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Florida representative pulls bill that put historic Miami Beach buildings at risk of demolition

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:51:48 GMT

As the Florida Legislature wound down its session Friday, preservationists in South Florida breathed a sigh of relief in a building battle. At least for now.The sponsor of a measure being considered in the Florida House has withdrawn it.The bill proposed buildings that fail to meet Federal Emergency Management Agency flooding standards could be demolished.The sponsor, Fort Myers Republican Spencer Roach, said he pulled it because of feedback from constituents and fellow lawmakers.Preservationists worried that if the bill became law, it would have given the green light to owners of historic properties, like the Art Deco buildings on South Beach, to allow the structures to fall into disrepair, which would clear the way for them to be torn down and redeveloped.Roach said he will introduce a revised version of the bill next year.

Pembroke elementary school staffer on leave for bringing marijuana edible to school, student rushed to hospital

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:51:48 GMT

A Pembroke school staffer was placed on leave Friday after school officials said the employee brought a marijuana edible to school. A 9-year-old student got his hands on the edible and was rushed to a hospital, officials said. The student had been released from the hospital as of around 4 p.m. and is okay. As an investigation gets underway, though, 7NEWS spoke with the child’s father, who said this should not have happened.“We’re not a club,” the father said. “It’s a school. My son is only nine-years-old. He shouldn’t know about this stuff at nine-years-old.”The incident happened Friday morning at Hobomock Elementary School after schools superintendent Erin Obey said a paraprofessional took a backpack containing a cannabis product into a classroom. Somehow, the student got the edible, with his dad saying he ate one piece of a marijuana candy bar.“He didn’t feel good, he’s tired. I see his eyes are glossy,” the man said of his son’s condition. Pembroke police and ...

Officials show damage inside Bristol County Jail after April inmate disturbance

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:51:48 GMT

Bristol County Sheriff’s Office officials led a tour of parts of the Bristol County House of Correction Friday, two weeks after a disturbance involving inmates rocked the facility. Speaking outside one of two housing units impacted by this incident, Sheriff Paul Heroux said the situation proves changes need to be made.Inside, furniture and other items could be seen turned over and scattered across the floor alongside broken TVs and wires pulled out of electrical equipment. Lt. Nathan Medeiros said inmates threw out rolls of toilet paper “that were on fire at one point.” Medeiros said inmates also brandished homemade weapons during the hourslong standoff April 21. Jail officials said they had been trying to move inmates out of a housing unit to make it more “suicide resistant,” among other things, when conditions deteriorated. Around 130 law enforcement officials from around the state converged on the jail. When negotiations broke down, officials reentered impacted hou...

‘This is always where I’ve expected myself’: Matt Mervis’ journey to Wrigley Field highlights the Chicago Cubs’ renewed depth

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:51:48 GMT

Jeff and Ellen Mervis had just arrived at Baltimore-Washington International Airport on Thursday afternoon when the call came through.Matt Mervis’ parents were heading to Columbus, Ohio, where Triple-A Iowa was scheduled to play four games over the weekend when the Chicago Cubs promoted the 25-year-old first baseman.“Change your flight, you’ve got a new destination,” Mervis told them. “I don’t think she believed me for a second.”Around 1 p.m. Thursday, Mervis heard from vice president of player development Jared Banner: ”Are you ready to play in Chicago? Pack your stuff and get to the stadium, congratulations.”As the news washed over him, Mervis felt as if he had blacked out for a minute. He tried to think of the first people he wanted to share the news with, prompting the call to his mom.“It was hard for me to hold back emotions,” Mervis said. “My family has been really, really supportive throughout the whole p...

Ticker: Herb Chambers brand heads west; FDA questions birth control product

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:51:48 GMT

The Herb Chambers brand has headed west.Herb Chambers Lincoln of Westborough has just been opened. Lincoln fans will find a selection of new and pre-owned vehicles on-site, including new Lincoln Navigator SUVs, Nautilus models, Aviators, and Corsairs. Plug-in hybrid fans can browse the Lincoln PHEV lineup.The new center is located at 75 Otis St in Westborough, on Route 9.Children’s TrustThe Children’s Trust, Massachusetts’ child abuse prevention agency, announced today that George Regan, Jr. of Boston has joined its Board of Directors.“We are thrilled to welcome George to the Children’s Trust’s board. His depth of knowledge anddeep network in Boston and beyond will undoubtedly help us strengthen our child abuseprevention strategies and programs,” said Jennifer Valenzuela, Executive Director of theChildren’s Trust.The Children’s Trust develops programs and influences public policies by building ProtectiveFactors that support the overall well-being of children and their families.Over-...

Former Sheriff's deputy arrested, suspected of possessing child pornography

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:51:48 GMT

CHULA VISTA, Calif. -- A former Sheriff's deputy was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of possession of child pornography and an assault weapon, according to law enforcement.Jose Soto was arrested after San Diego police carried out a search warrant in the 200 block of Beneviana Drive in Chula Vista, the department confirmed. Evidence found during the search prompted his arrest, SDPD said."The Sheriff is deeply disappointed and frustrated by the arrest of a former employee," the San Diego Sheriff's Department said in a statement on Soto's arrest. "It is very unfortunate the hard work of so many is overshadowed by an incident such as this." Police identify suspect in deadly South Bay restaurant attack Soto joined SDSO as a Detentions and Court Services Deputy in 1998, the department said, serving there until he retired in January 2022. He was rehired in a part-time role in September of 2022 and was assigned to the South Bay Courthouse.He was released from his part-time duties on May 2, ...

UN: South Sudan struggling to implement power-sharing deal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:51:48 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — South Sudan is facing violent clashes and increasing disillusionment and frustration as it struggles to implement the most challenging provisions of a fragile 2018 power-sharing agreement, U.N. experts say in a new report. The world’s newest nation is struggling to integrate rival military forces, draft a new constitution and prepare for its first election as an independent country in December 2024, the experts monitoring sanctions against the world’s newest nation said in a report to the U.N. Security Council obtained Friday by The Associated Press.The country’s stability “will likely turn on the government’s ability to reward the patience of those who remain committed to peace, rather than those who have sought to reshape it through violence,” the report says. There were high hopes when oil-rich South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after a long conflict. But the country slid into a civil war in December 2013 largely based on et...

Lawyer says ‘psychotic break’ explains stepson’s killing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:51:48 GMT

DENVER (AP) — A lawyer for a Colorado woman who repeatedly stabbed and then shot her 11-year-old stepson before driving his body across the country said Friday that the brutality of the attack was the strongest evidence that the killing was the result of a “psychotic break.”During closing arguments in Letecia Stauch’s murder trial in Colorado Springs, Josh Tolini urged jurors to find her not guilty by reason of insanity. He emphasized that she would be kept confined at the state mental hospital if they reached that verdict in the 2020 killing of Gannon Stauch. Tolini said prosecutors had not shown why the special needs teacher would want to kill the slight 80-pound boy she cared for and lived with in such a violent way.“This wasn’t a pre-planned calculated killing for some gain. This was a psychotic break fueled by rage attacking a demon from the past,” he said in court before jurors began deliberations.Prosecutors say Gannon was stabbed 18 times before being hit in the ...

Tulips fill vacant lots in Chicago to highlight redlining

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:51:48 GMT

CHICAGO -- A sea of floral beauty has attracted people to a South side neighbor where a local artist and economic developer teamed up with the community by using nature to symbolize and bring light to injustice.Residence in Chicago's Washington Park neighborhood were blown away by the beauty blooming in their vacant lots. Thousands of tulips are uniting people and shedding light on one of the roots responsible for a lock of wealth and significant deterioration in many communities of color.Ghian Foreman, the economic developer involved in the project, has helped bloom these tulips on three and a half acres of vacant land at the corner of East 53rd Street and South Prairie Avenue near Washington Park on Chicago's South side.And the tulip garden has quickly attracted a fan base. Lakeview man plants tulip garden to brighten neighborhood When the tulip bulbs were planted last fall, the goal was more than simply adding a vibrate pop of color and beauty to lots left empty. But, digging d...

Trump deposition video in E. Jean Carroll lawsuit released

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:51:48 GMT

(The Hill) — Former President Trump’s videotaped deposition in E. Jean Carroll’s lawsuit was released Friday.The 48 minutes of footage show Trump responding to questions from Carroll’s lawyer over the writer’s claims that he raped her in the mid-1990s. Trump denies her allegations.Carroll has sued Trump in a civil case in federal court in New York City, accusing him of sexual battery and defamation.Portions of the deposition were played for jurors earlier this week, but the footage had not been released publicly. A transcript of the deposition was previously revealed in court filings.The release of the footage follows requests from two journalists to make it publicly available. Closing arguments are expected Monday.This is a developing story.