Category: CNN Regional

By Scott Noll

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    CONGRESS TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WEWS) — Standing with his left arm bandaged and stitched back together, the words “thankful” and “blessed” probably aren’t how you would expect Wayne County Sheriff Thomas Ballinger to explain his day.

But hours after Ballinger and Wayne County Sergeant Dan Broome were stabbed while investigating reports of a suspicious person, both officers were out of the hospital and recovering from their injuries Tuesday night.

“Just very thankful that everybody came together and the outcome is what it was,” said Ballinger. “Both of us are here, and the individual’s in jail.”

The sheriff said he and Broome were riding together on patrol Tuesday morning, when they encountered Chad Palmer walking along State Route 539 near West Salem.

Ballinger said Palmer seemed agitated and was yelling as he approached and then walked past the sheriff.

“I tried to stop him, and his back was turned toward me,” said Ballinger. “He had a backpack on the front of him with his hands inside the backpack against his chest, and once I reached out to secure him, he turned, and that’s when he cut my left forearm with his knife.”

The sheriff said he turned and then saw Palmer wrestling on the ground with the sergeant.

“When I turned around and looked, he said ‘he got me,’ and as soon as he said that, the individual took off running,” said Ballinger.

The sheriff, bleeding from a two-to-three-inch cut on his forearm, said he grabbed his radio and called for help before tending to Broome’s injuries.

“A lot of chaos,” said the sheriff. “It’s something we train for, but we don’t experience every day.”

Both officers were rushed to hospitals for treatment.

“I had my radio still on, so I knew what was going on, and then people kept me posted what was happening,” said the sheriff, who admitted he ignored repeated requests to turn the radio off and put the phone down.

State records showed Palmer was already on parole after serving prison time for felonious assault and other charges.

He was arrested after investigators said he was on Facebook live and poured gasoline on himself before negotiators talked him off the roof of a shed.

Ballinger said deputies responded to reports before the stabbing that Palmer was acting suspiciously, but said there was no reason to believe he would be armed and dangerous when officers were called about him again.

“I don’t think there were any red flags other than knowing who he is and that kind of thing, but nothing pointed us in this direction,” said Ballinger.

The sheriff said he plans to return to work on Wednesday.

Doctors told him that because the knife cut into his muscle, he may need surgery.

As for what the sheriff would like to see happen to his accused attacker, Ballinger said he would leave that to the justice system to sort out.

“I don’t have a vendetta against him,” said Ballinger. “I just don’t want him out hurting other people or himself.”

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 Kaylee Olivas

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    EUCLID, Ohio (WEWS) — Two years after Euclid Officer Jacob Derbin lost his life while on duty, his mother is still seeking answers from that night.

Derbin was shot while responding to a disturbance at a home in the 300 block of East 211th Street just before 10 p.m. on May 11, authorities told us in 2024.

Derbin was transported to University Hospitals, where he died from his injuries, according to police.

Derbin’s mother, Dawn, who is also the administrator of his estate, has been asking how and why since his death.

She said she has yet to be given those answers.

“We want the truth, and we want transparency and accountability. The public deserves it, and Jacob deserves it. I deserve those answers,” Dawn told News 5 on Tuesday.

Late Friday, on behalf of Derbin’s estate, Dawn filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio Eastern Division.

The 28-page lawsuit accuses the Chagrin Valley Dispatch Center of failing to relay crucial information about the severity of the situation.

It says the woman who phoned in the domestic dispute to Chagrin Valley dispatchers mentioned her child’s father, Deshawn Vaughn, threatened to shoot her and her family members and had previously shot her brother.

The lawsuit states that information wasn’t passed along to Euclid officers until 40 minutes later.

Euclid Police supervisors failed to come up with a tactical plan before sending Derbin and two other non-veteran officers, Alicia Mitchell and Samuel Jackson, to respond to the call, according to the lawsuit.

Body camera footage previously obtained by News 5 revealed the woman telling Derbin and other officers they could look in her backyard for Vaughn. Shortly after that, gunfire rang out.

Jackson blindly fired shots, which drew more gunfire in Derbin’s direction, the lawsuit said. Vaughn escaped and was later found to have committed suicide in Shaker Heights.

The lawsuit accuses officers of recklessly shooting at the suspect, drawing return fire that ultimately killed Derbin.

Derbin was shot seven times, the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit claims the other Euclid officers failed to move Derbin to safety and render aid, delaying necessary medical attention.

“During that response and in the aftermath of his death, it became clear that the Euclid Police Department had failed to adequately train and equip its officers to respond to calls like this where there was a threat of known violence,” FFG Partner Jacqueline Greene told News 5.

Greene is representing the Derbin family in this case.

She alleges that Derbin’s supervisors, who are listed as defendants in the suit, failed to provide any kind of instruction or intervention for the officers responding to the call.

“There are questions that should be answered. There are questions that the department should be accountable for, and the department should hold its officers accountable in the review of the events that led to Jacob Derbin’s death,” Greene said.

Dawn said she feels like she has been fighting for basic information in her son’s death.

She told News 5 she has tried having conversations with those at the Euclid Police Department for the last two years and claims she has only been met with deflection.

“No family should have to fight this hard to find out what happened to their baby. Nobody. It is torture,” Dawn said. “This all started with just me wanting to know my son’s last words, and I couldn’t get a straight answer from how many times he was shot to where he was.”

Greene acknowledged Euclid Police did follow proper procedure in calling the Bureau of Criminal Investigation to review the shooting, but said there are some unusual inconsistencies in it.

“They didn’t require their officers to give statements. They didn’t require them to give interviews. Not a single member of the Euclid Police Department sat down with BCI to give an interview about what happened. It’s highly unusual in BCI investigations to come across a full file without a single interview of a person in the department,” Greene said.

Last year, BCI finished its investigation, concluding that “there is no evidence to suggest that anyone other than the suspect was responsible for Jacob’s death,” and clearing the officers of any wrongdoing.

Greene said no internal investigation into the shooting was conducted.

“Does the Euclid Police Department actually want to grapple with what happened here and why and how Jacob Derbin died? It appears not based on their lack of commitment to transparency and lack of commitment to a full and thorough investigation of the events leading to and causing his death,” Greene said.

The alleged lack of commitment is noted in the lawsuit, too. It ties it to several different incidents that happened over the course of the last decade.

Both Greene and Dawn said they now want to put a stop to it.

Not only are they seeking accountability and transparency, but Dawn said she hopes this lawsuit sparks “meaningful change” in the department.

“I do not want this to happen to anybody else ever again,” Dawn said. “What happened to Jacob can never happen again to anybody, to any civilian, to another officer. Jacob was funny. Jacob was a protector. He always did the right thing. He believed in integrity. He believed in service. He was a proud soldier. He’s just amazing. He was an amazing, incredible human being. He should still be here.”

Greene said the suit is still in the process of being served to everyone involved.

“Then we’ll proceed down the typical path of litigation to seek the answers through discovery and other means in the context of the courts,” Greene said.

News 5 reached out to the City of Euclid for a response to the lawsuit.

“The City of Euclid, the Euclid Police Department and its officers continue to mourn the loss of Officer Jacob Derbin. The City of Euclid has recently received the lawsuit filed by the Estate of Jacob Derbin and per its policy it will not be commenting on the pending litigation. After reviewing the matter with legal counsel, the City will respond through the proper legal proceedings,” Euclid Law Director Patrick Cooney said on Tuesday.

I reached out to Derbin’s father via social media for comment but didn’t hear back.

Dawn is still calling for a full independent U.S. Department of Justice investigation into her son’s death.

“I believe significant evidence and investigative concerns were not fully addressed, including evidence I believe was not presented to the grand jury. I want every fact surrounding what happened that night fully examined through every legal and transparent process available,” Dawn said.

A day after our report aired, the Euclid Fraternal Order of Police sent News 5 a statement, saying, “The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 18 stands firmly behind the officers and supervisors of the Euclid Police Department following the filing of a civil lawsuit arising from the tragic line-of-duty death of Officer Jacob James Derbin.”

The statement also says, “Independent investigations were conducted following Officer Derbin’s death, including reviews by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the grand jury process. Those investigations concluded that the suspect who ambushed officers and opened fire was solely responsible for Officer Derbin’s death.”

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 Kristen Skovira

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    CINCINNATI (WCPO) — A local business is putting a unique spin on the vending machine experience by serving up surprise drinks from around the world, with customers never knowing exactly what they’re going to get.

The Mystery Machine is designed to dispense drinks completely at random, with more than 1,000 possible combinations.

Founder Harrison Baer says the concept traces back to his childhood, when a simple vending machine became a daily destination for him and his friends.

“Every single day we would gather together and meet up at this one very typical vending machine, but there was something very mysterious about it… it was the thrill of not knowing what drink you were going to get that excited us a ton.”

Baer said that early fascination eventually turned into a business idea built around surprise, choice and shared experiences. He told us he quit his corporate job, cashed out his 401K and put everything into the business so that customers can find the same joy he had as a kid.

Currently, customers can select from different categories like kids’ drinks, international drinks, diet, caffeine-free or sparkling drinks, as well as plain ole mystery drinks. What they get will be up to the machine (unless they pick one of three classic options — Coke, Diet Coke and spring water).

There’s also a special golden can that gives you a special prize, like a coupon for a free dessert.

Today, the Mystery Machine has expanded to four locations across the Tri-State: inside Factory 52’s Gatherall in Norwood, Al’s Delicious Popcorn in Over-the-Rhine, Dreamy’s Icecream in Union, Ky., and at Molly’s Cupcakes at the Liberty Center in Liberty Township.

The goal, Baer said, is to turn a simple purchase into something more interactive — and something people experience together.

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 Lily O’Shea Becker

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    LAWRENCE, Missouri (KSHB) — Stan Herd has created earthworks around the world, but his current project will have international attention right in his own town — Lawrence.

The Algerian men’s national team selected Rock Chalk Park as its base camp for the 2026 World Cup. The team will stay and practice in Lawrence throughout its time in the tournament.

Herd is using natural mediums like the bare ground, grass, wood mulch, and sand to create an Algerian flag near the Lied Center of Kansas.

“I couldn’t be in a better spot than to bring the team, my team and the team Lawrence into the mix here to welcome our friends from Algeria,” Herd said.

Herd and his fellow artists helped color in the flag on Thursday.

“Stan does work that goes right back into nature,” said Oliver Hall, who is helping Herd with the earthwork. “He doesn’t destroy nature. Nature is actually like his co-artist, so they work together really well, and they have for years.”

As the artists worked, Ruth DeWitt with Explore Lawrence pulled up to the project in the city’s new mobile visitor center, which debuted to the community on Tuesday and will greet visitors throughout the World Cup events in Lawrence.

“We just have everything coming together to greet visitors, to greet the Algerian team,” DeWitt said.

Herd imagines members of the community dressed in Algerian-flag colors, standing atop his earthwork accordingly, and waving back and forth to depict a flowing flag as a welcome for team Algeria.

“It’s really kind of a stage that we’re building for a multiplicity of activities, ideally,” he said of his earthwork.

Herd sees the University of Kansas and its international students as a cultural hub in Lawrence.

“We are an international community, and we always have been,” he said. “We rise to the occasion.”

Herd’s living artwork will evolve over the next couple of weeks until team Algeria arrives in Lawrence.

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 Tyaun Marshburn

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    OMAHA, Nebraska (KMTV) — For the past few weeks, students at Wakanda Elementary School have been learning about bills and unexpected life expenses what they call “money out.”

Now, they’re getting a better understanding of “money in” as they set up accounts at the Carver Legacy Center.

Omaha Cares and AKA Sorority each contributed $25 to give each student a total of $50 to start their accounts.

Christie McDonald of AKA said the moment was memorable for everyone involved.

“To see them, the excitement of opening up that $50 account was amazing at the end of the journey,” McDonald said.

It took a community effort to reach this point, teaming up to provide what could be the start of a lifetime of savings for these fifth-graders.

Karnetta Rushing, a business development officer at the Carver Legacy Center, said the program represents something long hoped for.

“This is kind of what we were all dreaming for,” Rushing said.

Rushing said the center’s work is about more than just this generation.

“Here we are in the 21st century, and we’re starting out again to have this financial center in our community, to help those, to build wealth, starting with the young people, wealth starts right here with the children,” Rushing said.

Rev. Portia Cavitt said the lessons extend beyond the classroom.

“In this economy in which we’re living in, where people are always spending on what they want, that it’s important to understand where money comes from, and how they can save it and have it for later years,” Cavitt said.

For some families, the experience offered more than a financial lesson. Parent Leondra Middleton said she learned something new about her own city.

“I was born and raised here in Omaha, Nebraska, and I did not realize that this was the first Black-owned bank in Omaha. I am so thrilled just to be a part of this. It’s wonderful,” Middleton said.

Middleton said she was grateful her daughter, DeAndra, had the chance to take part.

“This experience have been absolutely fantastic. You know, growing up, I was not afforded these opportunities. So when Pastor P contacted me to allow DeAndra the opportunity to participate in this program, I was excited,” Middleton said.

The Carver Legacy Center, near 24th and Lake, dates back to the 1950s and early 1960s, a time when many people in the Black community faced significant barriers to financial opportunities.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KMTV verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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, Kentucky (WLKY) — A candidate for the Kentucky House is coming under fire after video shows him taking a campaign flyer from a voter’s mailbox.

Maxwell Morley admits it is him in the video.

Morley is a Democratic candidate running for state representative in District 30, encompassing areas south of the Watterson Expressway. He’s one of three Dems running to replace Daniel Grossberg.

Morley was recently canvassing in the Newburg neighborhood when he was caught on a potential voter’s house camera.

The video shows him walk up and ring the doorbell. He then glances at the mailbox, takes out a piece of mail — another candidate’s postcard — folds it up and places it in his back pocket.

After no one comes to the door, he leaves his flyer and a message for the homeowner.

Morley sent this statement to WLKY:

“While campaigning, I exhibited a lack of judgment. This isn’t acceptable, and it’s something I’m deeply sorry for. I apologize to the homeowner. I want one thing to remain clear: Voters in HD 30 deserve better than their current representative, and I don’t want them to be distracted from the ultimate goal of sending him home.”

Morley’s actions have received backlash and have called into question improper and deceptive campaign practices.

We talked to Jefferson County Clerk David Yates about that kind of behavior during elections.

“I think it’s easy for us to step back and say we think that all candidates should hold themselves to a high level of integrity. Run fair and clean races. Unfortunately, we don’t always see that. But the beautiful thing is the voters get to hold them accountable. So when someone does something that is just egregious, wrong or doesn’t align with your values, you hold them accountable at the ballot box,” Yates said.

Vice Chair of the Louisville Democratic Party, Roz Welch, issued this statement following the video:

“I was disturbed to witness the video of a candidate removing another candidate’s information from a voter’s mailbox. This cycle, we have seen varying activities to confuse and challenge a voter’s right to information. By any other name it is voter suppression at its finest. It’s astounding to know that we have candidates running for office who ignore basic rules like ‘don’t touch voters’ mailboxes or take their mail.’ People are also sharing misinformation via confusing sample ballots. We must challenge the status quo and elect candidates who are fighting for us all.”

Stealing mail is a felony, but it’s unclear whether Morley will face any charges.

The primary election is May 19. The general election is Nov. 3.

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By Shaquille Lord

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    LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WLKY) — Documents and records dating back more than a century have been discovered in Louisville, including books and papers that historians say reveal important stories from Kentucky’s slavery era.

Among the discoveries are two books from the 1850s documenting transactions tied to two independent Black church congregations during slavery.

“They tell the story of two different church congregations,” said Patrick Lewis of the Filson Historical Society.

Lewis said the records show how the congregations purchased buildings to serve their communities at a time when opportunities for Black residents were severely limited.

“If those congregations did not exist and have their own independent buildings, there’s not going to be anywhere for those kids to learn how to read, participate in government and become citizens,” Lewis said.

The church records are only a small portion of the materials uncovered, officials said.

Jefferson County Clerk David Yates said the scale of the discovery became clear shortly after he took office.

“Upon taking office, I was appointed Oct. 8, and within a few months, we realized there were volumes and volumes of documents that we had,” Yates said. “We have taken literally truckloads, and we’re going through them piece by piece.”

Also displayed Tuesday were documents detailing the story of Joe Holton, a free Black man in Louisville who, according to records from 1828, received a $365 loan to purchase his wife and child from an enslaver.

“Some of these records tell a history of Louisville that hasn’t been discussed,” Yates said. “They tell stories of families, struggles and individuals who overcame hardships.”

The clerk’s office and the Filson Historical Society are now working together to preserve and digitize the records so they can eventually be made accessible to the public.

“It’s one thing to make sure these things are preserved and saved,” Lewis said. “It’s another thing to make sure they’re active in the community and people are able to learn from them. That’s where we come in and help.”

Officials said there is currently no timeline for when the preservation and digitization process will be completed, though the Filson Historical Society is working with outside partners to move the project forward as quickly as possible.

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 David Bienick, Matt Reed

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    BOSTON (WCVB) — Surveillance video captured a shooting Tuesday that injured one person in the city’s Dorchester neighborhood, and was the fourth shooting in as many days in Boston.

Boston police officers responded to the area of 25 Dacia St. in Dorchester following a radio call for a person shot.

“We heard the shots. It was super loud. It just went off, like a bunch of shots like nonstop,” one neighbor said.

A resident whose cameras captured the shooting said three people were in a parked car waiting for another vehicle. When the vehicle pulled up, the three people, who were carrying guns, jumped out of the car and fired at least 16 shots. It appears that one of the shooters was struck. He grabbed his leg, fell to the ground and limped away.

Officers canvassed the area for victims, witnesses, suspects and ballistic evidence, officials said. Officers recovered shell casings and projectile fragments and saw ballistic damage to multiple structures and a vehicle in the area.

Officers were told that a gunshot victim had been taken to an area hospital and is currently listed in critical condition, but is expected to survive.

“My roommates were texting and saying that it was right by our house. That they heard the gunshots and saw some of the cleanup last night, and yeah, I was kind of shocked,” one resident said.

Boston police investigators were seen placing evidence markers in an area roped off with crime scene tape. No arrests have been made.

One neighbor said she often sees signs of drug-dealing in the neighborhood.

“There’s always people hanging over there and you know drugs and all that,” she said.

The shooting is the latest in a string of incidents under investigation in the city.

On Sunday, a woman suffered life-threatening injuries in a shooting on Kingsdale Street as shots rang out on Mother’s Day. A man was injured in the shooting.

That shooting happened less than 24 hours after another double shooting in Dorchester. Police said two people were shot Sunday at 2 a.m. on Geneva Avenue.

Both were taken to a hospital, and their conditions have not been released.

On Saturday night, Michael Jacob, 30, of Randolph, was shot and killed on Woolson Street in Mattapan.

No arrests have been made in any of the three shootings, police said.

Community members wishing to provide information anonymously may do so via the CrimeStoppers Tip Line: By Phone: 1-800-494-TIPS By Text: Text the word “TIP” to CRIME (27463) Online: Submit a tip via Boston Police CrimeStoppers

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 Veronica Haynes, Jennifer Peñate and Imani Clement

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    CHELMSFORD, Massachusetts (WCVB) — A duck is recovering Tuesday after it was found with an arrow through its bill.

Newhouse Wildlife Rescue in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, was alerted to the duck’s plight by a Salem resident who saw it near a pond over the last couple of days with what appeared to be a bolt from a crossbow stuck in its beak.

The mallard duck, who is well known along the river and was affectionately named Horace by his fans, was captured on Tuesday and the arrow was removed.

Steven Salowsky, of Newhouse Wildlife Rescue, was there for it all, helping to remove Horace from the Salem River.

“Jane and I both got in the water, got on both sides, and ran full force with nets,” Salowsky said. “It was right through the beak, it was actually completely superficial and it was right by the nostrils, conveniently so it was kind of like a nose piercing for a duck’s beak. We put some lubrication on it and it slid right out. It was very bizarre.”

Salowsky and the Rescue rehabilitate hundreds of animals, including a beaver just last month.

The beaver was trapped just below a dam, huddled on a rock with cuts and infection. It is now healthy and ready to be released.

“Sometimes it’s accidental. Sometimes it’s on purpose. It was another rescue where we both ended up jumping in the water, but we couldn’t leave him there like this,” Newhouse rescuers posted.

The duck is expected to make a full recovery. It will be released back to the pond where it was found, Newhouse Wildlife Rescue 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.