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Democratic discontent with Biden growing in Massachusetts over migrant response

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

Democratic discontent with the Biden administration’s handling of an influx of migrant arrivals is growing in Massachusetts, including among top officials on Beacon Hill who are grappling with how to deal with an emergency shelter system that is costing the state tens of millions a month.Gov. Maura Healey has repeatedly called on President Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to shuttle funds to the state and ease bureaucratic red tape in an effort to speed up work authorizations so people can quickly transition out of temporary housing.But Bay State Democrats appear to be growing frustrated with what they say is a lack of help from Biden and federal officials in Washington.“The guy is running for president, he better start paying attention to this,” House Speaker Ronald Mariano told reporters at the State House Wednesday when asked if the Biden administration should appoint a point person to coordinate with states on response efforts.Senate President Karen Spilk...

Catching the wind: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island band together for future contracts

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

Even as several states have found their efforts to install wind generation off their coastlines stymied by rising costs, Massachusetts is trying to find a way forward through a first-in-the-nation interstate compact with its neighbors.On Wednesday, Gov. Maura Healey appeared at the American Clean Power Association’s Offshore WINDPOWER Conference in Boston and announced the Bay State would join with Connecticut and Rhode Island in allowing wind energy companies to make multi-state power generation offers.“By working together, we can amplify the many benefits of offshore wind for all three states, including regional economic development opportunities, healthier communities, lower energy bills, and advantages to environmental justice populations and low-income ratepayers,” Healey said in a statement following the announcement.Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the three states will offer multi-state offshore wind power generation requests for proposals for companies to ...

Tropical Storm Philippe will likely move over New England. How will Massachusetts be affected?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

Sick of the rain yet?Unfortunately, more heavy rain could be on the way this weekend as Tropical Storm Philippe is expected to approach the region.Boston-area meteorologists predict that a strong frontal system will move into southern New England from Friday night into Saturday. While rain amounts are still uncertain, forecasters believe that there will be steady rains from late Friday into Saturday.“It looks like the best chance for rain will be from Saturday morning to Saturday evening,” Kyle Pederson, meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Boston office, told the Herald.“There’s no severe weather threat with this one, but we’re keeping an eye on where some of the heavier rain will be,” he added.There could be some blustery conditions over the weekend, with 20 mph gusts on Saturday afternoon across the region. Coastal areas could see gusts up to 30 mph.Moderate to high rip currents will be possible along the Outer Cape, as well as...

Holyoke shooting takes the life of an infant, sends others to the hospital

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

A stray bullet in a Holyoke shooting struck a pregnant woman, taking the life of her child, who was delivered only to die in the hospital.“This victim, who was pregnant, was transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition. The infant, who was delivered, and needed life-saving medical services, tragically passed away,” Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni said in a statement at around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.Hampden DA DA Anthony Gulluni (Courtesy / Official portrait)The Holyoke Police Department responded to the 100-block of Sargeant Street a little before 12:40 p.m. for reports of gunfire. The agency confirmed at around 2:20 p.m. that “there are multiple victims and this is an active and ongoing investigation.”The Massachusetts State Police at 4:13 p.m. said that they were assisting the Holyoke Police with the shooting and mentioned a wider area that included the intersection with Maple Street.A spokesman added that the shooting may have been ...

Bruins make cuts, but several questions remain

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

The Bruins continued to pare down their training camp roster, but some key roster battles are still to be officially determined.The B’s placed Jayson Megna on waivers for the purpose of assignment while Trevor Kuntar, Marc McLaughlin and Georgii Merkulov were assigned to Providence.But there are still so many questions.Matt Poitras, 19, is still with the big club, which is not a surprise given his performance thus far, which included the game-tying goal in the B’s 5-4 preseason loss to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday. If he doesn’t make the big club, the teenager would have to be sent back to his junior club in Guelph. But as of now it would be a stunner if the B’s didn’t at least utilize the nine-game window before they have to make a final decision on him.If the highly-skilled Poitras can prove he’s ready for the physical grind of the NHL, that could create a fairly major ripple effect up and down the lineup. It would seem useless not to pair...

Striking auto workers and Detroit companies appear to make progress in contract talks

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Meaningful progress has been made in negotiations between the striking United Auto Workers union and Detroit’s three auto companies, according to a person with direct knowledge of the talks.The person said Wednesday that progress was reported at all three companies, with some offers being exchanged. Another said there was more movement in talks with Jeep maker Stellantis, with less at Ford and General Motors. Neither person wanted to be identified because they aren’t authorized to speak publicly about the bargaining.Union President Shawn Fain will update members Friday on bargaining toward bringing to an end the nearly 3-week-old strikes against the companies. It wasn’t clear exactly what Fain will announce as part of the union’s strategy of targeted strikes against the companies, with automakers perceived as making progress in the talks being spared additional job actions.But the report of progress raises the possibility that the union may decide not to e...

Canadian oil output to hit new heights within two years: Report

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

CALGARY — The coming startup of the Trans Mountain pipeline will help boost Canadian oil production to an all-time high within the next two years, according to a new report.The report by Deloitte Canada said the extra capacity created by the currently ongoing pipeline expansion is expected to boost Canadian production by about 375,000 barrels a day over the next two years.That represents an eight per cent increase from the previous production high set in November 2022, and a nearly nine per cent increase from the 4.18 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil that Canada produced in June of this year — the most recent month for which statistics are available through the Canadian Centre for Energy Information.“The increase in volume is notable: it’s greater than the total amount added to Canada’s production levels over the past five years combined,” the report said.The Trans Mountain pipeline is Canada’s only pipeline system transporting oil from Alberta to the West Coas...

Jury sees FTX ads with Tom Brady, Larry David, as fraud case is rolled out against Sam Bankman-Fried

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Splashy advertisements featuring football star Tom Brady and comedian Larry David were among the first evidence seen by jurors Wednesday as prosecutors launched a historic fraud case against cryptocurrency maven Sam Bankman-Fried, depicting him as a villain who portrayed himself as the Robin Hood of the crypto world.Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Rehn said in his opening statement in Manhattan federal court that it was only a year ago that Bankman-Fried seemed to be “on top of the world,” operating the multibillion dollar company he founded, FTX, a seemingly pioneering cryptocurrency trading platform.Rehn said the 31-year-old lived in a $30 million apartment in the Bahamas, jetted around the world on private planes, socialized with celebrities and spent billions of dollars as he flaunted power and made big political donations to gain influence in Washington over cryptocurrency regulation.The prosecutor, though, said that the son of two Stanford law professors was not...

Rare US bison roundup rustles up hundreds to maintain health of the species

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

South Dakota cowboys and cowgirls rounded up a herd of more than 1,500 bison Friday as part of an annual effort to maintain the health of the species, which has rebounded from near-extinction. Visitors from across the world cheered from behind wire fencing as whooping horseback riders chased the thundering, wooly giants across hills and grasslands in Custer State Park. Bison and their calves stopped occasionally to graze on blond grass and roll on the ground, their sharp hooves stirring up dust clouds. “How many times can you get this close to a buffalo herd?” said South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Secretary Kevin Robling, who was among 50 riders herding the animals. “You hear the grunts and the moans and (see) the calves coming and running alongside mamas.”Each year Custer State Park holds one of the nation’s few bison roundups to check the health of the bison and vaccinate calves, park Superintendent Matt Snyder said. As many as 60 million bison, sometimes called buffalo in the U....

Hunter Biden prosecutors move to drop old gun count after plea deal collapse

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Prosecutors who filed firearms charges against Hunter Biden moved Wednesday to formally dismiss a gun count that had been part of a collapsed plea deal.The procedural step removes a charge alleging he broke a law against drug users having guns when he bought a gun in 2018, during a period he has acknowledged struggling with addiction. The president’s son is now facing a three-count indictment focused on the same purchase that includes both gun possession and false statement charges. No new tax counts have yet been filed by special counsel David Weiss, who is overseeing the case. Hunter Biden had been expected to avoid prosecution on the gun charge and plead guilty to misdemeanor tax counts in an agreement with prosecutors. But the deal collapsed after a judge raised questions about it in a July hearing and the new indictment was filed weeks later. Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to the charges Tuesday as the case moves toward a potential trial with the 2024 e...