Category: CNN Regional

By Lisa Crane, Taylor Lang

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    PIEDMONT, Alabama (WVTM) — The Calhoun County coroner confirmed on Tuesday morning that 10-year-old Katheryn Aliceanna Bigbee was stabbed to death.

On Friday night, police found her body with multiple stab wounds. Now another juvenile is charged in her death.

Police Chief Nathan Johnson said this started as a missing person case.

“The parents heard something, and they couldn’t find one of the children inside the home. And so they went outside to look. And that’s how it came in as a missing person. They ended up finding a female with extensive injuries, appeared to be deceased,” Johnson said.

The small town of Piedmont in Calhoun County is reeling. She is described by her teachers as joyful and spunky.

Even residents who did not know Bigbee or her family said they’re heartbroken.

Avery Gowens said, “We’re helping each other through this because this is very traumatic for the family. What they went through, and we want to do everything we can to help them. We also want to make sure, like helping the community and helping them know the community is there for them, and helping everyone in the community also that we’re here for each other as well.”

Residents said Piedmont is a quiet, small town where everyone pretty much knows everyone. They describe it as safe. But they added, they’ve been through a lot over the past several months and experienced too much loss.

Jerry Stewart is the President of the Piedmont Ministerial Association.

He said, “Last year, we lost two sisters in Spring Garden in a car accident. We’ve lost a senior in Piedmont already this year in a car accident. Now, this tragedy, we just, we need a lot of prayer support, spiritual support.”

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 Graham Cawthon

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    SAVANNAH, Georgia (WJCL) — Heavy smoke hanging over parts of southeast Georgia on Tuesday served as a reminder of how dangerous fire conditions have become across the region.

According to Glynn County Emergency Management and Homeland Security, smoke seen in the area Tuesday was tied to a large brush fire in Brantley County and a separate 9,000-acre wildfire in Clinch County.

Tuesday afternoon, another wildfire was reported in Appling County, in the area of Zoar Road. Officials urged drivers to avoid the area.

“We ask that you pray for the brave men and women fighting this fire,” the Baxley-Appling County Chamber of Commerce posted on social media.

Those fires were in addition to a separate wildfire within the training area at Fort Stewart, though officials said there were no impacts to personnel or infrastructure.

Officials said the fires underscore the growing wildfire threat across southeast Georgia as dry conditions persist and rain remains out of the forecast.

Widespread threat

According to the Georgia Forestry Commission, crews responded to 46 new wildfires on Monday alone, burning 1,080 acres statewide.

This does not include the Clinch County fire, which has grown to an estimated 8,911 acres and was last said to be 10 percent contained.

Evacuation orders

According to the Georgia Department of Transportation, the Brantley County brush fire led to road closures Tuesday afternoon, shutting down U.S. 82 and SR 110 “until further notice.”

By 3:30 p.m., the brush fire was estimated at 1,000 acres. Evacuation orders had been issued for multiple neighborhoods, including Warners Landing, Oaks Woodlands, Atkinson Road, Godberry Lane, Brushing Creek, Fort Mcintosh to Highway 520 on both sides of the road and Browntown Road and Hawks Landing.

Bulloch County enacts burning limits

In Bulloch County, commissioners approved an ordinance temporarily restricting the open burning of yard debris in unincorporated areas beginning Wednesday. County leaders said prolonged dry weather has increased the risk of wildfires and uncontrolled fires, threatening public safety, property and natural resources.

The ordinance prohibits residents from burning leaves, limbs, grass and other vegetative debris outdoors. Exceptions include controlled burns by government agencies or authorized personnel, cooking fires in approved grills or fire pits, and agricultural or forestry burns conducted under a valid Georgia Forestry Commission permit.

Violations in Bulloch County can bring penalties of up to $1,000, up to 60 days in jail, or both. The ordinance will remain in place until drought conditions improve and county commissioners formally rescind it.

Garden City, Glynn County burn bans

Garden City also has issued a temporary burn ban, citing elevated fire danger, dry weather, low humidity and an increased risk of uncontrolled outdoor fires. The city’s order bans open burning of yard debris, trash, land-clearing burns, bonfires and recreational fires. Cooking fires are still allowed if they are attended and proper extinguishing equipment is available.

Glynn County officials said their burn ban also remains in effect and will continue for the foreseeable future because of persistently dry conditions and no expected rainfall over the next 10 days. Officials warned that even small, routine outdoor fires could quickly get out of control.

Under the Glynn County burn ban, all yard debris burning and the discharge of personal fireworks are strictly prohibited.

Officials across the region are urging residents to avoid any activity that could spark a fire, properly dispose of smoking materials and report fires immediately.

Governor speaks

On Tuesday evening, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp posted the following statement on his X account:

“My office and I are working closely with the Georgia Forestry Commission to respond to the increasing threat of wildfires in South Georgia.

If you are in a directly affected area, please adhere to guidance from your local officials to keep you and your family safe.”

South Carolina threat

Further north, the Palmetto State is currently under a statewide burn ban.

On Tuesday afternoon, the City of Hardeeville reported that a brush fire inside Hilton Head Lakes was causing smoky conditions and warned drivers to use caution in the area.

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

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    BOSTON (WCVB) — A Massachusetts doctor who was previously indicted on charges he raped or assaulted more than a dozen patients is facing more than 80 new charges, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.

Dr. Derrick Todd, 52, of Wayland, is a rheumatologist who formerly practiced at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Faulkner Hospital in Boston.

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said Tuesday that a grand jury indicted Todd on 81 new charges involving 22 victims aged 17 to 56. The charges include 21 counts of rape, 59 counts of indecent assault and battery and one count of assault with intent to rape.

“Make no mistake, the allegations contained in these indictments outline serial sexual crimes that have little or no equivalent in the history of Suffolk County,” Hayden said. “Simply put, the scale of victimization and the magnitude of trauma left in the wake of these allegations is something we have never encountered.”

The incidents allegedly occurred at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital in Jamaica Plain and at the Hale Building of Brigham and Women’s in Boston between 2017 and 2023.

“He preyed upon their vulnerability. Dr. Todd violated and betrayed their hope and trust. Time after time after time, he did so in ways that are quite simply, almost unimaginable,” Hayden said.

Todd will be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court on a date to be determined.

Mass General Brigham said it “first reported Dr. Todd to law enforcement” during the hospital’s internal investigation, after receiving anonymous complaints.

“We are deeply distressed to learn of the depth and breadth of harm reflected in these new indictments,” Mass General Brigham said in a statement. “We will continue to provide support and respond to our patients’ needs during this challenging time.”

Todd’s defense attorney said as of Tuesday afternoon, the office had “not received any information from the DA’s office about the details of these charges, so we are not able to comment at this time.”

Last month, Todd was indicted in Middlesex County on three counts of rape and 17 counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over. The charges involve 11 victims, ranging in age from 20 to 60.

Todd conducted unnecessary and excessively prolonged pelvic and breast examinations, performed procedures for which he lacked appropriate training or certification, and engaged in conduct that was outside the accepted standards of medical care, Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said.

Todd was accused of sexually assaulting patients between 2021 and 2023 while acting as a rheumatologist and primary care physician at Charles River Medical Associates. In 2025, Todd pleaded not guilty to charges he raped two women during medical exams at the Framingham office.

In March, Todd’s attorneys denied the allegations.

“These are just allegations, and no finder of fact has determined that our client is guilty of any crime. We look forward to receiving the details surrounding these new allegations and we intend to vigorously defend our client’s innocence,” Todd’s attorneys Ingrid Martin and Liana LaMattina said in a statement.

“We are deeply troubled and saddened by these disturbing incidents and recognize the courage it took for these patients to come forward,” a Charles River Medical Associates a spokesperson said in a statement. “Over the past two years, we have reached out to patients to provide them with an opportunity to report any concerns they have about care they received from Dr. Todd, and we remain committed to keeping these channels of communication open.”

More than 270 former patients are plaintiffs in a class-action civil suit that is moving forward against Todd and his superiors, according to lead counsel Bill Thompson of Lubin & Meyer. Todd has denied the allegations.

In 2025, several of Todd’s former patients called for Massachusetts lawmakers to pass a bill that would require trained chaperones to be offered for all sensitive medical exams unless a patient declines them.

The women believe a chaperone could have protected them from the sexual violence after they say they were tricked into giving their consent to undergo pelvic exams because Todd told them it was medically necessary.

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 Addison Kliewer

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    Oklahoma (KOCO) — A deputy killed in an eastern Oklahoma ambush was identified on Monday.

The LeFlore County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Deputy Thomas “Walker” LeMay died on Sunday while conducting a welfare check at a home along U.S. Highway 720 near Wister. An officer with the Wister Police Department was also injured in the shooting.

OSBI officials said someone opened fire on law enforcement, and officers returned fire. The gunfight lasted for hours before the suspect finally surrendered around 4 p.m. Sunday.

LeMay was pronounced dead on the scene, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. The police officer was taken to a hospital in stable condition.

The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Edgar Lara, was treated for minor injuries and booked into the LeFlore County Jail.

LeMay was a father to “his most precious baby girl,” according to the sheriff’s office.

LeMay’s patrol vehicle was placed on the front lawn of the LeFlore County courthouse for anyone wishing to honor him with decorations.

“During this horrendous incident, this office has been shown great love, support, and deep appreciation from our community, neighboring law enforcement agencies, and citizens as a whole. Your prayers, kind words, and acts of service have not gone unnoticed, and we are truly grateful during this difficult time,” the sheriff’s office said. “We ask that you continue to keep Deputy LeMay’s family, friends, and brothers and sisters in blue in your thoughts and prayers as we navigate the days ahead. His sacrifice will never be forgotten, and his legacy of service and dedication will live on through all of us.”

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 Juliegrace Brufke | Quincy News Correspondent

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    Washington (Quincy News) — WASHINGTON – Kevin Warsh, President Donald Trump’s nominee to chair the Federal Reserve, testified before the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday, defending his independence from the White House and calling for sweeping changes to how the central bank operates.

Warsh argued the Fed’s slow response to inflation in recent years was a serious policy failure and said he would pursue what he called a “regime change” if confirmed, including a new inflation framework and changes to the Fed’s communication practices. He would not guarantee the current eight annual meetings would continue and declined to commit to holding a press conference after each one.

“Right now, Fed chairs and other central bankers around the FOMC, they speak quite frequently. There was no lack of transparency. But I would say this, I think truth seeking is more important than repetition,” Warsh told lawmakers. “If a press conference were held, I think it would be incumbent to hear what the reporters of the day had in mind.”

Democrats on the committee pressed Warsh repeatedly on whether he could remain independent from a president who has publicly demanded rates as low as 1% and encouraged a Justice Department investigation of sitting Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell over cost overruns on a building renovation. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) told Warsh that Trump wants the Federal Reserve to artificially boost the economy for political reasons and questioned whether any nominee could withstand that pressure.

The sharpest exchange centered on reports that Trump privately told Warsh he wanted interest rates cut before his confirmation, which Warsh denied.

“The president never asked me to predetermine, commit, fix, decide on any interest rate decision in any of our discussions, nor would I ever agree to do so,” he told the committee.

Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) told Quincy News the conflicting accounts put the Fed’s credibility at risk regardless.

“We have to protect the independence of the Federal Reserve,” he said. “It threatens me that we have public reporting that the president told Kevin Warsh he wanted to see interest rates cut, and that Kevin Warsh under oath said that did not occur. So someone is lying right now. Either Kevin Warsh just lied under oath or the president is lying. Either way, it doesn’t help build the credibility of the Federal Reserve.”

The hearing comes one week before the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meets April 28-29, and Powell’s press conference on April 29 is expected to be his last as Fed chair. Powell has said he would remain in place on a temporary basis if needed.

While Republicans are broadly expected to support Warsh in a confirmation vote, he faces some hurdles along the way.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) has said he does not want to see a vote until the Justice Department drops its criminal probe against Powell, an investigation ostensibly over cost overruns on the Fed’s headquarters renovation that a federal judge has already moved to block.

Tillis made clear his objection is not with Warsh personally, telling the nominee, “Let’s get rid of this investigation, so I can support your confirmation.”

With Republicans holding only a 12-10 majority on the Banking Committee, Tillis has enough leverage to stall the nomination before it reaches the full Senate floor.

Other Republicans were unambiguous in their support. Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) told Quincy News that he believes Warsh is the right choice.

“Kevin Warsh understands the importance of keeping inflation low and making sure our economy works for working people,” he said. “He is highly qualified for this role and we need to confirm him ASAP.”

Senior sources close to the process tell Quincy News they believe Warsh will ultimately be confirmed despite the obstacles.

Former Fed Chair Janet Yellen has said she doubts Warsh could quickly move the 12-member FOMC to cut rates, noting that a majority of members remain reluctant to act while inflation remains above the 2% target.

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 Adria Iraheta

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    AURORA, Colorado (KMGH) — Colorado’s drought and repeated high fire danger are raising new concerns about the long-term impact on the state’s water supply. Aurora Water is warning that wildfires could devastate the water supply for years after the flames are out.

Every drop of water matters right now as the Denver metro tries to mitigate the effects of this year’s extremely dry winter across the state. Aurora Water’s reservoir levels are currently sitting at 57%.

“We’re currently in a pretty historic level of drought,” Aurora Water resource specialist Matt Ashley said.

Ashley said he is not just worried about the drought.

“Wildfire really is the number one threat to our watershed health,” Ashley said.

Colorado State University geology professor Ellen Wohl said the problem starts with the leftover ash and sediment after a fire.

Wohl brought up the fact that Coloradans have felt the effects of sediment runoff in the past.

“For example, after the Cameron Peak Fire, the next summer, we had the black hollow debris flow in a tributary, the Poudre [River], and that created extremely high turbidity levels all the way downstream. That’s when Fort Collins had to shut off drinking water intakes for a period of time,” Wohl said.

That sediment can also end up settling into Colorado’s reservoirs.

“You lose a lot of storage capacity,” Ashley said.

It is already happening. The Strontia Springs Reservoir, shared by Aurora and Denver Water, is already 10% full of sediment from past fires. There is an ongoing effort to dredge it up, but the problem remains.

“The worst case scenario is your reservoir fills up with sediment, and you can’t use that reservoir anymore, which is a huge problem because it’s very expensive and takes a lot of time to build a new reservoir,” Ashley said. “We would have to go and build new reservoirs and find new capacity and new places to store that water, and that would just cost money, and basically, at the end of the day, increase your water bill.”

Then there is contamination.

A recent study led by Ben Livneh, president of Western Water Assessment and CU Boulder associate professor of civil engineering, shows these effects stick around way longer than once thought.

“Not just for one year or two years, but sometimes for up to eight years,” Livneh said.

The first-of-its-kind large-scale study of 500+ Western U.S. watersheds found that wildfires can contaminate water with organic carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, and sediment for up to eight years.

While researchers knew fire ash and soil damage affected water quality to some extent, previous studies only examined local impacts rather than regional patterns.

“It dramatically increases the cost of filtering and treating the water,” Wohl added.

While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, Livneh said this could be a chance for municipalities to prepare.

“This can be [through] a number of different infrastructure investments or modifications,” said Livneh.

Aurora Water says its now focusing its efforts on doubling down on fire prevention efforts with partners like the U.S. Forest Service and Colorado State Forest Service.

“Across the board, just a whole lot of collaboration and partnership to prevent these fire issues from happening,” Ashley said.

Ashley said it is also up to everyone across the Front Range to make the most of the water available.

“Definitely make sure to follow those fire restrictions. The fire bans, the fireworks bans, things of that nature,” Ashley said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KMGH’s editorial team 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 Irene Gonzalez

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    California (KMAX, KOVR) — As Arab American Heritage Month is celebrated, one Northern California artist is keeping the centuries-old tradition of Islamic calligraphy alive, one carefully measured stroke at a time.

Sehar Shahzad is a student calligrapher. Before starting any project, Shahzad said “one of the first things that calligraphers learn is how to cut their pens.”

Her tools must be in pristine condition.

“Your instruments are just as important as anything else in this art,” she said.

Shahzad said that as a young girl growing up in Toronto, she took up Islamic calligraphy while reflecting on her religion.

“It’s not like I’d never seen it before, but it was my first time kind of trying it,” she said. “And there’s no other way to say it except that I just fell in love with it.”

Now married with three children, Islamic calligraphy is very much part of her life.

“I remember thinking that this isn’t something that I just want to learn for fun,” she said. “I really want to be able to master it.”

Shahzad said that every angle and curve follows strict geometric rules and is measured with dots.

“For example, this letter here was just a little bit too long, so we use these nuqtas to help us guide and understand how long that letter should be,” she said.

Like the Arabic language, Islamic calligraphy is read from right to left. Its bold simplicity requires precision and a deep understanding of proportion.

“When you’re creating a composition, it’s not only about the letter itself,” Shahzad said. “It’s about composition as a whole and making sure that everything balances together.”

Even though she’s still mastering her form, Shahzad’s work is featured in the prayer room of a Muslim cemetery in Napa and in the domes of mosques in San Jose, Hayward, and San Francisco.

Still, she considers her work on paper the most special.

“A form of meditation, a form of worship, requires focus, requires discipline, really brings me to a different space,” Shahzad said. “And I think that’s what I love most.”

Proving that in this fast-paced world, this millennia-long tradition is far from disappearing.

Shahzad’s work will be featured at the upcoming Light Upon Light art exhibit at the Tarbiya Institute in Roseville from April 24-26.

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.