Category: CNN Regional

By Kaley Fedko

Click here for updates on this story

    CLAYTON COUNTY, Georgia (WUPA) — A metro Atlanta mother is suing the healthcare organization Kaiser Permanente, alleging that a tissue specimen mix-up led to a false cancer diagnosis and unnecessary hysterectomy.

On Tuesday morning, Cassandra Barksdale and her attorneys filed a negligence lawsuit against Kaiser Permanente in Clayton County.

They said the past year has taken a physical and emotional toll on Barksdale while she believed she had an aggressive form of uterine cancer, only to learn later of a misdiagnosis.

“The first thing that came to mind, I thought I was going to die, so I started researching,” Barksdale said. “When I researched it, it said that I have up to five years to live. I had to contact my kids to let them know that I have five years to live, and I’m going to die because I have aggressive cancer.”

According to the lawsuit, Barksdale went to Kaiser Permanente’s Southwood campus in Jonesboro in March 2025 for heavy bleeding and fibroids.

After a biopsy, she says she was diagnosed with an aggressive endometrial uterine cancer.

The lawsuit alleges another patient’s tissue specimen was mistakenly attributed to Barksdale and sent for testing under her name.

“I was very angry and sad, and I was very concerned about the other person, and also it messed with me mentally,” said Barksdale.

Barksdale said the ordeal has put her in counseling.

The lawsuit claims Kaiser Permanente’s doctors recommended surgery. Barksdale said she had a total hysterectomy in May, removing her uterus, cervix, ovaries, fallopian tubes and four lymph nodes.

After the surgery, testing on the tissue removed during surgery found no cancer, the lawsuit alleges.

“Her surgical treatment for cancer was unnecessary. Her loss of her ovaries was unnecessary. The complete extinguishing of her ability to have more biological children was unnecessary,” said attorney Roderick Edmond.

Months later, Barksdale says she received a revised pathology report stating that the specimen, “belongs to a different patient,” and that the earlier cancer diagnosis should be disregarded.

The lawsuit says Kaiser later told Barksdale that DNA testing showed the specimen that tested positive for cancer belonged to another patient.

“This woman didn’t ask for this. It came to her. She just came for regular help, and it came to her. What does she want? She wants accountability,” said Edmond.

Barksdale is a mother of two, and her legal team says she was not ready to relinquish her physical ability to give birth.

“She had her tubes tied, but she didn’t want to foreclose out the possibility of still being able to have intrauterine fertilization,” said associate attorney Shannon Young.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and a jury trial. The allegations have not been tested in court.

In a statement provided to CBS News Atlanta, a spokesperson for Kaiser Permanente said that the company was “committed to working with Ms. Barksdale and her counsel to resolve this in the most fair and accountable way we can.”

“Our most important responsibility is to safely, expertly and compassionately care for the people who entrust us with their health. If we make a mistake, it can have profound effects,” the statement from the spokesperson read, in part. “Ms. Barksdale should not have experienced this. We have highly trained staff and very thorough processes in place to prevent errors like this from taking place. After this occurred last year, we took immediate steps to ensure it could not happen again.”

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 Tara Lynch

Click here for updates on this story

    BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A man charged with killing another man by pushing him into Baltimore’s Inner Harbor during a fight on Sunday appeared in court Tuesday to face second-degree murder, manslaughter and assault charges. During the appearance, the public defender for James Fitzsimmons portrayed his client as a “good Samaritan.”

The 36-year-old Fitzsimmons is accused of shoving James Britt, 37, to his death in the water after a physical fight between the two. Police say security video shows them fighting in the alley behind the 700 block of S. Eden Street just after 3 p.m.

Court documents allege Britt started walking away from Fitzsimmons and toward the water when the suspect followed. After catching up to Britt, police claim Fitzsimmons pushed Britt into the water. Britt later died at the hospital.

Prosecutors claimed the suspect had a “callous disregard for human life”.

But the defense argued the incident was accidental and that Fitzsimmons “should’ve minded his own business.” The public defender said Fitzsimmons was trying to intervene after observing Britt “verbally abusing” a woman.

The suspect’s attorney said Britt was the aggressor, headbutting and swinging his belt at Fitzsimmons when he got involved. The public defender also said that as Britt walked away, he continued to provoke Fitzsimmons and asked his girlfriend to get something out of her purse for him.

The public defender said the suspect pushed Britt after his knees buckled near the water. However, his attorney claims Fitzsimmons reached to try and grab Britt as he fell. Police say security video shows Fitzsimmons pushed Britt.

Court records say Fitzsimmons told police he was in a fight with Britt, but that the victim fell in and wasn’t pushed. He also told investigators Britt’s girlfriend told him Britt couldn’t swim to which he replied, “Oh well” and walked away.

The public defender said Fitzsimmons left because he believed the water was shallow and that Britt would be fine.

The public defender said Fitzsimmons is a bartender at Keystone Korner in Harbor East. His co-worker, going by Liz in this story, tells WJZ he had a shift starting at 3:30 p.m. Sunday and that he was a good man.

“We referred to him as the security guard at Keystone even though we didn’t have one, James was always making sure everybody was okay,” Liz said.

She called Fitzsimmons protective and said she believed he was trying to diffuse the verbal argument. “I could see this all coming about because he was trying to save someone from danger,” Liz added.

In court, prosecutors said Fitzsimmons has prior convictions in Virginia and New York, as well as an active warrant in Pennsylvania.

The judge said Fitzsimmons is a flight risk and a danger to others. She ordered him to be held without bail. He is due back in court later this month.

WJZ has tried to reach out to the Britt family but has not made contact with them.

Britt was arrested twice in the last few weeks on burglary charges in Baltimore County. His address listed in those cases was an outpatient treatment center in Baltimore City.

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 Breana Ross

Click here for updates on this story

    BALTIMORE (WBAL) — Gregory Yarberough has gotten used to seeing and hearing renovations underway at Pimlico and imagining the future of the Preakness.

“It has always been a crowning jewel for the city,” said Yarberough, who lives across the street from Pimlico.

Other neighbors, who live near Pimlico, also point out the benefits of Preakness over the years and anticipation about the future of it.

“When the Preakness was going on, it was packed over here,” said Clive Owens, who owns a business across from Pimlico. “I got a whole lot of customers came to me over here.”

Vernal Harrell, who also lives across from Pimlico, added, “It has brought jobs to the young people…It’s a positive thing because, I’ve gotten to meet a lot of people from different countries, different states and different cities.”

But neighbors worry things could change and the future of the Preakness may not be as bright as they thought.

On Monday, Churchill Downs and the New York Racing Association announced the creation of a new six-race thoroughbred championship series, starting with the Kentucky Derby on May 1 then jumping to the Belmont in New York in June.

The schedule does not include Preakness or any race at Pimlico.

“I think it’s very, very devastating and disappointing for everybody in this neighborhood as well as the city as a whole,” said Yarberough.

“The Triple Crown has always been a crown in racing, you know, and so people look forward to Churchill Downs. They look forward to Belmont and, definitely in this city, they look forward to the Preakness and I think it’s going to be a big, big loss for the city if they’re not able to recover from it,” Owens added. “I was hurt…some of this stuff is going to go down.”

Dr. Daraius Irani, the chief economist for the Regional Economic Studies Institute at Towson University, worries the economic impact of Preakness could come down too.

“This could basically put an end, you know, or diminish it significantly because, you know, it’s not as exciting, anymore, and perhaps, you know, you don’t get the top-rated horses coming and all those things,” Dr. Irani said. “It has long-term implications.”

All of this comes after Churchill Downs tried to buy the intellectual rights to the Preakness, but the state of Maryland matched Churchill’s $85 million offer. The state now owns the rights.

“You want to hold an asset that’s increasing in value, not decreasing in value, and this announcement by Churchill Downs may push down the value of that investment,” said Dr. Irani. “You know, it really is a wait-and-see attitude as to what’s going to happen.”

Governor Wes Moore announced he will host a press conference Wednesday and make a major announcement about the Preakness.

Park Heights Renaissance shared a statement with WBAL TV 11 News saying:

“While Park Heights Renaissance and its Board continues to assess what these changes may mean for Park Heights, one thing remains certain: our priority is, and always will be, the people. Neighborhoods are strongest when those who call them home are at the center of every decision. Grounded in lived experience and deep roots in Park Heights, we will continue working alongside our partners to ensure sustained investment, expanded opportunity, and collective impact. Together, we will build a stronger, more vibrant Park Heights where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”

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 Madilyn Destefano

Click here for updates on this story

    HOLLYWOOD, Florida (WESH) — Dinner, naked.

No, your eyes are not deceiving you.

No clothing is no problem one night a month at a steakhouse in Hollywood, Florida.

Class Soiree Steakhouse is gaining attention with its monthly nude dining experience, a concept introduced by chef and owner Maurad Ali to generate buzz and attract new business.

“Let’s do a nude dinner,” Ali said.

The restaurant has become a topic of discussion on social media and in the local community.

Ali said there is a market for the idea and urged critics to respect his patrons.

“Please allow people to express themselves at our place,” Ali said.

The nude dining experience costs between $150 and $300.

The city of Hollywood confirmed the events’ legality, noting that the restaurant’s workers remain clothed.

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 Horner

Click here for updates on this story

    KISSIMMEE, Florida (WESH) — A fire that gutted Simple Pawn & Jewelry in Kissimmee on Friday has left customers frustrated and seeking answers about their pawned items.

Patrick Scrivano, a customer of the shop, said he fears his belongings — including a PlayStation 5 and an external drive — may be gone.

“My PlayStation 5, my PlayStation 5 external drive, that’s one ticket,” Scrivano said.

Scrivano said he was directed to La Familia Pawn Shop, which is affiliated with Simple Pawn, for assistance.

“I went down to the pawn shop across the street and I spoke with them, because they’re also La Familia,” he said. “It turns out that is supposed to be who is handling and taking care of all of this.”

Scrivano eventually found a phone number to call for more information. The message on the line directed customers of the 4006 W. Vine Street location, which burned down, to contact another number. We called that number, but had not received a response by the time of this writing.

“They refused to give us a corporate number, they’ve refused to give us insurance information,” Scrivano said. “They said their hands are tied, we have to wait for after the investigation.”

The state fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire, but no updates have been provided so far.

Scrivano expressed frustration, showing that the ticket for his pawned item is no longer available online. He said he has not received any information about the next steps.

“We pawn through you guys, we trusted you guys, we’ve done a lot of business with you guys,” Scrivano said. “To be treated this way is unfair. We need some answers, we need at least a little bit of comfort that you are going to be dealing with this.”

He added, “You have pawns out, you know you are liable for every one of those, you know you are liable to cover those, La Familia, so please do the right thing.”

La Familia Pawn Shop, which has a location across from the burned-down store, later confirmed it is the designated store to assist customers who had items lost at Simple Pawn.

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 John Perik

Click here for updates on this story

    BELLE GLADE, Florida (WPBF) — An 18-year-old Winn-Dixie employee in Belle Glade has been arrested on charges of video voyeurism, battery, and tampering with evidence after deputies say he secretly recorded under a shopper’s dress and inappropriately touched her.

According to a probable cause affidavit, the incident occurred just before 10 p.m. Monday inside the store. Deputies say the suspect, identified as Johnnie Evans, approached a female shopper and told her she had a spider on her back.

Investigators allege Evans asked for permission to remove the spider and then groped the woman from behind.

“I think it’s crazy. Am I surprised? No,” one shopper said. “These things do happen. I’m glad that they caught the perpetrator.”

The victim reported the incident to a store manager, and deputies quickly arrived on the scene. Authorities say Evans was found in a bathroom stall, where he appeared to be deleting images from his phone.

Deputies reviewed surveillance footage from aisle 8, which they say showed Evans pretending to stack shelves before bending down and appearing to record up the victim’s dress. Investigators allege he did this twice without the woman noticing.

Evans faces charges of battery, video voyeurism, and tampering with evidence.

“It’s shocking, but, like I said, hopefully something positive comes from it,” a shopper said.

Many shoppers expressed their concern off-camera, saying they were disturbed by the allegations.

WPBF reached out to Winn-Dixie, and they gave us the following statement:

“The safety and security of our customers, associates and the communities we serve is always our top priority. We are taking this matter very seriously, and the associate was immediately terminated. We are fully cooperating with the local police department on this investigation and will defer any additional questions to law enforcement at this time.”

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 Ed DiOrio

Click here for updates on this story

    LOWER BURRELL, Pennsylvania (WTAE) — A Westmoreland County man is suing his bank and claims it’s withholding nearly $12,000 of his money.

A federal lawsuit has been filed against JPMorgan Chase Bank by Jim Serena of Lower Burrell.

Serena told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that the lawsuit began with him trying to help a friend throughout the past year.

“His significant other had recently passed,” Serena said. “I started helping him with his daughter, who’s a minor, household things, grocery shopping, taking her school shopping, and things like that. He worked a second shift. He would have me go do those things, and then he’d send me the money for it.”

In April of this year, Serena’s friend, Peter McNeal, reported that nearly $12,000 was missing from his Chase bank account.

“He made an honest mistake,” Serena said. “When they asked him if he’d ever sent Zelle transactions, he didn’t realize that was the platform name. He filed a dispute, which he later withdrew in his affidavit, because he realized that Zelle was not what he was disputing and realized what had happened.”

JPMorgan Chase froze Serena’s account because he had the $12,000 in question.

The two realized the mistake and submitted two notarized affidavits to the bank.

“They reversed all of the transactions and froze my account,” Serena said. “We wrote the affidavits here, we went and had them notarized, we took them to the bank, and they still refuse to return the money. They ultimately locked me out of my account,” Serena said. “They credited everything back to Pete, and then closed his account.”

Serena has another bank account with Citizens Bank. He had to quickly turn his payments over earlier this year.

“My Social Security would’ve gone into [the locked] account,” he said. “I would’ve had no funds to live on. I would’ve had nothing. I actually ended up in the emergency room over stress and anxiety.”

In June, Serena filed a federal lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase Bank. The Lower Burrell resident could be paid out as much as $900,000. That document can be seen below.

In the motion to dismiss documents by the company regarding Serena’s claims, it reads, in part, “This action stems from non-party Peter Raymond McNeal’s report of an unauthorized transfer from his Chase bank account to Mr. Serena’s Chase account. Upon receipt and review of this claim, including Mr. McNeal’s statement to Chase that he never authorized a Zelle transfer, Chase acted swiftly and in accordance with the agreement that governs Mr. Serena’s Chase account. Pursuant to that agreement, Chase is permitted to charge back any deposits from its customer’s account that the originator claims are unauthorized. That is exactly what Chase did here. This lawsuit challenges Chase’s reversal of approximately $12,000 in deposits from Plaintiff James Serena’s bank account back to Mr. McNeal’s bank account despite the fact that Chase’s action was expressly permitted by the governing Deposit Account Agreement Mr. Serena agreed to. This lawsuit further challenges Chase’s failure to return those funds to Mr. Serena’s account after he submitted his own affidavit and an affidavit allegedly from Mr. McNeal, the person to whom Chase returned the challenged amounts, allegedly attesting to the legitimacy of those Zelle transactions and challenging Chase’s decision to freeze Mr. Serena’s bank account. None of the claims in the Amended Complaint are viable as a matter of law.”

No matter how this ends, Serena said taking this further is not about money.

“What’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong,” he said. “The documentation shows that everything was legitimate, authorized; he withdrew his complaint, and they’re still trying to penalize me for something that was authorized and legitimate.”

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 Jay Motiwala

Click here for updates on this story

    MOUNT AIRY, North Carolina (WXII) — Volunteer rescue crews in Mount Airy braved historic flooding over the weekend, risking their lives to save others as rapidly rising waters submerged streets and cars.

“This was the most historic storm of our time since at least 1979,” said Chief Corey Scearce of the Mount Airy Rescue Squad.

Rescue personnel faced immense challenges but managed to save around a dozen people trapped in homes and vehicles.

“The water was immense, it rose very rapidly. It was very dark,” Chief Scearce said.

Chief Elijah Childers of the Pilot Mountain Rescue Squad, who led several rescues, shared details of one particularly dangerous operation.

“She was 30 feet down, sitting on her car, with water rushing,” Childers said. “Calmed her nerves, was able to get her back upstream and up to safety.”

The volunteers credited their success to the dedication of their team.

“Our team is wonderful. We are 100% volunteers here. We are the definition of community,” Chief Scearce said.

He highlighted the selflessness of the rescue crews.

“Somebody just put themself in immediate danger for them, and got paid absolutely nothing for it, except for the fact that they had an opportunity to save a life,” Chief Childers said.

Despite the overwhelming odds, the volunteers said they would do it all over again for their community.

“All of us, we are the community of Mount Airy. We are your teachers, your EMTs, your paramedics, your business owners, and we have a heart to serve our community. So we are the definition of community,” Chief Scearce said.

“It makes all those hours of training, it makes all those hours of the headaches, it makes all those hours of everything else we had to go through, completely worth it,” Chief Childers said.

The volunteers advised residents to trust their instincts and avoid driving through roads that appear too dangerous.

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 Jon Chrisos

Click here for updates on this story

    PORTLAND, Maine (WMTW) — Nurses at Maine Medical Center held a protest outside the Portland hospital Wednesday morning, as they continue to call for the release of a colleague who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Maine’s Total Coverage has confirmed that Debora Kapisha, a registered nurse at Maine Medical Center, is in ICE custody. The Maine State Nurses Association said ICE agents detained Kapisha on Thursday, July 30, while she was traveling through Boston Logan International Airport.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that Kapisha was arrested by ICE on Thursday.

“Kapisha entered our country on May 14, 2024, on a visa that was set to expire on November 13, 2024. She failed to depart before this date in violation of our nation’s immigration laws. She will remain in ICE custody pending the outcome of her removal proceedings. She will receive full due process,” the DHS spokesperson said in a statement shared with Maine’s Total Coverage.

Kapisha works as a medical-surgical nurse at Maine Medical Center. The union said Kapisha, who is from Zambia, is legally authorized to live and work in the United States while her asylum case is pending. Maine’s Total Coverage has not independently verified details of her immigration status.

“Any pending application does not confer legal status,” the DHS spokesperson said in their statement.

The union said ICE planned to transfer Kapisha from Massachusetts to Louisiana, but said Thursday that will not be the case. Kapisha’s attorneys and union representatives are seeking her release and trying to prevent the transfer.

“Debora is an amazing nurse and takes great care of her patients,” said Abigail Nelson, a registered nurse who works with Kapisha. “She is a kind and supportive coworker. We are like a family here, and it feels like a piece of us is missing.”

The nurses are also calling on Maine Medical Center to sponsor Kapisha for permanent residency.

MaineHealth said Wednesday that it has contacted members of Maine’s congressional delegation in an effort to get more information about Kapisha’s status.

MaineHealth officials said all individuals who come to work at MaineHealth are thoroughly vetted to assure they are authorized to reside and work in the United States. MaineHealth officials said they received no notice that Kapisha was taken into custody and have been provided no information by immigration officials as to her current whereabouts or the status of her case. MaineHealth officials said they did hear from Kapisha’s attorneys and that they are providing the appropriate support as the attorneys work to secure her release.

“Needless to say, we are concerned, especially given that this individual appears to have been living and working here legally,” Britt Crewse, president of MaineHealth’s Southern Region, which includes Maine Medical Center, said in a statement.

Crewse said he is also concerned about the impact this could have on other MaineHealth care team members who happen to be immigrants.

“We take great care in making sure everyone who comes to work for us is legally authorized to do so,” Crewse said. “Nevertheless, the enforcement surge by immigration authorities has many of our care team members on edge.”

The DHS spokesperson noted that the United States is offering $2,600 to all people who are in the country illegally, as well as a free flight to self-deport.

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.