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Denver metro animal shelters are overcrowded

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Many major animal shelters across the Denver metro are critically overcrowded, due to an increase in the number of owner surrenders and strays taken in.This has led the Metro Denver Animal Welfare Alliance (MDAWA) to ask people who are able, to adopt from a shelter. The MDAWA is comprised of 25 public and private shelters, rescue groups and animal welfare services across the Denver metro.Shelters are seeing more owner surrendersThe Denver Animal Shelter saw a 120% increase in the number of owners surrendering their pets between May 2022 and May 2023, and it isn't alone. According to the MDAWA, Aurora's animal shelter saw a 35% increase in owner surrenders between 2021 and 2022, and the Foothills Animal Shelter has seen a 33% increase in owner surrenders so far this year. How homelessness in Denver compares to other cities The MDAWA said the rising number of owner surrenders is mainly due to economic barriers like housing instability. Issues like rising housing cos...

1 dead, 1 injured, 1 in custody after shooting at Florida City Walmart; customers describe chaos inside store

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

One person was killed and another person was injured after a shooting occurred inside a Walmart in Florida City that led police to take one person into custody. Miami-Dade Police have taken over the investigation into the incident, which occurred just before 3 p.m., Wednesday at the large retailer located at 33501 S. Dixie Highway. Investigators said two people suffered gunshot wounds during the incident.According to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, a third person required medical attention for a panic attack resulting from the incident.Investigators said a woman drove herself to the hospital to be treated for a head injury she suffered when she slipped and fell. Paramedics treated five other people at the scene for minor cuts and scrapes. MDPD Detective Alvaro Zabaleta provided further details about the incident at a news conference held Wednesday evening.“What we do know is that … there was an altercation amongst two groups. Three individuals on each side where these individual...

Senior residents at Sunrise apartment complex face problems after building’s only elevator is shut down

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Senior residents at an apartment complex in Sunrise said they find themselves stuck in a really difficult spot after the building’s only elevator was suddenly shut down.Several residents at Sunrise Lakes Phase 4, a 55-and-over community, spoke with 7News on Thursday about their current predicament.For resident Gloria Sullivan, not having a working elevator is about strategy. She even keeps her grocery shopping to a minimum.“Every day, I take out the trash, so I don’t have a lot,” she said. “With the elevator not working, I don’t buy as much.”Resident Herb Meyer said he now has to walk his dog Pee-Chew down four flights of stairs after the elevator was shut down, Wednesday afternoon.Walking his dog is something Meyer does several times a day, and with a bad knee, it’s not easy.“Maybe three or four flights a day, and with a bad knee, it’s pretty rough,” said Meyer.Resident Enrique Perez said he uses the stairs to carry ...

Memorial held in Homestead for farm worker who died at work; excessive heat believed to be the cause

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

A day out in the blazing sun took a tragic turn for a farm worker, and his family says high temperatures are to blame.In an effort to spread awareness for working conditions for agricultural workers, a memorial was held after one died from excessive heat while working. The Farmworker Association of Florida held the memorial for 29-year-old Efraín López-Garcia in Homestead, Wednesday morning. In attendance at the event were his family, representatives of the Guatemalan Consulate, representatives from Miami-Dade County, representatives from the Farmworker Association of Florida and several health experts. Efraín was a farm worker who lost his life on the job earlier in July.“I was in Jacksonville, and the person who was working with him called me. He let me know what had happened to my brother,” said the farm worker’s brother, Jeremías López-Garcia, as he spoke through a translator. Jeremías described the moments he was told about his brother’s death.“Yes...

EU pharma reforms will hurt patients and hinder research

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Annette Bakker is president of the Children’s Tumor Foundation and chair of the board of directors of CTF Europe.The European Commission recently proposed its first major overhaul of European Union pharmaceutical policies in two decades.With these reforms, the Commission is trying to ensure all Europeans, regardless of nationality, have faster access to affordable, lifesaving drugs — a worthy goal that policymakers, patients and healthcare providers all share.But good intentions don’t necessarily translate to good policy. And the Commission’s proposal rests on a flawed premise that will ultimately block — not facilitate —access to lifesaving medicines.The proposed reforms take a carrot-and-stick approach, shortening the duration of market exclusivity for new medications, thus allowing cheaper generic drugs on the market two years sooner.The threat of massive revenue loss caused by generic competition is the stick here. The fact that drugmakers could earn back most ...

Scoop! Why Ben from Ben & Jerry’s blames America for war in Ukraine

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Your favorite ice cream mogul is campaigning against countering Vladimir Putin’s aggression.BY NICOLAS CAMUT IN BRUSSELSIllustrations by hitandrun for POLITICOBen Cohen wasn’t talking about ice cream. He was talking about American militarism.At 72, the co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is bald and bespectacled. He looks fit, cherubic even, but when he got going on what it was like to grow up during the Cold War, his tone became less playful and more assertive — almost defiant. “I had his image of these two countries facing each other, and each one had this huge pile of shiny, state-of-the-art weapons in front of them,” he said, his arms waving above his head. “And behind them are the people in their countries that are suffering from lack of health care, not enough to eat, not enough housing.”“It’s just crazy,” he added. “Approaching relationships with other countries based on threats of annihilating them, it’s just a pretty stupid way to go.”It wasn’t a new ...

How scandals affect by-elections as England heads to the polls

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

LONDON — Brace yourself: England gets not one, but three by-elections on Thursday.It’s a tricky moment for Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, whose party is languishing in the national polls and fighting to hang on to all three seats: Uxbridge and Ruislip; Selby and Ainsty; and Somerton and Frome.And it’s the first time England has faced three simultaneous parliamentary votes outside of a general election since November 2012. While each race is unique, there’s plenty to be gleaned from by-elections past.Alia Middleton, psephologist and senior lecturer at the University of Surrey, has analyzed 148 by-elections held between 1979 and 2022. Her message? Don’t expect bumper turnout — and watch for the nuanced effect of scandal and controversy.By-election turnout tends to be lower than in generals. According to Middleton’s analysis, the average turnout in by-elections sits at just 49.3 percent — compared with an average general election turnout in the same se...

Boston Police release photos of car possibly connected to deadly hit-and-run in Hyde Park

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Boston police released photos and video Wednesday night of a car possibly connected to a hit-and-run crash that killed a four-year-old boy in Hyde Park on Tuesday. The car, police said, is described as a dark gray subcompact hatchback. It was last seen driving on Wood Avenue in the direction of Cummings Highway.Police have asked anyone with information to contact them as investigators continue efforts to track down a driver who they say left the scene of the deadly crash. Family members identified the child who was killed as Ivan Pierre. On Wednesday afternoon, Pierre’s uncle wiped away tears while speaking about his nephew. “We’ve pretty much seen it all, accidents happening here and drive-by shootings and now one of our own was taken from us,” Heroldy Limage said. Limage said the crash happened as the family gathered to see the boy’s mother’s new car around 9:30 p.m. Limage said the boy’s mother had just got home and family members were gathering b...

Kayaker dies after being pulled from Ipswich River in Hamilton

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

A kayaker died Wednesday after being pulled from the Ipswich River in Hamilton, police said. Hamilton police said emergency crews first responded around 3 p.m. after a 911 call for a missing kayaker. Police said crews found the kayaker and he was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. The incident remained under investigation as of Wednesday afternoon.This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

Somerville 18-year-old granted NYC trip through Make-A-Wish, surprised with a party at home

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

An 18-year-old from Somerville living with a life-threatening blood disorder was surprised with a New York-themed party after her wish to visit New York City was granted.Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island partnered with Subaru of Wakefield to help make her dreams come true.“It’s just we usually do a going away party, but this is a welcome back party for her, and she had no idea,” said Sal Barbagallo, of Subaru of Wakefield.Sofia was recently granted her longtime wish of visiting New York but didn’t know there was going to be a special surprise waiting when she got home.“I made the most of it, and I had a lot of fun there,” Sofia said.Organizers set up a New York-themed party with some of Sofia’s favorite interests, including musical performances, a make-up station, snacks and decorations. “It’s fun, and they’re all very welcoming. It’s very warm,” Sofia said.During the party, Sofia was joined by other local Wish recipients and welcomed into the “Wish Community,” which i...