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M-DCPS board members discuss book challenge policy after relocation of Amanda Gorman poem at Miami Lakes school

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:55 GMT

Possible changes may be coming for Miami-Dade County Schools months after a complaint caused several library books to be shelved, a matter that came up for debate at a school board meeting.Opponents of the controversial decision spoke before school board members during Wednesday’s meeting.At issue was the relocation of several books at the Bob Graham Education Center in Miami Lakes. Among those books, was “The Hill We Climb” by national poet laureate Amanda Gorman.“Why did one mom who doesn’t know literature, who didn’t even read the poem or know who wrote it, get to trump the rights of everyone else in that school?” said a woman“We are elevating the most ignorant in our community to that of experts over the experts themselves, and that’s shameful,” said another woman.“We believe her complaint is hardly representative of the many parents who want their children to know and understand the world around them,” said a third woman.The outrage fro...

Summer is Here

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:55 GMT

We’re only hours into summer (the season just officially started) but the weather has actually been summerlike, in south Florida, for 3 months! It would be a valid point to suggest we “skipped over spring”. It wouldn’t be summer if it didn’t involve the daily chance for heavy rain and thunderstorms. As we round out the week, we face a solid threat for strong storms and potentially flooding rains. The reason? There’s a large low pressure disturbance (an upper low, high in the sky) that’s centered over the southeastern states. That’s helping spread tropical moisture across the region while creating instability storms. Interestingly, A huge Flood Watch has been issued all the way from North Carolina southward into parts of Florida. South Florida is not included in the advisory, which is in effect until Friday evening. Still, we could easily see heavy rain triggered, at times. Thursday’s storm timing will favor the afterno...

Swastikas scrawled on walls and poles outside Flanigan’s in Hallandale Beach

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:55 GMT

Police are searching for a vandal who left swastikas scrawled for everyone to see outside the Flanigan’s in Hallandale Beach.A swastika and a jumbled scribble were painted on the wall outside the restaurant, Wednesday. Ignacio Escandon, the assistant manager at the Flanigan’s, spoke with 7News about the signs of hate. He said someone had contacted police.“Next thing you know, I already had cops coming in here asking me if anyone of us has called, but it appeared that somebody else had called already,” he said. Hallandale Police officers who came to look found more swastikas faintly etched in light poles in the restaurant’s parking lot. “It’s just a shame that somebody would be doing this to, you know, a family-owned business down over here,” said Escandon, “and personally, that’s just not what this company is represented.”It’s far from the first time swastikas have been spotted in Broward County. Last year swast...

Tropical storm watches and warnings cover parts of the Caribbean as Bret is forecast to bring strong winds and flooding

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:55 GMT

(CNN) — Tropical Storm Bret again strengthened slightly during the day Wednesday and is forecast to reach the Lesser Antilles on Thursday as a strong tropical storm.Now packing 65 mph winds, the storm is likely already near its peak intensity.“Little change in strength is forecast during the next day or so while Bret approaches the Lesser Antilles,” the National Hurricane Center said in an evening advisory. “Weakening is anticipated to begin Thursday night or Friday after Bret passes the Lesser Antilles, and the system is likely to dissipate over the central Caribbean Sea by Saturday.”Bret is expected to bring strong winds, torrential downpours that could lead to flash flooding and rough surf to parts of the Caribbean.Track Tropical Storm BretA tropical storm warning is in effect Wednesday for St. Lucia and Martinique, meaning tropical storm conditions are possible within 36 hours. Tropical storm watches are in effect for Barbados and Dominica, meaning tropi...

4th of July fireworks postponed in Amesbury after endangered birds found nesting in field

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:55 GMT

A planned Fourth of July fireworks show in Amesbury has been postponed, officials announced, after an species of endangered birds was found nesting in the fields where the show was set to take place. The show was scheduled at Woodsom Farm in Amesbury as part of the city’s Amesbury Days festival. On Tuesday, though, festival organizers said city crews preparing to mow the farm found endangered Bobolink birds in the fields. Organizers said personnel with MassWildlife and the Mass Audubon Society “conducted a walking grid search with the city to identify areas that could be safely mowed.” “As a result,” organizers said, “the area that was identified for both seating and parking was not large enough to accommodate the size of the crowds that attend this event.”Organizers said more than 10,000 people were expected to attend the fireworks display. Speaking with 7NEWS, Mayor Kassandra Gove said officials tried to find another safe area to host the event to no avail. Gove said official...

Humid Weekend On The Way

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:55 GMT

Editor’s Note: Meteorological intern Tyler Hughes has blogged tonight’s blog.Break out the barbeques – summer officially began today at 10:57am. Today is the Summer Solstice, and with that comes the longest day of the year. Mother Nature recognized that and gave us a nice day to celebrate, all things considered. Although it was a bit mild in some spots, the sun prevailed most of the day, the sky dotted by those classic fair-weather cumulus clouds. The days get shorter and shorter from here, and by the beginning of September we will have lost over two hours of daylight.Tomorrow morning will play out much like today, with the exception of increasing cloud cover. Things start to change tomorrow afternoon, however, as high pressure moves off to our east and a warm front lifts into New England. Ahead of this front we will see afternoon/evening scattered showers move into the region. The showers will move in from the south throughout the afternoon and become more scatter...

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner says he’s ‘a little confused’ by fans’ anger with team’s early struggles

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:55 GMT

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said he’s “a little confused” with fans expressing frustration with the team in the third week of June during an appearance on the Michael Kay Show.The Yankees entered Wednesday on the heels of a victory against the Seattle Mariners, but are currently sitting in third place of the division and clinging to the final Wild Card spot in the American League.“I wanna know what the vibe is out there and I understand they’re upset,” the owner said Wednesday on the Michael Kay Show. “I’m a little confused, this year, being the third week of June why they’re so upset. But they’re upset and that’s gonna get my attention, of course.”The Yankees entered Wednesday 10 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays in the division. The team is in a three-way tie with the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels for the final Wild Card spot. Steinbrenner’s team has lost six of their last 10 games a...

Non-citizens and 16 year olds voting? Maybe in Massachusetts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:55 GMT

If some lawmakers get their way, kids and non-citizens could be voting in Massachusetts elections soon.The Joint Committee on Election Laws heard testimony from dozens of advocates and lawmakers speaking in favor of several different bills to adjust the voting age for some elections, allow permanent resident non-citizens to vote in hometown elections, and allow municipalities to use ranked-choice voting locally.“It’s a statewide bill, it would extend voting rights to legal permanent residents; so non-citizen residents of Massachusetts, to be able to vote in local elections,” state Sen. Jamie Eldridge said Wednesday of a bill he filled alongside state Rep. Mike Connolly.H.671, or an “An Act extending voting rights in municipal elections to noncitizen voters of the commonwealth,” would allow adults with legal immigration status but who are not U.S. citizens to vote for their local “mayor, school committee, city council, town council, board of selectmen, select board elections, a schoo...

In rowdy scene, House censures Rep. Adam Schiff over Trump-Russia investigations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:55 GMT

By MARY CLARE JALONICK (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted Wednesday to censure California Rep. Adam Schiff for comments he made several years ago about investigations into Donald Trump’s ties to Russia, rebuking the Democrat and frequent critic of the former president along party lines. Schiff becomes the 25th House lawmaker to be censured. He was defiant ahead of the vote, saying he will wear the formal disapproval as a “badge of honor” and charging his GOP colleagues of doing the former president’s bidding. “I will not yield,” Schiff, who is running for the Senate in his home state, said during debate over the measure. “Not one inch.” When it was time for Schiff to come to the front of the chamber to be formally censured, immediately after the vote, the normally solemn ceremony turned into more of a celebratory atmosphere. Dozens of Democrats crowded to the front, clapping and cheering for Schiff and patting hi...

Massachusetts State Police seize thousands of fireworks ahead of July Fourth: ‘Leave fireworks to the pros’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:55 GMT

The annual crackdown on fireworks purchasers ahead of the Fourth of July is well underway in the Bay State, as State Police have seized thousands of illegal fireworks and issued 10 summonses so far in June.After fireworks incidents jumped last year in Massachusetts, public safety officials are again urging residents to leave fireworks to the professionals this summer.“@MassStatePolice have seized 1000’s of illegal fireworks and issued 10 summonses so far this month,” the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services tweeted on Wednesday.“Fireworks are illegal in Massachusetts even if bought legally in another state,” the state agency added. “Don’t risk injury, fire, or a day in court: Leave fireworks to the pros.”After a record-setting number of fireworks-related fires were reported in 2020 and then a sharp decline in 2021, fireworks incidents in Massachusetts rebounded last year.Fireworks-related fires and explosions in Massachusetts skyr...