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Storms across Massachusetts damage homes, cars, power lines as region remains under Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

Storms rolled through much of southern New England Friday afternoon, bringing down trees and utility poles while knocking out power for thousands of people.As of 8:45 p.m., some 54,000 customers were without power across the Bay State alone, according to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency’s outage map.Around 79 percent of Andover, totaling more than 11,500 customers, is out of power, and North Andover, Lawrence and Acton are all experiencing significant outages as of 9 p.m.Much of central and western Massachusetts remained under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 11 p.m., with Middlesex, Essex, Worcester, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties all a part of the watch.In terms of damage, scenes across the region included one in Andover where crews were responding to report of a tree that splintered and fell onto a vehicle. In Maynard, strong winds knocked down trees and electrical poles while in Tewksbury, a tree was completely uprooted and ripped up a sidewalk.Thi...

Vigil celebrates life of Worcester teen who died after reportedly participating in internet challenge

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

Nearly 100 people in Worcester gathered for a vigil Friday night honoring the memory of 14-year-old Harris Wolobah.“We gather with a family of course that mourns with a very very heavy heart,” the pastor at the vigil said.The teen died a week ago after those close to the family said he was dared to participate in an internet craze called “The One Chip Challenge.” He ate a spicy chip and got sick. Police said he stopped breathing at his home hours later.“I can’t make sense of it,” a family member said. “I don’t know that any of us can but what we can do is keep Harris’s spirit alive in our hearts and our actions.”“A light as bright as Harris can never be truly extinguished,” she said.The company behind the challenge has since pulled the produce from shelves. The results of Wolobah’s autopsy have not been made public. “Let’s continue warning our youth about the troubling things that are out there. This could’ve been any of our children,” said someone close to Harrisat ...

Michael Kopech is headed back to the Chicago White Sox bullpen — but he’ll return to the rotation in 2024: ‘He’s a starter’

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

Saturday would have been Michael Kopech’s turn in the rotation. Instead, he’s headed back to the bullpen.The Chicago White Sox announced the decision ahead of Friday’s 6-0 victory in the series opener against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.Kopech said he looks at the move as an “opportunity to work on some things mentally and physically.”“I’ve gone down there before,” Kopech said before the game. “I know that it’s a little different preparing to come into that game than it is as a starter. But you don’t have a whole lot of time to think or overthink.“It’s more get out there and get after it type of thing. We think that will serve me well at this point. It’s an opportunity I’m trying my best to embrace. I’ve done it before so it’s not completely new, but it is something I haven’t done in a couple of years. So I’m looking forward to that.”The Sox got a solid out...

Column: Winds of change factor into the Chicago Cubs’ 1-0 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

Nico Hoerner grabbed hold of a 94-mph fastball in the first inning of Friday’s Chicago Cubs-Arizona Diamondbacks game and launched it toward the left-field bleachers at Wrigley Field.A crowd of 31,846 got on its feet in anticipation of a ”Whoomp! There it is!” moment.But Diamondbacks left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. settled in front of the ivy-covered wall and watched a 12-mph wind blowing in from the north put the ball back in play, then made a routine catch on the warning track.Whoomp, there it wasn’t.Summer’s unofficial end traditionally turns Wrigley into a pitcher’s park in September, and Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen made the place his home in a complete game, 1-0 win against the Cubs.“I definitely thought it had a chance off the bat,” Hoerner said. “But obviously with the wind blowing in, and (it being) a higher-hit ball that was hit well but not crushed. … So yeah, it’s part of playing here.”Gallen (15-7) ...

JP Progressive group’s members help fund Kendra Lara’s crash defense

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

A report commissioned by City Councilor Kendra Lara that shows she wasn’t speeding at the time of her late June car crash was paid for, in part, by two members of a progressive steering committee that voted to endorse her last week.Word began to leak soon after Lara and her attorney held a press conference Thursday evening to discuss the new findings that members of the Jamaica Plain Progressives Steering Committee contributed financially to the report, raising questions about whether it violated campaign finance or ethics laws.“My attorney was the one that wrote the check and I am going to pay for it, and how that is paid for, how I’m paying my private legal fees is not the business of the Boston Herald,” Lara told the Herald Friday.When pressed about whether this meant information provided to the Herald was inaccurate, and that the JP Progressives had nothing to do with the payment, Lara did not directly answer the question.“What I am saying is that my lawyer wrote a check to The ...

Gov. Kristi Noem endorses Trump as he visits South Dakota

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem endorsed former President Donald Trump at a party fundraiser in South Dakota Friday night that doubled as an opportunity for Noem to showcase herself as a potential vice presidential pick.As his rivals held town halls and meet-and-greets in early voting states, Trump was headlining the South Dakota Republican Party’s “Monumental Leaders Rally” in Rapid City. Noem appeared alongside the former president at the paid event, creating an image that Noem’s allies had hoped would look like a presidential ticket, according to two senior Republicans familiar with her thinking who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the announcement.“I will do everything I can to help him win and save this country,” Noem said as she formerly offered her endorsement before Trump took the stage. She said that all the Republican presidential candidates had been invited to the event. “All of them told us that they had better things to do. But when P...

Canadian director Atom Egoyan, actors talk ‘Seven Veils,’ U.S. strike at TIFF

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

TORONTO — Director Atom Egoyan premièred his film “Seven Veils” Friday in a unique collaboration with the Canadian Opera Company and the Toronto International Film Festival.A special “avant-première” took place at Toronto’s Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, with the official TIFF screening taking place Sunday at the Princess of Wales Theatre.“Seven Veils,” starring Amanda Seyfried, tells the story of a theatre director whose world unravels as she reworks a production of “Salome” after the death of her mentor, who was previously in charge.The U.S. actor was not at the première, saying in a social media post that it “doesn’t feel right” to promote the film during an actors strike that has halted production in Hollywood and prevents talent from promoting their work. Egoyan said that the absence of his film’s lead actor from the première was “heartbreaking.” Seyfried had instead attended a pri...

Suspect sought after Toronto police allege 2 women assaulted on TTC bus at Wilson station

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

Toronto police officers say they’re looking for a man as part of an ongoing investigation after they allege two women were assaulted onboard a TTC bus at Wilson station.According to a statement issued by the service Friday evening, the incident happened at around 8:10 p.m. on Aug. 18.Officers said the victims were on the bus when the suspect allegedly approached them and hit both of their heads before taking off.RELATED: TTC ridership still down in May with violent crimes on the rise, report showsWhen asked about the extent of the victims’ injuries, a Toronto police spokesperson didn’t have an update Friday evening.The spokesperson said the incident, which is believed to be random, was captured on surveillance cameras.Since the incident happened, the spokesperson said TTC special constables initially began investigating and gathering evidence before it was forwarded to Toronto Police 32 Division officers.Investigators said they released photos of the suspect in an ...

Students in Evergreen Park take part in 'Day of Giving'

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

EVERGREEN PARK, Ill. — Students at Evergreen Park's Most Holy Redeemer Catholic School were hard at work on Friday morning, taking part in a lesson that is unlike any other this school year.Students from Pre-kindergarten to 8th grade spent their morning working hard at helping others during the school's Day of Giving.This year's Day of Giving was all about Evergreen Park Food Pantry. Students collected food and personal hygiene products, loaded them onto trucks and sent them off to the food pantry where they were put on shelves, ready for distribution."I thought it was cool to experience that I’m not the only one. There are other people who have different lives," 8th grader Keira Cushing said. Taste of Chicago begins, Eli’s Cheesecake returns for 43rd year Food Pantry director Mark Phelan, who is also a deacon at Most Holy Redeemer, says there is a real need for the supplies.During the middle of Covid. We were serving 120 cars every Friday," said Phelan. "120 families every Friday...

CPD: Missing elderly man last seen near Clybourn Corridor

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating a missing 85-year-old man who was last seen Thursday.85-year-old James Holsten was last seen on the 1700 block of North Clybourn Avenue near Chicago's Clybourn Corridor shopping district on Thursday. 12-year-old girl missing from South Side: CPD Holsten is described as 6-foot-1, weighing 180 pounds, with brown hair and gray eyes.No further information has been provided at this time.Anyone with information regarding James Holsten's whereabouts are asked to contact the Chicago Police Department at 312-744-8266.