Category: CNN Regional

By Tammy Mutasa

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    BOSTON, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A 14-year-old boy has been arrested after an armed robbery at a lemonade stand in South Boston, police said.

Twelve-year-old David Byrne and his 11-year-old sister Juliette were selling lemonade on West Ninth Street Wednesday afternoon when they were approached by two kids wearing masks. Byrne said one of them flashed a gun in his waistband and then took Byrne’s cash box.

“He walked over here, he said, ‘I might need to take the box,’ and he grabbed it with one hand, and then he showed us the gun,” Byrne told CBS News Boston.

“My sister, she put her hands up and I just said, ‘You can have it.’ But after that I just was like a little annoyed because we were 12 and 11 and you shouldn’t really do that.”

The two thieves ran off with the cash box. It’s not clear how much money was inside. The box was later found empty.

Boston Police released surveillance video and photos of the two suspects the next day, hoping to generate leads in the investigation.

The 14-year-old will be arraigned in Boston Juvenile Court on charges of armed robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm, police said.

Police are still asking the public to come forward with any information about a second suspect.

“I’m pretty disgusted with it. They’re young children,” Byrne’s father Dave said shortly after the robbery. “It was in the middle of broad daylight.”

The lemonade stand reopened Friday evening, with a large crowd and Mayor Michelle Wu showing up to support the kids.

“I never thought this many people would come,” 11-year-old Juliette Byrne said. “It really makes me feel happy.”

“There’s no community like this one,” neighbor Katelyn Angotto said. “This neighborhood is fantastic.”

Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn said half of the money raised will be donated to a local organization working to prevent gun violence.

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 Courtney Cherry, Alexandra Simon

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    PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (KYW) — Three Philadelphia police officers are expected to be okay after being shot in the Wynnefield section of the city.

The shooting happened at N 54th and Arlington streets around 10:30 p.m. Saturday night.

Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said the officers were responding to a shooting incident where a car “had been shot up” when a man began “engaging them multiple times.”

Bethel said the officers told the man to stand down multiple times, but he refused.

When officers went to arrest the him around 10:45 p.m., the man took out a gun, which resulted in an “exchange of gunfire,” Bethel said.

Bethel said four officers discharged their weapons. The 57-year-old man who was shot in the exchange was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead at 11:08 p.m.

Friends and an attorney for the family identified the man Sunday as Eric Franks, a husband and father of two who owned several businesses in the area. They said Franks was a former Philadelphia firefighter and Marine veteran.

When contacted for a statement, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Fire Department declined to comment because of the “active investigation.”

Three officers, one of whom is a sergeant, were injured and taken to Penn Presbyterian Hospital. Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said Saturday night that one officer was shot in the face, another was shot in the hip, and one was shot in the leg. All are in stable condition, Parker said.

A fourth officer who fired his gun has been on the force for one year, but was not injured.

“These officers are husbands and fathers, sons and brothers, and they almost didn’t make it home tonight,” Parker said in a social media post. “Our Officers put their lives on the line every day. They go to work, and they don’t know if they’ll even come home when their shift is over. I want everyone to keep them in prayer tonight, and remember their Sacrifice for our City.”

Bethel said the officers met with Parker Saturday and were “in great spirits.”

Police are reviewing surveillance footage from the block where the shooting happened, and expect to release more details about what led up to the shooting and the man who was killed this week.

In a statement released Sunday, Philadelphia City Council Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson (At-Large) said she visited the officers in the hospital and is “deeply saddened” by Saturday night’s shooting, which happened just two blocks from her home.

“I want to thank the first responders who acted swiftly and courageously. Their professionalism and dedication to protecting our community are deeply appreciated not just tonight but each and every day.

As more information becomes available, I will continue to work closely with the Administration and my district Councilmember and colleague, Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr., to ensure that public safety remains our top priority and that our community receives the support needed during this difficult time,” Richardson said.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro also posted on social media that Pennsylvania State Police are in touch with Philadelphia Police “to offer whatever assistance is needed.”

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 Nick Caloway

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    MONMOUTH COUNTY, New Jersey (WCBS) — While millions of soccer fans are focused on the world’s best players during the 2026 Men’s World Cup, a big piece of New Jersey is also taking centerstage.

Ten of the 16 stadiums hosting matches across North America have pitches made of Rutgers turfgrass, which is bred at a sprawling 300-acre research farm in Freehold, Monmouth County.

Years of testing and selective breeding The Rutgers research farm is where the soccer pitch starts as an experiment, using around 51,000 test plots to evaluate and find the perfect grass.

“It has to have good drought tolerance, good heat tolerance, good disease resistance,” said Stacy Bonos, with the Rutgers turfgrass breeding program.

Rutgers researchers say years of testing and selective breeding have produced turf that’s tough enough for the world stage.

A machine that imitates cleats is used on the test plots and beats them up, literally, to find the toughest grass.

“This machine will find the weak grasses really fast. The weak grasses just fall apart real quickly,” said Jim Murphy with the Rutgers plant biology department, who oversees the tolerance tests.

Not at MetLife Stadium Rutgers specializes in cool-season grass, which is better for northern regions, but New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium is one of the World Cup venues that chose to go in another direction.

“Some of the stadiums have chosen to go with a warm-season grass. In particular, Bermuda grass. So that’s what they chose at MetLife,” Bonos said.

The World Cup Final will be played at MetLife Stadium on July 19.

Still, from Philadelphia to Mexico City, Rutgers turfgrass will be under players’ feet in most of the other stadiums.

“It is really rewarding to see your hard work be useful on the world stage,” Bonos 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 Taylor Locke

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    CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Virginia (WTVR) — Google executives announced plans Thursday to build on the company’s existing investment in Virginia; it aims to expand the state’s workforce and reduce energy costs for residents.

The announcement includes a $50 million nationwide commitment to train and expand the workforce needed to build new infrastructure, with a portion directed to Virginia. The goal is to increase the state’s projected pipeline of new electricians 135% by 2030.

Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer of Google, said the company is building on a previous commitment to the state.

“I was last here in August to announce a $9 billion to build cloud and AI infrastructure across the state including a data center that’s just south of here in Chesterfield County. And I’m thrilled to be here and expand our partnership in Virginia,” Porat said.

Google currently has several data center projects underway in Chesterfield County.

“We’ve got some under development here in Chesterfield County. We have three campuses that are in the pipeline between now and 2029,” Cathie Vick, a Google executive, said.

Vick also addressed concerns from residents that construction jobs tied to data center development are not permanent.

“The construction jobs, temporary, again a misnomer, because when we start a campus, we build one building that typically employs 1,800 construction workers at one time, and then we move to the next building and then the next building and that’s just one campus and then we have two other campuses in just Chesterfield. There’s 600 data centers in Virginia and there’s a lot of construction activity for years to come,” Vick said.

The second part of the announcement is a $15 million Energy Impact Fund aimed at helping Virginians struggling with rising power bills. Spanberger and Google executives say the fund will go toward home upgrades to make them more energy efficient, as well as training for workers who weatherize homes.

Spanberger said the investment goes beyond workforce development.

“And Google’s investment doesn’t stop at workforce training and here in the Commonwealth we are grateful for that. The Energy Impact Fund will drive down monthly energy bills and help Virginians who most need that support,” Spanberger said.

Porat said the fund will deliver immediate results for residents.

“Funding local organizations that will help with valuable actions like going in and weatherizing homes so you can avoid the leakage and immediately see a reduction in utility bills,” Porat said.

Google says its focus will start in areas where the company is developing or already has data centers and will expand from there.

In 2025, Google data centers supported 17,000 jobs in Virginia and generated $2 billion in economic impact across the state. Google executives say this announcement is a plan to build on that investment.

Responding to the announcement, Governor Spanberger said Virginia is grateful for its partnership with Google and emphasized that the company’s investments are ultimately investments in people.

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 Brian McBride

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    HIGHLANDS COUNTY, Florida (WFTS) — Highlands County deputies were warning people about scammers posing as Duke Energy workers after two men tried to gain access to a resident’s property on Wednesday.

According to the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office, the men were in the Sebring Hills neighborhood claiming to work for a company employed by Duke Energy.

They were trying to gain access to the property to check the meter, HCSO officials said. However, they were not affiliated with Duke Energy.

Imposters posing as utility employees may knock on doors claiming to be employed or hired by Duke Energy to repair or inspect your meter or other utility-related equipment, utility officials said.

In addition, they may say there is a charge for the service, and if you don’t pay, they will come back later to remove your meter.

Always ask for identification, officials said. Duke Energy employees should have an official employee identification badge.

If you’re still in doubt, contact Duke customer care center to confirm the employee’s name, photo and number on the ID badge are legitimate.

In some instances, representatives from private companies may be working on behalf of Duke Energy. If they do not have an official identification card, ask for their name and the reason for their visit. Then contact Duke Energy to verify the information.

Some scam artists claiming to be Duke Energy employees are telling customers they can wipe out entire account balances – for a cash fee. Duke Energy will never offer to pay your bill in exchange for a fee, officials said.

If you see them, HCSO said to call the agency at 863-402-7200, option 1. Or call 911 if you feel you are in immediate danger.

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 Larissa Scott

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    TAMPA, Florida (WFTS) — Right off of busy Henderson Boulevard in Tampa, sits Head’s Flags.

It’s a family business that was started in 1984 by Tony Clayton’s grandfather.

He started working with his grandfather in 1995 and took over the business in 2000. Now he’s working with his sons.

“I think this whole thing is part of my grandfather’s vision too, so it’s working out well for the whole family,” said Tony Clayton, owner of Head’s Flags.

They’re cranking out all kinds of flags across Tampa Bay for different sports teams, companies, you name it.

“We do a lot of custom flags, banners, flag pole installations— both commercial and residential. And of course, we have a fully stocked retail store also. We screen print. I have a seamstress who does appliqué work, and we can do embroidery. We’ve also started doing some promotional stuff too,” said Clayton.

Their most important flag is the American flag.

“We get patriotic customers and they’re just dependable good people,” said Clayton.

It’s one reason why his shop is always stocked with American flags. There’s no shortage of red, white, and blue there.

For America 250, he added some special flags to celebrate the milestone anniversary.

“It’s a big deal, 250 years. That’s a long time,” said Clayton.

They’ve already sold out of those twice and have stocked up again as people gear up to observe the semiquincentennial.

“It started selling much earlier than we thought,” said Clayton.

It’s a sign that people are excited for this July 4th.

Clayton is excited, too.

“We’re throwing a big party. We’re going to have a lot of fireworks, a lot of the neighbors, and a cookout so I’m very excited,” he said.

As a flag maker, Clayton told Tampa Bay 28 that the American flag has a very important meaning, and he’s honored to be part of helping people celebrate our country.

“It just means what we hold dear. The idea of freedom and we can have opinions and we can speak our minds and I really embrace that,” said Clayton.

Home of the free, as signified by these stars and stripes.

“This country is a great country. It’s been around for 250 years. I think it’s worth celebrating,” said Clayton.

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By WFOR News Staff

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    MIAMI, Florida (WFOR) — A Florida woman is facing felony battery and disorderly conduct charges after being accused in a slew of disturbances, including yelling at people, stripping down to her underwear in public and spitting in the face of a deputy – twice.

The deputy’s response, seen on bodycam video slapping the suspect during her arrest, is under review, according to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies were called to a gas station in Brooksville, north of Tampa, on June 9 to investigate reports that a woman was yelling at customers, behaving erratically and was disrupting the business.

When deputies arrived at the scene, employees said they wanted the woman, who has since been identified as Iesha Field, 33, trespassed from the property. After being issued the trespass warning, Field left the gas station and then went to a nearby mobile home park and continued to cause a disturbance.

While she was there, deputies said that Field removed her clothes and was only wearing her underwear. In addition, Field appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, was yelling, acting belligerently and was disturbing residents, including a mother with young children.

The mother had also requested that Field be trespassed from the property.

According to the sheriff’s office, deputies attempted to de-escalate the situation by telling Field, who had previous injuries to her knee and eye, that she needed to return to her home.

She refused, became combative and then was taken into custody. However, the sheriff’s office said Field resisted the efforts to be placed into the patrol vehicle and tried to hit and kick them.

Once she was placed inside, deputies said Field was banging her head and feet against the window of the patrol vehicle, and when deputies opened the door to talk with her, she fell out.

As Deputy M. LaPalme was trying to help get Field back into the patrol vehicle, deputies said Field spit on the left side of his face. LaPalme continued to try and buckle her into the seat when the sheriff’s office said Field spit in his face once again.

That’s when LaPalme hit her in the face to prevent her from spitting again, a recording from the deputy’s patrol camera showed.

The sheriff’s office said that Field continued to resist, and was kicking and trying to damage the vehicle. Because of this, additional restraints and a spit hood were used for the safety of Field and the deputies.

She was taken to the Hernando County Detention Center and was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer, breach of peace/disorderly intoxication.

She was being held on a $3,000 bond.

The incident was captured on multiple body cameras and on an in-car camera. The actions of Deputy M. LaPalme are under review.

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.