Category: CNN Regional

By Lisa Valadez

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    Houston, TX (Houston Style Magazine) — Rep. Christian D. Menefee Introduces Bill to Expand Pell Grants and Broaden College Access Lisa Valadez | 5/5/2026, 4:05 p.m. U.S. Rep. Christian D. Menefee has introduced the College Affordability and Accessibility Act to double Pell Grants, extend eligibility, and … Congressman Christian D. Menefee has introduced the College Affordability and Accessibility Act, legislation designed to make higher education more accessible by increasing federal financial aid, expanding eligibility, and giving students more time to complete their degrees.

The bill centers on strengthening the Federal Pell Grant program, which millions of students rely on to attend college. Under the proposal, the maximum Pell Grant would double to $14,800 per year, with future increases tied to inflation so aid keeps pace with the rising costs of tuition, housing, and other living expenses.

The legislation also reflects the current makeup of Pell Grant recipients. More than half—over 57%—come from families earning $40,000 or less annually. Many attend public institutions, with 43.5% enrolled at four-year universities and 24.6% at two-year community colleges. Nearly half of recipients are considered independent students, and many are first-generation college students, as well as Black and Latino students.

In addition to increasing award amounts, the bill would extend the length of time students can receive Pell Grants from 12 semesters, or about six years, to 16 semesters, or roughly eight years. The expanded timeline is intended to support students whose educational paths are not linear, including those who attend part-time, pause their studies due to work, family, or health challenges, or change majors.

The proposal also includes provisions to give students greater flexibility in how they use their aid. Some students would be allowed to apply remaining Pell Grant eligibility toward their first post-baccalaureate program, such as teacher certification, nursing programs, or other workforce training opportunities. Additionally, remedial coursework and certain noncredit classes would not count against a student’s Pell Grant time limit, ensuring those needing extra academic support are not penalized.

Menefee, who represents Texas’ 18th Congressional District, has cited his own experience relying on Pell Grants as a first-generation college student, underscoring the program’s role in expanding opportunity.

If enacted, the College Affordability and Accessibility Act would primarily benefit low-income students, working adults, parents returning to school, and others whose path to graduation extends beyond a traditional four-year timeline. The bill has been introduced in Congress and awaits further consideration.

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Lisa Valadez
Lisa@stylemagazine.com
713-748-6300

By Rachel Whelan

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    MASON, Ohio (WLWT) — A father is speaking out after his daughter was identified as a victim in a disturbing case involving artificial intelligence-generated explicit images at Mason High School.

The case is one of two recent investigations involving students in the Mason City Schools.

In an exclusive interview with WLWT, the father described the emotional toll the situation has taken on his daughter.

“It makes me sad as a father to watch your child lose her confidence, lose her joy,” he said.

Allegations and timeline Investigators say the case dates back to last fall and involves a 16-year-old student accused of using artificial intelligence to create and share explicit images of classmates without their consent.

Prosecutors have also said messages found on the teen’s phone referenced disturbing fantasies.

The father said his daughter was shaken after seeing the accused student back at school following his arrest.

“The student wasn’t removed from school until he was arraigned, when a judge placed him on house arrest,” he said.

Sources told WLWT that police contacted the family after the arrest, but did not immediately notify the school — a factor that may have impacted how quickly administrators could respond.

School response and legal limits WLWT reached out to Mason City Schools for answers. The district declined to confirm whether the student was in school, citing privacy laws.

In a statement, a spokesperson said the district’s ability to remove a student for off-campus conduct is limited under state law.

Full statement from Mason City Schools: “We believe each and every one of our students should feel safe at school, and we take that responsibility very seriously.

Due to federal and state student privacy laws, we are not able to confirm or deny details about any individual student, including their presence at school or specific disciplinary actions.

What we can share is how we approach situations like this. When concerns are reported (whether related to on-campus or off-campus conduct) we immediately involve law enforcement and work closely with legal counsel to guide our response. The safety and well-being of students is always our first priority, and based on the information available to us, we have taken steps to ensure that our school community remains safe for all students.

Under Ohio law (Ohio Revised Code 3313.661), a school district’s authority to remove a student from school for off-campus conduct is limited. A student may only be suspended or expelled if the behavior is connected to activities or incidents on school property or under the district’s control, or if it is directed at a district employee. School districts are not permitted to extend this authority beyond what state law allows.

Because of these legal constraints, decisions about removal, alternative placement, or other actions must be based on the specific facts of each situation and made in consultation with legal counsel and law enforcement.

Importantly, whether or not disciplinary removal is permitted, our responsibility to care for and protect students does not change. In situations like this, we prioritize the safety, dignity, and well-being of any students who may have been impacted. We work closely with families to provide individualized support, which may include counseling resources, adjusted schedules, and ongoing communication to ensure students feel safe and supported at school.”

Attorney: Law still catching up to technology WLWT also spoke with education attorney Carla Loon Leader, who said cases like this highlight how quickly technology is outpacing current laws.

“We’re looking at laws that were written before technology has gotten to this point,” she said.

Leader said schools may have the authority to discipline students in some off-campus cases — including suspension or expulsion — depending on whether the behavior disrupts the school environment or creates a safety concern.

“If a student sent a threat on SnapChat like, ‘I’m going to shoot up the school tomorrow,’ there would be consequences — and I don’t see this being any different,” she said.

However, she noted that schools must also follow due process before removing a student, which can take time.

Looking ahead Leader said clearer laws may be needed as cases involving artificial intelligence become more common.

“I think we’re going to see clearer laws in this area — hopefully soon — that address AI-generated sexual content involving minors and give schools more guidance on how to prevent it,” she said.

What’s next The teen accused in this case was later placed on house arrest following a court appearance.

Both Mason cases involving AI-generated images remain 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 Zach Rainey

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    SALUDA, North Carolina (WYFF) — A man is headed to prison after an argument escalated into a fatal shooting near a rural Western North Carolina road.

Investigators said that in September 2022, 47-year-old Daniel Case from Hendersonville, North Carolina, was reported missing after he did not show up to his job at Meritor in Fletcher.

According to his employer, this was unusual for him not to show up to work, so they attempted to contact both his phone and his emergency contact, with no success.

Law enforcement later found a woman driving a vehicle registered to Case. She told authorities that she had last seen Case with Shane Archie Waters on Pinnacle Mountain Road, in Henderson County.

According to the woman, both Case and Waters were passengers as she drove the vehicle. During the drive, Case and Waters were allegedly arguing over her. She pulled over several times and they exited the car to fight, and when she pulled over the last time, she heard what sounded like three gunshots come from the woods.

The woman said that Waters returned to the vehicle and told her to leave the area.

In October 2022, Waters admitted to law enforcement that he shot the victim three times, supposedly in the neck and chest.

On Dec. 1, 2022, Waters led law enforcement to the place where Case had been shot on Pinnacle Mountain Road, where detectives found a human skull and several scattered long bones. A shirt with defects suggestive of bullet holes with faint red staining suggestive of blood was recovered at the scene.

A forensic anthropologist examined the remains and determined that there was extensive animal scavenging activity on the remains.

DNA analysis confirmed that the identity of the deceased was in fact Case.

In court, a plea deal was reached. The now 53-year-old was sentenced to a minimum of 16 years and a maximum of 20 years and three months for second-degree murder. He pleaded guilty on May 1, 2026.

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 Madison Perales

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    OMAHA, Nebraska (KETV) — Investigators are looking into a robbery on an Omaha bus. The incident involved two 15-year-olds and one 17-year-old. The oldest suspect was on probation.

Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said youth crimes are higher than he’s ever seen them before.

He said the crimes are getting more violent and more frequently involving guns.

Seventeen-year-old Maurice Smith-Walker is now charged as an adult for allegedly holding two Metro Transit bus passengers at gunpoint Saturday.

“Juvenile court’s jurisdiction ends when a person reaches the age of maturity, which is 19,” Kleine said. “So, the closer people get to that age, the more difficult it becomes to send somebody to juvenile court, because the process itself takes time.”

He highlighted programs to rehabilitate youth at places like Boys Town, but the only place for what he calls violent young people are YRTCs.

“Not a whole lot of other options,” he said.

The judge gave Smith-Walker a no pre-trial release, a $250,000 bond, and no contact with the victims.

Kleine said that given the teen’s criminal history and being in and out of the Douglas County Youth Center.

“The judge probably decided that they’re too big a risk,” Kleine said.

Right now, DCYC is the only place Smith-Walker can go.

It’s still in operation, despite the new Douglas County Youth and Family Support Center sitting empty downtown.

It has been since 2024 because of capacity and financing issues.

KETV Investigates asked the county for an update. At the moment, DCYC has 68 youths.

The new building can hold 64 beds in total.

Those young people can’t move into the new space until those capacity numbers are down.

Smith-Walker is slated to go before a judge again in June.

Metro Transit said it does not comment on ongoing investigations.

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By Malcolm Shields

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    FLORIDA (WPBF) — Scientists discovered a way to lure invasive Burmese pythons that have upset Florida’s ecosystem, including the Everglades.

According to a 2023 report by Southern Illinois University, in September 2022, researchers who were tracking the movements of raccoons and possums in Key Largo noticed that the animals were being eaten by Burmese pythons.

The raccoons and possums were fitted with tracking devices, so the researchers had to retrieve the tracking devices.

While retrieving the tracking devices, the scientists discovered that it allowed them to find the Burmese pythons that had eaten the possums or raccoons.

The researchers determined that using raccoons and possums with tracking devices as bait could help with capturing Burmese pythons and removing them from the environment.

The USDA National Invasive Species Information Center and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) have designated the Burmese python as an invasive species, as the large snakes are native to Southeast Asia.

Burmese pythons were introduced in the United States as exotic pets, but over the years, the snakes either escaped or were intentionally released into the wild, primarily in South Florida.

Since 2017, the FWC has enacted the Python Action Team — Removing Invasive Constrictors program to find and kill Burmese pythons on public lands.

As of April 2025, the state has removed more than 23,500 pythons from public lands, and of that total, more than 11,000 pythons were removed by the Python Action Team in conjunction with the South Florida Water Management District.

The FWC also sanctions the 10-day Florida Python Challenge annually.

The competition encourages participants to remove Burmese pythons from seven locations in South Florida.

Participants who reach certain criteria are eligible for cash prizes. According to the FWC, last year, a record 294 Burmese pythons were removed from South Florida with the help of 934 participants from 30 states and Canada.

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By Kendall Keys

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    WAUKESHA, Wisconsin (WISN) — A Pewaukee school bus driver is on trial, accused of sexually assaulting young girls on his route. Thomas Felser, 63, faces 11 felony charges, including first-degree sexual assault of a child.

The jury trial began Monday. A jury of 14 was seated, including seven men and seven women, two of whom will be alternates.

In opening arguments, the state pointed to video evidence collected from Felser’s bus, saying it proves the accusations against him.

“This case is about a bus driver who was entrusted with the safety of the students. And instead of getting them safely to their destination, he preyed upon them,” Waukesha County Assistant District Attorney Vivien Morris said.

Felser’s defense attorney set out to poke holes in the state’s evidence.

“The videos in this case are, most of them are ambiguous, or just flat out not showing what the police believe they show,” defense attorney Craig Powell said.

The first surveillance video was shown in court Monday.

The mother of a 6-year-old victim said she became concerned after tracking her daughter’s bus app, noticing the bus was staying in one location. She drove to the bus’s location and found her daughter alone on the bus with Felser.

“I was just talking to her about her day a little bit. Sometimes we do that,” Felser said in the video.

The video shows Felser and the young girl walking to the front of the bus, where her mom picks her up.

The mother said she called 911 minutes after the exchange.

“He was like a deer in headlights. When he looked up, you could tell his eyes were wide and he took a deep sigh and, to me, he was scared,” the mother of the victim said.

She said her daughter also appeared to be scared.

“I could see her fear. I could physically see her heart. When I looked through my rearview mirror, I could see her chest, and it was beating, and I had strong suspicions that something had gone on, I didn’t know to what extent,” the mother said.

Pewaukee police obtained weeks of video evidence from the bus. Prosecutors say the surveillance video shows Felser sexually assaulting four girls on his bus. One of the victims is just 4 years old.

Monday, the state also called two Pewaukee police officers to the witness stand, and a worker for GO Riteway, the bus company Felser worked for. GO Riteway suspended Felser immediately following his arrest.

Felser was a teacher in the school district for 37 years before becoming a bus driver. He taught at Pewaukee High School and Asa Clark Middle School.

The trial is expected to last until Friday.

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By Talya Holgate-Allen

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    FORT SMITH, Arkansas (KHBS, KHOG) — Eight soldiers were injured in a military vehicle accident at Fort Chaffee, according to a news release from the Arkansas National Guard.

The accident happened Monday morning around 11 a.m. during a training exercise. According to the news release, the accident included three heavy expanded mobility tactical trucks (HEMMTs).

Officials said the vehicles were driving down a dirt road at the time of the accident. They said visibility was low because of dust kicked up, which the HEMMTs and drivers could not see when another one stopped.

An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident.

“The road’s dusty conditions. I’m sure that has probably something to do with what happened,” said Col. Joel Lynch, State Public Affairs Officer with the Arkansas National Guard. “But anyhow, the first vehicle stopped, second vehicle didn’t react in time and hit the first vehicle. Then that third vehicle in that convoy hit the second vehicle. And somewhere in there we had all the injuries and we had the one soldier seriously injured.” They had to use the jaws for life to to, to pry him out of the, the, the cab because it was damaged to that point. So that’s where he sustained some serious injuries on his back and his leg, I believe, as well.”

Seven soldiers were taken to Mercy hospital in Fort Smith with minor injuries and one was taken to Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville with serious injuries.

The soldier who was evacuated by air to Washington Regional underwent surgery. Officials said that soldier was taken to a Springfield, Missouri hospital and is now in stable condition.

The other seven soldiers were eventually released from Mercy hospital in Fort Smith Monday and returned to duty.

As of Tuesday, May 5th, one soldier is currently in stable condition at a Springfield hospital.

The soldiers were identified as being part of the 1st Battalion, 142nd Field Artillery Brigade of the Arkansas National Guard which is based in Northwest Arkansas.

Correction: It was previously reported that seven soldiers were injured, but the Arkansas National Guard gave more information confirming that eight soldiers were injured.

In the updated release, they stated that four soldiers returned to duty.

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