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Abandoned pit bull puppy found dead sparks animal abuse case in Fort Lauderdale

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:55 GMT

The Fort Lauderdale Police Department is investigating a case of animal abuse after a malnourished and lifeless pit bull puppy was found on the side of the road. The puppy was found on Sunday, September 24, in the 1100 block of Northwest Fourth Avenue.Upon their arrival, law enforcement discovered the deceased dog, along with a white tarp and a black metal dog crate containing feces and vomit, all located in the grassy swale area near the reporting party’s home.The dog, identified as a tan and white male pit bull puppy aged approximately two to three months, was found lying on its side. According to the police report, a responding officer could “could see the puppy’s ribs protruding and it appeared the puppy had not been dead long – there were flies, but no obvious signs of decomposition.”The puppy did not have a collar and showed signs of severe malnourishment. Authorities believe the puppy may have sustained an injury to one of its front legs.Detectiv...

South Florida attorney accused of possessing nearly 2,000 images, videos of child pornography pleads guilty

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:55 GMT

A South Florida attorney pleaded guilty in federal court to the possession of child pornography.On Wednesday, Michael Thomas Dolce, 54, confessed to downloading explicit content, featuring prepubescent children, onto his personal laptop at his West Palm Beach apartment, the United States Department of Justice said in a news release.Court records reveal that the Palm Beach Gardens attorney utilized peer-to-peer software to search for and download illegal materials. Nearly 2,000 images and videos were recovered from Dolce’s laptop. Forensic evidence confirmed that he was in the process of downloading additional child pornography files when law enforcement seized his laptop during the execution of a federal search warrant.Sentencing for Dolce is set for Dec. 18 at 10:30 a.m. He faces a potential prison term of up to 20 years, a lifetime of supervised release, and restitution payments to his victims.

Simone Biles wins another world championships gold medal as US women’s gymnastics team takes seventh successive title

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:55 GMT

(CNN) — Simone Biles won her 20th world championships gold medal as the 26-year-old continued her impressive return from a two-year hiatus away from gymnastics, playing a key role in a historic victory for the US in the women’s team final on Wednesday.Biles’ impressive floor routine ensured the US won its seventh consecutive world title in the women’s team discipline at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium.Brazil finished second to earn the country’s first ever world championships medal in women’s gymnastics, with France taking third.Seven-time Olympic medalist Biles was joined by teammates Skye Blakey, Shilese Jones, Joscelyn Roberson and Leanne Wong in the team final. However Roberson, who trains with Biles in Texas, experienced heartbreak in the warmups when she suffered an ankle injury.Wong filled the void left by Roberson by taking part in the vault and floor, two apparatus the 20-year-old had originally not been expected to compete in.Biles recorded ...

11-year-old accused of shooting, injuring 2 teens at football practice is denied home detention

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:55 GMT

APOPKA, Fla. (AP) — An 11-year-old who is accused of taking a gun from his mother’s vehicle and shooting two teens following an argument at football practice will remain in custody for three more weeks, a judge in Florida ruled Wednesday.The child began sobbing after the judge ruled against a request for home detention, Orlando television stations reported. He is charged with one count of attempted second-degree murder.The child’s attorney, Robert Mandell, did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment. But he told WESH-TV in Orlando that the shooting stemmed from bullying, a scenario supported by a police report.“It’s a tragedy for everybody involved, but this is a problem with the parents, this isn’t the children,” Mandell told the station. “This started with a group of 13-year-olds bullying an 11-year-old. They wouldn’t let him eat, they attacked him, they threw him on the ground, he did what he could, didn’t even understan...

Morgan State shooting erupted during dispute but victims were unintended targets, police say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:55 GMT

BALTIMORE (AP) — At least two people opened fired during a dispute between two groups at Morgan State University homecoming events Tuesday night, but the five victims were likely not the shooters’ intended targets, officials said.Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said preliminary evidence indicates the shooters were targeting one person, who wasn’t among the victims. All five are expected to survive.Worley said a third person also pulled a gun during the dispute, though it wasn’t clear whether they pulled the trigger. He said ballistics testing will reveal how many shooters were ultimately involved.The updates from police Wednesday morning helped quell rumors circulating online about whether the attack was racially motivated or a planned school shooting on the historically Black university campus in northeast Baltimore.The shooting unfolded around 9:30 p.m., shortly after a coronation ceremony for this year’s Mister and Miss Morgan State in the campus auditorium. Attendee...

Healey, Not Baker, Gets To Sign Big Tax Relief Law

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:55 GMT

Twenty months elapsed between Republican Gov. Charlie Baker using his final State of the Commonwealth address in January 2022 to ignite debate about slashing taxes and the final enactment of a roughly $1 billion package.So what was the turning point that helped lawmakers overcome all the bumps and disagreements they had hit along the way?One factor, according to House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka, was a simple personnel change: voters selected “a new governor.”“I want to begin by thanking the governor,” Mariano said Wednesday, flanked by more than a dozen lawmakers and Gov. Maura Healey as the first-term Democrat put her signature on the tax relief bill. “The governor has kept our feet to the fire and kept this on the front burner when we had many reasons to question how far we wanted to go and what, exactly, we wanted to do.”The nearly two-year affair that spanned a pair of governorships came to a close Wednesda...

Owl rescued from fishing line in Lexington

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:55 GMT

An owl was taken to a local animal hospital Wednesday after it ended up tangled in a fishing line in Lexington, police said. The Lexington Police Department in a post on X said officers responded to the Lexington Reservoir Wednesday morning after they received a call about the owl. Once on scene, police said, officers found the owl and worked with Lexington firefighters to free it from the line. Police said the owl was taken to the animal hospital to have the fishing line removed. 

Business owners, residents, local officials assess damage after major fire in Wayland

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:55 GMT

Business owners, residents and local officials assessed damage Wednesday as authorities continued to investigate a major fire that ripped through a commercial building off Main Street in Wayland Tuesday. The fire broke out on Tuesday afternoon. It drew a major emergency response, sent sparks flying from power lines and set off multiple explosions, according to local fire officials. No one inside the building was hurt. But officials said two firefighters were treated and released for minor injuries.“I was hearing a lot of sirens, some popping,” said Wayland native Beth Fitzgerald.Officials said the fire appeared to start in an auto body shop bordered by a dry-cleaning business and a pizza shop. At least one other business was housed in the strip mall building that burned.SKY7-HD was over the scene around 4 p.m. as the fire spread to a car parked outside. Flames ultimately destroyed five cars and sent smoke billowing over the area. Speaking with reporters, Wayland Fire Chief...

Ticker: Uber rolls out package return service; Apple releases fix for hot-running iPhone 15

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:55 GMT

Uber is adding a new task to its list of services: mailing consumers’ return packages.The ride-hailing and delivery company said Wednesday that its drivers will collect up to five prepaid and sealed packages and drop them off at a local post office or at UPS or FedEx stores. Uber will charge a flat fee of $5 for the service or $3 for its Uber One members.The San Francisco-based company said the service will be available in nearly 5,000 U.S. cities to start.Uber said customers will be able to choose package drop off locations within its app. Only locations open for at least the next hour will be listed. Drivers will provide visual confirmation once a package has been dropped off.While the service is expected to be used primarily to return packages, Uber drivers will also mail new packages that are sealed and have prepaid labels.Apple releases fix for hot-running iPhone 15Apple has released an iOS 17 system update that includes a fix to prevent the iPhone 15 lineup from becoming...

Ravens get several players back at practice Wednesday, including Marlon Humphrey, Odell Beckham Jr.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:55 GMT

Marlon Humphrey is back.The Ravens’ top cornerback practiced Wednesday for the first time since Aug. 15, one day before undergoing foot surgery.He was one of several Ravens to return to the practice field in Owings Mills, a welcomed sight for a team that has endured a slew of injuries to start the season.Wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman, who had been sidelined with ankle and hamstring injuries, respectively, also practiced. Beckham hasn’t played since the Ravens’ Week 2 win over the Bengals in Cincinnati, while Bateman has been out since their Week 3 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.Cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis, who sat out the second half of Sunday’s win over the Cleveland Browns with a hamstring injury, was also back, as was left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who missed last Friday’s practice and was inactive against the Browns with a knee sprain.The only players who were absent, aside from those already on injured reserve or the non-f...