(NEW YORK) — Amid all the death and destruction seen in Lahaina following last month’s wildfires, one group of student-athletes is pushing forward to give the community hope.
The Lahainaluna High School football team practiced for the first time since the fires struck and the players were eager to get back in the game.
The team’s school and field were destroyed during the blaze last month, and many of the players’ homes were also damaged. Still, the players traveled more than an hour to Kihei for the practice.
Mauaalina Montgomery, a 16-year-old player who is on the team along with his brother, told ABC News that playing helped to get his mind off all of the struggles his family has faced, including losing their home.
“We’re playing for them, all the Lahaina people. It feels good to play for them,” he said. “Because we all lost something.”
Dean Rickard, the team’s co-head coach, told ABC News that there was a lot of concern from the players on whether or not their season would be over or if the entire team would be together.
MORE: Video Lahaina high school football team reunites in wake of wildfires
The team worked with parents to come up with a modified schedule and found a place to practice.
“There were options being thrown around where they could enroll at other schools if they intended to play sports, but for them, it wasn’t an option because they couldn’t see themselves wearing any other color than red,” Rickard said.
Tamara Montgomery, Mauaalina’s mother, told ABC News she was proud that the team was able to come together and give the community something to look forward to in the coming weeks as people continue to pick up the pieces.
“In Lahaina, our community, it’s all about the kids — whether it’s football, basketball, baseball, we HUI together — or come together as one to support,” she said. “And for Lahaina, our football team plays a huge role in that.”
(NEW YORK) — A 54-year-old man has been arrested after police said they searched his home and found approximately 170 lbs. of cocaine.
The discovery occurred early on Saturday morning when authorities from St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office in LaPlace, Louisiana — approximately 30 miles west of New Orleans — began an investigation at the LaPlace home.
“On Saturday, September 9, 2023, officers began an investigation at the LaPlace home. During the course of the investigation, packages of cocaine were discovered,” read a statement from St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office released on Monday. “About 77 kilos of cocaine with a street value of about $2 million were confiscated.”
It is unclear where the suspect in the case was at the time of the police investigation, but authorities confirmed that a 54-year-old man was arrested early on Monday morning in regard to the cocaine discovered at the property.
The unnamed male was charged with possession and intent to distribute, a felony in the state of Louisiana, and is now being held in custody in lieu of a $750,000 bond.
Authorities said the investigation into the case is currently ongoing.
Escaped convicted murderer Danelo Cavalcante is seen with an altered appearance in photos released on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, by the Pennsylvania State Police. — Pennsylvania State Police
(NEW YORK) — Pennsylvania authorities warned that escaped convicted murderer Danelo Cavalcante was armed, as they pursued him through the town of South Coventry in the early hours of Tuesday.
“He is armed. Residents in the area are asked to lock all doors and windows, secure vehicles, and remain indoors. Do not approach. Call 911 if seen,” Pennsylvania State Police officials wrote in a social media post.
Police said they were pursuing the escaped inmate in the area near Ridge, Coventryville and Daisy Point roads in Chester County, police said.
Philadelphia ABC station WPVI confirmed that a homeowner on Coventryville Road shot at someone matching Cavalcante’s description on Monday night. It was unclear if the individual was hit, but sources believe the person is armed and may be the convicted killer, according to WPVI.
A pair of shoes were found in the search, though it was unknown if they belong to the fugitive, WPVI reported.
Authorities earlier had said they didn’t have a defined search area, who has been on the run since he broke out of a Pennsylvania prison 12 days ago.
Investigators had believed Cavalcante is in Chester County, Pennsylvania, but “always consider other options,” Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said at a Monday news conference.
Bivens noted that Cavalcante’s sister chose not to help in the investigation, and because she has an overstay status, she has been entered into a deportation proceeding and is being detained.
Police said Monday they’re concerned Cavalcante will try to steal another car and they’re urging the public to check their home surveillance videos and keep their houses and cars secured.
This comes after Cavalcante, 34, snuck through a perimeter guarded by hundreds of officers, stole a van, altered his appearance and drove miles north where he tried to contact two former work colleagues.
Cavalcante was spotted late Saturday in East Pikeland Township, more than 20 miles from where officials thought they had him pinned down in the Longwood Gardens, a sprawling horticulture attraction about 5 miles southwest of the prison he escaped from in Pocopson Township, Bivens said Sunday.
“No perimeter is 100% secure, ever. I’m not going to make excuses. I wish it had not happened,” Bivens said. “This is a minor setback. We’ll get him. It’s only a matter of time.”
Bivens said Cavalcante allegedly stole a white Ford work van from Baily’s Dairy sometime Saturday night about three-fourths of a mile from the perimeter around Longwood Gardens. He said the van was unlocked and the keys were left inside, enabling Cavalcante to easily steal the vehicle.
The van was found abandoned at 10:40 a.m. Sunday in a field behind a barn in East Nantmeal Township, Bivens said, adding that the van had run out of fuel.
Officials released still photos from a video doorbell camera of a clean-shaven Cavalcante wearing a green hooded sweatshirt over a dark baseball hat.
Bivens said the video was taken at 9:52 p.m. Saturday at the home in East Pikeland Township, near East Nantmeal Township, that belongs to a man who once worked with Cavalcante.
“He spoke with the individual via a video doorbell at that residence and inquired about meeting with that individual,” Bivens said.
He said Cavalcante’s former colleague was not home at the time. He said that when the homeowner returned to the residence he checked the footage on his surveillance camera and called local police.
At the time he was recorded on the doorbell camera, Cavalcante was seen driving the white Ford van.
Cavalcante, according to Bivens, also showed up at another former work colleague’s home in nearby Phoenixville around 10:07 p.m. Saturday.
“That associate was not home but a female resident observed Cavalcante and called her friend. That friend responded to the residence and eventually placed a call to local police,” Bivens said.
State police were not notified for at least two hours after Saturday night’s sighting, officials said.
There have not been any more sightings since the doorbell camera video, officials said.
Bivens said Cavalcante is showing his desperation by attempting to contact associates.
“He’s absolutely looking for support. He needs that support and doesn’t have it,” Bivens said.
Cavalcante escaped Aug. 31 from Chester County Prison, where he was being held after being convicted of stabbing his former girlfriend to death in broad daylight, officials said. He’s alleged to have sneaked out of the prison by “crab walking” up a wall in a prison recreation yard, pushing his way through razor wire and accessing the roof, where he climbed down and made his getaway an hour before prison guards realized he was missing, officials said.
Authorities believe Cavalante followed the same route and method of escape as an inmate who bolted from the prison in May.
Police have received numerous reports of sightings, mostly in the Pocopson Township area.
Law enforcement warned that Cavalcante should be considered “extremely dangerous.”
Bivens said he has no “substantive proof” that Cavalcante has obtained a weapon, but noted that investigators believe he has burglarized several homes.
He said police are “authorized to use deadly force” if Cavalcante is cornered and refuses to surrender peacefully.
Authorities stressed that anyone who helps Cavalcante will be prosecuted.
(LAS VEGAS) — Several major hotels in Las Vegas, including the Bellagio, were left with faulty door locks, inoperable slot machines and other problems Monday after hotel officials said they were hit with a cyberattack.
The FBI said it is investigating the attack on MGM Resorts International hotels, which happened early Monday morning. The company said, “it took prompt action to protect our system and data, including shutting down certain systems.”
“Our investigation is ongoing, and we are working diligently to determine the nature and scope of the matter,” MGM said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The company would not provide additional details of what was affected, however, it appeared to disrupt several key hotel systems.
Later in the evening, MGM said its “casino gaming floors” were operational. “We continue to work diligently to resolve this issue,” the company said in a statement.
Bellagio guests were unable to charge anything to their rooms, make reservations, or use their digital room keys, according to ABC affiliate KTNV.
Several slot machines also appeared to be out of service at the Aria casino, KTNV reported.
The MGM international website was also down and was not allowing online bookings. The site redirected customers to their hotel’s phone numbers for help.
Escaped convicted murderer Danelo Cavalcante is seen with an altered appearance in photos released on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, by the Pennsylvania State Police. — Pennsylvania State Police
(NEW YORK) — Pennsylvania authorities warned that escaped convicted murderer Danelo Cavalcante was armed, as they pursued him through the town of South Coventry in the early hours of Tuesday.
“He is armed. Residents in the area are asked to lock all doors and windows, secure vehicles, and remain indoors. Do not approach. Call 911 if seen,” Pennsylvania State Police officials wrote in a social media post.
Police said they were pursuing the escaped inmate in the area near Ridge, Coventryville and Daisy Point roads in Chester County, police said.
Authorities earlier had said they didn’t have a defined search area, who has been on the run since he broke out of a Pennsylvania prison 12 days ago.
Investigators had believed Cavalcante is in Chester County, Pennsylvania, but “always consider other options,” Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said at a Monday news conference.
Bivens noted that Cavalcante’s sister chose not to help in the investigation, and because she has an overstay status, she has been entered into a deportation proceeding and is being detained.
Police said Monday they’re concerned Cavalcante will try to steal another car and they’re urging the public to check their home surveillance videos and keep their houses and cars secured.
This comes after Cavalcante, 34, snuck through a perimeter guarded by hundreds of officers, stole a van, altered his appearance and drove miles north where he tried to contact two former work colleagues.
Cavalcante was spotted late Saturday in East Pikeland Township, more than 20 miles from where officials thought they had him pinned down in the Longwood Gardens, a sprawling horticulture attraction about 5 miles southwest of the prison he escaped from in Pocopson Township, Bivens said Sunday.
“No perimeter is 100% secure, ever. I’m not going to make excuses. I wish it had not happened,” Bivens said. “This is a minor setback. We’ll get him. It’s only a matter of time.”
Bivens said Cavalcante allegedly stole a white Ford work van from Baily’s Dairy sometime Saturday night about three-fourths of a mile from the perimeter around Longwood Gardens. He said the van was unlocked and the keys were left inside, enabling Cavalcante to easily steal the vehicle.
The van was found abandoned at 10:40 a.m. Sunday in a field behind a barn in East Nantmeal Township, Bivens said, adding that the van had run out of fuel.
Officials released still photos from a video doorbell camera of a clean-shaven Cavalcante wearing a green hooded sweatshirt over a dark baseball hat.
Bivens said the video was taken at 9:52 p.m. Saturday at the home in East Pikeland Township, near East Nantmeal Township, that belongs to a man who once worked with Cavalcante.
“He spoke with the individual via a video doorbell at that residence and inquired about meeting with that individual,” Bivens said.
He said Cavalcante’s former colleague was not home at the time. He said that when the homeowner returned to the residence he checked the footage on his surveillance camera and called local police.
At the time he was recorded on the doorbell camera, Cavalcante was seen driving the white Ford van.
Cavalcante, according to Bivens, also showed up at another former work colleague’s home in nearby Phoenixville around 10:07 p.m. Saturday.
“That associate was not home but a female resident observed Cavalcante and called her friend. That friend responded to the residence and eventually placed a call to local police,” Bivens said.
State police were not notified for at least two hours after Saturday night’s sighting, officials said.
There have not been any more sightings since the doorbell camera video, officials said.
Bivens said Cavalcante is showing his desperation by attempting to contact associates.
“He’s absolutely looking for support. He needs that support and doesn’t have it,” Bivens said.
Cavalcante escaped Aug. 31 from Chester County Prison, where he was being held after being convicted of stabbing his former girlfriend to death in broad daylight, officials said. He’s alleged to have sneaked out of the prison by “crab walking” up a wall in a prison recreation yard, pushing his way through razor wire and accessing the roof, where he climbed down and made his getaway an hour before prison guards realized he was missing, officials said.
Authorities believe Cavalante followed the same route and method of escape as an inmate who bolted from the prison in May.
Police have received numerous reports of sightings, mostly in the Pocopson Township area.
Law enforcement warned that Cavalcante should be considered “extremely dangerous.”
Bivens said he has no “substantive proof” that Cavalcante has obtained a weapon, but noted that investigators believe he has burglarized several homes.
He said police are “authorized to use deadly force” if Cavalcante is cornered and refuses to surrender peacefully.
Authorities stressed that anyone who helps Cavalcante will be prosecuted.
(NEW YORK) — Hurricane Lee is increasing in strength, becoming a Category 3 hurricane on Sunday as it churned over the Atlantic Ocean with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph.
The hurricane is currently moving to the northwest at 8 mph, with its center located about 285 miles north, northeast of the Leeward Islands.
Lee had strengthened on Thursday to a Category 4 hurricane, and finally to a Category 5 by 11 p.m. ET before weakening to a Category 2 storm late Saturday night.
Lee weakened slightly on Friday due to less favorable atmospheric conditions where the storm is churning, including wind shear and dry air, which are expected to persist for at least another 12 to 24 hours.
On Saturday night, Lee was no longer a major hurricane but had been forecast to gradually strengthen on Sunday, potentially briefly reaching Category 4 strength on Monday before it weakens again into the middle of next week.
Lee will bypass the northern Caribbean islands, sparing Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The only impact on the islands will be large waves and life-threatening rip currents this weekend.
Long-range models can change over the next week, but they currently show Lee moving parallel to the East Coast. If Lee stays on that course, the East Coast would also be hit with rough surf and life-threatening rip currents throughout the upcoming week.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has pre-deployed assets to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, according to the White House.
President Joe Biden was briefed Thursday on the latest trajectory and FEMA’s preparations, the White House said.
(MAUI, Hawaii) — A month after wildfires destroyed parts of Maui, killing at least 115 people and displacing thousands of others, Mayor Richard Bissen said there is still a long road ahead for residents but was confident their solidarity would move them forward.
Bissen spoke with ABC News about the latest recovery updates for the island and remarked how residents have worked to assist those who were most affected by the wildfires.
“What we’re seeing in our community is overwhelming support,” he said. “As devastating as this has been, people are changing their priorities.”
As of Friday, the mayor said that roughly 6,000 people are living in 29 hotels and hundreds more are living in short-term housing. The plan is to get more people into those short-term housing.
“[We’ll] get them out of hotel rooms, [and] get them into places where they can have a washer and dryer kitchen. So I know that’s the plan for the 18-month-period,” the mayor said.
Bissen dismissed criticism from some residents who have complained that they are not being assisted as they navigate the situation. The mayor acknowledged that some people will have their frustrations and concerns but he said that he and other officials are listening.
“I want to meet with our folks and hear from them,” he said.
Bissen added that he’s encouraging residents to talk more with their neighbors and other people in the community and not stick with social media for information.
“We’re stronger together. We know what we want. This is our island, our community, and we’re going to decide on that and not have other influences tell us how we should or need to be,” he said.
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green told reporters Friday that the number of people missing since the fire was 66. Green also said that travel restrictions to West Maui would be lifted on Oct. 8, a week earlier than the original plan.
The mayor said that tourism is still an important part of the island’s economy and said visitors should still come to Hawaii and explore the parts of Maui that are not off limits.
“I think that we know that people need jobs. We know people need income,” he said.
Bissen reiterated that he and other leaders will be there for the residents for as long as it takes and he is proud of the strength they have shown so far.
“I think our entire community is resilient. Our entire community from young to old. I think a lot of that is a reflection of who they’re around,” he said.
ABC News’ Meredith Deliso contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — More than a decade since the launch of dating apps, they have become unavoidable players in the modern dating game.
In the U.S., 3 in 10 adults say they have used a dating site or app, and 1 in 10 partnered adults say they met their current significant other through a dating site or app, according to a 2022 Pew Research survey.
But some millennials are ditching dating app culture in favor of returning to what is known in internet speak as IRL, or “in real life.”
To get a clearer picture of what today’s singles are up against, ABC News’ Alex Perez sat down with four single people – CeeJaye, Alex, Kara and JT. The discussion participants asked not to use their last names because of privacy concerns.
“I’m in that generation of, I was born before the internet. I remember meeting someone off of an app or a chat room. You know, just any kind of online meeting was very, very risky and scary. So there’s certain things that I just pretty much prefer to do, you know, the in real life thing,” CeeJaye, 38, said.
Alex, who is queer, believes apps have a place for niche communities – including LGBTQ people who live in rural or religious communities.
“I came from a small town where it’s not the safest to be like going up to strangers and be like, ‘You’re hot, let’s go out,'” Alex, 30, said.
Kara, 34, says she entered the dating sphere when she was 27 after being in a relationship for the majority of her 20s.
“The apps was what everyone was on, so I was like, “OK, that’s what I got to do,'” Kara said.
While dating apps appear to offer a seemingly endless supply of potential dates, questions remain about their ability to spark long-term meaningful relationships over hookups and casual encounters.
“I did have someone who, you know, just pretty much thought because the first meeting was out to dinner and drinks that automatically greenlit them to, you know, be extremely flirtatious at a point where they were saying sexual things to me. And I mean, the minute that I was in my car, it was like, ‘block, delete,'” CeeJaye said.
Kara added, “Just like the normal – people coming right out of the gate after you match with them being really hypersexual, and it’s just like, oh yeah, no, absolutely not.”
“We’re at a place of burnout,” Alex said.
Dr. Jack Turban, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavior sciences at The University of California San Francisco, says many of the common concerns about dating apps are backed by research.
“The incentive for these apps are just for people to be on them a lot. So they’re not necessarily having their incentives align with people having better mental health, performing long-term, deep relationships,” Turban said.
Turban also points to the potential negative effects on users’ mental health.
“In the realm of behavioral addictions, we often think about slot machines as the classic example. And the reason slot machines are so addictive is that the rewards have come at unpredictable intervals. Some people have compared dating apps or hookup apps to that exact same thing,” Turban said.
“But the reinforcing thing you’re getting is either affirmation or orgasm or some sort of sex excitement. And we know that those stimuli are really, really rewarding. So it’s not surprising that sometimes people get really, really hooked on the apps,” Turban said.
Yet some singles are taking bold steps and swapping their swiping in favor of meeting in real life.
Katie Conway, founder of Chicago-based speed dating group “Hot Potato Hearts,” says the idea to start the group was born out of her own dissatisfaction with dating apps.
“They’re very disconnected. All you’re doing is like looking at people’s pictures and judging them, and that was not what I was looking for. I was like looking to just like, talk and connect with people,” Conway said.
Conway says her speed dating events seek to create a safe and inclusive community – one that’s not necessarily just for meeting significant others.
“Maybe I will meet someone to go on dates with, or maybe I’ll join a book club or learn about a new podcast or something. It’ll just be an intentional night of connecting with different people without any expectations of where it will go,” Conway said.
“Technology is great. It’s awesome. It’s super helpful in many ways, but it can never replace just like a one-on-one with somebody,” Conway said.
(NEW YORK) — Artists and environmentalists are one and the same at a New York theater company, that has made it its mission to put sustainability at the forefront of its operations.
The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, a nonprofit theater company nestled in the sprawling hills just north of Manhattan, has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2040, meaning its performances will carry no net release of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, Sandra Goldmark, director for campus sustainability and climate action at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, told ABC News.
The primary way the theater company plans on achieving this feat is by altering how the building is powered — employing solar panels, natural convection heating, stormwater reuse, as well as providing EV charging stations, Davis McCallum, artistic director of the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, told ABC News.
Deep thought has also been given to the way the theater company will reuse garbage and food scraps around its 98-acre campus, McCallum said.
The site of the festival itself was once a golf course that was then donated to the nonprofit by a local philanthropist. The theater company is now allowing the land to rewild and “heal,” Goldmark said, describing the process as a “beautiful mini play” about what needs to happen elsewhere in the country.
“We’ve really abused the land in ways, much like we do on golf courses,” she said. “And so it’s exciting to watch a group of artists and storytellers reclaim a very small piece of it.”
Sustainability goes beyond the infrastructure of the festival, though. The theater company is adamant on implementing the idea of a circular economy, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible.
Designing wardrobes that are made to last and pass onto new actors in the future is one of the basic ways the nonprofit is applying circularity to its operations.
The idea of sustainability is rooted in the arts — an industry that is constantly recycling, repurposing and reusing old ideas for a modern audience. A sustainable venue is the natural progression of the sustainability already rooted in theater culture and allows the participants to come together as a community to build a greener culture, Goldmark said.
“I mean, we’ve been producing Shakespeare’s plays for hundreds of years, and every time, or hopefully every time, they feel new,” Goldmark said. “And I think that idea is really important as we think about sustainability going forward.”
The theater is embarking on its lofty sustainability goal due to the looming threat of climate change, McCallum said.
“None of us are going to be spared the impacts,” he said. “If we want to make a difference in this shared future, then we all have to come together to embrace the call to climate action.”
The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival will run through Sept. 17.
(NEW YORK) — Hurricane Lee is churning over the Atlantic Ocean as a powerful Category 4 hurricane with winds of 155 mph, just below the strength of a Category 5, which begins at 157 mph winds.
On Thursday, Lee strengthened from a Category 2 hurricane to a Category 4, and finally to a Category 5 by 11 p.m. ET.
Lee will remain a powerful, major hurricane through the weekend.
Lee will bypass the northern Caribbean islands, sparing Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The only impact on the islands will be 10-foot waves and life-threatening rip currents this weekend.
Hurricane Lee will slow down Sunday and early next week, allowing 10-foot waves to reach the Southeast U.S. mainland.
By Thursday, Lee will be near Bermuda, bringing waves up to 20 or 30 feet.
By Friday, as Lee passes east of the Northeast U.S. coast, waves reaching 10 to 20 feet will be possible along the coasts of New Jersey, Long Island and New England.
It is too early to predict Lee’s path, but the latest models show Lee possibly making landfall near the Canada and U.S. border next Friday night into Saturday.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has pre-deployed assets to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, according to the White House.
President Joe Biden was briefed Thursday on the latest trajectory and FEMA’s preparations, the White House said.
