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Grand jury to review 2019 UPS hijacking and fatal shootout in Miramar

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:51 GMT

7News has learned that Broward prosecutors are set to present the 2019 UPS hijacking fatal shooting investigation to a grand jury early next year. The grand jury will carefully examine the facts of the case, including the Florida Department of Law Enforcement report, to determine the appropriate course of action.The investigation stems from a harrowing officer-involved shootout in Miramar in 2019, resulting in multiple fatalities, including UPS truck driver, 27-year-old Frank Ordonez. Following a 30-mile chase into Miramar and a botched robbery at Regent Jewelers on Miracle Mile, authorities said two robbers kidnapped Ordonez prior to the deadly encounter on Miramar Parkway.In the aftermath of the shootout, then Miami-Dade Police Director Juan Perez, who has since retired, commented on the incident.“If the subject wouldn’t have shot, no shots would have rung. None would have gone out. My understanding is that [the suspects] shot first,” Perez said in an interview with 7News.Speaking...

Joe Biden visits Boston for trio of campaign events

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:51 GMT

Joe Biden landed at Logan Airport in Boston Tuesday morning, kicking off a day that was scheduled to include a trio of local campaign events. Biden arrived aboard Air Force One just before noon and was continuing with his schedule within Boston as of around 6 p.m. A pro-Palestinian protest continued, in the meantime, into the evening. Demonstrators first gathered around 4:30 p.m. and were met by Boston police officers who at one point blocked off Stuart Street in the Theater District. Near 6 p.m., authorities were keeping crowds away from the Shubert Theater where Biden was on hand for his final event of the day.Previously speaking aboard Air Force One, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre assured reporters that the Biden campaign will reimburse taxpayers for the cost of Tuesday’s political events. Once the plane landed, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu were on the tarmac to greet the president. News cameras from a distance s...

Police identify Massachusetts woman killed in shark attack in Bahamas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:51 GMT

Authorities have identified the Massachusetts woman killed in a shark attack in the Bahamas Monday as 44-year-old Lauren Erickson Van Wart.The Royal Bahamas Police Public Affairs and Communications Department announced the identification in a statement Tuesday afternoon. “Police investigations are ongoing,” the department said. Van Wart had been paddleboarding off New Providence Island near a resort where she was staying when she was attacked around 11 a.m. Monday, officials said.Police on Monday said a lifeguard in a rescue boat pulled Van Wart and a man she was paddleboarding with out of the water. While the man was not injured, according to police, Van Wart later died.New Providence Island is home to the Bahamas’ capital, Nassau.

Authorities investigating after 2 firearms, knife found outside school in Jamaica Plain

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:51 GMT

An investigation got underway Tuesday after two firearms and a knife were found outside a school in Jamaica Plain, school officials said. Community Academy Head of School Sonie Felix in a letter to the school community said school staff found the weapons during a routine sweep of school grounds.“No students or staff were injured and it is not clear when or by whom the weapons were left on school grounds,” Felix said. Felix said staff immediately notified Boston police and the school was placed in safe mode “to ensure the safety of all students and staff.”Officials later lifted the safe mode protocol after authorities searched the school and determined there was no further threat, according to Felix.“I am grateful to the members of school staff who conducted the initial search and immediately reported these weapons to school leadership,” Felix said.“As you know, the Community Academy, like all schools in the Boston Public Schools, focuses on fostering a safe environment for...

Red Sox linked to struggling starter who could be perfect project for Andrew Bailey

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:51 GMT

Lucas Giolito is “drawing interest” from the Red Sox, reported MLB Network’s Jon Morosi on Tuesday.The 29-year-old right-hander would be an interesting project for Andrew Bailey, the former Red Sox reliever who just returned to be their new pitching coach.Giolito, 29, split the 2023 season between the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, and Cleveland Guardians. Despite the tumult of a three-team season, he made 33 starts – tied for the American League lead – and a career-high 184 1/3 innings pitched.Not long ago, the right-hander was one of the game’s most dominant pitchers. Between 2019-21, he posted a 3.47 ERA across 72 starts (427 2/3 IP), and finished between sixth and eleventh in AL Cy Young voting each season.However, while Giolito continues to be durable, he hasn’t been as dominant since. Over the last two seasons, he posted a 4.89 ERA across 63 starts (346 IP), and gave up a career- and league-worst 41 home runs this year. After striking out ...

Draft lottery yields No. 12 pick for Red Sox

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:51 GMT

As one of the 18 teams that didn’t qualify for the postseason, the Red Sox were eligible for Major League Baseball’s new draft lottery system once again.Last December, the first lottery yielded the No. 14 pick, which the Red Sox used to draft Kyle Teel, the most decorated catcher in the University of Virginia’s program history.On Tuesday evening, they emerged in an even better position:No. 12.It will be the fifth No. 12 pick in franchise history, and first since 2016, when they selected Jay Groome. Adam Everett (’98), Nomar Garciaparra (’94), and Tom Fischer (’88) were the others.Since the draft began in 1965, the Red Sox have only had a better pick seven times, including thrice since 2013. They drafted shortstop Marcelo Mayer fourth overall in 2021, and seventh in 2015 (OF Andrew Benintendi) and 2013 (LHP Trey Ball).The lottery yielded a historic moment, too. The Cleveland Guardians beat the odds – 2.0%, ninth-best – to get the first overall pick...

Sen. Durant backs Dudley selectman to serve in his old Central Mass. House seat

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:51 GMT

Sen. Peter Durant said Tuesday he is backing a Dudley selectman looking to run for a Central Massachusetts House seat last held by the Spencer Republican, who won a special election last month for a Senate district in the area.A special election has not yet been called for the House seat, but two contenders — Dudley Selectman John Marsi and Southbridge Town Councilor David Adams, both Republicans — have indicated they are ready to run if one is scheduled, according to state campaign finance filings. The seat covers Dudley, Charlton, Southbridge, and Spencer.Marsi said he has served on the Dudley Board of Selectmen for 12 years, giving him a “pretty good pulse” on the issues in the district. He said he wants to focus on economic development, public safety, and quality of life.“But to be more clear about what that means for a state rep run, it’s public safety, its affordability, which encompasses economic development, and local aid and stuff, and education,” he told ...

As the Chicago Cubs wait for the Shohei Ohtani-sized domino to fall, GM Carter Hawkins focuses on preparation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:51 GMT

Big moves appear to be on hold until superstar Shohei Ohtani chooses his next team.As MLB’s annual winter meetings got underway this week, the Chicago Cubs are charting a challenging course: mapping potential avenues to improve the roster while waiting for the Ohtani-sized domino to fall.General manager Carter Hawkins redirected when asked Monday evening about the team’s interest in Ohtani, saying, “we prefer not to talk about any specific players” while adding that the overall market has felt slower. In the meantime, the Cubs are plotting are variety of options they can pivot as needed.“Trying to create this perfect offseason where A is going to happen and then B is going to happen and C is going to happen and D is going to happen, it’s way too complex of a challenge to do that,” Hawkins said. “Instead, you have to be able to look at each transaction and say, ‘hey, this makes sense for us in terms of our goals toward winning mor...

Coyote euthanized in Massachusetts after the wild animal was ‘acting abnormally’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:51 GMT

A coyote was euthanized in a Norfolk County community after the wild animal was reportedly “out in the daylight acting abnormally,” according to police.Plainville officials are now warning residents about coyotes and how to prevent conflicts with the animals following some sightings throughout town.Recently, Plainville police officers responded to a report of “a coyote out in the daylight acting abnormally,” town officials said on Tuesday.“It was determined to be a public safety risk and officers humanely euthanized the coyote on-scene,” town officials added.Aggressive coyotes have been reported in several Bay State communities in recent years, including in Nahant and Salem north of Boston. In Nahant, the town hired federal agent sharpshooters to kill aggressive coyotes.Following the recent coyote sightings and incident in Plainville, town officials are sharing safety tips from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and MassWildlife on how ...

Trump will dodge debate for fourth time, four others qualify

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:51 GMT

Some Republican presidential candidates will again meet for a debate Wednesday, and for the fourth time in a row the party’s leading candidate has other plans for the evening.Of the other candidates only four remain who qualified to mount the debate stage, as the Republican National Committee tightens requirements in an effort to narrow a once crowded primary field.Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will join former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy after meeting the requirements of 6% support in two national polls or 6% in one national poll as well as two polls from Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, or South Carolina.According to DeSantis’s campaign, he’s coming off a recent debate with California Gov. Gavin Newsom energized and ready to present himself as an alternative to Trump, who leads him by more than 40 points.“We are now eager to go back to the primary and remind Republicans why Ron DeSantis is the only one on stage ...