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Hurricane season that saw storms from California to Nova Scotia ends Thursday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 21:12:32 GMT

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A busy hurricane season that saw the National Hurricane Center in Miami issue the first ever tropical storm warning for the coast of California and hurricane warnings as far north as Nova Scotia is coming to a close Thursday night.The Atlantic basin had 20 named storms with seven hurricanes, three of which became major hurricanes at a Category 3 or higher.“Every hurricane season is different in terms of impacts and in terms of the types of storms and the areas they affect,” said Michael Brennan, director of the hurricane center. “But the 2023 hurricane season does show that we can get impacts just about everywhere. We had a tropical storm affect Southern California, Hurricane Idalia make landfall as a major hurricane along the Florida Gulf Coast, and we had Ophelia affect the U.S East Coast all the way up to New England, and we also had effects all the way up in the Northeast with Hurricane Lee making landfall in Nova Scotia.”There were also multip...

Driver suffers serious facial injuries after piece of metal flies through windshield in Weston

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 21:12:32 GMT

Authorities say a piece of metal smashed through a driver’s windshield in Weston on Thursday, leaving a driver with serious injuries.According to police, three women were traveling in an SUV around 1 p.m. on Route 20 when the 12-pound, steel object flew into the vehicle’s windshield and struck the operator.Authorities told 7NEWS it appeared the piece of metal may have fallen off of a truck before it was run over by another driver, sending it into the air before it struck the SUV.Weston police said the initial driver pulled over with a flat tire after hitting the object.“He hit this piece of metal in the roadway – he knew he hit something and it appears that that piece of metal then flew in the air for a period of time, went through the windshield of the second vehicle, striking the operator,” said Weston Police Chief Denis Linehan. “She has a serious injury, but it doesn’t appear [to be] life-threatening”The two other people inside the...

Woman taken to hospital after stabbing in Hyde Park

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 21:12:32 GMT

A woman was taken to an area hospital Thursday after a stabbing in Hyde Park, police said. The stabbing happened on Myopia Road. Boston police confirmed a woman was injured, describing her injuries as non-life-threatening. No further information was immediately available. This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

21-year-old Spencer man faces charges after allegedly stealing ambulance, leading police on chase 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 21:12:32 GMT

A 21-year-old Spencer man was expected to be arraigned in court Thursday after authorities said he allegedly stole an ambulance from Heywood Hospital in Gardner and led police on a chase Wednesday night. The incident happened Wednesday night. Harrison Barjolo was taken into custody after driving back to Heywood Hospital, according to police, and was inside Gardner District Court as of around 4 p.m. Thursday. Previously speaking with reporters, Barjolo’s father said his son is a student at Franklin Pierce University. Harrison Barjolo, Sr. said his son studies IT and plays football for the college. Over the last few days, Harrison said, his son started making delusional statements, prompting his parents to take him to the hospital for a mental health evaluation. Gardner police in a previous statement said Harrison Barjolo reportedly stole the ambulance while he was at the hospital and drove away with it, triggering a pursuit after failing to stop for responding officers...

Israeli military confirms release of six more Israeli hostages from captivity in Gaza Strip

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 21:12:32 GMT

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas freed eight Israeli hostages Thursday in exchange for the release of more Palestinian prisoners under a last-minute deal to extend their cease-fire in Gaza by another day. But any further renewal of the truce, now in its seventh day, could prove more daunting since Hamas is expected to set a higher price for many of the remaining hostages.Hamas freed two Israeli women Thursday afternoon, and in the evening six more hostages were handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza and were being brought to Israel, the Israeli military said.At least 10 Israelis a day, along with other nationals, have been released during the truce, in return for Israel’s release of at least 30 Palestinian prisoners.Israel was to free 30 Palestinian prisoners later in the evening under the deal.International pressure has mounted for the truce to continue as long as possible after weeks of Israeli bombardment and a ground campaign following Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 att...

Many Mass. fresh-cut Christmas tree farms already sold out this year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 21:12:32 GMT

If you were thinking of waiting to decorate for the holidays, you might want to reconsider. Many local farms across the stats say they are selling out of fresh cut Christmas trees. At White Gate Farm in West Newbury, owner Pat Kelly told 7NEWS all of the 18-acre farm’s 600 trees were gone in just the first two days of operation this season.Elsewhere, the Massachusetts Christmas Tree Association on Tuesday said more than a dozen farms in the state had also already sold out of trees this season.“It’s just another normal year,” said Dave Morin of the Massachusetts Christmas Tree Association.“We can’t grow them as fast as people want them,” Morin said. “Also, the word is finally getting out that no tree is fresher than the one you watch being cut right in front of you.”At White Gate Farm, Kelly said the past three years “have been really kind of difficult” due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “You couldn’t handle the place the way it used to be and we just sold so many more tree...

Worcester police arrest man who allegedly tried to break into home and got fended off by resident armed with broom

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 21:12:32 GMT

Police in Worcester say a 32-year-old man from Fitchburg was taken into custody after he allegedly tried to break into a woman’s residence.The Worcester Police Department said Oniz Janniere was arrested after officers responded to Gibbs Street early Wednesday morning for a reported break-in in progress.Responding just before 3 a.m., the department said officers arrived to find a woman yelling from a window, stating “He’s trying to get inside!”Police then came in contact with Janniere, who officers detained as they started to investigate.“Officers determined that Mr. Janniere had been trying to enter the residence of a stranger,” Worcester PD stated in a news release. “A resident opened the door and saw him trying to enter, and she pushed him back with a broom stick and told him to leave.”Authorities said that after the resident locked the door, Janniere allegedly continued to try to enter the residence before police arrived.Searching t...

Facebook parent Meta sues the FTC claiming ‘unconstitutional authority’ in child privacy case

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 21:12:32 GMT

MENLO PARK, Calif. (AP) — The parent company of Instagram and Facebook has sued the Federal Trade Commission in an attempt to stop the agency from reopening a 2020 privacy settlement with the company that would prohibit it from profiting from data it collects on users under 18. In a lawsuit filed late Wednesday in federal court in Washington, D.C., Meta Platforms Inc. said it is challenging “the structurally unconstitutional authority exercised by the FTC” in reopening the privacy agreement. “Meta respectfully requests that this Court declare that certain fundamental aspects of the Commission’s structure violate the U.S. Constitution, and that these violations render unlawful the FTC Proceeding against Meta,” the company says in its complaint. The dispute stems from a 2020 consent agreement Meta made with the FTC that also had the social media giant pay a record $5 billion fine over privacy violations. In May of this year, the FTC said Meta has fa...

Tesla delivers about a dozen stainless steel Cybertruck pickups as it tries to fix production woes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 21:12:32 GMT

By TOM KRISHER (AP Auto Writer)DETROIT (AP) — With manufacturing kinks still to be worked out, Tesla delivered the first dozen or so of its futuristic Cybertruck pickups to customers Thursday, two years behind the original schedule amid uncertainty over when large-scale production will begin.CEO Elon Musk showed off the angular electric trucks with an event at the company’s factory outside of Austin, Texas, that was broadcast on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter that he bought last year.The ceremony started with Musk driving the truck on a stage in darkness and hopping into the bed to talk about it.“It’s the most unique thing on the road,” he said. “Finally the future will look like the future.”The truck is aimed at the most profitable part of the U.S. auto market that’s now controlled mainly by Ford, General Motors and Ram truck maker Stellantis. But since Musk unveiled it four years ago, all three Detroit automak...

Entertainment consultant targeted by shooter who had been stalking his friend, prosecutors say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 21:12:32 GMT

By STEFANIE DAZIO (Associated Press)LOS ANGELES (AP) — A high-profile entertainment marketing consultant was targeted by a woman who had been stalking one of his friends before she fatally shot him after her forcing her way inside his Los Angeles home, prosecutors said Thursday.This week’s slaying of Michael Latt sent shockwaves through Hollywood as the suspect faces charges of murder and burglary. Latt, 33, had worked on projects with filmmakers including Ryan Coogler and Ava DuVernay, as well as rap artist Common.He was pronounced dead Monday in the hospital. Prosecutors allege that Jameelah Elena Michl, 36, knocked on his home’s door and forced herself inside once it was open. She had sought out Latt’s home “after she targeted him for being friends with a woman she had been stalking,” the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release Thursday. She allegedly fired at him with a semi-automatic handgun.Authorities have...