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Sea temperatures lead to unprecedented, dangerous bleaching of Florida’s coral reef, experts say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:18 GMT

The coral reef off southeast Florida is experiencing an unprecedented and potentially deadly level of bleaching this summer because of rising ocean temperatures caused by climate change, federal scientists said Thursday.Some sites around the Florida Keys are being exposed to twice the amount of heat stress that causes corals to die, and earlier in the year than ever before, scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in a telephone news conference. They said the phenomenon is likely to affect the Caribbean very soon and a global bleaching event could be just around the corner.“We are quite concerned and worried and stressed about this event,” said Ian Enochs, a research ecologist at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory. “It’s not a normal thing.”Ocean surface temperatures off the Florida coast have risen to above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) this summer, but scientists said they won’t know the extent of damage...

Harlequin macaw stolen from SW Miami-Dade backyard reunited with owners

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:18 GMT

An exotic bird that was stolen from a Southwest Miami-Dade home has been reunited with its owners.Riki, a 23-year old harlequin macaw, was missing for three months after it was stolen from the backyard if its family’s home, located along the 7300 block of Southwest 161st Place, May 16. “Oh, she’s dancing,” Eduardo Munoz said. “I feel blessed, it’s a miracle, I never lost hope. I feel overwhelmed; it’s a great feeling.”That bird theft was just one of several in Southwest Miami-Dade in the past few months.Police used surveillance video evidence to track down their suspect. Back in July, they arrested 45-year-old Lazaro Mantillaur and recovered more than a dozen birds. That’s when Natacha Cortes and Munoz where reunited with their cockatoo Pepe. 7News was the only station there for the reunion, but their family and others were still missing birds. Miami-Dade Police kept working the case and were able to return the pets to their ri...

Most SB lanes back open on Turnpike in Miramar after vehicle fire causes closures

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:18 GMT

Nearly all southbound lanes on the Florida Turnpike in Miramar have reopened to traffic after a vehicle fire led to lane closures in the middle of rush hour.The blaze sparked at mile marker 41 due in the middle lane, at around 4:45 p.m., Thursday.The fire initially led to a complete closure of all southbound lanes, causing traffic disruptions along the Miami-Dade/Broward county line.As of 5:45 p.m., all but two lanes have reopened. Traffic is still moving slow, so officials urge drivers to seek alternative routes and expect delays.Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.

Home security camera captures woman posing as Amazon driver stealing packages from home in NW Miami-Dade

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:18 GMT

Home security video captured the moments when a suspect dressed as a fake Amazon worker stole packages from a home in Northwest Miami-Dade. The porch pirate was on the move in Northwest Miami-Dade as she hit homes wearing the fake disguise, which included a wig. The fake worker wore a vest that looked official and even dropped off boxes. “You can tell by the way she was walking that she didn’t care,” said a victim. “She was on a mission to steal. Just walked in like nothing.”A victim spoke to 7News on Thursday, a day after her package was swiped from her front door.“She should be ashamed and, you know, this is not ethical or proper behavior,” the victim said. The theft would be a first for this mom who has been living at her Palm Spring North neighborhood.“You feel violated,” she said. “How can someone feel that it’s OK to come into someone’s private property and steal a package that doesn’t belong to them?”She isn’t ...

Police: 2 children taken by their non-custodial mother in Worcester found safe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:18 GMT

Worcester police have located a mother and two children hours after they asked for the public’s help in finding them.Tiffany Cancel, 47, Joaquin Cancel, 11, and Avery Cancel, 9, have been found safe, according to a post from Worcester police.Worcester police thanked the public for their assistance.https://twitter.com/WorcesterPD/status/1692291495515050297This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

Ticker: Over 1.5 million dehumidifiers are under recall after fire reports; NJ shutters 27 Boston Market restaurants over unpaid wages

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:18 GMT

More than 1.5 million dehumidifiers are under recall following reports of nearly two dozen fires, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.The recall impacts 42 models of dehumidifiers sold under five brand names: Kenmore, GE, SoleusAir, Norpole and Seabreeze. These products, all manufactured by the Zhuhai, China-based Gree Electric Appliances, were sold from January 2011 to February 2014 at major retailers nationwide — including Walmart, Home Depot and Sam’s Club, among others.According to the CPSC, the now-recalled dehumidifiers can overheat, smoke and catch fire. Gree has received reports of at least 23 fires, 688 overheating incidents and $168,000 in property damage from the recalled products.NY shutters 27 Boston Market restaurants over unpaid wagesState labor officials have temporarily shut down more than two dozen Boston Market restaurants in New Jersey after finding multiple violations of workers’ rights, including more than $600,000 in back wages owed ...

Uncertainty swirls around Marcus Stroman’s injury. ‘I have no idea, that’s the honest truth,’ Jed Hoyer says of Chicago Cubs righty.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:18 GMT

Marcus Stroman might have already thrown his last pitch of the season for the Chicago Cubs. Or the right-hander could throw important innings down the stretch as they vie for a postseason spot.The Cubs aren’t ruling anything out amid the range of outcomes and uncertainty surrounding the rarity of a new injury Stroman sustained earlier this week.The Cubs announced Wednesday that Stroman suffered a right rib cartilage fracture and will remain on the 15-day injured list, a move that originally was prompted because of right hip inflammation.There are so many unknowns about his short- and long-term Cubs future, whose player opt-out appeared at the midpoint of the season.President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer did not want to try to estimate when — or if — Stroman, 32, would be back on the mound for the Cubs this season.“I mean, I have no idea, that’s the honest truth,” Hoyer said Wednesday before the Cubs’ dramatic walk-off 4-3 win over the Wh...

Through the roof: Home mortgage rate hits 20-year high at 7.09%

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:18 GMT

The average 30-year home loan has hit a 20-year high slamming the door shut on some would-be homebuyers.The rate is now at 7.09% — up from 6.96% last week and 5.13% this time last year.It’s connected, in part, to the  Federal Reserve’s seemingly never-ending rate hikes to cool inflation, but the approach is hurting both buyers and home sellers. With mortgage rates so high, nobody wants to move now.“It’s ill-advised to keep raising rates,” said UMass Amherst economics professor emeritus David Kotz. “The Fed ought to ease up.”Kotz told the Herald Thursday there’s not enough supply of housing and the economic stresses of the pandemic and war in Ukraine have shifted.He called the Fed’s rate hikes a “painful tool” that should be put away.High inflation drove the Federal Reserve to raise its benchmark interest rate 11 times since March 2022, lifting the fed funds rate to the highest level in 22 years.Now mortgage lend...

Nets 2023-24 schedule: Brooklyn hosts Donovan Mitchell, Cavs on opening night, faces 14 back-to-backs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:18 GMT

The Nets’ 2023-24 regular-season schedule is finally here.The Nets will open their season at home against Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at Barclays Center. They will then embark on a four-game road trip — at Dallas, Charlotte, Miami and Chicago — before returning to the borough for a hellacious, early-season three-game homestand against the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers.Three bona fide championship contenders to test the Nets in the opening weeks of the season.Of the Nets’ first 19 games of the season, four will be In-Season Tournament Group Play games that determine the seeding for the NBA’s new In-Season Tournament: Nov. 3 against the Chicago Bulls, Nov. 10 in Boston against the Celtics, Nov. 14 at home against the Orlando Magic, and Nov. 28 in Brooklyn against the Toronto Raptors.The In-Season Tournament Knockout Rounds stretch from Dec. 4-9.The Nets do not play on Christmas Day, Christm...

West Kelowna, B.C., declares state of emergency over encroaching wildfire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:18 GMT

WEST KELOWNA, B.C. — A threatening wildfire has prompted a local state of emergency for the City of West Kelowna, B.C., and part of the nearby Westbank First Nation as fire crews prepare for the “most challenging” few days of the season in the province. Central Okanagan Emergency Operations has also placed 68 properties on evacuation order and another 5,700 properties on alert due to the nearby McDougall Creek wildfire, which grew to three square kilometres in a matter of hours after it started on Wednesday. Cliff Chapman, director of the BC Wildfire Service, said at a news conference that they were seeing extreme behaviour by the fire that is just a few kilometres away from the community. “We rarely see that type of fire behaviour, you know, pre-breakfast time in B.C., and we’re seeing it today and we’re going to see it continue through today,” he said during a news conference on Thursday. Most of the southern half of the province has been baking...