Gov. Kathy Hochul declares state of emergency over measles outbreak in rural New York

CNN Newsource on October 6, 2026

By Molly Ormsbee

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    PLATTSBURGH, New York (WPTZ) — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is sounding the alarm over a rise in measles cases, and while New York City has the state’s highest concentration of residents, the outbreak appears to be more of a concern in rural counties.

Hochul issued an emergency declaration yesterday in response to the growing number of cases across rural parts of New York and neighboring states.

The governor’s executive order expands who can administer vaccines to include paramedics, advanced EMS providers, pharmacists, and midwives. It also allows nurses to order testing.

“No one should get seriously ill or die from a vaccine-preventable disease,” Hochul said. “That is why I have taken steps to increase the number of health professionals who can vaccinate and test.”

According to the latest data from the New York State Department of Health, there were seven confirmed cases in New York City as of Oct. 3. Another 101 cases were confirmed across the state in counties outside of New York City.

Since July 15, Hochul’s office said there have been 92 measles cases reported among under-immunized, rural communities in 18 counties. Local health departments have administered over 1,000 doses of the MMR vaccine across rural areas in response.

In the North Country, one case was confirmed over the summer in Essex County. The Essex County Health Department confirmed that the patient was an unvaccinated individual who followed the department’s guidelines and went through a quarantine period. The patient’s family also opted to get the vaccine.

Cases have also been confirmed in Lewis County and Herkimer County, which border Hamilton and St. Lawrence counties. According to data from the New York State Department of Health, the outbreak appears to be concentrated in Otsego County, Steuben County, and Seneca County.

The incubation period for measles is up to 21 days. Symptoms include high fever, cough, and runny nose. A rash can occur three to five days after symptoms become apparent. When the rash appears, a patient’s fever may spike to more than 104° Fahrenheit.

Officials said the best protection is vaccination. Individuals should check with their healthcare provider or their local health department if they don’t know their vaccination status.

Most people born before 1957 are considered immune because they were exposed to the virus. Those who received a vaccine between 1963 and 1967 may have received a dose that wasn’t as effective and should talk to their physician about getting revaccinated.

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.

Information released about cybersecurity incident involving South Carolina schools

CNN Newsource on October 6, 2026

By Stephanie Moore

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    GREENVILLE, South Carolina (WYFF) — The South Carolina Department of Education has released information about a reported cybersecurity incident.

The department sent a notice to school districts across the state on Friday.

So far, WYFF News 4 has learned that Anderson School District Five and Greenwood School District 50 have alerted parents about the situation.

“The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) is aware of communications circulating among South Carolina school districts regarding a reported cybersecurity incident involving Frontline Education. This message is intended to provide situational awareness and summarize currently available information.

Overview

“On October 2, 2026, South Carolina K-12 technology leaders reported receiving an email notification from Frontline Education (Frontline) regarding a cybersecurity incident. Based on information shared, the communication from Frontline Education appears to be legitimate and has reportedly been informally confirmed through direct conversations with Frontline personnel. However, as of this notice, SCDE has not received an official customer impact statement, breach notification, or forensic assessment from Frontline Education.

Potentially Affected Services

“Information currently available suggests the following Frontline products or modules may be impacted:

Applicant Tracking School Health “No confirmation has been received regarding additional Frontline products or services.

Recommended Actions for Districts

“Districts that utilize Frontline Education services should consider the following actions: 1. Identify all Frontline products and modules currently in use within your district. 2. Engage your Human Resources, School Health, and other departments who manage Frontline services. 3. Monitor official communications from Frontline Education for customer notifications and impact assessments. 4. Preserve any communications received from Frontline regarding this matter. 5. Review district incident response procedures and be prepared to assess impacts if additional information becomes available. 6. Contact Frontline directly through established support channels if clarification is needed regarding your district’s environment.”

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Near 100% chance of tropical development in the Gulf; Isaias likely this week

CNN Newsource on October 6, 2026

By Sara Blue

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    FORT MYERS, Florida (WBBH) — The Gulf Coast Hurricane Tracking Team is closely monitoring an area of interest, dubbed Invest 92L, in the southwestern Gulf. It has a near 100% chance of tropical development.

As of 2 p.m. Tuesday, the latest odds for development have increased to near 100% over the next two days. Surface pressures have begun to gradually drop as showers and thunderstorms have started to organize. Tropical advisories will likely be issued later today or tonight. The NOAA Gulfstream on the way to sample the Gulf environment today, and the Air Force and NOAA reconnaissance aircraft are schedules to investigate the system Wednesday.

Given the setup in the atmosphere over the Gulf, a tropical depression is likely to form shortly. There is good consensus across the latest spaghetti models that this disturbance will curve north. Regardless of development, this does not pose a direct threat to Southwest Florida.

Even though sea surface temperatures are warm enough in the Gulf to support tropical development, high wind shear is expected to limit significant strengthening. If this were to become a named storm, the next name on the list is Isaias.

U.S. Impacts: Regardless of development, this disturbance is expected to bring a heavy rain event to parts of the southeastern U.S. The earliest impacts for parts of the U.S. would be Friday. Those who live anywhere from the Florida Panhandle to Louisiana need to watch this disturbance closely.

While this is not expected to be a direct threat for Southwest Florida, it is too soon to determine if indirect impacts are possible. It’s important to frequently check back into the forecast. Count on the Gulf Coast Hurricane Tracking Team to keep you informed.

What is an Invest? An invest is a shorthand term for an area of investigation. When the National Hurricane Center designates an area of disturbed weather as an invest, this triggers more data collection but does not guarantee tropical development. Tropical weather forecast models begin running, offering deeper insight into the likelihood of development and where a system may track in the future.

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Rogue towing in Chicago is improving, but threat still remains, OIG report says

CNN Newsource on October 6, 2026

By CBS Chicago Team

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — Chicago’s rogue towing problem is getting better, but the threat to motorists remains, according to the newest report from the Office of the Inspector General.

Rogue towing is a practice in which unlicensed tow trucks will go to scene of crashes and accidents, exploit the confusion and chaos at the scene to haul away vehicles, and then hold them hostage, charging the owners exorbitant fees to get them back.

Chicago first enacted new laws and enforcement mechanisms in 2021 to address the problems, and then updated those laws in 2025. The report from the IG’s office found the new licensing, investigations and enforcement actions taken by the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protections (BACP), aided by the Chicago Police Department and the Illinois Commerce Commission, appear to have reduced the frequency of rogue towing.

Under the new regulations and laws, there are now licensing requirements for tow operators, and the companies are required to post the licensing emblem on their tow trucks to be immediately identifiable. That licensing is done by BACP, which also investigates rogue towing complaints, including issuing Administrative Notice of Violation (ANOV), which is usually resolved through paying fines or fees or cease and desist or closure orders, to rogue towing businesses.

The licensing regulations have also made it harder for rogue towers to simply change their business name and continue operating, the report notes.

Likewide, the OIG’s report notes CPD’s vice section now responds to rogue towing complaints made directly at police district stations. When Vice reported they had not received any complaints between mid-2025 and March 2026, they pivoted their efforts to investigating lots where stowed vehicles were stored. CPD reported to the OIG that these investigations had uncovered lots where many cars had been towed but may not have been licensed to operate as a tow lot, and that some cars there had been stolen.

Additionally, CPD’s patrol officers were empowered by the new laws to impound rogue tow trucks at accident scenes, though with the other tasks at hand when responding to a crash – like ensuring safety, getting medical attention to those who need it and clearing the roadway – make that kind of enforcement more difficult, the report acknowledges.

Finally, the report outlines how CPD, BACP and ICC are now working together to address rogue towing complaints through a combined task force.

The report found al three agencies note complaints about rogue towing have dropped since 2021, but believes the “landscape of rogue towing is evolving.” It cites city staff theorizing that rogue tow operators may have moved out of the city to operate in the surrounding suburbs, where the same laws and regulations are not in effect.

“Though the City’s efforts appear to be reducing the frequency of rogue towing; the problem is still real, said Inspector General David Glockner in a statement. “By describing how rogue towing operators behave, what licensed towing looks like, and where Chicagoans can report concerns, this report offers information that can help protect the public.”

A law to expand rogue towing regulation and enforcement across the state of Illinois was sent to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk for his signature at the end of July.

Pritzker initially signed a bill in 2025 that closed the loophole that let illegal tow operators re-register under a new business name. The second law expands the authority of the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office to suspend or revoke certificates and special registration plates issued to tow truck and wrecker operators who obtain their registrations fraudulently, use tow truck license plates illegally, or otherwise violate vehicle registration laws.

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Elderly South Carolina man accused of killing woman, shooting 2 others before running out of ammo

CNN Newsource on October 6, 2026

By Stephanie Moore

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    RICHLAND COUNTY, South Carolina (WJCL) — A South Carolina man is accused of shooting two women, killing one, and attempting to shoot a third before running out of ammunition, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

First victim found On Oct. 5, 2026, at approximately 12 p.m., deputies responded to the 100 block of Palmetto Park Cir. in reference to a shooting.

When deputies arrived on scene, they found a woman with gunshot wounds to the upper and lower body.

They said the suspect left before deputies arrived.

Suspect taken into custody Deputies received the description of the suspect’s vehicle and found it in the area of Koon Store Road.

The driver, Donald Wheeler, 75, was taken for questioning.

Second victim found dead After getting additional information from the first victim at the hospital, deputies conducted a welfare check at a home on Reseda Drive.

There, deputies found a woman dead from a gunshot wound.

3rd attempted shooting A third welfare check was done for another woman in the Koon Store Road area.

Deputies said the third victim said Wheeler came to her home, pointed a gun at her, and pulled the trigger before realizing the gun was out of ammunition.

The third female victim was uninjured.

Wheeler was charged with murder, two counts of attempted murder, three counts of possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and first-degree burglary.

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4 new Utah deaths linked to illegal ‘Cat’s Claw,’ kratom products

CNN Newsource on October 6, 2026

By Jeff Tavss

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    SALT LAKE CITY (KSTU) — A public health warning has been issued after four new deaths in Utah have been linked to illegal kratom products and chemicals found in herbal supplements.

The Utah Poison Control Center issued the new warning Monday, advising people not to buy or use products labeled as “Cat’s Claw” and “adults only/21+.” Despite the products being illegal to sell in Utah, officials said they are still available in some retail stores, such as local smoke shops and gas stations.

The warning comes two months after similar deaths were reported from the same products, which are mislabeled as containing “cat’s claw” or Uncaria tomentosa. Cat’s Claw is not harmful on its own, but testing found the illegal products contained MGPI and MGM-15.

According to the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, the dangerous kratom semi-synthetic chemicals found in the deadly products are mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MGPI) and dihydro-7-hydroxymitragynine (MGM-15).

The chemicals act as opioids and carry “severe risks of addiction, dangerous withdrawal symptoms, overdose and death,” officials said.

Only pure, natural leaf kratom products are allowed to be sold in Utah.

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KSP find inmate hours after he escaped from southeastern Kentucky prison

CNN Newsource on October 6, 2026

By Jennifer Osting

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    LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WLKY) — Kentucky State Police were searching for an inmate who escaped jail and was considered dangerous.

Officials said Charles Blake Randle, 42, escaped from the Whitley County Detention Center and may be armed.

He was found around 9 p.m. in London, Kentucky, according to KSP. That is about half an hour from Whitley County.

Randle was charged with first-degree rape, first-degree sexual abuse and incest.

KSP says Randle is now charged with attempted murder, assault of a police officer, and first-degree escape.

Police have not released any other details about the incident.

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Parents alarmed as elevated lead levels reported in water serving Georgia schools

CNN Newsource on October 6, 2026

By Leon Purvis

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    MIDWAY, Georgia (WJCL) — Students at Midway Middle School and Liberty Elementary returned to class Monday after the Liberty County School System sent families an advisory Friday about elevated lead levels in the city of Midway’s drinking water system.

Parents expressed concern following the advisory, which was issued after the Liberty County School System was notified by the city of Midway on Friday that elevated lead levels were found in two drinking water samples.

“I am very concerned,” said Tina Moorer, a parent of a Midway Middle School student.

“I just feel like the first people we want to protect are our children,” said Jaynele Blalock, another parent of a Midway Middle School student.

Some parents said they were unaware of the issue before the advisory.

“I did not have no idea what was going on in the school system. And that’s very concerning because my daughter she’s been coming here for like three years,” Moorer said.

The Liberty County School System shared a Facebook post explaining that the affected water system serves both Liberty Elementary and Midway Middle School.

“It’s definitely scary, especially knowing like when you hear the word lead, it’s harmful,” Blalock said.

Out of an abundance of caution, the school system has discontinued the use of school water sources for drinking and is encouraging students and staff to bring bottled water from home. The district stated that both schools are prepared to provide drinking water throughout the school day and emphasized that the health and safety of students and staff remain its top priority.

“I don’t think my son drinks the water from this school. But I would hope that the school’s first priority would be to resolve the issue,” Blalock said.

WJCL 22 News reached out to the city of Midway for more information about the elevated lead levels, water testing, and next steps but has not yet received a response.

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‘They’re seen’: Kentucky students help locate unmarked graves at St. Louis Cemetery

CNN Newsource on October 6, 2026

By Joyce Ogirri

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    LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WLKY) — At first glance, part of St. Louis Cemetery may look like an empty field. But beneath the grass are the final resting places of many Black Catholics whose graves have gone unmarked for generations.

“This is some way that we can restore dignity to people and restore dignity to families,” said Michele Abee Biskis, assistant professor of environmental studies at Bellarmine University.

Now, Bellarmine University students are using skills they learned in the classroom to help locate those graves and preserve the history of the people buried there.

“It’s important for them to know that their family members are here and they’re seen,” Bellarmine student Sam Safly said.

The work is part of the Unmarked Graves Project, led by Deacon Ned Berghausen and Linda Fitzgerald in partnership with Bellarmine University.

For years, Berghausen has worked to identify Black Catholics buried at St. Louis Cemetery.

Last year, Bellarmine students studying geographic information systems helped map the cemetery’s East Plot and Section X, two historically segregated areas.

This week, students returned to the cemetery to take the next step.

Using a grid, they are working to pinpoint the locations of graves and make sure no graves are missed.

“They were just doing some preliminary marking of Section X, which is a historically segregated part of the cemetery. There’s two segregated plots, this plot and then the East plot,” Biskis said.

For the students, the project is more than a classroom assignment.

“It would be really hard to know that you have someone in your family who was buried out here, but not know where they actually ended up, and/or having a place to visit,” student Deen Hooper said.

Biskis said the work is also about restoring dignity to the people buried there and their families.

The students will return to St. Louis Cemetery Wednesday to continue using GPS units to help locate and mark the graves.

They are expected to complete this portion of the Unmarked Graves Project by the end of the semester.

You can visit findagrave.com to search for your family members and learn more about where they’re buried.

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Kentucky measles cases nearly double in less than 3 weeks as outbreak continues

CNN Newsource on October 6, 2026

By Jennifer Osting

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    LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WLKY) — Kentucky’s measles outbreak has nearly doubled in size in less than three weeks, with 94 confirmed cases now reported across the state so far this year.

The latest data from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services shows that those 94 cases are spread across a total of 11 counties.

That’s up from 50 cases spread across 10 counties in mid-September.

Hospitalizations have more than doubled, increasing from three to seven, but no deaths have been reported.

Until now, all confirmed cases involved people who were unvaccinated against measles.

Two cases have since been confirmed among vaccinated individuals: one in a person who received a single dose of the MMR vaccine and another in a person who was fully vaccinated.

Christian County continues to have the most cases.

Its total has more than doubled, rising from 20 in mid-September to 44.

Trigg County has also seen a sharp increase, with cases climbing from eight to 23, nearly triple the number it had last month.

The outbreak has now also spread into Carroll County, where five new cases are being reported.

Health officials say additional cases and exposures are still being investigated.

Those who might have been exposed to measles are encouraged to check their vaccine records and make sure they are protected.

Kentuckians can access their vaccination records through the Kentucky Immunization Registry’s public portal.

If you think you may have measles, you’re encouraged to call your health care provider before immediately going to a doctor’s office or emergency room so staff can take precautions to prevent the virus from spreading.

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.