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Victims’ families visit building where Parkland school shooting took place

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:19 GMT

Families who lost their loved ones during the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School came face to face with the pain of the past. On Wednesday, for the first time, they were allowed inside the hallways and classrooms of Building 12 of the campus, where a gunman targeted innocent people on Feb. 14, 2018, causing carnage that changed so many lives.Linda Beigel visited the building where her son, Scott Beigel, was murdered five years ago.“I can’t say goodbye, I just can’t say goodbye,” Linda said. “It’s been five years and 151 days, 1,000-something days, and I still can’t say goodbye.” Scott was a teacher at the high school and died holding his classroom door open for students running for cover as the gunman opened fire.“I needed to be where my son was when he took his last breath and where he really became a hero,” said Linda.Tony Montalto, the father of victim Gina Montalto, also visited the 1200 building....

Yorkie stolen from Doral pet store found safe, employees say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:19 GMT

A Yorkie worth thousands of dollars has been found safe days after it was stolen from a pet store in Doral, the business’ employees said.Employees with World Famous Puppies on Wednesday afternoon confirmed the dog was recovered and returned. Surveillance cameras captured a woman as she took the canine and walked out of the store with it on Friday morning.Hours after the theft, employee Carlos San Andres said the woman seen in the video had been behaving strangely.“She was screaming at us like, ‘I will take the Yorkie, I will take the Yorkie. If you want, call the police,’” he said, “saying bad words to us, and then she just took the Yorkie and left.”The dog is priced at $4,500.Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this breaking story.

Passenger killed, driver hospitalized after 3-vehicle crash in Southwest Miami-Dade

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:19 GMT

A fatal crash involving three vehicles in Southwest Miami-Dade has shut down a street for hours. Cellphone video sent in by a 7News viewer captured the immediate aftermath of the wreck near Southwest 147th Avenue and 288th Street, just after 10:35 a.m., Wednesday. According to authorities, the passenger of one of the vehicles involved died at the scene as a result of their injuries. The driver of the same vehicle was transported to Jackson South Medical Center, where they are currently reported to be in stable condition.The drivers of the remaining two vehicles, who were the sole occupants, were treated at the scene for minor injuries.Details regarding the cause of the crash and the identities of those involved have not yet been disclosed. Miami-Dade Police continue to gather further information in an attempt to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash.As of 3:30 p.m., the surrounding area remained closed. Drivers are urged to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.

Still no verdict in trial of man accused of killing Weymouth police officer, bystander

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:19 GMT

Jury deliberations are set to continue tomorrow after Wednesday marked the jury’s return after holiday weekend hiatus. The fourth day of deliberations did not yield a verdict in the trial of a man accused of killing a Weymouth police officer and an innocent bystander in 2018.25-year-old Emmanuel Lopes, who is mounting an insanity defense, is waiting to hear if he will be convicted in the murders of Weymouth police Sgt. Michael. Chesna and a longtime Weymouth resident, 77-year-old Vera Adams.Chesna’s family has been emotional as they hope for a guilty verdict.In a trial which began almost a month ago and saw dozens of witnesses take the stand, it seems a Norfolk Superior Court jury is nearly deadlockedThe jury sent Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone a note during the noon hour, saying they were “stuck” and in need of guidance. “This has been a long trial,” the judge said.A juror was excused from the case due to a pre-planned vacation, so an alternate was chosen a...

Mama bear with three cubs spotted in a Templeton backyard

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:19 GMT

A family of bears was spotted having some Fourth of July fun in a backyard in Templeton Tuesday.Patti Young said her family has a camera in their backyard to keep an eye on their dogs, but since it was the Fourth of July, they decided to keep their dogs inside for the night.As soon as the fireworks started going off, Patti noticed that the camera was alerting her to movement in the backyard. “I just popped it on to see what was there and I was completely shocked to see that it was a bear,” she said.In the video, a mama bear, wearing a collar, comes right up to the camera, giving it a good sniff. “It was so cute when I saw her nose go up to the camera,” Patti said.She’s followed by three baby bears, walking along the side of the swimming pool.“They were just starting to shoot off fireworks in the neighborhood so I think they were trying to find a place to hide,” Patti said.Patti’s husband Mike said this is not the first time they’ve had a wild encounter. H...

Vermont schools sue Monsanto over toxic PCB contamination

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:19 GMT

Dozens of Vermont school districts have sued chemical giant Monsanto over toxic contamination in educational buildings from now-banned industrial chemicals known as PCBs.Last year, Vermont became the first state in the country to require older schools get tested for polychlorinated biphenyls, which were used in building materials and electrical equipment before 1980.More than 90 school districts filed the complaint on Friday in federal court. They’re seeking to recover costs and damages because, under Vermont’s law, schools with high-enough contamination levels must reduce exposure. Removing the PCBs will be expensive, and certain districts may have to demolish buildings and replace them with new ones — which in total could cost them “hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars,” the lawsuit says.The PCBs are present in the school buildings from caulking and glazing compounds, sealants, adhesives, and other construction materials.Monsanto said the case has no merit...

Judge’s order limits government contact with social media operators, raises disinformation questions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:19 GMT

By KEVIN McGILL, MATT O’BRIEN AND ALI SWENSON (Associated Press)NEW ORLEANS (AP) — An order by a federal judge in Louisiana has ignited a high-stakes legal battle over how the government is allowed to interact with social media platforms, raising broad questions about whether — and how — officials can fight what they deem misinformation on health or other matters.U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty, a conservative nominated to the federal bench by former President Donald Trump, chose Independence Day to issue an injunction blocking multiple government agencies and administration officials. In his words, they are forbidden to meet with or contact social media companies for the purpose of “encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech.” The order also prohibits the agencies and officials from pressuring social media companies “in any manner” t...

The wave of mass shootings over the Fourth of July highlights the challenges police face

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:19 GMT

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and COLLEEN LONG (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — Thirty shot, two fatally, at a block party in Baltimore. At least three killed and 10 wounded at an annual July Fourth bash in Louisiana. A 7-year-old shot dead in Tampa after two groups gathered along a causeway for Independence Day started to fight. Nine others injured when bullets sprayed from a car in the nation’s capital.A rash of shootings as the U.S. celebrated the Fourth of July is spiking fears in communities across the country and highlighting the challenges police face in preventing such violence as temperatures warm and festivities move outside. Policing such events is a delicate balance for law enforcement, who must weigh the right of revelers to gather with the threat of violence that looms in public and private spaces in a nation awash with guns. “In many ways, their hands are tied because these types of events are often on private property and people may not do anything to ...

JetBlue is dumping its partnership with American Airlines to salvage its purchase of Spirit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:19 GMT

By DAVID KOENIG (AP Airlines Writer)JetBlue says it won’t appeal a judge’s ruling against its partnership with American Airlines, effectively dropping the deal in an effort to salvage its purchase of Spirit Airlines.JetBlue Airways said Wednesday that it wind down the deal with American in New York and Boston in the coming months and “turn even more focus” on its proposed $3.8 billion purchase of Spirit.The U.S. Justice Department sued to block both the JetBlue-American deal and JetBlue’s purchase of Spirit on grounds that they would hurt competition. The government said consumers would suffer if Spirit — the nation’s biggest discount airline — is eliminated. JetBlue hopes that dropping the deal with American might persuade the Justice Department to let the Spirit purchase go ahead.A federal judge decided in May that JetBlue and American must end their partnership, called the Northeast Alliance, because it violates U.S. antitrust law. ...

Hillary Clinton headlines list of speakers for NAACP National Convention in Boston

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:17:19 GMT

Former Secretary of State and ex-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton headlines a list of speakers for the NAACP National Convention in Boston later this month.Joining the former First Lady on the convention speaker list are Massachusetts Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones — who had been expelled from the House of Representatives after leading a gun control protest following a mass shooting.The 114th NAACP National Convention is coming to Boston from July 26 to Aug. 1.“Each year, NAACP members and friends gather at the Convention in a shared space that has proven vital for our collective growth and advocacy,” NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement.“Now more than ever, this sacred convening is crucial to our continued fight for the preservation of democracy,” Johnson added. “We are excited to bring vitality and vibrance to our roots in Boston, home of the Association’s first chartered branch.&...