Category: CNN Regional

By Liz Crawford

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    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — The fight to restore a slavery exhibit in Philadelphia is ramping up after it was dismantled last week. The National Park Service removed the displays following a directive by President Trump.

A few dozen people braved the bitter cold Wednesday afternoon to show their opposition to the removal of a slavery exhibit at Independence National Historical Park. The outdoor exhibit, just steps from the Liberty Bell, opened in 2010 and was meant to examine the paradox of slavery and freedom. Presidents George Washington and John Adams lived at the site, along with enslaved people.

“I believe our students should learn that we are strong enough to face our past and move forward, and removing history, especially the history of Black Americans, is an act of cowardice,” said Carmela Detoma, a schoolteacher who said she was able to attend the rally thanks to a snow day Wednesday at her school in Camden, New Jersey.

Wednesday’s demonstration was organized by Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, one of the groups that helped create the original exhibit.

Attorney Michael Coard said the group has joined the city’s lawsuit seeking to have the exhibit restored. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro also joined the lawsuit.

“Black people were enslaved. Black people built this country. The stories should be told,” Coard said.

Last week, a spokesperson with the Interior Department, which oversees the Park Service, said it is implementing President Trump’s executive order on Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, which required federal agencies to review some materials to ensure accuracy, honesty, and alignment with shared national values.

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker released a video Tuesday evening detailing the city’s stance on the removal of the exhibit.

“I want the world to know, you cannot erase our history,” Parker said. “Yes, it is flawed. Yes, it is imperfect and yes, it includes the real life, lived experiences and stories of people who endured a great deal of pain so that America could realize its promise.”

A public hearing is scheduled for Friday with a judge expected to rule on the city’s request for a preliminary injunction, which would stop any further damage to the site, preserve the displays and restore the exhibit.

Federal officials responded Wednesday to the city’s request for a preliminary injunction. Part of the court filing said, “The City cannot compel the Federal government to convey a message against its will.” It also said the displays are being kept in a secure location.

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 Hannah Kliger

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, one Brooklyn program is working to combat loneliness and decades-old trauma among survivors living far from the places where their lives were forever changed.

The borough is home to one of the largest populations of Holocaust survivors outside of Israel.

Marat Rivkin, 88, has only one photograph of himself with his mother from World War II. It was taken in 1941 at a Soviet train station, so he could get help finding her if they were separated.

“My mother ran in and said, ‘The war has begun.’ I didn’t know what she meant, but she was crying and told me and my grandmother to begin packing,” Rivkin told Brooklyn reporter Hannah Kliger in Russian.

Rivkin recalled childhood memories of Nazi-allied forces destroying Jewish ghettos in his hometown of Slutsk, in what was then Soviet Belarus.

“They began to bomb and my grandma threw me into poison ivy and covered me with her body. She told me, ‘If they kill me, you will survive,'” he said.

Soon after, Rivkin and his family fled, traveling nearly 1,000 miles to a village outside of Stalingrad, now known as Volgograd. Today, he is among hundreds of Holocaust survivors living in Brooklyn.

In recent years, Rivkin has formed a close bond with Olga Smirnova, a clinical social worker who visits him weekly through a home-visit program run by Maimonides Medical Center.

“She’s like a friend, a person who understands me. Things sometimes feel difficult, but she gives me advice,” Rivkin said.

Smirnova said trauma-informed therapy often looks different for survivors.

“We can use childhood experience like a resource, but for Holocaust survivors, we cannot do it because it’s a lot of traumatic experience,” she said.

The visits focus on loneliness and emotional distress, issues that many survivors say have intensified amid the war in Ukraine and rising antisemitism in the United States.

Rivkin is one of dozens enrolled in the program, which is led by Dr. Abraham Taub, Chair of Psychiatry at Maimonides.

“This program actually is super meaningful to me. I am the grandson of four Holocaust survivors,” Taub said.

As time continues to pass, Taub says, long-suppressed trauma can resurface.

“As people age, their defense mechanisms sometimes get a little bit weaker. And so things that they’ve been suppressing, or possibly even repressing, for decades, it’s more challenging for them to do that,” he said.

Several years ago, the program shifted its focus to better serve Russian-speaking survivors from the former Soviet Union. Many did not experience concentration camps but were forced to flee villages and towns as Nazi forces advanced, destroying homes and killing millions.

Rivkin later spent decades as a Soviet dissident before immigrating to the United States in hopes of building a new life. Now widowed, with grown children and grandchildren, he said the visits provide a rare sense of understanding and connection.

“I will ask now ask every family to be more in touch with Holocaust survivors,” Smirnova said. “Just call and say ‘hi’ because this is the generation who is waiting that somebody will call them.”

The program’s organizers say those small moments of contact can make a profound difference for survivors whose past continues to shape their present.

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.

WLNY

By Hannah Kliger

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, one Brooklyn program is working to combat loneliness and decades-old trauma among survivors living far from the places where their lives were forever changed.

The borough is home to one of the largest populations of Holocaust survivors outside of Israel.

Marat Rivkin, 88, has only one photograph of himself with his mother from World War II. It was taken in 1941 at a Soviet train station, so he could get help finding her if they were separated.

“My mother ran in and said, ‘The war has begun.’ I didn’t know what she meant, but she was crying and told me and my grandmother to begin packing,” Rivkin told Brooklyn reporter Hannah Kliger in Russian.

Rivkin recalled childhood memories of Nazi-allied forces destroying Jewish ghettos in his hometown of Slutsk, in what was then Soviet Belarus.

“They began to bomb and my grandma threw me into poison ivy and covered me with her body. She told me, ‘If they kill me, you will survive,'” he said.

Soon after, Rivkin and his family fled, traveling nearly 1,000 miles to a village outside of Stalingrad, now known as Volgograd. Today, he is among hundreds of Holocaust survivors living in Brooklyn.

In recent years, Rivkin has formed a close bond with Olga Smirnova, a clinical social worker who visits him weekly through a home-visit program run by Maimonides Medical Center.

“She’s like a friend, a person who understands me. Things sometimes feel difficult, but she gives me advice,” Rivkin said.

Smirnova said trauma-informed therapy often looks different for survivors.

“We can use childhood experience like a resource, but for Holocaust survivors, we cannot do it because it’s a lot of traumatic experience,” she said.

The visits focus on loneliness and emotional distress, issues that many survivors say have intensified amid the war in Ukraine and rising antisemitism in the United States.

Rivkin is one of dozens enrolled in the program, which is led by Dr. Abraham Taub, Chair of Psychiatry at Maimonides.

“This program actually is super meaningful to me. I am the grandson of four Holocaust survivors,” Taub said.

As time continues to pass, Taub says, long-suppressed trauma can resurface.

“As people age, their defense mechanisms sometimes get a little bit weaker. And so things that they’ve been suppressing, or possibly even repressing, for decades, it’s more challenging for them to do that,” he said.

Several years ago, the program shifted its focus to better serve Russian-speaking survivors from the former Soviet Union. Many did not experience concentration camps but were forced to flee villages and towns as Nazi forces advanced, destroying homes and killing millions.

Rivkin later spent decades as a Soviet dissident before immigrating to the United States in hopes of building a new life. Now widowed, with grown children and grandchildren, he said the visits provide a rare sense of understanding and connection.

“I will ask now ask every family to be more in touch with Holocaust survivors,” Smirnova said. “Just call and say ‘hi’ because this is the generation who is waiting that somebody will call them.”

The program’s organizers say those small moments of contact can make a profound difference for survivors whose past continues to shape their present.

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 Sergio Candido

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    LAUDERHILL, Florida (WFOR) — A Fort Lauderdale man and U.S. Postal Service employee was arrested Wednesday on three counts of aggravated animal cruelty after investigators say he repeatedly pepper-sprayed three dogs through a fence while delivering mail in Lauderhill, police said.

Lauderhill police said the incident happened Jan. 2 in the 1600 block of Northwest 51st Avenue, where the dogs were inside a fenced yard. According to investigators, video provided by the dogs’ owner showed a man approaching the fence and spraying the animals multiple times with what was later identified as pepper spray.

Detectives identified the suspect as Sian Andre Spencer, 47, who police said was delivering mail at the time of the incident and has worked for the U.S. Postal Service for about five years. Authorities said the dogs were barking at the fence before they were sprayed.

Police said the U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service were notified and assisted with the investigation. Spencer’s employment status is pending an internal review, according to police.

The dogs were later evaluated by a veterinarian. Medical staff said pepper spray exposure can cause temporary pain, irritation and discomfort in animals and may lead to eye injuries if not treated. The dogs were treated and continue to be monitored, police said.

Spencer was taken into custody without incident on Wednesday and transported to the Broward County Main Jail, police said.

Lauderhill police said anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the department at 954-497-4700 or Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.

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 Jack Main

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    SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vermont (WPTZ) — One of the best home court advantages in Vermont metro basketball was taken away from students after online posts of trash-talk went too far.

Champlain Valley and Rice Memorial boys basketball were set to draw a big crowd of students to Cieplicki Court on Tuesday, to potentially see a championship preview between the RedHawks and top-seeded Green Knights. But before the last bells rang for the day, pupils and parents in both school districts were notified that students would not be allowed to attend after several trash-talking Instagram posts between the two fan bases came to light, some of them racist.

Only the junior varsity athletes from the 5:30 p.m. tip time were allowed to stay and watch their varsity teammates.

“Due to escalated and unacceptable online speech by students connected to both Rice Memorial High School and Champlain Valley Union High School, there will be no student fans permitted at tonight’s basketball game,” Rice said via a statement to its students and parents. “We take matters of student safety, dignity, and community impact seriously, and these actions do not reflect the values of respect, sportsmanship and care we strive to uphold. While the posts were made on private accounts, their impact extends beyond individuals and causes real harm to people and communities. We strongly encourage families to speak with students about responsible online behavior and the consequences of harmful language and images, even when shared digitally.

Our hope is that this moment serves as an opportunity for reflection, learning, and renewed commitment to being one community grounded in respect. Adults and families of participating athletes will be permitted to attend; however, no student fans will be allowed. Additionally, law enforcement will be present to ensure the safety of all involved.”

CVU leaders shared a similar statement, adding that the two schools will work together to ensure everyone’s safety.

Many parents who attended Tuesday’s varsity game were shocked that this kind of behavior would occur in the community. Some parents are in favor of banter, but in this instance, a line was crossed.

“Keeping the competitive nature without risk,” said Kate Merchant, a mom of Rice basketball. “You don’t need to post everything online. I think social media has led us down this path where people feel the need to say everything all the time, and that’s just not how it needs to go. Keep it light and keep it fun.”

Screenshots obtained by NBC5 show that at least one post was made under an account with CVU RedHawks branding, but the account is not associated with the district, and the name in the bio of the profile claiming to run the account is thought to be a decoy.

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 Miami Team

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    MIAMI GARDENS, Florida (WFOR) — The Miami Gardens Police Department held a news conference on Wednesday morning to announce that they have identified a suspect they believe is tied to the rape of a Florida Memorial University student over the weekend.

The announcement comes one day after police said a person of interest was detained and taken into custody for questioning.

According to Miami Gardens police, detectives on Tuesday conducted an extensive area canvas and surveillance operation that involved an individual who matched the suspect’s description – a black male, wearing a black hoodie and black pants.

“We were very relentless,” Executive Officer to the Miami Gardens Police Chief Emmanuel Jenny said. “I can tell you that at the orders of the police chief, no one was going home until a suspect was in custody. And that is what happened.”

Later in the afternoon, police said they were notified about a tip to the Opa-locka Police Department regarding a suspicious person that matched the suspect’s description.

Investigators quickly responded to the scene, and the person was taken into custody for questioning.

Police say there may be more victims Miami Gardens police said that a DNA warrant was executed, and the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Crime Laboratory worked throughout the night to process the evidence.

At approximately 7 a.m. this morning, the lab confirmed a positive DNA match.

Based on that, the suspect was identified as 30-year-old Steven Rivers. Police said he had just been released from jail in December on charges of lewd and lascivious behavior.

Police said they remain committed to public safety and are encouraging residents and students to be aware of their surrounding and report any suspicious activity.

“I am pleased and I am very thankful to all the men and women working on this case at the police department,” Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt said. “Because if it wasn’t for them going out and doing all their canvassing and talking to individuals and staying on top of this, this would not have been the same end result.” Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt said.

Investigators said that they believe that there may be additional victims.

President of Florida Memorial University issues statement after announcement After police made the announcement on Wednesday morning, the president of Florida Memorial University, William C. McCormick, Jr. MBA, issued a statement praising law enforcement.

“I am writing to share an important update regarding the incident that occurred early Sunday morning.

“Following a swift and comprehensive investigation conducted by the Miami Gardens Police Department, the individual responsible has been identified and taken into custody. We are grateful for their professionalism, urgency and partnership demonstrated by law enforcement in bringing this matter to resolution.

The safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff remain our highest priority. Florida Memorial University will continue to maintain heightened internal security protocols, including close coordination with local authorities, increased monitoring across campus, and reinforced safety procedures.

“As a campus community, I ask that we continue to look out for one another and remain vigilant, both on and off campus. Awareness, communication and collective responsibility are essential to sustaining a safe environment for all members of out FMU family.

“We are strongest when we stand together, care for one another, and remain committed to protecting the campus we call home.

“Thank you for your continued cooperation, resilience and trust.”

What happened at Florida Memorial University? Miami Gardens police said a student was raped on campus early Sunday morning. According to police, the victim, an international student from Colombia, was attacked after returning to campus from a bus stop on NW 42nd Avenue.

Police said that the suspect whistled at the victim before she sought safety by returning to school grounds, where campus security checked her ID and let her in.

However, police said the suspect jumped a campus wall, chased the victim, and then sexually assaulted her before fleeing.

Florida Memorial University students say more security is needed After word of the sexual assault spread on campus, several students CBS News Miami spoke with said more security was needed.

Adonis Clarke, a freshman at FMU, told CBS News Miami that he was shocked by the reported incident and demanded more security on campus.

We are here to be protected and they are not doing their job,” he said. “It’s crazy… they need to do a better job. This is not right. Especially at FMU — this is not the first incident to happen and they have to do better.”

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.