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Students for Justice in Palestine holds rally at FIU as Florida looks to deactivate organization on campuses

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:30 GMT

A group of students made their voices heard during a pro-Palestinian protest on the main campus of Florida International University. The rally comes as the state makes a controversial move at universities and colleges across Florida, after a pro-Palestinian student group was ordered out of all public campuses.Students for Justice in Palestine hosted Wednesday’s rally on FIU’s Modesto A. Maidique Campus on Wednesday.“Free, free, free Palestine!” demonstrators were seen chanting in cellphone video of the event.The rally was part of a national student walkout campaign to support an “end [to] the siege on Gaza” and the U.S. providing funding and arms to Israel.The rally comes a day after the state university system decided that group is no longer welcome. A letter sent to public universities on Tuesday reads, “Based on the National SJP’s support for terrorism, in consultation with Governor DeSantis, the student chapters must be deactivated...

Murder warrant issued for man wanted in connection with wife’s death in Gardner

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:30 GMT

A murder warrant has been issued for a man wanted in connection with his wife’s death in Gardner, the Worcester County District Attorney’s office announced. Authorities have been searching for Aaron Pennington after his wife, 30-year-old Breanne Pennington was found fatally shot in her Cherry Street home on Sunday. Officials said Gardner police first responded to the scene after the couple’s four children left their house and went to a neighbor. A major search involving multiple law enforcement agencies ensued after investigators determined Pennington left the home in a white BMW car. Investigators found the car on Monday after a hunter spotted it about 1,500 feet down a wooded trail in the Camp Collier area of Gardner near the Ashburnham/Gardner line. Pennington, though, was nowhere to be found. Gardner Police Chief Eric McAvene on Tuesday said authorities were “operating under the assumption that Mr. Pennington is still alive and on the run.”Pennington, 33, has...

Police standoff ends in Weymouth

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:30 GMT

A police standoff at a home in Weymouth ended Wednesday after several hours, officials said. Weymouth police in a post on X around 3:30 p.m. said police were on scene on Putnam Street responding to a barricaded suspect. Police asked community members to stay away from the area. Overhead, SKY7-HD spotted several armed law enforcement officers working on the scene with heavy equipment and armored vehicles.  Shortly before 6:30 p.m., authorities were seen taking a person out of the home at the center of this incident on a stretcher.While the standoff had ended, Putnam Street remained blocked off as of around 6:30 p.m.No further information was immediately available. This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

Police investigating armed robbery at South Attleboro smoke shop connected to two similar crimes in RI

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:30 GMT

Police are looking for three people in connection with an armed robbery at a smoke shop in South Attleboro Tuesday night.Around 11:50 p.m., police responded to Lucky Lottery and Smoke Shop at 1077 Washington Street. Attleboro olice said one individual demanded money from the clerk, and another stood at the door, both armed with handguns.The individuals, wearing masks and dark clothes, fled from the store with cash from the cash drawer, where a third individual was waiting in a white Kia Optima sedan. The car went westbound toward Cumberland, Rhode Island.The robbery is connected to two similar robberies in Central Falls and Pawtucket, Rhode Island.Attleboro police said the investigation is ongoing.

Battenfeld: Maura Healey dodges blame for repeated MBTA failures

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:30 GMT

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey continues to dodge responsibility for the beleaguered MBTA nearly a year after she took office and promised to restore accountability and transparency.The T is still a dangerous and unreliable mess even after Healey hired a public relations savvy general manager and replaced much of the board of directors.Healey blamed the Republican Baker administration for the latest embarrassment – the narrow rail problems on the new Green Line extension. She talks a tough game but hasn’t produced with results.“What’s important is that it was not disclosed, and it was really not addressed,” she said of the Green Line fiasco. “That is something we’ve been really clear about. Under the prior administration, senior management at the T, for whatever poor judgment made the decision not to disclose identified failures, and then made the poor decision not to address those failures prior to the opening of the Green Line extension.”The Union Square branch of the new G...

Police arrest suspect wanted in connection to two sexual assault cases at Boston University

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:30 GMT

Boston University Police has arrested a suspect wanted in connection to two sexual assault cases that authorities say appear to be related.Officers, with assistance from Boston Police, arrested the suspect early Wednesday on an outstanding warrant after the suspect allegedly sexually assaulted two students just 9 hours apart on Tuesday.Authorities did not share the suspect’s identity but said it appears it was the same man involved in each case.“With the arrest, the individual is no longer a threat to the community. Our thoughts are with our students that were assaulted, and the University has offered them support,” authorities wrote in a crime alert Wednesday. “We will continue to be a resource and provide our community with support.”The first case occurred around 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, with a BU student reporting that an unknown person touched them inappropriately while walking on a sidewalk on Commonwealth Avenue in the BU Central area.The student did not see who touched them due to...

What is going on with Toucher and Rich? Social media accounts get new handles, dropping a host’s name

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:30 GMT

Boston sports talk radio listeners were digging for answers on Wednesday after the social media accounts for the top morning show dropped one of the host’s names.But it has been radio silence from Toucher & Rich so far following the drastic change to the social media accounts for the 98.5 The Sports Hub show.Around midday on Wednesday, the speculation about the show’s future took off when the Toucher & Rich accounts on Twitter (now X), Facebook and Instagram removed host Fred Toucher’s name.The social media accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers are now only showing host Rich Shertenlieb’s name. The X account is now @heyrichhey.After the bombshell change to the socials, there was no immediate explanation from the radio station or the hosts. The Herald reached out to Toucher, Rich, 98.5 The Sports Hub, and Beasley Media Group — but they did not immediately respond.Loyal listeners to the top rated sports morning show in the region were p...

Vandal who swung on crucifix at Cathedral of Holy Cross ordered held on $5,000 cash bail

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:30 GMT

A pair of construction workers had a unique assignment Wednesday at the largest church in New England: repairing a crucifix that a vandal broke while swinging on it.A judge at Boston Municipal Court ordered the man behind the damage, Michael Patzelt, 37, of Attleboro, held on $5,000 cash bail and to stay away from the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and witnesses who caught him committing the unholy act in the South End.Officers assigned to the neighborhood for the Boston Police Department arrested Patzelt around 6:15 p.m. Tuesday after receiving a call for a suspicious person who had knocked a hat off a woman in the area of the cathedral.“The suspect then proceeded to climb up the cross where he began to swing and hang from it, breaking off several parts of the cross,” a police release states. “The suspect broke both the statue’s arms prior to officers responding and placed him under arrest.”Patzelt pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and malicious destruction of property during a...

Patterson Mill football running back RJ Wilhelm plays in mold of former NFL All-Pro fullback Mike Alstott

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:30 GMT

It was after Patterson Mill dismantled Bohemia Manor for four quarters — a 41-14 win on Sept. 22 — that RJ Wilhelm realized it was within reach.The junior running back walked confidently off the field having dashed 240 yards that night. His dad, Rich, told him the outing positioned him for a successful season and potentially to sniff a lauded milestone. A month later, RJ is at 943 on the year, only 57 rushing yards from joining a short list of Huskies to eclipse 1,000 in a single season.He’ll have the chance to do it at 7 p.m. Thursday at Aberdeen in the Huskies’ regular season finale.“I’ve always had a special connection with my football team,” RJ said. “I wouldn’t be able to get any of these yards without my teammates blocking for me. It’s all the line. They make the holes and I’m just the one who gets to run through them.”Football wasn’t RJ’s first sport growing up. Like many 5-year-olds, he gave ...

Mental health coping strategies during global uncertainty

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:30 GMT

During times of global uncertainty and turmoil, it becomes increasingly difficult to care for your mental health. While there aren’t any cure all tips and tricks or easy fixes, there are ways to build resiliency that can help you cope better.Dr. Roger McIntyre, Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology at the University of Toronto says humans are evolutionarily predisposed to picking up on what’s wrong rather than what’s right.“We as human beings are in fact more sensitive to stress and negative information than we are to positive information. It’s how we’re wired … we’re trying to protect ourselves and towards that aim, we are much more attentive to maybe sources of negativity,” he explains.In the current global climate, with ongoing wars, wildfires, inflation and residual pandemic-related issues, McIntyre says people are being subjected to what’s called Chronic Uncontrollable Stress (CUS).“What we’ve learned in stress...