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Couple say man in police uniform terrorized them with gun, threatened to shoot; MDPD confirms man is officer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:17 GMT

A South Florida couple said a man dressed in a police uniform terrorized them with a gun in the parking lot of their apartment complex, and police have confirmed the individual in person is, indeed, a police officer.Speaking with 7News on Wednesday, the couple asked not to be identified for safety reasons.The man said he was pulled over on Monday by someone in a white SUV with the police lights in the parking lot of their apartment complex in Southwest Miami-Dade, located off Southwest 89th Court.“I see lights, and I’m like in shock,” he said.The man who was stopped said the individual inside the SUV used a loudspeaker.“[He said], ‘Drop the windows, or I’m gonna drop you, [expletive],'” said the resident.The man who was stopped took a 7News crew in his truck to show what happened in the parking lot where, he said, he was first followed and ordered to get out of his vehicle.The man said a man in a police uniform got out of the SUV and pointed...

Lion Country Safari to hold gender reveal celebration for cub born during the summer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:17 GMT

A brand-new king or queen of the jungle will be making their zoo debut in West Palm Beach.Lion Country Safari on Thursday announced the birth of a cute and cuddly lion cub.The adorable addition to the pride was born on July 13 but has been spending its first few months enjoying quality time with its mom, Leela.In an X post, zoo officials said the cub “is not visible just yet but will start to come out intermittently in the next few weeks.”Experts said the cub is a major milestone in the conservation of one of the world’s most vulnerable species.A gender reveal celebration is being planned for Friday at 10 a.m.

Manatee rescued from storm drain in Florida

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:17 GMT

(CNN) – Florida Fish and Wildlife coordinated a rescue for a manatee stuck in a culvert.After getting the report about the grounded manatee in Port Richey, officials brought biologists, law enforcement and firefighters together to rescue it.Staff from Clearwater Marine Aquarium also took part.The juvenile-small adult male manatee had an abrasion on its head, but the full extent of its injuries was not clear, so the aquarium took it to Zoo Rampa for evaluation.The plan is to release the manatee back into the wild as soon as it is medically cleared.

‘He’s a superhero’: Family remembers Methuen father who lost his life trying to save son at Salisbury Beach

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:17 GMT

Those who knew Gary Simard say he would risk his life all over again trying to save his family, just as he did when the 44-year-old father ran into the ocean after a rip tide carried his 13-year-old son away at Salisbury Beach.Simard and a pair of bystanders attempted to rescue the Methuen man’s child just before 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 20, after the child yelled for help while being swept from shore.But while the two Good Samaritans and teen returned, emergency crews later found Simard 50-70 yards from shore and attempted to save his life before he was pronounced dead at a local hospital.“If the situation presented itself again, I know he would do the same thing – he would risk it all,” Alexis Wronski, Simard’s partner of 15 years, told 7NEWS.The 44 year old’s family said they were still in a state of shock on Thursday as they made funeral arrangements. They described Simard as an inspiration, a hard-worker, and a father who lived for his fami...

FDA must do more to penalize retailers that illegally sell tobacco to kids, government review finds

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:17 GMT

(CNN) — The US Food and Drug Administration needs to take a stronger stance against retailers that illegally sell tobacco products to children, according to a new report from the US Health and Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General (OIG).In a report published Thursday, the OIG says that the FDA didn’t scrutinize repeat violators enough, and in some states, the agency may have been disproportionately focused on sellers in disadvantaged neighborhoods.The report also suggested that the FDA needs to do a better job overseeing online retailers and should work with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to help crack down on online sales to kids.The FDA stayed busy between 2010 and 2020, conducting more than a million inspections to look for underage sales and getting to about 74% of the 360,000 stores that sell tobacco products in the US at least once. The report says inspectors almost always returned within a year if the first inspection found a ...

Nice Friday, then weekend rain

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:17 GMT

It’s been another fantastic September day! A cooler morning led to a sunny, comfortable afternoon. Tomorrow is more of the same. It’ll just look different with more high clouds. This weekend it’ll rain and be breezy. Tonight, temperatures fall in the upper 40s°/low 50s inland and upper 50s/near 60° on the coast and Cape. High clouds lift south to north overnight. We’ll keep dry air and a light north/northeast wind. Tomorrow morning’s sunrise is 6:31 a.m., and we’ll start off crisp and cool. It’ll be dry and comfortable with sunshine filtered by high clouds. Highs will be seasonable near 70.° A light northerly breeze will become more easterly through the day. You’ll want a jacket for your Friday evening plans, it’ll feel cool especially along the coast!High pressure loosens its grip over New England as we watch a disturbance and what is currently “potential” Tropical Cyclone 16 off the southeastern U.S. coast. It’...

UMass starts a three-game homestand against New Mexico

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:17 GMT

The UMass Minutemen (1-3) will get a home opener do-over when they host the Lobos of New Mexico (1-3) on Saturday (3:30 p.m.) at McGuirk Stadium.The Minutemen played their first game McGuirk on Sept. 9 against Miami (Ohio), but it felt nothing like a home opener and was devoid of any home field advantage.The Minutemen’s 42-28 loss to the Red Hawks was interrupted by a near six-hour weather delay. When the game resumed, the empty stands turned the stadium into a neutral site.“It is great to be home and obviously the players got robbed on the first one, there was nobody there,” said UMass second-year head coach Don Brown. “We have New Mexico coming in this weekend and they are playing better football so it is a challenge for us for sure. But we are excited about the game.”The match against Los Lobos (Translation: The Wolves) is the first of three consecutive home games. UMass will host Arkansas State on Sept. 30 and Toledo on Oct. 7.“We just have to stay together and I think we are cl...

Biden aiming to scrub medical debt from people’s credit scores, which could up ratings for millions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:17 GMT

By JOSH BOAK (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday that the Biden administration is taking the first steps toward removing medical bills from people’s credit scores, which could improve ratings for millions of people.Harris said that would make it easier for them to obtain an auto loan or a home mortgage. Roughly one in five people report having medical debt. The vice president said the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is beginning the rulemaking process to make the change.The agency said in a statement that including medical debt in credit scores is problematic because “mistakes and inaccuracies in medical billing are common.”“Access to health care should be a right and not a privilege,” Harris told reporters in call to preview the action. “These measures will improve the credit scores of millions of Americans so that they will better be able to invest in their future.”The announcement come...

Patriots-Jets injury report: Pats defensive starter returns Thursday, O-lineman downgraded

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:17 GMT

Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux was removed from the team’s injury report Thursday, when offensive lineman Sidy Sow was downgraded due to a concussion.Godchaux missed Wednesday’s practice for non-injury related reasons. He’s started both games this season and 35 of 36 regular-season games since joining the Patriots in 2021. Sow suffered his concussion sometime around the Pats’ season opener against the Eagles on Sept. 10.The Patriots made no other changes from their original injury report Wednesday. In New York, safety Tony Adams and offensive tackle Duane Brown missed a second straight practice Thursday.Both teams’ complete injury reports are below.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots aren’t showing signs of panic after 0-2 start to 2023 season New England Patriots | Mystery Patriots revealed: Two cornerbacks added to provide depth New England Patriots | Patriots offensive line takes a hit ...

Methuen man drowns while trying to save child at Salisbury Beach

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:17 GMT

A Methuen man drowned while attempting to save a child at Salisbury Beach.The Essex District Attorney’s office says Gary Simard, 44, of Methuen, was enjoying the beach Wednesday with family when one of the children was pulled from the shoreline and couldn’t swim back in. Simard rushed into the water with two unidentified bystanders.While the bystanders were able to save the child, they lost Simard in the chaos. Salisbury Police responding to the beach found Simard in the water and tried to save his life. He was transported to Seabrook Emergency Room and pronounced dead.