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SEC to play 8-game conference football schedule in 2024; long-term model still TBD

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:10:30 GMT

DESTIN, Fla. (AP) — The Southeastern Conference will play eight league games in 2024 when it expands to 16 teams with the additions of Oklahoma and Texas, but beyond that the schedule model is still to be determined. Commissioner Greg Sankey said Thursday, the second-to-last day of the SEC’s spring meetings, that the conference’s university presidents unanimously voted to implement a short-term solution to a scheduling conundrum that has been debated within the league for more than a year.SEC leaders have been trying to decide between a nine-game conference schedule that would include three annual rivalry games and an eight-game model with one annual rivalry game.“Our long-term options are fully open,” Sankey said.He also said, confidently, a long-term scheduling model would be hashed before the conference returns to the Florida Panhandle this time next year.“Nobody wants to go through this every year,” Sankey said.Football matchups for the 2024 season will b...

Police kill boy, search for others after armed robbery in Aurora: chief

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:10:30 GMT

AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) -- Police shot and killed a boy and took two more into custody after an armed robbery in Aurora on Thursday afternoon, according to interim Police Chief Art Acevedo. A regional search was underway for more young males who fled the scene in a Kia minivan that had been reported stolen, Acevedo said. He did not release ages but said officers believe they were all boys.Acevedo said they robbed vapes from a store near 8th Avenue and Dayton Street. The boy who police shot and killed had a semiautomatic pistol that he threatened the store clerk with, the chief said. 2 escaped inmates from Adams County jail taken into custody A sergeant with Aurora's Gang Intervention Unit first spotted the alleged robbers in hoods and masks near the store and pursued them. He called other officers to the scene to help chase the suspects. Acevedo said one officer encountered the boy with the pistol and ordered him to let go of the gun."At one point, the officer discharges his firearm...

Nuggets fan battling cancer surprised with tickets to Game 1 of the NBA Finals

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:10:30 GMT

HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. (KDVR) — Two seats at Game 1 of the NBA Finals in Denver will be filled with very deserving Nuggets fans after they got the surprise of a lifetime.Thursday morning, Benjamin Peter and his son believed they were going to be interviewed by local reporters about an experience Peter recently had watching a Nuggets game through a virtual reality headset.A few weeks ago, UCHealth and the Nuggets teamed up to help Peter experience what it is like to sit courtside at a game. He was really watching from a hospital chair during chemotherapy treatment. When he took the headset off, Nuggets mascot Rocky was waiting in front of him with a Nikola Jokic jersey.This time, UCHealth had a different surprise in store.During the interview, Peter and his son were handed a sign that said, “UCHealth and the Nuggets are sending us to Game 1!”The pair were practically speechless.“It’s a dream come true. This is not something we normally would have done but we’ve followed this team for...

Wynwood bars Grails, SHOTS pivot into NBA Finals with Heat-friendly drink specials

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:10:30 GMT

The Miami Heat are in the NBA Finals, but you’re not coming to Deco for our sports coverage, are you? You’re here to add some heat to your life. In that case, head to Wynwood. That’s where Deco’s Alex Miranda has his game face on … or whatever kind of face that is.When it comes to the NBA Finals, Wynwood is all about watching the Miami Heat win.Eddie Fuentes: “You better be ready, better wear your colors, have your jersey on, bring your sneakers. This is the place to be.”And Grails, home to the famous Sneaker Cocktail, has sports fans covered.Eddie Fuentes: “We’re doing Miami Heat cutouts, we’re doing smoke machines, cheerleaders, we’re doing a mural for the Miami Heat, for the Panthers, so we’re celebrating the city.”All right, Eddie, but I want that party in my cup — I mean shoe.Eddie Fuentes: “You can get four of your sneakers with four different colors, with two different bottles, or you can do t...

Crews battle fire at apartment building in Worcester

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:10:30 GMT

Emergency crews responded in Worcester Thursday after a fire broke out in an apartment building on Bowdoin Street. Crews were on scene Thursday afternoon with ladders in place in multiple locations and firefighters seen on the building roof.While there did not appear to be any major damage to the building, multiple windows were broken.There was no word as of around 9 p.m. on any injuries.This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

Neighbors devastated after driver barrels through gaggle of geese in Peabody

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:10:30 GMT

A group of Peabody residents said they’re devastated after a driver barreled a gaggle of geese on a local street in an incident caught on camera this week. “No braking, no pause, nothing, just run right over them,” said James Gemma on Wednesday. Gemma is the person heard screaming for the driver to stop in a video of the incident. He told 7NEWS the person behind the wheel “hit those geese at full speed and kept going.” “It’s a tragedy,” he said. “It’s heartbreaking.” Gemma shared a separate video showing in his yard Tuesday morning. Moments later, he said the set of parents and their goslings started to cross nearby Winona Street.Gemma said he heard the car and then its impact. He initially chased after the car, but said it did not stop. A matter of days after the incident, he shared a message for the driver. “I want this person to step up and say ‘Yeah, I screwed up. It’s on me’”Gemma said three of the goslings were killed and Peabody police were called. Now, he said...

7 Investigates: Wheelchair Repair Problems

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:10:30 GMT

Growing up, Pamela Daly was a dancer, but a tragic car crash changed her life forever.“I broke my back,” Pamela says.She now relies on a specialized wheelchair to get around.    “I’ve been paralyzed for 51 years,” she says.Pamela’s wheelchair is her lifeline and if it breaks, she needs it repaired as soon as possible.“It’s just awful,” she says.She says she was recently stuck at home for 10 weeks waiting for a technician to replace a front wheel.  “It took weeks and weeks, and weeks.  You make a phone call.  No answer.  They don’t answer the phone.I’m just furious,” Pamela says.Disability experts say the repair system for customized / high-tech wheelchairs is broken. “People can be left stranded.  The level of consumer service seems to get worse every year,” Rick Glassman of the Disability Law Center says.  Part of the problem, Glassman...

Weakened Tropical Storm Mawar brings heavy rains to Japan’s southern islands as it passes by

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:10:30 GMT

NAHA, Japan (AP) — A weakened Tropical Storm Mawar was bringing heavy rains to Japan’s main southern islands after passing the Okinawan archipelago early Friday.Residents in vulnerable areas were warned of the potential for flooding and mudslides. Strong winds continued on Okinawa and dozens of local flights were canceled for the day. Formerly a super typhoon, Mawar had winds blowing up to 90 kph (56 mph) as it moved east of Okinoerabujima over the Pacific Ocean, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.While wind damage was limited in Okinawa, warm and damp air from the tropical storm was intensifying seasonal rains, threatening flooding and mudslides, the meteorological agency said.Up to 35 centimeters (1.1 feet) of rain was forecast over the next 24 hours through Saturday morning. The agency issued flooding and mudslide warnings in parts of southwestern Japan, cautioning residents near rivers and hillside to use caution. Mawar largely skirted Taiwan and the Philippines after tearing ...

Meta to test blocking news on Instagram, Facebook for some Canadians

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:10:30 GMT

OTTAWA — Meta is preparing to block news for some Canadians on Facebook and Instagram in a temporary test that is expected to last the majority of the month. The Silicon Valley tech giant is following in the steps of Google, which blocked news links for about five weeks earlier this year for some of its Canadian users in response to a controversial Liberal government bill.Bill C-18, which is currently being studied in the Senate, will require tech giants to pay publishers for linking to or otherwise repurposing their content online.Meta said it’s prepared to block news permanently on Facebook and Instagram if the bill passes, which the government said could happen this month. Rachel Curran, head of public policy for Meta Canada, said this first temporary move will affect one to five per cent of its 24 million Canadian users, with the number of those impacted fluctuating throughout the test. Randomly selected Canadian users will not be able to see or share news content in Canad...

After decades of attempts, major Alabama bill to cut state’s 4% grocery tax wins final passage

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:10:30 GMT

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama families could soon pay less at the grocery store after lawmakers gave final passage Thursday to a landmark bill that would gradually remove half of the 4% state sales tax on food, capping decades of fruitless attempts at such a tax cut. The legislation now heads to the desk of Gov. Kay Ivey, whose office said she will review it when she receives it. Alabama is one of only three states that tax groceries at the same rate as other purchases. Advocates had long argued that taxing food at such a rate placed an unfair burden on families in the poor Southern state, where 16% of the people live in poverty and the median household income hovers around $54,000.The Senate voted 31-0 to approve an amended version of a House-passed bill on Thursday. The House later voted 103-0 to agree to the change. Final legislative passage came after decades of attempts at the Statehouse in Montgomery but this year’s measure gained broad bipartisan support against a bac...