2 women from England like Black Friday in Boston so much they shop with empty suitcases. “We love the bargains.”

By Mike Toole, Penny Kmitt

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    BOSTON (WBZ) — Here’s a different Black Friday shopping story.

Two women from England like it so much they come to Boston every year with empty suitcases looking for deals.

Sue Holloway and her friend Claire Caddie live in Surrey, England, just outside of London. Each year, they hop on a plane to Massachusetts to go shopping for the holidays.

“This is our 23rd, 24th year of coming. We love Boston. We love South Shore Plaza. We love the bargains,” Holloway told WBZ-TV. “They’re not as good as they used to be, but they’re still really, really good. They’re so much better than the U.K.”

She and Caddie were at the South Shore Plaza in Braintree early Friday before the stores opened at 6 a.m. They each brought an empty suitcase to the mall.

“Because it’s easier than carrying the carrier bags,” Holloway said. “We take back two large suitcases each.”

“It’s a break for us. It’s a girly trip. We love it. We just love Boston. It’s so small and it’s friendly. Everybody’s so lovely,” she added.

They got into Boston Tuesday afternoon and spent all day Wednesday at the mall. They took a break for Thanksgiving dinner at their hotel Thursday.

They’ll take another break Friday night to see Cirque du Soleil’s Twas The Night Before at the Boch Center Wang Theater in Boston.

“Saturday and Sunday we’re at Wrentham at the outlets,” Holloway said.

Monday is set aside for any returns before they head home, where Black Friday isn’t much of a thing now.

“They don’t really do it back in the U.K. anymore. It’s died a lot there,” Holloway said.

She and Caddie want to be clear; their priority is shopping for their families for the holidays. But they pick up a few things for themselves too.

“We’ll be in Macy’s for about four hours,” Holloway said.

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Video shows man robbing pizza restaurant at gunpoint

By Riley Rourke

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    DOVER, New Hampshire (WBZ) — Surveillance video shows a man robbing a pizza restaurant in Dover, New Hampshire, at gunpoint on Wednesday evening.

It happened at Papa Jay’s Pizzeria on Broadway Street just after 7 p.m. Dover Police said that the suspect entered through a back door into the kitchen area before threatening the employees with the gun. Surveillance video shows the suspect instructing an employee to open the cash register and put all of the money into a bag, including the change from the drawer.

The suspect then leaves through the same door before heading north, according to police.

The suspect could also be seen smacking something out of an employee’s hand during the video. Police said that no one was hurt during the incident and no gunshots were fired. The amount of money taken is unknown.

Papa Jay’s Pizzeria took to Facebook after the incident, posting several surveillance video angles and asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspect. Police said that the video, once released to the public, “developed information leading them to arrest” 36-year-old Brice Charest from Dover. Charest was arrested at his home and charged with robbery. He is due in Dover District Court at 9 a.m. on Friday.

Anyone with any additional information about the robbery is asked to call Dover Police at 603-742-4646.

Dover, New Hampshire is located approximately 66 miles north of Boston. It is near the Maine and New Hampshire border. The city has a population of under 33,000.

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Chef who once faced homelessness serves and inspires community

By Kimberly King

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    Hendersonville, North Carolina (WLOS) — on-profits opened their doors serving Thanksgiving meals with love to hundreds. But at the Hendersonville Rescue Mission, the love of giving and receiving food came full circle this year for the rescue mission’s chef.

“If I had to say anything to anybody out there, I’d tell them they can do it,” said Chris Gosnell.

Gosnell oversaw the prepping and cooking for the entire Thanksgiving meal that served over 300 people on Friday and Saturday.

“I feel privileged to be part of this. It’s a real blessing,” Gosnell said.

Gosnell grew up in Mills River.

“I was homeless,” Gosnell said. “I had a had a lot of trauma as a child. I had a lot of things I hadn’t deal with. I had deaths in the family. Once I got sober from drug addiction, and started to get some counseling I was able to get this stuff out and start healing.”

Coming a long way, Gosnell has been sober for four years. After reaching sobriety from drug addiction, Rescue Mission helped get Gosnell into a cooking training program that’s changed his life.

“This place gives you the tools to be successful. It’s not something you’ll do in one day,” Gosnell.

While Gosnell oversaw all the food coming out on Saturday at 11:30 a.m., he said it was worth it to see everyone eating the meal, smiling and enjoying it.

The meal included several Thanksgiving classics, including turkey, rolls, beans, and sweet potatoes.

“Being with friends and just sitting down,” said Richard Lange, who dined with Ragland about the meal. “Being a human. It brings a little home to me.”

Tim Jones, Hendersonville Rescue Mission’s operations director, says Gosnell is very dedicated.

“Chris is so dedicated,” Jones said. “He’s the one that wants to get it right because he was on the receiving end.”

Gosnell says he hopes to be as much of an inspiration for other people as they are to him.

“I hope that I’m an inspiration to other people,” said Gosnell. “As other people were an inspiration to me.”

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Former inmate gives back by feeding homeless

By Drew Amman

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    LEXINGTON, Kentucky (WLEX) — A man who spent nine years in the Kentucky Department of Corrections is now dedicating his life to helping others in his community.

McKenzie Bradford, who has been out of jail for six years, spent his day feeding homeless individuals in Lexington through a grassroots initiative focused on giving back.

“Just feeding as many people as we possibly can,” Bradford said.

Bradford and his friends gathered outside Bluegrass Community Health Center, distributing free pizza, chips and drinks to those in need. Along with the food, they offered words of encouragement and support.

“Sometimes when you’re going through things in life, you might need a little nudge or just an act of kindness to see that someone truly cares,” Bradford said.

Bradford’s mission extends beyond feeding the homeless. On his YouTube channel, he shares his personal experience with incarceration, hoping to reach others who might be facing similar challenges.

“I committed the crime so I had to do the time,” Bradford said. “I just get on there and I talk to people and just tell them exactly what I went through.”

When asked about his biggest message, Bradford’s response was simple but powerful.

“Do the right thing just simply because it’s the right thing to do,” Bradford said.

Bradford hopes to expand his community outreach efforts and is considering making this initiative an annual event.

“Maybe this will turn it into an annual thing,” Bradford said.

Looking toward the future, Bradford wants to establish a nonprofit organization, work as a motivational speaker in jails and continue helping those experiencing homelessness in his community.

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Firefighters praised for efforts to save pet monkey

By Alex Orenczuk

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    PUNTA GORDA, Florida (WFTX) — Gena Walck returned to Punta Gorda’s Fire Station One this week to thank the crew who tried to save her pet Capuchin monkey during a late-night medical emergency last month.

Walck brought handmade ornaments and a painting of her 9-year-old monkey, Leah, to the firefighters who jumped into action when she arrived at the station seeking help.

Walck told Fox 4 that Leah suddenly fell ill, and with no veterinarians available nearby, the fire station became her last resort.

Video from that night showed that firefighters placed Leah on a table in the engine bay, gave her oxygen, checked her vitals and even intubated her.

Walck said Leah’s condition briefly stabilized before worsening. Despite the crew’s efforts, she passed away shortly afterward.

Walck said losing Leah, who she raised from the time she was three weeks old, has been devastating. But, she returned to the station with hugs and gifts as a way to honor the firefighters’ attempt to save her.

The ornaments she handed out show Leah wearing a Fire Station One helmet. Walck also gifted the department a painting of Leah for the station’s wall.

“I’m absolutely beyond grateful for all they did to try to save Leah,” Walck told Fox 4. “I just can’t thank them enough.”

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Survivor of deadly crash shares her journey of recovery and hope

By Anahita Jafary

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    TURLOCK, California (KCRA) — The sole survivor of a tragic crash in Turlock shares her journey of recovery and the loss of her family, highlighting the support she has received from loved ones and the community.

Emma Lourenco, 19, is working hard to walk her way back into a regular life.

“The goals that I have for the future kind of just involve going back to normal,” said Emma Lourenco, who is determined to regain a sense of normalcy after the accident.

Most things people take for granted, she diligently fought to regain.

“I can’t walk, for example, like I couldn’t walk at all. So I had to work up to that. Now I can,” she said. “December 15th was the day of the crash. I was in therapy from that day until like today, basically.”

She explained the challenges of relearning everyday tasks.

“Brushing your teeth, putting on your clothes, cooking all that stuff and then speech is obviously just talking, but also cognitive stuff. So it’s a little bit of both,” Lourenco said.

Last year, Lourenco and her family were driving to church when a speeding driver on Highway 165 crashed into their Jeep SUV. Her parents and the other driver died at the scene, while her brother and sister passed away shortly after. Lourenco survived after a week-long coma.

“I have no memory of the entire month of December or January,” Lourenco said, recounting the difficulty of processing the loss of her family.

She discovered the truth about the accident by searching online.

“I looked it up on Google, I looked up myself and I saw everything and that’s kind of how I found out,” she said. “My first thought was kind of like, they weren’t lying. It’s true. It did happen.”

Although her therapy has ended, Lourenco continues to face challenges in daily life.

“I would say it’s rough, but it does get better with time. I would say it definitely doesn’t heal. The loss is still there, but like your personal self will get better over time,” she said.

Lurenco plans to use her experience to help others, aspiring to become a physical therapist.

Throughout her recovery, the community has offered support.

“I was at the grocery store and a lady came up to me, and she was like, ‘I’m so grateful to see that you’re doing okay, that you’re healthy.’ And I was just—that kind of made my day,” Lourenco said.

Reflecting on the crash, Lourenco shared her biggest takeaway: “Just to be very grateful for everything that you do have and also very faithful.”

Lourenco says her grandparents, along with the rest of her family, have helped tremendously by supporting her and aiding her in her recovery. She has also turned to her faith in God and social media, like TikTok, as a form of therapy by sharing her story and answering questions for others experiencing grief and recovery.

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High times in retirement: Why more seniors are turning to cannabis for connection, relief

By Michelle Bandur

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    ISLETON, California (KCRA) — The face of who you may imagine using cannabis is changing. It’s not just the younger crowd anymore, and the new users have more wrinkles.

More seniors are turning to cannabis for connection, fun and medical reasons.

Some seniors at the Trilogy retirement community in Rio Vista use cannabis for both recreational and medical purposes, with monthly trips to a nearby dispensary becoming a popular event. They’ve created a health and wellness group called “The 420 Club.”

On the 20th of every month, retired residents, ranging in age from 66 to 91, board the Delta Breeze bus for a trip to Isleton, which they affectionately call the “Cannabus.”

Jax Eubanks, owner of Delta Boyz Dispensary, looks forward to the monthly visits from the Rio Vista group. She said most of their customers are senior citizens.

“I wanted to offer something to the senior population, so I call it my ‘420 hour,’ my senior hour,” she said. Eubanks offers goodie bags and educational information to the group.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that marijuana use among Americans aged 65 and older increased by 46% between 2021 and 2023.

Tom Watson, 75, who founded the 420 Club, said he’s not surprised by the higher numbers.

“I like to get high every night, primarily for my insomnia. It helps me sleep,” he said. “But I’m not like your old typical hippie sitting around smoking a joint all the time.”

He said there are new products and club members want to learn and try new things, even in their older age.

“It’s all educational. We talk about the benefits of cannabis for any ailment you can think of,” Watson said.

Newest member Randi Hope didn’t start using marijuana until her 70s. She doesn’t want to smoke it.

“I bought two tinctures because I like tinctures,” she said. “I know exactly how much I’m getting.”

She enjoys the camaraderie and learning from the employees at the dispensary.

“You get to this age, everything hurts. It definitely helps with the pain,” Hope said.

Eubanks said the elderly are turning to alternative ways to treat their ailments.

“People use it for sleep, chronic pain, chronic disorders. We have people that have Parkinson’s disease that come to us, Alzheimer’s, dementia,” she said. “Those people really just need help because they’ve been failed by the traditional medical world.”

But some researchers are sounding the alarm.

Dr. Leila Mohammadi is a cardiologist and researcher at the University of California, San Francisco. She advises caution for older adults using cannabis.

Mohammadi recently published a study funded in part by the National Institutes of Health.

The three-year-long clinical study tested healthy 18 to 50-year-olds who smoked marijuana or ingested edibles three times a week.

Researchers discovered that long-term cannabis use is associated with vascular dysfunction.

“We were surprised to see how significantly these people have poorer vascular function compared to non-users, like ever users, basically,” Mohammadi said.

She warned that there are more consequences for the aging population using marijuana.

“This person is in higher risk of cardiovascular events, heart attack, stroke,” Mohammadi said. “Their vessels are already damaged.”

Back in Isleton, the 420 Club members enjoy the cannabis cafe at the Delta Boyz Dispensary.

“I only have to take two or three hits and I feel great,” Watson said.

Bob Ecker is the youngest member of the club at age 66.

“I think it’s wonderful that we can smoke and have fun, not hurt anybody and just enjoy it.”

Richie Goldstein helps organize the monthly trips and meetings.

“It’s kept me pretty young at 79,” he said.

He noted his first experience with cannabis was smoking a joint at a civil rights demonstration 60 years ago.

The UCSF study also found that eating THC edibles puts stress on the heart.

Mohammadi said they plan to focus their next study on seniors’ marijuana use, with the 420 Club members ready to participate.

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Search suspended for missing Army specialist swept out to sea near Big Sur

By Felix Cortez

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    MONTEREY COUNTY, California (KSBW) — The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has suspended its search efforts for Army Specialist Amanpreet Thind, who was swept out to sea Saturday afternoon at Soberanes Point near Garrapata State Park, after four days of searching from the air, water, and along the rugged Big Sur coast.

Despite the suspension, resources will remain on standby should there be any sign of the missing man.

Volunteer diver Juan Heredia, from the non-profit Angels Recovery Dive Team, is determined to continue searching until Thind is found.

Thind, a 35-year-old DLI student, leaves behind a wife and was last seen with his nephew.

Heredia said, “They only think about getting him back. They already pass that stage that, okay, he’s dead, now they’re in that stage that I want closure, I want my brother, I want my husband back, I’m diving for that reason to bring that closure to the family.”

Heredia joined county and state dive teams as they entered the water for only the second time since Thind was swept off rocks into the ocean.

“He will be recovered, he will be. Yeah, that’s for sure. I’m going to say tomorrow and dive again, and coming back Friday again. And if I have to come Saturday and Sunday, I will be here. He will be found for sure,” Heredia said.

Heredia previously located the body of a 7-year-old Canadian girl who was swept out to sea just a week earlier near the same area. The girl’s father also drowned.

As vacationers arrive for the holiday weekend, there is a warning to beachgoers to respect the ocean, not turn their back on it, and obey all signs and warnings.

A concerned mother, Connie Riley, advised, “Everywhere we go, every sign that says don’t go there, you don’t go there, you don’t go in the rocks. You don’t go where there’s danger because there’s just too much risk. You think you’re going to be okay. It looks okay. And then they get wet and you fall.”

The family of Thind will continue to search from the shore at Garrapata State Park, while Heredia plans to dive as long as water conditions allow.

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Student detained by ICE while flying home for Thanksgiving

By Emily Maher, Jennifer Eagan, Tim Nazzaro

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    BOSTON (WCVB) — A Babson College student wanted to surprise her parents on Thanksgiving by flying out to Texas to meet them.

Instead, she was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Any Lucia Lopez Belloca, 19, was at Logan Airport on Nov. 20 when she was informed for the first time that she had a removal order from immigration authorities, according to her lawyer, Todd Pomerlau.

At 4 p.m., she called her family and told them she was being held at the ICE field office in Burlington.

As of Wednesday, she is currently in Honduras.

“When she got to the airport to board her flight, she was asked to step aside by federal agencies because they alleged that she had a final order of removal,” said Nayna Gupta, a member of the American Immigration Council. “These are folks who may have received removal notices when they were children and were never told.”

In a statement, an ICE spokesperson said:

“On Nov. 20, 2025, Officers with ICE and CBP Boston arrested Any Lucia Lopez Belloca, an illegal alien from Honduras, at Logan International Airport Boston when attempting to board a flight.

Lopez Belloca unlawfully entered the United States from Mexico. A Justice Department immigration judge ordered Lopez Belloca removed from the United States on June 2, 2015. Lopez Belloca was removed from the United States to Honduras on Nov. 22, 2025.

Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem, ICE is committed to prioritizing public safety by arresting and removing illegal alien offenders from American communities.”

Babson College sent a letter to its student body Monday, confirming one of its students was detained by federal immigration authorities while traveling home for Thanksgiving.

“We understand that this news may feel unsettling, particularly for our students, faculty, and staff who may already be navigating uncertainty,” the letter read. “Our ability to share specifics is limited by law, but please know that our focus remains on supporting the student and their family, as well as the wellbeing of our community.”

The college says it is following established protocols for situations involving federal authorities.

It is also providing resources for students, faculty and staff impacted by the incident.

According to a habeas corpus lawsuit, Belloca entered the United States through Mexico in 2014 with her family and without inspection. She was 8 years old at the time.

Belloca was arrested by ICE officers later that year but released on personal recognizance.

At some point after her entry, Belloca’s lawyer says she applied for asylum.

In 2017, allegedly without Belloca’s knowledge, she was ordered to be removed from the country. She was 11 years old at the time and continued living in the United States without incident.

The lawsuit claims Belloca’s Fifth Amendment right to due process was violated during her detainment.

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4 Marion County Fire Rescue employees arrested for hazing, waterboarding coworker, deputies say

By Allison Petro

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    MARION COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — Multiple Marion County Fire Rescue employees were arrested and behind bars Wednesday following an alleged “violent hazing” incident involving a new co-worker, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies said the incident occurred at Fire Station 21 located in Ocala on Nov. 16 and involved a 19-year-old co-worker who’s only been with the department for five months.

According to documents obtained by WESH 2, the victim said he was already being harassed that day when co-workers rubbed grease on him and later threw out his belongings after one co-worker started a false rumor about him disposing of leftover pizza.

Later in the day, court documents state the victim told his co-workers that his large follower count on Instagram was tied to a since-deleted Tik Tok video showing his dancing.

The co-workers tried to find the video but couldn’t.

The victim told prosecutors, as the day continued, one of the defendants would throw his work boots in the parking lot.

He said when he went to retrieve them, he was grabbed from behind and held by two other defendants while a third pulled down his pants and underwear and hit him with a belt, attempting to get him to tell them his phone password.

The victim was then dragged across the parking lot, where the firefighters reportedly used a water bottle and towel to waterboard him three times.

Deputies said 22-year-old Edward Kenny III, 22-year-old Seth Day and 19-year-old Tate Trauthwein were arrested for kidnapping, robbery and battery.

Kaylee Bradley, 25, was arrested for robbery and principal/accessory to robbery.

“During this whole incident, the victim fought and refused to cooperate and made it abundantly clear to each of them that this was outside of what he thought maybe could be perceived as something minor,” said Sheriff Billy Woods.

The firefighters were terminated, according to James Banta, the chief of Marion County Fire Rescue.

“Their behavior does not reflect who we are and what we stand for,” Banta said.

“What occurred was unacceptable, inexcusable, and fundamentally contrary to the core values of our fire department.”

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