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Arizona couple awakened to uninvited alligator inside Louisiana home

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:50 GMT

LAFAYETTE, La. – A couple who recently relocated from Arizona to Louisiana got more than they bargained for when they woke up in the middle of the night to find an unexpected guest inside their new home. It wasn’t a burglar or an intruder, but rather a five-foot-long alligator.Don and Jan Schultz were jolted awake by their vigilant seven-year-old dog, Panda, who sensed something amiss. “Our dog Panda growled and woke my wife up,” Don Schultz recounted. “She tapped me and said, ‘I think there’s somebody in the house.’ So, I got up and headed down the hall to check. I saw the shape of an alligator.”The brazen reptile had managed to enter the house through the doggy door, taking advantage of an unintended entry point. Alarmed by the situation, the Schultz couple immediately dialed 911, and authorities from the local Sheriff’s department and Wildlife and Fisheries swiftly responded to their call.“We are real grateful for ...

Son arrested for second-degree murder and battery charges in mother’s death in North Miami Beach

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:50 GMT

A 36-year-old man, Sean Michael Cuesta, has been arrested in connection with the second-degree murder and domestic battery by strangulation of his mother, Connie Cuesta, at their residence in North Miami Beach.According to court documents, on Sunday, June 11, the North Miami Beach Police Department received multiple 911 calls regarding a potential crime at at an apartment in the 3000 block of NE 169th Street. Officers arrived at the scene around 9 p.m. Upon their arrival, officers discovered Connie Cuesta’s lifeless body in the master bedroom. She was found lying face down on the floor with no shirt, and her pants were lowered to her knees. The victim’s spouse, who reported the incident, stated that he found her cold to the touch.A family friend, who received a distress call from the victim’s spouse earlier that evening, also confirmed the grim discovery. The friend witnessed Connie Cuesta unconscious in the master bedroom.A neighbor living next door informed the o...

Keys landlord arrested for spitting on tenant, threatening her with a loaded gun

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:50 GMT

BIG COPPITT KEY, FLA. (WSVN) – A 73-year-old man from Big Coppitt Key was arrested after, police say, he assaulted a woman by spitting on her and threatening to shoot her with a loaded gun. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence on Avenue C at approximately 8:15 p.m., Wednesday, following a landlord/tenant dispute. The victim, a 43-year-old woman who was also a tenant, and Larrie Stephen Busloff, the landlord, reside at the location. During an argument between the two, Busloff spit in the face of the female victim.The situation escalated when Busloff reached into a knapsack and threatened to shoot the victim. Law enforcement officers promptly recovered a loaded 9mm handgun from the knapsack.A witness at the scene supported the victim’s account of the incident. Busloff was apprehended without any resistance and was subsequently taken to jail.Busloff is facing charges of aggravated assault and battery for his actions. The authorities are conducti...

Florida sales tax holiday offers savings on appliances and gas ranges

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:50 GMT

Saturday marks the start of not one but two sales tax holidays, which offers consumers significant savings on various appliances.Included in the tax sale are washing machines, dryers, water heaters, and select refrigerators. These appliances must be priced at $1,500 or less. Additionally, gas ranges and cooktops fueled by natural gas will also take effect in the tax exemption sale. The sales tax holidays, begins Saturday, July 1, and extends through Sunday, June 30, 2024.This tax holiday is particularly beneficial for individuals looking to upgrade their homes or replace worn-out appliances without the burden of additional taxes.Remember, the tax holidays for appliances and gas ranges commence tomorrow and will remain in effect for a year.More information can be found here.

Brexit cliff-edge has electric carmakers spooked as talks falter

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:50 GMT

LONDON — British trade chief Kemi Badenoch is ramping up pressure on the EU to save electric vehicle manufacturers on both sides of the channel from being hit by new Brexit trade rules in 2024.But Brussels’ top diplomat in London, Pedro Serrano, is telling people privately it may be difficult to avoid the coming post-Brexit cliff-edge this year, a visitor who recently met the ambassador told POLITICO.It’s already too late for manufacturers such as Nissan, Ford and Stellantis. They are planning how many electric cars and trucks to make in the second half of the year to sell cross-channel.The new rules, set out in the U.K.-EU trade agreement, ratchet up on January 1, 2024, and will slap a 10 percent tax on new electric vehicles if a majority of key parts, such as batteries, aren’t made in either Britain or the EU. Most EV batteries are supplied by China.Britain and the EU are holding negotiations over the issue, after carmakers on both sides warned recently that the new rules will ser...

Finland’s economy minister resigns after Nazi references

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:50 GMT

Finland’s economy minister, Vilhelm Junnila, has been forced to resign after making comments about Nazis.Junnila, a member of the right-wing populist Finns Party, came under fire in Finnish media for attending a far-right event in 2019, which has links to neo-Nazis.He also made jokes about Nazism — by referring to the number 88, which is used as a far-right symbol for “Heil Hitler” because H is the eighth letter of the Alphabet.Junnila’s resignation comes after only 10 days in office and after slimly surviving a no-confidence vote. He apologised and stepped down on Friday. “I condemn holocaust, antisemitism and all antisemitic acts completely,” he said on Twitter on June 22. The Finns Party, which came second in April elections, became part of a government coalition earlier this month, under prime minister Petteri Orpo.

Boston Harborfest kicks off as Boston begins Fourth of July festivities

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:50 GMT

Boston Harborfest kicked off in Downtown Crossing Friday with the first of a slate of Fourth of July festivities set to continue in Boston throughout the coming days.Harborfest is one of the nation’s larger Fourth of July festivals, including live music, entertainment, historical reenactments and a chowder fest over five days. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is scheduled to help get the event started at 12 p.m. Beyond Friday events, there will be a fireworks show Saturday night and a patriotic Pooch-a-palooza and pet marketplace on Sunday at 12 p.n. The schedule includes more events on Monday. On Tuesday, events on July 4, itself, will begin at 9 a.m. with an Independence Day parade.The Boston Pops July 4th Spectacular is scheduled to end the day on Tuesday You can watch the show on 7NEWS. The show is produced by and is also airing on Bloomberg TV and Bloomberg Radio. The show is sponsored by Morgan Stanley. Tune in at 8 p.m. on the fourth to catch all th...

The Supreme Court rejects Biden’s plan to wipe away $400 billion in student loan debt

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:50 GMT

By MARK SHERMAN (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — A sharply divided Supreme Court on Friday effectively killed President Joe Biden’s $400 billion plan to cancel or reduce federal student loan debts for millions of Americans.The 6-3 decision, with conservative justices in the majority, said the Biden administration overstepped its authority with the plan, and it leaves borrowers on the hook for repayments that are expected to resume in the fall.Biden was to announce a new set of actions to protect student loan borrowers later Friday, said a White House official. The official was not authorized to speak publicly ahead of Biden’s expected statement on the case and spoke on condition of anonymity.The court held that the administration needed Congress’ endorsement before undertaking so costly a program. The majority rejected arguments that a bipartisan 2003 law dealing with national emergencies, known as the HEROES Act, gave Biden the power he claimed.“Six...

New driver’s license law takes effect Saturday: Here’s where to apply and what to know

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:50 GMT

Massachusetts residents without lawful proof of presence in the United States can start to seek out driver’s licenses Saturday, but they will have to wait until the Registry of Motor Vehicles reopens on Monday to show up for appointments.The law enforcement-backed law has been hailed by supporters as a way to make sure all drivers are insured and road safety is taught to all motorists. It survived a veto from former Gov. Charlie Baker and a failed Republican-led campaign to overturn the law after it was solidified by the state Legislature.Starting Saturday, those who are in the United States without legal status — people whose visas have expired or who crossed the border illegally, among others — can obtain a standard, five-year Massachusetts driver’s license if they can provide at least two documents proving their identity and date of birth.The head of the Registry of Motor Vehicles has stressed on multiple occasions that people need to schedule an appointment before showing up to ...

Maine governor vetoes proposal sought by tribes to ensure they benefit from federal laws

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:50 GMT

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Democratic Gov. Janet Mills delivered a setback to Native American tribes in Maine seeking greater sovereignty on Friday, vetoing a proposal aimed at ensuring most federal laws apply to them despite a state land claims settlement that dates back to the 1980s.The governor said she does not want the tribes in Maine to be unfairly excluded from federal benefits enjoyed by other tribes across the country. But she argued that the bill sponsored by Democratic House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross is vague and confusing — and will lead to protracted litigation.The veto may not be the final word. Both the Maine House and Senate approved the bill with bipartisan majorities big enough to override the governor’s veto.“I believe the interest we share to do right by the Wabanaki Nations and Maine people must be accomplished through legislation that is clear, thoroughly vetted, and well understood by all parties,” she said. The Wabanaki tribes are the Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Mi...