WAFF-TV (Huntsville, AL)

ITHACA, N.Y. (AP) — New York’s governor appointed a special prosecutor Thursday to oversee an investigation into a woman’s allegations that she was gang raped at a Cornell University fraternity house, saying she had lost faith in the local district attorney’s ability to handle the case. Gov. Kathy Hochul said she had signed an executive order appointing the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James as the special prosecutor.

A jury found John Torres guilty on murder charges Thursday in connection with the 2024 shooting death of Jose Hernandez.

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW/Gray News) - Healing continues for Audrey Austin following a brutal dog attack back in July, when she was 24 weeks pregnant, that changed her life forever. ​“I’m going to stay strong, and I’m going to keep moving, and it’s going to take time to forgive the person, but I forgave the dog,” Austin said. ​On Thursday, Oct. 1, she wrapped up an eye appointment in Kansas City before making her way back to Topeka.

BUENA VISTA, Colo. (Gray News) — Quick-acting police officers and first responders helped save the life of a choking infant in Colorado, authorities said. The Buena Vista Police Department said officers responded on the night of Sept. 27 to an emergency call reporting an infant was choking and not breathing. The incident occurred just days after department officers completed their CPR and first-aid recertification training. Sgt.

A Florence man died Thursday morning following a two-vehicle crash west of Athens.

LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WAFF) - A Florence man died Thursday morning following a two-vehicle crash west of Athens. According to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), the crash happened around 5:52 a.m. on U.S. 72 near Davis Road, about 10 miles west of Athens. Troopers said 38-year-old Brandon W. Maddux was fatally injured when the 2022 Kia Rio he was driving collided with a 2007 Oshkosh mixer truck. Maddux was pronounced dead at the scene.

DECATUR, Ala. (WAFF) - Country music fans are making their way to Decatur for Rock the South, with artists including Zach Top, Jason Aldean and Riley Green set to perform during the multi-day festival. The event is taking place in Decatur for the first time, after years in Cullman. Organizers expect more than 15,000 people a day, with ticket buyers traveling from across the country.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT/Gray News) - A Tennessee anesthesiologist is weighing in on what may have gone wrong during the botched execution of Christa Pike. Dr. Paul Allen, a professor of anesthesiology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, said the details coming out of Wednesday’s execution point to one likely explanation: the needle never properly made it into her vein.

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - President Donald Trump left the White House on Thursday afternoon to start a monthlong midterm campaign tour, beginning in Texas, Oklahoma and Alabama, three Republican-leaning states. The tour aims to build support for members of the president’s party who are running in the November elections. The president’s first stop was the Peterbilt truck factory in Denton, Texas.