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1crime

Man Who Attacked Las Vegas Judge Gets Up to 4 Years in Prison

Detroit is on track to record the fewest murders since the 1960s. In Philadelphia, where there were more murders in 2021 than in any year on record, the number of homicides this year has fallen more than 20 percent from last year. And in Los Angeles, the number of shooting victims this year is down more than 200 from two years ago. The decrease in gun violence in 2023 has been a welcome trend for communities around the country, though even as the number of homicides and the number of shootings have fallen nationwide, they remain higher than on the eve of the pandemic. In 2020, as the pandemic took hold and protests convulsed the nation after the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis, the United States saw the largest increase in murders ever recorded. Now, as 2023 comes to a close, the country is likely to see one of the largest — if not the largest — yearly declines in homicides, according to recent F.B.I. data and statistics collected by independent criminologists and researchers. The rapid decline in homicides isn’t the only story. Among nine violent and property crime categories tracked by the F.B.I., the only figure that is up over the first three quarters of this year is motor vehicle theft. The data, which covers about 80 percent of the U.S. population, is the first quarterly report in three years from the F.B.I., which typically takes many months to release crime data.

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4politics

Vital Crossing Between Mexico and Arizona Set to Reopen This Week

A remote Arizona border crossing that was shuttered last month to help strained immigration authorities cope with a surge in migrants in the nearby desert will reopen this week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said on Tuesday evening. The agency did not explain why it had decided to reopen the crossing, and it did not say whether there had been any recent shift in the daily arrival of hundreds of migrants who unlawfully slip through gaps in the border wall in the deserts before surrendering to immigration authorities. The crossing in the tiny border town of Lukeville, Ariz., was a legal passage between Mexico and the United States vital to workers, families and businesses. Roughly 2,000 to 3,000 people a day crossed north, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The next-closest crossing is several hours away by car. The closure of the Lukeville crossing point on Dec. 4 had crippled local economies in Arizona towns that rely on a steady stream of tourists traveling south to the Mexican beach town of Puerto Peñasco, and had drawn condemnations from residents and elected officials alike.

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3entertainment

The Results Are In: These Are the Best Holiday Movies According to Our Instagram Followers | Hey BU Blog

The Results Are In: These Are the Best Holiday Movies According to Our Instagram Followers Film & TV The Results Are In: These Are the Best Holiday Movies According to Our Instagram Followers It’s time to get watching, BU! It’s that time of year again, Terriers! As the weather gets colder and the holidays creep up, it’s only natural that you begin your movie-binging. There’s nothing quite like snuggling up with loved ones and indulging in heartwarming films that capture the magic of the holidays! With that being said, it can be time-consuming to find a film that everyone will agree on, so we let the Terriers who follow @bostonu on Instagram do the picking for you. Here’s a list of the top five holiday classics our followers agreed on: 1. Elf Courtesy of giphy.com It’s funny, heart-warming, and great for the whole family. Laughing is pretty standard when watching any Will Ferrell movie, no matter what age you are. The comedy follows Buddy, a human raised by elves at the North Pole, as he embarks on a journey to New York City to find his real father, Walter Hobbs. Buddy’s childlike innocence clashes with the bustling and cynical world of humans until he’s able to spread holiday cheer. Available for streaming on: Max & Hulu (free with subscription) 2. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Courtesy of giphy.com 🎶 Rudolph, with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight! 🎶 Rudolph, of course, is a holiday classic. The film is right up there with the animated Santa Claus and Frosty the Snowman movies everyone knows and loves from their childhood. The film tells the story of Rudolph, a reindeer with a luminous red nose that sets him apart from his peers. Originally shamed for his unique feature, Rudolph discovers that his special ability becomes the key to guiding Santa’s sleigh on a foggy Christmas Eve. Available for purchase on Amazon Prime ($7.99) 3. Home Alone Courtesy of giphy.com Could this be a must-watch holiday movie list without Home Alone? This was Terrier’s most loved holiday movie, winning by a landslide vote. In case you somehow haven’t watched it, the story follows a young boy who is accidentally left behind during his family’s vacation. While home, Kevin must defend the house against a duo of goofy burglars. It’s an original comedy classic! Available for streaming on: Disney+ & Hulu (free with Premium subscription) 4. Love Actually Courtesy of giphy.com This film follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England. The overriding message? The holidays are better when you spend them with the people who care about you, and that’s good enough for us. Available for streaming on: Netflix (free with subscription) 5. The Polar Express Courtesy of giphy.com Cozy up with a cup of HOT… HOT…HOT… HOT CHOC-O-LATE and catch The Polar Express! The film follows a young boy on Christmas Eve who embarks on a magical adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express while learning about friendship, bravery, and the spirit of Christmas. The train conductor, played by Tom Hanks, shared one of the most iconic lines in holiday film history when he said, “Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see.” Available for streaming on: Hulu, Max, and Amazon Prime (free with subscription) Happy holidays, Terriers! Let us know if we missed one of your favorites in the comments below. ⬇️

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2culture

$100M will be left for Native Hawaiian causes from the estate of an heiress considered last princess

HONOLULU (AP) — In life, Abigail Kawānanakoa embodied the complexities of Hawaii: Many considered her a princess — a descendant of the royal family that once ruled the islands. But she was also the great-granddaughter of a sugar baron and inherited vast wealth thanks to Westerners who upended traditional ways of life through the introduction of private property and the diversion of water for industrial plantations. Now, more than a year after her death at age 96 and the bitter battles over her fortune in the twilight of her life, her estate has been settled. And recently finalized court documents show that after doling out tens of millions to various people — including former housekeepers, other longtime employees and her wife — there will be at least $100 million left to support Native Hawaiian causes. Kawānanakoa cared deeply about advancing Hawaiian culture, and resolving her estate is meaningful to Hawaiians because it is the last of what’s known as “alii,” or royal, trusts, which were set up by royalty to benefit Native Hawaiians, said Dr. Naleen Naupaka Andrade, executive vice president of Native Hawaiian health for The Queen’s Health System. The health system was created from a trust established by Queen Emma in 1859. “Quite frankly, the needs of Hawaiians in education, in social welfare, in housing, in health far exceed the capacity of these trusts,” she said. “They augment what federal and state dollars should be doing for Hawaii’s Indigenous peoples.” Many have been watching where the money ends up because of concerns about the fate of the foundation Kawānanakoa set up to benefit Hawaiians. Kawānanakoa’s trust will perpetuate Native Hawaiian culture and language, Andrade said. According to documents in the probate case for her estate, $40 million will go to her wife. Settlements have also been reached with about a dozen other people who had claims, including someone described in court documents as her “hanai” son, referring to an informal adoption in Hawaiian culture. Legal wrangling over Kawānanakoa’s trust, which now has a value of at least $250 million, began in 2017 after she suffered a stroke. She disputed claims that she was impaired, and married Veronica Gail Worth, her partner of 20 years, who later changed her name to Veronica Gail Kawānanakoa. In 2020, a judge ruled that Abigail Kawānanakoa was, in fact, impaired, and thus unable to manage her property and business affairs. The estate has been overseen by a trustee. She inherited her wealth as the great-granddaughter of James Campbell, an Irish businessman who made his fortune as a sugar plantation owner and one of Hawaii’s largest landowners. She held no formal title but was a living reminder of Hawaii’s monarchy and a symbol of Hawaiian national identity that endured after the kingdom was overthrown by American businessmen in 1893. Over the years, some insisted Kawānanakoa was held up as royalty only because of her wealth. They disputed her princess claim, saying that had the monarchy survived, a cousin would be in line to be the ruler, not her. She put her money toward various causes, including scholarships, medical bills and funerals for Native Hawaiians. She supported protests against a giant telescope because of its proposed placement on Mauna Kea, a sacred mountain in Hawaiian culture; donated items owned by King Kalākaua and Queen Kapiʻolani for public display, including a 14-carat diamond from the king’s pinky ring; and maintained ʻIolani Palace — America’s only royal residence, where the Hawaiian monarchy dwelled, and which now serves mostly as a museum. “Historically significant items” belonging to Kawānanakoa will be delivered to the palace, said a statement issued by trustee Jim Wright on behalf of her foundation. Her trust has been supporting causes dear to her, including programming at the palace such as night tours and cultural dinners, and paying for students at Hawaiian-focused schools to visit cultural sites and experience symphony performances in Hawaiian, Wright said. After Internal Revenue Service clearance, the foundation will receive the leftover money, which Wright estimated to be at least $100 million, to fund similar efforts. Kauikeolani Nani’ole, an educator at Hālau Kū Māna Public Charter School in Honolulu, said her school recently received money from the trust for busing to community events. “In those small ways, they make big impacts for schools like us,” she said. She called Kawānanakoa an “unsung alii” because she often donated to causes and people anonymously. According to documents establishing her foundation in 2001, Kawānanakoa wanted it to “maintain, support, preserve and foster the traditional Hawaiian culture in existence prior to 1778″ — the year the first European explorer, Capt. James Cook, reached the islands. That includes Hawaiian music, religion, language and art. Andrade recently visited Kawānanakoa’s crypt at Mauna ʻAla, also known as the Royal Mausoleum State Monument, which is the burial place of Hawaiian royalty. She laid an offering of maile leaves entwined with white ginger — a flower Kawānanakoa loved. “All of the pilikia — all of the trouble — that occurred in the last several years after she became ill: What was lost in all that was her love of her people,” Andrade said. “Her deep, deep love and the thoughtfulness she had, and the foresight she had before she became ill about wanting to leave a legacy for her people that could make a difference.” — By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER Associated Press

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6sports

Thanksgiving Football: Northampton pulls off last-second victory over Easthampton

SPRINGFIELD — John Farinacci silenced the Thunderdome with a shoot-out wrister Saturday night as the Providence Bruins defeated the Springfield Thunderbirds, 4-3, during their annual Throwback Night. The Thunderbirds, who brought back the Falcons jerseys from the 1994-1995 season with a signature twist, ultimately suffered their third consecutive loss against the Bruins as they debuted a never-before-seen grey variation of the classic uniform in front of a sellout crowd of 6,793 fans. “Our guys played hard,” interim Thunderbirds coach Dan Tzacuk said. “We had four lines today for a complete game of 60 minutes, and our goaltender stood tall. ... It was a back-and-forth game, from having a lead to trying to weather the storm with successive penalties and then finding a way to score a goal to tie it up. “Both teams play hard, and it was a good competitive battle.” Once the puck dropped at center ice, both teams rolled out a fast and physical element to their game plan. It didn’t take long for Keenan Washkurak to provide his teammates a jolt of momentum — one that ultimately led to the Thunderbirds team taking an early lead. Washkurak and Providence defenseman Joey Abate exchanged personal greetings, which resulted in both men going to the penalty box for matching five-minute majors for fighting after dropping the gloves. ENJOY THIS ADAM GAUDETTE GOAL pic.twitter.com/nBDDeaV3ac — Springfield Thunderbirds (@ThunderbirdsAHL) January 7, 2024 Matthew Peca put the offense into motion as he found a loose rebound, along with Adam Gaudette, who was long gone from the defense zone and already deep within the neutral zone. From there, Peca slipped a quick pass to Gaudette, who initiated the clean breakaway. He turned his direction and attention toward the net and noticed Providence defenceman Michael Callahan trying to disrupt the play. Gaudette sped up and fired a quick wrister to the far right post, giving the home team a 1-0 lead at 6:05 remaining in 1st period. Peca assisted in the play for his 21st helper of the season. The T-Birds were merely warming up. Minutes later, Springfield utilized the same play as Hugh McGing zipped the cross-ice-pass to Gaudette, who had just entered the offensive zone. The puck then hit his stick, and trailing behind him were Providence defencemen Ian Mitchell and Jakub Zboril. Gaudette corralled the puck, luring Bruins netminder Brandon Bussi out of his net. Bussi then dropped to the butterfly as Gaudette slipped a clean backhander stick side, giving the home team the 2-0 lead. Providence struck back and scored three consecutive goals during the middle of the second period as Springfield dealt with penalty trouble. First, Joseph Duzak was called for the four-minute-minor high-sticking call, and then seconds later, Zach Dean was called for tripping. The Bruins were already on a 5-on-3 man advantage as the T-Birds’ defense fell apart. Reily Walsh fired a simple wrister toward Malcolm Subban as the rebound found its way to Fabian Lysell, who skated into place near the top of the left slot. Lysell then zipped a quick shot that trickled off a defender as it crossed the goal line, getting the road team on the board 2-1 at 14:49 remaining in the middle frame. Providence didn’t let up. Joey Abate slipped a pass back to the point for Brett Harrison, who then redirected the backhander back at Subban, allowing Providence to tie the game 2-2 just over two minutes later. A mere 32 seconds after that, Mitchell retrieved the puck then sent it back to the left bottom point where Anthony Richard fired a one-timer top shelf, breaking the tie and giving the Bruins the 3-2 lead. The third period saw Springfield tie the prime-time matchup at 3-3. WASHER TIES THIS GAME UP pic.twitter.com/zbhFozwE6W — Springfield Thunderbirds (@ThunderbirdsAHL) January 7, 2024 Duzak generated the Thunderbirds’ momentum as he skated into the offensive zone near the bottom of the right side boards with Rosen on his wing near the left side. Duzak then zipped the pass to Rosen, who fired a quick wrister toward a crowded net. Washkurak finished the play by tipping in the one-timer, allowing the T-Birds to tie the game at 3-3 with 8:52 left in regulation. Both teams found opportunities throughout the remainder of the third period, but both Subban and Bussi stood tall, neutralizing any threat that came their way. Neither team could capitalize during overtime with Bussi putting aside the Thunderbird’s best attempt — a shot from Gaudette. Later in the extra frame, Providence forward Jayson Megna pulled the net off its placement, neutralizing Springfields’ ability to score. Megna was then called for a delay of the game penalty, but Springfield did not capitalize, sending the game to a shootout. The shootout yielded a stalemate as Subban and Bussi were tied after five attempts. Farinacci, though, ultimately secured the victory, lifting the Bruins to a 4-3 win. “There are teachable moments here for these young guys,” Tkaczuk said. “It’s not always going to be rosy. There’s going to be challenges along the way. But that’s part of the process of them growing as individual players in their own game and us growing as a team as we continue to build throughout the season.” The Thunderbirds now gear up for a four-game road trip, starting with the second half of the home-and-home series in Providence. They return to the ice tomorrow, the puck drop is set for 3:05 p.m.

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1crime

Karen Read: Judge impounds motion to disqualify DA from pursuing murder case

On Monday, a judge impounded a motion to disqualify the Norfolk County district attorney’s office from pursuing the murder case against Karen Read, the Mansfield woman charged in the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe. The motion, submitted by Read’s defense team, will not be public for the next two weeks after Judge Beverly Cannone described a desire to “protect the integrity of the federal grand jury proceedings” in her order to seal the documents. The federal grand jury proceedings reportedly refer to federal authorities looking into the handling of the investigation of O’Keefe’s death. Read, 43, is currently out on bail and a trial is set to start in March. Arguments on the motions to sanction and bar the district attorney’s office, along with a motion to dismiss the case, are slated for Jan. 18

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6sports

2024 Hoophall Classic: Jerry Easter II, Ace Buckner power La Lumiere past Sunrise Academy

SPRINGFIELD ― Jerry Easter II scored 17 of his game-high 23 points in the second half to lead La Lumiere (IN) past Sunrise Christian Academy (KS), 75-64 during the 2024 Hoophall Classic. Easter II added seven rebounds and a pair of steals, earning himself the Most Outstanding Player award for his efforts.

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0business

Single family residence sells in Harwich for $2.4 million

A 3,088-square-foot house built in 1971 has changed hands. The spacious property located at 39 Pine Drive in Harwich was sold on Nov. 17, 2023, for $2,400,000, or $777 per square foot. This two-story house provides a generous living space with its four bedrooms and three baths. The home's outer design showcases a a gable roof frame, with roofing materials crafted from asphalt. Inside, a fireplace adds character to the home. The property is equipped with forced air heating and a cooling system. Additionally, the home comes with an attached garage. Additional houses have recently changed hands nearby: A 3,206-square-foot home at 38 Sea Way in West Harwich sold in September 2023, for $1,660,000, a price per square foot of $518. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. On Strandway, West Harwich, in October 2021, a 4,958-square-foot home was sold for $6,000,000, a price per square foot of $1,210. The home has 6 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. In June 2022, a 2,256-square-foot home on Osborne Road in West Harwich sold for $1,520,000, a price per square foot of $674. The home has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Real Estate Newswire is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to generate analysis of data from Propmix, an aggregator of national real-estate data. See more Real Estate News

e2888d41a2a8491083d1d4788cc43954

6sports

Ohio State vs. Missouri: Live stream, how to watch Cotton Bowl

Ohio State and Missouri will meet for the first time since 1998 on Friday night when they meet at AT&T Stadium for the Cotton Bowl. Star wide receiver and projected first-round pick Marvin Harrison Jr.’s status for the game is unknown for the Buckeyes. Quarterback Kyle McCord transferred to Syracuse, and Chip Trayanum also transferred out of Ohio State. The Tigers, meanwhile, will likely be without linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper and No. 2 cornerback Ennis Rakestraw due to injury. The game will air on ESPN for those who have cable. Fans looking to watch this college football bowl game can do so for free on fuboTV, which offers a free trial (as well as RedZone, for you NFL fans) or on DirecTV Stream, which also offers a free trial. SlingTV has promotional offers available, as well. Through the end of 2023, fuboTV is also offering $20 off the first two months of subscription (in addition to the 7-day free trial). Who: Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Missouri Tigers When: Friday, Dec. 29 at 8 p.m. EST Where: AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas Stream: fuboTV (free trial); or Sling; or DirecTV Stream Tickets: StubHub and *VividSeats Gear: Shop around for jerseys, shirts, hats, hoodies and more at Fanatics.com Sports Betting Promos: Football fans can wager online on Massachusetts sports betting with enticing promo codes from top online sportsbooks. Use the FanDuel Massachusetts promo code and the DraftKings Massachusetts promo code for massive new user bonuses. RELATED CONTENT: Cotton Bowl: No. 9 Missouri (10-2, SEC) vs. No. 7 Ohio State (11-1, Big Ten), Dec. 29, 8 p.m. Eastern (ESPN) Line: Ohio State by 2 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Series record: Ohio State leads 10-1-1. WHAT’S AT STAKE? Missouri is in its first New Year’s Six game during the four-team College Football Playoff era, which began with Ohio State winning the national title at the end of the 2014 season in AT&T Stadium, where the Cotton Bowl is played. The Tigers have lost their last four bowl games. Ohio State, which been in a NY6 game every season since its last national title, is playing for the first time since a loss to Michigan in a regular-season finale matching undefeated teams that cost the Buckeyes the chance at a Big Ten title and a playoff spot. KEY MATCHUP All-America RB Cody Schrader, QB Brady Cook, playmaking WR Luther Burden III and the Missouri offense against a Buckeyes defense that is third nationally allowing only 259.9 total yards per game. Schrader has run for 1,499 yards and 13 TDs, Cook has thrown for 3,189 yards and 20 TDs with only five interceptions and Burden has 83 catches for 1,197 yards and eight TDs. Ohio State is also the top passing defense, allowing 147 yards per game, and gives up only 11 points a game. PLAYERS TO WATCH Missouri: Schrader was the NCAA Division II rushing leader two years ago before going into the transfer portal and joining the Tigers as a walk-on. He went into the bowl season as the nation’s leading rusher with 124.9 yards per game. He has rushed for touchdowns in nine consecutive games, and 841 yards in the last five games. Ohio State: Devin Brown will be the first Buckeyes quarterback to make his first start in a bowl game. The sophomore who threw only 22 passes while appearing in seven games over the past two seasons takes over following Kyle McCord’s departure for Syracuse. FACTS & FIGURES Ohio State won its only two previous Cotton Bowls: 28-12 over Texas A&M on New Year’s Day 1987 when the Buckeyes were the first Big Ten team to play in the game, and 24-7 over Southern Cal six years ago Friday. ... Missouri’s defense has forced 35 sacks and leads the SEC with its plus-9 turnover margin (18 takeaways, nine giveaways). The Associated Press contributed to this article

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3entertainment

How to watch Chicago Med, Chicago PD and Chicago Fire for free Jan. 17

NBC’s Chicago Wednesday returns on January 17 with three new season premieres of “Chicago Med,” “Chicago P.D.” and “Chicago Fire” starting at 8 p.m. EST. Each Dick Wolf “One Chicago” franchise series will premiere new seasons tonight. Chicago Med will start at 8 p.m. EST, Chicago Fire will start at 9 p.m. EST and Chicago P.D. will start at 10 p.m. EST. Viewers looking to stream any of the new seasons can do so by using FuboTV and DirecTV Stream. Both streaming services offer free trials for new users. “Chicago Med,” “Chicago Fire,” and “Chicago P.D.” follow different Windy City first-responder departments, joining the teams of doctors, firefighters, and police officers as they handle high-stakes situations as personal problems plague their units. Here is a look at the new seasons from One Chicago’s YouTube Channel: “Chicago Med” cast: Nick Gehlfuss Yaya DaCosta Torrey DeVitto Brian Tee Marlyne Barrett S. Epatha Merkerson Oliver Platt Colin Dennell “Chicago Fire” cast: Jesse Spencer Taylor Kinney Christian Stolte Eamonn Walker Joe Minoso Randy Flagler David Eigenberg “Chicago PD” cast: Jason Beghe Jon Seda Sophia Bush Jesse Lee Soffer Patrick John Flueger Marina Squerciati LaRoyce Hawkins Archie Kao Elias Koteas Amy Morton Brian Geraghty Tracy Spiridokas How can I watch NBC’s Chicago Wednesday without cable? Each Dick Wolf “One Chicago” franchise series will premiere new seasons tonight. Chicago Med will start at 8 p.m. EST, Chicago Fire will start at 9 p.m. EST and Chicago P.D. will start at 10 p.m. EST. Viewers looking to stream any of the new seasons can do so by using FuboTV and DirecTV Stream. Both streaming services offer free trials for new users. What is FuboTV? FuboTV is an over-the-top internet live TV streaming service that offers more than 100 channels, such as sports, news, entertainment and local channels. What is DirecTV Stream? The streaming platform offers a plethora of content including streaming the best of live and On Demand, starting with more than 75 live TV channels. DirecTV also offers a free trial for any package you sign up.

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0business

Trustees Of Reservations Want You To Ditch Black Friday For "Green Friday"

BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Black Friday is traditionally a time for consumerism — a shop 'til you drop extravaganza to save on presents and other deals ahead of the winter holidays. The Trustees of Reservations are floating a different way to spend the day after Thanksgiving: "Green Friday." They're offering guided hikes at many Trustees properties on Friday, including: And while it may be an unorthodox way to spend Black Friday, there is one normal thing about these hikes: they'll cost you money. Ticket prices are $20 for adults and $10 for children. Preregistration is required. The Trustees are asking any takers to wear appropriate shoes, dress warmly and bring water and snacks. Follow WBZ NewsRadio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iHeartmedia App | TikTok

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1crime

Services planned for Bradley Haas, officer killed in N.H. hospital shooting

A celebration of life has been scheduled for a 63-year-old former police chief from Franklin, New Hampshire who was shot and killed at New Hampshire State Hospital earlier this month. The celebration for Bradley Haas will be held at Winnisquam Regional High School, located at 435 W. Main St. in Tilton, at 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 27, according to a release from the New Hampshire Department of Safety. Parking will be available at Smitty’s Cinema, located at 630 W. Main St., and shuttles will bring people to and from the service, NHDS said. While the celebration of life is open to the public, a private burial is reserved for family. “The heroism and public service of Bradley Haas undoubtedly saved numerous lives,” said Gov. Chris Sununu, who directed that all flags in the state be lowered to half-staff on Monday. “For decades, Chief Haas went to work each day with the protection of the community as his driver,” Sununu continued. “He died in the services of others — saving others. Valerie and I join with our fellow Granite Staters in remembering his heroism.” Haas, a New Hampshire Department of Safety security officer, was shot in the line of duty while working security at the front lobby entrance of New Hampshire Hospital in Concord around 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 17, according to a statement from state Attorney General John M. Formella. He was given CPR at the scene, taken to Concord Hospital and died, New Hampshire State Police Colonel Mark B. Hall said at a press conference the same night as the shooting. A father and law enforcement veteran, Haas was the chief of police in Franklin, New Hampshire, his hometown, until his retirement in 2008. The 63-year-old Franklin man worked in the town’s police department for 28 years, starting as a patrol officer after serving three years as a military police officer in the United States Army, according to Formella. After retiring, Haas “continued to dedicate his time to the NH community by serving as a security officer helping and protecting those at the NH State Hospital,” the Franklin Police Department said in a Facebook post on Nov. 18. Hundreds gathered at a soccer field less than half a mile from New Hampshire Hospital Monday evening for a candlelight vigil to honor the life and service of Haas, The Boston Globe New Hampshire reported. “If that level of sacrifice and service isn’t the definition of heroism, I don’t know what is,” Sununu said according to the outlet. At 3:38 p.m. Nov. 17, state police received a call about an active shooter at New Hampshire Hospital. Upon entering the lobby, the shooter shot Haas, who later died, Hall detailed at the press conference. A state trooper, who was assigned to the hospital and was nearby, immediately engaged and shot and killed the shooter. The shooting was contained to the lobby, according to Hall. The name of the shooter was not immediately released by authorities to the public. The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing, the attorney general said in his statement.

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1crime

Conn. pair arrested with drugs, guns after high-speed chase on I-91 in Deerfield

A Boston man was met with several assault charges after he attacked and injured a woman in her apartment in front of her children on Monday, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office announced Tuesday. Erick Arevalo, 23, was charged with armed assault with attempt to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (knife), assault and battery and assault and battery on a family or household member, Hayden’s office said in a statement. At around 12:21 a.m., Boston police received a domestic violence call at an apartment on Princeton Street, Hayden’s office said. Officers found a woman with multiple lacerations to her head, neck and one of her hands. She gave officers a description of her attacker, who left the apartment in her car, Hayden’s office added. Officers found that the attacker, Arevalo, struck a stone wall and three parked cars, left the vehicle and punched another person who yelled at him for striking the driveway. Police called Arevalo on his cell phone and arrested him in Brighton at around 1:40 a.m. “This was a brutal assault, made even worse by the fact that it occurred while the victim’s children were present in the apartment. The quick work by investigators with help from those with knowledge of what happened helped make for a quick arrest,” Hayden said in the statement. Judge Shelley Joseph ordered he be held on $5,000 bail. He is due to return in court on Feb. 12 for a probable cause hearing.

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1crime

Boston Police Crime Lab missed deadline to test half of rape kits

MINUTES. HERE. LIVE IN MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE MARIA. WE WILL SEE YOU THEN. ED. THANK YOU. FIVE INVESTIGATES REVEALING A CRIME LAB IN MASSACHUSETTS IS FAILING TO MEET A STATE LAW THAT SET A DEADLINE TO TEST RAPE KITS. ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF THAT LAW IS TELLING OUR KAREN ANDERSON THE LAB’S EXCLAMATION EXPLANATION, RATHER, IS UNACCEPTABLE. KAREN AND MARIA MASSACHUSETTS LAW SAYS EVERY RAPE KIT MUST BE TESTED WITHIN 30 DAYS. IT WAS PASSED AS PART OF A REFORM TO MAKE SURE EVERY SEXUAL ASSAULT IS TREATED SERIOUSLY, TO SOLVE CASES AND CATCH RAPISTS. S THAT’S A HUGE PROBLEM. STATE REPRESENTATIVE NATALIE HIGGINS HAS A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR BOSTON POLICE. AFTER LEARNING THEIR CRIME LAB FAILED TO MEET THE DEADLINE FOR TESTING HALF OF ALL RAPE KITS IT RECEIVED IN THE MOSTRILLIONECENT FISCAL YEAR. IS THIS AN ISSUE THAT’S IMPACTING KIND OF EVIDENCE TESTING OF ALL VIOLENT CRIMES? IS THIS ONLY SOMETHING THAT RAPE KITS ARE OR ARE GOING THROUGH THE REPORT SAYS 93 OF THE 186 KITS SUBMITTED MISSED THE DEADLINE. THE REASON A STAFFING SHORTAGE ACCORDING TO THE REPORT. I THINK STAFFING ISSUES IS AN UNACCEPTABLE ANSWER. I THINK IS A SOLVABLE PROBLEM. HIGGINS, WHO IS HERSELF A SURVIVOR OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, SAYS THE LEGISLATURE COULD HAVE HELPED WITH RESOURCES IF THEY WERE TOLD. IN CONTRAST WITH BOSTON, THE STATE POLICE CRIME LAB TESTED ALMOST ALL OF ITS KITS WITHIN 30 DAYS. JUST 4% MISSED THE DEADLINE. WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO THE BOSTON POLICE CRIME LAB? I HOPE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE SEVERITY OF THESE DELAYS AND THE HARM THAT IT LEADS TO TO NOT ONLY THE SURVIVORS WHOSE KITS ARE BEING DELAYED, BUT TO TO ANY CURRENT SURVIVOR AND FUTURE SURVIVOR, AND HOW THAT IMPACTS OUR WILLINGNESS TO COME FORWARD AND BELIEVE THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE GOING TO TAKE US SERIOUSLY. NOW, BOSTON POLICE JUST SENT US A STATEMENT. THEY SAY ALL RAPE KITS SUBMITTED TO THEIR LAB ARE BEING TESTED AND THEY’RE EXPLORING WAYS TO IMPROVE THE WORKFLOW. SO AS WE CONTINUE TO ENHANCE OUR PROCESS, OUR COMMITMENT TO THE SURVIVORS OF THESE CRIMES REMAINS OUR TOP PRIORITY. REPORT Advertisement Boston Police Crime Lab missed 30-day deadline to test half of rape kits, state report finds In contrast, only 4% missed deadline at State Police Crime Lab Share Copy Link Copy The Boston Police Crime Lab failed to test half of rape kits submitted within the time limit set by state law, according to a new report by the state."I'm really frustrated and really concerned," said state Rep. Natalie Higgins, an author of the 2018 law that set the requirement.That law requires the two crime labs in the state – Boston police and the State Police Crime Lab – to test all rape kits submitted within 30 days.The state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security said that of the 186 kits submitted to the Boston lab, 93 – or 50% – were not tested within 30 days.A "staffing shortage" is cited by the report as the reason for the Boston lab's delay.The Leominster Democrat said that was an "unacceptable answer.""I think it's a solvable problem," she said.In contrast, at the State Police Crime Lab, 28 of the 714 kits submitted remained untested for more than 30 days. That's just 4% that missed the deadline."I have a lot of questions," she added. "I wonder, is this an issue that's impacting evidence testing of all violent crimes? Is this only something that rape kits are going through? And why are we finding out in a report, and we weren't finding out that they might need some more resources?"Boston police said in a statement that, "The Department remains committed to the efficient completion of these investigations. We understand the intent behind the 30-day time frame; however, occasionally circumstances extend testing beyond that window. All Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits are being tested and we continue to explore ways to improve the workflow to complete this aspect of the casework. As we continue to enhance the process, our commitment to the survivors of these crimes remains our top priority."Higgins, herself a survivor of sexual assault, said the time limits were put into the law to try and rebuild trust between survivors and law enforcement. Missing the deadline hurts that effort, she said."What's your message to the Boston crime lab?" 5 Investigates' Karen Anderson asked."I hope that they understand the severity of these delays and the impacts and the harm that it leads to, not only the survivors whose kits are being delayed, but to any current survivor and future survivor, and how that impacts our willingness to come forward and share our stories and believe that law enforcement are going to take us seriously," Higgins replied.

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4politics

Larry Hogan Backs Nikki Haley for G.O.P. Presidential Nomination

Former Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland, a moderate Republican who decided not to enter the party’s presidential primary last year but has not ruled out a third-party run, backed Nikki Haley on Sunday as the anti-Trump minority of the G.O.P. coalesces around her. “I think it’s time for the party to get behind Nikki Haley,” Mr. Hogan said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” He explained his support entirely in terms of polling. “Ron DeSantis has put all the marbles on Iowa and spent all his time and money and seems to be going in the wrong direction,” said Mr. Hogan, who has been a prominent critic of Mr. Trump. “I think Nikki Haley’s got all the momentum. And what this race is really all about is to try to nominate the strongest possible nominee for November. I’m convinced that the momentum is with Nikki Haley.” When the host, Jake Tapper, asked if that was an endorsement, Mr. Hogan said, “I think we want to have the strongest possible nominee in November. Polls show that that is Nikki Haley.”

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1crime

5 Takeaways From the Federal Report on the Uvalde Massacre

More than a year and a half after the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, the Justice Department on Thursday published a painstaking and independent examination of the law enforcement response, finding broad and “unimaginable” failures that delayed medical care to the victims. Nineteen children and two teachers were killed, and at least 17 others were wounded. Officers took 77 minutes to confront and kill the gunman, who was contained with his victims inside a pair of connected classrooms at Robb Elementary School. “People would have survived,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said, had there been a swifter response. The 600-page report describes, in often-minute detail, the breakdown in leadership, training, coordination and communication among the large number of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies that arrived at the scene.

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6sports

Patriots 26, Broncos 23: Chad Ryland's field goal lifts Patriots to fourth victory

“It was just go out there and attack it the way I do all my kicks. I have my process, I have my routine, and I have a lot of faith in the guys around me,” Ryland said. The Patriots needed a 56-yard field goal from Chad Ryland, who has been inconsistent all season and missed two kicks on Sunday night, with 2 seconds left for the victory. The Patriots scored 20 points in the third quarter – including touchdowns on back-to-back plays – en route to a 26-23 victory over the Broncos on Sunday night in Denver. Ryland had missed a 47-yard attempt in the first half, and also missed a point-after kick in the third quarter before hitting the game-winner, the longest of his pro career. Ryland was 14-for-22 on field goal attempts this season prior to his final kick on Sunday. Advertisement It was New England’s fourth victory of the season, and the second this month. After losing five straight from Oct. 29 to Dec. 3, the Patriots (4-11) have victories over the Steelers and Broncos sandwiched around a loss to the Chiefs last week. Get Breaking Sports Alerts Be the first to know the latest sports news as it happens, and get the Globe's most interesting reporting right to your inbox. Enter Email Sign Up “Great mental toughness from the whole football team, Chad bounding back,” center David Andrews said. The victory, coupled with the Cardinals’ loss on Sunday, shifted the Patriots into a tie for the third-worst record in the league with the Commanders (4-11). Based on the strength of schedule tiebreaker, the Patriots would have the fourth pick in April’s draft if the season ended today. The loss was a serious blow to Denver’s playoff chances. Needing a victory to keep pace in the race for an AFC wild card playoff spot, the Broncos instead fell to 7-8 and in need of help over the final two weeks of the season to qualify for the postseason. Advertisement Quarterback Bailey Zappe hit 25 of 33 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns. Receiver Demario Douglas had five receptions for 74 yards and DeVante Parker had four catches for 65 yards. Patriots defensive end Christian Barmore had three sacks, all in the third quarter. The Broncos lost star receiver Courtland Sutton in the first half to a concussion. He was targeted once, then was ruled out after halftime. Denver got on the board first after a 52-yard punt return set the Broncos up at the New England 25. Five plays later, Javonte Williams ran it in from 3 yards out to make it 7-0. The Patriots cut it to 7-3 when they started moving the ball early in the second quarter. After a drive highlighted by a 28-yard reception by Jalen Reagor stalled at the Denver 14, rookie kicker Chad Ryland connected from 33 yards. Ryland had a chance to cut Denver’s lead down to one before halftime, but he missed from 47 yards with 38 seconds left. The Patriots took a 9-7 lead when Ezekiel Elliott caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Bailey Zappe with 9:48 to go in the third quarter. However, Ryland’s woes continued, this time with his first miss of a point-after this season. The Patriots then made it 23-7 by scoring on consecutive plays late in the third quarter. After Mike Gesicki’s 11-yard touchdown catch capped a 52-yard, seven-play drive, the Patriots forced Marvin Mims to fumble on the ensuing kickoff and Cody Davis pounced on it in the end zone. Advertisement The Broncos found some offensive rhythm in the fourth quarter and tied it with a pair of touchdowns and two-point conversions. The Patriots face the Bills in Week 17 on Dec. 31 at 1 p.m. in Buffalo before wrapping up the season Jan. 7 against the New York Jets in Foxborough. “I don’t think anybody on the team is quitting, we’re going to keep fighting,” Andrews said. Refresh this page | Submit your mailbag questions | Read more Patriots stories Instant Analysis: What if the Patriots had a decent offense? — 12:14 a.m. The Patriots are still in last place in the AFC despite Sunday’s win, with a 4-11 record that is their worst in 30 years. But think of where this team would be if the Patriots simply had a competent kicker and just an average offense. They’d probably be knocking on the door of the playoffs instead of vying for the No. 1 draft pick. Bailey Zappe was efficient, didn’t turn the ball over and moved the Patriots into field-goal range in the final minutes. Kicker Chad Ryland got his redemption with a game-winning, 56-yard field goal in the closing seconds. And the Patriots’ defense was dominant for most of the night. It was the fifth time in six games that the Patriots held their opponent under 300 yards. Since Week 10, the Patriots’ defense is No. 2 in points allowed (14.5 per game). Read Ben Volin’s full column here. Tara Sullivan: Belichick isn’t one to tank — 12:01 a.m. The hot mike that caught Bill Belichick screaming at officials over spotting the ball Sunday night was a pretty good reminder of how much every single game means to the 71-year-old coach, just as the choice words that slipped out of his mouth when his rookie fourth-round kicker missed another field goal reflect Belichick’s demanding ways. Advertisement Or maybe your preference was the petulant slam of the challenge flag in the fourth quarter, another trademark move of the uber-competitive Patriots coach. Tank? Bill Belichick? Not a chance. It’s not in his DNA. Tanking teams don’t build a huge second-half lead, blow that big second half-lead, follow their backup quarterback into field goal territory as the clock ticks away, and watch their embattled kicker nail a 56-yarder for the win. Read Tara’s full column here. Broncos tie it up — 11:06 p.m. Patriots 23, Broncos 23 | 2:53 4th quarter Russell Wilson hit Brandon Johnson with a 21-yard touchdown pass and another pass to Javonte Williams for a two-point conversion tied the score at 23-23 with 2:53 left to play. The Broncos drove 88 yards on 13 plays. Broncos right back in it — 10:48 p.m. Patriots 23, Broncos 15 | 8:33 4th quarter Russell Wilson hit Lucas Krull with a 3-yard touchdown pass and the Broncos went for a two-point conversion that pulled them within one score. The Broncos drove 83 yards on 10 plays. The key play was a 47-yard pass from Wilson to Marvin Mims that was reviewed – it appeared the ball touched the ground but Mims maintained possession throughout the reception as he fell to the ground – and the ruling was upheld. Advertisement Third-quarter analysis: Everything going the Patriot way — 10:30 p.m. Three quarters are in the books here at Empower Field, and the Patriots lead 23-7. • That was the most productive quarter of the season for the Patriots, who put 20 points on the board. They also got a great quarter on the defensive side of the ball, as Christian Barmore came away with three sacks in the quarter. • The Patriots had their best offensive drive of the night at the start of the third quarter, a five-play, 70-yard drive that included 50 yards of receiving from Demario Douglas. The highlight of the series was an acrobatic 41-yard grab that got New England deep into Denver territory. A couple of plays later, Zeke Elliott hurdled a Denver defender on the way to the end zone, a 15-yard pass play that gave the Patriots their first lead of the night. • However, special teams was again an issue, as kicker Chad Ryland missed the extra point, leaving it 9-7 with 9:48 left in the quarter. With each ensuing miss, the rookie kicker is entering dangerous territory — it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Patriots try and push the youngster by signing a practice squad kicker this week. • On that drive, Douglas surpassed Deion Branch for the most catches by a rookie receiver in the Bill Belichick Era. (Branch had 43 in 2002.) In a sad season for the New England offense, Douglas continues to distinguish himself as a potential building block for the future. • The Patriots followed that up with another nice sequence, one that was capped by a ball that was zipped from Zappe to Mike Gesicki deep in the end zone to make it 16-7 with 1:34 left in the quarter. That was followed by a thunderbolt of a turnover. Marvin Mims muffed the kick return, and the ball was recovered by Cody Davis at the one. Davis then popped into the end zone for the score. Patriots tack on more points — 10:25 p.m. Patriots 23, Broncos 7 | 1:28 3rd quarter On the ensuing kickoff after Gesicki’s touchdown catch, the Patriots recovered a fumble by Marvin Mims and fell into the end zone for a back-to-back score. Marte Mapu foced the fumble, and Cody Davis pounced on it for the touchdown. The 20 points in the third quarter represents a season-high for most points in a quarter for the Patriots. Patriots add to their lead — 10:23 p.m. Patriots 16, Broncos 7 | 1:34 3rd quarter Tight end Mike Gesicki’s 11-yard touchdown catch has given the Patriots a two-score lead. Gesicki’s catch capped a 52-yard, seven-play drive that was highlighted by a 30-yard reception by DeVante Parker. Christian Barmore is having a game — 10:19 p.m. Patriots defensive lineman Christian Barmore has two sacks – including one to end the Broncos’ most recent drive in the third quarter – and has four tackles so far. Barmore has been one of the key factors of a strong Patriots defense that has certainly done its share this season. Broncos’ Sutton out for rest of game — 10:05 p.m. The Broncos now have ruled Courtland Sutton out with a concussion. Big loss for their sputtering offense. Patriots take the lead — 10:00 p.m. Patriots 9, Broncos 7 | 9:48 3rd quarter Ezekiel Elliott caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Bailey Zappe with 9:48 to go in the third quarter, and the Patriots have pulled in front, 9-7. However, kicker Chad Ryland’s woes continue, this time with his first miss of a point-after this season. On their first possession of the second half, the Patriots picked up 41 yards on a pass play from Zappe to Demario Douglas, then the two connected again for 13 yards before Zappe hit Elliott in the flat and Elliott ran it in from there. • Chad Ryland is doing his best to make sure the Patriots end up with a top-two pick. – Finn • The Broncos’ offense looks worse than the Patriots’, which is a testament to New England’s defense. – Yang Halftime analysis — 9:37 p.m. By Chris Price One half is done at Empower Field, and the Patriots trail 7-3. Stats: Bailey Zappe: 10-for-13, 92 yards; Zeke Elliott: 7 carries, 17 yards; 2 catches, 11 yards; Kevin Harris: 5 carries, 17 yards; Jalen Reagor: 1 catch, 28 yards; Russell Wilson: 10-for-12, 67 yards • Given the fact that they’re without Rhamondre Stevenson, Hunter Henry, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Cole Strange, I’m willing to grade the Patriots’ offense on a curve for its collective work in the first half. (Especially with a pieced-together offensive line that includes a collection of journeymen, youngsters, and David Andrews.) But there was very little worth mentioning about the Patriots’ offense over most of the first two quarters. • New England’s best offensive drive of the first half came at the end of the second quarter when an impressive 20-yard catch from Pharaoh Brown got New England into Denver territory. On that same drive, there were a couple of catches from Pop Douglas, who ended the first half with three catches for 20 yards. (He needs one more to tie Deion Branch’s rookie record for most catches in a season under Bill Belichick.) The series ended with a miss from Chad Ryland from 47 yards out. • Two worthwhile moments for the New England defense in the first half: one, there was an excellent fourth-down stop on the goal-line on Denver’s first possession. (I’m still not sure why Sean Payton felt the need to go for it there.) The Patriots couldn’t do anything with it, but keeping the Broncos off the scoreboard was a positive. And Jeremiah Pharms recovered a fumble (forced by Jahlani Tavai) with 11:27 left in the second quarter, stopping a Denver drive and giving the ball back to New England. • It looked like Jalen Mills has pretty much stepped in for Jabrill Peppers. And while Courtland Sutton didn’t play a whole lot of snaps, when he was in there, he was followed mostly by Myles Bryant. And we have to keep mentioning the fact that Mack Wilson Sr. continues to play some of the best football of his New England career. He had a third-down sack in the second quarter that led to a punt. • From a special teams perspective, there was some good. A 33-yarder from Ryland provided the first points of the game for the Patriots, making it 7-3 with 13:30 left in the half. But there was also some bad, including a miss from Ryland from 47 at the end of the first half. And Denver’s first touchdown came as the result of some sloppy punt coverage work late in the first quarter, which led to a 52-yard return from Marvin Mims Jr. Multiple missed tackles ended up helping Mims set the Broncos up with some good field position. Denver cashed in five plays later on a three-yard run from Javonte Williams to make it 7-0 with 5:15 left in the first quarter. • No press box in the AFC rumbles consistently like the one in Denver. Even though it’s freezing here in Denver, this place is loud. • The Broncos will get the ball to start the second half. Ryland misses another field goal attempt — 9:32 p.m. Rookie kicker Chad Ryland has missed yet another field goal, this time from 47 yards after the Patriots stalled at the Denver 29. Ryland’s first pro season has been plagued by inconsistency. He is now 14 for 22. The perfect Patriot — 9:29 p.m. • Pharaoh Brown maintains his perfect catch rate, now with 11 receptions on 11 targets this season. He’s been more productive than free agent signing Mike Gesicki this year. – Yang • After Pharoah Brown’s 20-yard reception at the 3:19 mark, he is now averaging 19.8 yards per catch this season. Pretty good for a blocking tight end. – Finn • After teams finalized roster cuts at the end of the summer, Bill O’Brien saw that Indianapolis released Brown and told Bill Belichick the Patriots should sign him. They got great value (one year, $1.08 million). If O’Brien remains the offensive coordinator, it would not be surprising if Brown is back next year. – Yang Broncos’ Sutton injured — 9:20 p.m. The Broncos have announced receiver Courtland Sutton is being evaluated for a possible head injury. Sutton leads the team with 10 touchdowns, so he would be a big loss for their offense. The Patriots defense is also dealing with two injuries – Jonathan Jones and Ja’Whaun Bentley – but no announcements yet from the team. Both players were limited in practice all week. Patriots recover a fumble — 9:04 p.m. The Patriots ended a series of Broncos advances by stripping the ball from Javonte Williams and recovering it at the Patriots’ 38. The Broncos had reeled off plays of 14, 12, and 11 yards before the turnover. • Jahlani Tavai back on the stat sheet, this time with a forced fumble. He’s put together a nice season. Also props to Jeremiah Pharms for wrestling the ball away from Broncos guard Ben Powers. On the replay shown on the jumbotron, it looked as through Powers got to the ball first and should have maintained possession. The Patriots can’t capitalize on the turnover, though, going three-and-out. The lack of complementary football remains a problem. – Yang • A three-and-out followed by a punt that pins the Broncos at their own 13 counts as a successful possession these days. – Finn Chad Ryland makes a field goal — 8:54 p.m. Broncos 7, Patriots 3 | 13:30 2nd quarter Rookie kicker Chad Ryland was good from 33 yards to cap a 12-play, 61-yard drive and cut Denver’s lead to four. Ryland has had accuracy issues this season, but this one was true. It was the best possession of the game so far for New England, highlighted by a 28-yard pass from Bailey Zappe to Jalen Reagor on second-and-20 from the New England 39. • The Patriots finally string together a strong drive and get on the scoreboard with a 33-yard field goal by Chad Ryland. Bailey Zappe completed 5 of 6 his pass attempts, including a nice throw to Jalen Reagor for a 28-yard gain. Zappe’s one incompletion was too in front of an open Ezekiel Elliott, who had a lane to the end zone. – Yang • That was just Ryland’s second field goal in the past four games. He hit a 25-yarder last week against the Chiefs. – Finn First-quarter analysis: Denver getting great field position — 8:52 p.m. One quarter is in the books here at Empower Field, and the Patriots trail Denver, 7-0. • Special teams is again an issue for the Patriots. The Denver field position for all three of its drives started in New England territory, including the first scoring drive of the game for the Broncos, a sequence that made it 7-0 with 5:15 left in the first quarter. On that series, a 52-yard return from Marvin Mims, Jr. — a play where several Patriots’ special teamers had a chance to bring Mims down early in the return, including Brenden Schooler — set the Broncos up at the New England 25-yard line. Javonte Williams finished things off with a three-yard run for the touchdown. • The Patriots had a starting offensive line of (left to right) Vederian Lowe, James Ferentz, David Andrews Sidy Sow, and Mike Onwenu. • It was a wild start from both sides. Bailey Zappe was sacked and lost the handle on the first play, setting the Broncos up inside the New England red zone. But a near incomplete pass (Mack Wilson, Sr. nearly came away with a ball that ended up being ruled incomplete) and a fourth-down stop later, New England got the ball back at the two-yard line. It was a baffling decision by Sean Payton to go for the score there, honestly, given how these two teams match up. • Even though there’s no snow, this is going to be a weather game. The cold has made ball security an issue. Maintaining possession is even more paramount, especially in a game where there will likely be very little margin for error. • A few personnel observations on defense: one, Myles Bryant has got a lot of run at the start of the game against Courtland Sutton. And two, Jalen Mills has been playing a healthy amount of deep safety, working in tandem with Kyle Dugger. Neither situation is exclusive, but that’s the position groupings we’ve seen more often than not to start the game. • On the other side of the ball, the Patriots have been loading up with multiple tight-end sets, leaning on Pharaoh Brown and Matt Sokol in running situations. And Trent Brown has rotated in at left tackle, relieving starter Vederian Lowe. • The best and most consistent offensive presence for the Patriots through the first quarter was Ezekiel Elliott, who had 18 total yards from scrimmage (11 receiving, seven rushing). The best offensive play was a 28-yard pass from Zappe to Jalen Reagor that got the Patriots deep into Denver territory as the first quarter neared an end. Broncos draw first blood — 8:42 p.m. Broncos 7, Patriots 0 | 5:15 1st quarter After a 52-yard punt return set the Broncos up at the New England 25, Denver got on the board first when Javonte Williams ran it in from 3 yards out. • The latest chapter in New England’s awful special teams this year: Marvin Mims Jr. returns a punt 52 yards to give the Broncos possession at the Patriots’ 25-yard line. Not good. Coach Cameron Achord probably should not return next year, regardless of who is head coach. – Yang Big play for Bryant — 8:35 p.m. After going run heavy, the Broncos aired it out on third and 6, with Russell Wilson trying to hit Courtland Sutton on a deep pass inside New England’s 10-yard line. Props to Myles Bryant, who is seven inches shorter than Sutton and managed to break up the pass. Bryant catches a lot of flak from Patriots fans but drew praise from coach Bill Belichick this week. – Yang • With Rhamondre Stevenson missing his third straight game, the Patriots are using more of a rotation at the running back position. Kevin Harris, now on the 53-man roster, took all snaps out of the backfield on New England’s second position. I wonder if he and Ezekiel Elliott will just alternate drives. – Yang • Broncos have gone for it on fourth down in a goal-to-go situation and took a deep shot on third and 6 on another possession. Seems like they feel like they can take gambles on offense because, presumably, they don’t think the Patriots offense will make them pay. – Finn Another three-and-out — 8:29 p.m. And the Patriots go three-and-out on their second drive. In Bailey Zappe’s previous two starts, the offense found its rhythm in the first half before going cold in the second. Zappe’s two turnovers as a starter both occurred in the second half, so it will be interesting to watch how the early mistake affects offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien’s play-calling. – Yang We’re off to a wild start — 8:23 p.m. On New England’s first play, quarterback Bailey Zappe was drilled by D.J. Jones and fumbled, and Denver recovered on the Patriots’ 9-yard line. Then, on third-and-goal from the New England 2, Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson appeared to turned the ball right back over, but Mack Wilson’s apparent interception was overturned on replay. So naturally the Broncos went for it on fourth-and-goal, and Javonte Williams was stuffed short of the goal line. So New England takes over at its own 1 with 13:18 to play. What will happen next? • New England’s offensive line, playing without left guard Cole Strange, left tackle Trent Brown, and swing tackle Conor McDermott, once again is struggling. The first two drives of the game are pretty representative of the Patriots season: offense faltering while the defense keeps them in it. After the fumble, which gave the Broncos first and goal at the 6-yard line, New England’s defense keeps them out of the end zone and forces a turnover on downs. – Yang • The atmosphere at Empower Field is awesome. There was a great pregame presentation, and now the press box is shaking from the crowd. – Yang Broncos win coin toss — 8:15 p.m. Denver wins the toss and will defer. (Without Matthew Slater out there, Ja’Whaun Bentley called it for the Patriots.) Patriots will get the ball to start the game. • Actually intrigued by Tyquan Thornton, gunner. We know he can run in a straight line, fast. And he doesn’t have to worry about catching the ball. – Finn Pregame observations — 7:58 p.m. • Patriots offensive line in warmups: LT Vederian Lowe, LG James Ferentz, C David Andrews, RG Sidy Sow, RT Mike Onwenu. Trent Brown has been stepping on occasion at left tackle. • Pop Douglas, JaMycal Hasty, Jalen Reagor, and Myles Bryant out to work as returners in warmups. • No Matthew Slater (inactive) on Sunday means Tyquan Thornton working as a gunner opposite Brenden Schooler on the punt coverage team. How to watch — 7:52 p.m. The Patriots are playing football on Sunday night, just not on the usual “Sunday Night Football.” As NBC is slated for its traditional Christmas Eve primetime airing of “It’s a Wonderful Life” on Sunday, the game will instead be broadcast on NFL Network. In the Boston market, the game will be aired on local television on Ch. 5. Nicole Yang’s players to watch and prediction — 7:45 p.m. Patriots player to watch: Demario Douglas. The Patriots already ruled out tight end Hunter Henry, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, and running back Rhamondre Stevenson, so their offensive weapons will be more limited than usual. Douglas, now New England’s leading receiver, needs to have a productive role in the passing attack if the Patriots want a chance. Broncos player to watch: I’ll go with Denver’s pass rush unit. The Patriots offensive line will be without left guard Cole Strange and swing tackle Conor McDermott, so Bailey Zappe will be in for a long day if the Broncos are able to generate pressure. Prediction: Broncos 17, Patriots 13. The injuries are too much for the Patriots to overcome. Tale of the tape — 7:28 p.m. This game circulated on social media early in the season as a potential flex candidate between two bottom-dwelling teams, but the Broncos have pulled out of their spiral to win six of their last eight games while the Patriots have won just one of seven. Here are some key stats to compare ahead of kickoff (NFL ranks in parentheses): Points per game: Patriots 13.3 (32nd), Broncos 21.7 (15th) Total offense per game: Patriots 186.9 (26th), Broncos 187.1 (25th) Points allowed per game: Patriots 21.4 (16th), Broncos 25.1 (30th) Total defense per game: Patriots 308.3 (8th), 382.4 (30th) Turnover differential: Patriots minus-8 (30th), Broncos plus-5 (8th) Chris Price’s players to watch and prediction — 7:10 p.m. Patriots player to watch: Ezekiel Elliott. The Broncos have one of the worst run defenses in the league, and with Rhamondre Stevenson still sidelined, Elliott figures to have a sizable opportunity to impact the game. Elliott has never beaten Denver – if he has a big night Sunday, he could finally get in the win column against the Broncos. Broncos player to watch: Courtland Sutton. Sutton is the best and most dynamic part of the Denver offense. Shutting down Sutton will go a long way toward a New England victory. Prediction: Not sure if it’s holiday spirit or the Mile High air, but I’ll pick the Christmas Eve upset. New England, 17-13. Inactives: Patriots without three key players — 6:59 p.m. Patriots: SS Jabrill Peppers, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, QB Nathan Rourke, WR Matthew Slater, RB Rhamondre Stevenson, TE Hunter Henry, DE Sam Roberts. Broncos: QB Ben Dinucci, S JL Skinner, LB Nik Bonitto, TE Nate Adkins, LB Thomas Incoom, C Alex Forsyth, DE Elijah Garcia. Chris Price’s analysis: Three of New England’s most durable players are out: Jabrill Peppers (hamstring), tight end Hunter Henry (knee), and special teams captain Matthew Slater (hamstring). Peppers has played in all 14 games, and played at least 90 percent of the defensive snaps in 12 of those games. In his place, veteran Jalen Mills and youngster Marte Mapu could see an increased workload at safety. Meanwhile, Henry will miss the first game in his New England career. The tight end, who has a team-high 42 catches, will be supplanted by Mike Gesicki, Pharaoh Brown, and the recently elevated Matt Sokol. And then there’s Slater. The 38-year-old veteran, who could be entering the final month of an illustrious NFL career, has been on and off the injury report in recent weeks. Regardless, it’s a surprise to see his name among those who will not play this evening. Two other veterans will also not play Sunday night in running back Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) and wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (ankle). Stevenson has been out since going down early in a loss to the Chargers earlier this month, while Smith-Schuster will miss his second straight contest. In place of Stevenson, look for Ezekiel Elliott to get plenty of reps against the occasionally leaky Denver run defense. Smith-Schuster’s absence will mean more chances for DeVante Parker, as well as youngsters Demario Douglas and Tyquan Thornton. Rounding out the list is defensive lineman Sam Roberts (healthy scratch) and Nathan Rourke, who will be the emergency quarterback against the Broncos. Care to wager? — 6:40 p.m. The Patriots are sizable underdogs on the road with the Broncos holding a 7.5-point advantage with the bookmakers and the moneyline for the Patriots settling around +285. Vegas doesn’t expect a shootout in frigid conditions as the total hovers at over/under 36.5. What do you think will happen? Vote now in Chris Price’s poll on X. Last time they played — 6:25 p.m. The Patriots and Broncos haven’t met since 2020, when Denver took an 18-12 rockfight at Gillette Stadium. It wasn’t exactly a quarterback duel between Cam Newton (157 yards passing, two interceptions) and Drew Lock (189 yards, two interceptions), with Newton punching in the only touchdown from 1 yard out in the fourth quarter. Broncos kicker Brandon McManus handled all of Denver’s scoring with six field goals. It was a far cry from the mid-2010s showdowns between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, which included two AFC title games and the last meeting between the two in the 2015 AFC Championship. The Broncos lead the series, 31-23, with a 4-1 mark against New England in the playoffs. Chad Finn’s players to watch and prediction — 6:10 p.m. Patriots player to watch: Attrition, a lack of overall consistency, and an underwhelming depth chart have made it increasingly challenging to pick a player to watch from the Patriots offense as the season has progressed. So let’s go with someone from the defense – Christian Barmore. Over the last eight games, starting with the win over the Bills on Oct. 22, he has 4.5 sacks, 7 tackles for a loss, and 10 quarterback hits. That’s a Richard Seymour-caliber stat line right there. Broncos player to watch: Based on Bill Belichick and the Patriots’ defensive coaches’ knack for taking away an opponent’s best offensive weapon, Courtland Sutton could be in for a long day. He’s the Broncos’ best receiver, but with the Patriots focused on him, that could open up an opportunity for enigmatic Jerry Jeudy – who has had more than 82 yards receiving in a game all season – to have one of his best games of the year. Prediction: Play well enough, lose, maintain top-two draft position, rinse, repeat. This is the way. Broncos 18, Patriots 13. Which Patriots can they build around? — 6:00 p.m. As the end of the Patriots season nears, the focus on the future intensifies. Significant changes seem inevitable for the three-win team, with uncertainty surrounding the head coach, quarterback, and other critical positions. Regardless of who is in charge and under center next year, a number of players on the 2023 roster have shown they’re worth building around. Who could play foundational roles in getting the organization back on track? Read Nicole Yang’s full State of the Patriots here. Weather forecast in Denver — 5:45 p.m. The Patriots’ equipment staff better have brought the cold-weather gear. Temperatures in Denver are expected to be in the 20s tonight with the wind chill making conditions on the field feel as cold as 19 degrees by kickoff. It will be a cloudy night in Colorado but there is no precipitation in the forecast. Chad Finn’s preview — 5:30 p.m. The Patriots are eight games below .500 with three to play. They are one of six teams to be eliminated from playoff contention, having achieved that lowly designation in Week 14. This game has meaning to coach Sean Payton and the Broncos, who are 7-7 and in the thick of the wild-card hunt after an 0-3 start that included a 70-20 pasting by the Dolphins in Week 3. But the Patriots? The mantra long ago, at least for fans already anticipating the talent to be available at the top of the 2024 NFL Draft, turned from “Do Your Job” to “Play Well and With Pride, But Lose, Please.” Read Chad Finn’s full Unconventional Preview here. Matt Pepin can be reached at matt.pepin@globe.com. Amin Touri can be reached at amin.touri@globe.com. Nicole Yang can be reached at nicole.yang@globe.com.Follow her @nicolecyang. Christopher Price can be reached at christopher.price@globe.com. Follow him @cpriceglobe. Chad Finn can be reached at chad.finn@globe.com. Follow him @GlobeChadFinn.

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2culture

Boston's untold Black history

Boston is known for its host of historic landmarks, such as the Boston Tea Party and the USS Constitution, but there are also many historical stories and sites in the city that too often go unheard and unseen. Researcher and educator Joel Mackall seeks to change this through his Hidden History of Black Boston tours — a series of driving and walking tours that highlight the city's often untold Black history. WBUR reporter Arielle Gray joins The Common to discuss Mackall's Hidden History of Black Boston tour in the North End, which took her from the Rose Kennedy Greenway to the Copp's Hill Burying Ground.

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1crime

Horrible Springfield Gardens properties have new owner; will tenants lives improve?

SPRINGFIELD — Hopes rose this year when Springfield Gardens, an absentee landlord with a history of substandard properties, sold 11 apartment buildings of its vast rental stock to a new owner. Gerry McCafferty, Springfield’s director of housing, said maybe things would improve under Patriot Property Management Group, a West Springfield property manager turned landlord.

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0business

Hasbro to Cut 1,100 Jobs as Weak Toy Sales Persist

Hasbro, the toymaker behind popular brands like Peppa Pig, Transformers and Magic: The Gathering, said on Monday that it would eliminate roughly 1,110 jobs, or nearly 17 percent of its work force, as the company continued to grapple with weak sales. Hasbro’s chief executive, Chris Cocks, said in a memo to staff on Monday that “the market headwinds we anticipated have proven to be stronger and more persistent than planned.” The layoffs, announced during the critical holiday shopping season, follow a reduction of 800 jobs at the company earlier this year; the toymaker said it expected a majority of the latest cuts to take place over the next six months, with the remainder over the next year. “We anticipated the first three quarters to be challenging, particularly in toys, where the market is coming off historic, pandemic-driven highs,” Mr. Cocks said in the memo. “While we have made some important progress across our organization, the headwinds we saw through the first nine months of the year have continued into Holiday and are likely to persist into 2024.”

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7weather

After Rain and Snow in the Eastern U.S., Weather Clears for Thanksgiving

The weather across much of the country will be calm through the weekend, according to forecasters, even as a surge of travelers are expected to fly and drive for the Thanksgiving holiday this year. About 55.4 million travelers are anticipated to travel 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday period, among the highest totals since 2000, according to the automobile owners group AAA. The Transportation Security Administration expects about 2.9 million passengers will pass through airport security checkpoints nationwide on Sunday, which would make it the busiest day ever recorded by the agency. David Pekoske, the agency’s administrator, said this holiday week is a continuation of a year of busy holiday air travel, in which “we have already seen seven of the top 10 busiest travel days in T.S.A.’s history.”

54167ae7a9328e5536f123358dfe6fc4

5science

NASA Streams Cat Video From Deep, Deep Space

“This would be like the same capability that you’d want to have if you’re sending an astronaut to the surface of Mars or something like that,” said Dr. Abhijit Biswas, the project technologist. “You want to have constant contact with them.” The demonstration was done with the help of NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, which was launched on Oct. 13 with the aim of exploring an asteroid with the same name. The D.S.O.C. experiment is using laser communications, as opposed to traditional radio frequencies, in an attempt to transfer large gobs of data at faster rates over greater distances. (The video is of Taters chasing a laser pointer. In 1928, a statue of the cartoon character Felix the Cat was used to test television transmissions.) The transmitted data rates of 267 megabits per second are comparable to rates on Earth, which are often between 100 and 300 megabits per second. But Dr. Biswas urged caution about the results of the demonstration. “This is the first step,” he said. “There’s still significant requirements for ground infrastructure and things like that to take something that’s kind of a proof of concept to transform it into something that’s operational and reliable.” The video was transmitted using a flight laser transceiver, one of several pieces of new hardware being deployed for the first time. The D.S.O.C. system is made up of three parts: the transceiver, which was installed on board the Psyche spacecraft, and two components on Earth: a ground laser transmitter (roughly a 90-minute drive from the laboratory) and a ground laser receiver at the Palomar Observatory in Southern California.

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6sports

QB corner: Did Bailey Zappes performance rekindle Zappe Fever?

FOXBOROUGH - Four in-game benchings later, Bill Belichick finally opted to change his starting quarterback. Mac Jones took a seat against the Los Angeles Chargers. Bailey Zappe, who gave rise to the term “Zappe Fever” based on his relief efforts last year, took over as the starter. And, given what played out at practice, it was set up for Malik Cunningham to be utilized as well at quarterback. While Zappe provided a spark last season when both Jones and Brian Hoyer were injured, he didn’t evoke the same charge during his four relief appearances this year. In those games, he completed 19 passes in 39 attempts (48.7%) for 158 yards. He didn’t throw any touchdowns, but had two picks. His quarterback rating was a dismal 38.2. With a full week of starter reps, did Zappe improve? Did he revive Zappe Fever and lead the Patriots to a win? Nope. That didn’t happen. $200 INSTANT BONUS DRAFTKINGS MASS CLAIM OFFER BET $5, GET $200 BONUS BET FANDUEL MASS CLAIM OFFER BET $50, GET $250 BONUS CAESARS MASS CLAIM OFFER $1,000 FIRST-BET BONUS BETMGM MASS CLAIM OFFER MA only. 21+. Gambling Problem? If you or a loved one is experiencing problems with gambling, please call 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org for 24/7 support. LiveChat with a GameSense Advisor at GameSenseMA.com or call 1-800-GAM-1234 MA Gambling Helpline. MA only. 21+. Gambling Problem? If you or a loved one is experiencing problems with gambling, please call 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org for 24/7 support. LiveChat with a GameSense Advisor at GameSenseMA.com or call 1-800-GAM-1234 MA Gambling Helpline. Here’s the rundown: The weather was bad. The play on the field was worse. In terms of points produced, the Zappe-led offense was no better than the Jones-led offense as the Patriots did not score against a Chargers unit that ranked dead-last in total defense. Talk about going from bad to worse, the Patriots had scored 13 points combined the previous two games before going down Sunday 6-0 to the Chargers. Zappe finished completing 13 of 25 passes for 141 yards. He did not turn the ball over. And even though Zappe showed more spunk and escapability than Jones, and less panic in the pocket, he still couldn’t totally avoid the rush. He was sacked five times. If Zappe was supposed to provide a spark, it certainly didn’t happen. The weather likely contributed to that, as Bill O’Brien went heavy with the ground attack. The unit produced 148 yards rushing, but once again, Zappe couldn’t complete drives. In the first half, his timing was off. He threw behind receivers, and several of his throws were delivered a tick or two late. Zappe’s first pass of the day, which came on his opening play under center, was thrown behind DeVante Parker. It was nearly picked. It didn’t get much better from there. Zappe completed five of 12 passes in the opening half for 39 yards. Most of his passes went sideways. The longest play from scrimmage was a dump off to Ezekiel Elliott that went for 23 yards. That meant Zappe completed his four other passes for 16 yards. Justin Herbert, however, wasn’t much better, with the Chargers taking a 6-0 lead into halftime, and holding on the rest of the way. As mentioned, the best part of Zappe was that unlike Jones in previous games, he didn’t have any turnovers, and he was much more elusive in the pocket. In the second half, O’Brien let Zappe air it out a little more. At least they moved the ball past the 50 yard line. Sacks, however, killed their best drive of the game in the third quarter, and wiped out another one late in the quarter, and again midway through the fourth quarter. Malik Cunningham? There was some thought he might play, provide a change of pace. It didn’t happen. Perhaps it was because the offense never got to the red zone. Whatever the case, a change in quarterback didn’t change the Patriots fate. It did not produce a win. Just more questions about a sad sack offense. NFL fans can wager online on Massachusetts sports betting with enticing promo codes from top online sportsbooks. Use the FanDuel Massachusetts promo code and the DraftKings Massachusetts promo code for massive new user bonuses.

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0business

10 least expensive homes sold in Worcester County, Dec. 10-16

A house in West Boylston that sold for $109,924 tops the list of the most affordable residential real estate sales in Worcester County in the past week. In total, 302 residential real estate sales were recorded in the county during the past week, with an average price of $479,573, or $280 per square foot. The prices in the list below concern real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of Dec. 10, though the property may have been sold earlier.

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4politics

Ukraine Says It Downed 5 Russian Planes, as Moscow Claims It Seized a Town

The Ukrainian military said on Monday that it had shot down five Russian fighter jets in three days, one of the biggest weekly losses for the Russian air force since the war began and a rare bright spot for Ukraine, whose forces have faced setbacks since its failed monthslong counteroffensive this year. But the news could be offset if Russia’s claim that it had seized full control of the eastern town of Marinka is true. Russian forces have gradually advanced over months of battle against Ukrainian troops there, but Ukraine denied that the town was entirely under Russian control. Just days after claiming to have downed three Su-34 fighter-bombers on Friday, the Ukrainian military said it had destroyed two more jets on Sunday. The claims could not be independently verified. Early Tuesday morning, Ukraine’s Air Force claimed another victory, saying it had destroyed a Russian ship, the Novocherkassk. The account could not be independently verified. Sergey Aksyonov, the Russia-installed head of Crimea, said that Ukrainian forces had attacked the Crimean Black Sea town of Feodosia, starting a fire in its port.

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1crime

Teacher resigns after allegations of inappropriate contact at Mass. Catholic school

Schools Teacher resigns after allegations of inappropriate contact at Mass. Catholic school This isn’t the first time an Arlington Catholic High School staff member has been accused of inappropriate conduct. Arlington Catholic High School. Pat Greenhouse/Boston Globe Staff, File A teacher at Arlington Catholic High School has resigned amid allegations of “inappropriate contact” toward students, according to school officials. Writing to families and staff Tuesday, school administrators said the allegations came to light last week, according to a copy of the letter obtained by WCVB. “On Thursday, December 14, allegations were brought forward before school regarding inappropriate contact from a member of the teaching staff towards students,” the letter read. “The students had reported the activity to a teacher/teachers after school the previous day, and, as mandated reporters, they notified the administration.” The school alerted Arlington police and the legal department at the Archdiocese of Boston, according to the letter. School leaders also launched an internal investigation, which remains ongoing. Advertisement: The teacher was placed on administrative leave Thursday morning and escorted from the building, and they submitted their resignation later that day, school officials said. “Our priority is to ensure a safe learning environment for the entire ACHS/SAS community,” the letter read. “We are proud of our faculty members who promptly and without hesitation brought this incident to the Administration. All members of our community take seriously their role to protect our students and the school community as a whole.” A spokesperson for the Arlington Police Department said the law enforcement agency is aware of the allegations. “The investigation is active and ongoing at this time and as such no further information is available,” the police spokesperson said. This isn’t the first time an Arlington Catholic High School staff member has been accused of inappropriate conduct; in February, The Boston Globe reported that the school fired a part-time employee following an “inappropriate interaction” with a student in the hallway. In May, three people who said they were sexually abused by a former Arlington Catholic High School administrator filed a lawsuit against the leader of the Archdiocese of Boston and two bishops. That lawsuit is still pending.

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5science

What It Takes to Save the Axolotl

Xochimilco is a large, semirural district in the south of Mexico City, home to a vast network of canals surrounding farming plots called chinampas. Starting around A.D. 900, this maze of earth and water produced food for the Xochimilcas, a Náhuatl speaking people who were among the first to populate the region and engineer its wetlands. Nowadays in the early mornings, farmers — many of them descendants of Xochimilco’s original inhabitants — can be seen loading canoes with lettuces and flowers grown in the rich sediments dredged from the canals. On weekends, hundreds of brightly colored party boats crowd the waters, full of urbanites seeking escape. The Mexican axolotl — a dusky amphibian with the remarkable habit of neoteny, or retaining its juvenile body type all its life — once thrived in these canals. Though axolotls have been reproduced widely as lab animals and in the aquarium trade, where they are more often pink or yellow thanks to genetic mutations, it is now questionable whether any significant wild population remains. At last count, a decade ago, there were 35 axolotls per square kilometer in the Xochimilco wetlands, down from thousands in the 1990s. Pollution, urbanization and introduced fish species had made life nearly impossible for them. In the early 2000s, Luis Zambrano, an ecologist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, or UNAM, was studying the effects of invasive carp when he was tapped by the government to survey axolotls. After decades of steady environmental degradation in Xochimilco, Mexico wanted to know how many axolotls remained in the species’ last stronghold. Axolotls were of deep cultural importance, a feature of the region’s traditional diet and cosmology. And laboratory biologists all over the world, who for more than a century had used axolotls to study tissue regeneration, worried that their animals were becoming inbred, without a wild population from which to draw new bloodlines.

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4politics

In Iowa, Nikki Haley Has the Attention of Democrats and Independents

With temperatures threatening to dip below zero in Iowa on Monday, some of the voters preparing to caucus for Nikki Haley have already overcome a different hurdle: a long history of voting for Democrats. At recent campaign events across Iowa, a number of Democrats and left-leaning independents said they saw Ms. Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, as a reasonable Republican who could move the country away from bitter partisanship and restore civility in national discourse. Many were drawn to her pledges to unite the country, and to work across the aisle on thorny issues such as abortion. Others are simply motivated by a fear of former President Donald J. Trump’s candidacy and the possibility that he will beat President Biden and regain the White House. Joseph E. Brown Sr., who served two terms as an Iowa state senator in the 1970s and ’80s, said he was a registered Democrat for 50 years until he switched parties last month so that he could caucus for Ms. Haley. “Now that I have my Republican card, I have to go visit my father’s gravesite here in town and apologize,” said Mr. Brown, who lives in Clinton, Iowa. He added that his father, a staunch Democrat and World War II veteran, always voted a straight party ticket.

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0business

Bostons most expensive hotel is now open. Is it worth the steep nightly rate?

“Sure,” I casually replied, as if I’m asked this question regularly. Actually, I couldn’t say no. My job was to consume this cocktail and then review the city’s newest and most unapologetically expensive hotel. Julia the Butler went to work mixing a drink called a Boston Sling (that’s gin, pomegranate liquor, Drambuie, amaro, and cranberry compote) as I stood to the side, looked out the floor-to-ceiling windows, and watched dusk descend upon the city. “Would you like me to fix you a drink now?” the butler asked as she showed me the features of the hotel room that would be my home for the next two nights. Advertisement This was the first time I’d stayed in a city hotel with a butler who prepared an in-room cocktail, but it was also my first time staying at Raffles, a hotel chain founded in Singapore in 1887. Raffles has 18 hotels, and Boston is its first North American location. The famed Singapore sling cocktail was invented at the original Raffles, hence the Boston interpretation. Get The Big To-Do Your guide to staying entertained, from live shows and outdoor fun to the newest in museums, movies, TV, books, dining, and more. Enter Email Sign Up First, the usual disclaimer: The Globe paid the full nightly rate, and the hotel’s staff was unaware that a reviewer was on the premises. Speaking of the nightly rate, we took advantage of the lull between holidays last month and booked a standard room (called the deluxe king) online for $675 per night. Press releases for the hotel state that room prices start at $1,300 a night, but a quick search of its website shows that rooms can be had for under $1,000 on most nights. In the world of Boston luxury hotels, Raffles’ closest competitor is Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton. But there’s a critical difference between Raffles and the Four Seasons, and that’s the aforementioned butler, along with service that somehow appears effortless. When I stepped off the elevator into the hotel’s 17th-floor Sky Lobby, staff immediately greeted me and took me to a separate seating area for check-in. There’s no registration desk and no lines. Usually, when checking into a hotel, I’m more comfortable with automated, faceless technology and getting to my room as quickly as possible. But the check-in experience here was a bit of theater, and I’ll confess, it was fun. Advertisement I received text messages asking when I’d like my room cleaned in the morning and what time I’d like turndown service at night. There were sweet touches like plates of macarons and marshmallows left in my room. Julia texted me in the morning to tell me the weather forecast and to see if I needed any help making plans. If you’re going to be the most expensive hotel in Boston, this sort of attention to detail is essential. Guests at Raffles Boston are greeted with a note from their butler, a bowl of citrus, and a plate of macarons. Christopher Muther/Globe Staff Raffles officially opened on Sept. 15 in a glimmering new 35-story glass building at Trinity Place. The smallest rooms are a spacious 400 square feet, and they are best described as quietly luxurious. You wouldn’t know that most of the furniture in the guest rooms was custom-made for the hotel, including bars that resemble leather steamer trunks from the 1940s. The design firm of Stonehill Taylor brought in some Asian influences along with a few very subtle Boston touches. It’s British Colonial Singapore by way of contemporary Newbury Street. The cumulative effect is a space that feels comfortable and relaxing. The hotel buzzword of the 2020s is “residential,” and Raffles is one of the few hotels that hits the mark. Of course this is the kind of residence I could only dream of (complete with Julia the Butler). Each room also contains a leather writing box with embossed stationery and postcards. The stationery and postcards came home with me, I promise I left the box in the room. Advertisement Perhaps the best part of Raffles for those of us who live in Boston is that you don’t need to check into the hotel to experience the atmosphere. In an interview last year, Raffles developer Gary Saunders, who created the project with partner Jordan Warshaw, described the hotel as a “vertical neighborhood, not just a tower.” The concept sounded a bit far-flung at the time, but as each piece of the project opens, it rings true. Beyond the 147 guest rooms and 146 condos, there’s also Amar, a fine dining restaurant from chef George Mendes. Also on the 17th floor is the Long Bar & Terrace, a bar and restaurant that is a worthy successor to the late, great Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons. Both Amar and the Long Bar have soaring, two-story windows and gorgeous views. The Long Bar & Terrace at Raffles Boston. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff Last month, the Guerlain Spa opened, along with a posh speakeasy called Blind Duck that specializes in seasonal cocktails. Coming soon is an Italian restaurant from Boston chef Jody Adams called La Padrona, and an all-day patisserie called Café Pastel. Both La Padrona and Café Pastel will be on the first floor of the hotel. Advertisement The dining area at Amar on the 17th floor of the Raffles hotel in Boston. Josh Reynolds for The Boston Globe In the multiple times I’ve been to Amar and the Long Bar & Terrace I’ve noticed an interesting mix of international visitors, hotel guests, business bros, celebratory birthday gatherings, first dates, plus the requisite curiosity seekers and looky-loos who want to see what all the fuss is about. It is, as Saunders predicted, a vertical neighborhood, albeit a very expensive one to visit or reside in. While in the building, I tried to visit as many parts of the glass-enclosed neighborhood as possible, which then required a visit to the hotel’s gym. Thankfully it’s large and well-equipped. There’s also a lap pool with more views of the city. Generally when I review hotels, I focus strictly on the essentials: mattress comfort, sheet thread count, shower water pressure, along with technology and amenities. Raffles excelled in all of those categories. Its public spaces, including a gorgeous three-story winding staircase, are like art. I went into the hotel with a very critical eye. I put every part of the experience under a microscope looking for flaws, and I came up empty. Is “It’s expensive” a flaw? A two-queen room at the recently-opened Raffles Back Bay. Joe Thomas What puts Raffles ahead of its competitors is something less tangible than the Nespresso maker, the pillows, the live orchids, or the bowl of citrus in the rooms. It’s experiential. There’s a natural ease to the place. The level of service works in harmony with the quality of the rooms, which, in turn, makes sampling the food and beverage offerings more enjoyable. Advertisement I’d like to say that you can’t put a price on those sorts of experiences, but you obviously can. So the best way to look at Raffles is this: If you’re looking for a luxury hotel in Boston, this is the one I’d recommend. If you’re not looking for one, stop by Raffles sometime and take the elevator up to the Sky Lobby on the 17th floor. Walk around, enjoy the view, and smell the subtly perfumed air. If you feel so inclined, get a cup of coffee at the Long Bar, or a bite to eat at Amar, or maybe not. Not every experience has a dollar sign attached to it in this vertical neighborhood. Raffles Boston, 40 Trinity Place. 617-351-8888, www.rafflesboston.com Christopher Muther can be reached at christopher.muther@globe.com. Follow him @Chris_Muther and Instagram @chris_muther.

735b09ffce620912ace07570cc3c510d

6sports

Tom Bradys former backup: Patriots dealing with young mistakes from QBs

Mac Jones has struggled mightily in an important Year 3 for the Patriots. The quarterback is only two years removed from his strong rookie season, but hasn’t been able to find that kind of success since. If Jones had a veteran quarterback alongside him, might that have been a difference maker? On the latest episode of “Eye On Foxborough,” former Patriots quarterback Jim Miller joined MassLive’s Karen Guregian to discuss the QB room New England has and how them being young could be impacting the lack of success under Bill Belichick. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. “I don’t think Bill Belichick has ever had a quarterback room as young as what it is right now. I think he’s always had a veteran guy in the backup mode — even when Drew Bledsoe was there, Brady takes over (and) Bledsoe is the backup,” Miller said. “And then you got Scott Zolak and you could just go through the list. It’s always been veteran guys that have been there. All these guys are as green as grass. Malik Cunningham, very talented player, but he’s a very raw player. Will Grier hasn’t played a lot. Bailey Zappe’s still a very young player. He hasn’t even played as much as Mac Jones. So this is a very young group that they’re trying to bring along, and I think there’s just a lot of growing pains that that you’re gonna go through because these guys haven’t experienced a lot. Mac’s experienced the most because he’s started for the most part. He’s still a very young player in terms of his playing career.” Miller referenced New England’s Week 10 loss in Germany to the Indianapolis Colts when Jones was benched for the final drive of the game for Zappe — who ended up throwing an interception. Had there been a veteran guy on the bench, things might have turned out differently. “You’re dealing with young mistakes by young players. And I’m not saying just that one interception wasn’t the greatest play call either,” Miller said. “You’re faking a spike and then throwing the middle of the field is kind of a shot for any quarterback if that’s called. But you’re still going to have your share of mistakes with Bailey just because he hasn’t done it.” Belichick still hasn’t named a starter for Week 12 against the New York Giants, but wants everyone to be ready to go. Some point soon, the Patriots are going to have to decide which direction to take with Jones. Maybe bringing in a veteran would benefit him, or maybe a change of scenery would be better. Those questions still need answers, and they probably won’t be answered before the end of the 2023 season.

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4politics

Colorado Supreme Court removes Trump from 2024 ballot based on 14th Amendments insurrectionist ban

CNN — In a stunning and unprecedented decision, the Colorado Supreme Court removed former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot, ruling that he isn’t an eligible presidential candidate because of the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban.” The ruling was 4-3. The ruling will be placed on hold pending appeal until January 4, pending a certain appeal to the US Supreme Court, which could settle the matter for the nation. The state Supreme Court decision only applies to Colorado but the historic ruling will roil the 2024 presidential campaign. Colorado election officials have said the matter needs to be settled by January 5, which is the statutory deadline to set the list of candidates for the GOP primary. Ratified after the Civil War, the 14th Amendment says officials who take an oath to support the Constitution are banned from future office if they “engaged in insurrection.” But the wording is vague, it doesn’t explicitly mention the presidency, and has only been applied twice since 1919. All seven justices on the Colorado Supreme Court were appointed by Democratic governors. Six of the seven subsequently won statewide retention elections to stay on the bench. The seventh was only appointed in 2021 and hasn’t yet faced voters. Trump denies wrongdoing regarding January 6 and has decried the 14th Amendment lawsuits as an abuse of the legal process. He is under federal and state indictment in connection with his attempts to overturn the 2020 election – and he has pleaded not guilty. On the campaign trail, Trump has derided the lawsuits and argued that they are an attempt to use the courts to stop him from returning to the White House while he is the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. Key findings The court issued several key findings in its sweeping decision: • Colorado state law allows voters to challenge Trump’s eligibility under the federal constitution’s “insurrectionist ban.” • Colorado courts can enforce the ban without any action from Congress. • The insurrectionist ban applies to the presidency. • The January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol was an insurrection. • Trump “engaged in” the insurrection. • Trump’s speech “inciting the crowd” on January 6 was “not protected by the First Amendment.” The ruling comes as a similar appeal is pending in Michigan, where Trump also prevailed. He has beaten back 14th Amendment challenges in several key states, while the challengers have pledged to keep fighting in the courts potentially even after the 2024 presidential election, if he wins. A group of Republican and independent voters filed the lawsuit, in coordination with a liberal government watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. A district judge held a weeklong trial and issued a stunning ruling in November that labeled Trump as an insurrectionist but said the presidency is exempt from the vague ban in the 14th Amendment. The Colorado Supreme Court held oral arguments earlier this month, where the justices appeared divided at times. Some of their questions suggested they were open to the idea that the ban applies to Trump, while at other times, some justices were unsure if the trial court even had jurisdiction to adjudicate the matter in the first place. This story is breaking and will be updated.

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3entertainment

With perky ears and tails wagging, 'furries' converge in Boston

Take a stroll through Boston’s Seaport this weekend and you might encounter colorful packs of bipedal animals. We’re talking lions and tigers and cheetahs, oh my! That’s because Anthro New England at the Westin Boston Seaport Hotel is welcoming thousands of costumed fans for a three-day celebration of furry culture. What’s furry culture, you ask? Well, if you feel most like yourself in bunny slippers, have a stuffed animal on the dashboard of your car, connect spiritually to cartoon characters like Disney’s foxy Robin Hood, Winnie-the-Pooh, or video game icon Sonic the Hedgehog, you could be — shall we say — furry-inclined. But avid devotees, known as furries, take their affections further by donning ears, tails or full-body “fursuits.” Some adopt "fursonas." To find out more about this community and its fascination with anthropomorphic animals in art, cartoons, comics and literature, we reached out to author and longtime fur Joe Strike. He’ll be attending Anthro New England and brings us into the fold of furry fandom, which he says goes beyond fetish. Interview Highlights Andrea Shea: I love how you joke about the “f” word in your 2023 book, “Furry Planet.” For those who are not familiar with this growing subculture, what exactly is a furry? Joe Strike: My personal definition of a furry is someone who has an above-average interest in anthropomorphic animal characters. Humans taking on animal guises for tribal or cultural reasons have been part of the human imagination since the beginning of civilization. Most of this has been forgotten in modern times, except in our enjoyment of cartoon animals as well as advertising and sports mascots. But furs are people who feel this instinct on a personal, visceral level — it’s an ancient, atavistic instinct we’ve rediscovered and take seriously. We invent animal personalities, alter egos, for ourselves we call “fursonas.” (When I’m not myself, I’m a sinister yet alluring Komodo dragon named Komos.) "When I’m not myself, I’m a sinister yet alluring Komodo dragon named Komos,” says author Joe Strike. (Courtesy Apollo Publishers) Shea: People connect to all manner of anthropomorphic animals — from mainstream cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse, to comic book icons including the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and literary creatures from books like “Watership Down,” “Paddington,” and “Stewart Little.” Oh, and there’s Kimba the White Lion of manga fame. Who are some other examples? Strike: I’d add Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes characters, Peter Rabbit, Smaug, the “Lord of the Rings” dragon, the “My Little Pony” equines, and the imaginary Pokémon animals that are very popular with younger furs. As a baby boomer, I can go back to my college days when Herman Hesse’s “Steppenwolf” — about a man who sees himself torn between his human identity and the feral wolf he feels he truly is — was a popular read. There are hundreds of other examples I’m sure other furs can add to the list. Shea: The furry community is connected to the science fiction, comic book, anime and cosplay worlds. In your books, you trace it back to the 1980s when like-minded people found each other at sci fi conventions and started organizing “furry parties.” How has the landscape evolved for furries? Strike: Furry has its roots in those areas but has evolved totally into its own thing. Now there are innumerable, specifically-furry conventions like Anthro New England. Major ones like Pittsburgh’s Anthrocon and Chicago’s Midwest FurFest are enormous. These attendance figures keep rising year after year as more people discover furry and/or connect with their own anthropomorphic instincts. Shea: Your first book is titled, “Furry Nation: The True Story of American’s Most Misunderstood Subculture.” How and why has it been misunderstood? Strike: I think the basic misunderstanding comes from an assumption that pretending to be or “dressing up” as animals is something only children should indulge in. If adults do it, it’s simply “wrong,” and people imagine spurious connections to bestiality, pedophilia, or just feel a general discomfort with the idea for no particular reason. (Courtesy Apollo Publishers) Shea: Your latest book, “Furry Planet: A World Gone Wild,” illuminates how fur culture has gone global. One of the furries you spoke with in China said dressing up in costume allows him to release the childlike part of himself that we often suppress as adults with jobs and responsibilities. What are some other reasons why people wear ears, tails and full-blown animal costumes?— Strike: It’s definitely a fun escape from one’s everyday life and personality! It really isn’t different from someone becoming Batman or Luke Skywalker or Harry Potter at a sci-fi convention. There is one major difference between furs and fans of those mainstream genres: (a lot of) furs invent and become their own, original anthropomorphic characters. As far as I know, there isn’t an existing Komodo dragon anywhere in pop culture — but when I become Komos, I can be sinister, domineering, and make-believe “evil” (which a lot of people find quite intriguing and attractive) — which is so not me! For some furs, their “fursona” is who they feel is their true self, the essence of who they are. Most furs don’t get as deeply into it of course; for them, wearing ears or tails at a furry convention is just a way of identifying themselves as part of the community without necessarily creating an alternate personality for themselves. Author Joe Strike, right, and as his "fursona" Komos, left. (Courtesy Apollo Publishers) Shea: You’re a champion for this community — do you feel like you have to defend furry culture’s relevance? Strike: Yes, I do, to the best of my ability, put on the record who we truly are and why we do what we do. I also feel it’s important to explore that deeper connection between the human and non-human animal worlds; anything relating to anthropomorphic animals is an attempt to bridge that gap. Many people think, “I’m so weird for being into this stuff, I can’t talk about it with anyone…” and then they discover, no, there are tens of thousands of people who feel exactly the same way you do! Shea: You wrote about the community being a safe space for people who feel like outsiders, including queer youth. How does the community foster a sense of belonging? Strike: Again, it’s that “I’m not the only one!” feeling — realizing, “these people understand and accept me for who and what I am — I don’t have to hide my secret self any longer.” Whether it’s being gay, bi, queer, non-binary, etc. — or being a dragon. There’s also so much mutual support with/from people who know how you feel, because they’ve felt that way themselves. Conferences for furries are held around the world. (Courtesy Apollo Publishers) Shea: There is an erotic angle to furry culture. In your book you acknowledge, “Yes, there is furry porn.” But there’s also fur-friendly media — including furry community news websites like "Dogpatch Press" and "Global Furry Television" in Singapore. It seems award-winning British comedian and "Last Week Tonight" host John Oliver has an affection! What does that say to you about how far furry culture has come? Strike: John Oliver has all but flat out stated he’s a furry. (“The clues are all there,” as he said on his show.) I’d rather not mention his name, but I’ll just call him “X” (as he renamed Twitter), is aware of furry and even called himself “fur-curious.” I’m also seeing more references to furry as just a thing in the culture at large, and not something scandalous, juvenile, or perverse. Stephen Colbert outright brags about being a total Lord of the Rings nerd, and someday I’d like to hear John Oliver come out of the furry closet about his otter fursona. Shea: What are you most looking forward to this weekend? Strike: Komos unfortunately is in the repair shop at the moment to mend a serious tail burn, but I may bring and wear his head at the convention. Most of all though, I’m hoping to spend time with furfriends I otherwise only meet online.

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3entertainment

Taylor Swift class at Harvard: Professor needs to hire more teaching assistants

Burt posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday that her “DMs are open” to people who “love Tay,” live in the Boston or Providence area, and have “qualifications or experience to teach a writing intensive college course. The course “Taylor Swift and Her World” has drawn a lot of attention since it was announced last fall and has become so popular that professor Stephanie Burt is looking to enlist more Swifties to help teach the class. Swifties have a chance to fulfill their wildest dreams thanks to a new Taylor Swift class launching at Harvard this semester. “Ok I’m doing this,” Burt wrote. “Our Taylor Swift course at Harvard is so popular that we need additional teaching assistants.” Advertisement The social media help wanted sign has already received a raft of responses from local PhD students and other parties interested in shaking it off at Harvard this semester. Burt told the Globe in November that around 300 students were already signed up for the course at the time, with no plans to cap it, revealing that “everyone who’s interested in the material gets a chance to study.” According to Burt, the course examines Swift’s body of work as a songwriter and will also take a look at fan culture. “It is, to some extent, a class about fans and followings and celebrities,” Burt said. “But the focus is on the evolution of this major songwriter and the relationship between the music that she makes and other kinds of arts that use words.” Matt Juul can be reached at matt.juul@globe.com.

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3entertainment

Boston's Seaport is getting a new super luxe movie theater

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is opening its first-ever New England location in the Boston Seaport on November 17. “This theater has been in the works for a long time, and to see it become this really unique space for Boston film fans to celebrate cinema together, we just couldn’t be more excited,” said Michael Kustermann, Alamo Drafthouse CEO. “Boston has an awesome movie history, it’s an amazing city, and we’re honored to add something to that legacy that we think our guests are really going to enjoy.” Photograph: Courtesy Drea/13 Photography Alamo Drafthouse Seaport will be a 10-screen theater with 780 seats, located at 60 Seaport Blvd. in the same development as Lululemon, Scorpion Bar, Tuscan Kitchen, Flight Club, Kings Bowling and Equinox. This luxury theater will run new movies and a curated selection of other programming. Each auditorium will be equipped with top-of-the-line digital 4K projection and dynamic surround sound and fully outfitted with luxury recliners complete with footrests. So if you don’t typically enjoy going to the movies because you are remembering the. Cramped seats at your old hometown movie theater, this is not that. Alamo promises guests a luxe experience. "We are thrilled to welcome Alamo Drafthouse to Seaport and be home to its first Boston location. It's a best-in-class theater that brings movies and dining together to create an all-around exceptional and fun experience for everyone," says Ariel Foxman, General Manager, Seaport Boston WS Development. Photograph: Courtesy Drea/13 Photography The best part about Alamo is that this isn’t just a movie theater. The space will also have a full-service bar, The Press Room. Featuring craft cocktails, wine and local beers on tap, The Press Room will also have some mid-20th-century cinema newspaper advertising printing blocks on display. "Boston is a city that loves movies, loves food, and loves interesting and excellent things to do, and we want to add to all of them with the opening of Alamo Drafthouse Seaport," said Alex Shebar, Alamo Drafthouse East Coast Community Marketing Manager. The team really leaned into the cinema theme at the Press Room and guests are encouraged to check out all the artifacts after enjoying their drinks. Photograph: Courtesy Drea/13 Photography For more ideas on where to go in the Seaport check out our guide to the best restaurants in the neighborhood.

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0business

The Farmers Had What the Billionaires Wanted

When Jan Sramek walked into the American Legion post in Rio Vista, Calif., for a town-hall meeting last month, everyone in the room knew that he was really just there to get yelled at. For six years a mysterious company called Flannery Associates, which Mr. Sramek controlled, had upended the town of 10,000 by spending hundreds of millions of dollars trying to buy every farm in the area. Flannery made multimillionaires out of some owners and sparked feuds among others. It sued a group of holdouts who had refused its above-market offers, on the grounds that they were colluding for more. The company was Rio Vista’s main source of gossip, yet until a few weeks before the meeting no one in the room had heard of Mr. Sramek or knew what Flannery was up to. Residents worried it could be a front for foreign spies looking to surveil a nearby Air Force base. One theory held the company was acquiring land for a new Disneyland. Now the truth was standing in front of them. And somehow it was weirder than the rumors. The truth was that Mr. Sramek wanted to build a city from the ground up, in an agricultural region whose defining feature was how little it had changed. The idea would have been treated as a joke if it weren’t backed by a group of Silicon Valley billionaires who included Michael Moritz, the venture capitalist; Reid Hoffman, the investor and co-founder of LinkedIn; and Laurene Powell Jobs, the founder of the Emerson Collective and the widow of the Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. They and others from the technology world had spent some $900 million on farmland in a demonstration of their dead seriousness about Mr. Sramek’s vision.

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1crime

Juvenile attacked with machete in Lynn armed robbery, police say

Three juveniles were arrested after an armed robbery in which a young victim was attacked with a machete Wednesday afternoon in Lynn, Massachusetts. Police responded just before 3 p.m. to Fayette Street after a robbery was reported. Two juvenile victims told officers they were approached by a group of males. One of the victims was assaulted with a machete, and the other's backpack was taken, according to investigators. Police say the person who was attacked suffered a minor injury and did not require medical attention. Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters. After a search, three juvenile suspects were identified and arrested. They are facing charges of delinquency by reason of armed robbery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and trespassing. Authorities are continuing to investigate. No further details were immediately available.

d2d62f5d562f5c46b575a1956f2ffe4d

6sports

PWHL Bostons Monday game with Ottawa postponed

The Professional Women’s Hockey League game between Boston and Ottawa scheduled for Monday night has been postponed. Boston was set to host Ottawa at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell. The inclement weather that hit the northeast Saturday into Sunday, though, impacted player travel. The teams have not rescheduled the game yet. Tickets purchased for Monday night’s game will be honored at the rescheduled game. The game was Boston’s second of the new league’s season. It opened up its schedule on Jan. 3 when it hosted Minnesota. Boston will now head out on the road where it will face Montreal at Verdun Auditorium on Saturday, Jan. 13 with a 3:30 p.m. puck drop. Related Content

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7weather

Dry today, tracking next storm - Boston News, Weather, Sports

Thousands of gallons of untreated sewage flowed into Greenfield’s rivers on Monday afternoon as the rivers, unable to take the heavy rains, rose beyond flood stage in the city. The city of Greenfield declared a state of emergency as of 12:30 p.m. on Monday afternoon after hours of heavy rainfall flooded the Green River and the Deerfield River, with those waters still rapidly rising as of 2 p.m. Untreated sewage and waste had been overflowing from a sanitary sewer since 10:30 a.m. into those two aforementioned bodies of water, the officials previously announced. The Connecticut River in Deerfield, Montague and Sunderland was also impacted from the overflow. This isn’t the first time this has happened this year in Greenfield. During flooding in July, sewage overflows happened twice in one week in Greenfield. More than 230,000 gallons of untreated sewage flowed into Greenfield rivers during those two events. Though drinking water has not been affected, officials said the sewage is discharging at a rate of 366 gallons per minute, and have advised the public to avoid contact with the waters until notified. As of 12 p.m., officials stated the overflow would likely continue for “much of the day,” and said the city would provide an update in the evening “or when the overflow has concluded.” The city’s police department posted a video of the Green River underneath the Colrain Street bridge as of 1:49 p.m. on Monday, which showed the flood waters reaching all the way up to the overpass and lapping the concrete structure. The city’s Riverside Drive was closed for flooding as of 1:19 p.m. as the river rose over the banks and was still rising, police said. The water was getting close to the buildings at that time, which will be voluntarily evacuated. Read more: Flights grounded at Logan Airport as storm batters New England The Green River had also crested over Kimball Drive, police said, and Barton Road from Bernardston to Severance Street was closed due to flooding. The department had previously shared several photos of the flooded area by Colrain Road and at Riverside Drive and Woodard Road, with several vehicles including a large truck and a construction vehicle submerged past tires.

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2culture

Nayana LaFond uses art to bring attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people

In recognition of Native American Heritage Month in November, MassLive asked readers to identify people who are leaders from the Indigenous community throughout the state, working to make a difference in their own area of interest, be it politics, education, business or the arts. MassLive will publish profiles of these leaders through November. These are people our readers have identified as inspirational, who may be doing good acts for their communities. They are being recognized for their accomplishments, leadership and commitment to inspire change. Nayana LaFond is an artist based in Western Massachusetts. (Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican)Leon Nguyen Nayana LaFond Age: 42 Community: Athol Her story: Nayana LaFond has always been an artist. She said she likes to use art as medicine to deal with what life has brought her. Her life has inspired her to unconsciously transition to “artivism” — art that draws attention to social issues. Specifically, she began her journey into activism with the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People painting project. “Art has become my means of raising awareness and promoting change,” she said. LaFond said murder is the third leading cause of death for Indigenous people after cancer and heart disease, in comparison with national leading causes of death for non-Indigenous Americans. Murder doesn’t crack the top 10, she said. LaFond uses art to bring attention to issues such as missing and murdered Indigenous people and domestic abuse. She’s also involved in the community as a board member of the Native Youth Empowerment Fund. In her words: “Be careful and deliberate in everything you do. Remember that working with people who have experienced trauma should be done carefully and respectfully and no one should ever profit from it.” We’re always open to hearing about more inspiring people. If you’d like to suggest someone else who should be recognized, please fill out this form.

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4politics

Jeff Roe, Top Strategist for Star-Crossed DeSantis Super PAC, Resigns

Jeff Roe, the chief strategist for the leading super PAC supporting Gov. Ron DeSantis’s presidential bid, resigned on Saturday night, the latest and perhaps most significant departure from the group, which has been consumed by turmoil in recent weeks. Since the day before Thanksgiving, the pro-DeSantis super PAC, which is called Never Back Down, has seen the resignation of one chief executive and one board chairman; the firing of a second chief executive, along with two other top officials; and now the late-night quitting of Mr. Roe. All have come after intense infighting and finger-pointing as Mr. DeSantis has slipped in the polls. “I can’t believe it ended this way,” Mr. Roe wrote in a statement he posted on X on Saturday night. The news of Mr. Roe’s resignation was first reported by The Washington Post. His decision to quit followed comments from the new chairman of the super PAC’s board, Scott Wagner, a DeSantis loyalist and appointee in Florida. Mr. Wagner had explained to The Washington Post why the previous chief executive and two others — all of whom had worked for Mr. Roe — had been fired.

dd279679557cc10982661d35e72852f6

2culture

From the Queer Archives: How two-spirit gatherings in the Midwest reshaped queer indigeneity

As we start to dig out from over a foot of snow in spots, the screaming message of the day is, "Don't put it in the street or over a storm drain." Torrential rain, high winds and a serious meltdown are in order by Tuesday night and early Wednesday. Otherwise, our weather is quiet over the next 36 hours. Unfortunately, we won't get much melting done through Tuesday as our highs only top the mid-30s Monday and near 40 Tuesday. In fact, there may be some light accumulation of snow at the onset of the storm Tuesday night, especially across central Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters. That still won't be enough to stop the major meltdown in store for Tuesday night and all of Wednesday. High temperatures will spike to the low/mid 50s in a small window early Wednesday morning before settling back to the 40s for the remainder of the day. Gusty winds from the south/southeast will be strongest from late evening Tuesday straight through early morning Wednesday. There will be a pause early Wednesday, then additional gusty (although not as strong as overnight Tuesday) winds are expected Wednesday afternoon. This warm storm is just one of two that will take a swipe at New England in the next six days. The next is Saturday. Another dose of rain and wind with that system, too. So, it's wise to keep the snow off the storm drains, and to dig out the gutter downspouts, fire hydrants and any covered storm or sewer drains. Stay warm this morning. Breezes will make it feel like the teens into the late morning.

71f79be5466f26258cc3f6eace80fe9b

4politics

Burundis President Says Gay People Should Be Stoned

MassHealth, Massachusetts’ Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program, will offer doula services for pregnant, birthing and postpartum people next spring. Doulas offer emotional, mental and physical support to people during and after pregnancy. Studies have shown that pregnant people who have access to doula services are less likely to suffer from birthing complications than those without doulas. Doulas can also help reduce racial disparities and inequalities that families with low incomes and families of color suffer from, according to the governor’s office. “Making doula care accessible to MassHealth members is an important part of our efforts to improve maternal health and advance health equity in Massachusetts,” Secretary of Health and Human Services Kate Walsh said in a statement. “Findings from the Department of Public Health’s Review of Maternal Health Services earlier this year and from the Special Commission on Racial Inequities in Maternal Health in 2022 point to doula care as an important means of improving maternal and infant health outcomes, especially for people of color.” MassHealth’s doula coverage will include labor and delivery support and visits during pregnancy and the postpartum period, according to the governor’s office. If doulas apply to enroll as a MassHealth provider, they can earn payment for serving MassHealth members, the governor’s office said. “Affordable and equitable doula care can be an essential tool to reduce racial health disparities and combat the Black maternal morbidity crisis,” Rebecca Hart Holder, president of Reproductive Equity Now, a Boston nonprofit that advocates for equitable reproductive services, said in a statement. “But often, insurmountable costs pose a major barrier to accessing doula care for many birthing people who may benefit the most. That’s why we’re thrilled that Massachusetts is taking steps to remove cost barriers and expand access to doula care for MassHealth members by making it possible for doulas to now enroll as MassHealth providers. We now must continue to invest in doula workforce development to ensure doula care is available to all who want it.”

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7weather

Stormy weather could throw a wrench into Thanksgiving travel plans

Whether you're flying the coop this Thanksgiving or taking your turkeys on the road, it's sure to be a busy time traveling this holiday weekend. "Tuesday will be the busiest travel day before the holiday on the roads. We wouldn't be surprised to see major congestion on I-93, I-95, and especially the Massachusetts Turnpike at any point during the day," said Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is pausing most construction work on major roadways to try to ease congestion, as state police aim to keep the highways safe. "Additional patrols that'll be out there will be focusing on people texting, speed and aggressive driving, and of course anyone who is operating under impairment of drugs or alcohol," said Massachusetts State Police Maj. Tim Curtain. Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters. Meanwhile, Boston Logan International Airport was packed with early morning travelers Tuesday, looking to get a jump start on their time with family and friends. Americans are getting ready to hit the road or take flight ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. "Super busy, definitely like pre-COVID," said Sophie Trachtenberg who’s flying to Sarasota, Florida, to see family. But it quickly calmed down, with passengers grateful to get out ahead of the rainy and windy weather that's expected to snarl air travel Wednesday. Lilia Puerto who's heading home to Tennessee from college said, "You never know what the weather's going to be like, so then you would just be stuck here with a bunch of people, so that’s kind of why I was like, 'I'm going to miss class today and I'm going to get home early'." "Definitely happy that my flight is today because I didn't even know about the storm, but happy to get ahead of it and hopefully avoid any delays because I have some connecting flights," said Trachtenberg. If you’re opting to drive, the good news is gas prices are going in the right direction. AAA said nationwide, it's about 50 cents a gallon cheaper than last Thanksgiving.

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6sports

Celtics injury report: 4 starters listed vs. Raptors Friday

The Celtics will be very undermanned on Friday night for their game against the Raptors at TD Garden. On the heels of an overtime victory over the Pistons on Thursday night, Boston has listed eight players on their injury report including four of the team’s regular starters. The Celtics have already ruled out Al Horford due to rest, no surprise since he hasn’t played a back-to-back for two straight seasons. Kristaps Porzingis (left calf injury management) is also doubtful on the second end of the back-to-back, which will likely leave Boston without their top two bigs. Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta will handle the lion’s share of minutes at center without that duo while Lamar Stevens could see spot duty if Joe Mazzulla wants to go small against Toronto. Three key starters have been listed as questionable for Boston with an assortment of injuries. Jaylen Brown is questionable for the second straight game with a low back contusion. He sat out Thursday’s win with the same injury. Jason Tatum (sprained ankle) and Jrue Holiday (right elbow sprain) are also questionable for the contest on the heels of playing big minutes against the Pistons. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. Boston will also be without rookie Jordan Walsh and two-way players Drew Peterson and JD Davison due to a G-League assignment, leaving Boston potentially without eight roster players for the matchup. The Raptors come into town with no rotation player on the injury report so Boston will see a stiff challenge as they attempt to extend their home winning streak to begin the season to 16 games. The Celtics have won four straight games overall and have beaten the Raptors in both head-to-head matchups this season. Boston and Toronto tip off at TD Garden at 7:30 p.m. ET Friday night.

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5science

3 dead in Nahant; authorities eye high carbon monoxide levels

Three people have died in a Nahant home with elevated levels of carbon monoxide, according to authorities. Police and fire personnel were sent to a house on Cottage Street Monday night to check on the people there, according to a press release from the North Shore town. They found the bodies of three adult family members as well as elevated carbon monoxide levels in the home, according to Police Chief Timothy Furlong and Fire Chief Austin Antrim. Authorities said foul play is not suspected and Furlong said in the release there is no danger to the community. People were asked last night around 10:45 p.m. to avoid the area while investigators, including the Nahant Police and Fire departments and State Police detectives assigned to the Essex County District Attorney’s Office were on the scene. Cottage Street is a dead-end road with about five houses on it only a couple blocks away from Stony Beach and Nahant Bay, according to Google Maps. “Wonderful people — salt of the earth. Wonderful people. You wouldn’t get better people. Just wonderful. It’s shocking,” neighbor Ted Mahoney told WCVB.

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2culture

At Springfield Museums gingerbread exhibit, the Lorax speaks for the ginger-trees

SPRINGFIELD — In a month where Dr. Seuss’ character the Grinch usually takes center stage, the Lorax has seemed to push him out of the way in one holiday exhibition. At the “Gingerbread: In the Land of Sugar & Seuss” exhibit at the Springfield Science Museum, the popularity of the Lorax by contestants stood out. In the 14 years that the Springfield Museums held its annual gingerbread contest, this is the third time they had a Dr. Seuss theme for the competition. “The thing I like the best is that there are so many family entries, families coming together to do it,” says Larissa M. Murray, director of education at the museums. This year’s competition featured a total of 39 gingerbread displays. Sixteen of those were family division entries, meaning they participated with children 12 and younger, six were youth entries (ages 13-18), fifteen were adult entries, and two were professional entries. The museums’ website lays out a few simple rules for the competition. All displays must be original and made of gingerbread, not crackers. They must be based on the work of Dr. Seuss, and “all visible components of the display must be edible,” the exhibition’s rules state. This means that if there are lights or other nonedible features, they must be covered in an edible material. Gingerbread, royal icing, frosting and fondant were all popular choices. While the displays featured many of Dr. Seuss’s beloved characters such as the Cat in the Hat, the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who, The Lorax was the focus of six of this year’s gingerbread displays. A detail from one of the displays being exhibited at the Springfield Museums' annual gingerbread exhibition in December 2023. This year, many bakers took inspiration from Dr. Seuss' beloved character the Lorax. (Nicole Williams photo)nicole williams “Most people don’t build houses,” Murray said. “They build scenes.” This was especially depicted with the Lorax submissions. In the family division of the exhibit, the Ciley family of Agawam created a scene featuring the Lorax entitled “I Speak for the Trees.” In the caption for their entry, they wrote: “The Lorax, who teaches us through his wisdom about the magical powers of having a voice, was the best representation of how everyday people can do magical things.” The submission featured the Lorax standing on a peanut butter cup in front of a gingerbread building that read “Thneeds” in red licorice, decorated in royal icing, Jolly Ranchers windows and Cinnamon Toast Crunch roof tiles. The Dr. Seuss character the Lorax features prominently in a gingerbread scene on display at the Springfield Museums in December 2023. (Nicole Williams photo)nicole williams Colleen King Taylor, of Northampton, was another contestant who chose to focus on the Lorax in the adult division with an entry titled “The Onceler Family Workshop.” King Taylor recounted how she used to read the book to her son when he was young and he expressed “a controversial opinion; that the Onceler was in fact very smart and talented to have invented thneeds.” With gingerbread, fondant, molded candies, pasta and seeds, she created a scene that depicted the Onceler’s small family enterprise engaged in more sustainable business practices. Many families participate in the gingerbread exhibit as a yearly tradition. Some like Anne Perticone, of Winchester, were excited to be participating for the first time. Perticone has made gingerbread houses with friends and family for years, but she made the hour-and-a-half drive this year to enter her first competition. The displays are not graded and all participants are gifted with an award for their contribution along with a free pass to the museum for the duration of the exhibit. Visiting guests can vote for their favorite displays using a QR code on the museum’s mobile guide. Displays with the most votes will be featured on the museum’s blog in mid-January. “Gingerbread: In the Land of Sugar & Seuss” runs until Dec. 31 and is located in the Springfield Science Museum’s Changing Exhibits Gallery.

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2culture

Lab partners: Dog visits make tough days better for Westfield middle schoolers

WESTFIELD — Once a month, a group of dog owners bring their pets to Westfield Middle School. They’re not ordinary dogs, but specially trained therapy dogs. These exceptional four-legged visitors spend about two hours every third Friday with seventh and eighth graders. They’ve been trained to work as therapy dogs by volunteers from the local chapter of the Love on a Leash program.

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0business

Boston Scientifics cryoablation granted FDA approval

Boston Scientific has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its cryoablation system. This system is used to treat patients with abnormal heart rhythm conditions, known as cardiac arrhythmias. Cryoablation is a minimally invasive procedure that uses extreme cold to destroy the tissue responsible for causing the abnormal heart rhythm. The FDA approval was based on data from the STOP AF First clinical trial, which demonstrated the safety and efficacy of Boston Scientific’s cryoablation system in treating patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. This approval provides an alternative treatment option for patients who do not respond well to medication or other therapies. It also expands the treatment options available for healthcare providers in managing cardiac arrhythmias. ReWalk Robotics acquires anti-gravity technology developer ReWalk Robotics has acquired a technology developer specializing in anti-gravity systems. This acquisition aims to enhance ReWalk Robotics’ portfolio of exoskeleton technology used in rehabilitation and mobility assistance. The anti-gravity technology developed by the acquired company allows users to experience a near-weightless environment. This technology can be integrated into ReWalk Robotics’ exoskeletons to provide additional support and assistance to individuals with mobility impairments. With this acquisition, ReWalk Robotics aims to further improve the functionality and performance of its exoskeletons, enabling a greater range of motion and improved overall mobility for users. This acquisition also strengthens ReWalk Robotics’ position as a leading provider of exoskeleton technology for both medical and non-medical applications. It demonstrates the company’s commitment to innovation and advancing the field of rehabilitation robotics.

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1crime

Boston man sentenced for securities fraud scheme

BOSTON (WWLP) – A Boston man was sentenced in federal court for exerting secret control over a Massachusetts-based company as part of a pump-and-dump securities fraud scheme. According to the Department of Justice, 57-year-old Christopher R. Esposito, formerly of Everett, was sentenced on November 14 to five years of probation, three months to be served at a halfway house, and ordered to pay forfeiture and restitution. He pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud in April 2023. Esposito and co-conspirator, Anthony Jay Pignatello, worked to conceal their control over Cannabiz Mobile, Inc. and to use backdated promissory notes to obtain free-trading shares in the company over the course of 2012 and 2015. They both took other steps taken to conceal their control, including how Esposito caused another individual to be installed as the company’s chairman, president, and CEO. The executive reported to Esposito, and the two arranged for a promotional campaign in October 2014 to artificially inflate the value and trading volume of Cannabiz Mobile, Inc.’s stock so that they could sell their shares secretly. Between September 2014 and February 2015, Esposito personally sold around 1.3 million shares that were fraudulently obtained as part of the scheme. Esposito was ordered to pay over $20,000 in connection with the pump-and-dump of Cannabiz Mobile. He was also ordered to pay over $61,000 in restitution to the investors who lost money in a separate business venture that Esposito pitched involving the company, Code2Action, Inc. Between August 2019 and February 2020, he represented to investors that he would take Code2Action, Inc. public through a reverse merger and that he solicited investments in the company for that purpose, but the merger never took place. Pignatello pleaded guilty in March 2021 to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud for his role in the Cannabiz Mobile scheme. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12 before U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr.

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0business

Westfield superintendent backs comprehensive high school to replace 2 buildings

WESTFIELD — At the Jan. 9 School Committee meeting, Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski reported that he, business manager Shannon Barry and director of operations Christopher Rogers will be attending an MSBA superintendent roundtable next week about the new procedures in place for submitting a statement of interest to the Massachusetts School Building Authority for new projects. The Westfield administrative team will then meet with the School Committee facilities subcommittee to discuss seeking state reimbursement to build a new high school. It could be the start of a multi-year application process, the superintendent said.

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1crime

Needham Police issues warning after credit card skimmer found at Sudbury Farms

The Needham Police Department is warning customers about credit card skimming devices found at a Sudbury Farms grocery store after discovering more devices installed in other Massachusetts communities. Management found the device at the Sudbury Farms store on Sunday at one of the self-checkout registers and turned it over to police Tuesday, according to a Facebook post by Needham Police. Authorities said the skimmer may have been installed on Dec. 16 and are warning customers to monitor their credit or debit card statements for suspicious activity. “At this time, the Police Department has not gotten any reports of compromised financial information that is believed to be related to this incident,” Needham police said. Similar devices have been found in Wellesley, Natick, Weston, Sudbury and Cambridge in Roche Brothers supermarket stores, police said. Needham police said the safest way to pay while using a credit or debit card is to insert the chip or use the “tap” function at the register. “Always be mindful of the card reader when paying by card. If something appears unusual or out of place, report it to the store management immediately,” Needham police said. Customers can also contact Needham police at 781-455-7570.

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6sports

Quebec Still Longs for Its Lost Hockey Team, a Nationalist Symbol

When the Nordiques left Quebec nearly 30 years ago, the hockey team’s departure fueled the kind of mythologizing and nostalgia familiar to fans of the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Nordiques’ stint in Quebec, playing there in the N.H.L. from 1979 to 1995, overlapped with the French-speaking province’s two failed attempts to secede from the rest of Canada, and the team’s identity melded with that of their fans: a linguistic minority struggling to assert itself in a part of the world dominated by English speakers. The Nordiques wore their politics on their sleeves, literally, putting the Quebec flag’s fleur-de-lis on their uniforms. They also sang Canada’s national anthem only in French. The team’s exit “left a hole in Quebec City and Quebec regional politics, and a hole in Francophone identity, as well,” said Jean-François Lisée, who led the separatist Parti Québécois from 2016 to 2018, and who is now a columnist for the newspaper Le Devoir.

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3entertainment

Lee Sun-kyun, Parasite Actor, Found Dead at 48

Lee Sun-kyun, the award-winning South Korean actor who rose to international fame after starring in the Oscar-winning film “Parasite,” was found dead in Seoul on Wednesday. He was 48. Mr. Lee had recently been under police investigation on suspicion of illegal drug use, and he denied the accusations. The police said they were investigating the death as a suicide. The police found Mr. Lee’s body in a parked vehicle in central Seoul just before 11 a.m., said Jeon Yu-deung, the chief detective at Seongbuk police station, which is investigating his death. After Mr. Lee’s manager reported him missing earlier in the day, the police found his body using the location signal from his phone. Mr. Jeon said that Mr. Lee had also left what appeared to be a suicide note.

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0business

Is Boston Properties, Inc. (BXP) Stock Over or Undervalued?

Wednesday, August 23, 2023 01:41 PM | InvestorsObserver Analysts InvestorsObserver gives Boston Properties, Inc. (BXP) a weak valuation score of 9 from its analysis. The proprietary scoring system considers the underlying health of a company by analyzing its stock price, earnings, and growth rate. BXP currently holds a better value than 9% of stocks based on these metrics. Long term investors focused on buying-and-holding should find the valuation ranking system most relevant when making investment decisions. See Full BXP Report BXP gets a 9 Valuation Rank today. Find out what this means to you and get the rest of the rankings on BXP! Metrics Analysis Summary

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1crime

Dog walker, dog, violently attacked at Burlington reservoir, police say

BURLINGTON, Mass. — Authorities are investigating an alleged violent attack on a dog walker and his dog at a popular walking path Tuesday morning. Burlington Police say the assault happened around 9:30 a.m. at the Mill Pond Reservoir. Both the victim and his dog were attacked by a suspect riding a black mountain bike and accompanied by two dogs, according to officials. The severity of their injuries is unknown at this time. The suspect is described as a 30-year-old white male with an athletic build. Police believe one of the dogs he was walking was a beagle mix. Anyone with information is asked to call Burlington Detectives at 781-272-1212. Anyone with any information is asked to contact BPD at 781-272-1212.#BurlingtonMA pic.twitter.com/1isDn0xS9N — Burlington Police MA (@burlingtonpd) December 6, 2023 This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW ©2023 Cox Media Group

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1crime

West Bridgewater man who lived at daycare facing child sex abuse images charge

A West Bridgewater man living at a daycare is accused of collecting more than 100 child sex abuse videos and images from online chat groups, according to the office of U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Joshua S. Levy. Juan Levano, 23, was charged with one count of receipt of child pornography after he was arrested Wednesday morning, Dec. 20, Levy’s office said in a release on Thursday. Read More: Feds seek charges against clients connected with Massachusetts brothel ring According to charging documents, Levano got the images from at least two online chat groups that were part of an online communications application used for the trafficking of child sex abuse images, officials said. Investigators took multiple electronic devices from Levano’s residence, which is registered as a residential daycare, according to officials. Both Levano and the owner of the residence denied that Levano worked at the daycare and that Levano had any contact with the children who attend it. However, Levano did admit to getting the child sex abuse images from those online chat groups, according to officials. His collection included images of children ranging from infancy to 13 years old. Officials said Levano kept the pictures and videos on the photo app on his phone. Investigators are still analyzing the devices, the office added. Levano remains in federal custody after he first appeared in federal court in Boston, officials stated. If convicted, the 23-year-old could face between 5-20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. The investigation is ongoing.

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4politics

A Battle Over Chinas Reproductive Future Is Underway - The New York Times

More than two years ago, lawmakers approved billions of dollars to build out a national electric vehicle charging network in the hopes of encouraging more drivers to switch to cleaner cars. The money, included in the bipartisan infrastructure law, was intended to help assure drivers they could reliably travel longer distances without running out of power. But a robust federal charging network is still years away. Only two states — Ohio and New York — have opened any charging stations so far. A handful of others have broken ground on projects in recent weeks, with the aim of completing them in early 2024. In total, 28 states, plus Puerto Rico, have either awarded contracts to build chargers or started accepting bids for projects as of Dec. 15. The rest are much further behind on starting construction. Broad availability of chargers is critical for the Biden administration’s goal of getting electric vehicles to make up half of new car sales by 2030. Americans routinely cite “range anxiety” as one of the biggest impediments to buying an E.V. About 80 percent of respondents cited concerns about a lack of charging stations as a reason not to purchase an electric vehicle, according to an April survey from the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago and the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The Biden administration is trying to entice consumers to buy electric vehicles both by offering tax credits of up to $7,500 and promising to build out a national backbone of high-speed chargers. That network is meant to give drivers the assurance that they could reach a reliable charger every 50 miles along major roads and highways.

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6sports

Former Patriots react to Bill Belichick leaving after 24 seasons

It’s the end of an era in Foxborough, Mass. as Bill Belichick and the Patriots amicably parted ways after 24 remarkable seasons. The news, understandably, drew reaction locally and nationally. Some came from players currently on New England’s roster, while former players took so social media to express their gratitude toward the surefire Hall of Fame coach. Here is some reaction from a handful of players, both past and present. Davon Godchaux: “The Greatest! Thank you (five goat emojis)” Julian Edelman: Wouldn’t change a thing coach #FoxboroForever Jamie Collins: “You took a chance on me and it paid off for both of us. Forever grateful for that. Gonna be weird seein you in a different outfit but somebody gonna get them a great coach with the best brains in the game. Bitter sweet but all great things come to an end. Hats off to the goat.” Patrick Chung: “Greatest ever. Thank you for everything. Me, my family, my son. Shaping me into a football player and a man. Love you.” Calvin Anderson: “Though brief, I won’t forget the time under your professional tutelage Bill Belichick. “Brought me back in free agency. First to call me when getting out of the hospital both times this year. I consider it an honor. “2024 season I will prove you right. “Thank you legend.” Mack Wilson: “This is even more special for me now. “Coach BB I appreciate you for everything my dude. You been atop the game since I was 2. “This is surreal for me. I’m just grateful I was able to experience this once in a lifetime opportunity under another.” BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. J.C. Jackson also shared a picture of Belichick and Tom Brady to his Instagram story, as did Marcus Jones and Damien Harris. Matt Cassel, who was Brady’s backup for four seasons and took over the starting role in 2008 when Brady tore his ACL, shared a message for Belichick on X. “I just feel very lucky and fortunate that I had the opportunity to play for him for four years in New England. I learned more football during that tenure than I had throughout my entire career,” Cassel said in the video. “He was a master teacher, a master communicator. He pushed you, but he pushed you to be the best that you could be and I’m forever grateful for that. And he’s the best to ever do it at the head coaching position.” Tedy Bruschi also shared kind words about his former coach on ESPN. “His impact on New England what he’s done in New England, it’ll never be matched,” Bruschi said. “It’ll never be matched across any other organization in terms of the — I mean, there’s the Super Bowl appearances, the Super Bowl victories, all the winning that he’s done. I was very lucky to be a small part of that and be a player under him and learn about, truly, what it takes to win football games.” Where Belichick goes next remains to be seen, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him land on his feet sooner rather than later.

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6sports

4 Takeaways from Bruins OT win over Blues

The Bruins played overtime for the fourth time on this road trip, but unlike the other three, they came out on top. Charlie McAvoy grabbed a loose puck at center ice and unloaded a wrist shot on the break-in that beat Jordan Binnington, 1:10 into the three-on-three to give the Bruins a 4-3 win over the Blues at the Enterprise Center. Boston (25-8-9) returns home to host New Jersey on Monday at 1 p.m. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. The goal was McAvoy’s second of the game. Brad Marchand had the other two for the Bruins who traded goals with the Blues throughout. Oskar Sundqvist scored with 5:13 left to tie the game and force overtime. It marked the second time this season that the Bruins had played four straight overtime games. Here are four takeaways from their losing-streak-snapping win: Add an illness to injuries — With the Bruins missing several players with injuries, their roster got even thinner on Saturday as Pavel Zacha wasn’t available with an illness. He joined Brandon Carlo, Matt Poitras and Linus Ullmark among the recently sidelined. Brad Marchand finally gets Point No. 900 — After appearing to get his 900th career point last week at Arizona before his assist was shifted to Morgan Geekie, Marchand officially joined the 900 club on Saturday. He reached the milestone on his first goal of the game but added another for good measure. Jim Montgomery’s first-period challenge was critical — the Enterprise Center was buzzing when the Blues appeared to take a 2-1 lead halfway through the first period. But the Bruins video staff correctly noted the Blues were offside and the goal was negated. The dodged bullet seemed to spark the Bruins, who allowed just one shot the rest of the period. Montgomery will coach in All-Star Weekend — The 3-on-3 All-Star game weekend no longer pits teams from each division. Instead, there’ll be a draft. But the coaches still come from each division’s leading team so Montgomery will go as the coach of the Atlantic Division-leading Bruins. All betting sites in MA will have promo codes for signing up. Don’t forget to check out BetMGM Massachusetts and DraftKings Massachusetts.

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0business

Whats open and closed on New Years Eve before 2024

New Year’s Eve is this weekend. What happens if you forget a bottle of bubbly or need last-minute party snacks Sunday? If you’re out celebrating in Massachusetts on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, you’re probably in luck and can stop at a store ... but it’s also a Sunday, when store hours are often limited. So, here’s a list to check what is open and what’s closed on New Year’s Eve, 2023. Government City and town offices: Closed State offices: Closed Registry of Motor Vehicles: Closed State and local courts: Closed Federal courts: Closed Finance Banks: Closed. Most ATMs will remain open. Stock market: Closed; the bond market will close early on Friday, Dec. 29. Alcohol Massachusetts liquor stores: Open Connecticut liquor stores: Open Shopping Auburn Mall: Open 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Holyoke Mall: Open 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Hampshire (Hadley) Mall: Open until 5 p.m., check with individual venues Natick Mall: Open 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Big Y: Open regular hours Stop & Shop: Open until 6 a.m. 9 p.m. Market Basket: Open until 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Price Rite: Open until 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Star Market: Open 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. Walmart: Open regular hours Target: Open until 9 p.m. Wegmans: Open until 8 p.m. Safeway: Open regular hours Costco: Open until 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. CVS: Open until 5 p.m.; hours may vary Walgreens: Open until 8 p.m.; hours may vary Aldi: Open, hours vary by location Whole Foods: Open, hours vary by location Trader Joe’s: Open regular hours Parcel services Post offices: Closed FedEx: Closed UPS: Closed Transportation Pioneer Valley Transit Authority: Northampton and Springfield Service ends early. Worcester Regional Transit Authority: Regular Sunday schedule. UMass Transit: Service ends early by 6 p.m. for Routes 30, 31 and 33; no service for 34, 35, 36, 38, 45, 46. MBTA: Services are free after 8 p.m.

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4politics

Westfield Mayors office withdraws City Hall sign application

WESTFIELD - At the Tuesday, Jan. 2, Planning Board meeting, Westfield Building Commissioner Carissa Lisee, representing Mayor McCabe, asked the board to withdraw without prejudice an application for an electronic message board outside City Hall. The board unanimously agreed. In an interview Friday, McCabe said his office didn’t believe they had the votes to get the sign approved. The sign faced criticism at a Dec. 19 Planning Board meeting for being out-of-character with the Court Street district. Ward 2 City Councilor Ralph Figy called it a “flashing neon sign” and said it would encourage more electronic signs in the area as well. Board members agreed, noting similar signs have been turned down as well. However, McCabe was not disappointed in this outcome. Getting input from others and seeking solutions gives people pause, he said.

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1crime

Family killed in murder-suicide at Dover mansion had money troubles, documents show

A man who was shot and killed by police during a standoff in New Hampshire Monday has been identified as 42-year-old Nate Landrebe, and his death has been ruled a homicide, Attorney General John M. Formella said Tuesday. An autopsy on Landrebe’s body determined that the 42-year-old’s cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds, and that the manner of his death was homicide, Formella said on Nov. 21. Landrebe was engaged in an armed standoff with officers at his home at 32 West Bow St. in Franklin, New Hampshire beginning the evening of Nov. 19-20. A woman living across the hall from Landrebe called police saying that he tried to break through her front door just before 10 p.m. on Nov. 20. The woman said she was unharmed. When they arrived, officers saw that the door had been shot at with a gun, according to the attorney general. Officers also heard gunshots coming from inside Landrebe’s apartment. An armed standoff occurred and the New Hampshire State Police SWAT Unit were called to the scene, Formella said. Residents in area of Central and West Bow Streets were forced to shelter in place at around 2:45 a.m. as a result. That order has since been lifted. Smoke was also seen coming from the apartment building around 2:35 a.m. Then, just after 3 a.m., police saw fire from inside the building where Landrebe had exchanged multiple gunshots with state troopers. Landrebe was found with gunshot wounds behind the building near a first-floor window, Formella said. Two SWAT members were said to have fired their weapons during the incident. Their names have yet to be released. First responders tried to perform CPR on Landrebe, but the fire was too strong for them to get close enough to him. He was pronounced dead onsite, Formella said. No one in law enforcement was physically harmed during the standoff, and officials said there is not threat to the public. The building was severely damaged from the fire, which is under investigation by the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office. Officials do not believe the fire was caused by law enforcement action. The exact circumstances surrounding this incident remain under active investigation. More information will be released as it becomes available, Formella concluded.

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0business

F.A.A. to Increase Oversight of Boeing and Audit 737 Max 9 Production

The Federal Aviation Administration said on Friday that it was expanding its scrutiny of Boeing, increasing oversight of the company with an audit of production of the 737 Max 9, a week after a panel in the body of one of those planes was blown out during flight. Later Friday night, the F.A.A. said it was mandating an initial round of inspections of the panel — a plug where an exit door would go in a different configuration — on 40 Max 9 planes before it would approve Boeing’s proposed inspection and maintenance instructions for all grounded Max 9s. The agency said it needed more information on the inspection process before it could approve Boeing’s guidance for distribution. The grounded planes, 171 in total in the United States, will be not be cleared to fly again until they are inspected, which could take several days, though possibly a lot longer, once the F.A.A. has approved an inspection process. About 20 percent of Alaska Airlines’ fleet is made up of Max 9 jets, and the company has already had to cancel roughly that many of its flights in recent days as a result of the grounding. United Airlines is the biggest U.S. user of the plane, though the jet makes up just 8 percent of the larger company’s fleet.

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3entertainment

How to watch Tyler Perrys The Oval season 5 new episode free Nov. 14

The fifth season of the political drama series Tyler Perry’s “The Oval” continues this Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on BET with a new episode. Those without cable can watch the show for free through either Philo, DirecTV Stream, or FuboTV, each of which offers a free trial to new users. FuboTV said in a description of the series: “It tells the story of U.S President Hunter Franklin and first lady Victoria Franklin, a power-hungry interracial couple, who present a perfect façade to the world while indulging in wildly scandalous behavior behind closed doors.” “Not to be outdone, their children — Gayle and Jason — bring their own brands of volatility and excess to the Executive Residence. The soap opera-style series also tells the stories of White House staff members whose lives become intertwined with those of the first family,” FuboTV added. “Head butler Richard Hallsen is an ex-serviceman who struggles to maintain his integrity in the face of greed and corruption. In ‘The Oval,’ Tyler Perry supercharges the political genre with off-the-charts levels of scandal, sex, depravity and betrayal,” according to FuboTV. Season 5, episode 5 is titled “Something to Hide” and in a description of the episode FuboTV said: “While Jason realizes he can no longer hide, Hunter finds Victoria in a compromising position; Dale assists Allan as he realizes he may be a part of a bigger scheme.” How can I watch Tyler Perry’s “The Oval” without cable? Those without cable can watch the show for free through either through Philo, DirecTV Stream, or FuboTV each of which offer a free trial to new users. What is Philo? Philo is an over-the-top internet live TV streaming service that offers 60+ entertainment and lifestyle channels, like AMC, BET, MTV, Comedy Central and more, for the budget-friendly price of $25/month. What is DirecTV Stream? The streaming platform offers a plethora of content including streaming the best of live and On Demand, starting with more than 75 live TV channels. What is FuboTV? FuboTV is an over-the-top internet live TV streaming service that offers more than 100 channels, like sports, news, entertainment and local channels. It offers DVR storage space, and is designed for people who want to cut the cord, but don’t want to miss out on their favorite live TV and sports.

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2culture

Mixtapes, T-Shirts and Even a Typeface Measure the Rise of Hip-Hop

For the last year, celebrations of hip-hop’s first five decades have attempted to capture the genre in full, but some early stars and scenes all but disappeared long before anyone came looking to fete them. Three excellent books published in recent months take up the task of cataloging hip-hop’s relics, the objects that embody its history, before they slip away. In the lovingly assembled, thoughtfully arranged “Do Remember! The Golden Era of NYC Hip-Hop Mixtapes,” Evan Auerbach and Daniel Isenberg wisely taxonomize the medium into distinct micro-eras, tracking innovations in form and also content — beginning with live recordings of party performances and D.J. sets and ending with artists using the format to self-distribute and self-promote. For over a decade, cassettes were the coin of the realm in mixtapes, even after CDs usurped them in popularity: They were mobile, durable and easily duplicated. (More than one D.J. rhapsodizes over the Telex cassette duplicator.) Each new influential D.J. found a way to push the medium forward — Brucie B talks about personalizing tapes for drug dealers in Harlem; Doo Wop recalls gathering a boatload of exclusive freestyles for his “95 Live” and in one memorable section; Harlem’s DJ S&S details how he secured some of his most coveted unreleased songs, sometimes angering the artists in the process.

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3entertainment

Pioneer Valley Ballet to stage The Nutcracker

More than 175 dancers of all ages — from community members to students from Pioneer Valley Ballet — will dance to “The Nutcracker” on Northampton’s Academy of Music stage this weekend. Six performances begin Friday, Dec. 8, at 4 p.m. (with a special sensory performance) and 7 p.m., and continue Dec. 9 at 1 and 4:30 p.m., concluding on Dec. 10 at 1 and 4:30 p.m. Tickets range from $23 to $45 plus service fees. First performed in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1892, “The Nutcracker” is a ballet for all those who love the magic of theater, dance and the music of Tchaikovsky. Audiences will travel with Clara as she battles the Rat King to save the Nutcracker Prince, journeying to the enchanted Snow Forest and beautiful Kingdom of Sweets. Under the direction of co-artistic directors Maryanne Kodzis and Thomas Vacanti, Vacanti said “The Nutcracker,” which they both performed in during their early days in dance, is a “rite of passage for any ballet dancer.” “‘The Nutcracker’ tends to be any dancer’s first experience in a large production with many professional dancers on stage,” Vacanti said. “So many things” make “The Nutcracker” special, noted the artistic director. “In particular, as a young dancer it is a production you are involved in right around the holidays and there is a lot of magic surrounding it. You can’t beat the score, the music is just so beautiful. If you talk to most older dancers, the score becomes ingrained and they will tell you that they can sing their way through every part of the show,” he said. The artistic director noted that along with Kodzis, they like to keep the production of “The Nutcracker” fresh for audiences, who come to expect to see something new and different from the previous year’s performance. “We have rechoreographed the Snow Scene and added more to the beginning of the second act when the angels arrive, as well as added a new character called Chef Pierre. He brings the younger candy canes and gingerbreads to greet Clara,” Vacanti said. Vacanti noted that “The Nutcracker” is not only a good introduction for young dancers to perform in a large production, but one for young audiences as well. “The music is familiar to many and the show is action-packed and tailored to young audiences to really engage them in the story, our elaborate production, and to the world of ballet,” Vacanti said. While attending productions of “The Nutcracker” is a holiday tradition for many families, part of the tradition for Vacanti and Kodzis is welcoming back dancers from Carolina Ballet each year. “Dancers from Carolina Ballet in Raleigh have been coming here to perform with us for 18 years since we started to direct ‘The Nutcracker’ for Pioneer Valley Ballet. We are so lucky to have them. Jan Burkhard is the ultimate Sugar Plum Fairy and has brought her talents to that role with us for well over a decade,” Vacanti said. First introduced by Pioneer Valley Ballet in 2017, the Sensory and Family Safe performance on Dec. 8 at 4 p.m. runs for one hour with no intermission and offers reduced sound levels and lighting contrast. Seating for this performance is general admission. Tickets can be purchased at the Academy of Music Theatre Box Office online at aomtheatre.com, in person at 274 Main St. in downtown Northampton, or by calling 413-584-9032, ext.105. The box office is open Tuesday to Friday from 3 to 6 p.m., and also opens one hour before each performance.

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6sports

Girls Basketball Scoreboard for Dec. 22: Charlotte Goodnow, Pittsfield take down Hoosac Valley

Pittsfield girls basketball defeated Hoosac Valley, 66-60 at home behind a strong fourth-quarter push to hand the Hurricanes their first loss of the year.

92f573bd2d31a019542a12e52a7ce0ce

7weather

Opinion | Finding Light in Winter

The mornings are dark, the late afternoons are dusky, and before we finish making dinner, the daylight is gone. As we approach the darkest days of the year, we’re confronted with the darkness of wars, a dysfunctional government, fentanyl deaths, mass shootings and reports of refugees crawling through the Darién Gap or floundering in small boats in the Mediterranean. And we cannot avoid the tragedy of climate change with its droughts, floods, fires and hurricanes. Indeed, the world is pummeled with misfortune. We can count ourselves lucky if we do not live in a war zone or a place without food or drinking water, but we read the news. We see the disasters on our screens. Ukraine, Israel and Gaza are all inside us. If we are empathic and awake, we share the pain of all the world’s tragedies in our bodies and in our souls. We cannot and should not try to block out those feelings of pain. When we try, we are kept from feeling much of anything, even love and joy. We cannot deny reality, but we can control how much we take in. I am in the last decades of life, and sometimes I feel that my country and our species are also nearing end times. The despair I feel about the world would ruin me if I did not know how to find light. Whatever is happening in the world, whatever is happening in our personal lives, we can find light. This time of year, we must look for it. I am up for sunrise and outside for sunset. I watch the moon rise and traverse the sky. I light candles early in the evening and sit by the fire to read. And I walk outside under the blue-silver sky of the Nebraska winter. If there is snow, it sparkles, sometimes like a blanket of diamonds, other times reflecting the orange and lavender glow of a winter sunset.

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4politics

Westfield board worries Russian church school building would bring disruption

WESTFIELD — Planning board members expressed aesthetic and traffic concerns this week with a proposed expansion of the Russian Evangelical Baptist Church. Rebecca Lee of R. Levesque Associates, representing applicant Andrey Korchevskiy, said at the Dec. 19 meeting that the church is proposing a 6,750-square foot, two-story, metal Butler Manufacturing building north of the existing church building at 866 North Road, in a strip along Lapointe Road. The building would host classrooms and office space for the church’s Sunday School. The Russian Evangelical Baptist Church already runs a K-8 academy in the church building.

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3entertainment

How to watch the new episode of Love After Lockup, stream for free

Officer Paul Tracey, 58, a 28-year-old veteran of the Waltham Police Department and a 36-year-old National Grid utility worker were killed in a crash at a construction detail on a busy road on Wednesday evening.Late Wednesday night, outside the medical examiner's office in downtown Boston, police saluted as a procession for the fallen Waltham officer took place.The suspect in the crash was identified by the DA's office as Peter Simon, 54, of Woodsville, New Hampshire. Officer Paul Tracey, 58, a 28-year-old veteran of the Waltham Police Department and a 36-year-old National Grid utility worker were killed in a crash at a construction detail on a busy road on Wednesday evening. Advertisement Late Wednesday night, outside the medical examiner's office in downtown Boston, police saluted as a procession for the fallen Waltham officer took place. The suspect in the crash was identified by the DA's office as Peter Simon, 54, of Woodsville, New Hampshire.

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4politics

DeSantis, Once a Darling of Conservative News Media, Now Rails Against It

As the Iowa caucuses draw near, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has increasingly focused on a peculiar target as he looks to win the Republican nomination: the conservative news media ecosystem that supports former President Donald J. Trump. Desperate to make his case that he is a better candidate than Mr. Trump — while trailing by wide margins in recent polls — Mr. DeSantis seems to have turned on many of the news outlets that once promoted his candidacy, for being unfair in their coverage. “He’s got basically a Praetorian Guard of the conservative media — Fox News, the websites, all this stuff,” Mr. DeSantis told reporters outside his campaign headquarters in Urbandale, Iowa. “They just don’t hold him accountable because they’re worried about losing viewers. And they don’t want to have the ratings go down.” He added: “That’s just the reality. That’s just the truth, and I’m not complaining about it. I’d rather that not be the case. But that’s just, I think, an objective reality.”

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4politics

In a Setback for Beijing, Taiwan Elects Lai Ching-te as President

The Taiwanese politician Lai Ching-te has for years been reviled by China’s Communist Party as a dangerous foe who, by its account, could drag the two sides into a war by pressing for full independence for his island democracy. Right up to Saturday, when millions of Taiwanese voted for their next president, an official Beijing news outlet warned that Mr. Lai could take Taiwan “on a path of no return.” Yet, despite China’s months of menacing warnings of a “war or peace” choice for Taiwan’s voters, Mr. Lai was elected president. Mr. Lai, currently Taiwan’s vice president, secured 40 percent of the votes in the election, giving his Democratic Progressive Party, or D.P.P., a third term in a row in the presidential office. No party has achieved more than two successive terms since Taiwan began holding direct, democratic elections for its president in 1996. At a D.P.P. gathering outside its headquarters in Taipei, thousands of supporters, many waving pink and green flags, cheered as Mr. Lai’s lead grew during the counting of the votes, which was displayed on a large screen on an outdoor stage.

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2culture

Has New York Become Less Walkable? - The New York Times

In his 1863 essay “The Painter of Modern Life,” Charles Baudelaire described the passionate city dweller as “a kaleidoscope gifted with consciousness.” In the French poet’s eyes, the city dweller had a unique opportunity to absorb and mirror the poetry of freely moving multitudes. For the committed flâneur, Baudelaire wrote, “the crowd is his element, as the air is that of birds and water of fishes.” I felt this way in New York City 15, even five years ago. Sidewalks could be strolled contemplatively, providing one kept to the right, and roads could be crossed without much trepidation. But I was hit by three bikes this past summer — two on sidewalks and all three after sunset — and spared dozens more collisions only because of my increasingly frantic footwork. In the years since the pandemic lockdown, drivers, with their ever-bigger vehicles, appear to have grown more aggressive. They seem less likely to yield to crossing pedestrians and more likely to stop, unperturbed, on crosswalks. Motorcyclists routinely whiz through red lights and tyrannize bike lanes. Bicyclists fly down avenues like arrows, bike lanes and one-way signs be damned, and a precious few of them halt for crossers. Electric delivery bikes chase poverty wages down our sidewalks, throwing the last sliver of pedestrian refuge into a novel sort of anarchy. Weaving through throngs of inimitably colorful, diverse, bizarre New Yorkers once felt like performing “an intricate sidewalk ballet” — which is how Jane Jacobs, another famous literary flâneur, marvelously depicted the scene that was Greenwich Village’s Hudson Street in the 1950s.

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4politics

Im done: Fairhaven selectman says he will not seek reelection due to racism

Local News ‘I’m done’: Fairhaven selectman says he will not seek reelection due to racism In October, Leon Correy announced in an emotional Facebook post that he would not be seeking reelection. Selectman Leon Correy, fourth from left, and Town Administrator Angie Lopes Ellison, third from left, at a Fairhaven Town Meeting in November. Town of Fairhaven, Massachusetts Fairhaven, a town of 16,000 on the South Coast of Massachusetts, is known for its Colonial Era settlers, whalers and sailors, an American Revolution battle, and European-style public buildings. It’s also 95 percent white, according to the 2022 census. Leon Correy, the chair of the town’s Select Board, has lived in Fairhaven for seven years with his wife and two children. In 2022, he was elected to the board. Before that, he founded the Belonging Committee, aimed at addressing diversity and inclusion in the town. Correy, 46, said he is the first Black person ever elected as a selectman in the town. He’s finishing his two-year term in April, but in October, he announced in an emotional Facebook post that he would not seek reelection due to what he describes as racism and microaggressions he has faced as a town official. Advertisement: “‘Hey Leon, nice house I thought you were poor. Why is he flexing about his education in a meeting that has nothing to do with him? Ironic a black man holding the same fire hoses that used to spray his people during the civil rights movement. He serves us, know your place and shut your mouth. I like you, you’re one of the productive ones,’” Correy wrote on Facebook on Oct. 28. “These are just examples of the things I have heard over the 17 months that I have been in service of a town that people thought was progressive.” “Some of these statements are from people who thought they were progressive. Some were statements from people who voted for me. All are racist whether or not that’s their intention.” Correy told Boston.com he chose to post on Facebook to educate residents about their actions and inactions. “There’s never been a leader figure of color in the town,” he said. “In theory, I think the town thought it was more progressive or more liberal than it actually is. Then, when you got some people of color in positions of leadership, it’s been a learning lesson in who the town really is.” Advertisement: Correy described multiple instances where residents used racist slurs, targeted aggressions, or sometimes subtle microaggressions. He said after a Town Meeting, a man started yelling at him and had to be physically restrained by police, and that there are “secret Facebook groups” that target him and the town administrator, who is also Black. “Acknowledging that there is a race problem in a town means just that,” Correy said. “It doesn’t mean everybody in the town is a racist.” Town Administrator Angie Lopes Ellison said she is the only Black woman running a municipality anywhere in Massachusetts. She and Correy make up the extent of town leaders of color in Fairhaven. “He’s been incredible and very supportive and also very in tune with the community needs and wants,” Lopes Ellison said of Correy. She said she’s disappointed he’s chosen to not run again. “I’ve been trying to convince him otherwise,” she said. “I understand his decision.” Racist graffiti found on Rogers School A few weeks after Correy’s announcement, graffiti was found at the historic Rogers School that included the n-word, phallic images, and other expletives. “I took that to be a sign that our community’s not really where it needs to be,” Lopes Ellison said. “Some people were justifying it that it’s just kids being kids, but it’s not kids. It’s adults that have taught these children.” Advertisement: Correy posted about the incident on Facebook, and said in an interview that Fairhaven officials worked quickly to remove the graffiti. “I really appreciate the head of facilities because it was close to a playground, he couldn’t use or he chose not to use the acid that he would normally use to remove it,” Correy said. “He had to remove it by hand with just good old fashioned elbow grease.” After the Rogers School graffiti, Lopes Ellison recommended to town officials to read “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo, followed by an entire reading list aimed at addressing the impact of racism. Selectman Robert Espindola told Boston.com he read the book in an effort to learn more about racism. “I … will just say that I respect Selectman Correy’s decision,” he wrote in an email. Lopes Ellison, who has been town administrator for about a year-and-a-half, said she is seeing an active effort from many elected officials. “It’s not the entire community but when the loud voices are what you hear, it becomes degrading,” she said. Correy said he won’t return to public politics but is looking to run for a state democratic committee seat. He told Boston.com there’s a lesson for people of color in his story as well: “You don’t have to take it.” “I am not letting the bad people win,” Correy wrote on Facebook. “This is 2023, not 1963. I don’t have to fight for you. My life is fine. I can pack my bags and move to another town. I can walk away from this town and never look back. I am a fighter and I was willing to fight with you but I am not willing to fight for you. I am not willing to fight everybody.”

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3entertainment

Lil Nas X is entering his Christian era - so what could that mean for Christian rap?

Sign up for Reckon’s latest weekly newsletter covering the three topics never to be discussed at the dinner table. Enter your email to subscribe to Matter of Faith. Rapper Lil Nas X told fans last week he’s entering his “Christian era,” and the internet made it clear we’re still unsure what it means to be queer and Christian. Despite the rapper’s soulful lyrics like “I’m trying hard to face my pain. Give me hope when I feel less,” some fans and celebrities aren’t buying it. Fellow creators and fans have questioned the validity of his intentions behind the song and accused the rapper of being too flippant about Christianity. Some fans are celebrating the rapper’s “glow-up” as some fans have called his implied pivot to more spiritual themes in his music. Could Lil Nas X’s foray into Christian hip hop mark a significant shift in the landscape of mainstream music? A rapper producing songs with Christian themes and even Christian hip hop as a genre has existed for far longer than Lil Nas X. The industry boasts Grammy award-winning and nominated artists like Kirk Franklin, Lecrae and Andy Mineo. While the genre has existed for decades, it has often been relegated to niche audiences and struggled to gain widespread recognition. However, Lil Nas X’s immense popularity and willingness to explore controversial themes could bring Christian hip hop to the forefront, sparking conversations about faith, sexuality, and the role of religion in contemporary culture. Lil Nas X’s embrace of Christian hip hop signals a broader trend of artists using their platforms to address spiritual and social issues, and queer Christian fans are celebrating his embrace of his faith and sexuality. Christian hip hop artists like Lecrae and Mineo have been popular among both religious and secular music fans alike as the appeal of Christian rap has grown since rappers started including Jesus in their lyrics in the late 1980s. (Actor Mr. T even made his own Christian rap album in the 1980s). Commenters on X compared Lil Nas X to Kanye West, whose “Christian era” included sold-out Sunday Service shows complete with expensive Christian-themed merch and appearances at evangelical youth group conferences in East Tennessee. “kanye west (god bless his soul) needed a proper competitor. go for it,” one Twitter user said. What are other celebrities saying and why does it matter? Religious themes among major pop artists lyrics are nothing new with both pro-religion and anti-religion themes present in most popular music of the last few decades. While Lil Nas X has been known for trolling homophobic and often religious fans, he now seems to be going the way of rappers before him like Kanye West, who have expressed their faith in their lyrics despite previous controversy. Actor and singer Tyrese Gibson addressed Lil Nas X’s new song preview in a comment on The Shade Room’s Instagram post about the clip on Nov. 30. “God is not to be played with. From shoes with devil signs and devils blood in the [shoe] sole? We can all change. I get it, but I feel a way about people making a mockery about Jesus……. Do you, [live] your life. Do what makes you happy but yall better stop playing with Jesus out here,” Gibson said in the comment, which has received nearly 58k likes as of 2 p.m. Monday. Lil Nax X’s 2021 release of his song “Montero” and accompanying music view and shoe collaboration stirred up multiple controversies surrounding the artist and his devil-themed creations. The “Montero” music video featured Lil Nas X descending into hell and seductively dancing on what appeared to be the devil then snapping his head. The shoes, a custom designed Nike shoe, were advertised to contain real human blood and the inscription “Luke 10:18,” which says “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” Nike said they weren’t involved in the controversial shoe design and later sued the rapper over the shoe. The shoe, a limited run of 666 pairs, sold out in less than a minute. Lil Nas X responded to Tyrese’s Instagram comment, implying the criticism was unwarranted. “this really crazy cuz all i did was post a song about asking god for hope when you feel hopeless and yall acting like I posted a video of me burning a church down and peeing on a nativity scene,” Lil Nas X tweeted Nov. 30. Fans commented on the long denim skirt Lil Nas X wore in the video, calling it an “apostolic skirt,” referencing the long, often denim skirts worn by some women who adhere to strict modesty standards as part of their practice of highly conservative forms of Christianity. There’s even a modest Christian clothing company called “Apostolic Clothing,” which specialized in modest dresses and skirts for women. After Lil Nas X posted the video Nov. 29, he followed it up with a post clarifying his stance on religion and sexuality, saying “making christian music does not mean i can’t suck d*ck no more. the two are not mutually exclusive. i am allowed to get on my knees for multiple reasons.” He also posted a TikTok about rejoining Christianity “after my 2021 antics.” Other rappers chimed in too, including Holy Gabbana who responded to the video with an Instagram post Sunday and ensuing discourse online about Lil Nas X’s sexuality and religious practices, saying he could not call himself a Christian and be gay. “If Nas X wanna be gay cool, do u lil bra just don’t title yaself a Christian and make others believe it’s okay for us to live in habitual/intentional sin. Ppl deserve TRUTH and I stand on da word of God,” he said in a post on his Instagram story. The “Industry Baby” rapper has routinely trolled homophobic fans and used other religious imagery in his music, most notably the “Montero” music video featuring him giving the devil a lap dance. What’s next? The mainstream success of Lil Nas X and other Christian hip hop artists has the potential to revitalize the genre and introduce it to a wider audience. It could also lead to a greater acceptance of religious expression in mainstream music, fostering a more inclusive and diverse musical landscape, as the popularity of Christian music has shown. Some have criticized the Christian music industry, claiming the widespread popularity and money-making opportunities from Christian music could affect how the church is perceived, according to an article in Christianity Today. Some argue that rap is the perfect space to explore issues of faith, particularly Christianity, drawing parallels between Jesus and rap culture, portraying Jesus as a rebellious figure challenging societal norms, akin to a gangster rapper. As major music magazine Spin put it in this August 23 article, there are more reasons to call Jesus a rapper than there are to call him not a rapper. Lil Nas X’s posts responding to the controversy show he’s unafraid to embrace two things that many still see as opposites: queerness and religion. While Lil Nas X’s “Christian era” has been met with mixed reactions, it undoubtedly represents a bold move in the music industry. Lil Nas X has already made multiple splashes with religious themes in his music, but it’s clear he won’t be the last rapper talking about their faith.

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2culture

Mass. State Lotterys $50 ticket released Feb. 2023 is best-selling in country

Massachusetts is pretty used to being number one — especially when it comes to the lottery. The $50 lottery scratch ticket called “Billion Dollar Extravaganza,” released by the Massachusetts State Lottery in early 2023, topped not only the statewide charts in ticket sales, but it also has become the best-selling lottery ticket in the country. “Billion Dollar Extravaganza” was released on Feb. 7, 2023. It made history by offering Massachusetts’ highest scratch ticket prize ever at $25 million. There were three grand prizes available to win, which were all claimed by the end of 2023. The Massachusetts State Lottery reported over $900 million in sales over the last year for the $50 ticket, making it not only the state’s most popular ticket, but the best-selling game across every lottery in the United States. “Part of it is the culture of the Northeast; if you look at Northeast lotteries, they tend to do well,” Mark William Bracken, director of the Massachusetts State Lottery, said. “But that being said, no state offers the prizes, and the payouts, and the propositions that the Massachusetts State Lottery does. Numbers are numbers... people buy tickets in Massachusetts, because you can win on tickets in Massachusetts,” Bracken said. Bracken gave the example of the Texas Lottery’s two $100 scratch ticket games, which have much lower grand prizes than Massachusetts’ $50 scratch ticket. The first $100 ticket released in Texas had a top prize of $20 million; its second was just $7.5 million. And though Florida is the only other state to offer a $25 million prize for its $50 ticket, also with an 82% prize payout, Bracken explained Massachusetts is paying out more to its players than any state. The prize payout, or the amount of the prize turned over to the winner, is comprised of the money left after the lottery turns over its mandatory compensations, such as overhead or administrative costs. Bracken said Massachusetts’ transparencies on its games, the amount of prizes left, its odds and payouts contribute to its unique success with prize payouts. It also has the most lottery agencies per square mile and per capita in the country. As of late December, about 70% of “Billion Dollar Extravaganza” tickets have been distributed and about 67% have been sold, Bracken said. There are still four, $2 million prizes remaining to be claimed in the game as of Jan. 2, along with five $1 million prizes and 65 $50,000 prizes. Every winning “Billion Dollar Extravaganza” ticket has a minimum prize of $100. The game offers over $1 billion in total lottery winnings besides its grand prizes, with five $2 million prizes and 15 $1 million prizes released at the start to win. The overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 4.1. The success of the $50 ticket this past year papered over concerns the Massachusetts State Lottery had over meeting its 2023 fiscal year goal. And Bracken again reiterated the need for more advertisement funding if the lottery hopes to continue breaking national records — especially without an online lottery. “As the numbers show, we’re being saved by this $50 ticket,” Bracken said. “And as a lottery, I don’t want to be in a position that I’m getting saved because of one particular product.” Massachusetts had joined more than a dozen other state lotteries offering a $50 ticket. The previously highest-priced scratch ticket available in Massachusetts was $30, and was first introduced in 2014. According to the lottery, Massachusetts was the first state to create a scratch ticket game for players, which was in May of 1974. It released a $1 ticket called “The Instant Game,” and the lottery said the invention “revolutionized the industry and established Massachusetts as a lottery innovator.”

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4politics

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Tries Creating Own Party to Get on Ballot in 6 States

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is running for president as an independent, announced on Tuesday that he had filed paperwork to create his own political party in six states — an effort to get his name on the ballot with fewer voter signatures than would be required for an unaffiliated candidate. Mr. Kennedy, an environmental lawyer turned anti-vaccine activist who has promoted conspiracy theories and right-wing misinformation, is seeking to form a “We the People” party in California, Delaware, Hawaii, Mississippi and North Carolina as well as a “Texas Independent Party.” Election offices in North Carolina, Delaware and Hawaii confirmed that they had received the campaign’s applications for a new party, as did the Texas secretary of state’s office. Officials in California did not respond to inquiries, and an official in Mississippi said the office had not received a filing. Mr. Kennedy’s campaign said that forming parties in those six states would reduce the number of signatures he needed to get on the ballot in all 50 states by 330,000 — about a third of the previous total.

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3entertainment

Tom Wilkinson, Actor in The Full Monty, Dies at 75

Tom Wilkinson, an admired performer on the British stage who in middle age became a skillful character actor and supporting star in a wide range of movies that gained popularity and acclaim in the United States, including “The Full Monty,” “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Shakespeare in Love,” died on Saturday. He was 75. A statement by his agent said he died suddenly at home. It did not provide other details. Mr. Wilkinson might not have been known by name to many American moviegoers, but he used that inconspicuousness to his advantage, evading typecasting and inhabiting instead a wide array of roles persuasively. Some of them remain broadly memorable today. He earned Academy Award nominations for his work in the legal thriller “Michael Clayton” (2007) and the drama “In the Bedroom” (2001), an unusual turn for him as a movie’s protagonist. He also delighted audiences in comedies, not only “The Full Monty” (1997) but also “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” (2011). In addition to “Shakespeare in Love” (1998), his other blockbuster films included “Batman Begins” (2005) and “Rush Hour” (1998), both movies in which he played greedy villains.

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1crime

Hoax shooting reported near Boston Mayor Wus home

BOSTON (WWLP ) – Boston Police say they received a hoax call on Christmas Day reporting a shooting in Roslindale. According to the Boston Police Department, they got a tip at around 5:30 Monday evening for a shooting on Augustus Ave. The call was quickly determined to be a hoax. The address that was given to the police happens to be near the home of Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. Police said the incident is still under investigation.

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0business

Mass. State Lottery winner: Stop & Shop sells $100,000 prize

Someone who stopped by the grocery store and picked up a Massachusetts State Lottery ticket claimed a $100,000 prize on Thursday, the same day a $1 million lottery prize was claimed. The winning $100,000 ticket was from the “300X” scratch ticket game, which still has 69 prizes valued at $100,000 remaining as of Dec. 22. The winning ticket was sold at a Stop & Shop in Brookline by Coolidge Corner. The $1 million prize claimed on Thursday was from the lottery’s crossword-style scratch ticket game called “$2,000,000 50X Cashword,” and was sold at a convenience shop called Girlies Variety Store in Taunton. Overall, there were at least 511 lottery prizes worth $600 or more won or claimed in Massachusetts on Thursday, including 17 in Springfield and 20 in Worcester. The Massachusetts State Lottery releases a full list of all the winning tickets each day. The list only includes winning tickets worth more than $600. The two largest lottery prizes won in the state of Massachusetts so far in 2023 were $33 million and $31 million Mega Millions jackpot prizes. The tickets were each sold a week apart. The $33 million ticket for the Tuesday, Jan. 24 drawing was purchased from a Stop & Shop in Belchertown. The winner came forward to claim the prize on March 1 through the Skylark Group Trust. The $31 million Mega Millions jackpot ticket was won on Jan. 31. The winning ticket was bought in Woburn from a Gibbs gas station, and the winner claimed the prize on March 8 through S & L Trust.

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0business

Explaining OpenAIs Board Shake-Up

For much of the past year, OpenAI’s board of directors has been criticized as too small and too divided to effectively govern one of the fastest-growing start-ups in Silicon Valley history. On Friday, the board’s dysfunction spilled into public view when four of its members fired Sam Altman, OpenAI’s popular and powerful chief executive. The dismissal uncorked five turbulent days, as Mr. Altman rallied almost all of the company’s 770 employees to lobby for the board’s resignation and his reinstatement. Mr. Altman, 38, returned to the company on Tuesday night, after days of haggling over his job and over the makeup of the board. The board and Mr. Altman’s allies discussed more than a half dozen options for its future. They considered a board size of three to seven members and discussed about 30 candidates, including Laurene Powell Jobs, the founder of the Emerson Collective and widow of Steve Jobs, and Brian Chesky, the chief executive of Airbnb. The departing board wanted to be sure the replacements would be independent thinkers and experienced enough to stand up to Mr. Altman.

0ff46d37be9dbeda7b50292e4b37fd88

7weather

Boston Logan Airport has more than 100 canceled flights as snow covers Mass.

More than 100 flights have been canceled at Boston Logan International Airport on Tuesday as of just before 1 p.m. as another snowstorm overtakes the entire state. The airport had issued a warning at 8:20 a.m. on Jan. 16, that “due to weather, flights will be impacted.” Passengers were advised to check with their airlines before heading to the airport, and could check their flight status by checking the Boston Logan status page on the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) site. The Federal Aviation Administration, or the FAA, said about an hour later at 9:42 a.m. that snow may lead to delays at Boston Logan. As of just before 1 p.m., just over 100 flights in and out of the airport had been cancelled, according to tracking site FlightAware.com. In addition, more than 290 flights were delayed at that time. Republic Airways, Cape Air and United Airlines were the airlines with the most cancellations, while JetBlue, Delta and Republic Airways were the top-three delayed airlines as of just after noon, the site showed. In the Boston area, snow is expected to begin changing by early afternoon on Tuesday to a wintry mix of rain, freezing rain or sleet, according to National Weather Service forecasters. Read more: Speed limit reduced on all of Massachusetts Turnpike during snowstorm The mix will then go back to snow before tapering off between 5 and 7 p.m., forecasters said, and the weather service is warning evening commuters to “plan on slippery road conditions” in the evening. Jennifer Mehigan, Massport’s media relations director, stated the flight impacts expected today were not only due to the snow falling in Massachusetts — weather-related ground stops in Chicago and New York may also impact Logan flights.

db9850a8395823926f6aab50d9c582d2

6sports

Fallout of Patriots struggles is plain to see: Everbodys frustrated

It’s no secret that the New England Patriots are struggling. You can’t start an AFC-worst 2-7 without alarm bells ringing loud enough for the league to hear. As the team deals with the fallout of yet another close loss -- this time to the Washington Commanders at home -- the strain of the team’s struggles is plain to see. Even Bill Belichick is admitting that the 2023 Patriots season has been especially frustrating. $200 INSTANT BONUS DRAFTKINGS MASS CLAIM OFFER BET $5, GET $200 BONUS BET FANDUEL MASS CLAIM OFFER BET $50, GET $250 BONUS CAESARS MASS CLAIM OFFER $1,000 FIRST-BET BONUS BETMGM MASS CLAIM OFFER MA only. 21+. Gambling Problem? If you or a loved one is experiencing problems with gambling, please call 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org for 24/7 support. LiveChat with a GameSense Advisor at GameSenseMA.com or call 1-800-GAM-1234 MA Gambling Helpline. MA only. 21+. Gambling Problem? If you or a loved one is experiencing problems with gambling, please call 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org for 24/7 support. LiveChat with a GameSense Advisor at GameSenseMA.com or call 1-800-GAM-1234 MA Gambling Helpline. During his regular appearance on WEEI’s Greg Hill Show, Belichick was asked if this was his most frustrating season in New England. “It’s probably up there, yeah,” the coach said. Amid the struggles, Belichick has been sticking to the same plan and the same messaging. However, the concerns about the team’s on-field struggles are shifting the focus to the ownership level. During Monday’s radio appearance, Belichick was asked about a video showing Patriots president Jonathan Kraft during Sunday’s game, with WEEI’s Andy Gresh claiming that Kraft said the team wasn’t good enough. Belichick didn’t address what Kraft may have said, but did admit that the frustrations could be felt around the organization. “I would think you’d have to ask him about that. I don’t want to speak for him. But yeah, I mean, everybody’s frustrated with it,” Belichick said. The Patriots’ attentions now turn to Frankfurt, Germany as the team tries to bounce back against the Indianapolis Colts.

22114ae19e3f8b60146c14c9b4310f27

6sports

Bailey Zappe, Mac Jones each blamed themselves for Patriots loss

EAST RUTHERFORD — Each quarterback played half the game and took all the blame. Neither Mac Jones, who started, nor Bailey Zappe who took over at halftime, played well in the Patriots’ 10-7 loss to the Giants at Met Life Stadium on Sunday. Jones was 12-for-21 for 89 yards and two ugly interceptions. He had a fumble on a strip sack that a teammate recovered. He didn’t lead the Patriots to points as they trailed 7-0 when he left at intermission. “It was just bad quarterback play. It wasn’t good enough by me. If the quarterback doesn’t play well you have no chance,” he said. $200 INSTANT BONUS DRAFTKINGS MASS CLAIM OFFER BET $5, GET $200 BONUS BET FANDUEL MASS CLAIM OFFER BET $50, GET $250 BONUS CAESARS MASS CLAIM OFFER $1,000 FIRST-BET BONUS BETMGM MASS CLAIM OFFER MA only. 21+. Gambling Problem? If you or a loved one is experiencing problems with gambling, please call 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org for 24/7 support. LiveChat with a GameSense Advisor at GameSenseMA.com or call 1-800-GAM-1234 MA Gambling Helpline. MA only. 21+. Gambling Problem? If you or a loved one is experiencing problems with gambling, please call 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org for 24/7 support. LiveChat with a GameSense Advisor at GameSenseMA.com or call 1-800-GAM-1234 MA Gambling Helpline. Jones was asked if the uncertainty around who was starting contributed to his struggles. “It’s my job to play well regardless of the circumstances. There’s no excuses not to. I had a few bad throws,” Jones said. “I wasn’t on the same page with the offense today. I have to do a better job,” he said. “I’m an NFL quarterback. It’s my job to go out there and play well. I need to do a better job of that. It is what it is.” Jones said he understood the decision to make the switch. “Coach O’Brien told me I was out and I understood. I wasn’t moving the ball and I wasn’t scoring points,” he said. Zappe was 9-for-15 for 54 yards and a bad interception. He led the Patriots on a touchdown on the first drive of the second half, but was ineffective after that. His interception led to the game-winning field goal and two other passes were nearly picked off. “That just comes down to me doing my job. That comes down to me, the quarterback. Incompletions. Turnovers. That’s on me,” Zappe said. “In the second half, we started out hot, came right down and scored. I have to keep that going. Keeping that energy up. I wasn’t able to do that. That’s on me. “The pick I threw led to their field goal. We should never have been in that position. That’s on me,” he added. “I have to see that. I could check down to Tyquan (Thornton). He was wide open.” Zappe was asked if he’d missed a chance to take over the starting quarterback job. “If you don’t win, it’s a missed opportunity,” he said. “I’m sure there were some good things, but there was a bad thing, that was a turnover that led to the field goal that led to us losing.” He said he’d be ready if tabbed to start next week at home against the Chargers. “That’s Coach Belichick’s decision,” he said. “If I start I’m going to do everything I can, like the past times I’ve started, to go out there and win.”

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4politics

The Iowa Caucuses, and 100 Days of War in Gaza

The New York Times Audio app is home to journalism and storytelling, and provides news, depth and serendipity. If you haven’t already, download it here — available to Times news subscribers on iOS — and sign up for our weekly newsletter. The Headlines brings you the biggest stories of the day from the Times journalists who are covering them, all in about five minutes.

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0business

Single family residence sells in Longmeadow for $788,000

A spacious house located at 17 Park Drive in Longmeadow has a new owner. The 3,443-square-foot property, built in 1979, was sold on Nov. 13, 2023. The $788,000 purchase price works out to $229 per square foot. This two-story house provides a generous living space with its four bedrooms and four baths. The home's outer structure has a gable roof frame, composed of asphalt. Inside, a fireplace enhances the ambiance of the living area. The property is equipped with forced air heating and a cooling system. In addition, the house is equipped with a garage. The property's backyard also boasts both a spa and a pool. Additional houses have recently changed hands nearby: A 3,588-square-foot home at 299 Concord Road in Longmeadow sold in February 2022, for $830,000, a price per square foot of $231. The home has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. In May 2023, a 2,514-square-foot home on Converse Street in Longmeadow sold for $400,000, a price per square foot of $159. The home has 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. On Brittany Road, Longmeadow, in May 2022, a 3,232-square-foot home was sold for $760,000, a price per square foot of $235. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Real Estate Newswire is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to generate analysis of data from Propmix, an aggregator of national real-estate data. See more Real Estate News

8fa6105ebf40ad06e61b64b9bae8861f

3entertainment

Original AC/DC drummer dies, band says

The original drummer for well-known band AC/DC — Colin Burgess — has died, according to the band. “Very sad to hear of the passing of Colin Burgess. He was our first drummer and a very respected musician. Happy memories, rock in peace Colin,” the band said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

bfae670a1226d66366aca317c8b26d04

0business

Apple Watch models again on sale after court lifts patent dispute sales halt

Two higher-end models of the Apple Watch can go on sale again after a federal court temporarily lifted a sales halt ordered by the International Trade Commission over a patent dispute. The ITC, a federal agency, ordered the halt in October to block Apple from using specific technologies underpinning a blood-oxygen measurement system in its Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches. Apple has been embroiled in an intellectual property dispute with the medical technology company Masimo over those technologies. Apple cut off online sales of the watches in the U.S. last week just days from the Christmas holiday to comply with the ITC ruling. The court’s action will allow sales of the two Apple Watch models pending its decision on whether to also permit sales as it weighs Apple’s appeal. The two watch models will be available at Apple’s online store by noon Pacific Time on Thursday, according to the company. They returned to some Apple stores Wednesday, with wider availability expected by Saturday. This isn’t the first patent roadblock the Apple Watch has run into as the company morphs its watches into health-management devices. Last year, the ITC ruled that Apple had infringed on the wearable EKG technology of AliveCor — a decision the Biden administration declined to overturn. That dispute hasn’t directly affected Apple Watch sales yet because another regulatory body had ruled that AliveCor’s technology isn’t patentable. The legal tussle on that issue is still ongoing. The patent headaches facing Apple as it tries to infuse more medical technology into its watch models make it increasingly likely the company will either have to start working out licensing deals or simply acquiring startups specializing in the field, Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives predicted.

043f933dd32e274145c21942d9a4ad35

2culture

Businesses, volunteers deliver 223 Thanksgiving meals for families in Westfield

WESTFIELD — Two hundred twenty-three turkeys, each with five pounds of potatoes, stuffing, gravy, green beans, onion rings, cranberry sauce, corn, soup, brownie mix and grocery gift cards were packed and delivered on Monday to Westfield schools for distribution to families needing a little help to prepare their holiday meal. The Thanksgiving food drive, co-chaired by Susan and Ralph Figy and Eileen and Jim Jachym, was boosted by donations and volunteers from local businesses and individuals from the community who sponsored ingredients and gift cards and came together on Friday morning, Nov. 18, to pack the bags in a well-organized assembly line with the help of a crew from Westfield Middle School. Several city councilors also joined the group to put together the meals for delivery to the schools.

2f40b57b69bb3629dc32354d696f4d97

4politics

Tanya Chutkan, an Unflinching Judge in the Trump Jan. 6 Trial

On the day Judge Tanya S. Chutkan was randomly selected to preside over former President Donald J. Trump’s trial on charges of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election, she called a childhood friend in Jamaica, Christine Stiebel. Judge Chutkan, who is not especially religious, said to her friend, as Ms. Stiebel recalled it: “Chris, please pray for me. I’ve got the case.” It was a rare display of unease, even in private, for a woman who has cultivated a seven-year reputation as a temperate but unflinching jurist. Judge Chutkan, 61, a former public defender and civil litigator, will be overseeing the first federal trial of Mr. Trump, set to begin on March 4. The spectacle conjures up the possibility of a likely Republican presidential nominee facing conviction and potential prison time for an assault on American democracy, all before voters go to the polls next November. Mr. Trump has already attacked Judge Chutkan as “VERY BIASED & UNFAIR” on social media. His attorneys have argued that the judge, an Obama appointee, should recuse herself because they believe her statements in other cases related to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol show a bias against their client. Prosecutors have in turn asked Judge Chutkan to place a limited gag order on the former president, citing his “near-daily” social media attacks on people involved in the case. Judge Chutkan has refused to recuse herself, but a hearing on the gag order will be held on Monday. Judge Chutkan warned in a preliminary hearing that Mr. Trump, who is already under a gag order in a business fraud case in New York, does not have an absolute right to free speech and “must yield to the orderly administration of justice.”

8fdb56fd959552dd84ca1b935d3143f4

6sports

2024 HoopHall Classic: Top 5 games to watch

Eight of the top 10 and 18 of the top 25 boys high school basketball teams in the country will play at the 2024 HoopHall Classic. These teams feature many of the nation’s best young talents, including Duke-commit Cooper Flagg, Rutgers-commit Dylan Harper, AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer. In addition, five of the top 25 girls programs in the nation will play. Long Island Lutheran’s five-star Notre Dame commit Kate Koval leads a list of top recruits on the girls side (hyperlink to story). Here are the top five games to watch this weekend. 5. Girls: No. 2 Long Island Lutheran (NY) vs. No. 11 Etiwanda (CA) Date: Monday, Jan. 15 at 9 a.m. Broadcast: ESPNU Kennedy Smith (No. 6) and Kayleigh Heckel (No. 28) will be teammates at USC next year, but face off against each other in the only girls game on Monday. Long Island Lutheran boasts four seniors in the top 100: Kate Koval (Notre Dame), Syla Swords (Michigan), Kayleigh Heckel (USC) and Ka’Shya Hawkins (Syracuse), as well as highly-rated sophomore Savannah Swords. Etiwanda is led by Smith and a pair of top-25 players in the class of 2025, Grace Knox and Aliyahna Morris. 4. Boys: No. 1 Montverde Academy (FL) vs. No. 14 Oak Hill (VA) Date: Friday, Jan. 12 at 7:30 p.m. Broadcast: ESPN+ Though the weekday games are generally reserved for local matchups, fans will get a treat Friday night as Flagg and the rest of Montverde’s star-studded lineup debut against longtime prep power Oak Hill in the first matchup of the tournament between two ranked schools. Montverde is a perfect 16-0 with wins over nine other schools participating in the HoopHall Classic. But Montverde isn’t just the Flagg show – Asa Newell, Liam McNeely and Derik Queen are five-star recruits and Robert Wright III and Curtis Givens are ranked in the top 50. 3. Boys: No. 2 Long Island Lutheran (NY) vs. No. 5 Christopher Columbus (FL) Date: Saturday, Jan. 13 at 4 p.m. Broadcast: NBA Youtube and NBA app V.J. Edgecombe, the highest-rated uncommitted prospect in the country, leads a Long Island Lutheran team that also rosters junior Kiyan Anthony, son of Carmelo Anthony. Columbus has four NBA sons of its own, between Jason Richardson’s sons Jase and Jaxon and Carlos Boozer’s sons, Cameron and Cayden. 2. Boys: No. 3 Paul VI (VA) vs. No. 5 Christopher Columbus (FL) Date: Monday, Jan. 15 at 1 p.m. Broadcast: ESPNU Paul VI and Columbus have two common opponents this year: No. 1 Montverde, who beat Columbus 89-61 and Paul VI 69-62, and No. 4 Link Academy, who beat Columbus 68-61 but lost to Paul VI 74-71. Paul VI is led by three seniors in the top 100 – center Pat Ngongba and shooting guard Daren Harris (both Duke commits) and wing Isaiah Abraham (UConn). 1. Boys: No. 1 Montverde (FL) vs. No. 11 Prolific Prep (CA) Date: Sunday, Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m. Broadcast: ESPN2 The primetime game on Sunday will be a matchup between 2024′s top prospect, Flagg of Montverde, and 2025′s top prospect, A.J. Dybantsa of Prolific Prep. Dybantsa won the 2022-23 Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year as a freshman at St. Sebastian’s (Needham, MA) before moving across the country to California and reclassifying from 2026 to 2025. In addition to Dybantsa, Prolific Prep stars five-star Alabama commit Derrion Reid and three other 2024 four-stars. Team, player rankings via ESPN.

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1crime

Firefighters battle fire at home in Chelsea - Boston News, Weather, Sports

CHELSEA, MASS. (WHDH) - Emergency crews were on scene in Chelsea Wednesday evening battling a fire in a home. The fire was burning in the Blossom Street area. SKY7-HD flying over the scene around 6 p.m. captured part of the emergency response, with flames seen burning through the building’s roof. Crews were spotted on the roof, pouring water on flames while they contended with windy conditions in the area. Part of the building appeared to have been boarded up before this fire. Chelsea police in a post on X shortly before 6 p.m. asked community members to avoid the area of Blossom Street and surrounding streets. “Heavy presence of first responders on scene due to fire,” police said. No further information was immediately available. This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates. (Copyright (c) 2023 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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3entertainment

The Weekender

The common denominator between the two relationships had not been gender or sexual orientation. It had been me. _____

78c7b6bb627fe735fa506376d3db15cf

7weather

Massachusetts weather: Rain forecast Sunday to Monday; Snow possible next week

Prepare for a wet next several days, as rain and potentially snow are in the forecast. Massachusetts will see a largely rainy and cool Sunday, with precipitation lingering into Monday before the storm system exits. Snow is possible Monday and again Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. Dry weather and mild temperatures Saturday will change overnight, giving way to rainy, cool and brisk conditions Sunday. Widespread rain is in the forecast in southern New England on Sunday, the Weather Service said. The precipitation type Sunday will be all rain, and it will fall fairly steadily, lightly to moderately. No flooding issues are expected. However, Massachusetts is in store for “a wet, dreary and raw day,” according to the Weather Service. Sunday will not be as mild as previous days either, with highs expected to be more typical for early December. Temperatures should hover in the 40s, but it will feel cooler given the brisk air coming from the ocean, the Weather Service said. Conditions should be drier on Monday as the storm system exits. Breaks of sunshine are expected late Monday morning through the afternoon. However, there will likely be more clouds than sun, according to the Weather Service. After Monday morning, the weather should remain dry for most of the region other than along the Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont borders, where there could be a few spotty showers and perhaps a bit of snow mixing in across the higher terrain, the Weather Service said. Tuesday through Thursday should be cloudy and chilly, with below-normal temperatures expected and little to no precipitation forecast. Wednesday, however, may be an exception to the otherwise dry weather, according to the Weather Service. A clipper storm system, which tends to bring light and moderate snows, will slide in to the south of New England on Wednesday, but it could perhaps bring some spotty rain and snow showers. Uncertainty remains surrounding how widespread the storm will be and what precipitation type is likely, the Weather Service indicated. The next shot for more widespread precipitation after Sunday comes Friday after the clipper system slides in. However, there is still “a fair amount of uncertainty with this system, especially on the intensity and exact track of the clipper system,” the Weather Service noted.

aca181499106e5238f65a4bbf22f3873

5science

How Menopause Changes the Brain

Across the U.S., roughly 6 million adults 65 and over have Alzheimer’s disease. Almost two thirds of them are women — a discrepancy that researchers have long attributed to genetics and women’s longer life spans, among other reasons. But there is growing consensus that menopause may also be an important risk factor for the development of dementia later in life. Women going through the life phase, which is clinically defined as the end of fertility, face as many changes in the brain as in the ovaries, said Dr. Lisa Mosconi, a neuroscientist and director of the Women’s Brain Initiative at Weill Cornell Medicine. While the vast majority of women will weather these changes without long-term health consequences, about 20 percent will develop dementia in the decades that follow. The female brain is rich in estrogen receptors, particularly in regions that control memory, mood, sleep and body temperature, all of which “work beautifully when estrogen is high and consistent,” Dr. Mosconi said. Estrogen is also vital for the brain’s ability to defend itself against aging and damage. The characteristic decline in estrogen during menopause not only alters the functioning in some brain regions, she said, it is also thought to change the brain’s structure; scans show reduced volume in menopausal brains compared to male brains of the same age and to those of pre-menopausal women.

8cdf9ba55b8a8c85a0c2107fb2b7d24d

4politics

The Twin Fronts in the Battle Over Israels Identity

The decision by the Israeli Supreme Court to reject legislative control over the judiciary ends for now the languishing effort by the far-right government of Benjamin Netanyahu to diminish the courts, which had already sparked nine months of protests that only ended when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7. The protests had deeply divided Israel, but the subsequent war united it, with even pilots and reservists who had vowed to ignore military exercises immediately showing up to fight before they were called. If the court’s decision on Monday ripped off this wartime poultice, displaying anew the cultural war at the heart of Israeli politics, Mr. Netanyahu and his government responded by appealing again to wartime unity to try to downplay their loss. It was another version of Mr. Netanyahu’s argument against just about every critic of his performance and his policies — that these are all subjects to be discussed “after the war.” And the ruling of the court, however important, is expected to have little or no impact on the conduct of the war itself.

6ec1327db788bed2bc202da22d601a9b

4politics

Ukraine Targets Russian Oil Plants, Aiming to Disrupt Military Operations

Ukraine hit an oil depot in Russia in a drone attack on Friday, officials on both sides said, the latest in a series of recent assaults targeting Russian oil facilities as Kyiv increasingly seeks to strike critical infrastructure behind Russian lines. Alexander Bogomaz, the governor of the Russian region of Bryansk, which borders Ukraine, said oil tanks in the town of Klintsy had caught fire after a drone dropped munitions on the depot. The drone, he added, was brought down by electronic jamming. A Ukrainian intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters, said Ukraine was behind the assault. Friday’s attack was the fourth on a Russian oil facility in the past three weeks, in what experts say is an effort by Ukraine to deliver setbacks to Russia’s military capabilities by targeting the facilities that supply fuel to tanks, fighter jets and other critical military equipment. “Strikes on oil depots and oil storage facilities disrupt logistics routes and slow down combat operations,” said Olena Lapenko, an energy security expert at DiXi Group, a Ukrainian think tank. “Disruption of these supplies, which are like blood for the human body, is part of a wider strategy to counter Russia on the battlefield.”

4f1da895ecfdd97dc5b44ebe90b37c80

3entertainment

How to watch NCIS: Sydney new episode Tuesday, Nov. 21 for free on CBS

The CBS series “NCIS: Sydney” continues with a new episode this Tuesday, Nov. 21 at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on the network. For those without cable, but who want to watch the show as it airs on CBS, they can do so for free through either FuboTV and DirecTV Stream. Both platforms offer a free trial for new users. You can also watch the series for free by signing up for Paramount+, which offers a 7-day-long free trial. “With rising international tensions in the Indo-Pacific, a brilliant and eclectic team of U.S. NCIS agents and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) are grafted into a multinational taskforce to keep naval crimes in check in the most contested patch of ocean on the planet,” according to FuboTV in a description of the series. “Led by NCIS Special Agent Michelle Mackey and Sgt. Jim ‘JD’ Dempsey, the team of Americans and Aussies must quickly learn to trust each other, overcoming and harnessing their differences to solve each case,” it added. “Though jurisdictional tussles and culture clashes make for a rocky start, Mackey comes to respect JD’s nose for the truth, and JD comes to respect her maverick style.” “Meanwhile, sassy AFP Constable Evie Cooper and endlessly curious Special Agent DeShawn Jackson form a fast friendship, while curmudgeonly forensic pathologist Dr. Roy Penrose meets his match in the brilliant young forensic scientist Bluebird ‘Blue’ Gleeson,” according to FuboTV. The new episode is titled “Snakes in the Grass,” according to FuboTV, which added in a description “When a Navy compliance officer is found dead in a waterhole from a snakebite, the team works to uncover the origin of the rare, deadly taipan that is uncommon to the area where the officer was discovered.” You can watch a trailer for the series below or by clicking here to watch on the NCIS YouTube channel. How can I watch “NCIS: Sydney″ on CBS for free without cable? The show is available to watch on CBS for free through either FuboTV or DirecTV Stream, both of which offer a free trial. Both offer free trials to new users. You can also watch it for free by signing up for Paramount+, which offers a 7-day-long free trial. What is FuboTV? FuboTV is an over-the-top internet live TV streaming service that offers more than 100 channels, such as sports, news, entertainment and local channels. What is DirecTV Stream? The streaming platform offers a plethora of content including streaming the best of live and On Demand, starting with more than 75 live TV channels. DirecTV also offers a free trial for any package you sign up.

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7weather

Why the Definition of Extreme Cold Is Different in Duluth and Dallas

With a mass of frigid Arctic air descending on much of the United States this upcoming week, meteorologists and public health officials are well aware that a North Dakotan and a South Texan are unlikely to agree on what amounts to “extreme cold.” As such, the National Weather Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stress that there is no set definition for extreme cold, and the point at which forecasters will warn residents that the plunging temperatures are a danger to them is calibrated to the region’s prevailing climate. “Everyone’s extreme is a different level,” said Ketzel Levens, a meteorologist in the Weather Service’s office in Duluth, Minn., where the average daily temperature in January is a crisp 9.4 degrees. “Folks up north might have better protection. They might have a lot more clothes and layers. Our houses, our water infrastructure, they’re built to a different standard.” And so if you warned Minnesotans every time it is merely freezing cold, you would struggle to get their attention when it was dangerously cold. Ms. Levens’s office issues a wind chill advisory only when the temperature reaches minus 25, and a wind chill warning when it reaches 40 below.

b762e30d9bd2118827e42f2b0ffafbd1

2culture

David Ellenson, 76, Who Guided a Generation of Reform Rabbis, Dies

Rabbi David Ellenson, a scholar who wrestled with the interplay of tradition and modernity in Judaism and who shaped a generation of Reform rabbis as a teacher and later as the president of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, died on Thursday at his home in Manhattan. He was 76. His wife, Rabbi Jacqueline Koch Ellenson, said the cause was a heart ailment. Though his father was a lawyer, Rabbi David Ellenson was surrounded by rabbis and rabbinical students for much of his life. Not only is his wife a rabbi, but one of his five children is also one, and two others are rabbinical students. He taught for more than 40 years at the Reform seminary, which trains rabbis, cantors and Jewish educators on four campuses: in New York, Cincinnati, Los Angeles and Jerusalem. He forged important academic and intellectual alliances across the Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist branches of Judaism, becoming something of “a denominational crossover,” said his friend Menachem Butler, an Orthodox Jew and a fellow in Jewish legal studies at Harvard Law School. Though he was raised Orthodox, Rabbi Ellenson remained true to the beliefs and ideals of Reform Judaism. He championed the rights of women and L.G.B.T.Q. Jews to be ordained, and he promoted the belief that fathers, not just mothers, could pass on Jewish lineage, positions that were rejected by the more traditional branch of his youth.