Quantcast
Channel: Top Stories
Viewing all 12140 articles
Browse latest View live

Police searching for man who tried to kill father, set house on fire

$
0
0

Homestead Police are actively searching for a man they say tried to kill his father by setting him on fire inside of their home Saturday morning.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and the Homestead Police Department responded to a house fire call at 730 Northwest 17th Street. Detective Fernando Morales says the son identified as 38-year-old Tabias Rollins got into a domestic dispute with his 64-year-old father. They say Rollins doused him with gasoline before setting him on fire. The home rapidly was rapidly engulfed in flames immediately afterwards. 

When police got to the scene, Rollins had already left. They say he drove off in a white 2000 Cadillac DeVille with a black top.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue airlifted the father to Kendall Regional where he is in critical condition.

If you think you know anything about Rollins' whereabouts, please call the Homestead Police Department at 305-247-1535 or Miami-Dade Crimestoppers at 305-471-TIPS with any information. 

The home is a total loss. The Red Cross will provide assistance to the displaced family.


Paris rocked by deadly terror attacks

$
0
0

Dozens of people are reported dead after a series of what appear to be coordinated attacks across Paris late Friday.

Terror in Paris: What we know so far

$
0
0

Parisians woke up Saturday to a full realization of the horror wrought by the terrorist attacks of the previous evening, violence deadlier than anything Paris has experienced since World War II.

No place, it seemed, was safe. The West's counterterrorism strategy appeared in tatters. And coming just 10 months after the attack on the satirical Charlie Hebdo magazine, where 12 people were killed, one had to wonder whether France had become a particular target.

French President Francois Hollande said Saturday that ISIS was responsible for Friday's series of deadly attacks. He called the coordinated attacks "an act of war."

ISIS claimed responsibility in an online statement. The statement said eight ISIS militants wearing explosive belts and armed with machine guns attacked precisely selected targets in the French capital.

It was the deadliest terrorist attack in Europe since the Madrid train bombings of 2004, in which 191 people died. And it came less than two weeks after after a Russian plane crashed in Sinai -- downed, intelligence officials believe, by a terrorist bomb -- killing all 224 people aboard.

Some intelligence officials are also blaming that act of terrorism on ISIS, which seems to be eclipsing al Qaeda as the most significant global terrorist threat.

Here is what we know so far:

What happened?

-- Three teams of terrorists staged coordinated attacks at six locations throughout Paris late Friday, including a theater, the Stade de France and at least two restaurants, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said Saturday.

-- Molins said Saturday that at least 129 people were killed and 352 wounded in the attacks. Ninety-nine of the wounded are reported in very serious condition, he said.

-- Molins said seven terrorists were killed, although in its initial statement, ISIS claimed to have eight attackers involved. The reason for the discrepancy is not immediately clear.

-- We do not know whether other attackers are at large. Police are searching for any possible attackers or accomplices.

-- "The threat is still going on. The risk is still very high, and nothing says this terror sequence is over yet," Paris Deputy Mayor Paul Klugman said.

-- French media, citing law enforcement sources, reported that a Syrian passport was found on one of the bodies of the attackers and that verification was in progress. The finding did not necessarily mean the person was Syrian.

-- President Francois Hollande was at Stade de France, where France was hosting Germany in a soccer friendly. Hollande was evacuated and has vowed a ruthless response to the attacks.

Where were the attacks?

Bataclan concert hall

-- This was the deadliest site, with at least 89 people killed, Molins said.

--Three attackers with assault rifles arrived in a car, entered the concert venue and opened fire. They took audience members hostage and regrouped them in front of the stage, which is why most of the victims were found there, Molins said. The attackers talked about Syria and Iraq during a brief address.

-- Police stormed the theater in a rescue operation. The three attackers were killed: two by suicide belts and one by police gunfire and his suicide belt.

-- Eagles of Death Metal, a blues rock band from Palm Desert, California, had been performing.

-- A witness told Radio France that the attackers entered firing pump rifles and shouting "Allahu akbar."

-- The "scale and complexity" of the Paris attacks "surprised everyone," said Peter Neumann, director of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalization at Kings College London.

--Terrorism experts had expected some kind of attack but did not think ISIS would be able to carry off something on this scale.

Stade de France

-- Four people were killed outside the sports stadium in Saint-Denis, a suburb north of Paris: three suicide bombers and a man who had been walking by, Molins said.

-- France was playing Germany in a soccer match at the time.

-- A witness, Gabriel Haddad, said two explosions could be heard in the background during the game. Molins said three explosions occurred over 32 minutes outside the stadium: two immediately outside the stadium and one 400 meters away.

-- One of the explosions appeared to be a suicide bombing, a Western intelligence source receiving direct intelligence from the scene told CNN's Deborah Feyerick.

Other locations

-- At least 14 people were killed at the restaurant Le Petit Cambodge on Rue Bichat, in the 10th district of Paris.

-- At least 19 people were killed outside a bar called La Belle Equipe on Rue de Charonne in the 11th district of Paris.

-- Four people died on Avenue de la Republique, in the 10th district of Paris.

The scene in Paris

-- Hollande said Friday that a state of emergency was being put in place in Paris.

-- French authorities say they have tightened border controls to prevent potential attackers from entering and to capture anyone involved in attacks.

-- French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said border controls were tightened Friday, and the gendarmerie paramilitary police are on heightened alert. French security forces have been increased across France as part of the ongoing state of emergency, Cazeneuve announced after a meeting with Hollande at the Elysee Palace.

-- Hollande ordered 1,500 military troops to join the security forces currently deployed. The troops will secure locations that are "particularly strategic" and will patrol in the heart of Paris, said Cazeneuve.

The victims

-- Valentin Ribet, a Parisian lawyer and graduate of the London School of Economics and Political Science, has been identified as one of the victims of the atacks.

-- A 23-year-old student from California State University, Long Beach, was also killed in the attacks. Nohemi Gonzalez from El Monte, California, was a junior studying design, according to a statement from Cal State Long Beach.

-- At least two Americans are among the injured, a number that is expected to rise, according to two U.S. officials who spoke to CNN. A male American is recovering from a leg injury that is not considered life-threatening. An American woman is also among the injured, though the extent of her injuries is not known. It's not clear if the woman is the same American who is known to have died in the attacks.

-- At least two Belgians have been identified among the dead. Belgian Foreign Ministry spokesman Didier Vanderhasselt said the French Foreign Ministry had communicated the information to Belgium. He said the number could rise.

-- The British Foreign Office confirms the death of a British national, Nick Alexander, who was killed at the Bataclan concert venue.

-- Three Chilean nationals died in the Paris attacks, including two relatives of Chilean Ambassador to Mexico Ricardo Nunez, a Chilean Foreign Ministry spokesman said Saturday. The victims were identified as Patricia San Martin and her daughter, Elsa Veronique Delplace San Martin, Nunez's niece and grandniece; and Luis Felipe Zschoche Valle, a musician who had lived in Paris for eight years, the foreign ministry said.

The Investigation

-- One of the suicide bombers has been identified as Ismael Omar Mostefai, said Jean-Pierre Gorges, a French member of Parliament who also is mayor of Chartres. Mostefai lived in Chartres at least until 2012, Gorges said via Facebook.

-- The FBI is sending an additional four agents to France to support the FBI office based in Paris, according to two law enforcement officials. The French have not formally requested assistance, but the move is made in case they do.

-- Eyewitness accounts and videos showed the terrorists arriving at attack locations in a black Seat and a black VW Polo. A man who rented the VW Polo was intercepted Saturday at the Belgian border, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said Saturday. He is a French national living in Belgium and was accompanied by two other people, Molins said. When stopped, he was not driving a car used in the attacks.

-- Belgian authorities have opened an official investigation handled by a Brussels-based investigative judge specializing in terrorism.

-- A source close to the investigation told CNN that officials found passports on two of the eight attackers. One of the passports was Syrian, the other Egyptian. The source said, "There is a strong assumption that these passports are fake."

--The Syrian passport belonged to a person who had been processed on the Greek island of Leros, Greek Deputy Minister of Citizen Protection Nikos Toskas said in a statement Saturday. But ministry officials said they are not sure whether the holder of the passport was the person who carried out the attacks. CNN also cannot independently verify that the passport found was authentic or that it belonged to one of the attackers.

Elsewhere

-- Belgian authorities say a number of arrests have been made after raids in a Brussels suburb connected to the Paris attacks. The raids took place in Molenbeek, on the outskirts of Brussels, said justice ministry spokeswoman Sieghild Lacoere. She also said a car rented in Brussels was found near one of the sites of the attacks in France, and "that's what triggered the raids."

-- U.S. President Barack Obama pledged solidarity with France, saying, "We've seen an outrageous attempt to terrorize innocent civilians."

-- Pope Francis condemned the killings, saying they were a part of the "piecemeal Third World War." "There is no religious or human justification for it," he said in a telephone interview with TV2000, the television network of the Italian Bishops' Conference.

-- Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles sent messages of sympathy to France.

-- A U.S. government official said that at the moment, there is no credible or specific threat to the United States.

-- American intelligence agencies are looking at all intelligence, including communications intercepts, for any indication that there had been planning or coordination, according to a U.S. intelligence official.

-- British Prime Minister David Cameron convened a meeting of the emergency response committee. The threat level in the United Kingdom is at "severe," meaning a militant attack is considered highly likely.

-- Russian leader Vladimir Putin sent condolences to Hollande and the people of France.

-- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, according to Syrian media, said Western support of insurgents in Syria had fueled an "expansion of terror" abroad.

-- The Netherlands is increasing border security, especially on roads to and from France, according to a spokesman for the Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice. Jean Fransman said extra personnel have been deployed and security at airports has been reinforced.

Reactions

-- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel "stands shoulder to shoulder to France in this common battle against radical Islamic terrorism." He has offered his nation's security and intelligence forces to France and other European nations, should they need assistance.

-- The National Football League announced that it would have "robust" security in place for Sunday games in the United States but said authorities knew of no threats against stadiums.

-- New York Mayor Bill de Blasio attended a vigil in Washington Square with the French consul general and said, "We can teach a lesson to the world because of what we went through on 9/11. ... We must refuse to be terrorized."

-- The EU issued a statement reading in part, "The European Union is deeply shocked and in mourning after the terrorist attacks in Paris. It is an attack against us all. We will face this threat together with all necessary means and ruthless determination."

-- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, in Vienna for a round of diplomatic talks on Syria, denounced the attacks on Paris, calling France "America's oldest ally." Delivering his comments in French, Kerry said, "The bond our nations share today is both visceral and unshakable." He noted that, for him, the attacks also are personal. "I am one of many Americans with deep connections to France and immediate family living in and around Paris," he said.

-- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi called Hollande to offer condolences.

-- New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that state agencies are on heightened alert, taking security precautions and using new surveillance measures to protect the state. De Blasio ordered flags flown at half-staff.

-- Monuments around the world were lit up in blue, white and red in solidarity with Paris. In London, the monuments included the London Eye, Tower Bridge and Wembley Stadium. The French flag, lowered to half-staff, is flying at Cameron's Downing Street office alongside the Union Flag, the office said.

-- New York's One World Trade Center will be lit up blue, white and red on Saturday in support of Paris, according to Cuomo's office.

South Florida Muslim community condemns Paris attacks

$
0
0

The South Florida Muslim community is condemning the attacks in Paris.

The Islamic Center of Palm Beach issued a statement Saturday morning, calling the attacks, "deplorable and heinous."

Related: Paris residents at Miami International Airport react to attacks

French President Francois Hollande is blaming ISIS for the series of attacks across Paris Friday night that left at least 128 dead and many more injured.

In their statement, the Islamic Center of Palm Beach said, "Islamic scholars around the Muslim world have clarified that specific verses in the Quran related to warfare cannot be misconstrued to justify hijacking planes, suicide bombings, murder, or other criminal acts that are explicitly forbidden in the Islamic faith."

Follow Local 10 News on Twitter @WPLGLocal10

Researchers fish to learn more about sharks around Florida

$
0
0

Researchers are fishing to learn more about the sharks swimming around Florida.

Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville resort opens in Hollywood

$
0
0

The rain didn't stop Jimmy Buffet from performing at the opening of the Margaritaville Beach Resort, his new $150 million attraction that features nearly 350 rooms, eight bars and a spa.

By the time Buffett took the stage at 4:30 p.m. Saturday for his free concert, it was already 5 o'clock somewhere. Buffett joked that he finally got to play the iconic Bandshell, one of the few remnants of old Hollywood.

The Bandshell, built in the 1970s, will feature local music several nights a week, but is now run by Margaritaville.

The Miami Herald reports the city contributed more than $20 million to the project and is hoping it will transform the area into a more sophisticated vacation escape with a Carribbean-themed vibe.

Follow Local 10 News on Twitter @WPLGLocal10

Authorities searching for man possibly involved in Paris attacks

$
0
0

Authorities are searching for a man who was possibly involved with Friday's Paris attacks.

Crash leaves North Miami Beach police officer in critical condition

$
0
0

A North Miami Beach police officer is in critical condition at Aventura Hospital Saturday after she was involved in an early morning car accident.

 North Miami Beach police said around 1 a.m. officer Nicole Mood was on-duty and driving in her patrol car along Northeast 163rd Street and Northeast 19th Avenue, when a car crashed right into her police vehicle.

"All I see is the red car speeding coming from 163rd, and I see the officer coming down. she had the green light. The red car just came and cut the light and just hit it and banged it," a witness said.

 

The impact of the crash forced the police cruiser to slam into a large traffic light. Officer Mood  had to be extracted from her patrol car. She was rushed to Aventura Hospital's trauma unit where she remains is in critical condition.

Police also said the driver of the car at fault tried to take off on foot, but was immediately taken into custody. The passenger of that car was also taken to Aventura hospital in stable condition. 

 

While the investigation into this crash was taking place, police say there was a second car accident involving a North Miami Beach patrol car. They say an SUV failed to stop and crashed into the police vehicle that was establishing a perimeter for the initial accident. One person in the vehicle was taken into custody for a bench warrant. There were no injuries in the second crash. 

 

Investigators will be looking to see if the driver of the at-fault car was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash.


Officers shoot driver who was pulled over with drugs in car

$
0
0

Two police officers shot a man Sunday when he made "overt movements" after being pulled over in a car that had drugs inside.

Police said the man was heading north on US-1 and pulled into the Shell gas station at Madruga Court when police pulled him over. Two officers approached the white Mitsubishi Galant and one officer noticed drugs in the car.

The officers ordered the driver out of the car. They opened fire when the man started to make "overt movements," according to police. They said the overt movements may have been an attempt to hide drugs in his pants.

The man was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital and was listed in stable condition. He may be released into police custody Sunday night. Detectives found a significant amount of drugs in the car, though they have not released what kind of drugs.

The man was alone in the car when police pulled him over.

Northbound US-1 is shut down around the shooting scene.

Follow Local 10 News on Twitter @WPLGLocal10

Paris terror: Names of victims start to emerge

$
0
0

They were concertgoers and football fans.

They were students, teachers, journalists, architects and lawyers.

One was on a roller derby team.

They are among the almost 500 people from all walks of life and from all corners of the world who were either killed or wounded in coordinated terror attacks Friday night in Paris.

Portraits are now beginning to emerge of some of the at least 129 people killed and 352 people wounded in deadly attacks at six sites in the French capital.

Remembering the victims

One of the targets was the Stade de France, where France was playing Germany in an international soccer match. France midfielder Lassana Diarra said his cousin, Asta Diakite, died in the attacks, though he did not say where she was killed.

A Parisian lawyer who studied in London was one of the first victims to be named. Valentin Ribet, 26, was at the Bataclan concert hall, according to the firm where he worked, Hogan Lovells. Most of the fatalities occurred at the Bataclan.

The London School of Economics said Ribet graduated in 2014. He worked in the litigation team at Hogan Lovells, specializing in white-collar crime.

"He was a talented lawyer, extremely well liked, and a wonderful personality in the office," Hogan Lovells said in a statement.

Lola Salines, who worked with La Boucherie de Paris, a roller derby team, died in the attacks, according to her father, Georges Salines. He wrote earlier on Twitter that Salines was at the Bataclan.

Valeria Solesin was also killed at the Bataclan, according to Italy's foreign minister. The 28-year-old Venice native was studying in Paris.

Italy's ANSA news agency said Solesin was at the concert with her boyfriend, his sister and the sister's boyfriend, who were rescued. They were at the entrance when the attackers stormed in, ANSA reported.

Solesin was pursuing a doctorate in demography at the Sorbonne, ANSA reported. She was interested in topics related to families and children, and sociological comparisons between France and Italy, the news agency said.

France 24 reported Sunday that one of its employees was killed in the attack at the concert hall. It said Mathieu Hoche, 37, was the father of a young child and a lover of rock music who had worked for the news network since 2006.

A 23-year-old American design student at California State University, Long Beach, was also among the dead.

Nohemi Gonzalez was spending the semester at the Strate College of Design, said Jane Close Conoley, president of the California school.

Gonzalez's mother, Beatriz, told CNN en Español her daughter was outside one of the restaurants with friends when it was attacked. A friend was shot in the arm. Both were put in an ambulance, the mother said, but Nohemi died en route to the hospital.

It was Nohemi's boyfriend in California who found out the news and told the family, Beatriz Gonzalez said. Nohemi lost her cell phone several weeks ago, so when the boyfriend heard about the attacks and failed to reach Nohemi on Facebook, he called one of the friends she had been out with. The friend said Nohemi didn't make it.

Nohemi didn't have money to buy a new cell phone, Beatriz Gonzalez said, so they hadn't spoken to each other in weeks. She had just sent Nohemi money to buy a new phone, but her daughter hadn't bought one yet, she said.

They last chatted to each other via Facebook on Wednesday.

"She was very secure and strong through all the issues that we went through in our life," Gonzalez told CNN en Espanol. "She always focused on her school and (reaching) her goals."

Gonzalez added, "She wanted to graduate, to be a professional, to have a family."

Michael LaForte, one of her former lecturers at Long Beach, called Gonzalez "a shining star."

Gonzalez and three fellow students finished second this year in a global contest to find solutions to food sustainability issues. Her team designed the Polli Snak, a biodegradable snack pack also containing soil and seeds to be cultivated after the snack is eaten.

A newlywed architect was also among those slain. Amine Ibnolmobarak was an architect and teacher at the ENSA Paris-Malaquais architecture school, the Union Nationale des Etudiants en Architecture et Paysage said on its Facebook page.

Ibnolmobarak "was the quintessential young Muslim intellectual" who was "concerned with spreading the peaceful values of his religion," according to Jean Attali, a former professor.

Akram Benmbarek, Ibnolmobarak's cousin, posted to Facebook that the architect's wife also was shot three times and is in critical condition.

The Belgian Foreign Ministry said at least two Belgians were killed but the number could rise.

The family of Nick Alexander, a British man from Colchester in Essex, confirmed his death in a statement The Guardian newspaper obtained. Alexander was working with Eagles of Death Metal, the California group playing at the Bataclan when it was attacked.

"Nick was not just our brother, son and uncle, he was everyone's best friend -- generous, funny and fiercely loyal," the statement said.

Music journalist Guillaume Decherf was also killed at the concert hall, according to his employer, French cultural magazine Les Inrockuptibles. On Twitter, the magazine posted a link to a review Decherf wrote last month of the band's latest album.

At least two staffers with Universal Music, the band's label, were among the dead at the Bataclan.

One of them was Thomas Ayad, an international product manager for Mercury Records, Universal Music Group Chairman Lucian Grainge told staff in an email Billboard magazine obtained.

Grainge called it an "unspeakably appalling tragedy."

Marie Mosser was another Universal employee. Her Twitter profile said she worked in digital marketing and communication.

The sister of 33-year-old Aurelie De Peretti told The New York Times that she died at the Bataclan. She was fond of music and culture and had loved to draw ever since she was a child, Delphine De Peretti said.

Her father, Jean-Marie De Peretti, told CNN affiliate BFMTV he is devastated.

"I don't feel any particular hatred," he said. "I'm resigned. I'm resigned because, since the announcement of this tragic news ... losing her ... at the age of 33, it hurts. It hurts a lot."

Cedric Mauduit, a council official in Calvados, a region in Normandy, was attending the concert with five friends when he was killed, according to the chairman of Calvados, Leonce Jean Dupont.

Calling Mauduit "one of our best employees," he said, "Our sadness is immense."

Another victim at the concert was Elodie Breuil, 23, her brother told Time magazine. Breuil was a design student at Ecole de Conde and marched with her mother in the rally that followed the Charlie Hebdo attack in January, her brother, Alexis Breuil, said.

Three citizens of Chile were among the dead, according to the Chilean Foreign Ministry. All were at the Bataclan.

One of them was Luis Felipe Zschoche Valle, 33, who was married, had lived in Paris for eight years and was a musician, the foreign ministry said.

The Paris-based rock band Captain Americano listed Zschoche as its singer and guitarist. A picture posted on the band's Facebook page showed him on stage during a concert in a captain's uniform, playing guitar and singing into a microphone.

The page was filled with tributes to him.

"Definitely unique and irreplaceable," wrote one.

Also killed were Chileans Patricia San Martin Nunez, 61, and her daughter, Elsa Veronique Delplace, 35, were niece and grandniece, respectively, of the Chilean ambassador to Mexico, Ricardo Nunez, the foreign ministry said.

Delplace worked at management consultancy group Manegere, which praised "her love of life, her love for others, that permanent smile she wore on her face."

On Tuesday, Delplace celebrated a milestone -- being hired at the firm permanently following a two-month trial.

Delplace had at least one child, a son whom she brought to work in October to show him around, the company said.

"Manegere did not only lose a colleague in the Bataclan on this fateful Friday night," the company said, "but each employee, associate, and partner of the firm has lost a sister, a daughter, a long-time friend, an exceptional colleague."

At least two Portuguese citizens were among the dead.

Precilia Correia, 35, was born in France and had dual French-Portuguese nationality. She was killed at the Bataclan, Portuguese Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities Jose Cesario said.

The Portuguese state news agency Lusa reported one of the victims killed outside the Stade de France was 63-year-old Manuel Colaco Dias. Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho wrote to the family of the victim offering his condolences.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said a Spanish citizen, Juan Alberto Gonzalez Garrido, was killed in the Paris attacks.

The El Mundo newspaper reported Gonzalez was a 29-year-old engineer from Granada who had been living in Paris for two years. He and his wife, also an engineer, got married last summer. Both were inside the Bataclan concert hall. His wife escaped, the paper reported, but he did not.

Gonzalez was an expert in nuclear energy, El Mundo reported, and worked for the French electricity company EDF.

Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the death of two women in the attacks. One was Mexican-American and the other was Mexican-Spanish, the ministry said, without giving names.

Gov. Rick Scott orders flags to half-staff

$
0
0

Florida Gov. Rick Scott has ordered all U.S. and state flags in the state to fly at half-staff.

The governor is doing this to show respect and mourn the victims in Friday's terror attacks in Paris.

The flags on all government buildings and property should fly at half-staff until sunset on Nov 22.

Follow Local 10 News on Twitter @WPLGLocal10

Police fire at driver in Miami-Dade County

$
0
0

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating a police-involved shooting that involved a Miami Dade police officer.

Police say it started after a carjacking at 1:10 p.m. Sunday at Northwest 79th Street and 31st Avenue. The suspect made off with a white Mazda sedan.

Police issued a "be on the lookout" for this vehicle and at about 5 p.m., an officer saw a car matching that description and tried to pull over the driver. 

The driver refused to pull over and led police on a short pursuit of several blocks. 

The suspect's car was traveling west on 79th Street and attempted to make the right-hand turn onto Northwest 16th Avenue, but lost control and hit a business on the corner.

There was a confrontation between the suspect and police, causing the police to open fire on the suspect. The suspect was taken to Ryder Trauma Center where he is currently undergoing surgery. Police believe that the suspect is a teenager. 

No additional details were available about the confrontation between the suspect and police, the name of the suspect, his exact age or the name of the police officer. The officer was not hurt. 

Police say they also have reason to believe the same Mazda and suspect may have been involved in two other robberies between 2 and 5 p.m. Sunday.

Follow Local 10 News on Twitter @WPLGLocal10

Jupiter mother sells extra breast milk online

$
0
0

The Internet is an avenue to purchase almost anything online, and now the spectrum is growing.

We've seen everything from cars and clothes to furniture and food bought and sold online. Now you can even buy breast milk.

Heidi Knight nurses both of her daughters and still has more to give. The stay-at-home mom decided she wanted to help others and make a little extra cash for her kids on the side.

Knight started cyber-nursing, selling her breast milk online.

"The idea first came about because I have a friend who had big hopes for all three of her babies to be able to breast-feed them,” Knight said. “But she wasn't able to because she had a breast reduction and didn't realize that could take your ability away from producing milk.”

Breast milk is in high demand and mothers often struggle to produce it.

"If you really think about it, sometimes it is kind of bizarre to be sharing something that comes from your own body with somebody that you're not related to or that you really don't know that well,” Knight said.

There are dozens of websites that promote buying, selling and donating breast milk. But not only does it seem bizarre to take in a stranger's milk, it might not even be safe.

Dr. Randy Fink from the Miami Center of Excellence for OBGYN warned of the dangers this type of transaction could bring.

"In this era of infectious disease concerns about hepatitis, HIV and who knows what other things we haven't even learned about, many people would say, ‘wow you want me to put what inside my baby? Um, that comes from someone else?’” Fink said.

Yet Dr. Fink went on to say breast-feeding offers the best nutritional option for babies.

“It's a body fluid,” Fink said. “At the end of the day, it's really a gift we can give to our kids to breast-feed, and so even if a mom can only do it for a week or two weeks, it's better than nothing.”

While Fink did not endorse buying breast milk online, if you do decide to make the purchase, he recommends testing potential donors for disease.

That’s something Knight said that she is willing to do.

"The way I'm able to freeze my milk, I don't have to transfer the milk into a freezer bag either, it's all direct,” Knight said. “So I feel like there's less possibility of germs getting into that milk.”

Knight tried selling her milk on Craigslist, but has now switched to another website dedicated solely to buying and selling breast milk.

She only wants her supply to go to mothers with dried-up hope.

"It's been done for centuries, you know; they had wet nurses," Knight said.

The mother of two hasn't produced much profit yet, but hopes that sharing something so personal with a stranger develops a familiar connection in the end.

If you are interested in buying breast milk from Knight, click here.

Follow Local 10 News on Twitter @WPLGLocal10

4 injured by construction materials that fell off roof at Hollywood spa

$
0
0

Construction crews spent most of Monday night cleaning up material and debris after an accident at the Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood injured four and sent two to the hospital.

Sky10 HD was over the resort along A1A, where large wooden panels and other construction materials could be seen on the ground around the resort and hanging off the side of the hotel's atrium.

"We were right underneath," said one hotel visitor. "We could see all of the plywood and the two-by-fours just sliding directly off the roof."

Police tell Local 10 a passing storm sent the wooden panels sliding off a construction site further up on the building. Wind gusts sent the boards sliding down onto the street and driveway.

Two people were transported to area hospitals as a precaution. Another two people were treated on scene.

Witnesses say many people ran for cover and stayed put, refusing to walk out, as officials arrived to secure the scene.

Follow Andrew Perez on Twitter @PerezLocal10

Follow Local 10 News on Twitter @WPLGLocal10

Mother of teen shot by Miami-Dade police says son isn't bad

$
0
0

The mother of a teenager who was shot by police after a chase in a stolen car said her son isn't a bad child.

Miami-Dade police said the suspect, identified Monday as Quayvis Howard, 16, was driving a car reported stolen during a carjacking when an officer attempted a traffic stop Sunday.

Detective Alvaro Zabaleta said Howard refused to stop and led police on a short pursuit before crashing into a store at Northwest 79th Street and Northwest 16th Avenue.

Zabaleta said the teen started to run and was pursued by the officer when a confrontation ensued, prompting the officer to open fire.

Howard was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center, where his mother said that he remains on a ventilator.

Zabaleta said a .40-caliber handgun was found in the car.

Crystal Howard told Local 10 News that she doesn't understand what happened to her son, who police said is a documented gang member.

Investigators said two other robberies involving a car matching the description of the stolen car were reported in the same area.

Follow Local 10 News on Twitter @WPLGLocal10


Veterans turned away at South Florida store after 'free' oil change promise

$
0
0

Meineke Car Care Centers was one of the national chains promising to honor those who have served in the military this Veterans Day with a free oil change. But when local Army veteran Josh Storey went to a participating Meineke store in Lauderhill that morning, he was turned away.

"Right off the bat the guy said it was appointment only," said Storey. "'We're booked up today. We're done.'"

Storey said he asked for a rain check but was told there were no rain checks either. The worst part, he said, was that the store was almost empty that morning. He told his wife Nicole Storey, who drove out to the store to see for herself. Once there she said she pretended to be a paying customer.

"He said, 'Are you with the vets?'" she said. "I said, 'No.' He said, 'Well, about 20 minutes.'"

At that point, she said, she blew a gasket.

"Oh, so you're turning away veterans on Veterans Day to make money?'" she said she told an employee.

"I feel I can speak for most veterans when I say we’re not mad, we’re sad and disappointed," said Josh Storey. “It was just an oil change. It was a $25-$30 oil change. I could have paid for it, but the bays were empty. Why would you say no to me and yes to her when she’s not a vet?"

While there, Nicole Storey snapped a photo of the sign of the door telling customers, "Our Veterans Day oil changes are fully booked!!!"

There was no mention of "appointment only" in the company's press release, or by numerous media outlets that informed the public of the oil change promotion, though the press release does say, "Customers are encouraged to take advantage of Meineke's online appointment scheduler."

And the company promised, "Rainchecks will be available at Meineke locations offering the promotions who cannot accommodate all free oil change requests on Veterans Day." Yet rain checks weren't extended to Storey, or apparently to several other veterans who were turned away at the Lauderdhill store that day.

When Local 10 News visited the store, the technician in charge said there was plenty of anger that day.

"A lot of veterans left upset. trust me, I (saw) them," said the technician, who refused to give his name, but claimed the store gave away 50 free oil changes that day to those who made appointments online. "I got a door slammed, had a curse word said to me. We were sorry we couldn't help, but it's a business and I don't know what else to say."

The store's owner, Hector Osorio, was emotional when questioned by Local 10 News, saying he was doing his best not to cry about the situation.

"I regret what happened," said Osorio.

He blamed the mess on a misunderstanding about what was actually promised in the promotion, which was advertised on a national level.

When asked if he was serving paying customers while turning away veterans, Osorio initially said he did serve people in cases where there were "spaces" between veterans. But when asked if that was a case of him putting profit over the veterans, he denied serving paying customers that day.

While Josh Storey said business was far from heavy when he was turned away from the store, Osorio blamed the problem on not having enough technicians at the store and promised to double the number from two to four next year.

The corporate Meineke office issued a media statement saying it wanted to rectify the situation.

"Any negative experience is unfortunate and we want the opportunity to make it right," wrote Meineke President Daniel Rivera.

Only Nicole Storey is known to have complained and she said she was offered a free oil change, a gesture she found inadequate, saying she was still outraged.

"How these companies are promoting this stuff and turning away our veterans, where if it wasn't for them they wouldn't have a business," she said.

Follow Bob Norman on Twitter @NormanOn10

Follow Local 10 News on Twitter @WPLGLocal10

Defense attorney in Derek Medina murder trial questions lead detective

$
0
0

The murder trial for a South Florida man who claims that he killed his wife in self-defense before posting a photo of her corpse on Facebook got off to a delayed start in its second week because of a shooting investigation that closed Interstate 95.

Some of the jurors in the trial were delayed getting to court Monday, prompting Judge Yvonne Colodny to jokingly welcome them to Miami.

The trial then picked up where it left off last week, with the lead detective in the police investigation testifying about his conversation with Derek Medina on the day of the fatal shooting.

Medina is accused of fatally shooting Jennifer Alfonso, 27, in the kitchen of their South Miami townhouse in August 2013. Police said Medina uploaded a photo of Alfonso's body on Facebook after the shooting.

Detective Jonathan Grossman spoke about the pictures that police took of Medina on the day of the shooting. Jurors were shown photographs of a much heavier Medina, who did not appear to have any physical injuries as the prosecution attempted to debunk the defense's self-defense claim.

Grossman recalled that, in the days after the shooting, Medina appeared to be "agitating" his skin while he was in jail.

Defense attorney Saam Zangeneh spent much of the afternoon trying to discredit Grossman during cross examination.

"Did you sit down and look at the evidence and think to yourself, 'How is this possible?'" Zangeneh asked Grossman about.

"I think it's very possible," Grossman answered.

"Well, I guess that's a question the jurors are going to make a determination," Zangeneh said.

"Absolutely," Grossman said.

Facebook murder trial gets off to late start because of traffic mess

Grossman testified that Medina claimed Alfonso had a knife, but he said Medina told him she was holding it as if she was going to commit suicide.

"I don't recall him saying that she was ... attacking him with a knife at that point," Grossman said.

Zangeneh seemed to suggest that Grossman's investigation was mishandled.

"What's more important, getting the truth or getting the answers that you want?" Zangeneh asked to objection from the prosecution.

Colodny was also considering whether a friend of Alfonso should be allowed to testify for the state. She claims that Alfonso sent her a text message on the day she died, a possible indication of Alfonso's state of mind.

The trial was scheduled to resume Tuesday.

Follow Local 10 News on Twitter @WPLGLocal10

Many faces of Derek Medina

2 men killed in shooting on I-95 in Miami-Dade County

$
0
0

Two men were killed in a shooting on Interstate 95 in Miami-Dade County early Monday morning.

Miami-Dade police Detective Marjorie Eloi said one man was found dead in a gold car in the southbound lanes of I-95 near Northwest 95th Street about 4 a.m. The car had a flat tire and one of its doors was wide open with a tarp covering it.

Eloi said a second man was found on the opposite side of I-95. He was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center, where he later died.

She said a second car was found abandoned on the side of the highway.

Lakebba Key, 21, told Local 10 News that her boyfriend, Nathaniel Peterson, 23, of Liberty City, was among those killed. She said Peterson, who is the father of her 1-year-old child, was shot on his way home from a Miami club. They had been at the club together but left in separate cars.

"All I can say is he's in a better place now," she said.

A motive for the shooting wasn't immediately known.

Several people have been questioned by detectives about the shooting, but no arrests have been made.

Follow Local 10 News on Twitter @WPLGLocal10

Scarcity turns into opportunity for creative Cuban toymaker

$
0
0

During a night out with her grandparents in the Cuban city of Bayamo, one-year-old Liana was able to enjoy a little fun treat.

She was looking at a set of bicycles and tricycles with multicolored frames that were up for rent at the Parque Cespedes, one of the most historic meeting places in the southern province of Granma.

In a country where cars are not affordable, children don't have access to 3-wheel electric scooters or battery powered ride-on dune racers. Most of their parents ride bicycles and horse-drawn carriages. Liana's grandfather Jose Mira blames it on "too many limitations" and said he worries about her future.

The grandfather said he wants "better salaries" and "better living conditions."

For Manuel Nogueras, the lack of toys is an opportunity. He welds bits and pieces of used bicycles and tricycles to create the toys. Some of the pieces, the 46-year-old said, are older than he is. But the end result could pass for art at the park.

Liana couldn't read the signs on the toys. Some said, "100 percent Cuban," "I am popular" and "I am happy in my country." There were police motorcycles and tractors, but the safe choice for the toddler was a little horse carriage.

"I paint stuff on them," Nogueras said in Spanish.

Nogueras said the family-business has been running there for about a decade and they make about $80 a month. His brother started with one bicycle. For three cents, the equivalent of a Cuban peso, children can ride the toys for as long as they want at the park.

Follow Local 10 News reporter Hatzel Vela on Twitter @HatzelVela

Granma

Cubans' 2-wheel revolution continues in Bayamo

$
0
0

The "bicicletero" rules the roads of the Cuban city of Bayamo, the capital of the eastern Granma province. Caribbean rust is the enemy.

In "ciclo" country, there are "ciclotaxis," also known as bicycle taxis. The list also includes the "ciclo-buses," which can accommodate more than three passengers. The "ciclo-carretillas" are meant to carry cargo, and the "ciclo-vias" are roads that are exclusive to the bicycle.

"If you have a bicycle, well, you will be comfortable," 65-year-old retiree Carlos Brizuela said. He doesn't own a bicycle.

Bicycles took over in the 1990s when the fall of the Soviet Union worsened public transportation, and officials turned to an aggressive bike transport policy. Fidel Castro imported about 1.5 million from China, known as the kingdom of bicycles. Most of them were black classic all-steel single-speed Flying Pigeons from Tianjin.

After producing about half a million bicycles, the Cuban government brought in about 2 million bicycles. About a decade later, Cubans still rely on a bike infrastructure. But just like antique cars, repairing the old bicycles requires creativity.

The Cuban government doesn't run shops to fix bicycles. Cuban ingenuity is required when a part is not available. Some riders in Bayamo have bicycles with wheels from the '90s, a frame from the '40s and a horn from the '80s.

In downtown, workers pay at the "Parqueadero de Bicicletas," a storage business that charges a daily fee of a Cuban peso per bicycle. They can store up to 100 bicycles a day and also sell food at a window cafeteria. 

"A lot of the people who come to downtown to work, and shoppers" use the service, said Amilkar Milanes, 24, who keeps an eye on the bicycles. 

Local 10 News producer Michelle Lacamoire and photojournalist Mario Alonso contributed to this report.

Follow Local 10 News reporter Hatzel Vela on Twitter @HatzelVela

From BiciTaxis to heavy load tricycles, cyclists thrive

Viewing all 12140 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images