Category: CNN Regional

By Kayla Davis

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    TRUSSVILLE, Ala. (WVTM) — A semi-truck crash in a construction zone on I-59 in Trussville has left a family devastated and the community in mourning, with three family members killed and three children hospitalized.

The crash occurred in an area with narrow lanes and a concrete barrier, making it difficult for vehicles, especially large trucks, to maneuver. Local truck driver Derek Johnson said the tragedy hit close to home.

“It threw me off because I drive a truck and I be telling drivers how dangerous it is. So it really threw me off to see somebody lose their life driving just traveling,” Johnson said.

The victims were identified as Dquarious and Dominique Butler and their 5-year-old daughter, Nailani. The family leaves behind three other children.

“I was hurt because I have little ones. And I couldn’t imagine my whole family lost in a car crash like that,” said Trussville resident Lafeedra Lee.

Lee also shared her concerns about her 22-year-old son, who recently obtained his commercial driver’s license.

“He is 22, and he got a CDL last year. So I’m very fearful first of him hitting somebody because he’s so young and not to me, not educated enough, hasn’t had enough experience. Also, just people in general are not very careful. And then it’s so much construction everywhere. It’s so easy to get in an accident,” Lee said.

According to the Alabama Department of Transportation, 11,009 out of 260,401 crashes reported in Alabama in 2024 involved trucks. In work zones, 21% of crashes resulted in injury or death.

“It’s too often, especially around here,” Lee said.

Johnson also highlighted the dangers truck drivers face daily.

“That’s one of the most dangerous jobs. People die on the road every day. So it’s really no way to be safe. You can only watch yourself when people drive so crazy. That’s what a lot of drivers don’t understand. You could cut in front of a truck. It’s too long to stop. So you’re putting people’s lives at risk every day,” Johnson said.

Both Lee and Johnson expressed their condolences to the Butler family. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is continuing its investigation into the crash, with no updates provided at this time.

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 Tim Nazzaro, Josh Brogadir

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    BOSTON, Massachusetts (WCVB) — In an effort to expand access to golf among youths across Massachusetts, Boston Common Golf announced a new community platform on Wednesday called Common Ground.

The announcement featured guest speakers like Ryder Cup Captain Keegan Bradley, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and two-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Noah Kahan, fresh off his latest Fenway Park performance.

“This is not proper golf course attire, kids,” said Kahan. “Do not wear Birkenstocks at a golf course.”

The New England native shared his own golf journey with children at the golf clinic.

“I moved to Boston, to Watertown, started playing Fresh Pond Golf, Newton Commonwealth … and realized that golf is really for everybody and should be accessible to all,” Kahan said.

Boston Common Golf, in partnership with Full Swing, a founding partner of Common Ground, announced the donation of three golf simulators to the City of Boston, providing year-round access to golf technology and instruction.

Additionally, Boston Common Golf is making $5 tee times available for Youth on Course members at George Wright Golf Course in Hyde Park throughout the summer.

“Boston is a national leader in creating opportunities for young people to learn, grow, and reach their dreams. Through partnerships like this one, we’re expanding access to recreational programs and helping more young people learn how to play golf without barriers,” said Mayor Wu. “We’re grateful to Boston Common Golf and The Busyhead Project for investing in our youth and helping make the game more accessible across our city.”

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 Kaitlin Gehlhaus, Ted Wayman, David Bienick, Peter Eliopoulos

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    BOSTON, Massachusetts (WCVB) — Around 4,000 nurses at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston went on strike for one day Wednesday, with negotiations over wages, benefits and working conditions still unresolved.

The Massachusetts Nurses Association and Mass General Brigham Healthcare have been negotiating for months but remain at odds. The MNA called the action “the largest nurse and healthcare professional strike in state history.”

One of the union’s leaders announced that Gov. Maura Healey has called both sides to the State House in an attempt to end the strike.

The nurses’ union said they are attending. Hospital management has not yet confirmed its involvement in the talks.

“This is the first time ever, first time in history for a strike at Mass General Brigham,” said Jen DeVincent, a nurse at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

In a statement, Mass General Brigham said, “We believe the latest offer appropriately recognizes our nurses’ important contributions while balancing our responsibility to sustain patient care and our broader mission for the long term.”

Nurses voice concerns over staffing, workplace changes Nurse Kristin Robishaw said replacement nurses cannot match the experience of Brigham and Women’s staff.

“There is nobody that can replace us. Our team is the best in the world. No replacement nurses are ever going to be able to do the job that we do,” she said.

Robishaw also expressed concerns about the treatment of nurses since the hospital became part of Mass General Brigham.

“We have been taken over by MGB, and we have been treated in a way that the Brigham has never in the history of the MNA treated us,” she said.

Some nurses raised alarms after learning that colleagues were reportedly asked to stay inside due to staffing shortages instead of joining the picket line.

“They were not there as scheduled, so members of our senior leadership team prevented the nurses from leaving, telling them it wasn’t safe,” Robishaw said.

MGB Healthcare disputed these claims, stating that reports of agency nurses not being in place for the NICU shift change were inaccurate.

Hospital extends work stoppage to 5 days Nurse Valerie Ottaviani said she believes the hospital’s culture has changed since joining the Mass General Brigham system.

“It has changed a lot since we became a part of Mass General. It’s no longer a healthcare situation, it’s now all about corporate,” she said.

Although the strike is planned for one day, the Brigham is extending the work stoppage to five days to honor contracts with temporary nurses.

The nurses said they plan to remain on the picket line 24/7 until an agreement is reached.

MGB said Francis Street remains open but advised patients to expect heavier traffic near the hospital and plan for extra travel time.

Patient care during the strike MGB has brought in replacement nurses to maintain patient care. The Foxborough Surgery Center will be closed through Friday, but the hospital has advised that all other patients should keep their appointments unless contacted directly by their care team.

Hospital leaders stated that Brigham and Women’s Hospital and its outpatient locations will operate largely as normal, though picketing may cause heavier traffic around campuses.

Home care workers also strike Some Home Care services, including dietitian and speech therapy appointments, will be paused during the strike.

Additionally, about 500 Mass General Brigham Home Care workers are also walking the picket lines as they negotiate their first union contract.

Those workers began picketing in Braintree at 8 a.m., with pay, benefits and working conditions remaining key points of contention.

“We are the PTs, OTs, social workers and dietitians. We are fighting for our safety,” said Shannon Viera. “What it comes down to, we are forced to work longer hours and provide care for more patients than it is safe.”

The workers unionized two years ago but still do not have a contract with MGB.

MGB stated that some home care services will be paused while the strike continues until next week.

“They need to see what we do because sometimes in home health care the outcome is not seen for 6-12 months,” Viera said.

Contract talks remain at an impasse Members voted to authorize the strike last week, and a required 10-day notification was sent to MGB.

Gov. Maura Healey said she met with both parties on Monday and urged them to continue working toward an agreement.

“The governor is focused on protecting patients, supporting the health care workforce, and avoiding disruptions to care,” a spokesperson for Healey’s office said. “She urges both sides to continue negotiating in good faith and reach a resolution as quickly as possible.”

According to the union, final bargaining sessions were held last week, but no progress was achieved.

In a joint statement, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, as well as Reps. Ayanna Pressley and Stephen Lynch urged both groups to return to the bargaining table.

“Nurses are the backbone of our health care system, and we rely on their skills, compassion, and tireless work ethic to care for our loved ones,” the statement read. “The nurses at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Mass General Brigham Homecare deserve a fair contract that reflects the essential contributions they make each and every day. We urge all parties to return to the bargaining table and reach a good faith agreement that provides stability for this critical workforce, Mass General Brigham, and the patients in their collective care.”

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 Alexis Mathews

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    LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WLKY) — The police shootings of Katelyn Hall and Martin Nitzken prompted a community conversation Wednesday about how law enforcement handles individuals in mental health crises.

“We are a couple of months removed from two of our neighbors who are no longer here, whose families called because they were in crisis, and we sent officers because we decided that that was the best response possible, and it’s simply not the case,” said Lyndon Pryor, president of the Louisville Urban League.

Panelists at the event, representing civil rights, health care, and public safety, discussed the complexities of the issue.

“Policing alone is not our community’s mental health system, nor should it be, nor do we want it to be, and it’s our responsibility as police officers to stabilize an incident, to stabilize a situation, protect everybody involved, and get people the help that they need,” said LMPD Deputy Chief Emily McKinley.

A revamp of Louisville’s crisis call diversion program was suggested as a way to improve responses.

The current method allows only officers to respond if there is a weapon or threat of violence. Proposed changes included sending trained intervention counselors to crisis situations alongside police.

“Keep them safe from themselves, as well as to keep other people around safe from harm, there are a lot of ways to do that in these situations that don’t involve people with guns,” Pryor said.

This discussion marked one of the first times Seven Counties Services, which facilitates the metro’s deflection program, publicly weighed in on the co-response approach. Louisville’s mayor has also expressed support for this solution.

“We’ve recently been trying to rally a deflection team about a block away, so if they get there and they determine this is safe to bring another civilian into the setting, we’ll bring them in much sooner in the process,” said Elizabeth McKune, COO of Seven Counites Services.

Other recommended approaches to addressing behavioral health emergencies discussed at the forum included policy changes, a call for more mental health care professionals, increased funding, and continued community partnerships.

“You have people, not just in the police department, who are willing to say, ‘hey this didn’t work and we need to do better,'” said McKinley. “That push for constant improvement is something that gives me hope.”

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 Michael Cusanelli

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    PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (WPTZ) — Three people have been arrested in Plattsburgh in connection with investigations into abuse allegations at the Bright Beginnings Childcare Center.

Those arrested are former employees Dillon Bronson, Autumn Stone and Amanda Rizzo. All three are charged with multiple counts of endangering the welfare of a child and failure to report suspected child abuse or maltreatment. Bronson also faces two counts of third-degree assault.

In a statement, the Plattsburgh YMCA Board said they have been cooperating with law enforcement in the investigation.

They said the individuals who were arrested are former staff members. The statement also said that the safety of their community remains a top priority.

Bright Beginnings closed in March following allegations of physical abuse at the daycare.

NBC5 has reached out to Clinton County District Attorney Andrew Wylie for more information and learned that his office is still processing the charges. More details were not immediately available.

Further updates will be provided when we know more.

Parents sue daycare center The lawsuit claims surveillance video captured an assistant teacher on at least three occasions grabbing toddlers by their legs and ankles, forcefully dropping them onto their nap cots before covering them with blankets.

The family’s attorneys allege other daycare employees witnessed the incidents but failed to report the alleged abuse, despite being mandated reporters under New York law.

The lawsuit also accuses YMCA management of failing to properly supervise employees, respond to warning signs, or intervene to stop the alleged abuse after becoming aware of concerns.

According to the complaint, the child’s parents noticed troubling behavioral changes months before learning about the investigation. The lawsuit says their daughter experienced pain while being dressed, began waking up screaming several nights a week, appeared fearful at daycare pickup, and has since been diagnosed with trauma-related psychological injuries.

The complaint further alleges New York State Police determined all 10 children in the classroom experienced similar treatment during the period in question.

The family says they were first informed of their daughter’s alleged abuse during a meeting with daycare management on March 11. Authorities shut down the Bright Beginnings facility the following day.

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 Furtado

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    WARE SHOALS, S.C. (WYFF) — The Ware Shoals High School marching band, a group from a school with fewer than 300 students, has been selected to represent South Carolina in the Pearl Harbor Day parade in Hawaii, marking a major honor for the small-town band.

“We’re small in Ware Shoals, but we’re mighty,” said Christie Hodge, band director.

The band, the heartbeat of the town, works tirelessly to perform as one cohesive unit, even in the sweltering heat of summer band camp.

“It’s normal to feel helpless to be in such a small school, seeing those big bands getting such high scores and everything,” band captain Andres Aguero-Juarez said. “But when you know that you have a strong community, especially as strong as the one in Ware Shoals, you come to know that the size of a band does not matter.”

Despite their size, the band has achieved significant success. “We’ve finished third in the state and won the bronze medal,” Hodge said. “For the last four years, they have gone to the state concert assessment and received straight superior ratings.”

The band was recently handpicked for the Pearl Harbor Day parade, an honor that came with a celebratory announcement. “You are the South Carolina representative in the Pearl Harbor Day parade in Hawaii,” a video shared by the band revealed, followed by cheers from the students.

“Being chosen out of hundreds of schools and thousands of other bands that are around, it’s a big thing,” Aguero-Juarez said.

For many students, the trip will be a new experience. “The farthest I’ve traveled, I would say probably North Carolina,” said Daniel Winbush, the band’s drum major. Hodge added, “There are children who have never stayed in a hotel before.”

The trip, however, comes with a high cost. “We think the whole trip is going to be between $150,000 and $160,000,” Hodge said.

The community has stepped up to help, raising $100,000 so far through fundraisers and donations to the school and to the band itself. “This is something that will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for them,” Hodge said. “They will always know that people fought for them to get there, that people tried so hard, that we made this happen for them.”

Although the band is still short of its fundraising goal, the students remain grateful. “Just the fact that we received the opportunity is enough to make us glad,” said Winbush.

As the band continues to prepare for its performance, the town of Ware Shoals remains united in its support, showcasing the strength and heart of this small but mighty community.

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.