Category: CNN Regional

By Kim Hudson

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    BUCKS COUNTY, Pennsylvania (KYW) — Drivers might not realize it while heading down the Pennsylvania Turnpike, but local Black history and sports history are being celebrated just off the highway, with the tip of an unusual baseball hat.

In an unassuming building by the Pennsylvania Turnpike tolls in Bensalem, Bucks County, 33-year Turnpike Commission veteran Eric Paul settles in every day with that hat on display over his shoulder.

“I have to keep it close,” said Paul, the commission’s regional facilities operations manager.

Meanwhile, at the commission offices in King of Prussia, Montgomery County, retired coworker, 73-year-old Ronald Duckett, pored over memories of his late dad.

“Pictures in here that I love,” Duckett said. “It’s a legacy.”

Paul and Duckett bonded over their work for the turnpike and that same hat. The white letter G on the red cap stands for Grays, as in the Homestead Grays Negro Leagues baseball team out of Pittsburgh. Paul sees it to remember Duckett’s father, Mahlon Duckett.

Ronald Duckett said the hat speaks to the team where his dad ended his career after starting with the Philadelphia Stars in 1940.

“He played for the Stars,” Ronald Duckett said. “He actually played for 10 years in the league, and he played for nine years with the Stars. His last year was with the Grays.”

After Ronald Duckett shared memories of his father, Paul said he rushed to get the hat.

“I went instantaneously online and purchased it,” Paul said.

What did Paul learn about the player? Thanks to a documentary by the Philadelphia Phillies, fans could hear from Mahlon Duckett himself.

“My father was for it, but my mother wasn’t,” Mahlon Duckett said in an interview for the documentary titled “They Said We Couldn’t Play.” “Because at that time in 1940, we had a lot of problems in the South. She knew a lot of the games would be played there.”

But the second baseman bravely played for the Stars despite fears he would be assaulted when Negro League teams sometimes played White teams.

“They would sharpen their spikes,” Mahlon said. “You had to know how to get that ball and make the double play and get out of the way. Like I said, I have a couple scars on my knee now.”

Rob Holiday, director of amateur scouting administration for the Phillies, which held a ceremonious Negro Leagues draft in 2008, said Mahlon Duckett’s famous speed would have made the player a perfect fit in today’s major league team.

“I could see him being a good utility infielder playing all around the infield and coming in and steal a base at the end of the game and helping the Phillies win,” Holiday said.

Playing through it all is what inspired Paul to tell anyone who would listen about Mahlon Duckett, even after the player died in 2015 at 92 years old.

“Just bring notice to them that because of those men that did sacrifice, I am where I am now,” Paul said.

And to think, this story lives on with the passing on of this baseball cap.

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 Adi Guajardo

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — A Hunter College professor is under fire for comments caught on a hot mic during a Zoom meeting.

Some parents and students are calling the remarks racist.

We want to warn you the comments are offensive.

During a Feb. 10 New York City community education council meeting, District 3 Interim Acting Superintendent Reginald Higgins highlighted scholar Carter G. Woodson, known as the father of Black history.

“Carter G. Woodson said, ‘When you can’t control a man’s thinking, you do not have to send him to the back door. He will go without being told,'” Higgins says.

Allyson Friedman, a Hunter College associate professor, can then be heard speaking.

“They’re just, they’re too dumb to know they’re in a bad school. Apparently, Martin Luther King said it like, if you train a Black person well enough, they’ll know to use the back. You don’t have to tell them anymore,” she says.

Another individual in the meeting then jumps in to let Friedman know her mic wasn’t muted.

“Allyson Friedman, what you are saying is absolutely hearable here. You gotta stop,” the individual says.

CBS News New York reached out to Friedman for comment, and she shared a link to a Substack article titled “Lost in Translation,” where Friedman said she was trying to “explain the concept of systemic racism by referencing a historical example” and went on to say, “I take full responsibility for the impact, and I am deeply sorry.”

The New York City Board of Education released the following statement:

“NYC Public Schools does not tolerate discrimination. We take these matters very seriously and the superintendent as well as our Office of Family and Community Empowerment are providing support to the district in response to this incident. Citywide and Community Education Councils are independent bodies, and their meetings are intended to be respectful spaces for students, families, and staff, and we are dedicated to supporting them in upholding that expectation.”

Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels also released a statement:

“The comments made were abhorrent and have no place in our school communities. New York City Public Schools does not tolerate racism or discrimination of any kind, period. We take these matters very seriously and the superintendent as well as our Office of Family and Community Empowerment are responding to this incident comprehensively. Citywide and Community Education Councils are independent bodies, and their meetings are expected to be respectful spaces for students, families, and staff. What happened at the meeting was a complete violation of those expectations, and we are providing support to the district to repair the harm done.

A Hunter College spokesperson released the following statement:

“Hunter College is aware of an incident during a recent virtual meeting of the New York City School District 3 Community Education Council in which abhorrent remarks were heard coming from a district parent who also is a Hunter employee. Even as these remarks were made in the individual’s role as a private citizen and we understand that the district is conducting an investigation into the matter, Hunter College is reviewing the situation under the university’s applicable conduct and nondiscrimination policies.

“In service to Hunter College, we expect our community members’ actions and words to comport with our institutional identity, values, and policies. We stand firm in our enduring commitment to sustain an inclusive educational environment that is free of discrimination of any kind, in which people of all identities will feel welcome and can thrive.”

Parents, advocates and elected leaders held a press conference Tuesday to address what they described as racist remarks.

“It’s unacceptable. She has no business being an educator,” said one person who attended the meeting.

Ayana Roman, a Hunter College student, said she learned of the incident on social media.

“I interpreted what she said as racist,” she said.

Despite Friedman’s apology, some students are calling for action.

“I just feel like racism needs to be called out and you need to be let go, but it’s up for Hunter to decide, ultimately,” Roman 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 Erika Gonzalez

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    MIAMI (WFOR) — Research shows that having social connections is one of the most reliable predictors of a long, healthy, and satisfying life.

But making friends as an adult can be difficult. Between work, family, and packed schedules, finding meaningful connections can feel out of reach.

Health experts say the lack of social connection can have serious consequences. About one in three adults in the U.S. report feeling lonely.

Nearly one in four say they lack social or emotional support according to a recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Loneliness is an epidemic here in the U.S.,” said relationship expert Shari Leid.

Leid says strong friendships aren’t just nice to have, they’re essential.

“What we want in the end is relationships. That’s what matters,” she said.

Her advice is simple, be intentional.

“We tend to neglect our social life a lot, but prioritize it,” Leid said.

That message resonates with Miami mom Sharon Feiereisen.

After moving to South Florida, Feiereisen found herself starting over, without friends, family nearby, or a built-in support system.

“I moved alone with both of my kids and I had no mom friends, and it was very hard,” she said.

Looking for a connection, Feiereisen decided to create it herself.

She launched “The Mom Club,” a community that brings together moms, dads, and families through small, in-person events focused on health, wellness, and conversation.

The group hosts meetups almost monthly, giving parents a chance to connect beyond school drop-offs and playdates.

“These events are intentionally kept small so you can come here alone and it’s not awkward,” Feiereisen said. “Everyone’s looking for somebody to complain to and get it out.”

What started as a way to meet people has turned into lasting friendships.

“There are people who I’ve told the most insane things. And I can’t even believe we’ve only known each other a year-and-a-half,” she said.

Experts say fear is one of the biggest barriers to making friends as an adult , worrying about how we’ll be perceived.

Leid encourages people to shift their focus.

“Make the first move,” she said. “Everyone’s a little nervous when you first meet somebody. It gets easier over time.”

For Feiereisen, taking that first step changed everything.

“I wouldn’t have had any community,” she said.

Now, through The Mom Club, she’s helping others find the same sense of belonging she once searched for herself.

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 CBS 58 Newsroom

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    MILWAUKEE (WDJT) — A Milwaukee police officer has been criminally charged for allegedly using the department’s Flock technology license plate recognition system to check on the whereabouts of two people for personal reasons.

According to a criminal complaint, detectives found that between March 26-May 26 of 2025, Officer Josue Ayala ran the license plate of one victim 55 times, and the license plate of a second victim 124 times during the same timeframe.

Prosecutors say an investigation revealed the victims had been in a relationship with one another, and once that relationship ended, one of them began to see Officer Ayala.

The complaint alleges Ayala used the Flock system to check on their locations for personal reasons, in violation of MPD’s standard operating procedure, which states the Flock system “shall only be used for bona fide law enforcement purposes.”

The Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) says they became aware of the allegation in December of 2025. Chief Norman initiated a criminal investigation at that time, placing Officer Ayala on full suspension. When the investigation substantiated the claims, MPD says the case was referred to the Milwaukee County DA’s office.

“I am extremely disappointed to learn about the incident and expect all members, sworn and civilian, to demonstrate the highest ethical standards in the performance of their duties. If a member violates the code of conduct, they will be held accountable,” said Chief Jeffrey Norman. “I want to remind the public that everyone is afforded the right of due process under the law, and as such, are innocent until proven guilty.”

Ayala remains on full suspension, according to the police department, pending his tentative resignation agreement with the district attorney’s office.

He’s charged with attempted misconduct in public office.

If convicted, Ayala could face up to nine months in prison and be fined up to $10,000.

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 Brian Unger

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    WALTON COUNTY, Georgia (WUPA) — About 50 miles east of Atlanta, along Highway 78 near the Oconee County line, a modest roadside marker tells the story of one of the most horrific racial crimes in American history.

It marks the site of the Moore’s Ford Bridge lynching — widely recognized as the last documented mass lynching in the United States.

Between 1880 and 1968, Tuskegee University researchers say Georgia recorded 637 lynchings — one of the highest totals in the nation. Most went unprosecuted.

Among them: the killings on July 25, 1946.

On that summer day, George Dorsey — a World War II veteran — and his wife Mae, along with Roger and Dorothy Malcolm, were traveling near the Apalachee River in Walton County.

The Malcolms and Dorseys were sharecroppers who had encouraged Black community members to vote in Georgia’s all-white primary earlier that year.

After a confrontation with a wealthy white landowner, Roger Malcolm was arrested and jailed in Walton County. He was later bailed out by Loy Harrison, a local farmer who was also identified as a Klansman.

As Harrison drove the two couples toward his farm, their car was stopped at Moore’s Ford Bridge by a mob of roughly 30 white men.

George Dorsey and Roger Malcolm were dragged from the car, tied to a tree in a nearby field, and shot. Dorothy Malcolm, who was seven months pregnant, and Mae Dorsey were also killed. According to statements later given to authorities, the four were shot dozens of times.

No one was ever convicted.

For Cassandra Greene and Nicole King-Crawford, the site is not just history — it is sacred ground.

“I immediately feel sad… hurt,” Greene said during a recent visit to the bridge. “This is exactly where they were killed.”

For two decades, Greene and King-Crawford have helped organize an annual July 25 reenactment of the lynching. They say the performance is not about spectacle, but remembrance.

“It reconnects you to your humanness — your compassion, your empathy,” Greene said. “That’s what it should do.”

Despite four sweeping investigations by the FBI and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation over 81 years, no suspects were publicly named and no arrests were made.

Many in the community believe prominent local residents were involved.

“This town… there were prominent people here that were involved,” Greene said. “Would you want your family’s name to be out? They don’t want it.”

One potential key to the case remains locked away: sealed federal grand jury testimony from 1946. More than 100 witnesses reportedly testified.

Hank Klibanoff, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and director of the Georgia Civil Rights Cold Cases Project at Emory University, has long pushed for access to those records.

“I do believe the secrecy behind grand juries — including Moore’s Ford — is to protect the bad guys, not the good guys,” Klibanoff said.

He remains hopeful that answers may still exist in archives — or within families.

“You don’t know if someone gave a deathbed confession 40 years ago,” he said.

Authorities acknowledge it is unlikely that anyone who directly witnessed the lynching is still alive. But descendants in Walton County may hold pieces of the truth.

Greene says she prays one day a family member will come forward — not just for accountability, but for reconciliation.

“We want reconciliation,” she said. “That’s what’s important.”

The impact of Moore’s Ford reached beyond Walton County.

In December 1946, the killings helped prompt President Harry Truman to establish the President’s Committee on Civil Rights — a 15-member panel tasked with investigating racial violence and recommending federal action to protect civil rights.

Nearly 80 years later, Moore’s Ford Bridge stands as a reminder of terror, silence, and unfinished justice — and of a chapter of Black history that remains as difficult to confront as it is necessary to remember.

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.