North Dakota lawmaker dies in Twin Cities plane crash, according to state’s Democratic Minority leader

CNN Newsource on April 27, 2026

By Chloe Rosen, Frankie McLister

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    Minnesota (WCCO) — A North Dakota lawmaker is one of two people who died when a small plane crashed near Minneapolis late Saturday morning, according to the state’s Democratic Minority leader.

The National Transportation Safety Board says a Beech F33A plane crashed near 62nd and Florida avenues in Brooklyn Park around noon, shortly after taking off from the nearby Crystal Airport.

Two people were inside the aircraft at the time of the crash, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Officials say local fire crews were on scene within minutes of receiving the call.

“I just looked up, and I saw it going really fast,” said Nevaeh Surla, who witnessed the crash. “It was going down, and I didn’t see [if] it had the wheels out for a landing. Then I told my fiancé That looks like it’s going to crash,’ and right when I said that, I saw the big explosion.”

WCCO confirmed that one of the victims was North Dakota Rep. Liz Conmy.

“I am completely devastated at the loss of our friend Liz. She lived life to its fullest, never shying from adventure or speaking her mind — often in refreshingly direct terms,” Zac Ista, the North Dakota Democratic Minority leader, said in a statement.

Conmy has ties to the University of St. Thomas and Minnesota State University.

There are no details on what caused the crash. Local police and fire officials are investigating; an NTSB investigator is expected to arrive late Saturday or early Sunday.

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World War II soldier from New Ulm to be laid to rest after DNA identification

CNN Newsource on April 27, 2026

By Ubah Ali

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    Minnesota (WCCO) — A Minnesota family is finally welcoming home a war hero they waited more than 80 years to find.

U.S. Army Captain Willibald C. Bianchi of New Ulm, Minnesota, served as commander of Company D, 1st Battalion, 45th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Scouts, on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines.

Bianchi stared down the enemy in World War II, survived the Bataan Death March and endured years as a prisoner of war before dying in friendly fire. His actions earned him the nation’s highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.

Following the end of the war, the American Graves Registration Command was tasked with investigating and recovering missing American personnel.

Bianchi’s remains were unidentifiable and buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, also known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Modern DNA testing changed that.

A 2018 sample from Bianchi’s sister and other relatives helped scientists identify his remains in 2025. The discovery finally answered the question his family had for decades: Where was he?

On Friday, his remains arrived at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport’s Armed Forces Services Center.

“It’s been 85 years this month that our Uncle Bill left U.S soil and he’s coming back today,” said Scott Torpey, Bianchi’s nephew.

Bianchi will be laid to rest in New Ulm next weekend.

The Brown County Historical Society is also marking the moment with an exhibit dedicated to his life and service.

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Philadelphia region’s air quality grades poorly in new report as pollution worsens

CNN Newsource on April 27, 2026

By Stephanie Stahl, Will Kenworthy

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    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — A new report from the American Lung Association says millions of Americans are being exposed to potentially dangerous air, and that includes the Philadelphia region.

The Philadelphia region graded an F for bad air quality in the annual report from the association. The report analyzes ozone, smog and particle pollution.

Caroline Hutchinson, with the American Lung Association, says not only did the region get a failing grade, but the air pollution here is intensifying.

“We also went from the 26th-worst city to the 17th-worst city in just a year,” she said.

The state of the air report says the pollution is coming from cars, power plants, chemicals and fires.

“There’s work that needs to be done,” Hutchinson said.

Doctors say the fine particles from air pollution can penetrate the lungs and bloodstream, triggering inflammation and a variety of health problems, including lung and heart disease.

“I do think it’s a concern for everybody,” Gautam George, a pulmonologist from Jefferson Health, said.

George says air pollution can make fighting infections like colds and the flu more difficult, along with other respiratory conditions.

“Children, especially those that have asthma, which is a common childhood condition, can get exacerbated in the setting of bad air,” he said.

The new report says more than 1 million children in Pennsylvania are breathing unhealthy air.

“This can also increase the risk for other types of respiratory diseases down the line,” George said.

The report says nearly half of Americans — 152.3 million — now live in places with dangerous air pollutants.

The state of our air report says people of color are more than twice as likely to live in areas with high air pollution levels.

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50 years after attending kindergarten together in South Philadelphia, classmates gather for reunion

CNN Newsource on April 27, 2026

By Terra Sullivan

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    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — Things may look a little different than the first time they met under one roof together in South Philadelphia, but that didn’t stop several members of St. Charles Borromeo’s 1976 kindergarten class from getting together to celebrate 50 years of friendship this weekend.

Juice boxes were traded in for champagne glasses at “A Toast to 50 Years” kindergarten reunion at SS Too venue in Yeadon.

“Yes, we are still friends, and we can call each other personally by name, phone number, social media. We also attend birthdays, weddings, and each other’s children’s baby showers,” said former student and organizer Carolyn Connally-Bryant.

Pictures of those classmates who are no longer here graced the tables along with yearbooks, cupcakes, cookies and party favors. About 30 people attended.

“It’s truly 50 years of friendship,” Connally-Bryant said. “So, I have decided since we’ve lost four classmates, it’s time that we all come together under one roof to celebrate this golden occasion while we still can.”

While St. Charles Borromeo Church is still active in South Philly, the school is no longer open.

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Five females, including teen, hurt in shooting in Indiana along popular Kirkwood Avenue

CNN Newsource on April 27, 2026

By Michaela Springer and Alan Selph

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    BLOOMINGTON, Indiana (WISH) — Five women were shot early Sunday morning during a fight near Indiana University’s campus, Bloomington Police Chief Mike Decoff said. No arrests have been made.

The shooting happened around 12:25 a.m. on the 400 block of East Kirkwood Avenue outside Nick’s English Hut, as crowds gathered for the annual Little 500 weekend.

Decoff said the gunfire was not random.

“I want to reiterate, this was not just random gunfire. It was a fight between two people that broke out,” Decoff said during a Sunday press conference.

Victims identified:

All five gunshot victims are female, ages 17 to 22, police said. None are in life-threatening condition.

• A 20-year-old woman from Plainfield: gunshot wound to upper torso, struck by bullet fragments in the side.

• An 18-year-old woman from South Bend: embedded bullet fragments in ankle and shin.

• A 22-year-old woman from South Bend: embedded bullet fragments in the back of the thigh.

• A 17-year-old girl from Indianapolis: embedded bullet fragments in foot and ankle.

• A 21-year-old woman from Indianapolis: embedded bullet fragments in shins and thighs.

Four victims were treated and released. One was admitted for further treatment.

In total, nine people went to area hospitals after the shooting. Police said five were transported from the scene, one by police squad car, two by personal vehicles, and one by ambulance from a nearby gas station. Four others were hurt from cuts and scrapes while fleeing.

A Bloomington officer stationed on Kirkwood heard the shots and saw the crowd scatter, police said.

“We had several officers stationed in the area to monitor the event. It was going very peacefully until the shots broke out,” Decoff said.

The shooting ended a night of Little 500 celebrations near IU Bloomington’s campus. Police have not identified any suspects and said it was unclear if any victims are IU students.

Residents react:

Noah Cohn, a Bloomington resident, said he was disappointed.

“I feel like it’s kind of messed up because this is a college town,” Cohn said. “I feel like there’s no need for anyone to get shot regardless of the conflict.”

Travis Mitchell said he wasn’t surprised.

“I mean I feel like it’s kind of a normal thing when Little Five happens, there’s always a shooting or something right around this strip,” Mitchell said.

Mayor Kerry Thompson said the city had protocols in place for the weekend crowds.

“We have many visitors in Bloomington for many significant events and protocols in place to try to support crowds,” Thompson said. “That worked incredibly well for the national championship… and unfortunately, people brought guns to the party last night.”

Thompson encouraged residents to leave firearms at home but noted Indiana law prevents the city from banning guns. She said the city will conduct a review of safety protocols.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information or video from the area around 12:30 a.m. Sunday is asked to contact Detective Chris Scott at 812-339-4477.

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A Social Sauna: How a backyard addition is bringing women together

CNN Newsource on April 26, 2026

By Jenna Wells

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    SHOREWOOD, Wisconsin (WDJT) — Behind her cozy Shorewood home, Paige Hammond has created a Nordic paradise.

“When I get into something, I get very into it,” she told CBS 58’S Jenna Wells.

Hammond’s love for saunas started years ago: First at gyms and spas, then at McKinley Marina’s Hot Spell sauna.

Two years ago, a trip to Finland turned Hammond’s sauna enjoyment into a near obsession.

“This feels like it was supposed to be in my life,” she said. “I can’t technically afford to go to a private sauna place every day, and I want to sauna every day.”

Thankfully, her husband likes saunas, too – and Costco has everything.

“We keep joking that Costco should really be paying us dividends at this point,” Hammond laughed.

After a big delivery, and some hard work, their very own sauna was up and running, but through the winter, Hammond found herself spending a lot of sauna sessions solo.

“I would try and get everyone I know to come sauna. But like, not everybody loves sauna as much as I do,” she said. “I know it’s not for everybody. Like, it’s sitting in a hot box.”

So, in February, she posted in a Shorewood neighborhood Facebook group.

“I said, essentially, I have a sauna. I sit in it alone sometimes,” Hammond explained. “I would love to have people come and, like, experience it.”

To her surprise, more than sixty women responded. The sauna only fits six at a time, So Hammond set up a sign-up system.

“Five strangers that are all women that live in the village of Shorewood come over here and they meet each other,” Hammond said.

Since then, she has hosted more than dozen sessions.

“I saw Paige’s post on LinkedIn. Somebody in my network must have been connected with her,” said Hammond’s neighbor, Sara Mae Polinag. “I was like, Shorewood… women… sauna… I’m in.”

She is now one of a few repeat visitors.

“Were you nervous at all that you were just showing up to a stranger’s house?” Jenna asked.

“I mean, I probably should have been, but honestly, no,” Polinag laughed. “I think part of that is because I knew it was like, honestly, with women.”

While the sessions often start with small talk, they never end that way.

“It just kind of feels like we’re we’ve all kind of known each other for a long time, and this is our first time meeting each other,” Polinag explained.

“It’s crazy how fast you can connect with women when you’re in this situation, like, when you’re sweating with them, I guess,” Hammond said.

The spontaneity is reminiscent of making friends on the playground.

“You would see a child outside, and you would walk up to that kid and be like, I’m a kid and you’re a kid, should we be children together and go play?” Hammond remembered.

The connections have grown bigger than the backyard.

Hammond recently launched a website called Shorewood Women’s Social, a space for neighbors to organize similar gatherings.

“I wanted to give people permission to do what I was doing and give them an outlet to kind of get this out to people,” she explained.

More than 100 women have already joined, and they’re getting events on the calendar.

While the group is exclusive to Shorewood, Hammond welcomes others to steal her idea.

“I hope people see this, and I hope it inspires them to want to do something really similar in their own communities,” she said.

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Family returns home 19 months after Helene

CNN Newsource on April 26, 2026

By Rian Stockett

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    CANTON, North Carolina (WLOS) — A family gets to sleep in their own beds for the first time since their house was destroyed by Helene 19 months ago.

“Today we are moving back to our home,” said Donella Pressley, a Canton Resident. “A lot of people don’t think, well, your house floated away, but you still have a mortgage. It doesn’t matter that your house floated away. You still have to pay for it.”

Pressley describes herself as a two-time winner of the floods, as before Helene, her home was damaged by Fred.

After Fred, organizations like Mountain Projects and Baptists on Mission helped repair it.

But after Helene, there was no repairing. Pressley had to rebuild from scratch.

“You just have to put your big-girl pants on and your boots and wade through the muck that the river leaves, and you just have to fix it. And that’s what you have to concentrate on. You just have to fix it,” Pressley said.

Pressley says they’re able to do this thanks to funding from the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management.

“It’s going to be years down the line for other people to assess and to get help and to get things fixed,” Pressley said.

Not just a new home and deck, the ground has been raised per flood code, making the house 10 feet higher than it used to be.

Pressley says the day before Helene came through, they were prepared, packing their pets, clothing and memorabilia, but some of their belongings, they’ll never get back.

“A home is where we’re at and what we’re doing and not so much about the stuff,” Pressley said.

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Advocates for the family of the Boulder firebombing suspect call for their return to Colorado

CNN Newsource on April 26, 2026

By Michael Abeyta

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    BOULDER, Colorado (KCNC) — Around the time a protest was being held in front of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Centennial, lawyers say a Colorado family was being taken into custody inside. This took place less than forty-eight hours after a federal judge in Texas ordered their release.

Hayam El Gamal is the ex-wife of Mohamed Soliman, the man who is charged with carrying out a bias motivated terror attack on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall in June of 2025. El Gamal and her kids, ranging from ages five to 18, were arrested by immigration officials shortly after the attack.

An FBI agent testified in court that he believed the family did not know about Soliman’s plans, and the family has denounced his actions.

“We condemn all people that use violence, even including my father,” said Habiba Soliman from the Dilley detention center in Texas in January.

On Thursday, a federal judge in Texas ordered their release.

In response, the Department of Homeland Security said, “The facts of this case have not changed. Mohamed Soliman is a terrorist responsible for an antisemitic firebombing in Boulder. Despite receiving full due process and a final order of removal, this activist judge appointed by Bill Clinton is releasing this terrorist’s family onto American streets. Under President Trump, DHS will continue to fight for the removal of those who have no right to be in our country, especially national security threats.”

Kristin Gutzman, Megan Klaus, and Lacey Goodwin have been helping and advocating for El Gamal and her kids. Klaus and Goodwin even drove them from Texas to Colorado, arriving at around 3 a.m. on Saturday.

They say the future looked bright for the family.

“The smiles and the joy when they got out of the car and saw us waiting for them, it was miraculous,” said Klaus. “I was sharing with them that healing is around the corner. Is it? Is healing around the corner? They are now on a plane to be deported where their lives are at stake.”

The family had an immigration check-in in Centennial on Saturday morning. That’s when they were detained and put on a plane to Michigan.

“Absolute evil and cruelty. There’s no reason to be doing this,” said Goodwin.

Lilah Pettey is friends with Habiba Soliman. She says this whole situation isn’t fair.

“It’s the most devastating news I’ve had all week,” said Pettey. “This is completely illegal, and it is just further torment of a family that has gone through too much.”

She says she feels sad for her friend and her friend’s family.

“Losing her has been genuinely devastating for me. For our whole community. And if Habiba is watching I just want her to know I love you, I miss you and I hope that I get to see you soon,” said Pettey.

Gutzman, Klaus and Goodwin say they just want the El Gamal-Soliman family to return home and have peace.

“They’re resilient and they shouldn’t have to be resilient anymore. We should be taking care of them,” said Klaus.

The family immigrated from Egypt and applied for asylum after their visas expired. Advocates say the family is worried that if they’re returned to Egypt, they’ll be labeled as terrorists and be targeted by the Egyptian government and mistreated.

On Saturday evening, DHS issued a statement to CBS Colorado expounding on its earlier statement this week.

“Mohammed Soliman is a terrorist responsible for an anti-Semitic firebombing in Boulder. The family received full due process and was issued a final order of removal on December 29, 2025. They appealed the judge’s decision. The board of appeals upheld the final order of removal on April 22, 2026. Despite receiving full due process, this activist judge appointed by Bill Clinton is releasing this terrorist’s family onto American streets AGAIN,” said DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “Under President Trump, DHS will continue to fight for the removal of those who have no right to be in our country—especially terrorists and their associates. We are confident the courts will ultimately vindicate us.”

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Nearly 100 animals “living in filth” rescued from home i

CNN Newsource on April 26, 2026

By Alexandra Simon

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    LANCASTER, Pennsylvania (KYW) — The Pennsylvania SPCA is caring for nearly 100 animals, including dozens of dogs and puppies, that were rescued from a dirty and overcrowded home in Lancaster County.

On April 22, the PSPCA’s Animal Law Enforcement team, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Department and West Hempfield Township Police executed a search warrant at a home in Columbia, Pennsylvania, after getting a tip about animals living in poor conditions.

At the home, the PSPCA said agents found 93 animals in states of distress, malnourishment and neglect.

In total, 76 dogs and puppies of varying breeds, 15 cats and kittens and 2 Flemish rabbits were removed from the home and taken to the Pennsylvania SPCA for medical care.

“The conditions these animals were forced to endure were truly heartbreaking,” Nicole Wilson, Director of Animal Law Enforcement and Shelter Operations at the Pennsylvania SPCA, said in a statement. “Ninety-three animals living in filth, without clean water, adequate shelter, or basic care – this is why our team works around the clock to respond to these calls. We are grateful to the Good Samaritan who spoke up, the officers from West Hempfield Township and Lancaster County Sheriff Deputies who were committed to the safe removal of all animals and we are committed to ensuring each of these animals receives the care they deserve.”

Among the animals rescued from the home were a black Newfoundland-type dog and a Shih Tzu-type dog, both with heavily matted fur, a Chihuahua with significant hair loss, and a German Shepherd and puppies that were all found crammed into a crate.

The PSPCA said feces and excrement were found around the property, and some animals were being kept in crates that had been zip-tied shut.

Once the animals undergo forensic medical examinations, the PSPCA said charges for the people responsible could include animal cruelty and neglect, failure to provide access to clean and sanity shelter and lack of veterinary care.

Anyone with information on this case or other animal abuse cases is urged to contact the PSPCA’s Cruelty Hotline at (866) 601-SPCA.

With the influx of animals in need of serious care, the PSPCA is holding an adoption event on Sunday, April 26 to make space in the shelter and help find homes for animals that have been living there for some time. Adoption fees are being waived for all dogs that have been in the shelter for 60 or more days.

You can meet adoptable animals at PSPCA location on 350 E Erie Avenue in Philadelphia.

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NYPD “taking extra security measures” around Trump Tower after White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting

CNN Newsource on April 26, 2026

By Katie Houlis

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — The New York City Police Department is adding extra security outside Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan after Saturday’s shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we are taking extra security measures around Trump Tower,” the NYPD told CBS News New York.

One NYPD vehicle was seen in front of the building late Saturday night.

A suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cole Allen of California, fired shots outside the ballroom of the Washington Hilton Hotel as the dinner was taking place. President Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed off stage by Secret Service agents.

Allen was taken into custody and hospitalized with unspecified injuries.

A Secret Service agent was struck by a round, but was wearing a bulletproof vest and is expected to be OK, law enforcement sources told CBS News. No other injuries were reported.

Rep. Mike Lawler was attending the Correspondents’ Dinner with his wife and spoke to CBS News New York about the “deeply unnerving” incident.

“We had heard a pop, and then, I mean, pandemonium ensued,” he said. “Plates were flying, and once the agents came storming in and we could hear them yelling, ‘Shots fired,’ you know, obviously, given the number of high-profile officials in the room, it was chaotic.”

Other New York officials, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani, reacted to the shooting on social media.

“Political violence is absolutely unacceptable. I am glad the President and guests at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner are safe,” Mamdani wrote.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said she was, “Thankful for the swift response by law enforcement and the Secret Service at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.”

“Praying for the safety of everyone in attendance,” she added.

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