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‘God will help us through this,’ pastor says after church fire

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

FLORENCE TOWNSHIP, New Jersey (KYW) — A massive eight-alarm fire was under control Tuesday morning after it damaged a South Jersey church and threatened a nearby school Monday night.Firefighters were still getting to some remaining hotspots, and the remnants of the church were still smoking Tuesday morning.Just after 6 p.m., hundreds of firefighters were at the Fountain of Life Center in Florence Township, New Jersey. The church is located at 2035 Columbus Rd.“It’s a devastating loss,” Russell Hodgins, a senior pastor at the Fountain of Life Center, said.More than 100 emergency teams from five counties across New Jersey battled raging flames and heavy smoke that consumed the church.“The sanctuary’s just been completely burned,” Hodgins said. “The roof collapsing is a pretty embedded image in my mind.”Flames engulfed the entire front part of the church. Hodgins said a dome and cross on top of the roof collapsed into the sanctuary....

Cameraman left paralyzed during shooting outside The Licking in Miami Gardens files lawsuit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

A man who was left paralyzed after a shooting broke out at a South Florida restaurant has filed a lawsuit.The victim, Carlos Wilkerson, is suing Karim Kharbouch, rapper French Montana and popular restaurant Miami Finga Licking.This incident happened on Jan. 5 in Miami Gardens, where French Montana was filming a music video at the restaurant. An unknown gunman appeared outside the restaurant and opened fire at the crowd. Ten people were shot. Wilkerson, a cameraman, was caught in the crossfire. According to police, French Montana failed to get the necessary permits required by the City of Miami Gardens, and organizers of the music video did not follow the proper protocol with the city that would have provided them police protection.Wilkerson retained South Florida attorneys Marwan Porter, Esq. and Yolanda Strader, Esq. to seek justice and accountability for the victims who were injured.

Man plans to paddle 80 miles from Bimini to Florida to raise awareness for cystic fibrosis

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

SARASOTA, Florida (WFTS) — A Sarasota County man prepares to paddle from the Bahamas to Florida to raise money for an organization that helps people living with cystic fibrosis.Robert Martini is a lifeguard on Siesta Key. In his free time, he looks for his next challenge.“As a water man, I’ve done the Molokai to Oahu prone 32 miles and I’ve also done the Catalina Classic from Catalina Island to Manhattan Beach prone as well that’s also 32 miles. I just needed something to challenge myself mentally and physically,” said Martini.In June, Martini and about 200 other paddlers are participating in The Crossing For Cystic Fibrosis, a long-distance endurance paddle challenge. Paddlers will travel about 80 miles across the Gulf Stream from Bimini in the Bahamas back to Florida’s Lake Worth Beach. The event was inspired by the health benefits of the ocean for those living with cystic fibrosis.Martini has raised more than $2,000 for cystic fibrosis. The event sup...

Authorities seek information on homicide of NW Miami-Dade resident

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

On March 7, Dory Veldine Pierre was critically injured in the area of Northwest 123rd Street and Northwest 21st Place. The authorities are now seeking information from the public to help solve the case.The 21-year-old, a resident of the area, was taken to Ryder Trauma Center where she succumbed to her injuries one week later. The Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) has launched an investigation into the incident and is asking anyone with information to come forward.Dory Veldine PierreAnyone with information relating to the case is being asked to contact MDPD Detective P. Klimick at 305-471-2400. If you wish to remain anonymous, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

Engine standoff deepens as Brussels refuses to reopen green car deal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

BRUSSELS — The European Commission will only go so far to please Germany and Italy in their battle to save the combustion engine from the clutches of an EU ban.The Commission has rebuffed the German government’s ask to reopen draft legislation mandating a zero emission sales-only policy for cars and vans from 2035 — agreed by the Parliament and EU countries last year — to make room for synthetic e-fuels.Instead, it agreed to Berlin’s request to make tweaks to separate, existing legislation known as Euro 6 setting out a classification for vehicles running exclusively “carbon neutral fuels” such as e-fuels, according to a draft proposal sent by the Commission to the German government and obtained by POLITICO. However, simply expanding the Euro 6 legislation does not provide a way of actually selling cars running on e-fuels, or other such renewable fuels, after 2035 since they still emit CO2 from the tailpipe. The Commission has ruled out reopening the...

Crews battle fire at home in Holbrook

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

Crews battled a fire at a home on Union Street in Holbrook on Tuesday.Crews from multiple communities responded to the scene of the two and a half-story home around 10:30 a.m. The fire is under control as of 12 p.m. and firefighters remain on scene to monitor hot spots. A witness told 7NEWS he was coming home from a nearby Walgreens when he saw a couple people come out of the apartment in distress. He also heard a a woman scream, “Fire!” and that she couldn’t find her cat. “It billowed into a bunch of smoke and all of a sudden the windows ruptured and it was engulfed in flames,” he said. 7NEWS spoke with the woman who is concerned she lost her pet cat.“Everything happened so fast,” she said. “The cops pulled me out of my house and it just started in flames,”“I kind of went into action and tried to pull [my cat] out from underneath the bed, but the cops wouldn’t let me,” the woman added. “I had to leave....

Dont’a Hightower retires from NFL after decade with Patriots

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Dont’a Hightower is making a quiet exit to a memorable career with the New England Patriots.The veteran linebacker, who did not play last season, announced his retirement Tuesday in an essay posted on the Players’ Tribune website.It ends a decade-long run in New England that began with the Patriots selecting him 25th overall in the 2012 draft. It included three Super Bowl rings (2014, 2016, 2018) and a pair of Pro Bowl selections (2016, 2019). He also was named a second-team All-Pro in 2016.Hightower called his decision “a happy day.”“People always ask what makes the Patriots culture so different. Easy answer: it was about professionalism, period. You knew that you had to show up every single day — not just physically but more so mentally,” he wrote. “We had a saying, ‘If you do it right, you do it light.’ Being good was expected. Being great might even get you a thumbs up from (coach) Bill (Belichick). Luckily, I knew a thing or ...

Mount Auburn Hospital shuttle bus crashes into home in Cambridge

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

A Mount Auburn Hospital shuttle bus crashed through a fence and into home in Cambridge Tuesday morning. The Cambridge Police Department says the crash happened just after 8 a.m. right across the street from the hospital. Police say there were no passengers on the bus. The operator was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Investigators say they believe the driver may have had a medical emergency behind the wheel. No additional information has been released. This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

No longer ‘gun shy,’ Willie Calhoun makes his case for the Yankees’ roster

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

TAMPA — After a few injury-plagued and unproductive seasons, Willie Calhoun knew he needed to hit the ground running this spring.The Yankees’ non-roster invitee typically gets off to a slow start in camp, but that wasn’t an option if he wanted to make the Bombers’ Opening Day lineup. So Calhoun began his offseason swinging program a month earlier than usual this past winter.“I kind of wanted to just get back to my old self,” the corner outfielder told The Daily News. “I was banged up a lot the last three years, and it was my first offseason where I could really focus on being healthy and making sure that I put myself in a good position offensively to get back to where I want to be. Because I know I can provide a lot of value.”Calhoun has flexed some of that value over 38 plate appearances this spring, taking a .344 average, .947 OPS, two doubles, one home run, three RBI and six walks into Monday’s off day. Per Baseball Reference&...

Lonzo Ball undergoes rare cartilage transplant in his left knee — beginning another recovery process for the Chicago Bulls guard

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball underwent a cartilage transplant in his left knee Monday, a rare procedure that could decide the fate of his return to the court.This was the third surgery on Ball’s left knee in the last 14 months. Uncertainty has shrouded every step of Ball’s recovery since the injury occurred in January 2022, but this procedure throws Ball’s future into completely unprecedented territory.Cartilage transplants are rare in professional sports. The procedure is relatively new, designed as a step down from a full knee replacement to maintain the integrity of the knee joint. No NBA player has undergone a cartilage transplant and returned to the court.Coach Billy Donovan said Ball’s doctors were optimistic after the procedure Monday. But with no clear timetable or standard of success to look toward, the Bulls don’t know what to expect from the next stage of Ball’s recovery.“There’s nothing that’s out there that s...