In the news

Mabel Franks, a 3-year-old Prior Lake, Minn., girl who has been battling cancer and was unable to mark her last day of chemotherapy with a party because of social-distancing restrictions, celebrated the milestone with the help of several firetrucks and dozens of decorated cars that paraded past her home.

Chris Platzer, a planning commissioner in Vallejo, Calif., resigned after a video of a Zoom meeting of city officials was made public, showing him throwing his cat, drinking and making derogatory comments about other participants.

Rick Staly, sheriff of Flagler County, Fla., said a “poison peddler had a doormat that said, ‘Come back with a warrant,’ so we did,” with deputies finding drugs and drug paraphernalia inside the Palm Coast house.

J.D. Herring, a police officer in Poplarville, Miss., who crashed while chasing a speeding vehicle, suffering a broken leg and several cuts, was saved by a good Samaritan who pulled him out of his burning patrol car, police said.

E.J. Bess of Alamo, Ga., is recovering at a hospital after he was shot in the chest by his 16-year-old nephew, who was later arrested, after an argument over two firearms that were missing from Bess’ bedroom, police said. Jonathan Colgin, a former sheriff’s deputy in Bossier Parish, La., pleaded guilty to hiding information about an illicit steroids dealer after learning that a friend on the parish School Board was among the dealer’s customers, federal prosecutors said.

Jessiah Lee of Arlington, Va., was all smiles on his sixth birthday when Ashley Johnson, who met Jessiah while volunteering at a homeless shelter four years ago, organized a drive-by parade, complete with a firetruck, police cruisers and dozens of families in cars decorated with balloons.