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Colorado lawmakers react to US House speaker election

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- After a grueling 22-day stint, the House GOP overwhelmingly backed Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) in his bid for House speaker. He was elected with 220 votes.This is the fourth Republican candidate in three weeks, causing many to worry about an impending time limit for the federal government's budget. Here's how Colorado's lawmakers reacted. Johnson captures Speakership, with strong GOP support U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen (CO-07)“For three weeks, House Republicans have wasted the American people’s time and put politics ahead of the urgent needs of our country. Instead of working with Democrats to find a bipartisan path forward, they chose to cave to the far-right, fringe members holding their party hostage. Today they chose extremism and elected Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House.“Johnson led the effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election and still will not acknowledge the legitimacy of Joe Biden as President. He wants a nationwide ban on abortion with no e...

Miami officials discuss safety concerns over recent shootings near Brickell’s Corner Club

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT

A series of shootings in Miami’s Brickell section have residents on edge, and some are voicing their concerns to the city’s chief of police.Over the past five weeks, the community has witnessed a troubling uptick in gun-related incidents, with concerns centering around the vicinity of a popular bar, The Corner Club.The most recent shooting occurred on Sunday night, and it sent a woman to the hospital.According to City of Miami Police, the dispute between two groups that led to the gunfire began within the club but escalated when the parties involved exited onto Southwest 12th Street and South Miami Avenue.“They have an argument inside the bar. The club kicks out half of the people; that gentleman goes out to his car. Ten minutes pass, he’s still sitting in the parking lot with the girl,” Miami Police Cmdr. Andres Valdes said. The rest of the party comes out, and they basically attack him, vandalize his car, destroy his car.”This incident, along wi...

Students for Justice in Palestine holds rally at FIU as Florida looks to deactivate organization on campuses

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT

A group of students made their voices heard during a pro-Palestinian protest on the main campus of Florida International University. The rally comes as the state makes a controversial move at universities and colleges across Florida, after a pro-Palestinian student group was ordered out of all public campuses.Students for Justice in Palestine hosted Wednesday’s rally on FIU’s Modesto A. Maidique Campus on Wednesday.“Free, free, free Palestine!” demonstrators were seen chanting in cellphone video of the event.The rally was part of a national student walkout campaign to support an “end [to] the siege on Gaza” and the U.S. providing funding and arms to Israel.The rally comes a day after the state university system decided that group is no longer welcome. A letter sent to public universities on Tuesday reads, “Based on the National SJP’s support for terrorism, in consultation with Governor DeSantis, the student chapters must be deactivated...

Murder warrant issued for man wanted in connection with wife’s death in Gardner

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT

A murder warrant has been issued for a man wanted in connection with his wife’s death in Gardner, the Worcester County District Attorney’s office announced. Authorities have been searching for Aaron Pennington after his wife, 30-year-old Breanne Pennington was found fatally shot in her Cherry Street home on Sunday. Officials said Gardner police first responded to the scene after the couple’s four children left their house and went to a neighbor. A major search involving multiple law enforcement agencies ensued after investigators determined Pennington left the home in a white BMW car. Investigators found the car on Monday after a hunter spotted it about 1,500 feet down a wooded trail in the Camp Collier area of Gardner near the Ashburnham/Gardner line. Pennington, though, was nowhere to be found. Gardner Police Chief Eric McAvene on Tuesday said authorities were “operating under the assumption that Mr. Pennington is still alive and on the run.”Pennington, 33, has...

Police standoff ends in Weymouth

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT

A police standoff at a home in Weymouth ended Wednesday after several hours, officials said. Weymouth police in a post on X around 3:30 p.m. said police were on scene on Putnam Street responding to a barricaded suspect. Police asked community members to stay away from the area. Overhead, SKY7-HD spotted several armed law enforcement officers working on the scene with heavy equipment and armored vehicles.  Shortly before 6:30 p.m., authorities were seen taking a person out of the home at the center of this incident on a stretcher.While the standoff had ended, Putnam Street remained blocked off as of around 6:30 p.m.No further information was immediately available. This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

Police investigating armed robbery at South Attleboro smoke shop connected to two similar crimes in RI

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT

Police are looking for three people in connection with an armed robbery at a smoke shop in South Attleboro Tuesday night.Around 11:50 p.m., police responded to Lucky Lottery and Smoke Shop at 1077 Washington Street. Attleboro olice said one individual demanded money from the clerk, and another stood at the door, both armed with handguns.The individuals, wearing masks and dark clothes, fled from the store with cash from the cash drawer, where a third individual was waiting in a white Kia Optima sedan. The car went westbound toward Cumberland, Rhode Island.The robbery is connected to two similar robberies in Central Falls and Pawtucket, Rhode Island.Attleboro police said the investigation is ongoing.

Battenfeld: Maura Healey dodges blame for repeated MBTA failures

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey continues to dodge responsibility for the beleaguered MBTA nearly a year after she took office and promised to restore accountability and transparency.The T is still a dangerous and unreliable mess even after Healey hired a public relations savvy general manager and replaced much of the board of directors.Healey blamed the Republican Baker administration for the latest embarrassment – the narrow rail problems on the new Green Line extension. She talks a tough game but hasn’t produced with results.“What’s important is that it was not disclosed, and it was really not addressed,” she said of the Green Line fiasco. “That is something we’ve been really clear about. Under the prior administration, senior management at the T, for whatever poor judgment made the decision not to disclose identified failures, and then made the poor decision not to address those failures prior to the opening of the Green Line extension.”The Union Square branch of the new G...

Police arrest suspect wanted in connection to two sexual assault cases at Boston University

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT

Boston University Police has arrested a suspect wanted in connection to two sexual assault cases that authorities say appear to be related.Officers, with assistance from Boston Police, arrested the suspect early Wednesday on an outstanding warrant after the suspect allegedly sexually assaulted two students just 9 hours apart on Tuesday.Authorities did not share the suspect’s identity but said it appears it was the same man involved in each case.“With the arrest, the individual is no longer a threat to the community. Our thoughts are with our students that were assaulted, and the University has offered them support,” authorities wrote in a crime alert Wednesday. “We will continue to be a resource and provide our community with support.”The first case occurred around 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, with a BU student reporting that an unknown person touched them inappropriately while walking on a sidewalk on Commonwealth Avenue in the BU Central area.The student did not see who touched them due to...

What is going on with Toucher and Rich? Social media accounts get new handles, dropping a host’s name

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT

Boston sports talk radio listeners were digging for answers on Wednesday after the social media accounts for the top morning show dropped one of the host’s names.But it has been radio silence from Toucher & Rich so far following the drastic change to the social media accounts for the 98.5 The Sports Hub show.Around midday on Wednesday, the speculation about the show’s future took off when the Toucher & Rich accounts on Twitter (now X), Facebook and Instagram removed host Fred Toucher’s name.The social media accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers are now only showing host Rich Shertenlieb’s name. The X account is now @heyrichhey.After the bombshell change to the socials, there was no immediate explanation from the radio station or the hosts. The Herald reached out to Toucher, Rich, 98.5 The Sports Hub, and Beasley Media Group — but they did not immediately respond.Loyal listeners to the top rated sports morning show in the region were p...

Vandal who swung on crucifix at Cathedral of Holy Cross ordered held on $5,000 cash bail

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT

A pair of construction workers had a unique assignment Wednesday at the largest church in New England: repairing a crucifix that a vandal broke while swinging on it.A judge at Boston Municipal Court ordered the man behind the damage, Michael Patzelt, 37, of Attleboro, held on $5,000 cash bail and to stay away from the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and witnesses who caught him committing the unholy act in the South End.Officers assigned to the neighborhood for the Boston Police Department arrested Patzelt around 6:15 p.m. Tuesday after receiving a call for a suspicious person who had knocked a hat off a woman in the area of the cathedral.“The suspect then proceeded to climb up the cross where he began to swing and hang from it, breaking off several parts of the cross,” a police release states. “The suspect broke both the statue’s arms prior to officers responding and placed him under arrest.”Patzelt pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and malicious destruction of property during a...