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Voters to decide on Miami Beach mayor in runoff election

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

After two Miami Beach mayoral candidates didn’t reach the threshold to take the city’s top job, a runoff election on Tuesday will cement a winner.In Tuesday’s runoff election, former Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Gongora, is ready to re-enter local government, while Miami Beach Commissioner Steven Meiner looks to step up into the role of mayor.“I’ve been so focused on resident’s quality of life, law and order being number one,” Meiner said. “Limiting over development. Trying to mitigate our traffic.”“I wanna re-brand out city as one of arts and culture, I wanna make sure we have the police presence we need and we will keep Miami Beach safe,” Gongora said.The seat opened up after current mayor Dan Gelber reached his term limit.On Nov. 7’s off year election, only 242 votes separated the two candidates who have a number of endorsements each. They are trying to set themselves apart.“I am hopeful when we in...

Former pediatrician from Norwell arraigned in sexual assault case

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

A former pediatrician from Norwell faced a judge Monday as he faces accusations that he sexually assaulted two young patients decades ago. Prosecutors said many more people have since come forward, saying they were also victims. Approached after his court appearance, Dr. Richard Kauff would not comment on the felony sexual assault charges against him. Kauff, 68, was not arrested when charges were filed. As a result, he walked into court for his arraignment where a prosecutor said at least two dozen girls or women have now said they were victimized. “Since the first two alleged adult victims came forward, 22 more patients of this doctor have come forward, two of which are juveniles,” said prosecutor Jeremy Kusmin.As Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz listened, his prosecutor detailed allegations from two women who said Kauff molested them during annual checkups as far back as 1990.“Both victim one and victim two indicated there were times their parents were...

Dogs quarantined after Lynn police investigate case of loose Pitbulls attacking pedestrian on bike path

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

Police in Lynn say two dogs suspected of attacking a 68-year-old man on a bike path have been found and were quarantined following an investigation.The Lynn Police Department said the dogs were located after the attack happened on Sunday, Nov. 12, near 70 Cottage St around 7 p.m.According to authorities, after receiving a report of a disturbance, arriving officers came across the victim and found he had suffered “significant facial injuries.” The 68-year-old told police he had been attacked by two loose Pitbull dogs while he was walking on the bike path.Police went on to launch an investigation and eventually located two dogs suspected of being behind the attack.In an update on Monday, Lynn PD told 7NEWS the canines were “being held in quarantine pending further investigation.”No details on who may have owned the dogs or whether they faced any charges were released.

Family of man shot and killed by police in Lexington files wrongful death lawsuit

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

The family of a man who was shot and killed by police in Lexington last year is now filing a lawsuit in connection with the incident. Michael Heineman of the law firm HBMH Law said the firm filed a wrongful death suit on behalf of the family on Monday against multiple parties linked to the shooting. The suit, in turn, comes a matter of days after officials announced a judge ruled the shooting of 37-year-old Brendan Reilly was justified.“Until now, we have abstained from making public comments about Brendan’s tragic loss of life with the hope that we would receive answers through a moral and accurate Inquest process,” Reilly’s family said in a statement. “We attended all court dates for the Inquest proceedings,” the family continued. “Unfortunately, the Inquest did not adequately provide all answers to what happened to Brendan. The shooting happened on Feb. 12, 2022. In his report, Judge Michael Brennan said police had been responding to an incident when Reilly alleged...

Chicago Bears offensive guard Cody Whitehair sells Vernon Hills home for $625,000

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

Chicago Bears offensive guard Cody Whitehair and his wife, Hannah, in April sold their four-bedroom, 2,896-square-foot house in Vernon Hills for $625,000.Whitehair, 31, has been with the Bears since 2016 and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2018.Whitehair paid $545,000 in 2020 to buy the house from then-teammate Leonard Floyd, who had paid $452,500 for the house just two years earlier.Now, Whitehair has sold the house, which is in the Gregg’s Landing master planned development. Built in 2000, the home has 2 ½ bathrooms, all-new hardwood floors and a two-story family room with a floor-to-ceiling stacked stone fireplace with a beam mantel. The kitchen has white cabinetry, quartz countertops, a marble backsplash, stainless steel appliances and sliding glass doors to a deck.Other features include a full finished basement with a recreation room and a theater room, and a first-floor primary bedroom suite with vaulted ceilings, double sinks with quartz countertops, a whirlpool tub a...

OSHA proposes $300K fine after plant explosion 

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has found an explosion that killed one worker at a pharmaceutical chemical plant in Massachusetts could have been prevented, and proposed nearly $300,000 in penalties.The May explosion at the Seqens plant in Newburyport, killed Jack O’Keefe, 62, of Methuen. Video showed most of the roof torn off a building.Results of the OSHA investigation announced Thursday found Seqens and its subsidiary PolyCarbon Industries Inc. “lacked safeguards” in the chemical-making process. The investigation found numerous deficiencies in the facility’s safety management program for highly hazardous chemicals. It also found the company did not determine the combustibility hazards of materials used in the production of the chemical Dekon 139 and did not include safe upper and lower temperature limits to prevent the decomposition of Dekon 139.O’Keefe was killed when a pressure vessel exploded.The conditions found during t...

John Walsh, Democratic activist and ‘titan of Massachusetts politics,’ dies at 65

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

Democratic activist John Walsh, a “titan of Massachusetts politics” who helped propel former Gov. Deval Patrick to victory, died on Monday. He was 65.Tributes from politicos across the Bay State were pouring in on Monday, as they reminisced on him bringing new energy into the state’s Democratic Party and his historic campaign wins as a “gifted political strategist.”“Today we lost the incredible John Walsh,” Patrick posted about his former political adviser. “His memory lives forever in the legions of us he inspired, taught and cared about.”Walsh was involved in many winning campaigns, including U.S. Sen. Ed Markey’s campaign in 2020. He became Markey’s chief of staff.“John Walsh was a political genius and a transformational figure in the history of Massachusetts movement building,” Markey said in a statement. “He believed in the extraordinary capacity of ordinary people. He knew that the path to just...

MVADA Vocational Bowl Football Schedule

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

The Massachusetts Vocational Athletic Directors Association (MVADA) has announced the following match-ups for the 2023 Large and Small School Vocational Football Championship contests.Large School Vocational Football Championship(1) ​Bay Path vs. (3) Blackstone Valley TechWednesday, November 29, 6 pm at Millbury High SchoolSmall School Vocational Football Championship(3) Blue Hills vs. (4) Tri-CountyWednesday, November 29, 6 pm at Blue Hills

Massachusetts gas prices keep falling ahead of Thanksgiving: ‘Longest streak of declines in over a year’

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

People hitting the road for Thanksgiving should see some relief at the pump compared to last year, as local gas prices continue to fall ahead of the holiday.The average gas price in Massachusetts on Monday was down four cents from last week ($3.46), averaging $3.42 per gallon, according to AAA Northeast. Meanwhile, the national gas price average has had its longest weekly streak of declines in over a year.Monday’s average price in the Bay State was 20 cents lower than a month ago ($3.62), and 39 cents lower than last Nov. 20 ahead of Thanksgiving ($3.81).Massachusetts’ average gas price is 12 cents higher than the national average ($3.30). Gas in New England remains more expensive partly because of ongoing maintenance at key oil refineries that service the region, AAA Northeast said.“Drivers this Thanksgiving can expect cheaper gas compared to last year, but pump prices in New England are still above the national average for now,” said AAA Northeast Senior Sp...

Boston donates 2,000 turkeys to needy families for Thanksgiving

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

The City of Boston is distributing twice as many turkeys to needy families ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday this year compared to last, the mayor’s office said.City workers spent Monday and last Friday delivering 2,000 turkeys and 5,000 pounds of food to community members and organizations, as part of an annual drive led by the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services.“As we celebrate the special traditions and connection of the holidays, we want to ease the burden for Boston families in need to enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving meal,” Mayor Michelle Wu said in a statement, adding that she was “grateful” to continue the holiday tradition.Wu appeared at CommonWealth Kitchen, a nonprofit food-business incubator in Dorchester, Monday morning to help pack and prepare the turkey donations.The turkeys are hand-delivered to more than 40 partners, including community organizations, churches and Boston Housing Authority sites, which then distribute the food to residents experiencing food insecu...