a man and woman quickly exit and walk to the rear of the vehicle.

When officers walked over to where the SUV stopped, they saw an injured man with a cardboard sign in the roadway. With the help of bystanders and a nurse, the man, later identified as Jeffrey Smith, 77, was moved out of traffic onto a grassy area.

Smith told NewsCenter 5 that he put his sign out and in an attempt to get Afouxenides to slow down after he said that he sped into the intersection.

“I’m completely defenseless,” Smith said. “The blows felt like I was getting hit by a baseball bat and I thought, this is it.”

Smith’s friend told officers the driver got out and confronted the man, saying the cardboard sign touched his vehicle. The driver, later identified as Afouxenides, then punched Smith several times in the face, according to the police report.

Cell phone video shows Afouxenides throw the sign at Smith and get back into his car.

Smith was taken to Cape Cod Hospital with facial lacerations and bruises. His glasses were also broken during the altercation, police said. When questioned by police at the hospital, Smith could recall few details about the altercation, according to the police report.

Afouxenides posted bail after his arrest and was released.

Smith said he had just one message for Afouxenides:

“I’d say shame on you. Shame on you,” Smith said.

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By Audrey Biesk

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    NORTH CAROLINA (WXII) — In 2025, more than 300,000 women will hear for the first time the words, “You have breast cancer,” according to the American Cancer Society.

A North Carolina woman received that diagnosis at the young age of 28, forever changing her life.

Lorelei Colbert is a military spouse and needed a health exam to move abroad. In that exam, a lump was found in her breast, and she was diagnosed with stage 2B triple-negative breast cancer.

“That was five years ago. I had eight rounds of chemo, bilateral mastectomy the day after my 29th b-day, and reconstruction,” Colbert said. “I had four rounds of Lupron, which are shots, hoping one day I could have a family. A few years later, I had my miracle baby post-cancer.”

Ever since, Colbert has been on a journey of hope.

“I feel very grateful to be celebrating five years since diagnosis as a mom, a survivor and as a woman,” she said. Colbert has learned what it means to advocate for her health. “Breast cancer doesn’t discriminate on age, especially when I was 28 and doctors didn’t want to believe it was breast cancer.”

She hopes to empower others to stand up for themselves, too. “Especially for young women to know your normal.”

Colbert said the words, ‘on to live,’ is a mantra she lives by.

“It’s not saying every day is perfect, it’s saying that you have the courage to take one step forward and try again,” she said.

That mantra has inspired her platform and business. With each purchase, she gives back to triple-negative breast cancer research and local organizations, including the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk.

Colbert remembers her dear friend, Lynn, who was a top fundraiser she now calls her angel.

“Lynn was facing her third diagnosis. We weren’t sure what the future held, and I’ve learned through this journey what it means to be here, what it means to celebrate your people while they are here,” Colbert said. “I told Lynn, ‘What if we get a wheelchair and I push you around that loop at Country Park?’ And that’s exactly what we did.”

Colbert encourages the community to stand behind the survivors and thrivers, and support those who could one day receive a breast cancer diagnosis.

“I think these events help push our world forward. I think it helps push research and funds. It encourages me to keep going, it encourages me to embrace that ‘on to live’ mantra, because our efforts make a difference,” she said.

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