Category: CNN Regional

By Drakkar Francois

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    LAFAYETTE, Louisiana (KADN) — Louisiana native rapper “Boosie” is speaking out on his controversial visit to Northside High School that apparently got the principal suspended.

News 15 spoke exclusively with Boosie about the visit. The rapper addressed the backlash surrounding his appearance at the school.

Northside Principal James Rollins has been placed on administrative leave following an appearance by the rapper at the campus. The Lafayette Parish School System declined to comment on the reasons for suspending Rollins.

Torrence Hatch, known by his stage name “Lil Boosie,” told News 15 he visited the school to inspire students and put smiles on their faces. The rapper said he only spoke words of encouragement to the students.

“I feel bad about it, man, because it was a genuine situation. All I did was said a few words to uplift the kids about life, about purpose, about things like that. I didn’t rap no music, nothing was rapped, all they did was played my music when I walked in. The kids enjoyed it. I just want to ask the person who is in charge to give this man a second chance, man,” ‘Boosie’ explained.

Hours before visiting Northside, he received a proclamation from St. Landry Parish President Jessie Bellard naming May 10 “Boosie Day.” The artist originally from Baton Rouge said he wanted to share that positive message with minority students at Northside.

Students were sitting in the gym anticipating his speech when he arrived. It remains unclear if his management team contacted the school before his arrival.

“He said, ‘Man give these kids a few words. A lot of these kids look up to you.’ The words I gave these kids, I can tell they were actually listening. I went in there and gave these kids what I have been through, what not to do, what not to do if you want to be somebody. So, I would tell the school board to give this man another chance. I would really stress that,” he added.

The rapper is now asking school officials to reinstate Rollins. It remains unclear if or when the suspension will be lifted.

The following is a statement from Superintendent Francis Touchet Jr. regarding recent events on an LPSS high school campus:

“Lafayette Parish School System’s first priority is always the safety of our students and staff. LPSS approved a visit through our standard safety protocols and procedures by Lil Boosie to Carencro High School on Tuesday. A visit to another school campus that had not received prior approval from LPSS and did not follow standard approval standards is currently 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.

By Kennedy Mason

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    ORLANDO, Florida (WESH) — A second sloth rescued from a now-closed Orlando attraction has died at the Central Florida Zoo, as authorities continue examining conditions tied to the deaths of dozens of animals.

Habanero — one of several sloths taken in after the closure of Sloth World — died Saturday evening after his condition worsened.

“We knew this was an uphill battle, but it’s really tough on the team to lose them,” said Richard Glover, the zoo’s CEO.

Habanero was among 13 sloths transferred to the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford from Sloth World. Earlier in the week, another sloth named Bandit also died.

Glover said many of the animals appear to have suffered from prolonged health issues.

“They’re all dealing with things they’ve been dealing with, it appears, probably months,” Glover said. “It appears their nutrition has not been correct, and that has a lot of effects over a period of time. Trying to reverse that damage is very difficult.”

The deaths come after reports that at least 31 sloths linked to the attraction had died.

State Rep. Anna Eskamani said she is working with colleagues to push for accountability and policy changes.

“These sloths did not grow up in captivity,” Eskamani said. “They were taken from the wild and brought for human entertainment to Florida. That alone should be prohibited.”

On Friday, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier responded to Eskamani’s request for a criminal investigation, saying in a letter that his office is committed to pursuing justice and ensuring accountability where warranted by evidence.

Zoo officials said they will continue efforts to care for the remaining 11 sloths. While most appear to be in relatively stable condition, staff members are closely monitoring two animals.

“The very hard thing with wild animals is they can’t show any signs of weakness,” Glover said.

The zoo said two other sloths are in guarded condition, but the rest of them appear to be in pretty good shape.

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 Crystal Flintrop

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    LA CROSSE, Wisconsin (WXOW) — What started as a promise in early childhood turned into a prom night to remember for one La Crosse family.

Avant Williams, an 11th grader at La Crosse Central High School, took his grandmother, Svala Heller, to prom this weekend, fulfilling a dream she had carried for years.

“Since I was like a little kid, my grandma’s been telling me she wanted to go to prom,” Williams said.

Heller said growing up in Iceland meant she never experienced the tradition, but it remained something she hoped to do after seeing it portrayed in American culture.

“We don’t have prom in Iceland,” Heller said. “I’ve always wanted to go to a prom. You know, watching American TV and all that glamour that goes with it.”

That idea stayed with Williams for years, eventually becoming a promise he was determined to keep.

“I’ve only been looking forward to this moment since I was like two years old,” Williams said. “It’s a big deal for my grandma. And I feel like very special that I can take her to this prom.”

The pair was joined by Williams’ best friend, Ruben Smith, who is also an 11th grader at Central.

“I’m with my best friend and his grandma, just enjoying today,” Smith said. “It’s really special, cause no one gets to take their best friend’s grandma to prom, go with their best friend. It’s just, I don’t know, it’s special.”

For Heller, the night was about more than just the experience. It was about sharing it with her grandson.

“It’s so special. We have such a special bond,” Heller said. “I’m just taking every inch in and just enjoying every moment.”

Williams said being able to make that dream a reality meant everything to him.

“It means the world to me. Like, I love my grandma. She’s been there for me my whole life,” Williams said. “I’m just happy I can make her dream come true.”

After pictures at Riverside Park, the group had dinner before making their way to the dance at Central High School.

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 Hess

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    MILLERSVILLE, Pennyslvania (WGAL) — The Iron Leg charity football game is returning to Millersville on June 20, with a rematch at Biemesderfer Field to raise funds for a young amputee athlete, Major Asay.

This unique event brings together players aged 35 and older and amputee athletes aged 18 and older, proving that grit, heart, and determination don’t come with age limits or physical limits.

The game will return to Biemesderfer Field and will benefit Major.

The Iron Leg provides the following information about Major on their website:

“Major was a healthy, soccer-loving 10-year-old until May 1, 2025, when he became severely ill with Streptococcus Group A. Within hours, the infection led to sepsis, toxic shock, and multi-system organ failure.

“Thanks to the incredible care provided by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Major survived after spending 52 days in the hospital recovering from kidney failure and undergoing multiple surgeries.

“Due to the loss of blood flow to his extremities, Major required amputations of both legs, his right hand, and left thumb. Despite these profound challenges, Major is showing remarkable strength and determination as he learns to walk again with his new prosthetic legs and continues his rehabilitation with a positive, resilient spirit.”

The 2026 Iron Leg charity football game aims to bring financial relief to Major and his family as they face ongoing medical expenses related to future prosthetics and continued therapy.

Organizers are still seeking more football players and cheerleaders to participate in the event. To learn more about how you can join in on the fun or donate, head to their website.

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 Jennifer Osting

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    LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WLKY) — An 89-year-old Louisville native living in hospice care was able to fulfill one final wish this weekend—attending his 80th Kentucky Derby in a row.

Bob Weihe marked the milestone Saturday at the 152nd Run for the Roses.

Despite being in hospice, his lifelong tradition was made possible for another year after a story about his situation gained attention.

Following a video shared by CBS correspondent David Begnaud, Churchill Downs helped arrange tickets and grant his wish.

On Saturday, Kentucky State Police arrived at Weihe’s house and gave him and his wife a special escort to Churchill Downs.

While they were there, Weihe was able to meet up with Begnaud, who shared some pictures of them enjoying the day.

Begnaud said he expects to share more on the story Monday on CBS Morning News, which airs at 7 a.m. on WLKY.

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 Hannah Hoffman

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    BALTIMORE (WBAL) — Sid Grossman retired from his job as a Baltimore City schools physical education teacher in 1987, but he never really stopped working.

For more than two decades, he has been a constant face inside Baltimore City Hall.

As of Friday, at 92 years old, the man affectionately known as “City Hall Sid” is retiring again.

Alongside his family and City Hall colleagues, Grossman bade farewell to the place he called his second home.

In his two decades of service, he has seen administrations come and go. He even made an impression on Mayor Brandon Scott when he applied for his first job at City Hall.

“Thank you for all of those many years of working and serving the residents of Baltimore, and to the family for sharing him with us for all those years,” Scott said.

“I won’t miss you because you’ll be up here (in my head) and in my heart, all the time. All of you, and those who aren’t here. I want to thank then-Mayor (Martin) O’Malley for hiring me for this job, because it became my life,” Grossman said. “Sometimes it comes to the point where you do a job where you think you’re finished, so it’s time to walk away. Just like Kenny Rogers said, ‘You know when to hold them, you know when to fold them, and you know when to walk away.’ Thank you all.”

Grossman told WBAL-TV 11 News on Thursday that tequila has helped keep him young. His son said Grossman is moving out to Frederick to be closer to his family.

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 Aaron Parseghian

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    BOSTON (WBZ) — While skyscrapers define much of Boston’s skyline, a closer look reveals remnants of the city’s industrial past, including faded advertisements painted on brick buildings.

That’s what caught the attention of West End resident Brian Egdahl, who noticed a barely visible hand-painted mural across the alley from his apartment.

“[I was] just kind of sitting in front of the desk looking across the alley and seeing this interesting hand-painted mural that you could barely really make out,” Egdahl said.

What is a “ghost sign?” The worn paint, a so-called “ghost sign,” prompted Egdahl to contact the West End Museum in hopes of restoring the historic feature.

“These reminders of the neighborhood’s industrial history, especially as it becomes a residential neighborhood now, are really valuable,” said Sebastian Belfanti, the West End Museum’s executive director.

Egdahl then found brothers Jack and Eli Williams on social media. The pair from North Carolina has been restoring murals and ghost signs since 2015. Their business and passion have picked up with steady commission work since the pandemic.

“They’re old advertisements that were painted on the sides of brick buildings, and they’re called ghost signs because they kind of leave a ghostly past of what businesses used to be there,” Jack said.

About 80 feet above the ground, three signs dating back to the late 1800s are now being carefully restored. What makes this project unique is that one of the companies featured in the signs is still in business.

“Holding onto that history is great” Tewksbury-based Holt & Bugbee, a family-owned lumber company that recently marked 200 years in operation, once had a warehouse at the site off Friend Street.

“It just means a lot to the people in our business. People are really excited about it. They get a lot of pride,” said Ben Pierce, who said the company first found out there was an old advertisement on the building when they were taking a Duck Boat tour of the city.

When Pierce was contacted by the group, he said it was no-brainer to help finance the sign’s restoration.

“I just had a child. I have a one-and-a-half-year-old boy. And that sign would have been gone in a couple of years. So it’s really nice that it’s going to be around for probably the rest of his life,” Pierce said.

For two weeks, the Williams brothers are working high above the street, using lifts, brushes and paint to revive the historic artwork.

Beyond restoring signs, the project is helping reconnect the West End, much of which was razed in the 1950s, with its past and its future.

“There’s still some kind of work to get people aware of the fact [they’re in the West End neighborhood] and projects like this help that happen,” Belfanti said. “It’s great that it is becoming a residential neighborhood, but it’s obviously a change and kind of holding onto that history is great.”

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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    DOUGLAS COUNTY, Missouri (KSHB) — A new program in Douglas County is helping first responders safely interact with drivers who have a variety of medical and mental health conditions.

Free State High School resource officer Bailey Salsbury introduced the Blue Envelope Program this month, and it is now available across the county at these participating agencies: Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, KU Police Department, Eudora Police Department, Baldwin City Police Department, Lawrence Kansas Police Department, Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical, and Mental Health Response Team.

Drivers can put their license, vehicle registration and insurance inside the envelope. On the outside, they can identify an emergency contact and any medical or mental health conditions they may have.

“They might be deaf or hard of hearing, limited vision, different medical alerts like diabetic, seizures,” Salsbury said. “They might have autism, they might have Tourette’s Syndrome. It really alerts us that behavior that we might normally see and perceive as an avoidant behavior, maybe like a preindicator of a fight or flight type of issue, and let us know that might actually be related to their diagnosis, so we can come at it with a different approach.”

Erin Campbell is a paraeducator at Free State High School and her son, Aiden Toms, has autism. She found other law enforcement agencies in the Kansas City area utilizing the program and brought it up to Salsbury.

She said Aiden, 15, might take a driver’s education course this summer.

He said he is looking forward to driving, and a blue envelope would make him feel safer on the road.

“If a cop is pulling me over and I was starting to build up social anxiety because the cops are behind me, I would first of all, stop the car, I would breathe — take my breaths — and I would find my envelope and hand it to them to let them know,” Aiden said.

Campbell said Aiden’s social anxiety could make him act differently.

“He may impulsively reach for something,” Campbell said. “We’ve had that conversation that police are trained if someone is reaching and they haven’t asked them to, that’s unsafe for them.”

Decals for cars and house windows are also available with the Blue Envelope Program.

Salsbury says the program increases safety for both participants and first responders.

“It’s a very positive response,” Salsbury said. “I’ve heard a lot more parents that are a lot more comfortable with their kids being able to drive. Just making that impact on even just the youth in addition to the entirety of the community, as an SRO, makes it worth it in my opinion.”

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.