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South Florida woman starts nonprofit that renovates bedrooms of children with autism into sensory-safe, calming environments

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:47 GMT

For children with autism, life can be full of over-stimulation and frightening situations. 7’s Karen Hensel shines the spotlight on an organization dedicated to giving them safe spaces right in their own homes.It may look like this is the work of an interior designer.Tehila Hecht, CEO of Safe Sensory Room: “We’ve made nice recessed lighting that, they can change colors and make it red, blue.”But Tehila Hecht is actually a physical therapist.. She creates safe spaces for special needs children.The idea came to her after treating a child with autism who was having a tantrum.Tehila Hecht: “So I sat him on my lap, tried to calm him down, and he flung into me, and I blacked out for a moment. And I kept thinking, ‘Oh, I wish the therapy room would be padded.'”Tehila also thought many parents would like the same thing, so she came up with the Safe Sensory Room Foundation.It’s an organization that provides free sensory rooms for families of ch...

Pilot of plane that crashed at Martha’s Vineyard airport has died

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:47 GMT

The pilot whose single-engine plane crash landed at the airport on Martha’s Vineyard over the weekend has died, the DA’s office announced Friday.Randolph Bonnist, 79, died Thursday at the hospital after suffering from a medical emergency while piloting a plane on Saturday. His wife Robin Bonnist the only other occupant, was forced to take over the controls and land the plane on its belly with no landing gear.Robin was uninjured, and Randolph was transported to Boston Medical Center. The Cape & Islands DA’s office said no foul play is suspected, and representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash.

Police seek public’s help after dogs found abandoned, tied to fence in Chelsea

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:47 GMT

Police in Chelsea asked for the public’s help Friday after two dogs were left tied to a fence in the area of Broadway and Crescent Avenue. Police said officers were sent to the area on Thursday. The dogs were later given water before being taken to a secure facility. “Both dogs appeared to be in good health and somewhat apprehensive to be around unknown people but never displayed any aggression,” police said.Police said the dogs appear to be a pitbull breed.Chelsea police have asked anyone with information to contact the city’s animal control officer at 617-466-4800.The animal control officer was following up on the situation on Friday as police hope to find the person or people who left the dogs behind.“Should we locate anyone that we feel purposely abandoned these dogs subjecting them to potential harm, we will of course charge them accordingly,” police said.Speaking with 7NEWS, Police Captain David Betz said there are better options for people struggling to care for the...

Frontier Airlines faces class-action lawsuit alleging ‘hidden’ baggage fees, false advertising

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:47 GMT

Lauren Penington | The Denver PostFrontier Airlines markets itself as having the lowest fares, but a new class-action lawsuit alleges the Denver-based carrier makes up the difference with hidden, inflated fees.Florida resident Amira Hamad filed the 21-page lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in late June, seeking a refund of the fees and $100 million in punitive damages for herself and others.A spokesperson for Frontier said the airline doesn’t comment on pending litigation.Hamad said in the lawsuit that she booked a round-trip flight with Frontier after seeing an “attractive” price online and reading on the company’s website that passengers are allowed one free personal item no larger than 14 inches tall, 18 inches wide and 8 inches deep.According to the lawsuit, when Hamad arrived at her gate, Frontier’s bag sizer was smaller than the dimensions advertised on the website. When her bag wouldn’t fit into the allegedly shrunken bag sizer, the airline cha...

Amazon to set up $120 million Space Coast shop in competition with SpaceX’s Starlink

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:47 GMT

Richard Tribou | Orlando SentinelMERRITT ISLAND, Florida — Amazon and Jeff Bezos have big plans to launch thousands of satellites from the Space Coast in an effort to play catchup and compete with Elon Musk and SpaceX’s Starlink service. To speed up the process, it’s going to build a $120 million facility to prep those satellites just miles from the launch pad.The company announced it has agreed to expand into Florida with its Project Kuiper, the name for its future broadband satellite network, by setting up a 100,000-square-foot processing facility at a nearly 80-acre site at the former Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center.The deal brokered by Space Florida, the state’s aerospace economic development agency, promises as many as 50 jobs with an average salary of $80,000 as well as 300 jobs during construction.It marks the first major commercial foray into what’s now called the Launch and Landing Facility, which is managed by Space Florida under a 30-year property agreeme...

Accused shooter Patrick Mendoza was arrested at Falmouth rehab center

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:47 GMT

Patrick Mendoza, the restaurant owner accused of shooting at a man in front of a popular North End bakery last week and then pedaling away on a bicycle, was arrested at a rehab center in Falmouth and then brought to Boston.Police arrested Mendoza, 54, Friday — more than a week after the July 12 North End shooting. The arrest report confirms that the Boston Police Fugitive Unit, assisted by the Falmouth PD, arrested him at an address matching the Gosnold Treatment Center, which describes its work as “end-to-end continuum of care for behavioral health and substance use disorders through a wide range of comprehensive treatment options.” The clinic is located in a beautiful building adjacent to the Beebe Woods and not that far from Hamlin Point on the coast.“Gosnold Treatment Center was legally prohibited to disclose that Patrick Mendoza was a patient in its care in accordance with federal regulations. Gosnold is grateful that this situation was resolved without incide...

Liam Andrews picks Penn State

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:47 GMT

BROOKLINE — As a small crowd congregated outside the Kraft Fieldhouse and Fusco Arena Friday, Liam Andrews felt a unique excitement. Maybe even some nerves.The Dexter Southfield football star was set to make his highly-anticipated college commitment. When the doors opened, a swath of his fellow teammates and friends approached, waiting with bated breath.After narrowing his long list of options to three schools, the four-star lineman chose Penn State.“It feels incredible,” Andrews said. “Like I mentioned about 50 times, this is a dream come true for me. Ever since I started playing football, it’s been my dream to play at the highest of levels. So, I’m shooting for the NFL, but the first stop is college ball. So, it’s a dream come true for me.”The commitment ends a long recruiting process that dates to Andrews’ sophomore year. Shortly after his transfer from Bishop Fenwick, Casey Day and his coaches at Dexter Southfield recognized they had a special talent. So did a few college scouts...

Activists and volunteers find four bodies in Tijuana clandestine grave site

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:47 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A group of volunteers and activists dedicated to finding the remains of missing persons discovered four bodies Thursday afternoon in an area east of downtown Tijuana.The group -- called Movement on Behalf of the Missing in Baja California -- said an anonymous tip led them to the site.They found the four bodies in the yard of an abandoned home on the side of a canyon, and they believe others are buried there too. Mexico urged to do more to stop fentanyl from crossing U.S. border Paula Sandoval, one of the activists, said the police and state investigators do little in terms of trying to locate missing people, especially long after they have disappeared.Sandoval added, authorities offer almost no assistance even after bodies have been found."There's more bodies here and we try to do our best, but sometimes the calendar is against us and we run out of time to look," said Sandoval. "For example, this area is dangerous and not safe, police don't provide us with any support...

City announces full closure of Dufferin Street Bridge for emergency repairs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:47 GMT

The City of Toronto has announced the full emergency closure of the Dufferin Street Bridge.The southbound lanes of the bridge over the Gardiner Expressway have been closed since July 12 for repairs, but the City announced on Friday that the northbound lanes will also be closed to vehicles after additional damage was discovered.The City says the pedestrian sidewalk will remain open and cyclists can still dismount and walk across.The emergency closure, which stretches from Springhurst Avenue to Saskatchewan Road, is necessary to “ensure public safety” and repair the damage, the City said.“The City of Toronto will be updating the variable message signs, adjusting traffic signals in the area and deploying Paid Duty Officers if necessary to manage traffic,” a release states.Repairs to the bridge are slated to take up to two months.

Man who ambushed Fargo officers likely had bigger and bloodier attack in mind, attorney general says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:47 GMT

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — The heavily armed man who ambushed Fargo police officers investigating a fender bender last week likely had a bigger and bloodier attack in mind, with at least two fairs taking place at the time in and around North Dakota’s largest city, authorities said Friday.Mohamad Barakat killed one officer and wounded two others and a bystander before a fourth officer shot and killed him, ending the July 14 attack.Over the past five years, Barakat, 37, searched the internet for terms including “kill fast,” “explosive ammo,” “incendiary rounds,” and “mass shooting events,” state Attorney General Drew Wrigley said Friday during a news conference in Fargo, a city of about 125,000 people. But perhaps the most chilling search was for “area events where there are crowds,” which on July 13 brought up a news article with the headline, ”Thousands enjoy first day of Downtown Fargo Street Fair.”Had Officer Zach Robinson not killed Barakat, authorities said they shudder to t...