Category: CNN Regional

By Tom LoBianco | Quincy News Correspondent

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    Washington (Quincy News) — WASHINGTON – A trio of economic indicators released this week pointed to a cautious, largely static national economy. Friday’s news of the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, however, could ease broader concerns.

Existing home sales dropped to a nine-month low amid labor market concerns, falling 3.6% from the previous month, according to the latest report from the National Association of Realtors. The national median home price climbed to $408,000, up 1.4% from a year earlier.

New jobless claims fell last week to 207,000 — the latest figure showing employers are retaining their existing workforce but remain hesitant to expand headcounts.

But the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showed a sizable softening in price increases, with core PPI, which excludes more volatile food and energy prices, rising just 0.1%.

In its analysis of the latest PPI data, Moody’s attributed the 0.5% increase last month in part to higher energy prices.

But as with most economic data, these figures reflect trends over recent weeks and months, without accounting for the most current developments in the war in Iran. On Friday, Iran’s foreign minister announced the strait had reopened, but President Donald Trump introduced some uncertainty, stating that the U.S’ blockade would continue.

Trump told Reuters in a phone interview Friday that the U.S. would begin buying enriched uranium as part of a deal that could end the war in Iran.

The positive turn in the Middle East immediately energized markets, with the price of Brent crude oil dropping to $90.27 per barrel and the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumping roughly 1,000 points by mid-afternoon Friday.

But the ripple effect from the roughly seven-week closure of the critical shipping channel may not be felt for months, and could potentially spur more layoffs.

Economic observers pointed to historic “shocks” (including the 1973 oil embargo, the 1990 Gulf War, the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and others) that followed major disruptions similar to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

“The 2026 Hormuz crisis is the steepest climb and drop. But the line isn’t finished yet,” energy researcher John Bistline wrote on X on Wednesday, before the reopening of the strait was announced.

The latest data points come amid a broader, ongoing period of economic uncertainty, with inflation ticking higher and still running above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.

And even with the potential for more certainty from the Middle East to end the week, other persistent battles continue – including the upcoming nomination hearing of Trump’s pick for Fed chair Kevin Warsh and the latest showdown between Trump and the current Fed Chair Jerome Powell over whether Powell may remain past his planned May departure.

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 Jacquelyn Quinones

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    SOQUEL, California (KSBW) — Local organizations in Santa Cruz County are working together to build a straw bale tiny home village next to Mount Calvary Lutheran Church on Cabrillo College Drive in Soquel, aiming to address the housing crisis and climate challenges.

Just Places, in partnership with People First, is reviving a building method from the 1800s to construct the homes.

“It was developed in the 1800s by farmers who had no resource for wood, so they saw these bales and realized they’re like building blocks the way kids play with Legos, etc. So they started stacking with bales and built really substantial homes and churches in Nebraska in the 1800s, and some of those homes are still standing and occupied,” said Michele Landegger, a general building contractor.

Landegger began building with straw bales in 1996 and has completed more than a dozen homes, along with several studios. Her projects range from 1,200-square-foot spaces to 4,000-square-foot conference centers, all within Santa Cruz County.

“The reason we’re building with straw now is that straw is a biogenic carbon sequestration. It can hold carbon and draw it out of the atmosphere and hold it for its entire viable life of its use,” Landegger said.

Landegger and her team at Just Places are stepping in to help address the need for housing in Santa Cruz County.

The plan is to build a small village of LEED-certified cabins constructed from straw bales.

These thoughtfully designed homes are intended for very low-income residents, offering not just shelter but stability and a path forward.

“They have the land, we have the idea and inspiration to do it, and so we talked with them and said, ‘Hey, do this,’ and they were really receptive,” another contractor, Kita Glass, said.

According to Landegger, this project will be a step forward in combating the homelessness issue in Santa Cruz County.

“It’s affected lots of people I know in lots of different ways. It’s really hard to pay rent here, it’s really easy to lose your housing, and even if you’re in a house, you’re affected by it in all kinds of different ways,” Glass said.

The team still needs to raise at least $300,000 to cover the cost of the project. They will host two fundraisers this weekend, and according to Just Places, if they raise the necessary funds, the project could be completed within four to six months.

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By Breana Ross

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    BALTIMORE (WBAL) — Baltimore police officers received training in a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu-based technique to safely arrest suspects.

The SafeWrap System allows officers to arrest suspects while decreasing the number of injuries and improving de-escalation tactics.

The system, which was originally developed for psychiatric patients in hospitals, is now adapted for law enforcement.

BPD detective Charles Blackman was one of dozens across Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., to participate in the training on Thursday.

“You can tell that officers have complete, total control of the situation. You were able to breathe the entire time,” Blackman said. “It allows us to access a more effective system of taking people into custody.

Rener Gracie created the technique.

“My grandfather is one of the co-founders of the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and my father is actually one of the founders of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, so I’ve grown up (with) a family of fighters and self-defense instructors.”

Gracie used that background to come up with the SafeWrap System.

“You lock their legs and their arms in a unique configuration that causes no pain, no joint locks, no diaphragm compressions and no vascular compressions — so it’s very, very safe,” Gracie said. “It has been medically cleared by some of the top experts in the medical field.”

Gracie said the medical benefits come from putting the person on their side instead of on their stomach.

“Because they are on their side, we can medically monitor them throughout the entire encounter where, traditionally, a lot of the problems we see with restraint are that when someone is on their belly and six officers pile on top, they might be fighting. They might be resisting, and then the person goes unconscious, and (officers) never detect the loss of consciousness,” Gracie said. “The person turns blue. They turn the subject over, and they don’t know how long the person has been out. That’s because of the medical disadvantages of prone restraint where their face is in the ground and you can’t see their face while you are controlling them.”

The SafeWrap System is already being used by several police departments, including the New York Police Department and Los Angeles Police Department.

Gracie said it benefits individuals who are neurodivergent or in crisis.

“A lot of times, in neurodivergent populations, when you put them in prone (position), they feel like they are trapped with their face in the ground, and that actually makes them resist with greater force,” Gracie said. “Even though they are a patient that needs help, they start fighting because they are in a panic, and then officers escalate their level of force because the subject is resisting so violently. With SafeWrap, we have them on their side, their face is out, and there’s a therapeutic element to being rolled up on your side in the fetal position, the lateral recumbent position. There’s a therapeutic element. It’s humane. I’m looking you in the eye. I’m talking to you the entire time.”

Baltimore City police officer Damond Durant, who works in education and training, looks forward to training other officers to improve safety for both officers and suspects.

“This leaves all of the airways open. They can breathe. They are not in pain. I think it’s a whole lot safer,” Durant said.

BPD plans to train as many officers as possible in the SafeWrap System to implement it across the department.

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By Amari Saxton

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    SANTA FE COUNTY, New Mexico (KOAT) — New Mexico State Police is currently investigating human remains found near a road in Santa Fe.

According to police, deputies from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call on Sunday for a person walking their pet when they discovered human remains near the Caja Del Rio Road in Santa Fe.

Officers have identified the remains as belonging to missing man, Joel “Deano” Valdez, who was reported missing back on Sept. 21, 2025, after he failed to return home to Coyote after work in Silver City. Since that time, the New Mexico State Police has conducted an extensive investigation, which remains active and ongoing.

The New Mexico State Police have said they extend their deepest condolences to the Valdez family during this difficult time.

Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the New Mexico State Police at 505-841-9256.

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 Parsons

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    WOODLAND, California (KCRA) — Police in Yolo County say a man attempted to kidnap a woman in the area of Pioneer Avenue in Woodland and ran someone over during the incident.

Authorities said the incident happened about two weeks ago, but they are just now informing the public.

The male victim was treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The woman also suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Police said they tracked down and arrested the suspect, 58-year-old Tim Peterson, on April 10 about 20 miles away in Dunnigan.

It is unclear what charges Peterson is facing.

Police said the crimes weren’t random, as the suspect and the victims had knowledge of one another.

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By Nick Bohr

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    WAUKESHA, Wisconsin (WISN) — A Pennsylvania trucker was struck and killed by lightning Wednesday night while walking across the Kwik Trip parking lot at Grandview and Golf Road in Waukesha during a severe thunderstorm.

According to Waukesha police, the incident happened around 7:45 p.m. during the height of the storm. Witnesses reported a blinding flash of light and a crack of thunder before the man was found on the ground, not breathing.

Dispatch audio captured the urgency.

“2001 Golf. Man on the ground,” a dispatcher said.

Another caller added, “Our caller believes he was possibly struck by lightning.”

The victim, a 41-year-old truck driver from Pennsylvania, was the first lightning-related fatality in the United States this year. Waukesha police are not yet releasing his name.

Chris Vagasky, a lightning safety expert at UW-Madison and a member of the National Lightning Safety Council, said this marks only the fourth fatal lightning strike in Wisconsin in the last decade.

“Just remember, when thunder roars, go indoors. As long as you can hear that thunder, you’re close enough to be struck by lightning,” Vagasky said.

He emphasized the importance of seeking shelter during storms, noting that Wisconsin experiences two million lightning events annually.

“Even though the odds of it actually impacting anybody are low, when lightning impacts somebody, it’s a significant impact, lifelong injuries or fatalities,” Vagasky said.

Vagasky added that most lightning incidents occur within a few feet of a safe place and urged people to wait out storms whenever possible.

“I take my wife and kids to that Kwik Trip all the time to get donuts and smoothies, so I feel for the gentleman that lost his life last night. That was really tragic,” Jonathan Ettlie of Waukesha said.

Kwik Trip released a statement following the incident.

“This was a tragic event that took place, and we want to send our condolences to the family of the man who passed away,” the company said.

The severe weather this week has brought flash floods, tornado damage, and hail to southeastern Wisconsin, but this lightning strike serves as a reminder of the dangers posed by storms.

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By Maria Lisignoli

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    MINNESOTA (WCCO) — A Minnesota woman has filed a claim against the U.S. government over her treatment during an arrest by federal agents.

During Operation Metro Surge, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested Aliya Rahman — a U.S. citizen — on her way to a doctor’s appointment in Minneapolis. Video of the arrest thrust Rahman into the national spotlight.

On Thursday, the MacArthur Justice Center, along with a civil rights law firm, filed a claim on behalf of Rahman under the Federal Tort Claims Act. It’s the first step in allowing people to sue the federal government for damages caused by federal employees.

The claim is against the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and ICE.

In a press release, the MacArthur Justice Center said Rahman was subjected to excessive force by federal agents. The center also claims she was unlawfully arrested and detained in the federal Whipple facility.

The center said throughout all of this, Rahman faced mistreatment, was mocked by federal agents for her disabilities and was denied medical care.

This claim is not a lawsuit, but it paves the way for one.

WCCO has reached out to DHS for comment.

In February, Rep. Ilhan Omar brought Rahman as a guest to President Trump’s State of the Union address.

Rahman says she was removed from the chamber during the address and arrested.

She did not face charges for either of her arrests.

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By Elyssa Kaufman

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — ATMs were stolen from two more businesses early Friday morning, marking six ATM burglaries this week

Friday’s incidents mark the sixth ATM burglary reported at a Chicago business this week. Thieves have targeted gas stations and restaurants.

Around 3:30 a.m., an ATM was stolen from a bar in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood.

Chicago police said four men entered The Double Tavern window in the 3500 block of West Fullerton Avenue around 3:30 a.m. Police said the group stole an ATM and fled in a dark SUV.

Area Five detectives are investigating.

An hour later, police said four men stole an ATM and a cash register from Taco and Burrito Express in the 2500 block of North Halsted Street. Police said the group left the scene in a gray Kia sedan.

Area One detectives are investigating.

Police have not confirmed if the two incidents are connected.

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