A 2nd-grade teacher, Randi Nicole Staples, was arrested in Mobile, Alabama, after a video surfaced online depicting her physically abusing her 12-year-old child. The video, filmed inside a home, reportedly shows Staples striking the child multiple times with a belt or strap before grabbing him by the hair and using profanity. Following the incident, Cottage Hill Christian Academy terminated Staples’ employment and is cooperating with law enforcement. Staples faces a felony charge of willful abuse of a child under 18, and the Department of Human Resources has placed the children with a family member while the investigation continues.
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“Operation Charlotte’s Web,” a U.S. Customs and Border Protection operation in Charlotte, has concluded, as confirmed by multiple sources and the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office. Agents were seen departing the city on Thursday after the operation, which involved Border Patrol agents and resulted in over 250 reported arrests. While the specific details of the operation’s conclusion are still being gathered, it is known that DHS, CBP, and ICE officers will continue to conduct immigration enforcement operations in Charlotte, as they regularly do. The identities of most people taken into custody haven’t been released, but some individuals with previous criminal charges were highlighted.
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Senior White House officials have reportedly favored a Paramount-Skydance acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, with discussions including potential programming changes at CNN. Larry Ellison, Paramount’s largest shareholder, allegedly discussed removing CNN hosts disliked by Donald Trump, like Erin Burnett and Brianna Keilar, and replacing them with CBS assets. These informal conversations, though not in any official capacity, highlight the intense interest in the deal, and Paramount’s bid could be smoothed by White House support, and current regulatory scrutiny is considered unlikely. Other contenders in the deal include Netflix and Comcast.
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The Wildwood Soup Kitchen, a volunteer-run non-profit providing over 16,000 meals monthly, is facing eviction from its longtime location at the First Presbyterian Church of Wildwood. The church offered the soup kitchen the options of reducing space and time while paying more or vacating the premises. Facing a December deadline, the organization is actively fundraising to secure a new building, but the $1.5 million price tag presents a significant challenge. The organization hopes to delay the eviction and continue serving the community through the holidays.
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Leeann Yammarino, a Prairieville resident, received a 26-year prison sentence on Tuesday for felony sex crimes. The 44-year-old had pleaded no contest to two counts of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and two counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile. The sentencing included 10 years for each carnal knowledge charge and three years for each indecent behavior charge. Yammarino was accused of having sex with a 14-year-old boy and “sexting” with multiple teenagers, and will be required to register as a sex offender for 15 years.
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According to the Justice Department, U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida has been indicted on charges of stealing $5 million in federal disaster funds. These funds were allegedly obtained through overpayments to her family’s healthcare company, Trinity Healthcare Services, from a COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract. Prosecutors claim a portion of the stolen money was then used to support her 2021 congressional campaign. This indictment follows a state agency lawsuit alleging overcharging by the same company for pandemic-related work.
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Former Olympian Ryan Wedding faces indictment on charges of murder, money laundering, and drug trafficking related to a massive criminal enterprise. Authorities accuse Wedding of importing 60 metric tons of cocaine annually, generating billions in profit, and orchestrating the murder of a U.S. federal witness in Colombia. The FBI has added Wedding to the 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list, offering a $15 million reward for his capture. The investigation, named “Operation Giant Slalom,” involves multiple agencies and seeks to dismantle Wedding’s network.
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Due to the 43-day federal government shutdown, the Labor Department will not release a complete jobs report for October. The department was unable to calculate the unemployment rate and other key numbers because of the shutdown. However, it will release the number of jobs created in October alongside the full November jobs report, which is now scheduled for December 16th. The September jobs report, which will be released Friday, will likely receive extra attention as it is the last full measurement of hiring and unemployment that Federal Reserve policymakers will see before their meeting in December.
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In Fiscal Year 2025, Amtrak achieved record-breaking ridership and revenue, marking the second consecutive year of substantial growth. The company saw 34.5 million customer trips and $2.7 billion in adjusted ticket revenue, demonstrating strong demand for quality service and a focus on customer experience. Investments in infrastructure and fleet modernization, including the launch of new services like the Amtrak Mardi Gras and NextGen Acela, further contributed to the year’s success. These achievements set the stage for continued expansion, with a focus on achieving operational profitability by Fiscal Year 2028.
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Amidst dropping temperatures in the Northeast, delays in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding are causing concern for low-income households, as the federal funds are crucial for heating. The Trump administration announced the release of $3.7 billion for LIHEAP by the end of the month, following pressure from lawmakers, but the funding disbursement is anticipated to be two months later than usual due to the government shutdown and staffing cuts. This delay means states might not receive the funds until December, causing hardships for families who rely on LIHEAP to afford heating. While most states are accepting applications, the delay is creating significant challenges for vulnerable individuals.
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John Q. Hosedrinker