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Colorado reports highest seatbelt use in state history

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:36:24 GMT

DENVER, (KDVR) — More Coloradans are buckling up than ever before, according to a new study set to be released by the Colorado Department of Transportation on Friday afternoon. The statewide survey conducted by CDOT this summer revealed 88.6% of Colorado drivers were wearing a seatbelt, up from 87% in 2022.  Traffic-related deaths climb in Aurora, statewide The number still trails behind the national average of 91.6% but continues on an upward trend of seatbelt use in recent years.FOX31's Evan Kruegel highlighted the problem last month after speaking with a Parker woman who lost her daughter in an unrestrained crash.Christy Schultz has been visiting schools across the state, hoping her daughter's story can convince others to buckle up.“I’ve had several kids tell me, ‘I was in an accident and because of Sammie’s story, all my friends had their seatbelts on, and they buckled up,’” Schultz said. “Her story is living on, and we’re helping to save other ki...

Bright orange iguana found in Cherry Creek State Park

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:36:24 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Arapahoe County Animal Services took on a not-so-average call on Wednesday after a bright orange, 10-pound iguana was spotted at Cherry Creek State Park. On Friday, Arapahoe County posted on X, formally known as Twitter, that an iguana was hanging out on a tree. After receiving a call about a reptile on the loose, Officer Cori Wylde responded to the scaley situation. A dog is locked up, and these protesters want him freed Luckily, Wylde had an iguana as a pet and knew exactly what to do. Arapahoe County posted a picture of Wylde and the reptile. When she picked it up the 3-foot-long iguana, it was about half the size of Wylde. Officer Wylde holding the rescued iguana (Photo courtesy of Arapahoe County)This isn't the first unusual call Arapahoe County has delt with. In April, animal services found a baby calf named Benjamin in the backyard of a residential neighborhood. He was hanging out in a small dog house before they reunited him with his herd. As for the igua...

Police distribute flyers in Fort Lauderdale neighborhood to find man accused of kidnapping, sexual assault

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:36:24 GMT

Police officers gathered in the parking lot of a Fort Lauderdale community to distribute flyers to residents in the area after a sketch was released of a man suspected of kidnapping and sexual battery. Fort Lauderdale Police Department officers said they are looking for a dangerous criminal as they passed out flyers to residents on Friday afternoon after a man assaulted a woman in the area over the weekend. According to police, the man carjacked a couple in the downtown area of the city around 5 a.m. Saturday and forced them to drive. The male victim jumped out of the car and left the woman behind with the criminal. The suspect then drove the woman to several ATMs to withdraw cash before he sexually assaulted her. Authorities said the subject left the car along Interstate 95 near Oakland Park Boulevard.Fort Lauderdale Police officers said the circumstances that occurred overnight were similar to the kidnapping and carjacking situation. Police are investigating a possible crime conne...

4 arrested after multi-agency drug raid at home in NW Miami-Dade

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:36:24 GMT

Several people were arrested after multiple law enforcement agencies conducted a drug raid at a South Florida home.Miami-Dade Police, Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigation officials were at the scene of the home, located at the 3211 NW 20th St., Friday morning. According to detectives with MDPD Organized Crime Bureau Narcotics Section, a search warrant was executed for the home as part of an ongoing investigation. 7News cameras captured investigators carrying bags of evidence and loading boxes marked “DEA Evidence” onto a truck. Four men were walked out of the home in handcuffs and were put into a van. Neighbors in the area told 7News they were concerned about the incident while others weren’t worried. The identities of the suspects were not disclosed, as well as any charges they face. Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.

France, US relations grow tense over Niger coup

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:36:24 GMT

The coup in Niger is injecting fresh tension into the France-U.S. alliance.The two countries are at odds over how to respond to the ouster of the West African country’s president in July. France is refusing to diplomatically engage with the junta and strongly supports a regional body that has threatened military intervention. The U.S. has dispatched an envoy to meet with the junta leadership and held back from officially declaring the takeover a coup — insisting there’s still a negotiated way to restore democracy.French officials also support a peaceful resolution, but they are bristling at the U.S. approach, saying engaging the junta empowers it.“Perhaps in order to avoid bloodshed, the U.S. was quickly keen to talk to the putschists. Maybe the better reaction should’ve been to put some conditions or guarantees before opening those channels,” said a French official familiar with the situation in Niger. The official, like others who spoke for this story, was granted anonymity to dis...

Netherlands, Denmark confirm US has approved sending Ukraine F-16 jets

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:36:24 GMT

The Netherlands and Denmark confirmed Friday they received approval from the U.S. to hand over F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine as soon as pilot training is complete. Ministers from both countries, the leaders of an international coalition to help Ukraine obtain the jets, thanked Washington for the green light, although it remains unclear when any F-16 transfers will take place.Outgoing Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren said she welcomed the U.S. decision “to clear the way for delivery of F-16 jets to Ukraine,” which would allow the coalition “to follow through on the training of Ukrainian pilots.”Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in May said the Netherlands was seriously considering providing Ukraine with F-16s, as it is currently phasing out the fighter jets from its own armed forces. However, Ollongren did not want to specify how many F-16s will go to Ukraine.Washington’s decision was reported on Thursday by POLITICO, with two U.S. officials saying that Secretary of Sta...

Russia arrests head of election watchdog, shuts human rights group

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:36:24 GMT

The head of Russia’s last independent election-monitoring campaign group has been arrested and a human rights group was shuttered, as the Kremlin carries out a major crackdown on democratic bodies. “Grigory Melkonyants, co-chairman of the ‘Golos’ movement, has been detained and is being questioned by the Investigative Committee as a suspect,” the Russian vote-monitoring group Golos announced Thursday. Melkonyants’ home was searched Thursday morning and he was then detained.The crackdown has not only targeted Melkonyants but also “14 of his associates in eight regions, including Moscow, Kazan and St. Petersburg,” Russian state newswire RIA Novosti said, citing an anonymous source.According to the AP, which spoke with Melkonyants’ lawyer, the watchdog chief will appear in Moscow’s Basmanny District Court on Friday. He faces a maximum sentence of six years in prison for working with what Russia branded “undesirable”...

Man arrested in connection with deadly shooting in Roxbury

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:36:24 GMT

A 21-year-old Boston man has been arrested in connection with a deadly shooting in Roxbury last month, Boston police announced. Police said officers arrested Xavier Pena-Guerrero in the area of Morton Street and Theodore Street in Dorchester on Thursday evening. Police previously responded to the intersection of Weldon and Quincy Streets in Roxbury around 11 p.m. on July 30 after an initial report of a person shot. On scene, police said, officers found a man later identified as Moises Ortiz-Santiago, 27, of Dorchester suffering from gunshot wounds. Ortiz-Santiago was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Pena-Guerrero was wanted on warrants for murder and unlawful possession of a firearm at the time of his arrest, according to police. He is expected to be arraigned in Roxbury District Court at a later date.

Feds hand Boston and Massachusetts $1.9M to deal with migrant shelter, transport

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:36:24 GMT

The Federal Emergency Management Agency handed the Healey and Wu administrations $1.9 million to expand shelter and transportation services in Massachusetts for newly-arrived migrant families.The federal funds are flowing to Massachusetts and Boston a week after Gov. Maura Healey made a public plea for help from the Biden administration to deal with overflowing emergency shelters and an influx of migrants from other counties.But the funds may not be a direct answer to Healey’s call for help despite the timing. Boston officials applied for the funding earlier this summer with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services as a sub-applicant, according to a Healey administration statement sent on Friday.The city plans to use the money to transport eligible families between shelter and service providers, “as well as fund temporary hotel rooms for eligible people, which will be staffed by contracted emergency housing service providers, the Healey administration said.State officials s...

Patriots rookie Malik Cunningham has taken on another expected role on offense

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:36:24 GMT

Patriots rookie Malik Cunningham is already playing quarterback, wide receiver and gunner, but he’s taken on another responsibility among his rookie class: mentor.Wide receivers coach Ross Douglas said Friday that Cunningham is helping out fellow rookie wideouts Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte. All three players have been standouts for the Patriots this summer.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Why Patriots’ coaching braintrust is optimistic after ‘really beneficial’ week New England Patriots | Where is Patriots CB Jonathan Jones? Assistant coach answers Friday New England Patriots | Patriots-Packers joint practices Day 2: Mac Jones shines, Ezekiel Elliott ramps up, defense fights New England Patriots | Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers made his presence known in chippy joint practice with Packers New England Patriots | Jahlani Tavai urges fans to support Hawaii after Patriots lend help...