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Retired Bruins star Bergeron happy to be ‘Uber driver for the family’ for now

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:41 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Maybe he will run a marathon. He probably won’t be coaching. For now, Patrice Bergeron is content to be the “Uber driver for the family,” and that’s a pretty good feeling.“It’s been an amazing ride, 20 years, but also hockey brings you a lot of pressure and stress,” he said on Wednesday at a TD Garden news conference a day after he announced his retirement. “So, it will be a nice change to just be able to be the Uber driver for the family for a little bit and just relax.”A soon-to-be Hall of Famer who centered the first line on the best team in hockey during his final season, Bergeron announced on Tuesday that he would not return next season.It wasn’t that his skills were slipping: He won his second straight Selke Trophy as the league’s top forward— and sixth overall — and led the Bruins to the most wins and most points in NHL history. But his desire to prepare for the games was.“It was taking a lot longer now. I couldn’t just put the equipment o...

Police make arrest in Andover after pursuit

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:41 GMT

A 33-year-old Lowell woman was arrested Wednesday after allegedly leading state police troopers on a pursuit that ended in Andover, police said. State police said troopers initially tried to stop a car driven by Elena Moreira. She did not stop, though, according to police, forcing troopers to start the pursuit. State police said Moreira was eventually stopped on the northbound side of I-93 in Andover and arrested. SKY7-HD over the scene Wednesday afternoon spotted several troopers standing near a tow truck. No further information was immediately available.

Russian fighter jet damages US military drone over Syria

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:41 GMT

(CNN) — A Russian fighter jet flew “dangerously close” to a US drone over Syria and damaged it with flares, according to the US Air Force, in the latest in a series of incidents between the two militaries in the Middle East.On Sunday, a Russian jet closed to within a few meters of a US MQ-9 Reaper drone that was taking part in an anti-ISIS mission over Syria. The Sukhoi Su-35 began dropping flares in front of the US drone, severely damaging its propellor, the Air Force said. The drone’s crew was able to control the aircraft and fly it back to its home base.“The Russian fighter’s blatant disregard for flight safety detracts from our mission to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS,” said the commander of Air Force Central Command, Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich.Video of the encounter from the US drone shows a Russian fighter jet drawing closer as it approaches from behind. The video then shows the jet dropping flares near the drone.In a similar encounter over the Blac...

As ‘intense’ heat arrives, Massachusetts extends lifeguard hours; officials expect a rise in heat-related emergencies; tips on how to stay cool

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:41 GMT

With oppressive heat and humidity making it feel close to 100 degrees, Bay State officials are warning residents about the risk for heat stroke and heat exhaustion, while they extend hours at swimming pools, beaches, waterfronts and spray decks.The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Massachusetts with heat-index values of 95 to 104 degrees on Thursday and Friday afternoon. A heat emergency has been declared for Boston.To help residents beat the heat, the state Department of Recreation and Conservation has extended lifeguard and operating hours at agency-managed pools, beaches, waterfronts, wading pools and spray decks by one hour.DCR pools will be closing at 7:45 p.m.; beaches and waterfronts will be guarded until 6:45 p.m.; wading pools will operate until 7 p.m.; and spray decks will run until 9 p.m.“As Massachusetts will experience some of its most intense heat in the coming days, it’s important for people to make a plan to stay safe — includ...

Celtics’ Jaylen Brown commits to Boston on and off court with record-breaking extension

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:41 GMT

On Sunday night, when his record-breaking contract extension with the Celtics was finally complete, Jaylen Brown found himself giving back.The moment wasn’t celebratory in a traditional sense, but was perfectly Brown, who has committed himself to creating social change through his 7uice Foundation throughout his time in Boston. The deal was done as he was participating in his Bridge Program at MIT, where he’s been holding a camp for Black and Brown high school students in Boston.“I was in the middle of a robotics session,” Brown said. “I was able to put my phone down and just get right into class with the Bridge students.”Brown hasn’t had much time to look at his phone this week, a life-changing one as he officially signed his NBA record five-year, $304 million supermax extension with the Celtics that was a long time in the making – even if it was longer than expected.Brown became eligible to receive the supermax on July 1, but it took more than three weeks to get the deal completed...

Downtown Boston, other neighborhoods to see more business with new grant, officials say

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:41 GMT

Two dozen Boston-based small businesses are receiving grants of $40,000 and up that city officials hope will awaken a sleepy downtown and bolster commercial districts in other neighborhoods.A goal behind the program is to close the city’s racial wealth gap.Three quarters of the 24 selected businesses in the first round of funding are minority-owned, and more than 60% are women-owned, officials highlighted Wednesday.Many small business owners are either looking to launch their first brick-and-mortar space or expand current operations to neighborhoods like Downtown Crossing, Back Bay or the Seaport, said Segun Idowu, the city’s chief of economic opportunity and inclusion.“Many (business owners) have been losing hope, particularly as a result of COVID-19,” he said. “What we are proud of is this is a program that seeks to stave off that tragedy.”Officials are tapping $9 million from the city’s $551.7 million federal American Rescue Plan Act allotment towards the program. The...

This San Diego metro area city has the most affordable housing market: report

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:41 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Can you guess which San Diego metro area city has the most affordable housing market?If you don't want to spend over half of your yearly income towards homeownership, then San Diego may not be the place for you -- hypothetically speaking. Based on the average projected income of a household, median asking price, estimated mortgage cost and taxes, there's only one San Diego metro area city where homebuyers will be forking out less than 50% of their income for a place to call their own. How much income is required to afford rent in San Diego? That's according to a report by real estate listing platform RealtyHop, which examined home affordability for the average American family in the 100 largest U.S. cities and their surrounding metros.Based on this report's key findings, Carlsbad is the least affordable housing market in the regional metro area. RealtyHop says households in Carlsbad spend 69.03% of their income on mortgage and property tax payments.Next in line as lea...

FACT FOCUS: No head trauma or suspicious circumstances in drowning of Obamas’ chef, police say

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:41 GMT

The drowning death of former President Barack Obama’s personal chef on Martha’s Vineyard this week is sparking a frenzy of false claims on social media, as users share conspiracy theories and baseless speculation about what happened.Many are suggesting, without evidence, that Tafari Campbell died under questionable circumstances, claiming he knew how to swim and was in calm, shallow water. Others are sharing patently untrue statements, such as that he was found with head injuries or was equipped with a life vest. But Massachusetts authorities confirmed on Wednesday that Campbell didn’t suffer any head trauma, nor was he wearing a life vest, and there’s no evidence the death was suspicious. They said he lost his balance while standing on his paddleboard and struggled to stay afloat when he fell into the water. Water safety experts also stressed that even strong swimmers can drown, regardless of the type of water they’re in.Here’s a closer look at the misinformation circulating around...

Mississippi teen’s death in poultry plant shows child labor remains a problem, feds say

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:41 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The death of a 16-year-old in a Mississippi poultry plant earlier this month offered another reminder that children remain vulnerable to exploitation in the workplace in the United States, senior Labor Department officials said Wednesday.Duvan Perez became the third teenager to die in an industrial accident this summer. Those deaths occurred amid a push by lawmakers in some states to loosen child labor regulations in order to meet growing demands for workers, though none of the deaths occurred in states where new laws have been enacted.Perez was working on a sanitation crew at Mar-Jac Poultry on July 14 when he became entangled in a conveyor belt he was cleaning, according to records obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday. Before authorities arrived at the meat processing plant, Perez’s coworkers had tried to extract him from the equipment, which stretched to the plant’s ceiling. Police found the teenager dead, and Forrest County Coroner Butch Benedict s...

Canadian Human Rights Tribunal approves $23B First Nations child welfare settlement

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:41 GMT

OTTAWA — The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal has approved a $23.4-billion settlement agreement for First Nations children, youth and families harmed by the federal government’s underfunding of child welfare services.“According to the parties, this is the largest compensation settlement in Canadian history and it now includes a commitment from the Minister of Indigenous Services to request an apology from the Prime Minister,” the decision, released Wednesday, reads.Cindy Blackstock, executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, said in a tweet that the next step is for the Federal Court to provide approval. Blackstock, who has been negotiating the settlement alongside the Assembly of First Nations, said compensation will not be paid out until then.The latest settlement comes more than 15 years after the two organizations jointly launched a human-rights complaint that sparked a years-long legal battle with Ottawa.The 2007 complaint revolved ...