Category: CNN Regional

By Allison Petro

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    ORANGE COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — Florida rapper Kodak Black was booked into the Orange County Jail on Wednesday.

Booking records show that the 28-year-old rapper, whose real name is Bill Kapri, was arrested on a drug trafficking charge.

According to a five-page affidavit, the incident began outside the Children’s Safety Village, a nonprofit for kids in Orlando, back in November. Orlando police were called to the location after reports of gunfire.

When officers arrived, they found a BMW and a Lamborghini parked outside. Detecting the smell of marijuana, they began searching the vehicles.

During the search, Kapri approached the officers.

Authorities said they discovered a pink pair of scissors on the floorboard of one of the cars, which matched a pair of scissors seen in a photo on the rapper’s Instagram a week earlier.

They also found rings in the car that matched items seen on his Instagram.

Eventually, the search uncovered drugs inside the vehicle.

WESH 2 was there Thursday evening as Kapri was released from jail after posting $75,000 bond.

This is not the first time Kapri has been placed behind bars.

In 2023, he was arrested in South Florida and booked into the Broward County Jail on charges of cocaine possession, tampering with evidence and violating probation.

The previous year, in 2022, he faced arrest for trafficking oxycodone and possessing a controlled substance without a prescription. He was also cited for driving with an expired driver’s license and registration tags.

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 Alysia Burgio

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    PONTIAC, Michigan (WWJ) — In November 2025, Amazon introduced its drone delivery service, Prime Air, which is available only at its Pontiac and Hazel Park locations in Michigan.

Since the company launched Prime Air, tens of thousands of packages have been delivered by drone across Metro Detroit.

“If a customer wants a drone delivery, it will be available on the checkout, where they will opt for the drone delivery option when it’s available,” said Pontiac Prime Air operations manager Lauren Wilson. “Then they will pick what drone delivery point they prefer on their property. So, they can have it in their front yard, their driveway, backyard, whatever is best for them. They would get the notification that the drone is actually out for delivery, just as any other type of delivery that Amazon offers.”

At Pontiac’s Amazon Fulfillment Center, one million items are available to customers who select Prime Air for delivery.

“Every day here at Pontiac, we sell out, and we are able to do over a hundred packages a day,” Wilson said.

The process starts at the ‘pack’ station. Once a customer hits purchase, it’s a quick turnaround.

“We are generally allotted 30 minutes to process that package, create that flight, accept that flight, and send it out for that delivery,” said Wilson.

The package makes its way through the Pontiac facility and out to the launch pad, where 14 drones are on site. Employees measure dimensions and weight, then load the package into the drone for launch.

“Every item is going to be shipped in the same standard size box, which is equivalent to a large shoe box, and the max weight it can be is five pounds,” Wilson said. “We have a 7.5-mile radius from the Pontiac location here and a 7.5-mile radius from the Hazel Park location. We are able to get them what they are asking for within the allotted two-hour time limit.”

With drones come concerns about noise and privacy. CBS News Detroit spoke with residents about their views on the use of Amazon drones for delivery. Many say they’re intrigued.

“I think I would try it. I really would. If I was in the area I’d want to see it,” said Waterford resident Laura Lindroth.

“They just shoot by and shoot back, ya know. I just watch them,” Pontiac resident Gerald Chambers said.

One resident says she chose the service for convenience and will use it again.

“I enjoyed it. I think it’s very innovative using that, using the technology to be able to help their customers out in a more efficient way,” said Waterford resident Renee Ballentine.

Amazon says safety is its top priority, and no incidents have been reported. The company plans to expand its drone delivery nationwide and is committed to its customers.

“We are always looking to improve. We’re here to serve our customers in the best way we can,” said Wilson.

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 Lauren Linder

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    PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — A facility tasked with treating children with mental health issues and disabilities in the Pittsburgh area is facing five new sexual abuse lawsuits.

Amy Mathieu with HKM Employment Attorneys said negligence has been occurring for decades at Southwood Psychiatric Hospital in Upper St. Clair. She said that is why the center is facing five more lawsuits, on top of the three it has already been litigating with Kline and Spector, in the span of a year.

“The families want answers as to why this happened, how this happened, and how Southwood let it happen over and over and over again,” Mathieu said.

All eight cases allege years of physical and sexual abuse of patients at the hands of other patients and staff members.

“The eight cases altogether speak to a systemic problem at Southwood of not supervising the patients in a way that promotes safety,” Mathieu said.

The newest cases involve children who ranged in age from 10 to 17, with the lawsuits claiming much of the abuse happened at night, with vast understaffing.

“There’s no possible way that one employee could be responsible for 22 children in shared rooms without any supervision outside of that one staff member,” Mathieu said.

One lawsuit describes that in one instance, “[a staff member] forcefully removed plaintiff’s pants, removed his own pants, physically restrained plaintiff, and [raped] plaintiff…”

Another alleges that a child’s guardians, alerted to abuse by the police, were prevented by Southwood from visiting their child.

“Anyone who’s presenting for a psychiatric hospital is not only in a desperate state, but a state where they really need care, and they need supervision and treatment, and that’s exactly what this institution is supposed to provide, and it’s exactly what they are not providing to these kids,” Mathieu said.

In many cases, Mathieu said these children needed to go to another facility for treatment of the abuse they received at Southwood, abuse she said could be stopped with better background checks, staffing numbers, single bedrooms, and supervision.

“If they are able to keep kids safe, then I think it is a public service that we need in our community, but not at the peril of our children suffering abuse while they’re there,” Mathieu said.

Mathieu believes more victims are out there and hopes these plaintiffs coming forward will inspire others to do the same.

KDKA reached out to Southwood for comment. In a statement, a spokesperson said, in part, that “We will not comment on threatened litigation. Any claims will be addressed through the appropriate legal process.”

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 Alice Gainer

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    BROOKLYN, New York (WCBS) — The mother of a Brooklyn student with autism has been trying to find out why her son came home from school last month with two teeth missing.

The NYPD is also investigating.

“What is happening here?” It has been two weeks since Raqibah Smiley says her 5-year-old son came home from school missing his two front bottom teeth and had blood stains on his shirt.

“I’m like, oh my god, there’s missing teeth, there’s blood stains. You know, what is happening here?” Smiley said.

The mother said to her knowledge, her son’s teeth had not been loose.

“I feel like if it was, I think that’s something I probably would have noticed,” she said.

Her son has autism and is nonverbal, so Smiley said she immediately drove to P.S. K721 in Gravesend to get answers.

“Nothing was reported” According to a report CBS News New York reviewed, a school official spoke with the paraprofessional assigned to Smiley’s child and classroom, and that person first said the boy showed up to school off the bus that way.

Smiley said she reviewed video with the school that shows her dropping him off in the morning that day with no blood stains on his shirt.

The paraprofessional then apologized and said it was a long day, and told the school official they noticed blood coming from the child’s mouth and gave him water but did not report it to the nurse or administration.

“Did he fall? Did he run into the wall? We know he’s autistic, he’s nonverbal. He’s 5, typical boy, OK? He’s a daredevil. It happens,” Smiley said. “But what happened? I still don’t have no answers, and that’s my thing.”

Smiley contacted the NYPD and has kept her son out of the school since.

“This is a school for people like my son, children like my son. Nothing was reported,” she said. “I’m waiting for justice. I’m waiting for answers. I don’t trust anybody right now.”

The New York City Department of Education said the school district’s Special Commissioner of Investigation is reviewing the allegation and intends to investigate this matter.

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 Kaley Fedko

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    ATLANTA, Georgia (WUPA) — A young woman in Atlanta is turning bible study into a space where women from different generations can lean on each other through faith.

What started as one pastor’s idea has now grown into a ministry connecting hundreds of women across the metro.

Mallory Henson runs EncountHer Women’s Ministry at Encounter Church.

She told CBS News Atlanta she was shocked when her pastor asked her to start the group nine years ago.

“I was about 24 when God just called me to be over this ministry,” Henson said. “A 24-year-old out of college, I’m like, okay, what does this mean? What does this look like?”

It looks like fun.

The group has grown into a community of more than 300 women.

Every month, dozens show up for events designed to make faith feel welcoming, modern, and fun.

“We’re out here living, and we look fun, we look healthy. It’s just, it’s a blessing. I dress how I want to dress, still look my age, and not have to look like, you know, a nun, if you will, to be in the Lord’s church,” Henson said.

April’s meetup included a morning workout class followed by smoothie bowls and open conversations about stress relief.

Henson said the real impact happens at the planned activities, connections forming between women who may have never otherwise met.

The group’s age range spans from 18 to 65.

“We have doctors. We have psychiatrists. We have people from all different walks of life. We’re just able to come together and bond over God, over our love for God, over our love for our church. The friends that I have encountered, we locked in,” said 27-year-old Amber Sylvain.

The women said that cross-generational connection is what makes EncountHer special.

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 Peyton Headlee

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    SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) — Gas prices are climbing across Northern California due to the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz and the increases are affecting businesses that rely on fuel, including floral shops preparing for Mother’s Day deliveries.

Flower shops across the region are gearing up for one of their busiest weekends of the year.

Jim Relles, owner of Relles Florist in Midtown Sacramento, said they are handling ten times their usual volume of flowers for Mother’s Day.

“We’re trying to group the orders together, so we’re not making a lot of trips to one area,” Relles said. “We can’t raise our prices so high to really balance what it’s costing us. It’s too much for the consumer. So, we’re hoping to get as much business as we can and hope that’ll balance off the higher prices.”

Botanic Flower Shop in Sacramento is also absorbing the increased costs to keep their delivery prices the same, even as some farms they source flowers from have added delivery fees.

“It’s a little one, but it’s nothing to where it’s really impacting our prices in the store, which is great,” Elise Waelder, a florist at Botanic Flower Shop, said. “Flowers can already kind of be expensive. And so, we really try to keep that in mind. And we want everyone to be able to come in and get flowers.”

She said they are being a little stricter on where they will deliver to, but that they always offer pickup as well.

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 John Rupolo

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    ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — The Epstein Truth Commission is investigating allegations of sexual abuse and criminal activity at Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch in Santa Fe, which he owned from the 1990s until his death in 2019.

Sky 7 provided aerial footage of the ranch, where much of what occurred over decades remains unknown. The New Mexico Department of Justice has searched the property, but it is unclear what was found or if anything is linked to Epstein. These are among the questions the commission aims to address.

The bipartisan commission, formed earlier this year, is tasked with investigating Epstein and allegations of sexual abuse and criminal activity.

“We are hopeful that this team of people can help us tell the story of what happened at Zorro Ranch. And in the enterprise of Jeffrey Epstein over the course of that time,” said Rep. Andrea Romero, who chairs the commission.

The Albuquerque law firm Faddoul, Cluff, Hardy & Conaway, P.C., has been hired to assist in the investigation.

“Whether it be sex abuse, trafficking. We’ve heard such horrifying allegations in many different ways. This is about bringing them justice,” said Romero.

The law firm will handle tasks such as issuing subpoenas, conducting hearings, and taking testimony from alleged victims. The findings will be presented to the public.

“This isn’t about politics. This isn’t about power. This isn’t about people being protected any longer. This is about hard stories and hard truths that we have to tell to the public,” said Romero.

The commission is operating on a $2 million budget, funded entirely by prior Epstein settlements. Of that, $750,000 will go to the law firm.

“This is so important for us to get right as to what laws need to be looked at and what it is that we can be doing to rectify the wrongs,” said Romero.

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.