Author: CNN Newsource

By Suzanne Behnke

Click here for updates on this story

    DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — A new state law addressing student disruptions in the classroom takes effect for the upcoming school year.

Senate File 2428 was passed by lawmakers and signed by the governor this year.

This gives educators rights in the workplace and protects students’ learning, said Joshua Brown, president of the Iowa State Education Association, the state’s largest teachers’ union.

“One of the things that we feel is really important is that educators deserve to have a safe and healthy work environment. And so this was one step towards addressing that,” Brown said.

Several districts voiced concern in July about the lack of guidance from the state education agency.

The Iowa Department of Education offered a 14-page FAQ to district leaders on Aug. 18.

“There’s also a little bit of concern about just how it’s going to be implemented,” Brown said.

It details the processes for removing students from the classroom when violent or nonviolent incidents happen.

“We’re all working together to try to make sure that we implement this in the best way we possibly can to uplift and protect the rights of our educators, but also protect and uplift the rights of our students,” he said.

That meant addressing students with individual education plans, or IEPs.

There are two main parts to the law: dealing with nonviolent and violent disruptions.

In a nonviolent disruption: the teacher can remove the student into the principal’s oversight for a minimum of 30 minutes. For grades 6-12, students would not return until the next day. If there is a repeated incident, a team of educators, the teacher, a parent or guardian, a guidance counselor and the student meet. “It gives an opportunity to restore the relationship between the educator and the student,” Brown says.

In a violent disruption: a student leaves the classroom into the care of a principal or another designated staff member. Next, the teacher, principal and student meet. The student does not return to the classroom if the teacher has been assaulted or doesn’t agree with the return.

Violent disruptions include injury, property damage or assault such as physical contact, displaying or pointing a weapon, or even pointing a laser at someone with the intent to injure.

State education department data for the last 20 years shows that expulsions and/or suspensions for violent acts by students have gone up.

In 2006, all suspensions or expulsions for fights totaled 6,147.

In 2024-25, the fighting data shows more than 6,255 without injury, 1,115 for fights with injury and 31 with a serious injury.

The categories changed over the 20 years, so they aren’t comparable.

Removals for disruptions also grew in the last decade. That’s how many years that has been tracked.

It goes from more than 3,600 statewide 20 years ago to more than 5,500 in the 2024-25 school year.

School boards are beginning to adopt policies to incorporate the new law at the district level.

KCCI Investigates reached out to the Iowa Department of Education to learn more.

The education department did not have time for an interview Monday.

KCCI Investigates will reach out again.

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 Jodi Long

Click here for updates on this story

    BATAVIA, Iowa (KCCI) — Nine-year-old Khloe Keeling, a member of Girl Scout Troop 563, received the Bronze Cross for helping save her family during a devastating house fire six months ago.

The Bronze Cross, introduced in 1913, is one of the Girl Scouts’ highest honors. It recognizes scouts whose actions are essential in saving or attempting to save a life. Organizers said Khloe is only the 25th person to receive the rare national award.

“These awards and honors, honor girl scouts all across the country whose actions are essential in saving or attempting to save human lives,” says Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa CEO, Beth Shelton. “They recognize girls who remain calm in extraordinary circumstances

The fire broke out in the middle of the night at Khloe’s home in Batavia. As smoke spread through the house, she woke her sleeping parents and helped bring the family’s six pets to safety.

“At first, it was like — weirdly, I was weirdly calm,” Khloe said.

Her mother, Niki Whitney, said Khloe quickly began giving instructions.

“She was like, ‘Grab Bandit. Do this. Do that,’” Whitney said. “I can’t even tell you what all she said because we just did it. We filed out, and as we were filing out, then the alarms started going off.”

The family lost everything in the fire. They are living in an RV in their driveway while their home is rebuilt.

Khloe said she knew what to do because of a fire-safety lesson taught during a troop visit by Saylor Fire Department firefighter John Kerr.

“To actually remember something that was taught, it blows me away,” Kerr said. “It shows that educating your children about these types of situations is very important.”

Khloe’s original Girl Scout sash burned in the fire, so the Bronze Cross was pinned to a new one during a ceremony attended by her troop and family.

“I’m always so proud of her,” Whitney said. “She’s always been an amazing kid, but she saved us. We’re here because she’s amazing.”

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 Tia Maggio

Click here for updates on this story

    SAVANNAH, Georgia (WJCL) — Two Flock cameras installed by the Sweetwater Station HOA on Savannah’s south side were cut down last week, prompting a police investigation and raising questions about the extent of HOA surveillance powers.

The cameras, designed to monitor vehicles entering and exiting the neighborhood, were not owned by local law enforcement or businesses but by the HOA itself.

Savannah attorney Michael Schiavone said the legality of such installations depends on the HOA’s governing covenants.

“It depends on what the covenants say that were created for the HOA. If there’s a provision in their covenants that everyone has to abide by, that could include placing those in the development itself,” Schiavone said.

A review of Sweetwater Station’s governing documents revealed that while they do not specifically mention Flock cameras or license plate readers, they grant the HOA broad authority to manage common areas, purchase equipment, and hire vendors. The documents do not require homeowner approval for every security-related purchase.

One homeowner said he was unaware of the cameras until he drove past them.

“I think the HOA could have been a little bit more public. But again, I’m not actively checking the mailbox. That could have come in through an HOA newsletter that I didn’t see,” homeowner Nick Johnston said.

The HOA did post a notice about the cameras on its website, but it is unclear when the notice was posted.

Schiavone added, “The covenant controls normally. So if the terms in there give the board of directors the discretion to make those decisions, then you really don’t have a cause of action.”

Another issue raised is who can access the data collected by the cameras. Savannah police and the HOA confirmed that police cannot directly access the data. The HOA would need to provide it, and the HOA stated it may share information with police if a crime occurs in the area.

The HOA president expressed gratitude for the police department’s efforts in the investigation.

“I have gratitude for the police department for the manpower they’ve put into this investigation,” the HOA president said.

The HOA added that if the cameras prove beneficial to the community, the board may consider expanding their use throughout the neighborhood in the future.

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 Mike Moses

Click here for updates on this story

    HAMPTON, New Hampshire (WMUR) — New Hampshire lawmakers have overridden Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s veto of a major transportation bill that includes higher toll rates beginning next year.

The legislation is part of the state’s 10-year transportation plan and includes additional funding for turnpike projects.

Sen. Mark McConkey, vice chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, said the state has been dealing with flat toll revenue while the cost of transportation projects continues to rise.

McConkey said additional toll revenue will help keep projects and other transportation improvements moving forward.

Supporters also argue the higher tolls will shift more of the cost to drivers from out of state who use New Hampshire’s highways.

“People overwhelmingly said if we could have someone else pay for those improvements, being Connecticut, Maine and Massachusetts traveling through our state, and cap our fees in our state, what a great benefit that would be for us all,” McConkey said.

Ayotte vetoed the bill last month, saying she did not support raising tolls and would continue focusing on making New Hampshire more affordable and a destination for tourists.

“Make no mistake of it, this is a tax increase on Granite Staters. If you pay cash, you will pay double. If you didn’t get a new transponder when you moved here, you will pay double. I’ll always use my veto pen when it means stopping tax hikes. Politicians will always want to spend more of your money, but when they double costs, it makes life less affordable and crushes working families,” Ayotte said.

McConkey said he understands the governor’s concerns but does not expect the increase to significantly affect tourism.

At the Hampton toll plaza, the standard passenger-vehicle rate will increase from $2 to $4 beginning Jan. 1, 2027.

A New Hampshire Department of Transportation spokesperson said vehicles listed on a funded New Hampshire E-ZPass account will receive the NH E-ZPass toll rate, which is the same as today’s discounted rate.

Vehicles not listed on a funded New Hampshire E-ZPass account, as well as drivers who pay cash, will be charged the new higher toll rate, according to the spokesperson.

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 Denzen Cortez

Click here for updates on this story

    CALAVERAS COUNTY, California (KCRA) — A chaotic ride home aboard a Calaveras Unified school bus ended with a law enforcement response Monday, as video captured students and a parent climbing through bus windows. Parents are now offering differing views over how the situation was handled.

The incident unfolded along Highway 49 near Russell Road.

“Everybody was screaming and stuff because they were excited to get off the bus,” said a 12-year-old student who was on board.

The student told KCRA 3 the bus had stopped when another student climbed out through a window.

“That’s when the bus driver was like, ‘Sit down, roll up the windows,'” the student said.

The student said the driver told students they would have to wait for law enforcement before getting off the bus. Parents who spoke with KCRA 3 said students remained on the stopped bus for about an hour with windows rolled up, as more parents began arriving.

Nichole Wellington said her son called her from the bus and was scared. She drove to the scene and asked the driver to release him.

“I went right to the door, and I was like, ‘Dude, open the door. Let me have my kid.’ And he’s like, ‘I’m not doing that,'” Wellington said.

Wellington said she eventually gave her son permission to climb out through a window while she waited outside.

“If he would have handled that situation and gave the parents their kids that were there. I think it probably would have went a little bit differently than it did,” Wellington said.

Another parent, Rebecca Glover, whose two children were also aboard the bus, said she made a different decision after arriving at the scene.

Glover said she told her children to remain seated and wait. She said she believes the driver was trying to keep students safe.

“There was not just one child they had to think of,” Glover said. “They had to think of every single child on that bus at that time.”

Video provided to KCRA 3 by a student aboard the bus shows some of the chaotic moments as the situation unfolded. The video shows a student climbing out through a window and, later, a parent climbing into the bus through a window and confronting the driver.

The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a disturbance involving a parent and the bus driver.

“During the incident, the parent struck the bus door, breaking the glass. The parent was ultimately taken into custody at the School District’s request for vandalism,” the sheriff’s office said.

The agency said some passengers were also reported to have exited through open windows, adding that students should only use a bus window as an exit during an emergency.

“School bus safety rules exist to protect students and should be followed by both students and parents,” the sheriff’s office said. “When concerns arise, allowing school staff and bus drivers to address them safely and appropriately can help prevent situations from escalating.”

The Calaveras Unified School District said the incident began with concerns over student behavior but declined to provide additional details.

“Yesterday, student behavior concerns on a district bus escalated and ultimately required law enforcement involvement,” Superintendent Kassie Meeks said in a statement. “As a result of the incident, one bus route has been impacted today, Tuesday, August 25, 2026.”

Meeks said the district would not provide additional details because the matter involves students and law enforcement.

The incident has also raised questions among parents about how similar situations should be handled in the future.

Wellington said she believes having another adult aboard could help drivers manage student behavior while focusing on the road.

“I do feel that maybe that bus driver, especially when he’s driving, should not have to deal with all those kids by himself,” Wellington said.

Glover said she believes more responsibility should fall on students and their families.

“Parents are now sending their children to school to be parented instead of parenting their children at home, and that is a concern,” Glover 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 Adi Iyer

Click here for updates on this story

    OREM, Utah (KSTU) — To many around the world, Dolly Parton is remembered as a country music icon and philanthropist. But to one family in Orem, she is remembered as someone who gave them a memory they will forever cherish.

Three years ago, LeGrande “L.G.” Gold got a phone call from a Tennessee area code. “It was pretty early in the morning, and they get a call and it was a Tennessee number, so they answered it, thinking it was going to be a producer, but it was her,” Bella Gold, LeGrande’s daughter, said. It was Dolly Parton, checking in on a fan who only had a few months left to live after a terminal cancer diagnosis. Meeting Dolly was a bucket list item. “My dad is from East Tennessee and he grew up in the same city that she’s from,” Bella said. “We lived in Knoxville, Tennessee, in my early childhood and it’s impossible to live in Tennessee and not know who Dolly Parton is.” LeGrande was Dolly Parton’s biggest fan for years. In those last months of chemo, Dolly Parton’s music was LeGrande’s biggest comfort. “My dad loved all music but especially Dolly Parton was one of his all-time favorites,” Bella said. But LeGrande’s cancer continued to progress. “My dad was so sick for so long and kind of not himself, but there was like such a joy that happened when she called him and I feel like he seemed genuinely like my dad in that moment,” Bella said. “It’s just like a really, really happy core memory for my whole family at a time that was really hard, but it just like completely lit up such a dark time in our family.” Now, the person who was a beacon of brightness for the Golds and so many others passed away. “Her music connects me so deeply to my dad and that is something we’ll never lose,” Bella said. This memory is a piece of Dolly Parton that this family will always continue to keep.

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 Addie Meiners

Click here for updates on this story

    BARDSTOWN, Kentucky (WLKY) — A 4-year-old boy from Bardstown, Kentucky, is back in school after a routine preschool eye exam uncovered a rare and life-threatening eye cancer.

Hayden Rouse was 3 years old when his mother, Terra, took him to have a routine checkup for his hemangioma. Terra said at that appointment the doctor noticed a mass.

“It was a very large tumor, unfortunately. But it sat in a good spot that he was able to get arterial chemo,” Rouse said.

Hayden had retinoblastoma, a rare childhood eye cancer that, if caught early enough, can be cured.

Hayden and his family spent months traveling to Wisconsin for treatment. While the chemotherapy successfully eliminated the tumor, it caused significant side effects, including shrinking his eye and blurring his vision.

“On July 29, we took him in. You know, he wore his Spider-Man costume to the O.R., and he had his eye removed,” Rouse said. “And now, we’re done.”

After completing his treatment, Hayden celebrated by ringing the bell, a milestone for cancer patients.

“He’s not missed a beat. He has confirmed to us that he was not using that eye, because there’s been no adaptation for him. Within two days of being home, he was off. He was on running, playing, jumping all the things,” said Rouse. “We’ve gotten Hayden back. And that has been the biggest thing for me.”

Now, Hayden is back to school and enjoying life as a typical 4-year-old.

His mom said he will get his prosthetic eye, complete with an engraving of his favorite superhero, Spider-Man, in a few weeks.

Dr. Heather Felton with Norton Children’s echoed Rouse’s message about the importance of routine checkups.

“The whole reason we’re doing it is to check for things like abnormalities in the eye or in the ear. Sometimes I pick up things like a new heart murmur or a mass in the abdomen. There could be all kinds of different things,” Felton said.

“Hayden’s life was saved by a required preschool eye exam, fortunately. Or else we might have not known for months,” Rouse said.

To help the Rouse family with medical expenses, proceeds from the “Buck Haven” Car Show on Oct. 17 in New Haven, Kentucky, will go to the family. All cars are welcome to enter.

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.