Category: CNN Regional

By Adi Guajardo

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    New York (WCBS) — As we approach the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, there is an ongoing fight to repair Jersey City’s memorial for the victims.

For years, there have been annual ceremonies at the Empty Sky memorial at Liberty State Park, but advocates say it’s in poor condition and unfinished.

Any empty feeling at Empty Sky Caution tape clings to a fence outside the memorial, which honors the 749 New Jersey residents killed on 9/11.

It’s a place of remembrance that stirs up heartache for many.

Kathe Conlon, who is advocating for better 9/11 memorial care, helped search for victims on ground zero nearly 25 years ago. She now feels like a promise to never forget has been broken.

“We had to pick through a lot of rubble. We were looking for victims,” Conlon said. “I think, as New Jerseyans, we should be embarrassed about the state of this memorial. There are a lot of people from New Jersey that never made it back that day.”

Empty Sky opened in 2011.

“Nothing substantial has happened in the intervening 15 years,” said Mike Donatos, who lost his brother-in-law on 9/11 and was one of the 12 original committee members appointed to help select the memorial.

Donatos said the memorial is missing names of other identified victims and design elements, including cherry trees, specialty lighting, and a stainless-steel wall.

“It was always meant as a place of honor and consolation, sacred ground. What’s happened instead at the hands of the DEP is it has become a monument to bureaucratic corruption, disrepair, and deliberate neglect,” Donatos said.

N.J. DEP, Gov. Sherrill say they have Empty Sky’s back The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said significant repairs and maintenance falls on the DEP and the state government.

“Park staff maintain the grounds around the memorial … and oversee periodic cleaning,” the DEP said, adding, “Improvements to lighting, landscaping and other elements must undergo a design process before implementation.”

Currently, dozens of lights line the memorial but only one appears to be working.

“These memorials are remembrances of people who died, people who are still dying, and they deserve to be kept up so that we can go there and reflect and keep your past alive,” Conlon said.

CBS News New York reached out to the office of Gov. Mikie Sherrill, which said her administration is committed to the memorial.

Currently, signs are posted notifying visitors that the interior of the memorial is closed between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. for maintenance through Aug. 29. We inquired about the maintenance but have not heard back. When we asked about a potential 9/11 ceremony this year, we were told by the DEP that it’s currently under discussion.

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 Abby Dodge

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    MIAMI (WFOR) — A 29-year-old Broward man is facing multiple felony charges after police said he stole a vehicle from a South Florida car dealership and then fired several shots into his mother’s Pembroke Pines home while she was inside.

Khalil Smith is charged with strong-arm robbery, occupied burglary and attempted premeditated murder.

During a court appearance, a Broward County judge ordered Smith held without bond on the charges and prohibited him from contacting any victims involved in the case.

Police said the incident began when Smith allegedly stole a BMW from a local dealership on Monday. Investigators said Smith requested a test drive, then pushed a salesperson away and drove off in the vehicle.

Authorities said Smith then drove to his mother’s home, also in Pembroke Pines. His mother told investigators that Smith was no longer allowed at the residence.

Investigators allege Smith used a .22-caliber handgun to fire 10 shots into the back of the home while his mother was inside.

No one was hit, and no injuries were reported.

“We are very fortunate in the situation that even though he did fire into the residence, no one was struck, and no one was injured,” Pembroke Pines Police Capt. Jason Palant said.

Family members declined to speak on camera but told CBS News Miami they are devastated by the incident.

Smith’s mother told investigators that her son had not been the same since he was discharged from the U.S. Navy in November 2025.

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 Jamal Goss

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    ATLANTA (WUPA) — A 16-year-old Alpharetta High School senior is using her love of baking to help make sure young people experiencing hardship still have something to celebrate on their birthdays.

Reyha Raghavaraju founded Birthday Bundles about a year ago after an experience while volunteering at a food distribution.

“This one kid was wearing a birthday hat,” Raghavaraju said. “And then I asked him what he was doing for his birthday and he’s like, ‘I’m here.'”

The encounter stayed with her.

Raghavaraju said she had always grown up looking forward to her own birthday celebrations and began thinking about children and young adults who might not have the same experience.

That idea became Birthday Bundles, a teen-led nonprofit that provides homemade cakes or cupcakes, small gifts and handwritten cards to people served through local shelters.

“I think the hallmark of Birthday Bundles what we do for every single bundle is we have a handwritten card,” Raghavaraju said. “So our handwritten cards, we write them all by hand.”

Raghavaraju said each bundle is created with the recipient in mind, including age-appropriate gifts and a personalized message.

She is not doing the work alone.

Fourteen-year-old Saira Sharma, Raghavaraju’s longtime friend and neighbor, is one of the young volunteers helping prepare the cakes and bundles.

“I think I am personally grateful that I can do that,” Sharma said. “And I’m happy that we can make other people happy too. It’s very joyful.”

Raghavaraju said Birthday Bundles has been fully operational since the spring and has reached more than 136 families across metro Atlanta with the help of about a dozen volunteers.

The organization currently works with three shelter partners, including Covenant House Georgia. One recent delivery included a homemade cake and birthday bundle prepared for young people served by the organization.

Raghavaraju said the experience has changed the way she thinks about something many families may take for granted.

“To me, what was shocking is that they didn’t get something as simple as a birthday celebration,” she said.

Birthday Bundles is now looking for additional volunteer bakers, donations and shelter partners as it works to expand beyond its current North Fulton volunteer base.

For Raghavaraju, the goal remains simple: make sure more people know someone thought about them on their birthday.

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 Matt Schooley

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    BOSTON (WBZ) — A boy was critically hurt Tuesday morning when a large tree branch fell on him at YMCA Camp Chickami in Wayland, Massachusetts.

It happened around 10:45 a.m. at the children’s day camp on Boston Post Road, also known as Route 20.

During a news conference, authorities said that the boy was hit by a large branch and suffered life-threatening injuries. A camp counselor was hit by a smaller branch and was taken away by ambulance with minor injuries.

The boy was taken to Wayland Town Hall where MedFlight was waiting. He was then taken by helicopter to Mass General Hospital.

Officials said during the news conference that a large tree fell, causing a domino effect as it knocked down another tree in the area.

“We both agree that this is something that’s highly unusual,” Fire Chief Neil McPherson said.

The camp is operated by West Suburban YMCA. Jack Fucci, president and CEO, released a statement Tuesday afternoon.

“A camper was injured and has been transported by air ambulance to a nearby hospital. Our thoughts and prayers are with this young camper and their family. We are providing support services to other campers and staff who were present during this accident, and will keep our camp community fully informed,” Fucci said.

Fucci added at the news conference that the camp does have an annual tree plan. He said there will be an investigation into what happened.

The camp closed for the day on Tuesday and will be closed again on Wednesday.

“As you can tell, it’s a traumatic experience for everybody,” Fucci said.

One woman who lives in the area said she heard the commotion and came outside to see what was happening. Her child once attended the camp program.

“We were home and heard a lot of noises, like fire trucks and ambulances,” the woman said. “Over seven police cars came in, fire trucks, and a few ambulances. The kids wondered what happened, so we went out and looked.”

YMCA Camp Chickami is described on its website as a “traditional day camp located on a beautiful, wooded property bordering conservation land.”

The summer camp was founded in 1955. According to the camp’s website, children from 6 to 14 years old attend.

Wayland is located in Middlesex County, about 18 miles west of Boston.

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 Hellgren

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    BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Three horses have been struck by vehicles on Assateague Island this summer; two of them have died, including a beloved mare last week.

Advocates are demanding action to protect the wild ponies and slow down drivers.

The filly Miracle was struck by a car in July and survived.

Dune Dancer Jolt was killed earlier this month, less than two weeks before the death of Susi Solé.

Remembering “Queen Susi” Assateague Island is one of Maryland’s treasures and is famous for the wild horses who call it home.

The summer season has drawn an influx of visitors—and with them, tragedy.

A driver struck and killed beloved mare Susi Solé on Bayberry Drive last Thursday evening.

She was one of two horses killed by vehicles in less than two weeks.

“Susi was my heart, so it’s been a rough couple of days for myself and a lot of the regulars,” said Tina Becker.

Becker started coming to Assateague Island almost a decade ago. She calls Susi her very favorite.

She is heartbroken over the tragedy and says more must be done to protect these wild creatures.

Becker wore a diamond crown pin on her shirt to remember the “queen” that was Suze Solé.

She called her the “heart and soul” of Assateague.

“Susi took care of her own with passion, and she is going to be missed. This island will never be the same,” Becker told WJZ. “She was one of the island’s matriarchs and royalty.”

Susi gave birth in late April. Her colt is now being cared for to ensure his survival.

Video obtained by WJZ showed him being transported off the island into the care of the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company.

The fire company posted on Facebook, “From first indications, he is eating and drinking very well; he talks to a few of our buyback mares and foals through the fence but is not panicking or calling out, which is a great prognosis for his survival. He is very weanable for a wild pony foal at his age and should have zero problems adjusting to life on his own.”

Chincoteague Fire Company announced they have decided to raise the foal and named him “Wesley Bloxom Stallion” after one of their Saltwater Cowboys who performed numerous relocations of ponies from the Maryland side.

“If you only knew Susi, she was the best mom on the island. She loved her children. She kept her children very close to her. She was one of the only mothers who allowed her children to stay with her,” Becker said.

Slowing down traffic Savannah Miller’s petition on change.org has garnered almost two thousand signatures and calls for the speed limit to be reduced on Assateague to 15 mph from 25 mph.

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 Jeff Nguyen, Dean Fioresi, Chelsea Hylton

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    LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) — The two people who went missing while riding personal watercraft off the coast of Long Beach over the weekend are sharing their stories of survival after they were rescued by first responders.

Paul Carbullido Jr., who was found 16 hours after he was first reported missing, spoke with CBS LA over the phone while still recovering in the hospital. He was one of two people who got separated from the large group they had rented the gear from near Rainbow Harbor.

He says that when he was found by U.S. Coast Guard personnel on Monday morning, his body temperature was only 86 degrees.

Donna Dubray, who was with Carbullido when he fell off the watercraft, says that he temporarily went unconscious during the ordeal. She says that he had fallen off when he ran into her wake as they rode past the breakwall near Alamitos Bay Landing.

“I was saying, ‘You have to swim,'” Dubray said. “He was saying, ‘No, no, no. Don’t splash, don’t splash. The sharks are gonna get us.'”

Despite her attempts to help him climb back onboard the watercraft, she was unable to do so. She called the company that they rented the watercraft from, but the water got rough and she decided to swim for help as Carbullido drifted away.

She eventually made it to the breakwall, where she screamed for help. Her calls were heard by a good Samaritan in a fishing boat, who promptly called lifeguards to help. She was saved and the search for Carbullido then got underway.

“My whole body was just shaking. I couldn’t even walk because my legs were just jumping,” Dubray said. “My teeth were chattering and I was so cold. I lay down on the rocks, and I screamed bloody murder.”

Coast Guard search and rescue crews found Carbullido floating nearly three miles south of the Seal Beach Pier at around 10:45 a.m. He said that his life vest helped him paddle all night.

He was just about ready to give up and was having a conversation with God when the helicopter crew arrived.

“I appreciate all the emergency response team and the search and rescue mission,” said Carbullido’s younger brother, Robert. “They found him.”

Dubray is also grateful for the response from emergency personnel, who never gave up on her longtime friend.

“The relief was so great, I just cried,” she said. “I was so happy he made it.”

Dubray and Carbullido both said that they received no instructions from the rental company and that when they picked up the personal watercraft on Sunday night it was about an hour before the company closed.

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 Jacqueline Policastro | Quincy News Correspondent

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    Washington (Quincy News) — Market Recap: Stocks fell Tuesday as rising Treasury yields and renewed Middle East tensions weighed on technology shares. The S&P 500 dropped 0.7%, the Nasdaq fell 1.3% and the Dow slipped 0.2%, while semiconductor stocks fell 5%.

The 30-year Treasury yield reached its highest level since 2007, while the 10-year briefly hit its highest since January 2025. Higher Treasury yields can translate into higher borrowing costs for consumers, particularly mortgage rates.

Today’s Focus: President Trump paused planned 50% tariffs on some Canadian goods for three days, posting on Truth Social that the U.S. and Canada had reached a preliminary deal. The tariffs had been scheduled to take effect Wednesday.

The Federal Reserve releases minutes from its July meeting at 2 p.m. ET. Officials voted 9-3 to hold rates at 3.5% to 3.75%, with three policymakers favoring a quarter-point increase. Investors will be looking for more detail on the debate over rates and what could drive a move in September.

Wednesday’s retail earnings told two stories: Target raised its annual sales forecast, while Lowe’s cut its comparable sales outlook. TJX reports later Wednesday and Walmart follows Thursday.

ON THE SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2026

-2 p.m. ET – Fed minutes from July meeting

-Earnings – Target, Lowe’s and TJX

-Thursday, 8:30 a.m. ET – Weekly jobless claims

-Thursday earnings – Walmart

-Friday, 9:45 a.m. ET – August S&P Global Flash PMIs

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 Rashad Clay, Fund Development & Communications Intern, Houston Area Urban League

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    August 18, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — “It’s rewarding to know that someone’s doing better as a result of your work.” For Judson W. Robinson III, President & CEO of the Houston Area Urban League, that principle is less a slogan than a family inheritance—and a blueprint for Houston’s future.

Robinson’s roots run deep in public service. His father, Judson W. Robinson Jr., broke a historic barrier in 1971 as Houston’s first African American elected to City Council since Reconstruction. His mother, Margarette Robinson, built her own trailblazing legacy in nursing, including barrier-breaking roles at Houston’s veterans hospital and the Anheuser-Busch plant. Public service, in the Robinson household, was never just discussed; it was practiced.

Robinson carried that tradition into his own City Council service in the 1990s and, since 2008, into leadership of the Houston Area Urban League. The organization, founded in 1968, connects Greater Houston residents with education, workforce development, housing, entrepreneurship, health and social-service resources—an approach centered on strengthening the whole person, not simply solving one problem at a time.

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His leadership style is equally people-centered. Robinson rejects the notion that effective executives must dominate every room. Instead, he leans on collaboration, expertise and what he calls “shared strengths.” In a city as entrepreneurial and culturally layered as Houston, that philosophy feels especially fitting: nobody builds the Bayou City alone.

The payoff is measured in changed lives. Robinson recalls clients who arrived seeking help, gained stability and later returned as successful entrepreneurs and supporters. Their journeys reinforce his belief that circumstances should never define potential.

As Houston grows, Robinson’s message remains refreshingly clear: create opportunity, protect opportunity and prepare the next generation to seize it.

Titles may open doors, but purpose keeps them open for others. For Judson W. Robinson III, that is leadership—and legacy—in action.

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For More Information on Houston Area Urban League (HAUL), go to: HAUL.org

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.

Kierra Lee
KIELEESTYLE@GMAIL.COM
4096658446

By Francis Page Jr.

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    August 18, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — Houston knows a comeback, a reinvention and — perhaps most importantly — a good plate when it sees one. Now Davis Street at Hermann Park is entering an exciting new culinary chapter with acclaimed Houston chef and Food Network veteran Wendell Price guiding the kitchen. And our immediate response is simple: YES!

Located at 5925 Almeda Road, just steps from Hermann Park and Houston’s Museum District, Davis Street is rolling out what it calls a “Fresh Start” — complete with new management, a new culinary team, revamped direction, a redesigned website and an expanded emphasis on weekend brunch, private events and farm-to-table dining.

At the center of that new energy is Price, a chef whose résumé has traveled considerably farther than Almeda Road.

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Food Network’s own archives document Price appearing as a professional chef on Date Plate and competing across several episodes of Ready… Set… Cook!, including “Bonanza?,” “Cook Once, Serve Twice,” “Eye-Opening Breakfast” and “Shellfish: Impossible?” Food Network also maintains recipes credited to Price, including Moroccan lamb chops, thyme buttermilk chicken, guava barbecue ribs and mashed sweet potatoes.

Translation: the man knows his way around a stove.

Price also earned the “chef to the stars” description in Houston food media after cooking for entertainment personalities including Denzel Washington. But celebrity connections are only seasoning. What matters now is what Chef Wendell is putting on Houston plates.

And Davis Street’s new menu suggests he came ready to cook. The restaurant describes Price’s weekend brunch as a farm-to-table, organic and locally sourced French Country eating experience. The menu moves confidently from Southern comfort to international influences: Shrimp & Grits with Gulf fried shrimp, Mama’s Thyme Fried Chicken Wings, Buttermilk Spiced Chicken Fried Chicken, Velvet Hotcakes with maple brown butter, Fire-Grilled Cedar Salmon glazed with lemongrass honey, Asian Short Ribs and Jerk Lamb Chops.

That is not brunch whispering politely from the corner.

That is brunch walking into the room dressed like it owns the building.

Price’s culinary personality fits particularly well with Davis Street’s identity: Southern soul polished with cosmopolitan technique. OpenTable currently lists Price as Davis Street’s executive chef and describes his cooking as combining French country technique, Creole influences and elevated Southern comfort.

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There is also significance in where this next chapter is happening.

Davis Street debuted in 2014, becoming part of the dining landscape along Houston’s culturally significant Almeda corridor. Today it remains recognized as a Black-owned fine-dining restaurant, giving Houston another destination where culinary excellence, sophisticated hospitality and Black entrepreneurship meet at the same table.

And Price’s assignment extends beyond dinner and brunch. Davis Street is positioning itself as a destination for corporate offsites, seminars, celebrations, private dining and catering, with Chef Price-created menus emphasizing organic and locally sourced ingredients.

For Houston Style Magazine foodies, the timing could hardly be better.

Saturday brunch runs 11 a.m.–3 p.m., Sunday brunch 11 a.m.–5 p.m., while dinner is currently offered Wednesday through Friday, 5–10 p.m.The restaurant is closed Monday and Tuesday.

Houston has never suffered from a shortage of talented chefs. But some chefs possess something beyond technique — the ability to make dining feel like an occasion.

Wendell Price is one of those chefs.

So, Chef Wendell taking over the Davis Street kitchen?

Houston Style Magazine has only one thing left to say: Pull up a chair. Bring your appetite. And YES — somebody pass those Jerk Lamb Chops!

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Davis Street at Hermann Park 5925 Almeda Rd. A, Houston, TX 77004 Phone: 713-526-1663 • Instagram: @davissthouston Reservations & Information: davisstreet.com

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.

Kierra Lee
KIELEESTYLE@GMAIL.COM
4096658446