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Storms bring strong winds, lightning to much of Massachusetts as region remains under Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:42 GMT

Storms rolled through parts of the area Friday afternoon, damaging trees and utility poles. Much of central and western Massachusetts is under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 11 p.m. Friday night. Middlesex, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire counties are all a part of the watch. In Andover, a tree splintered and fell onto a vehicle. In western Massachusetts, this includes the cities of Fitchburg, Framingham, Gloucester, Greenfield, Hartford, Lawrence, Lowell, Northampton, Springfield, Union, Vernon and Worcester.Middlesex County is also under the same watch. In Maynard, strong winds knocked down trees and electrical poles. In Tewksbury, a tree was completely uprooted and ripped up a sidewalk.Hartford and Tolland counties in Connecticut are also affected by the watch.

State projects about 1,000 families to enter emergency shelters each month, senators say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:42 GMT

The Healey administration is projecting about 1,000 families, including locals who are experiencing homelessness and newly-arrived migrants, to enter Massachusetts’ emergency shelter system each month, according to state senators who attended a Thursday briefing.That projection used family units as measurement, which likely means the number of individuals entering the system could stretch thousands more. State officials do not keep a detailed breakdown of the types of families in the emergency shelter system but estimate more than a third of the 6,200-plus are migrants.Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Housing Secretary Ed Augustus, and other officials held two separate briefings Thursday for House and Senate lawmakers to provide updates on a National Guard deployment next week and the administration’s response to a shelter system overburdened both by new arrivals but also excruciating housing costs.During the virtual Senate briefing, lawmakers who attended told the Herald the administration d...

Patriots-Eagles injury report: Jack Jones out, Rhamondre Stevenson among 5 questionable

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:42 GMT

The Patriots listed six players on their final injury report for Sunday’s season opener, including cornerback Jack Jones who is officially out with a hurt hamstring.Running back Rhamondre Stevenson is questionable to play against the Eagles with an illness. Quarterback Matt Corral (not injury related), offensive linemen Mike Onwenu (ankle) and Cole Strange (knee) and wide receiver DeVante Parker (knee) are also questionable.Stevenson is expected to play, a source told the Herald.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Source: Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson expected to play Week 1 despite practice absence New England Patriots | Patriots are still trying to figure out their backup quarterback situation New England Patriots | Bill Belichick provides injury updates on two Patriots starters New England Patriots | Rhamondre Stevenson, backup QB among 3 Patriots missing to start practice Friday New England Patriots | ...

Revolution set to begin three-game road stretch in Minnesota

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:42 GMT

The New England Revolution’s back line is shaping up for the stretch run to the MLS Cup playoffs.The Revolution (13-5-8) are tied with Orlando City with a game at hand for second place in the Eastern Conference with eight matches remaining. The Revolution could have been in sole possession of second but gave up a goal in the 94th minute in a 2-2 draw with Austin FC last Saturday at Gillette Stadium.The Revolution begin a slate of three straight road games when they encounter Minnesota United FC (9-8-9) of the Western Conference on Saturday night (8:30) at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minn.“Our preparations are going well, the team is ready to go and the guys are in good spirits,” said interim head coach Richie Williams. “We were disappointed at the end of the game last week not to come away with three points.“We know we made a mistake at the end. But we have to learn from that and move on and now get ready for Minnesota, which is a very good team.”With the exception of center back Dav...

Body cam catches elite federal prosecutor offering his Justice Department card in DUI crash arrest

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:42 GMT

By JOSHUA GOODMAN and JIM MUSTIAN (Associated Press)TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — When police arrived at his house to investigate a hit-and-run, Joseph Ruddy, one of the nation’s most prolific federal narcotics prosecutors, looked so drunk he could barely stand up straight, leaning on the tailgate of his pickup to keep his balance. But he apparently was under control enough to be waiting with his U.S. Justice Department business card in hand. “What are you trying to hand me?” an officer asked. “You realize when they pull my body-worn camera footage and they see this, this is going to go really bad.”That footage obtained by The Associated Press showed Ruddy apparently attempting to leverage his position to blunt the fallout from a Fourth of July crash in which he is accused of drunkenly striking another vehicle and leaving the scene. But despite being charged, the 59-year-old Ruddy remained on the job for two months, representing the United States in court as...

Russian missile attack kills policeman, wounds 73 people in Zelenskyy’s hometown in central Ukraine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:42 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian missile attack Friday on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown killed one policeman and wounded at least 73 people, including nine policemen, Ukrainian officials said. Another attack in the southern Kherson region killed three people.The strikes were among multiple Russian attacks across the country overnight, officials said. Meanwhile, Moscow is trying to strengthen its position politically with local elections in the four regions it has illegally annexed, even though it doesn’t fully control any of the four. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it does not recognize the “fake elections.”The strikes came days after 16 people were killed in a Russian attack on a market in eastern Ukraine and drone debris was found in Romania. That sparked fears among local residents that the war could spread into the NATO-member country bordering Ukraine. Ten buildings were damaged in the attack on Zelenskyy’s hometown of Kryvyi ...

Jacksonville begins funerals for Black victims of racist gunman with calls to action, warm memories

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:42 GMT

Funerals got underway Friday for three Black people killed by a racist gunman at a Florida discount store, with friends and relatives sharing warm memories while ministers and activists called for action against rising hate crimes and gun violence.Mourners at the funeral service for Angela Michelle Carr applauded the Rev. Al Sharpton as he criticized laws that allowed the gunman to buy an assault-style rifle years after he was involuntarily committed for a mental health examination. He also denounced white supremacists who demonstrated outside Disney World a week after the Aug. 26 killings in Jacksonville. “How many people have to die before you get up — whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat — and say we’ve got to stop this and we’ve got to bring some sanity back in this country?” Sharpton said. “Have we gotten so out of bounds that we’ve normalized this stuff happening?”Carr, 52, worked as an Uber driver and was sitting in her idling car outside a Dollar General sto...

Georgia special grand jury report shows Graham and others spared from charges, and more new details

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:42 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is pursuing charges against roughly half of the people recommended to her by a special grand jury tasked with investigating efforts to overturn Georgia’s 2020 presidential election.The decision to seek charges against 19 people, as opposed to the 39 suggested to her, was likely a combination of factors, from constitutional protections to streamlining her case against other defendants.Ultimately, Willis decided against indicting Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina; two former senators from Georgia, Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue; and former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, even as she pursued charges against former President Donald Trump, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.Here are some of the takeaways from the long-awaited report:Why the report was released 9 months after it was finishedThe special grand jury that spent seven months hearing evidence i...

Stock market today: Wall Street closes its worst week in the last 3 with a quiet finish

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:42 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks edged higher on Friday, but not by enough to keep Wall Street from closing out its first losing week in the last three.The S&P 500 ticked up 6.35 points, or 0.1%, to 4,457.49 after falling for three straight days. It lost 1.3% for the week, which was shortened by the Labor Day holiday.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 75.86, or 0.2%, to 34,576.59, and the Nasdaq composite added 12.69, or 0.1%, to 13,761.53.Those indexes also fell for the week because of worries that a too-warm economy will push the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates high for longer. Traders ratcheted back expectations for cuts to rates next year by the Fed, after reports showed the U.S. economy remains resilient despite much higher rates and struggles for other economies around the world.Such data have pushed yields higher in the bond market, which hurts stock prices. But yields held relatively steady on Friday, helping to keep Wall Street quiet.The yield on the 10-year Treasury in...

TSX moves lower Friday while U.S. markets eke out small gain amid rate worries

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:42 GMT

TORONTO — Canada’s main stock index posted a small loss Friday, with broad-based weakness led by metals and tech, while U.S. markets eked out slim gains amid ongoing concern about interest rates. The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 57.43 points at 20,074.65.In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 75.86 points at 34,576.59.The S&P 500 index was up 6.35 points at 4,457.49, while the Nasdaq composite was up 12.70 points at 13,761.53.After a weaker August following a tech-driven rally in the first half of the year, markets seem to be under pressure heading into September, said John Zechner, chairman and lead equity manager at J Zechner Associates. The issue weighing on markets is an ongoing realization that interest rates will likely have to stay higher for longer, he said.With oil prices continuing to climb, nearing US$88 per barrel Friday, inflation could tick up this fall, said Zechner, putting more pressure on central banks. The economic data trickling...