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Massachusetts COVID cases drop 14%, Boston shutting down some vaccination and testing sites

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:10:44 GMT

COVID cases and hospitalizations continue to fall across the state, as Boston health officials announced this week that they’re scaling back the city’s vaccination and testing site operations with fewer people getting vaxxed and tested these days.The Boston Public Health Commission said three sites will end their COVID operations on May 13: BCYF Hyde Park, Josephine Fiorentino Community Center, and Lena Park Community Development Corporation. Meanwhile, the Boston City Hall and Bruce C. Bolling sites will continue to provide vaccinations, boosters, and take-home rapid antigen testing kits.Ahead of the scale down, BPHC is urging residents to get up-to-date on their vaccinations, and for newly eligible individuals to get their second bivalent booster before the three standing sites shut down.“The sustained decline in our COVID-19 metrics is a testament to the protection afforded by the vaccines and boosters,” said Bisola Ojikutu, BPHC’s executive director...

Porn group sues over Utah age verification law

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:10:44 GMT

SALT LAKE CITY — An adult entertainment industry group filed a lawsuit on Wednesday challenging a new Utah law that requires porn websites to implement age verification mechanisms to block minors from accessing sexually explicit materials.The law, which took effect Wednesday, made Utah the second state to require adult websites to verify the age of those who want to view their pages — either through an independent contractor or digital ID. Lawmakers likened the requirement to those for alcohol or online gambling and argued that stronger protections were needed to shield kids from pornography, which is ubiquitous online.The Free Speech Coalition — along with an erotica author and companies that manage adult websites and are party to the suit — argues that Utah’s new law unfairly discriminates against certain kinds of speech, violates the First Amendment rights of porn providers and intrudes on the privacy of individuals who want to view sexually explicit materials. The plaintif...

Fox fights fellow journalists trying to uncover documents

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:10:44 GMT

NEW YORK — Fox News is opposing a renewed effort by three news organizations to unseal documents related to its recently settled defamation lawsuit, saying it would do nothing but “gratify private spite or promote public scandal.”The Associated Press, The New York Times and National Public Radio asked a Delaware judge earlier this week to reveal mostly private text messages and conversations between Fox employees shortly after the 2020 presidential election The information was uncovered during the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit.Fox lawyer Katharine L. Mowery, in a letter sent to Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis and accepted by the court Thursday, said much of the material its competitors sought wasn’t relevant to the issues of the lawsuit.Some material from the vast trove of evidence that Dominion gathered has already been released and proved newsworthy, showing that Fox hosts and executives didn’t believe the false allegations about Dominion’s voting equipment but still co...

US seeks help to find out who shot 4 bald eagles in Arkansas

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:10:44 GMT

PYATT, Ark. (AP) — Federal and state wildlife authorities are asking for the public’s help in catching whoever might be responsible for the deaths of four bald eagles in Arkansas’ Marion County earlier this year.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last month put up a $5,000 reward for tips that lead to the arrest and conviction of those who killed the federally protected birds discovered Feb. 13 near Pyatt, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.A joint investigation by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined that the birds were shot between mid-January and mid-February. In addition to the eagles, authorities found red-tailed hawks, a domestic dog and white-tailed deer in the vicinity that had also been shot and killed.“There’s, I think, evidence that somebody probably shot (the birds) from the road, but I don’t even know that they’re 100% certain of that,” said Rob Finley, the Arkansas Game and Fish commissioner for the are...

Mississippi death toll from March tornado climbs to 22

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:10:44 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A person has died after being hospitalized for injuries suffered during a vicious tornado that tore through Mississippi on March 24, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency announced Thursday.The agency said the unnamed person lived in Sharkey County, a Mississippi Delta area hit hard by the tornado. The tornado lashed the Delta with 200 mph (320 kph) winds.“This, unfortunately, brings the death toll in Sharkey County to 14, and statewide is 22 due to the severe weather,” the agency said in a news release. “Our thoughts are with the families who’ve lost loved ones and are still recovering from the storms.”The tornado devastated the Sharkey County town of Rolling Fork and the town of Silver City in neighboring Humphreys County, reducing entire blocks to piles of rubble and leaving hundreds of people homeless. Sharkey County is one of the country’s poorest regions, with a poverty rate of around 35%. That figure is nearly double Mississippi’s roughly 19%...

US prosecutors charge Minneapolis mosque arson suspect

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:10:44 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A man suspected of setting fires to Minneapolis mosques was indicted Thursday on federal charges of arson and damage to religious property while investigators look into a series of crimes targeting Muslims and Somali Americans.Jackie Rahm Little, 36, was indicted by a federal grand jury for an April 24 fire at the Masjid Al-Rahma mosque. Authorities are also investigating him as a suspect in a fire that damaged the Masjid Omar Islamic Center inside a Somali shopping mall on April 23, as well as in the January vandalism of U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Minneapolis office and of a Somali American police officer’s vehicle, among other crimes, U.S. Attorney Andy Luger said at a news conference.“The freedom to worship is sacrosanct. We will respond to any attack on any house of worship with urgency and determination,” said Luger, who noted that the charge accusing Little of damaging religious property is a civil rights violation.Little pleaded not guilty at a brief hear...

With warm weather on tap, police warn of more roofing scams in Toronto and GTA

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:10:44 GMT

The concerning prevalence of roofing scams isn’t going away as Toronto police are again out with another warning as the weather improves.This comes after investigators announced the arrest of an 18-year-old man, alleging on April 25, three men were in the Danforth neighbourhood when they approached a homeowner, saying they were working as roofers on a nearby home and noticed damage on their roof.After conducting the phony inspection, police say the homeowner was provided with a quote for $18,500. The homeowner gave the men a deposit of $9,000 to begin work the next day. Eventually, the homeowner contacted the police, leading to charges being laid a few days later.RELATED: Industry experts call for more government oversight to prevent roofing scamsToronto police said these scams have become more frequent in the city and GTA. Authorities listed some suspicious activity to be on the lookout for.“A person may attend your house unsolicited and advise you that your roof needs ...

Tyre Nichols died of blows to the head, autopsy shows

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:10:44 GMT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Tyre Nichols died of blows to the head suffered when he was beaten by Memphis police during a January arrest, an autopsy report released Thursday showed.The autopsy said the manner of death was homicide. The report released by the medical examiner in Memphis described brain injuries, cuts and bruises to the head and other parts of the body.Nichols was Black, as were the five police officers fired and charged with second-degree murder and other counts after his death. They pleaded not guilty Feb. 17.Ben Crump, an attorney for the Nichols family, said they were briefed Wednesday on the autopsy report by the district attorney in Shelby County, which includes Memphis.“The official autopsy report further propels our commitment to seeking justice for this senseless tragedy,” a statement released by Crump’s law firm said.Nichols was stopped by police Jan. 7 for an alleged traffic violation and was aggressively pulled out of his car by officers. An officer shot at Nich...

Fire cancels evening activities at Glenbrook South High School

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:10:44 GMT

GLENVIEW, Ill. — There was a fire Thursday afternoon in the wood shop at Glenbrook South High School.The school said the fire was reported shortly before dismissal around 3 p.m. and the fire alarm was activated. IDOT announces new construction project on Kennedy Expressway No injuries were reported, according to public safety officials and the school.The school said no one is allowed back in the building until an all-clear has been given by the fire department.All home athletic events, except for the men's lacrosse game and Thursday night's band concert have been canceled.The school said students' items will stay where they left them.

Lakeview man plants tulip garden to brighten neighborhood

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:10:44 GMT

CHICAGO -- For nearly 30 years, a colorful sidewalk-lined garden has drawn a crown in Lakeview.When you think of seasoned gardeners, Frank Capolla wouldn't be the kind of guy who would come to mind, but for three decades he has been the man behind some of the most gorgeous flowers in the neighborhood.For Capolla, each day starts with a set of gloves and a song as he settles into his happy place here on the corner of West Nelson Street and North Paulina Street in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. Neighbors rally to help rescue cat stuck 50 feet up in tree A bed of more than 500 blossoms stretching from one end of the street to the other. Something Copolla takes the time to maybe brighten someone's day.The problem is the source of all the color and joy is the same thing driving him mad.Ignoring a torn meniscus and the occasional back flare up, Copolla gardens simply for the love of the flowers. He said sometimes you got to get a little dirty to spread sunshine and Frank can't think o...