On Sunday, more than 600 participants from Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties showcased their skills and determination, all competing to advance to the State Games in Orlando next month.

The competition was fierce, with athletes demonstrating the results of what, for many, has been a lifetime of training.

“Special Olympics Florida serves children and adults so our athletes begin at age two with our young athlete program and then at age 8 they can begin competing and theres no cap on age for when they can compete,” said Linsey Smith, Chief Development and Marketing Officer. “So for many of our athletes, they train and compete in multiple sports every year and Special Olympics becomes their life.”

Also in attendance was WSVN’s Sheldon Fox as the host.

The organization offers year-round training and competition opportunities at no cost to the athletes or their caregivers, enriching lives and building community spirit.

During a two-month expedition, Gregory documented these flightless birds as they prepared for a critical rite of passage known as “Fledging.”

Fledging, the process where baby penguins take their first swim, typically involves smaller, less daunting jumps. But this recent footage revealed a group of emperor penguin chicks approaching the egde of a steep 50-foot cliff, which is an unusually high jump for these young birds.

The video captures the tense moments as the chicks cautiously inch toward the brink before plunging into the frigid Antarctic waters below.

“I spent 3 years of active service started in 1967 during the Vietnam era,” said Harry.

The Johnson family, who have been residents of their home since 1973, received a much needed renovation to their home to make it a safe and pleasant place to live.

“I thank the good Lord that I was able to be here to see all of the good that’s happening to me and my family,” said Harry

Volunteers dedicated their time to painting the home, landscaping the garden, revamping the walkway, and installing a new flagpole and flag to honor and assist the veteran who served his country.

“It feels good that someone is here caring about you,” said Stephanie.

Over the years, he has had trouble keeping up with repairs and upkeep as Harry has had two knee replacements. Harry then continued his service locally as a mail carrier for 38 years.

With the help of Team Depot spending the week touching up the home and redoing the backyard, fresh herbs were planted along the side of the house, a new patio was put in place and a new fence with potted flowers.

“This means the world to all the associates out here that’s helping out today. It’s one of the best things we can do by giving back to the ones that gave back to us,” said Dino Farley, assistant store manager of Home Depot.

The Johnsons raised two biological children and two adopted daughters in their home. They are overjoyed as they are already picturing the new memories to be made.

“To enjoy, to laugh, to dance, to cry, to be thankful — we are just happy,” said Stephanie. “It’s happy to know we have this here now on Earth.”

Team Depot put on the finishing touches to the Johnson’s home on Friday, inspiring others to contribute their time and energy to America’s heroes.

Officials said that on Tuesday afternoon they got a call about an animal in distress that was locked in a vehicle parked at a Home Depot parking lot.

“Even standing next to the window the window was cracked about maybe two inches two and a half,” said officer Taylor Battistelli. “You could just feel the heat coming out the car.”

Once the officer smashed the window, he was able to reach inside, pull the handle and eventually got the dog out.

“The rear window was breached and we’re getting the dog out now,” said the officer on body camera footage. “Come here baby, come here baby, come on, come on.
Lets go.

“You wanna go ahead and if you don’t mind taking the dog that’s cooking,” said the officer as he handed the small animal to officer Battistelli.

The dog was given water and was placed inside the patrol car as they waited for the owner to return.

“She was panting really heavily, she appeared very nervous, you could feel the heat coming off her, she felt like she was on fire when I first pulled her out.” Battistelli said.

They were able to use a thermometer from the business just to see how hot it was inside.

“Got in the car and put it in there and it read, at that point, 122 degrees,” explained Battistelli. “This was after 10 to 15 minutes of the car ventilating at this point.”

According to Florida law, bystanders are also allowed to rescue a child or a pet believed to be in danger from heat but under certain conditions.

“First thing, is the vehicle locked, is there any other way to get into the vehicle before you break a window, you have to contact law enforcement before or immediately afterwards if you choose to break the glass,” Attorney Gary Lesser said. “The law was designed for this situation and the law was followed and they saved the dog.”

The dog’s owner is facing an aggravated animal cruelty charge.

The senior panda was diagnosed a few months ago after he began showing signs of lethargy. Since then, zookeepers have adjusted Moshu’s daily routine to ensure he receives the best care possible while continuing to enjoy his days.

“So Moshu gets up early, he is ready to go and eat his breakfast,” said a zookeeper at the facility. “We let Moshu do what he needs to do. And a lot of that is kind of exploring , eating snacks from his keepers throughout the day, and sleeping.”

The endangered mammal also undergoes laser therapy once a month.

According to PBS Nature, red pandas live about 8 to 10 years in the wild and up to 15 years when cared for by humans. According to a zoo spokesperson, the median life expectancy at AZA-accredited zoos is 10 to 12 years, though the oldest recorded red panda was nearly 22 years old.

Thanks to a $2 million donation from the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, the new facility is designed to help the developmental needs of teenagers aged 13 to 18.

Chris Gentile, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County, said the center will create a “home away from home” feel and offer a safe haven where teens can escape the pressures of the streets to focus on personal growth and development.

“We wanna make sure they have a place to go after school, when they’re out of school so they can develop their skills and they can be ready for the future and they can be great,” said Gentile.

The facility will feature life and work readiness, career exploration, scholarships and other activities for teens.

Video footage of the scene showed a crashed vehicle on a property near Homestead Avenue and Hibiscus Street. According to police, the incident occurred around 3 a.m. Friday after as ShotSpotter alert led authorities to the scene.

“I just heard shots. I’m like, ‘Oh, my God,'” said one bystander. “Then I came out here to see the scene and I saw him laying on the floor. I was just — everything just left my body. It was so sad.”

The aunt of the victim told 7News that the deceased father of six in his late 20s was Kelvin Stanley Daye Jr. She mentioned hearing gunshots after he left his sister’s house. Daye then continued driving, ultimately losing control of his car.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue transported Daye to Jackson Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

An eyewitness described the scene as she recalled hearing loud noises that led her to find out what happened.

“All I heard was the car screeching,” she said. “It sent around the circle on Hibiscus Street and I heard a bang, so that got me up. I went to the door and this car had hit a sign, right into the bushes on Hibiscus Street, in the circle, and went up in my next-door neighbor’s yard.”

She said she noticed the back window was completely gone and bullet holes on the passenger side of the car as a result of the gunshots.

Around 7 a.m., as residents of the area got ready for their day, they noticed the crime scene and gathered to find out what exactly happened in their neighborhood. Mark Harris, an activist in the neighborhood who runs a local coalition, had a message for the youths of the community.

“There’s youths walking literally with guns on their side,” he emphasized. “We live in a Western world. We need to change these laws and how they carry these weapons. The officers are already afraid because they don’t know how to approach these young men.”

It is unclear if any arrests have been made, but the investigation remains ongoing.

If you have any information on this crime, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

Bags of equipment carrying life-saving gear, for men and women who are on the front line, were received as former Miami-Dade commissioner Sally Heyman returns from Israel. She was joined by public safety and corrections officials and the Deputy Consul General Mike Driquez of Israel to discuss and demonstrate how this “Protective Enhancement Gear” works.

“This gear is lightweight, it’s very flexible. It protects the officers from punctures and stabbing,” said Miami-Dade Police Department Assistant Director Christopher Carothers.

The county spent roughly $69,000 on 102 sets of custom-made gear that will be used for riots and SWAT teams to help protect officers and even corrections deputies in jails.

“We are the first in then nation to get this import from Israel,” stated Heyman. “As a commissioner, I participated in two trips to Israel targeting Israeli innovations.”

The innovative protective equipment coming from a former commissioners trip to Israel to see what they could learn and bring back to the U.S.

“This day is really one of the most innovative countries in the world,” said Driquez. “I came from tech before. It comes from a place of which we can cherish a very good relationship between the states, especially since October 7.”

Ramon Hernandez with Miami-Dade’s Rapid Deployment Force explained how this is different from what he’s used to.

“What we usually have is just our vest, we have a helmet, we have a shield and we have our gun belts” he said. “This is a little more light weight, of course.”

“It also has capabilities of energy dispersions. That means if our officers were to receive any blood-force trauma while wearing the suit, it provides better protection to vital organs and different parts of the body,” said one officer.

Out of the 100 sets of gear the county received, 80 of them will go to the Miami-Dade Police Department while the others will be distributed to agencies like the City of Miami and Coral Gables police departments.

This new equipment will benefit the safety of the public and law enforcement when officers respond to calls.

Pinellas County Sheriff’s Deputy Christopher Ryan had just 11 seconds from when he gave this first command to when the incident ended, Monday night.

According to police reports, the suspect, Amy Jaeger, told Deputy Ryan “no” several times and said “kill me now” more than four times. Police Chief Anthony Holloway of St. Petersburg said Deputy Ryan fired his weapon 11 times.

“He stepped back and kept giving her orders, and she kept continuing to move toward him,” said Holloway.

The altercation allegedly started when Jaeger and her boyfriend got into an argument because the boyfriend was trying to end the relationship. Police said the situation escalated when Jaeger then stabbed her boyfriend three to four times, but he was able to escape to a neighbor’s home for help.

Jaeger chased him and used another knife to try to pry open the neighbor’s front door. That’s when Deputy Ryan arrived.

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri commended Deputy Ryan for his actions.

“But what’s most important, is that Deputy Ryan is safe,” he said. “All the law enforcement officers are safe, and that he, protected himself under these circumstances. So, I mean, these are tough situations. They’re very difficult to deal with.”

The task force investigating the shooting said they are not looking to file charges against the deputy.

“It was 11 seconds, you know, I mean, think about that and how fast that is and what he had to do. So, we’re just very thankful, for the thorough investigation has been done by the task force,” added Gualtieri.

Jaeger is in critical condition while the 70-year-old stabbing victim is stable. As for Deputy Ryan, he’s on paid administrative leave.

On Wednesday in Lee County, surveillance video captured the entire ordeal when the collision occurred.

The driver, later identified as Marcos Diego Manuel, was then seen climbing out of the sunroof and jogging away from the scene. When he returned to the scene on a bicycle, he was met by police officers and admitted to maneuvering the car when the crash happened.

Manuel was charged with multiple counts of DUI, hit-and-run and driving without a license.

Surveillance video captured Ernesha Atmore using a soft-sided cooler to steal approximately $20,000 worth of designer sunglasses.

Hillsborough State Attorney Suzy Lopez says a theft caught on video a couple of years ago, may have sealed her fate.

“She committed one of the most brazen thefts I’ve heard of. She went into a Sunglass Hut at International Plaza and had a soft-sided cooler, and she just scooped up about $20,000 in designer sunglasses. When the employee said, ‘What are you doing,’ she said, ‘I have a taser.’ And, as you know, a taser is a weapon,” explained Lopez.

After Atmore’s arrest, police officers found stolen goods in her car, which were collected as evidence. Atmore’s criminal record led to her facing stiffer penalties as she had had multiple convictions in the past.

Although she was offered a plea deal of three years by prosecutors, Atmore chose to go to trial, where a jury found her guilty. She now faces a 30 year prison sentence.

Before her sentencing, Atmore faced two additional theft charges, including the incident at a Zales jewelry store in Brandon Center Mall, where she attempted to steal a ring valued at $8,749.99. This added more time to her prison sentence.

As the proceedings continued, Atmore showed no remorse as she smiled for the camera during her booking. She is now going away for 30 years and six months and won’t be free again until she’s nearly 60 years old.

The research has allowed doctors to precisely target cancer cells through genetic testing evaluating the cancer cells against more than 100 FDA-approved cancer drugs within a week. This turnaround would give oncologists a better idea of which treatment path could be more successful for their patients. FIU researchers, led by Diana Azzam, have opened a new frontier in targeted cancer therapy.

For the first time, this approach was successfully applied to pediatric patients facing hard-to-treat, recurring cancers — those who had exhausted all other treatment options.

One of the most heartening success stories to emerge from this research is that of 8-year-old Logan Jenner, who has been in remission for over two years.

He underwent chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant only to face the heartbreak of relapse. Jenner’s involvement in the study helped doctors create a new and improved treatment as researchers excluded a medication that had previously been toxic for him.

The Jenner family, along with doctors who aided in the study, spoke Thursday at the Academic Health Center at FIU’s Wolfson Campus where they discussed the research in a news conference.

“It’s a miracle and it has changed mine and my husband’s perspective on life,” said Diana, Logan’s mother. “It’s rewarding to see everything he does. He plays the violin and he does jujitsu. He’s just incredible. We think he’s gonna be lawyer, he talks back all the time about everything.”

The crowd filled with laughter as Logan rolled his eyes at his mother’s remark.

Dr. Maggie Fader with Nicklaus Children’s Hospital explained how she had to tell the news to Logan’s parents when he started to relapse after his session of treatments.

“We had to tell them that now that he’s already had everything that’s considered upfront standard of care and it’s come back, that there is a less than 30% likelihood that we will get him back into remission and get him here in the next three years.”

The trial by FIU at the hospital gave the family hope.

“Adding all these drugs directly onto the tumor cells will identify what works and what doesn’t on the patients cancer cells,” explained Dr. Azzam at the news conference. “So instead of doctors guessing to see what works and what doesn’t.”

Dr. Fadder said Logan’s professional health team worked on determining what works for him during the investigation process of the research.

“We used the best choices of what we saw in his treatment and then hoping that would get us a better outcome and eliminate some of the unnecessary treatments that don’t work,” she said.

Other patients that exhausted all other treatments saw similar results.

“With this remarkable ground-breaking work has not just has this remarkable result in Logan, but in 83% of the children that had their tissue advertised in this laboratory right here,” said Raymond Rodriguez-Torres with the Live Like Bella Foundation, the organization that helped fund FIU’s research.

The research done by FIU sparks a glimmer of hope in the horizon for science and cancer research.

“Perhaps if we, in the future, are able to test and we see upfront that drug X and Y don’t work in this patient’s cancer, we don’t offer that. We just go straight to what does work,” said Dr. Fader.

The work continues at FIU with ongoing pediatric and adult trials.

During a 30-day warning period, which started on Monday, the county hopes to educate drivers about the seriousness of passing stopped school buses.

Starting on May 8, violators could face $200 fines.

This measure is made possible through a partnership between Miami-Dade County and BusPatrol.

All school buses in Miami-Dade have been equipped with safety technology, including stop-arm enforcement cameras. The cameras are designed to capture license plates of vehicles that illegally pass stopped school buses, allowing for tickets to be issued through the mail.

According to the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, school buses are unlawfully passed an estimated 43.5 million times each school year in the US.

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a suspect breaking into cars, Monday morning.

When they arrived, the suspect, later identified as Jamarian Jackson, fled the scene. In a desperate bid for freedom, the teen jumped several fences before hiding inside a trash can.

Despite his best efforts, the keen nose of a sheriff’s department K-9 tracked him down. Once found, Jackson can be seen popping out of the receptacle with his hands up and then falling to the ground, spilling out of the garbage bin. 

Jackson was apprehended and charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling, resisting an officer without violence, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell or deliver. 

Eric Johnson, 58, was seen hitting and kicking the parked cruiser on Tuesday after authorities shared the video on the sheriff’s office social media page.

While the motive behind Johnson’s outburst remains unclear, deputies said they are no stranger to this individual.

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said Johnson has had 91 charges, including felony battery, battery on a law enforcement officer, robbery, aggravated assault, and more. He is now charged with felony criminal mischief and attempted burglary of a vehicle.

Johnson remains in custody in Volusia County on $11,000 bond. 

The incident began with a verbal dispute between the victim and the shooter in the parking lot of a supermarket.

“In that verbal altercation, the suspect decided to take his firearm out, and he started shooting at the victim,” said Public Relations Coordinator Carolina Montelongo.

According to Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the victim ran several streets away from the stores to a random neighbor’s home to hide.

A home security camera captured the moments the victim hide behind a parked car in the driveway. The shooter ultimately found him and fired multiple shots.

Homeowners in the area said they do not know these men.

“There is never an excuse to turn a verbal argument into a something that violent that that video that we just saw. That is scary,” added Montelongo. “This suspect didn’t care about the victim’s life or that it was 2 p.m. There were people walking there were people driving their cars. This suspect didn’t think about the consequences of his actions. And let’s be very clear, we are going to find him, and he’s going to know what he did and the consequences of his actions.”

Authorities are now searching for the shooter, who is now wanted on several charges, including attempted murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Meanwhile, the victim, who was hit multiple times, is listed as stable.

Anyone who recognizes the suspect is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 813-247-8200.

Volusia County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Stan Manhart was one of the first responders on the scene and he shared Felipe Ribeiro Desouza’s initial response after the rescue.

“The first thing he said was he’s never going to the beach again,” said Manhart.

Desouza was among several people caught in the rip current that day but was the only one found unresponsive. Two boogie boarders pulled him out of the water and kept him afloat until lifeguard Dalton Smith arrived.

“We just let him know that they needed to his head up above water,” said Smith. “And we just swam them all in together.”

Ty Tarnow, with the New Smyrna Fire Department, recalled the challenges of performing CPR on a slippery board in wet conditions but it did not stop rescuers from trying.

“With the patient being slippery, the board being wet they were able to maintain the patient on the board and doing very effective CPR,” said Tarnow.

Once Ribeiro Desouza was handed off to the New Smyrna Fire Department, they still had the tough job of getting his pulse back.

“With saltwater drownings, what happens is when the saltwater enters the lungs, you have a major fluid shift in the body,” added Tarnow. “So that creates pulmonary edema. So this this patient needed advanced lifesaving airway procedures.”

Tarnow says the victim didn’t have a pulse for somewhere between 5 to 7 minutes.

“It was just a miracle that this young man was able to pull through,” he added. “You’re only as strong as your weakest link, and there were no weak links here.”

Ribeiro Desouza was swimming far from a staffed lifeguard tower when he almost drowned. He has since made a full recovery.

Speaking at a news conference held Tuesday, Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam did not mince words about the possibility of a waste-to-energy facility that would include a trash burning incinerator being built next to the city.

“Our community has been here for decades. Don’t bring your trash to our backyard,” he said.

The county’s search for a new incinerator comes more than a year after a fire destroyed the previous facility in Doral, slashing the amount of trash that the count is capable of processing.

Back in February 2023, firefighters battled a four-alarm blaze for more than a week, causing nearby residents, especially those with respiratory ailments, to refrain from going outside due to the smoky conditions.

Since then, Miami-Dade has shortlisted a few potential sites as of last summer.

While no decision has been made about where to build the new site, Miramar officials fear it will land less than a mile away from West Miramar, at the Opa-locka West Airport, which raised concerns of environmental hazards and health complications in the community.

“There are nearly a quarter million Broward County residents within the direct vicinity that would be impacted by the construction of this site,” said Messam.

Environmentalists against the incinerator’s construction near the Everglades point out the concerns over local wildlife, including protected and endangered species. They also mention the threat to the region’s air and water quality.

“While this is an issue of where to build the incinerator, it’s also an issue of not building the incinerator at all,” said Anagha Iyer with the Broward Juniors Sierra Group.

“Studies have shown that the areas near waste incineration experience higher rates of cancer asthma and reproductive complications,” said Mackenzie Marcelin with Rising Florida, an organization that advocates for marginalized communities. “The burning of trash also releases harmful and toxic pollutants into the atmosphere affecting the respiratory, cardiovascular, immune and, like I’ve mentioned, reproductive and nervous systems of those who live nearby.”

Other municipal leaders in Broward standing alongside the residents closest to the proposed incinerator.

“We have to come up with viable solutions to that dynamic because it’s poisoning our water,” said Pembroke Pines Mayor Angelo Castillo. “It’s poisoning our land, our air, our lungs — it’s affecting our health. There has to be a better way to do it.”

“Incineration is not right right across the border. Incineration is not right anywhere,” said Southwest Ranches Mayor Steve Breitkreuz. “We’ve come a long way. There are better solutions and that’s where we need to be going.”

Miramar residents voiced their concerns to local leaders Tuesday morning.

“It’s completely intrusive to our community,” said residents Judy Jawer. “The air, the water, the environment, of course, in terms of the Everglades, but I’m considering what’s really going to happen, from a health standpoint, to the people around me.”

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has advocated for moving the facility to a county-owned airfield several miles from the Everglades, with the alternative locations in Doral and near the existing incinerator in Medley. No final decision on where to build the new incinerator has been made.

“Do the right thing and build this site on a more suitable site,” said Messam. “A site that has less impact on the environment, a site that impacts fewer people and a site that just makes sense.”

“If the waste-to-energy plant is not good for the residents of Doral, it’s not good for Miami-Dade County, then it is not good for the residents of the City of Miramar,” said Miramar City Commissioner Yvette Colbourne.

After the flames demolished the waste plant in Doral, the amount of trash processed by Miami-Dade County has been cut in half. Miami-Dade’s Public Works director resigned following the fire.

Tuesday afternoon, Levine Cava issued a statement about the proposed incinerator site. It reads in part.

“Our priority continues to be to minimize the impact of the facility’s operations to the community and the environment, as we prepare our community and our infrastructure for the future.”

Miami-Dade officials said they may reach a decision about where to build the facility at some point later this year.

The 47-year-old Miami man now faces charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest without violence. His attorneys, Ben Crump and Larry Handfield, and family members spoke at a news conference following Armstrong’s arraignment to demand all charges to be dropped.

“First of all, it goes without saying what happened in that video is unconscionable,” said Crump. “She only wanted to get him help. She did not expect for him to get six bullets in his torso.”

The civil rights attorneys have been hired to represent Armstrong after an encounter with Miami Police on March 7 at Northwest 58th Street and Seventh Court, where he was tased twice and shot six times. The incident has since led to outrage and calls for justice.

“I just called the police to get him so help. I need y’all just to pray for him please,” said Denise Armstrong, Donald’s mother. “Do that for me, please, Lord.”

Donald, who was experiencing a mental health episode at the time of the police response, was filmed by bystanders during the confrontation. Video evidence showed Donald at the entrance of the home, allegedly holding a screwdriver. In that same video, Donald lifts his shirt to prove he was unarmed before being tased twice and shot six times by officers.

“That’s excessive. That’s the very definition of excessive. A man on the ground and you continue to empty the clip and then you charge him with aggravated assault,” said Crump.

“I think the video shows that the sole basis of filing allegations of aggravated assault was to cover up for the reckless conduct exhibited by one officer,” said Handfield.

He is now experiencing some paralysis and is being held in the jail’s medical ward.

While Denise couldn’t get through many other words, her attorneys did. Donald’s legal team said that the video clearly shows excessive force being used as several shots were fired even after he had already fallen to the ground.

“It is shocking, it’s deplorable, it’s horrific,” Crump said. “It is what you would teach officers if you wanted to show them what not to do.”

“This was a 911 call for a mental health issue crisis, but instead, he received six bullets that could’ve taken his life,” Handfield said.

One day after the shooting, the family’s pastor, the Rev. Dr. Gaston E. Smith, spoke out about the incident.

“I do know that he was dealing with some emotional, perhaps mental concerns, that his mother was concerned about,” he said in an interview with 7News on March 8. “She reached out for help. She did not reach out for her son to be shot multiple times.”

Crump continued to question the officer’s respond during the incident.

“If it was really a dangerous situation, where all those officers felt their lives were in danger, then they should have had everybody shoot,” he said. “But the other officers didn’t shoot because they knew that it wasn’t a dangerous situation to warrant that use of deadly force.”

Miami Police Chief Manny Morales released a statement following the shooting, saying in part, “I pledge to ensure that our department does better in addressing calls involving mental and behavioral issues.”

Now, the Armstrong family wants the charges of aggregated assault to be dropped and for Donald to recover from his injuries at home. His attorneys are also not ruling out a potential lawsuit.

“How many videos like this do we have to see? We’re going to look at exploring every possible legal redress to this injustice,” Crump said. “What happened on that video was excessive and if we don’t hold police officers accountable, it might be your child next, that’s what this is about.”

Miami Police said that the case is being investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Internal Affairs.

Armstrong is being held without bond in a jail hospital. A hearing has been set for Thursday to address a request for a bond to be set in this case.

According to The Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the group consisted of 218 men, 39 women and 11 boys.

The vessel was destroyed and the migrants were processed by immigration authorities in the Bahamas.

The volunteer event, which took place on Sunday, saw participants assembling bags filled with necessary components for a proper Passover celebration.

Designed for the vulnerable members of the community, the kits included traditional Kosher meals and essential personal hygiene items.

Thanks to the efforts of the volunteers, the organization is set to deliver these Passover kits to 450 seniors throughout South Florida.

The contest encouraged young artists from kindergarten through fifth grade to express their creativity and envision their ideal boat for the annual Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade.

Approximately 658 students from 26 Broward County public, private, and charter schools participated in this year’s competition.

An awards ceremony took place after the reception and was hosted by children’s book author Neil Goldberg, who wrote “POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance.” Over $6,000 in cash and awards was presented, with 31 students being acknowledged for their skills.

Among the recognized, Towana Davis stood out, securing the first place win with her artwork.

“I just feel excited and I’m so glad to share my artwork and that other people get to see my artwork. I’m so proud of myself because I got first place,” said Davis.

The winning pieces of art will be framed and displayed, with copies provided to the respective schools of the winners, thanks to the support of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.

On May 5, 2023, Tallahassee Police officer Kiersten Oliver pulled over 56-year-old Calvin Riley for driving with a suspended license. The 26-year-old officer detained Riley and called for backup.

While the other officer walked over to Riley to question him, bodycam footage captured Oliver handling a bottle of cognac before allegedly pouring the small bottle into Riley’s car during the search and insinuating that Riley had opened it inside the vehicle.

Despite claims of smelling alcohol, no immediate evidence of impairment was found. The officers discussion, caught on bodycam, indicated a strategy to arrest Riley for DUI, even though they did not have concrete evidence. Oliver, needing to move Riley from her police car to the other officer’s vehicle, called in a senior officer, Sergeant Brian Smith for more backup.

The two lower-ranking officers later turned off their body cameras once Smith realized they were still recording. Before they stopped recording, officer Oliver suggested parking Riley’s car in a nearby church so he wouldn’t have to pay any fees for getting his car back. Riley said between posting his $750 bond, legal fees, and missed work at the barbershop, he missed several car payments before deciding to forfeit his car.

Riley has since filed suit and his legal representation are focusing on the lack of a policy that prohibits the impounding of liquids as evidence, a justoification officer Oliver cited for her actions.

The Tallahassee Police Department issued a statement reading in part quote we have thoroughly reviewed the incident and did not find any evidence of misconduct.

Riley’s case is not heading to trial and will begin on Friday.

The fire started round 3:30 a.m. in the area of Godfrey Road and Wiles Road. Crews were immediately dispatched to the scene, where they worked to contain the blaze.

Officials said the the two-story home was under renovation when someone saw smoke coming from inside. The second floor reportedly collapsed while firefighters were extinguishing the flames.

“We encountered heavy flames from the roof through the second story,” said Coral Springs/Parkland Fire Department Capt. Richard Antonini. “Portions of the house were collapsing at they arrived.”

Coral Springs and Parkland responded to the scene in less than five minutes from the first 911 call.

“They put down about 2,000 feet of fire hose,” Antonini said.

Video from 7Skyforce showed the aftermath of the house, represented as piles of ash and rubble, and the remaining property that seems to be unaffected by the blaze. All that was left on the Parkland property was a tennis court and an outdoor structure likening a barn.

No one was home at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported.

“I’m just glad everybody’s OK and I’d like to know what caused it just to make sure it doesn’t happen to any of our houses,” said Tom Harrah, a neighbor.

The Fire Marshal is on the scene and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

The chase, which involved at least three law enforcement agencies on Tuesday, ended with Walter Medina facing charges in two counties.

The incident began when Walter Medina was spotted by police officers after the woman he allegedly kidnapped escaped while the vehicle was briefly stopped at a Walgreens. That was when she ran to a nearby gas station to call authorities.

After the subsequent collision during the pursuit, which spanned multiple counties, Medina fled on foot, but it wasn’t long before K-9 units caught up to him.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said the woman was being held against her will for two and a half months. She was allegedly beaten with a baseball bat and screwdrivers. When she was found by deputies, she had broken bones, bruises and cuts to her body.

Medina faced a judge on Wednesday in Orange County where he was arraigned. In Orange County, he faces charges, including fleeing and alluding, reckless driving and hit-and-run.

The Orange County judge set his bond to $15,000 and he has a hold out of Hillsborough County where he faces even more charges, including attempted second-degree murder, armed kidnapping and armed false imprisonment.

The incident occurred Tuesday morning near the South Lakeland Airport in Mulberry, located approximately 40 miles away from Tampa. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office held a press release after the crash, identifying Arthur Canning as the pilot who was killed.

Sheriff Grady Judd said Canning was a pilot for 10 years and flew ultralights for the past decade. The 76-year-old pilot flew his final flight in an experimental amateur-built aircraft that recently received its flight certificates last fall. The flight was Canning’s second attempt at piloting the plane, following its first flight less than a week ago.

“He apparently stalled and crashed directly into the ground,” Judd stated. “He immediately died as a result of horrific traumatic injuries from the crash.”

The sheriff’s office is investigating the death investigation while the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash.

Around 9 p.m. Tuesday, City of Miami Police and Fire rescue units responded to the scene at the intersection of Northwest 12th Avenue and 61st Street where one of the vehicles involved in the crash was overturned.

Officials said both cars involved remained at the scene. The pregnant woman and a child, who were in the rolled-over vehicle, were transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital for medical care.

Their condition is not known.

On Tuesday, authorities reported that the boat was found taking on water before it ended up upside down, leading to rescue efforts.

The individuals onboard were quickly rescued and neither of them sustained any injuries.

The capsized boat was towed back to shore.

It is unclear what caused the vessel to flip.

Savannah Graziano, 15, was shot and killed as she ran toward San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies amid a hail of gunfire on Sept. 27, 2022. Her father, 45-year-old Anthony Graziano, was also fatally shot.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department released the audio and video clips, including a heavily produced and narrated 15-minute video, on Friday in response to public records requests made by The Associated Press and other media outlets. The deputies did not have body-worn cameras, but video footage was recorded by a sheriff’s helicopter and witness dashboard cameras.

Before Savannah and her father were shot, deputies pursued Graziano’s pickup truck for some 70 miles (110 kilometers), including along Highway 15. A helicopter crew following the chase reported shots fired from the driver’s side. Other shots were fired from the passenger’s side, according to a deputy and a passing motorist. It is unclear who was shooting from the pickup truck.

The truck and deputies’ vehicles came to a stop on the desert interstate east of Los Angeles in Hesperia, about 35 miles (55 kilometers) north of Fontana, where her father had shot and killed her mother — his estranged wife — a day earlier.

Savannah Graziano was just steps from safety when she was killed, the video shows.

A deputy, taking cover behind a sheriff’s SUV, repeatedly shouts to her, “Passenger, get out!” and “Come to me, come to me!”

Wearing tactical gear and a helmet, the teenager gets out of the pickup truck from the passenger side and runs toward the deputy, briefly crouching to the ground as he continues to give her commands.

But as she rises from her crouch and starts toward the deputy, others from a higher elevation open fire. The deputy screams: “Stop! Stop shooting her! He’s in the car! Stop!”

The deputy’s shouts were not broadcast over the radio, the sheriff’s department said, but the audio was captured by his belt recorder.

A deputy in the helicopter can be heard saying “Oh, no” over the radio after the teen was shot.

For months, officials would not say whether it was her father or the deputies who killed Savannah Graziano. In the new video, the narrator says the Grazianos “were struck by deputy rounds and died of their injuries.”

The agency has not released autopsy reports for the teenager, her father or her mother, Tracy Martinez, and it has not named the deputies involved. A spokesperson for the agency did respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

The department said four sheriff’s department vehicles were struck by gunfire during the pursuit, and deputies seized multiple firearms and hundreds of rounds from the pickup truck, as well as flash bangs, smoke grenades, body armor and tactical helmets.

Savannah Graziano was not armed when she was shot.

The state Department of Justice, which is investigating the shooting, referred media inquiries to their 2022 news release and declined further comment. State law requires the department to review any officer-involved shooting resulting in the death of an unarmed civilian.

Savannah Graziano witnessed her mother’s slaying from the backseat of her father’s pickup truck but did not move to help her, authorities said. Her father jumped out with a handgun and fired several times at Martinez near an elementary school during morning drop-off, forcing students and parents to dive for cover. Anthony Graziano also shot at a father and child near the school.

Anthony Graziano had moved out of the family’s home a month or two before the killing, as the couple went through a divorce, Fontana police have said. Savannah Graziano left with her father, while her younger brother stayed with their mother.

Anthony Graziano and his daughter had been living out of his pickup truck and hotels for weeks before the violence, police said at the time. There were no reports of domestic violence or child abuse.

Officials issued an Amber Alert for Savannah Graziano following the shooting in Fontana, though authorities later questioned whether she went with her father willingly. Friday’s video did not address that, only mentioning that an Amber Alert had been sent out.

The incident, which occurred on Mar. 30, was captured on the synagogue’s CCTV system. Footage showed Gomez illegally entering the property by jumping over a fence and forcing his was into the donation building and sheds.

He was then seen rummaging through bags of donated clothing before exiting and re-entering the premises to break into another detached building on the synagogue’s grounds.

North Miami Police responded to the Skylake Synagogue after being alerted of the burglary. A security officer was able to identify Gomez from the surveillance video. The security officer reportedly noticed Gomez was wearing the same clothing before and after the burglary.

Gomez was arrested on Monday in the vicinity of Northeast 19th Avenue and 183rd Street. He was transported to TGK Correctional Center for booking.

A judge has since set Gomez’s bond at $2,500 and issued a stern order prohibiting him from approaching Skylake Synagogue.

City of Miami Police said reports of the man near Northwest 29th Street and 13th Avenue came in around 7 a.m. on Wednesday.

According to police, the cellphone company called authorities when they found out a man was impersonating an employee.

Around 11 a.m., the man was brought down and interviewed by police.

“He apologized, and right now the negotiating team is talking to him,” said Miami Police Officer Michael Vega.

Detectives said the man, identified as 38-year-old Richard Smith, shut off the cell tower, causing an alarm to go off.

The sirens prompted a real T-Mobile worker to be dispatched to the transmitter and check on the situation. When the worker arrived, they found Smith who tried to convince the T-Mobile worker to climb with him.

“The T-Mobile worker gets on the scene and sees that where you turn on and off the power, it was shut of — so, this was manually done — and notices that there’s somebody on the tower,” added Vega. “He starts talking about God and [asks the worker], ‘Please, see the view with me.'”

Video footage captured Smith, wearing a vibrant red shirt, climbing the tower like a jungle gym level by level, as high up as 150 feet in the air, with a Bible tucked in his waistband.

“It’s crazy, like Spider-Man.” said onlooker Nima Zandy.

“He tampered with the equipment up there. He threw things down, he wasn’t listening to officers’ commands to come down,” said Vega.

At one point, he was seen unhooking clamps that connect power to the cell tower.

“Those gray boxes that you see up on the tower, they are actually very hot,” said Vega. “So he knows what he’s doing, because he’s avoiding touching those boxes.”

Officials said that some cellphone services may be affected by this incident. Authorities were forced to block off the nearby area as they investigated.

“He was saying that, ‘I’ve got a job to do, I’ve got to finish my job,'” said Vega.

Although he was seen throwing objects off the tower, Smith’s intentions remain unknown.

Crisis negotiators spent about four hours speaking with Smith.

Meanwhile, local business owners like Zandy, who works for Keto Kitchen | 2GO, were also affected.

“The delivery guy had to park all the way over there, and then we had to come with everything,” he said. “It was really complicated.”

When he came down, at around 11 a.m., Smith thanked the first responders there.

“Once he felt that his job was done, then he came down voluntarily, shook hands with the officers, with the firefighters there,” said Vega. “He thanked them all and cooperated 100% with us.”

T-Mobile released the following statement:

After our systems alerted us that there was a service issue at this site, which we and other providers lease from a vendor, our field technician responded, determined that there was an unauthorized entry, and called local authorities. We are grateful to the Miami Police Department and Miami Fire Rescue for their response and will continue to support their investigation. Fortunately, everyone is safe and overlapping coverage in the area will continue to ensure customers remain connected.

T-Mobile

After he came down, Smith was taken into custody to get checked out by paramedics.

He was charged with burglary of unoccupied structure and criminal mischief over $1,000.

On Monday, around 4:30 p.m., 74-year-old Desmond Yetman was last seen in the area of 2800 NW 68th Lane in Margate by his daughter, Natalie.

Yetman is described as a Black male who stands at 6 feet, 2 inches and weighs 130 pounds with a slim build. He is also bald and missing front teeth.

The elderly missing man was last seen wearing wearing blue jeans, and a multi-color blue sweater.

Police said Yetman meets the criteria for a missing endangered adult.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the Margate Police Department at 954-972-7111.

The edited video, posted on Hylton’s Instagram account on Tuesday, shows armored vehicles carrying federal investigators in tactical gear as they escort her sons out of Combs’ property during an investigation into sex trafficking allegations. The edited footage also showed firearms being pointed at Hylton’s sons as they were being detained.

“Did Justin need several laser beams from firearms pointed at his chest?? Did Christian need a gun pointed at the back of his head while he was handcuffed??” she wrote.

Hylton claimed excessive force was used when detaining her Justin and Christian.

“The over zealous and overtly militarized force used against my sons Justin and Christian is deplorable,” Hylton wrote. “If these were the sons of a non-Black celebrity, they would not have been handled with the same aggression.”

This incident happened last week at Combs’ Los Angeles residence.

Hylton announced she hired Jeffrey Lichtman, an attorney with a track record of representing high-profile clients who included cartel lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman and John Gotti Jr., to investigate the conduct of the federal agents involved.

As the investigation continues, Combs has not been charged with a crime and has denied any and all allegations against him.

The blaze, which erupted around 2:30 a.m. at the intersection of Southwest 50th Avenue and 34th Place, was brought under control by Davie Fire Rescue crews after several hours of firefighting efforts.

The salvage yard, known for housing a variety of industrial materials, vehicles and potentially hazardous chemicals, called for an abundance of caution from the fire department. Several fire trucks dispatched to the scene as a precaution against the risk of accelerants or chemicals that could cause more damageor explosions.

By approximately 5 a.m., the flames had been successfully extinguished, with firefighters wrapping up their operation. No one was injured in this blaze but three vehicles were damaged.

The cause of the fire is now under investigation.

The incident occurred early Wednesday morning near Strike 10 Bowling, located near the corner of Derby Lane and Silks Run.

“Caller advising her friend just got shot. Line disconnected,” said a dispatcher over Broadcastify police scanner. “She’s advising she shot her boyfriend.”

7News cameras captured crime scene tape and markers on the ground after officers responded to shots fired overnight.

According to Hallandale Police, the victim, a 37-year-old transgender male, was transported to Aventura Hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

“We’ve started CPR,” said a first responder over Broadcastify police scanner.

Dozens of investigators were at the scene taking photos of the scene and collecting evidence. A sports car and an SUV were also towed away from the scene at around 4 a.m.

Police said that the shooting was an isolated incident between two people who knew each other. Currently, police do not have a suspect in custody, but they are searching for a woman who pulled the trigger.

They are not considering the gender of the victim as a motive for the shooting.

If you have any information on this shooting or the subject’s whereabouts, call Hallandale Beach Police at 954-457-1400 or Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

“He was dragging me through the woods, like he was just he wasn’t gonna stop,” said DeLand Police Corporal Damon Clark.

The duo, trained in narcotics detection and search and rescue operations, sprang into action after the boy’s mother reported him missing. The entire ordeal lasted 45 minutes, which felt like an eternity for the worried parent and even Corporal Clark.

“He probably just got turned around and lost his way back,” Clark said.

Using a blanket belonging to the boy to pick up his scent, Midnight and Corporal Clark searched the woods. Eventually, they found the toddler unharmed, playing on his tablet in the trees.

This find marked Corporal Clark’s fifth time successfully locating a missing person.

“I don’t know how we got there but we got there,” recalled Clark.

Despite the accolades, Corporal Clark humbly credits Midnight for the day’s success.

“I was very relieved, and I know as a parent, I know how I would feel if that were my kid,” said Corporal Clark.

As a reward for his efforts, Midnight received a new toy, which he prefers over food and treats.

The incident occurred around 7:45 a.m. Tuesday along Sample Road and Northwest 110th Avenue as the child was heading to school. After the child was hit, they were airlifted to Broward Health Medical Center.

According to Coral Springs Fire Rescue, the child is in stable condition.

The driver stayed on the scene. It is unclear if any charges will be filed.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers and a certified alligator trapper responded to the scene to remove the reptile, but not before they snapped a picture for social media.

The alligator was safely removed and relocated.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials said that alligator mating season is fast approaching. This increased activity often leads to more frequent sightings.

The suspect was identified as 27-year-old Darnell Paul.

The incident began in the 2700 block of South State Road 7 around 11:52 p.m. when Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to reports of an armed robbery. The victim reported that a known individual carjacked her, leading to authorities to issue a Be-On-The-Lookout for the stolen vehicle and suspect.

Once officers found Paul, a pursuit began and extended into early Tuesday, involving both BSO and Miami-Dade Police officers. The chase led to a crash around 3 a.m. on the off-ramp of Interstate 95 at Miami Gardens Drive, where Paul barricaded himself.

“Detectives say through investigative methods, they were able to locate the vehicle and a pursuit ensued in both Broward and Miami-Dade counties,” said BSO’s Gerdy St. Louis.

Live video footage showed Paul as he was surrounded by law enforcement, including officers from the Special Response Team of the Miami-Dade Police Department.

7Skyforce captured the moments before he was arrested as a robot dog approached the vehicle to aid in the situation. Just before 9 a.m., the Special Response Team closed in on the car to open the driver-side door to arrest him as a sniper was spotted close by.

“This is one of the Miami-Dade Special Response teams. As they force the door and bring out a suspect here,” said 7Skyforce’ reporter Ralph Rayburn. “This is a gentlemen that may have been involved in a carjacking in West Park.”

As a result of this incident, all lanes of South I-95 were closed between Ives Dairy Road and the Golden Glades, creating a traffic nightmare for morning commuters, but they have since been reopened.

“Vehicle appears to have crashed into a tree. There was one person, that we know of, inside. That was the driver of the vehicle,” said Rayburn.

Warren, who works nearby, said he was affected by the incident.

“I had not seen that many police officers in a long time,” said Warren. “We were basically told that there was an armed suspect out on the street and they were trying to find him and we were basically shut out of all of our businesses until they could find whoever it was.”

Paul’s car was towed away.

Miami-Dade Police Department is the lead on this incident while Florida Highway Patrol troopers assisted with traffic.

Paul faces charges of armed carjacking, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and attempted murder in regards to BSO’s case.

MDPD have not disclosed any additional charges he may face.

According to BSO, Paul was previously arrested in Miramar after he barricaded himself on the balcony of a house and threatened to kill himself. He was released in March after the state declined to prosecute.

Detectives said Paul knew the owner of the vehicle he carjacked. Their relationship is unclear.

Paul remains behind bars at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

The numbers drawn were: 19, 24, 40, 42, 56 and the Powerball 23.

No one has won Powerball’s jackpot since New Year’s Day, a stretch of 39 drawings without anyone matching the game’s six numbers. If no one wins the jackpot Wednesday night, the game will match its record of 41 consecutive drawings on Saturday night.

The reason for the jackpot drought is simple: The odds of winning the top prize are miserable, at 1 in 292.2 million. It’s those odds that create the large jackpots that are designed to attract attention and drive up sales.

The $1.09 billion prize is for a sole winner who makes the rare decision to be paid over 30 years through an annuity. Nearly all winners instead take the cash option, which for Wednesday night would be an estimated $527.3 million.

Powerball is played in 45 states plus Washington, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The incident took place near Northeast 26th Street and Dixie Highway after a car collided with the building, leaving a large hole in the building’s wall and damaging multiple boat motors.

Investigations are underway to determine what caused the crash.

Authorities have yet to release if anyone was injured in this incident.

The incident, occurring just before 1 a.m. Monday, forced emergency crews to shut down the road as they cleaned up the scene. The Florida Highway Patrol has since reopened all the lanes.

Officials said the crash involved a 2019 blue Toyota Corolla sedan and a 2021 gray Hyundai Palisade SUV. The Toyota stopped on the express lanes due to the vehicle being disabled from an earlier crash.

As the 31-year-old male driver of the Hyundai drove northbound, he collided with the right side of the Toyota, propelling the blue vehicle into the 21-year-old driver who was standing nearby. The driver of the Hyundai continued to run her over before coming to a complete stop.

Pompano Beach Fire Rescue personnel pronounced the female driver dead at the scene. The driver of the SUV sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Video footage showed the two vehicles involved in the crash while one witness recalled what he saw.

“I saw like, a bunch of cars,” Ericsson Hernandez said. “There was one car on the furthest lane on the left side and I nearly hit it. Instead I ran over the debris on the floor and now I have a flat tire.”

It is unclear if the SUV driver will face any charges.

The Florida Highway Patrol said the investigation into the fatal crash remains ongoing and active.

Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.

Dubbed “Spider-Lamb” by adoring fans, this unique creature was rescued from a local farm near Biloxi by Natalie Renot, who noticed the lamb’s struggle and knew she had to help.

Renot said the lamb had maggots in his stomach when she rescued him from the farm and took him to the Fur Babies Veterinary Hospital.

On Monday, the Spider-Lamb has to undergo surgery for a hernia, but the medical team said he is already improving.

The following day, vets attending to Spider-Lamb said he is currently learning to navigate life on all five legs and doing fine.

Renot said she plans on keeping Spider-Lamb and is raising funds to help pay for his veterinary bills.

The sequence of events unfolded after a concerned parent alerted police to the possible presence of a firearm at the school. The tip led to a search of a student’s home where officers found not only a gun but also 74 grams of marijuana in the possession of two young boys, one of whom is the son of a deputy currently on administrative leave.

“It’s pretty scary to think 10-year-olds would have a gun. They don’t really understand,” said Ed Northam, a resident in the area.

“How do you explain to a parent, I’m sorry, you gave me your baby today to go to class and they’re dead now because a 10 year old got a gun. That’s, that’s not cool,” expressed Ed’s wife, Mary.

Ed and Mary have a 6-year-old daughter who goes to Country Oaks Elementary School and now, they’re considering transferring her.

“My very first thought is, you know, I was angry,” said Mary.

The two boys involved are now in custody, with one accused of selling the gun and the other of purchasing it for $300.

According to police reports, the exchange took place over a month ago at the school and involved a weapon that belonged to the child’s deceased father.

As Hendry County Sheriff Steve Whidden says, good behavior starts at home.

“Kids are kids; it’s up to the parents to instill in them that they can talk to them about whatever and know that they’re not going to get in trouble if they say anything,” stated Whidden.

Officials said there was never a threat to the school, but it’s still unclear how the boy got his hands on such a large amount of marijuana.

On Friday, three of the Skytrain’s four stations resumed service, enabling smoother transitions for travelers going through the concourse.

The Skytrain stopped its operations in September after inspections revealed cracks under the track. Repair crews have since made enough progress to resume trips for most of the mile-long track.

“I am thrilled that most of our Concourse D Skytrain will soon be operational again,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, who oversees MIA, in a news release. “Our unwavering commitment to passenger and employee safety prompted the temporary suspension of Skytrain services last September. With the impending reopening, travelers can expect seamless access to most Concourse D gates in just minutes.”

The repairs have reactivated stations 2, 3 and 4, covering gates D20 to D60. Station 1 will rejoin the network by the summer, costing a total of $4.2 million.

Since the closure of the Skytrain, American Airlines and MIA have offered golf-cart shuttles and bus rides for passengers who need to maneuver through the airport.

This Skytrain restoration comes amidst a broader airport modernization effort, with Miami-Dade County pouring a monumental $7 billion into capital improvements and $1.7 billion into maintenance upgrades.

The Modernization in Action Plan is set to revamp all 616 of MIA’s elevators, escalators and walkways, among other critical infrastructure updates. Already, strides have been made, with a focus on enhancing passenger boarding bridges and modernizing public restrooms.

Last month saw the launch of the “I AM MIA” campaign, an initiative toward enhancing customer service. This initiative deploys Lightning Crew teams throughout the terminal, tasked with quickly addressing maintenance needs and assisting passengers, further cementing MIA’s commitment to a premier travel experience.

As America’s primary gateway for international freight and a major hub for international passengers, particularly to Latin America and the Caribbean, MIA’s upgrades are vital to its continued role in supporting the economic vitality of Miami-Dade County and the state of Florida.

With an annual contribution of $31.9 billion in business revenue and attracting around 60% of Florida’s international visitors, the airport’s modernization efforts are crucial for sustaining its economic impact and improving the overall passenger experience.

As MIA gears up for a future of growth and enhanced service, the partial return of the Skytrain is a welcome development for travelers and a sign of more improvements to come.

The attack occurred while Barr was asleep in her home. She awoke to find her car significantly damaged and she initially suspected vandalism.

“I thought somebody had maybe taken a BB gun and shot my car,” Barr recounted.

The true culprits were revealed only after the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office reviewed security footage from Barr’s property. The video showed a neighbor’s cat jumping behind the engine of Barr’s car, shortly before two dogs began their attack on the vehicle to reach the feline. She believes the cat would not have survived had the dogs managed to reach her.

“There’s no doubt in my mind had they gotten that cat, she wouldn’t be here today,” Barr said.

The incident has left the neighborhood in shock, with many residents unable to believe dogs caused the damage until they saw the footage for themselves.

“If they can do that to metal on a car, they could tear a human being up,” said Barr.

The ownership of the dogs remains unknown, and despite Barr’s request for intervention, Animal Care and Protective Services have yet to respond.

Barr has a message for the pet owners: “You need to take care of them. Don’t let them be out running the streets during the middle of the night.”

Video footage showed the police cruiser approaching a stop sign, but instead of halting, it proceeded to turn right, directly into the path of Jake Perrin’s Toyota Corolla. Then the officer flips his lights and sirens on as if he’s heading to an emergency.

Perrin recounted the moments in an interview.

“It just felt like a push, a push forward, a pretty hard impact,” he said. “He hit me and then he pulled around me abruptly, rushed down the road, put his lights on, drove very fast up towards Martin Luther King and turned down the road and never saw him come back.”

The incident, which occurred on March 9, has raised questions about the conduct of the officer involved and whether department protocols were followed.

According to department policy, employees driving city vehicles are supposed to stop if they are involved in a crash, except in cases of emergencies.

Perrin called the police non-emergency line right after the crash to report it. When officers responded, he said they told him the officer was trying to get to an officer-involved shooting that night. A department spokesperson later said they did not have a report of an officer-involved shooting that night.

“I thought it was very unfortunate and very shocking to me,” said Perrin. “I’m a big supporter of the police so it was very sad and shocking to see that.”

While the damage is relatively minor, Perrin said he’s mostly just disappointed an officer wouldn’t stop to check to make sure everyone was OK.

“I would just like to, maybe see the officer held accountable somehow,” he said.

An internal investigation is underway. Perrin said his insurance company is working with the Tampa Police Department to fix his car.

The 26-word amendment, “No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider,” could reshape Florida’s abortin landscape if approved by voters in November.

“The language of the amendment is clear,” said one activist.

Advocates argue that these words are crystal clear and offer necessary protection for reproductive rights within the state. However, proponents like Republican State Attorney General Ashley Moody and pro-life activists say the amendment is vague and expansive.

“There is nothing misleading. Opponents have identified nothing misleading,” said Moody.

They contend that the wording violates the single-subject rule and could have far-reaching consequences, effectively rolling back existing restrictions on abortions in Florida.

“This amendment should not be approved because it violates the single-subject rule,” argued Mat Staver. “Four words doom it—’no law shall restrict.’ That is breathtakingly broad.”

If passed, the measure would extend the timeframe for legal abortions in Florida from 15 weeks to approximately 24 weeks, aligning with the point of fetal viability outside the womb. Additionally, it would block a stricter 6-week ban that has yet to be implemented.

Following oral arguments in February, during which the justices raised probing questions, both sides are anxiously awaiting the court’s decision. With five of the justices appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis, the outcome remains uncertain.

“If you’re right and that’s clear on the face of the proposal, what are we to do about it?” asked John Daniel Couriel, Justice of the Florida Supreme Court.

“Strike it down and not allow it because that cannot go on the ballot,” responded Staver.

“People of Florida aren’t stupid,” said Chief Justice Carlos G. Muñiz. “They can figure this out.”

Activists on both sides are now left eagerly awaiting the court’s ruling to discern whether Florida voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on the matter.

“Those who want unrestricted abortion want to eliminate one side of the debate,” said one protester.

“This amendment literally throws women into the back alleys of abortion because it de-regulates abortion,” said Staver during a protest.

The Florida Supreme Court said they will have their decision before April 1.

The numbers selected were: 37, 46, 57, 60, 66 and the Powerball 8.

The drawing came a day after a player in New Jersey won a $1.13 billion Mega Millions prize after 30 straight drawings without a winner.

The Powerball jackpot has been growing for months, since the last winner on New Year’s Day. There now have been 37 consecutive drawings without anyone hitting the top prize.

The game’s odds of 1 in 292.2 million are designed to create big jackpots that will grab attention and increase sales.

The $935 million prize for the next drawing Saturday night is for a sole winner who is paid over 30 years through an annuity. Winners usually opt for a cash payout, which for the next drawing would be an estimated $449.7 million.

Powerball is played in 45 states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The early Thursday morning collision, which occurred just north of Atlantic Boulevard, left both vehicles involved in a mangled mess, with one vehicle split in half and the other overturned.

7Skyforce was overhead as rescue crews were trying to recover a body inside the white car.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver of a white Acura TSX was parked on the outside shoulder of the lanes when a yellow Jeep Wrangler SUV was improperly driving on the shoulder. The 31-year-old driver of the Jeep failed to stop or slow down before hitting the white sedan, causing the collision.

Officials confirmed a 30-year-old woman from Panama City Beach died at the scene.

As a result of the crash, authorities had to block off a section of East Atlantic Boulevard due to a diesel fuel spill from an 18-wheeler towing an Amazon trailer, causing more delays for drivers attempting to navigate away from the Turnpike.

All northbound lanes of the Florida Turnpike leading up to Atlantic Boulevard were also sealed off, which brought traffic to a standstill. The closure also caused the Turnpike’s Pompano Beach Service Plaza to be shut down.

The roadways have since reopened.

The identities of both the victim and the driver of the Jeep have not yet been released.