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Massachusetts lawmakers need to move on tax cuts, cooperate with audit: MassGOP chair

Published Mon, 17 Feb 2025 16:45:57 GMT

The state needs to pass a short-term capital gains tax cut offered by the governor and the House if lawmakers want Massachusetts to stay competitive, according to the head of the MassGOP.Amy Carnevale, the chair of the Massachusetts Republican Party, on Sunday pointed to the state of business sentiment in the Commonwealth — stressing that proposals to lower the tax, from 12% to 5% offered by Gov. Maura Healey and lawmakers, must pass this year if legislators wish for their constituents to stay in the Bay State.“We’ve seen business confidence in Massachusetts dip now to under 50% when typically it has been in the neighborhood of 60%. So, that’s an indication that our Legislature should be running to act on measures designed to keep businesses and individuals here in this state,” Carnevale said during an interview with WBZ’s Jon Keller.Alongside the budget proposal offered at the start of her term, the governor unveiled a $742 million tax cut proposal which would lower the capit...

Mets’ Justin Verlander ponders future after winning 250th game in final start before trade deadline

Published Mon, 17 Feb 2025 16:45:57 GMT

Making his final start before the fast-approaching trade deadline, the Mets’ Justin Verlander demonstrated once again Sunday how he could help a contender — and joined an exclusive MLB club in the process.The 40-year-old right-hander picked up his 250th career win, holding the Washington Nationals to one run over 5.1 innings in the Mets’ 5-2 victory at Citi Field. Verlander exited to a standing ovation from a home crowd wondering if he had just pitched his last game for New York.The strong outing came a day after the Mets sent co-ace Max Scherzer to the Texas Rangers, establishing them as full-blown sellers before Tuesday’s deadline. The blockbuster move left Verlander pondering his own future, he said after Sunday’s game.“When you see that happen, you can’t help but think, ‘What’s in store for next year?’ We play this game to win,” Verlander said. “You want to win a championship and you want to have the opportu...

Shooting at police facility in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula kills at least 4 officers, officials say

Published Mon, 17 Feb 2025 16:45:57 GMT

EL-ARISH, Egypt (AP) — A shooting Sunday at a heavily fortified security facility in the restive part of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula killed at least four police, including a senior officer, two security and health officials said.At least 21 other forces were wounded in the shooting at the National Security headquarters in el-Arish, the capital city of North Sinai province, they said.A list of casualties obtained by The Associated Press showed that some forces suffered from gunshots and others faced breathing difficulties from tear gas that was fired inside the facility. There were eight officers among the wounded, the list showed.The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.The circumstances surrounding the shooting were not immediately clear, and there was no immediate comment from the Interior Ministry, which oversees police forces.North Sinai is the scene of a yearslong battle against an insurgency led by Islamist militants who have ca...

Mom in B.C. Amber Alert charged with abduction after children found safe in Alberta

Published Mon, 17 Feb 2025 16:45:57 GMT

SURREY, B.C. — The mother of two missing children who were the subject of an 11-day Amber Alert across British Columbia has been charged with abduction after being arrested in Alberta.Surrey RCMP Cpl. Vanessa Munn says police “became aware” of a rural property near Edson, Alta. on Saturday morning and engaged that province’s emergency response team, who entered the property that evening and safely recovered the missing children.Munn says police arrested and charged the children’s 45-year-old mother and her 53-year-old boyfriend with two counts of different variations of abduction charges.Police had previously said there was no evidence to suggest the children’s mom or anyone travelling with her had left British Columbia, but Munn says police now believe the group may have been at the Alberta property since July 18.An Amber Alert was issued on July 19 for an eight-year-old girl and her 10-year-old brother, who were not returned to their father after goin...

Two teens in the hospital, one critical, after shooting in Austin neighborhood, CPD says

Published Mon, 17 Feb 2025 16:45:57 GMT

CHICAGO — Two 16-year-old boys are in the hospital — and one is in critical condition — after a shooting in the Austin neighborhood Sunday afternoon, according to the Chicago Police Department.Police said the two 16-year-old boys were hanging out in front of a residence in the 5000 block of West Adams Street around 2:36 p.m. when an unknown male approached them on foot with a handgun and opened fire.One of the 16-year-old boys was shot in the chest and back, and taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.The other 16-year-old was shot in the left arm, and also taken to Stroger Hospital, but is listed as being in good condition. Woman killed, 8 others injured in shooting at party in North Lawndale overnight Police have no one in custody.If you or someone you know has information that could help CPD make an arrest and conviction in the investigation of this incident, anonymous tips can be filed online at cpdtip.com.

While ‘Barbie’ bonanza continues at the box office, ‘Oppenheimer’ holds No. 2 spot

Published Mon, 17 Feb 2025 16:45:57 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A week later, the “Barbenheimer” boom has not abated.Seven days after Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” conspired to set box office records, the two films held unusually strongly in theaters. “Barbie” took in a massive $93 million in its second weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. “Oppenheimer” stayed in second with a robust $46.2 million. Sales for the two movies dipped 43% and 44%, respectably — well shy of the usual week-two drops.“Barbenheimer” has proven to be not a one-weekend phenomenon but an ongoing box-office bonanza. The two movies combined have already surpassed $1 billion in worldwide ticket sales. Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for data firm Comscore, call it “a touchstone moment for movies, moviegoers and movie theaters.” Your vintage Barbie dolls might be worth a pretty penny — if you have the right ones “Having two movies from rival studios linked in this way and both boosting each othe...

Why is hazing so hard to eliminate?

Published Mon, 17 Feb 2025 16:45:57 GMT

(The Hill) – Northwestern is the latest in a long line of universities to come under public scrutiny due to a scandal over hazing, a practice that has refused to go extinct in colleges and high schools despite multiple concerted efforts to end it.Hazing, which in rare instances has proven fatal, in particular plagues sports teams and Greek Life. Experts say education on the issue and increased consequences are needed to create a real change, although they are skeptical the dangerous practice will exit school life anytime soon.“Hazing has always been prevalent in society, not just in colleges. It's anywhere that you see a different power dynamic between people who are trying to join a group [and] people who are in the group," said Todd Shelton, executive director of the Hazing Prevention Network. "There's research that shows that hazing starts long before college and in those younger ages. It's especially prevalent in athletic teams camps, performing arts groups." The lates...

Heat peaks Monday and Tuesday before fading slightly

Published Mon, 17 Feb 2025 16:45:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Today was our 23rd triple digit day in a row, the second longest stretch on record in Austin. The current record is 27 days in 2011, but we should be alone in first place by Friday.Tonight should be very similar to the last several nights with mostly clear skies and lows in the upper 70s.We'll be in for a mostly sunny and hot Monday with feels like temperatures reaching 105-110º signaling the return of Excessive Heat Warnings for much of the area.Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat AdvisoriesHigh pressure will move back overhead on Monday and Tuesday, which should make for our hottest days of the week. We're currently forecasting a high of 107º both days, which would set a record high Monday and tie the record on Tuesday.Heat dome settles over the stateLater in the week the center of high pressure drops southwest and weakens slightly, which may be enough to knock 2-3 degrees off our high temperatures. Still, the heat continues.The Saharan dust that's been in our sky th...

3M Open: North Oaks’ Frankie Capan III savors PGA Tour home game, looks forward to earning his full-time card

Published Mon, 17 Feb 2025 16:45:57 GMT

3M Open tournament director Mike Welch declared an event first Sunday. He couldn’t recall a sponsor’s exemption ever having his name chanted as he strolled down the fairway.But that was the life of North Oaks native Frankie Capan III at this week’s PGA Tour stop, which was played just 15 minutes from his home. Endless swaths of Capan’s family and friends followed the 23-year-old around the TPC Twin Cities course in Blaine all week, cheering him as he finished at 4-under-par 280 to place 62nd overall at the 3M Open.“It was a pretty special week. Obviously to make my first cut on the big-boy tour in my home state is pretty special, but to have pretty much my entire family out here supporting not only myself but my mom (who was his caddie), I’m just really thankful for them. And also the support that I got from the fans outside of my family,” Capan said after his final-round, even-par 71 on Sunday. “You know, I was trying to tip my cap an...

Rookie center Dorka Juhasz comes up big to cap Lynx’s 87-83 upset of Sun

Published Mon, 17 Feb 2025 16:45:57 GMT

For much of Sunday’s WNBA game, rookie Lynx center Dorka Juhász was getting educated by an opponent with 14 years of experience.Obviously, things were learned.With the Lynx leading by two points, it was Juhász coming up clutch at the defensive end to secure Minnesota’s 87-83 road victory over the Connecticut Sun on Sunday afternoon.“We were riding Dorka pretty hard with her defense this game, her defense on (DeWanna) Bonner where she’s jumping, leaving her feet and just getting schooled by Bonner. We needed a play and she felt like she redeemed herself. She really was challenged by that,” said coach Cheryl Reeve.Out of a timeout with 11.7 seconds left, Bonner, who led Connecticut with 31 points, was one on one against Juhász. Bonner dribbled to the right side and let go with what likely would have been a game-winning three-pointer.Juhász, a 6-foot-5 rookie who played two years at the University of Connecticut, kept her feet on the ground, and had her arms outstretched to...