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Study: Colorado is one of the best states to be a police officer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:18 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- According to one study, Colorado's police recruitment needs should be relatively easier to fill than in other states. Colorado police departments have had a tough time filling vacancies in the early years of the 2020s. Depending on the location, police departments are short of their authorized strength by hundreds of recruits. Denver, Aurora police forces down 7% since 2020 Financial resource site WalletHub analyzed U.S. states' relative rankings according to federal data. Researchers derived overall scores by measuring police employment and compensation rates and growth potential, training requirements and associated state laws, and job hazards and protections.Colorado has the seventh-highest overall score, between Ohio and Washington. Colorado scored highly both for police opportunity and pay and for law enforcement training requirements, sixth and eighth, respectively. For job hazards and protections, however, Colorado scored 33rd. This category includes miscon...

'There were kids down there': Survivor describes collapse at Gaylord Rockies that injured 6

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:18 GMT

AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) -- A video showed the aftermath of an HVAC system collapse that injured six people at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center Saturday morning.According to the Aurora Fire Department, the collapse happened around 9:50 a.m.Of the six people who were injured, two had life-threatening injuries and four had non-life-threatening injuries.'There were kids down there,' survivor saysJamie Olson, who took the video, told FOX31 her son had just gotten out of the hot tub when the system collapsed directly on top of it and the rest of the pool."We were right on the outside of the hot tub and just kind of heard a big groan, and we looked up, and it was just like a domino effect," she said. "One side collapsed, and then it caused the other side to collapse." 6 people injured after collapse at Gaylord Rockies resort Olson said there was black sludge that poured out the ceiling and her husband saw two kids covered in it."I think that's the scariest part was that ther...

World War II Army Air Corps sergeant honored with Legion of Honor Medal by French goverment

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:18 GMT

There was a special salute for a South Florida Army veteran.Raymond Surrette, a sergeant for the Army Air Corps during World War II, was awarded France’s Legion of Honor medal.The ceremony held at the Military Museum and Memorial in Southwest Miami-Dade.Surrette was among the American’s who fought in France during the war and participated in the country’s liberation. “The testimonial of the fact that the American people came during World War II, and also during world War World I, to help us and save us, and this is very important,” Col. Philippe Derathe. The Legion of Honor medal is the highest award one can receive from the French government, and for Surrette, it’s also a nice birthday present.The medal comes just days before he turns 103.

SBA offers aid to business owners hit hard by historic flooding in Broward County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:18 GMT

Aid is available for business owners who were hit hard by historic flooding.Record rainfall damaged or destroyed countless shops and stores in Broward County in April.Fort Lauderdale’s mayor and representatives of the Small Business Administration are meeting with those who were affected.The SBA is offering loans to help in the effort to rebuild and recover.“They are low interest loans payable over 30 years, so when you need cash flow to get your recovery process started, it’s absolutely critical,” said Francisco Sanchez.Business owners, as well as other storm victims, can get help at the disaster recovery center just opened by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).It’s at Hortt Park in Fort Lauderdale along 1700 Southwest 14th Court.The center is open Monday’s through Saturday’s from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and it’s staffed with people who can answer questions about any type of federal aid.You can also apply online for assistance by cli...

Anti-Semitic graffiti discovered in Cooper City High School bathroom

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:18 GMT

Students at Cooper City High School are speaking out against anti-Semitic graffiti that was discovered in a boys’ bathroom. Two separate pictures sent to 7News by concerned parents showed swastikas on the walls and another graphic image. A second photo shows another swastika on the floor.“I feel like it’s normalized not for people making stupid racist jokes. It’s sad,” said one student. “No, it’s not funny. Not funny at all,” added another student. Parents said the images were discovered last week. “I think that it’s just boys being stupid. I don’t think they mean to be hateful or anything. They’re just being dumb, said one student. Despite some students downplaying the incident, others are taking it more seriously. “I saw a bunch in the bathroom and like all over the stalls and stuff. It’s rude and weird and not right,” said one student. “I guess it’s people trying to offend other people,” said one studen...

Crews work to put out house fire in Miami

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:18 GMT

Miami Fire Rescue units reported to the scene of a house fire in the Shenandoah neighborhood of Miami.Officials said the original call came in as a car on fire in the alley, Monday afternoon. Upon arrival, they found a home located at 2347 SW 17th Terrace engulfed in flames.A car in the driveway seemed to be at a total loss. It is unknown if anyone was inside the home.

Demolition expected to begin soon at site of Newburyport chemical plant explosion

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:18 GMT

Crews are expected to soon demolish part of a chemical plant in Newburyport that exploded last week, killing one person, officials said on Monday. Emergency crews were first called to the Seqens plant on Opportunity Way around 12:45 a.m. Thursday, where officials said firefighters spent roughly one hour battling heavy fire conditions after the initial blast. Five workers were in the building at the time of the explosion. Of them, four were taken to a local hospital and released after treatment, according to local officials. The body of the fifth worker, identified as 62-year-old Jack O’Keefe, was found hours later.Surveillance video from nearby cameras captured the explosion, showing a massive, bright fireball that launched flames and debris high into the air. SKY7-HD later flew over the scene, revealing a torn apart complex with pieces of roof materiel, pipes and metal scraps piled on one another.RELATED: OSHA cited company for violations before Newburyport explosion, off...

Jamaica Plain man accused of holding man at gunpoint during a test drive in Winthrop

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:18 GMT

A Jamaica Plain man is accused of holding a man at gunpoint during a test drive in Winthrop, and then driving off with the vehicle that the alleged victim had listed for sale on Facebook Marketplace, according to police.Youssouf Mboukoh, 20, has been charged with larceny of a motor vehicle, carjacking by firearm, and assault with a dangerous weapon, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.On April 29, Mboukoh — using the Facebook name “GrindTime” — arranged to meet with the alleged victim to buy a 2010 black Ford Fusion.When Mboukoh met up with the alleged victim, Mboukoh and the victim went for a short test drive before stopping on Perkins Street in Winthrop.When the vehicle stopped, another man opened the rear driver’s side door, allegedly pointing a gun at the victim and said, “Go away or I will shoot you.” The victim immediately got out and called for help while Mboukoh and the other man drove off, police said.In...

Ticker: Feds to expand passenger rights rules on airlines; Twitter to purge inactive accounts 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:18 GMT

President Biden says his administration will write new rules to expand the rights of airline passengers.Biden said Monday that the rules will require airlines to compensate passengers and cover their meals and hotel rooms if they are stranded for reasons within the airline’s control.It’s the administration’s latest salvo at the airlines, and it comes just weeks before the busy summer travel season.Airlines for America, which represents the biggest carriers, says that airlines have no incentive to delay or cancel flights. The trade group blames weather and air traffic control outages for most delays.As outlined at the White House by Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the rules would focus on cancellations and long delays caused by things such as mechanical issues with the plane or lack of a crew.Twitter to purge inactive accountsTwitter Inc. will purge accounts that haven’t been active for several years, and this could lead to a drop in follower coun...

Writers Guild of America blasts Boston University for picking Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav as commencement speaker

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:18 GMT

The Writers Guild of America is ripping into Boston University after BU picked the leader of Warner Bros. Discovery to be this month’s commencement speaker amid the Hollywood writers’ strike.Following BU’s “poor decision” to have Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav as commencement speaker on May 21, the Writers Guild of America is warning that picketers could descend upon the ceremony at Nickerson Field.“Boston University should not give voice to someone who wants to destroy their students’ ability to build a career in the film and television industry,” a Writers Guild of America, East, spokesperson said in a statement to the Herald.“The University should expect students, Writers Guild members, as well as other unions and community groups to picket Zaslav’s commencement address,” the spokesperson added.BU has been facing heat since the university last week announced that Zaslav, a BU Law alum from 1985, would ...