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Healey reestablishes council tasked with advising her on veterans’ services

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:14 GMT

Gov. Maura Healey signed an executive order Friday reworking a council tasked with advising the governor on veterans’ services, a move she said shows the administration’s “dedication” to advocating for the rights of former service members.The Governor’s Advisory Council on Veterans’ Services will meet four times a year and be tasked with producing a written report every two years, a change from the annual reporting requirement former Gov. Charlie Baker his version of the council.Healey’s order comes after she created a new executive office focused on veteran’s services earlier this year and appointed former state Rep. Jon Santiago — a captain in the United States Army Reserve — to lead it.“This council represents another step forward in our mission to prioritize the diverse experiences of our service members and will play a crucial role in our efforts to elevate veterans’ services statewide,” Healey said in a statement.Baker issued a similar advisory council order ...

Biden says debt default deal ‘very close’ while deadline now set at June 5

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:14 GMT

By LISA MASCARO, SEUNG MIN KIM, KEVIN FREKING and FATIMA HUSSEIN (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said a deal to resolve the government’s debt ceiling crisis seemed “very close” late Friday, even as the deadline for a potentially catastrophic default was pushed back four days until a week from Monday.The later “X-date” threatened to open another week of frustrating negotiation between House Republicans and the White House over the risk of a default that could throw the U.S. economy into chaos and sap world confidence in the nation’s lleadership.Yet President Joe Biden was upbeat as he left for the Memorial Day weekend at Camp David, declaring, “It’s very close, and I’m optimistic.”With Republican at the Capitol talking with Biden’s team at the White House, the president said, “There’s a negotiation going on. I’m hopeful we’ll know by tonight whether we’re goin...

Orioles pitcher John Means suffers setback during recovery, won’t be ready in July

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:14 GMT

Orioles pitcher John Means recently suffered a setback that will delay his return from elbow surgery, executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias said Friday.Means, the Orioles’ opening day starter in 2021 and 2022, strained the teres major muscle in the scapula area of his upper back while doing a nonthrowing-related drill at the team’s complex in Florida.Elias said the injury means the left-hander won’t be able to return in July, the month the team previously set as a possible return for Means. It’s unclear how long the muscle strain will set back Means as he recovers from Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery, but Elias said the hope is that the 30-year-old will return in 2023.“Unfortunately, he was doing some activation drills down in Florida and strained a muscle kind of in the scapular region of his upper back,” Elias said. “It’s a muscle injury, it’s not his shoulder capsule, it not a throwing injury, he̵...

Resurgent Mets may be righting ship as they face Rockies for second time this season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:14 GMT

DENVER — The last time the Mets faced the Colorado Rockies, they were at a low point. They were coming off series losses to the Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves and they had just been swept on the road by the Detroit Tigers.The Mets edged the lowly Rockies 1-0 in the first game of a three-game series at Citi Field, but the team failed to get back on track after that win. The bats weren’t showing up and the starting pitching was in rough shape.That series began 21 days ago and since then the Mets’ bats have come alive and the starting pitching has started to as well. Memorial Day typically marks the time of the baseball season when the standings become relevant and the Mets look as though they might be righting the ship just in time as they head into Denver for another three-game set against Colorado having won six of their last eight.This shouldn’t be an especially pressure-packed series, but given the troubles the Mets have had against opponents with ...

Texas AG Ken Paxton invites supporters to rally at state Capitol to protest vote to impeach

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:14 GMT

By ACACIA CORONADO, JIM VERTUNO and JAKE BLEIBERG (Associated Press)AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday urged his supporters to protest at the state Capitol when Republicans in the House of Representatives take up historic impeachment proceedings that threaten to oust him.The House has set a Saturday vote to consider impeaching Paxton and suspending him from office over allegations of bribery, unfitness for office and abuse of public trust — just some of the accusations that have trailed him for most of his three terms. Paxton, a 60-year-old Republican, decried the impeachment proceedings as “political theater” that will “inflict lasting damage on the Texas House,” adding to his earlier claims that it’s an effort to disenfranchise the voters who returned him to office in November.“I want to invite my fellow citizens and friends to peacefully come let their voices be heard at the Capitol tomorrow,” he ...

US cities hope crime strategies keep homicide numbers dropping and prevent summer surge

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:14 GMT

By KATHLEEN FOODY (Associated Press)CHICAGO (AP) — An expected bump in violent crime this summer has mayors and police officials around the U.S. rolling out familiar strategies of making officers more visible and engaging with community groups, in some cases leaning on civilians to enforce curfews and keep the peace.Chicago is among the U.S. cities under scrutiny following a mayoral race that focused on public safety in response to demands for change. Violence often surges during summer months, so this holiday weekend will undoubtedly ramp up pressure on Mayor Brandon Johnson’s new administration to deliver short-term improvement along with the long-term strategies that the former union organizer advocated while campaigning to lead the nation’s third-largest city.“It’s going to take all of us, not just the police, not just city government, to ensure that our communities can live and thrive in peace and safety,” Johnson said at a lakefront press co...

1 dead after cement bags fell onto vehicle from overturned truck on I-805

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:14 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- One person is dead after bags of cement fell onto their vehicle from an overturned truck on an Interstate 805 offramp in Clairemont Friday afternoon, according to California Highway Patrol.The incident happened shortly before 1 p.m. According to CHP, the truck was traveling on the southbound side of the freeway when it overturned on the eastbound State Route 52 ramp.During the crash, CHP reported the truck spilled bags of cement and other materials onto the roadway, striking a gray SUV on the eastbound lanes below. The driver of the SUV was declared dead on scene.A section of SR-52 was closed following the collision, as well as the ramp between the two major arteries. The eastbound SR-52 closure has since been lifted, according to CHP.A Sig Alert was issued at 2:54 p.m. for the southbound I-805 lanes. Traffic is being diverted to the westbound SR-52 lanes. Delays up to 10 minutes are expected in the area, as of 3:15 p.m.At this time, it is not known what caused the truc...

Southwest pilot climbs through cockpit window after after getting locked out

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:14 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A Southwest Airlines pilot had to take an unexpected measure to get onto a Sacramento-bound plane at San Diego International Airport Wednesday: he climbed through the cockpit window.Matt Rexroad, a passenger on Wednesday's 5 p.m. flight, snapped a picture of the pilot squeezing through the window of the front of the plane ahead of the flight's departure, which he then posted to Twitter.The pilot of a Sacramento-bound plane at a gate in San Diego International Airport climbs through a window after getting locked out on May 24, 2023. (Courtesy of Matt Rexroad)The pilot had been locked out of the cockpit after a customer had accidentally closed the door during the boarding process, according to a statement from a Southwest spokesperson." … while other Customers and Flight Attendants were onboard, a Customer opened the forward lavatory door and inadvertently pushed the Flight Deck door closed (which locked) while the Pilots scheduled to operate the flight were preparing to ...

Brazil: UN regional group has endorsed Amazon city to host 2025 climate conference

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:14 GMT

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s government announced Friday that a U.N. Latin America regional group has endorsed a Brazilian city in the Amazon region to host the 2025 U.N. climate change conference, though the world body has not yet publicly confirmed the venue.President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva initially said Brazil will hold the conference, known as COP 30, in the city of Belem, state of Para, in the heart of the Brazilian rainforest, reflecting his intention to bring attention to the Amazon.A statement from the Brazilian government later clarified that the region’s support was merely a step in the selection process. The “support for the Brazilian candidacy demonstrates the region’s confidence in Brazil’s capacity to advance the agenda in the fight against climate change,” the statement read.The latest U.N. climate conference was hosted by Egypt in Sharm el-Sheikh, and this year’s will take place in Dubai. The U.N. has not yet announced the 2024 venue, let alone the 2025 one, b...

As Toronto’s Little Portugal faces changes, the ongoing push to protect the area’s heritage

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:14 GMT

Little Portugal on Dundas Street West has been a hub for Toronto’s Portuguese and Lusophone communities for decades, but like many other culturally distinct neighbourhoods in the city is changing with redevelopment and other factors.Bairrada Churrasqueira Grill is a 34-year Portuguese restaurant mainstay that has grown to three locations in and around Little Portugal. The location on College Street is the biggest, boasting a 4,000-square-foot patio. Regardless of the locale, their mission is serving up authentic cuisine to the masses.At the restaurant near Sheridan Avenue and Dundas Street West, general manager Denis Pirez and members of his team were working to get ready for the day as CityNews visited. Day in and day out, preparations often involve roasting mouthwatering piri piri chicken — a staple in Portuguese cuisine. “It’s the sauce that really makes the chicken and it’s a special recipe that we’ve had in our family for probably 80 years,&#...