Category: CNN Regional

By Lisa Rozner

Click here for updates on this story

    NEW YORK (WCBS) — A teenager was injured Saturday after being hit by falling debris in Queens.

It happened just after noon outside a business on 82nd Street between Roosevelt and 37th avenues in Jackson Heights.

According to investigators, a 14-year-old boy was walking with his parents when a piece of the building’s facade estimated to weigh about 40 pounds fell and hit him in the head.

“I heard the boom,” witness Daisy Narula said. “I thought it was a car accident.”

“I came outside and I heard the kid screaming, like loudly, and when I came to see, he had this big wound on the side of his head,” Narula said. “He was almost about to pass out, but luckily, he stayed conscious until at least 911 came.”

The boy was rushed to Elmhurst Hospital and is said to be in stable condition.

“If it wasn’t for the fact the store had [an awning] … I don’t think it would have fell directly, like, on the side of his head,” Narula said. “It would have literally fell on top, and he might, he would have not made it.”

Back in 2019, 60-year-old Erica Tischman was killed when a piece of a building’s facade fell on her in Midtown. Since then, the city has created a facade and safety inspection program.

The Department of Building said inspectors determined part of the building parapet’s decorative terracotta became loose, fell off the building and bounced off a store awning before hitting the teenager.

The building owner was issued a violation for failing to maintain their facade, and ordered to conduct repairs and put up a sidewalk shed around the property, the DOB said.

The building had no prior complaints related to the facade.

One witness told CBS News New York there was a strong wind before the piece of stone fell. The CBS News New York Weather Team reports winds were gusting at around 40 mph at that time.

The DOB has not said whether wind was a factor.

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 Emily McLeod

Click here for updates on this story

    ATLANTA (WUPA) — Cafe Momentum Atlanta is a nonprofit serving up good food while changing the lives of youth and young adults who have had direct contact with the juvenile justice system.

The nonprofit opened its doors in May of 2025. Since then, they’ve had 46 participants, also called interns, come through the program. Twelve more recently started.

“One thing I like about the job is making people feel welcome,” said Kingston, a participant of Cafe Momentum.

Kingston has been a part of the program for five months.

The nonprofit is helping participants by providing them with life skills, education, and job opportunities.

Kingston said Cafe Momentum has helped him open up.

“I have learned hospitality skills, I have learned to get better in my communication, because at first, when I started, I ain’t gonna lie, I was shy,” Kingston said.

Cafe Momentum is a one-year program. During their time in the program, interns are trained in different positions inside the cafe.

When they’re not working, they’re on the other side of the building, catching up on schoolwork, playing pool, or receiving mental health services.

“On Monday, that’s when the therapist comes, and the therapist holds sessions,” Kingston said. “If I need to talk about something, I could talk about something. But not only could I talk to the therapist about it, I could always talk to Ms. Sandy, I could always talk to any employee here because they’re always going to be here for you.”

Sandy Welfare is the executive director of Cafe Momentum Atlanta. She described it as a wraparound program for its young people.

Welfare said not only will participants learn everything about the restaurant business, but they’ll also work on case management, mental health services, and connecting with one another.

“I think the biggest thing for me is that we actually offer hope,” she said. “We offer a pathway for whatever they may feel they want to do in the future.”

She said they’re learning skills they can take with them to their next opportunity.

“These young people are figuring it out, and we’re helping them to figure it out, and the great thing is we’re a resource to give them guidance, give them some direction, and more importantly, when they leave, we’re going to still be championing them,” Welfare said. “We’re gonna still be jumping up and down for them.”

Cafe Momentum has three locations in Atlanta, Dallas, and Pittsburgh. A fourth location in Denver is set to open in 2027.

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 Paul Burton

Click here for updates on this story

    MASSACHUETTS (WBZ) — A storm in Massachusetts has left thousands without power after wind gusts brought down trees and power lines around the state.

National Grid reported that more than 20,000 residents were without power for part of the day on Saturday. Eversource reported that over 11,000 customers have been affected.

Wind gusts hit up to 55 miles per hour in Boston, with peak gusts hitting 63 miles per hour in Cohasset. Around 229 flights were delayed at Logan Airport and 58 had been canceled.

Several trees in Woburn blocked roads and ripped down power lines. The Woburn Police Department asked residents to avoid Wyman Street in the area of Park Drive and Watson Lane after a tree took down an entire utility pole and blocked all traffic.

The road was shut down for several hours as crews worked to clean up and restore power to dozens of neighborhoods in the area.

“It sounded like a big whoop and there was a huge fire in the middle of the road. We’ve had trees come down here before, but this is worse we’ve seen,” Woburn resident Meghan Nelson said.

Strong winds also caused significant damage to Stefan Brankovic’s home on Broadway in Stoneham. He said he was awoken early Saturday morning after getting home late from a work trip to a giant tree falling on his home.

“I heard a loud noise and shaking of the house. I thought it was a car accident. I came outside and saw the tree fell,” he said.

The tree is on town property. Brankovic, who has lived here for 6 years, says he’s asked to have it removed in the past.

“We have several times where branches and parts of the tree fell and cut internet lines. They came and cut branches but didn’t feel the tree needed to be cut. Now it’s done,” he said.

The gusts tore down trees and limbs, impacting service on several MBTA lines. A tree had fallen on the tracks of the Mattapan branch of the Red Line early Saturday morning and a tree limb blocked overhead wires on the D Branch of the Green Line into the afternoon. Service was disrupted for a few hours until crews were able to remove the debris.

While in Hingham, police said they had received several calls about downed trees and wires. They asked that anyone who discovers a downed tree on power lines call 911 immediately.

“Treat all downed wires as potentially live,” Hingham Police said on social media.

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 Rian Stockett

Click here for updates on this story

    FLETCHER, North Carolina (WLOS) — A dog who was swept away by floodwaters earlier this week is now reunited with his owner after being found the following day.

Following storms from earlier this week, the dog, named Monchu, was rescued one day after it had been swept away by floodwaters, thanks to community support and drone technology.

The search began the day after a doggy playdate gone wrong.

Sam Haney and his girlfriend Kristen Honeycutt took their dogs to a spot along Cane Creek, but Honeycutt says that day the water level was much higher than usual.

“Before we could even make it over the hill, to get to the water, the dogs were already in the water before we even got a chance to see the water levels and immediately both of us, when we saw we were instantly like this is not good,” Honeycutt said.

Honeycutt’s dog was being swept away and naturally, she went in to rescue her dog. Honeycutt was swept away as well.

Some of the other dogs entered the water during the rescue attempt. Honeycutt eventually got the dogs and herself out of the water, but Haney’s dog Monchu was still missing.

“I saw Monchu poke his head over Kristen’s shoulder and I was trying to tell him to stay there and he just kind of got freaked out and I guess jumped right back in the water because there was no other path of anywhere to go,” Haney said.

Honeycutt says they called 911 and continued searching along the creek.

As Honeycutt and Haney continued to search, Honeycutt’s mom turned to social media, asking for help.

“Eleven, we get back to the cars and we get quiet for a second and we started hearing complete strangers all around calling for Monchu and it was just the most incredible experience just knowing that the community was out looking for him,” Haney said.

The next day, local drone pilot Bree Day-Bottai saw the social posts, reaching out to offer help.

“We went back down to the river and she launched there,” Honeycutt said.

The rescue mission launched with Day-Bottai quickly locating Monchu.

“I was like, ‘hey, I got him,’ and they were over there instantly looking at the camera and it was him,” Day-Bottai said.

The couple was filled with joy.

“She says I think I got him and we just like jumped up like, ‘ What? ‘” said Honeycutt.

Haney described his reaction.

“Bolted over to the screen,” Haney said. “As soon as I saw him do the little circle on the screen and you couldn’t even make out, it was just a little blob and I saw it do a little loop and I was like ‘yup, that’s him,” Haney 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.

By Neal Riley

Click here for updates on this story

    BRIDGEWATER, Massachusetts (WBZ) — An Amazon employee is accused of stealing hundreds of items, including pricey electronics, from one of the company’s warehouses in Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Bridgewater police said Alexandra Marie Rodriguez, 34, was arrested Thursday and charged with larceny from a building, larceny over $1,200 and receiving stolen property over $1,200.

“The diversion took place in the warehouse and did not involve any customer’s individual packages,” police said in a statement.

Police said they started looking into the case after Amazon’s Loss Prevention team “reported information to the police involving one of their employees.” Detectives and members of the major crimes and drug task force executed a search warrant at a home on Cross Street Thursday morning and found “hundreds of confirmed stolen items from Amazon.”

Police shared a photo showing dozens of packages seized during the search.

Rodriguez was allegedly behind a “long-running scheme” at the Elm Street warehouse, police said, “diverting merchandise that ranged in total value from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars or more,” over the course of at least several months to possibly years.

“Among these items were many high-end electronic devices,” police said.

WBZ-TV has reached out to Amazon for comment.

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 Kimberly King

Click here for updates on this story

    SALUDA, North Carolina (WLOS) — A neighbor worried that a killer may still be on the loose is calling on Polk County authorities to update residents on the investigation into a double homicide that occurred last weekend.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office announced via social media Thursday that an 80-year-old couple was identified as the two victims of a homicide in Saluda. Authorities confirmed their identities as Robert and Wendy Peck, whose home on West Fork Creek Road burned Sunday. Investigators have still not released a cause of death.

News 13 spoke with a neighbor who called 911 after spotting the fire. She agreed to speak only on the condition that she remain anonymous.

“I saw the fire. I rushed down to get to my house, and we got a signal when we got into the driveway, and she called 911,” the neighbor said.

The neighbor said a friend of hers made the emergency call. The next morning, after learning that Robert and Wendy Peck had died, that neighbor talked with a detective.

“He asked me if I had seen anybody on the property. I said, ‘No,'” the neighbor said.

Days after the fire, News 13 spotted a deputy parked in the driveway of the deceased couple’s home in Saluda. Detectives continue to investigate, while Polk County Sheriff Tim Wright urges residents to remain vigilant.

“I’m terrified. And I know my neighbors are, too,” the anonymous neighbor said. “We want to know that they have a suspect, and knowing that they don’t have any suspects is very unnerving.” Polk County Sheriff Tim Wright did not return News 13’s request for an interview.

“It’s a huge loss for this community. They were very involved,” said Melissa Gillespie, co-owner of Wakey Monkey Coffee Shop.

Melissa and Eric Gillespie knew the Pecks. The couple, they said, were regular customers of their coffee shop, and Wendy had visited the day before her death.

“Wendy had been in Friday morning as well as Saturday morning,” Melissa Gillespie added.

The Pecks were known for their service to the community. “They volunteered at our local elementary school in the after-school program,” Gillespie said. They started a community free meal program and were very devoted to community service work with their church. Eric Gillespie struggled to understand why anyone would want to harm them.

“I don’t know why anyone could even say a bad word about them, much less do anything to them,” he said.

As investigators continue to search for answers, the Gillespies are urging anyone with information to come forward.

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 Tim Fang

Click here for updates on this story

    SAN LEANDRO, California (KPIX) — Officials in San Leandro are urging residents to avoid a portion of the Bay Trail after a dead gray whale washed ashore.

On Thursday, the city said the whale was found along the shoreline south of Marina Park. Experts said the whale is an adult male, measuring about 12 meters (39.3 feet) in length.

In a video posted on the city’s social media, the city said it is coordinating with regional and federal marine wildlife agencies on the response. The California Academy of Sciences and the National Marine Fisheries Service will conduct a necropsy to determine the whale’s cause of death and support ongoing research into the West Coast’s declining gray whale populations.

“The city will continue working closely with environmental and wildlife partners to ensure the situation is handled safely and responsibly,” officials said.

Following the necropsy, the whale would be allowed to naturally decompose due to the shoreline location and limited marine access in the area, with the city calling the option “the safest and most environmentally appropriate.”

Experts told the city while the whale poses no risk to residents, the public is urged to avoid the area while work is taking place.

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 Briauna Brown, Doug Myers, Dawn White

Click here for updates on this story

    CELINA, Texas (KTVT) — The body of a missing 8-year-old boy was recovered from a Celina pond on Friday afternoon, according to officials.

Authorities identified the child as MJ Ashmead.

At about 11:15 a.m., the Celina Police Department posted on social media about Ashmead, asking for the public’s help in locating him. His family reported him missing from his home around 9:30 a.m. in the Rostherne Drive area of the Sutton Field neighborhood.

A short time later, the fire department told CBS News Texas that multiple law enforcement agencies had responded to assist.

CBS News Texas Chopper flew over the scene, where a dive team had been called to search a pond in the area of Wilder Avenue and Sandown Drive, where the body was found.

Officials express condolences after tragic discovery Just after noon, Celina police notified family members that the boy’s body had been located in a pond near the subdivision. No foul play is suspected in the tragedy, Celina police spokesman John Thacker said.

“As neighbors and as first responders, the Celina Police Department and the Celina Fire Department, along with the entire city of Celina, extend our sincere condolences and prayers to this grieving family,” Thacker said.

No additional information would be immediately provided, Thacker said, citing the ongoing investigation and out of respect for the child’s family.

“Celina is a growing community, but we are a very close-knit community,” Thacker said. “A tragic loss like this cuts to the core of who we are as a community.”

The Celina Police Department and the Celina Fire Department were joined in the search efforts by Texas Department of Public Safety air support, the Collin County Sheriff’s Office dive team, the Frisco Police Department K-9 unit, the Hickory Creek Police Department K-9 unit, the Prosper Police Department drone team, the Lewisville Fire Department dive team, and the Prosper ISD Police Department.

CBS News Texas will provide updates when more information becomes available.

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.