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Divided Boston City Council battles over redistricting review request

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:20 GMT

Boston city councilors clashed for more than 20 minutes over a hearing request that would review internal communications one councilor says may point to open meeting law violations that occurred during a fraught redistricting process.City Councilor Erin Murphy, who already encountered resistance from her colleagues last week when she first requested public records for 5,816 pages of inter-council redistricting correspondence, experienced harsher opposition on Wednesday, when she reintroduced this request to a heavily divided City Council.“I believe we need to focus on reestablishing trust, not just here in the chamber among colleagues, but with our constituents,” Murphy said. “Our processes here on the City Council, of deliberation and debate, do more for the common good when they are open, transparent and inclusive.”Battle lines drawn in recent months were readily apparent during Wednesday’s City Council meeting, where Council President Ed Flynn tried several times to staunch discu...

In early-season baseball showdown, Franklin edges Taunton, 3-2

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:20 GMT

TAUNTON — The opening season matchup between the two frontrunners in Division 1 lived up to the hype.Austin Campbell fired six innings of two-run baseball, striking out nine and allowing no walks, while Jase Lyons stranded the tying run at third base as top-ranked Franklin defeated Hockomock Kelly-Rex foe No. 2 Taunton, 3-2, on Wednesday afternoon at Taunton High School.Franklin (4-0) fell to the Tigers in last year’s Division 1 state final.“Taunton is as good as advertised,” Franklin coach Zach Brown said. “Austin was really good. We had chances to stretch the lead but we were not getting that backbreaker. If you do not get to the Cali’s early they get stronger.”The Panthers struck first in the opening inning as Ben Jarosz lined an RBI single off Tigers’ right-hander Shawn Cali to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Franklin added a pair in the second when Lyons dropped a base hit to right field that scored Ryan Gerety and Ethan DePaolo to stretc...

Funeral service for Mel King

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:20 GMT

Police investigate suspicious death in El Cajon

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:20 GMT

EL CAJON, Calif. — Authorities are investigating a suspicious death in East County, the El Cajon Police Department said Wednesday.Police responded to the scene near the 500 block of Fletcher Parkway and are currently examining the area, ECPD said in a tweet.All westbound lanes of Fletcher Parkway were initially closed by police, but two lanes were reopened around 8:30 a.m. Pedestrian hit, killed by train in Carlsbad The police investigation is near the Parkway Plaza mall in El Cajon.ECPD urged drivers to use an alternate route or expect delays in the area due to the police activity.ECPD Lt. Jeremiah Larson confirmed to FOX 5 that the police activity was for a suspicious death investigation, but said no further details were immediately available.This is a developing story. We will provide updates as new information becomes available.

North fires ballistic missile into sea between Koreas, Japan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:20 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea launched a ballistic missile that landed in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan on Thursday, prompting Japan to order residents on an island to take shelter as a precaution. The order has been lifted.South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staffs said the North Korean missile launched from near the capital Pyongyang flew toward the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. The statement described the missile as a weapon with a medium or longer range but didn’t say how far the missile flew. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said South Korea’s military boosted its surveillance posture and maintains a firm readiness in close coordination with the United States.Japan said the missile landed in the water but did not immediately give a more exact landing location.Earlier, the launch had prompted the Japanese government to urge people to seek shelter on the northernmost island of Hokkaido. The government then corrected and retracted its mi...

Canada’s health minister calls mass exports of Ozempic to U.S. an ‘outrageous’ abuse

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:20 GMT

VANCOUVER — Canada’s federal health minister says he’s working with provinces to prevent the mass exportation of essential medications after thousands of doses of the diabetes and weight-loss drug Ozempic were shipped from British Columbia to the United States.Jean-Yves Duclos says the level of “abuse” was “outrageous” after a Texas-based doctor with a licence to practise in Nova Scotia wrote 17,000 prescriptions for the drug that were filled by two pharmacies in B.C. then mailed to American residents.The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia says it suspended the doctor’s licence on an interim basis after learning of the prescriptions.Duclos says legal ways to prevent medications being exported in mass quantities in future will be explored through the Food and Drugs Act.B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix, who took part in a news briefing with Duclos in Vancouver on Wednesday, says the province worked with Nova Scotia to take action...

Woman tied to Arizona polygamous leader accused of threats

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:20 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — A woman believed to be one of the 20 wives of a polygamous sect leader jailed in Arizona faces federal charges for allegedly sending threatening emails to child welfare workers in a bid to get her two daughters released from state foster care. The indictment of Josephine Barlow Bistline marks the fourth woman associated with self-declared prophet Samuel Bateman to face federal charges. Three of Bateman’s wives were previously charged with kidnapping and impeding a foreseeable prosecution after eight girls associated with the sect fled from foster care. Authorities say Bistline told a case manager with the Arizona Department of Child Safety in a March 24 email that she would be sent to prison, where she would live on a ventilator and people would have to help her breathe and clean up after her. According to a criminal complaint filed against her, Bistline told the case manager: “And, you know, I wouldn’t mind helping with that too. Because I love you. But you have gone...

‘Canada’s Drag Race’ slays reality rivals, ‘Paw Patrol’ top dog among kids TV at CSAs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:20 GMT

TORONTO — “Canada’s Drag Race” trounced most of its reality TV show rivals at the Canadian Screen Awards on Wednesday when it claimed six prizes, but lost the best reality/competition category to “The Amazing Race Canada.”Crave’s drag queen series nabbed awards for best in writing, sound, direction, production design and casting, and best reality host for Brooke Lynn Hytes, Brad Goreski and Traci Melchor.But it lost the marquee award to CTV’s “The Amazing Race Canada,” which also claimed best picture editing for a reality/competition show at an evening bash celebrating the best in lifestyle and reality TV awards.The gala followed an afternoon ceremony that named preschool favourite “Paw Patrol” top dog among the children’s categories, handing the animated TVO show three awards including best preschool series.Other lifestyle winners Wednesday included the cooking show “Mary Makes It Easy” on CTV Life Channel, which won best lifestyle program, best direction and best photography...

2 House Dems call on California Sen. Feinstein to resign

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:20 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two House Democrats called on U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein to resign Wednesday after her extended absence from Washington, saying she was no longer able to properly do her job.Feinstein, who at 89 is the oldest member of Congress, announced early last month that she was being treated for shingles. She has not returned to the Senate since then, complicating Democratic efforts to confirm President Joe Biden’s nominees for federal courts in a narrowly divided chamber.Rep. Ro Khanna, a California progressive, wrote on Twitter that Feinstein should step down before the end of her term. She announced in February that she would not seek reelection in 2024, opening up her seat for the first time in over 30 years.“We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty,” wrote Khanna, who has endorsed the Senate campaign of Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee. “While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties.”Not long afterward, Democr...

Broadway actors, show staff warn of possible strike

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:20 GMT

CHICAGO — Actors and stage managers were outside of Nederlander Theater Wednesday, handing out leaflets to people attending that night's showing of Jagged Little Pill.On those leaflets, warnings of the possibility of a strike among more than 50,000 members touring in Broadway shows across the United States.Members in the Actors' Equity Association have been working without a contract since Feb. 5, the last collective bargaining agreement negotiated for the group being in 2019."If you’re out to see a show, you’re not thinking about the working conditions," said Leah Morrow, a member of the AEA. "You see production value and amazing talent. These folks are working injured and sick and need rest and fair pay just like anybody [else] out here in the world needs." ‘Harry Potter’ TV series and ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel are a go The AEA is asking for an increase in pay and per diem rate for food and housing, as well as guarantees to have enough staff coverage for members when they are si...