Plaza Hotel in NYC closing for 4-year renovation starting in 2027

CNN Newsource on October 15, 2026

By Alexa Herrera

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    NEW YORK CITY, New York (WCBS) — New York City’s Plaza Hotel is closing for at least four years for repair and restoration work on its facade.

The iconic Fifth Avenue hotel will close starting in January, officials announced Wednesday.

The Plaza has been a landmark in Manhattan for more than 100 years. It first opened its doors in 1907 and has been recognized for its “architectural character, exceptional craftsmanship, and enduring presence.”

“Understanding the unique place in New York City’s architectural heritage and cultural history it holds, The Plaza Hotel is advancing plans for repair and restoration works to its landmark-protected façade,” the announcement stated. “The undertaking reflects the complexity of maintaining a property of such architectural and historical significance, with careful consideration given to preservation requirements and the building’s long-term care, as well as the safety of our guests, employees, and the wider community.”

No details about how much the makeover will cost or specific renovations were released.

The announcement said the plans require detailed planning and coordination with stakeholders and adherence to historic preservation requirements.

The last time the hotel closed was during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, when it shut its doors for more than a year. It also closed from 2005 to 2008 for a $450 million lobby-to-roof restoration.

“Home Alone 2,” “Bride Wars,” and “The Great Gatsby” are just a few movies filmed at the hotel. Meanwhile, the classic children’s books Eloise at the Plaza and Eloise at Christmastime are about a young girl living at the top of the hotel.

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86-year-old boxing icon to be honored after nearly six decades of coaching

CNN Newsource on October 15, 2026

By Isaiah Sharp

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    NAMPA, Idaho (KIVI) — Local boxing Icon Rene ‘El Gato’ Medina is being honored at a fight night on October 17th in Nampa for his decades of dedication to the sport.

At 86-years-old, he can still be found watching every punch inside a small Nampa boxing gym.

It’s a familiar setting for a man who has spent more than half a century teaching the sport and has coached multiple generations of fighters.

“He’s trained kids, they grow up. Those kids bring in their kids and those kids have also brought in their kids,” Carmen Medina said. “So, like, he’s trained a father, a son and a grandfather.”

Medina began coaching boxers in 1968, but his connection to the sport started years when he was a teen.

“When he was about 17 years old, it became a passion for him,” Carmen said.

When asked why he first stepped into the ring, Medina’s answer was simple: “Because he was very skinny when he was a boy.”

Tired of being bullied and looking for an avenue away from drugs and alcohol, Medina picked up a pair of gloves and began fighting.

Known in the ring as “El Gato,” Medina eventually reached a point in his boxing career where he fought on an undercard for Joe Frazier. But his lasting impact would come outside the ropes, where he began training the next generation.

“He’ll train you today and tomorrow you might become a champion,” said Louie Neagle, coach at Tomorrow’s Champions. “That was his philosophy. You train hard and tomorrow you might be a champion, and I’ve always liked that about him.”

That philosophy is reflected in the name of the gym where Medina continues to coach, Tomorrow’s Champions.

Over the years, hundreds of men and women have trained under Medina, while dozens of coaches have followed in his footsteps.

On Oct. 17, Medina’s decades-long career will be honored during a fight night in Nampa. The fight will feature a heavyweight bout between Ruben Manrajos Jr. of Idaho vs. Ryan Bailey of Washington

And after 58 years of coaching, “El Gato” still has no plans to leave the corner.

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Texas dad delivers baby in hospital parking lot after wife goes into labor

CNN Newsource on October 15, 2026

By Robbie Owens

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    PLANO, Texas (KTVT) — Emma and Diego Contreras of Plano had already decided that Diego would take a more hands-on role in the birth of their third child, who wasn’t due until the following week.

But Emma might be a little more careful about what she wishes for from now on.

Diego ended up being far more involved in the delivery than either of them ever imagined.

“So whenever we were stuck at that red light, I think that’s when my heart sank, and I thought, like, ‘We’re in trouble,'” Diego said. “But I still did not think the baby was coming.”

Baby Beni, however, had other plans. He arrived in his father’s waiting hands in the parking lot of Medical City Plano.

“I guess he was crowning,” Diego said. “I saw the top of the head. And so instinctively I just, like, squatted in front of him and I don’t know how much time passed, but he just slipped out.”

But let’s back up a bit.

On the morning of Oct. 11, Emma began having what she thought might be contractions.

Maybe.

“I told Diego that I’m going to go on a walk,” Emma said, “and I don’t know if these are real contractions. And so, I said, if I can’t make it around the block, I think I’m in labor, but I did.”

Walk or not, Baby Beni decided he’d waited long enough.

“So, I used some techniques I knew to try and stall pushing,” Emma said, “which is hard. But once we got to the hospital, it just got intense so fast.”

By the time Diego alerted emergency room staff and rushed back to the car, he said the “urgency” of the moment could no longer be denied.

“She said something like, ‘He’s here,'” he said. “And so, I pulled her pants down, and I saw… I guess he was crowning… I saw the top of the head.”

Mother, baby, and two busy big brothers are all doing fine. And what a story Diego will have to share with other dads.

“I’m really proud of him, honestly,” Emma said. “Because I did, I really did, tell our doula I wanted him more involved.”

Then, with a laugh, she added: “Yeah, be careful what you wish for.”

And what a story they’ll have to tell Baby Beni one day.

“And it’s so funny because like I said, we walk there often to go to Starbucks. So now when we walk there with these guys, we can literally point and be like that,” Diego said, as Emma finished the thought. “We can say where he was born.”

“Yeah,” Diego said. “Usually, dads are pretty useless during delivery, so I’m glad that at least for this one, I contributed!”

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Brewery that irked neighbors to become fire station after city’s $8M purchase

CNN Newsource on October 15, 2026

By Lesley Marin

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    RANCHO CUCAMONGA, California (KCAL, KCBS) — A controversial brewery located in the middle of a Rancho Cucamonga neighborhood, often drawing the irritation of neighbors, is set to become a fire station after the property was purchased by the city for nearly $8 million.

The Hamilton Family Brewery opened last year, on Eighth Street and Archibald, and since then Armando Moreno says he’s dealt with a slew of issues in his usually quiet neighborhood of nearly 40 years.

“I think we’ve lost a lot of what is considered a neighborhood feel,” Moreno said. “We couldn’t find parking; that was one of the issues. Another issue was people urinating on the street.”

After several neighborhood protests, the Rancho Cucamonga City Council approved a purchase agreement for $7.8 million between the Rancho Cucamonga Fire District and the brewery’s owners. The city is now set to turn it into a fire house after it began looking into complaints against the brewery in March.

“Initially, the idea of selling something we worked so hard to build and all the blood and sweat and tears and sacrifice that went into that location? It was like, ‘Heck no,'” said brewery owner Josh Hamilton.

Hamilton said the brewery moved after outgrowing their old location, and despite the initial reluctance, he believes the sale is a win for everyone.

“The neighbors would be happy. Our customers would be happy to have extra parking. I would be happy to not have the stress of dealing with the neighbors,” Hamilton said.

Fire officials say the new fire house would improve response times, but many residents have questioned the staggering price tag for the property. While the fire department will fund most of it, some of the money will come from the city.

Hamilton said he bought the property for $2.5 million, but invested millions more to turn it into a fully functioning brewery.

“Some people see the purchase price; double that went into it, essentially,” he said, adding that he’s expecting to return to his old location on Seventh Street, where he’ll build a tasting room.

Moreno said the cost is worth the peace, hopeful now that he and his neighbors will return to their quiet way of life.

“Instead of having to deal with this every day, it’s good for the community, cause we don’t have one nearby,” Moreno said of the fire house.

Rancho Cucamonga Fire District officials say they already purchased a separate plot of land for a new fire house, which they plan to sell. The city council approved the sale last week, but the deal still needs to go through escrow.

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Sacramento residents raise concerns over rat infestation in neighborhood

CNN Newsource on October 15, 2026

By Kayla Moeller

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    YUBA COUNTY, California (KOVR) — Residents in the Edgewater neighborhood of Linda, near Marysville, say a growing rat problem is damaging vehicles, spreading through yards and raising concerns about potential health risks.

Homeowners say they have seen rats running between properties and getting into cars, and they’re asking Yuba County for help addressing the problem.

Tennasity Tidwell, who has lived in the neighborhood for years, said she recently received a text from a neighbor warning that a rat had climbed onto a vehicle and was heading toward the engine.

“The neighbor texted and said, ‘Is your car out here? Because one of the rats is running up the tire, going into the engine.’ Thankfully it was the other neighbor’s car,” Tidwell said.

Tidwell said she had never experienced a rat problem in the neighborhood before.

“It’s infested with rats. They’re running into people’s cars, running in and out of the yards, going into cars eating wires,” she said.

Tidwell said she has contacted county services but has not seen anyone come out to address the issue.

“Basically they just want everybody to get pest control but it’s like, look at all the houses,” she said.

Tidwell said she already pays for pest control and that workers have treated her property. However, she believes the problem extends beyond individual homes, with rat nests scattered throughout the neighborhood.

Another resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said the activity has become concerning enough that they take extra precautions before driving to work in the morning.

“I’m setting alarms off before I get in my car in the morning because it’s dark. And the kids filmed one under my car. They start eating the wires, we’ve watched them go into other homes,” the resident said.

Yuba County said it has no complaints on file for the address. A county spokesperson also said rat activity can increase during harvest season, when rodents are displaced from agricultural fields.

But Tidwell said the problem is new to her neighborhood.

“I’ve been here 5 years, I’ve never seen rats. Not once,” she said. “I’m just worried about them damaging the cars, and I don’t know if they’re going to get people sick,” she said.

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Sacramento airport therapy dogs help to ease travel stress

CNN Newsource on October 15, 2026

By Melissa May and Coleman Petit

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    SACRAMENTO, California (KOVR) — Travelling can be stressful, especially around the busy holidays. People flying in and out of Sacramento International Airport have a four-legged team of volunteers to help reduce that stress.

The Boarding Area Relaxation Corps, or BARC for short, are volunteer airport therapy dogs who have been easing the stress of traveling for the last decade. Their owners volunteer through an organization called Lend a Heart, a volunteer group that trains the dogs for this kind of therapy.

“We see a huge decrease in stress. I think it’s made a huge impact here and a great impact on us too,” Christine Hale with Lend a Heart said.

The dogs even get airport nametags. When their shift is done, they get a treat to enjoy on the tram ride home.

You can find BARC at the Sacramento airport on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays once you get through TSA security.

Hale says, “We found that’s the best place as people come through TSA, they just see us right there, and glom onto us. We also wander the terminal and gates and can find you that way.”

That was the case for some Sacramento State women’s soccer players, including seniors Lexi Schroeder and Ellie Farber.

“I love it because I am an anxious flyer, so when I saw the dogs, oh my gosh — I need to pet them, it’s just what I needed,” Schroeder said.

The dogs don’t mind the attention either.

“We dropped our bags and came back, so cute,” Farber said.

Volunteers would love to see more dogs and shifts here, but they say they could use more recruits to meet demand. Lend a Heart hopes there are some dogs and owners out there willing to be a part of the endeavor.

People interested in letting their canine volunteer with BARC can contact the Lend a Heart team through their website.

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Marine missing in action in WWII returns home after remains identified

CNN Newsource on October 15, 2026

By Aki Nace

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    MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A Minnesota man who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during WWII returned home Thursday morning after he was listed as missing in action for eight decades.

Ernest LaVerne Lund was born in Goodhue County in 1915, the second youngest child in a family of 14 siblings. He worked on farms until 1943, when he enlisted in the Marines.

According to his obituary, Lund died on May 21, 1944 while working aboard LST-353 when it exploded in the West Loch Disaster at the Pearl Harbor Naval Base in Hawaii.

The Navy, Army and Marines were staging ships in the area to prepare for a campaign to invade the Mariana Islands. An investigation never determined the cause of the explosion, but according to Naval History and Heritage Command, it is one of the greatest non-combat disasters in U.S. history. Lund was listed as missing in action.

In 1985, a group of kayakers in Pearl Harbor spotted Lund’s remains, but he wasn’t identified until 2026 with the help of DNA samples from his family.

“It’s uplifted us all that he’s finally coming home,” said Roger McKelvey of Bloomington. “We’re finally going to have closure about Ernest Lund, our hero in our family.”

His remains arrived in Minneapolis on Thursday morning and formal visitation will be held in Webster, Wisconsin on Friday. His funeral is scheduled for Saturday in Markville, Minnesota.

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Police say mass shooting plot thwarted, possibly targeting Illinois house of worship

CNN Newsource on October 15, 2026

By Mark Rivera, Eric Horng, Barb Markoff, Christine Tressel and Tom Jones

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    PALATINE, Illinois (WLS) — A 19-year-old Palatine man is facing multiple felony charges after authorities say a co-worker reported statements in which he expressed hatred toward other races and discussed plans for a violent attack.

Palatine police arrested 19-year-old Alexandros Paporakis Sunday, and he is now charged with making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of weapons. Investigators say he had an AR-style rifle, 300 rounds of ammunition and said he intended to kill as many minorities as possible according to prosecutors.

Paporakis penned an eight-page manifesto using derogatory and racially charged slurs and specifically targeted people of Indian descent at a Hindu house of worship, according to court documents in the case. He pledged he would die himself, but not before killing as many minorities as possible, prosecutors said.

Paporakis was in contact with a co-worker at a Taco Bell in Arlington Heights, according to investigators, who said he became manic over the weekend culminating with him sending a video of an A-R style rifle and a photo of himself wearing a tactical vest. That co-worker then called police. Palatine police arrested Paporakis on Sunday at his Palatine apartment and say they found an A-R style rifle, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and other tactical gear.

In pretrial detention documents obtained by the ABC7 I-Team, prosecutors said Paporakis described himself as a “sociopathic white supremacist Neo Nazi filled with hatred” who drove to a location, attempted to fire his gun at a man, but the gun jammed. He had been planning the attack for two years, according to court records.

“It’s highly likely that were it not for the quick action and the investigative activities of the local law enforcement authorities, we very may well have had yet another mass shooting in this country,” said former DHS Intel Chief and ABC News contributor John Cohen.

According to Paporakis’ coworker, there were signs something was wrong.

“What we have actually found is that in almost every case, an individual who is planning an attack will exhibit behaviors, either online or in the physical world, that represent an articulation of intent to engage in violence,” said Cohen.

Palatine police are leading the investigation and told the I-Team they are still working to verify some of critical details about what actions Paporakis may have taken and if there was a specific location he was working to target. They believe it was a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois which is why they notified Aurora Police Department about a potential threat.

Prosecutors say Paporakis suffers from mental health issues and lived with his mother who they say failed to prevent Paporakis from making violent plans and purchasing a firearm.

“We need to do a better job educating the public on what to look for and what to report, and we need to do a better job and provide more resources to localities so that they can rapidly take steps to prevent the shooting from occurring,” Cohen told the I-Team.

Paporakis was in court Wednesday and held in custody. He’ll be back in court at the end of the month.

The case remains under investigation.

Aurora Alderwoman Shweta Baid shared the following statement Wednesday evening:

“Iam deeply saddened by the news of the reported attempted shooting targeting devotees at the Hindu temple in Aurora. No one should ever feel unsafe while practicing their faith or gathering in a place of worship or anywhere. Such threats are unacceptable and have no place in our community. I commend law enforcement for their efforts to protect our residents and places of worship. I stand in solidarity with all the community members and reaffirm our shared commitment to religious freedom, public safety, and mutual respect. City of Aurora’s strength lies in its diversity, compassion, and unity. We must stand together against hatred and intolerance and ensure that every resident feels safe, respected, and welcome, regardless of their faith or background.”

Illinois U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi shared the following statement Wednesday evening:

“I am horrified that a white supremacist allegedly attempted to massacre Indian Americans at a Hindu temple in Aurora. This is where the poison of anti-Indian hatred and white supremacy can lead, and we cannot wait until innocent people are killed to take it seriously. I am grateful to the coworkers who sounded the alarm and the law enforcement officers who intervened. Every American deserves to live and worship without fear, and we must stand together against hatred in all its forms.”

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Cardinal Cupich says he was shocked by Pope Leo’s cancer diagnosis as Chicago faithful offer prayers

CNN Newsource on October 15, 2026

By Rob Hughes, Maher Kawash, Cate Cauguiran and Lissette Nuñez

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    CHICAGO (WLS) — Students from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy prayed for Pope Leo Wednesday after his lung cancer diagnosis.

Meanwhile, Cardinal Blase Cupich spoke with ABC7 Chicago from Rome on Wednesday.

Cardinal Cupich said he was “shocked” and saddened to learn of Pope Leo XIV’s lung cancer diagnosis, while Catholics in the pope’s hometown of Chicago expressed concern and offered prayers for his recovery.

Cupich, speaking from Rome where he is attending meetings at the Vatican, said he has not communicated with the pope since the diagnosis but has been following medical updates closely.

“I have to say, I was shocked and really found it disconcerting. I’ve known him for a number of years, over a decade, and so I was just so sorry that he was suffering,” Cupich said.

The diagnosis came as a surprise even to some within the Vatican, according to Cupich, who described the 71-year-old pontiff as active and energetic.

“He’s a very serene and calm individual. He’ll pay attention to the science. You know, he’s a mathematician, so he knows how to look at things objectively,” Cupich said.

The Vatican has said Pope Leo is recovering as expected after surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung Tuesday. According to Vatican updates, the pope is walking, eating his regular diet and undergoing respiratory therapy while doctors continue testing to determine whether the cancer has spread.

Cupich said the pope has long maintained a demanding schedule.

“Wanted to know if he was getting enough sleep, but he seemed to be able to very vigorously take up the demanding work that’s before him,” he said.

Back in Chicago, prayers for the pontiff were a focus for many Catholics. For some, the diagnosis carries a personal connection. Gail Spreen, who said she lost her husband to cancer several years ago, expressed confidence in the pope’s recovery.

“He’s a strong man. I really, really believe, and with all the support and all the prayers around the world that are being said for him, he will make it,” Spreen said.

Other parishioners also offered prayers and encouragement.

“I’m keeping him in my prayers and I’m thinking about him during this time,” said Suzie Scott, who was visiting Holy Name Cathedral.

“He needs to rest to continue what he’s doing and bring peace to all the countries that have trouble,” said Holy Name parishioner Hector Sarmina.

Cupich said the pope’s illness could also deepen his connection with people facing health challenges of their own.

“I think every family has someone who is ill, sick, suffering from cancer, some other kind of disease. So to see the Pope undergo an illness like this really allows him to draw close to them,” he said.

The cardinal also emphasized the pope’s influence on global issues.

“He has really stepped on the global stage very quickly to make an impact on calling for world peace, looking for ways in which the marginalized are cared for, and being able to highlight what are the values that bring society together and call the best out of everyone. So we don’t want to lose that voice,” Cupich said.

As Chicago Catholics continue to pray for the pope, Cupich said the concern is especially personal in the city.

“He’s a hometown boy, and we’re concerned about him,” he said.

There is also uncertainty surrounding the pope’s planned trip to South America next month. The president of Peru said the pope’s recovery may take several weeks, and potentially longer than expected. The pope is scheduled to visit Peru, where he spent years carrying out missionary and pastoral work.

Pope Leo has a special place in the hearts of children at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy in Chicago.

Students there went viral, after performing a “mini mock conclave” last year.

This was personal for some of the students at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy.

A group of them had the chance to travel to Vatican City and meet the pope last year.

They hope the cards and blanket make the pope smile and bring him comfort.

Students gathered early Wednesday to pray after learning about Pope Leo’s cancer diagnosis.

“We found out that he does have cancer, so we are going to explain that really gently to the children in a way that feels safe and not scary to them,” teacher Allison Foerster said.

The children are part of Team 14, a student organization named in honor of Pope Leo XIV.

They went viral after participating in a mock conclave last year, and some of them then traveled to Vatican City to meet the pope.

They are now rallying around their hometown pontiff as he recovers.

“It feels nice to wish him well because he’s like a close friend and I was really sad when I heard when he was sick,” Ines Martins, a 6th grader who met the pope, said.

“I was a little nervous for Pope Leo because I’ve met him and he has a big role and I want him to stay healthy,” 8th grader Lucas Knudsen said.

Together the students made a care package to send to the pontiff. It includes a White Sox tie blanket, and get well cards.

Students shared their personalized messages to the pope.

“Dear Pope Leo, I hope you feel better. We love you,” student Parker Ashley said.

“My card is four children saying get well soon, and go White Sox,” student Catherine Esser said.

“Dear Pope Leo. We hope you feel better. We are all praying for you and the doctors that are helping you,” student Sawyer Nolot said.

A small gesture, that’s grounded on faith.

“It’s important for us to model to our students how we can live our faith in small ways, and sometimes just accompanying someone through prayer and a small action can be really impactful in hard times,” Foerster said.

School staff said they will be shipping off the care package to Gemelli Hospital, where the pope is receiving care. The small gesture is also meant to be an example of how Chicagoans care for each other.

Chicagoans are keeping Pope Leo in their thoughts and prayers following news that a surgery to remove a lung nodule revealed he has lung cancer.

Among them is Chicago resident Maida Mangianeli, who spoke about her own experience as she prepares to have another lung nodule removed after living with a more advanced stage of lung cancer for the past eight years.

“He has a lot ahead of him,” Mangianeli said. “Hopefully they’ve gotten all his cancer out. If he does have to go through chemo it’s okay because it helps you live longer.”

While there is optimism that Pope Leo’s diagnosis may be in its early stages, Mangianeli said recovery and treatment can be challenging.

“It’s very tiring,” she said. “My advice to the pope is make sure you take those timeouts when you need them. He needs to understand his own body and his own needs and deal with the fatigue because there will be a lot of fatigue.”

Medical experts say the diagnosis is also a reminder of the importance of early screening because lung cancer symptoms may not become noticeable until the disease has reached a more advanced stage.

In the past, lung cancer was often associated with smoking, but doctors say that is no longer always the case. According to Northwestern Medicine, 10% to 20% of lung cancer patients in the United States are not smokers. Other risk factors can include age, environmental pollution and, in some cases, heredity.

“Age is the number one risk factor for developing cancer,” said Dr. Mohammed Abazeed, chair and professor of radiation oncology at Northwestern Medicine. “As all of us get older our body has this incredible task it has to take every part of our DNA and replicate it billions of times and when it does that sometimes it makes mistakes.”

Abazeed said environmental factors can also play a role in cancer risk.

“Where you live, your ZIP code may be a determinant of your overall not just lung health but cancer propensity,” Abazeed said. “So I know Pope Leo lived on the South Side in an industrial zone in the 1950s and 70s. There was lots of air pollution in those areas with not so great EPA rules to control for air quality.”

Dr. Abazeed said recovery from this type of lung cancer surgery can range from weeks to months. The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo is up and walking around, which Dr. Abazeed said is a positive sign early in his recovery.

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.

Maryland Rep. Andy Harris questions student reporter’s right to record him after contentious debate

CNN Newsource on October 15, 2026

By Drew Aunkst

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    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJZ) — It was a contentious night on Maryland’s Eastern Shore for Rep. Andy Harris, the state’s only Republican in Congress.

Harris, who represents Maryland’s 1st Congressional District, clashed with audience members during a debate Tuesday in Cambridge with his Democratic challenger, Dan Schwartz. Afterward, he challenged a student journalist’s right to record him and sought to have the reporter removed from a press gaggle.

Following the debate, reporters gathered to interview Harris. During the exchange, he challenged a reporter from The Baltimore Banner before singling out Cat Murphy, a student journalist from the University of Maryland, and arguing that she did not have permission to record him.

The exchange was caught on camera.

Harris cited Maryland’s two-party consent law, which generally requires all parties to consent to the recording of a private conversation. But attorney Jeremy Eldridge told CBS News Baltimore that the law did not apply to the interaction because it took place in a public setting.

Contentious debate The debate itself featured tense moments, with audience members interrupting both candidates and Harris engaging in a heated exchange with a woman in the crowd.

“You all say you believe there’s a First Amendment but only if you agree with you,” Harris said. “You should let me finish the sentence, ma’am. You are rude.”

Schwartz also challenged Harris over his record in Congress.

“This guy put forward his own legislation in 2013 that would have limited members to six terms. Now he’s running for his ninth,” Schwartz said.

Rafael Lorente, dean of the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism, addressed the incident involving the student journalist in a statement posted on social media.

“Merrill College students know their rights as journalists,” Lorente said.

“Cat Murphy is a master’s student at the University of Maryland, credentialed as a reporter for our Capital News Service and doing the job we teach our students to do,” Lorente continued. “Cat recorded openly in a public space alongside other news outlets, and that is her legal right.”

Murphy spoke with CNN about the exchange.

“I was focused on doing my job, and asking my questions that I wanted answers to, and I think I did that,” she said.

CBS News Baltimore reached out to Harris for comment but has not heard back.

Attorney explains Maryland’s two-party consent law Eldridge told CBS News Baltimore that Harris did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy during the exchange because he was speaking with reporters in a public venue.

“If the congressman is having a conversation with journalists whom he invited into a public venue, then the congressman would not have an expectation of privacy, meaning what we would refer to as a two-party consent rule would not be applicable,” Eldridge said.

In 2019, a college student at Salisbury University was charged with illegally streaming a meeting with a congressional staffer for Harris.

Eldridge said that earlier case may help explain why Harris was particularly sensitive to the issue, but he said the circumstances of Tuesday’s exchange were different.

“This congressman in particular has been the victim of illegal wiretapping previously and that matter was prosecuted in the Maryland court system,” Eldridge said. “So the congressman is probably sensitive to this issue, but in this situation, the congressman was wrong on the law.”

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