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Polar plunge

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:57 GMT

From Southie to Quincy and up and down the coast, a few hearty souls welcomed in the new year with a traditional polar plunge into the ocean. With temperatures hovering in the high 30s, it wasn’t freezing — but close enough.

Migrant buses bypass NYC for New Jersey

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:57 GMT

After New York City moved last week to slow the pace of asylum seeker-filled charter buses arriving from southern states, roughly a dozen buses carrying city-bound migrants have arrived in New Jersey since Saturday, according to officials.The wave of buses west of New York City, which continued Monday morning, appears to represent a response by Republican-led Texas to an executive order implemented by Mayor Adams barring migrant buses from the city except during 210-minute windows on weekday mornings.Over the weekend, about 10 migrant buses that originated in Texas and one bus that came from Louisiana arrived in New Jersey municipalities including Edison, Fanwood, Secaucus and Trenton, according to the government of Jersey City.About 400 people arrived on those buses, said Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop.“It’s the first time that buses have arrived in New Jersey. The buses are looking to circumvent that rule,” Fulop, a Democrat, said by phone, referring to New York City’s executive o...

Police: Two men shot at CT strip club on New Years Eve

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:57 GMT

Police are investigating a shooting at an adult entertainment club in Vernon that injured two men shortly before midnight on New Years Eve.The Vernon Police Department said officers arrived at Lucky’s Cabaret at 65 Windsor Ave. at 11:56 p.m. in response to a shooting.Upon arrival, the department said officers located two men with gunshot wounds. The men were treated and transported to Hartford Hospital by Vernon EMS.The two victims are in stable condition, according to Vernon Police.The investigation is ongoing. The department asks anyone with information to call the Vernon Police Department Detective Division at 860-872-9126.

Les McCann, innovative jazz musician best known for ‘Compared to What,’ dies at 88

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:57 GMT

Les McCann, a prolific and influential musician and recording artist who helped found the soul-jazz genre and became a favorite source for sampling by Dr. Dre, A Tribe Called Quest and hundreds of other hip-hop performers, has died. He was 88. McCann died Friday in Los Angeles a week after being hospitalized with pneumonia, according to his longtime manager and producer, Alan Abrahams.A Lexington, Kentucky, native, McCann was a vocalist and self-taught pianist whose career dated back to the 1950s, when he won a singing contest while serving in the U.S. Navy and appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” the top variety program of its time. With admirers including Quincy Jones and Miles Davis, he went on tour worldwide and released dozens of albums, starting in 1960 with “Les McCann Ltd. Plays the Truth.”He was best known for “Compared to What,” a funky protest song on which he first teamed up with his future musical partner, saxophonist Eddie Harris. Written by Eugene McDaniels and r...

Missing Chinese exchange student found safe in Utah following cyber kidnapping scheme, police say

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:57 GMT

RIVERDALE, Utah (AP) — A foreign exchange student from China who was reported missing last week in Utah has been found in what authorities said was an apparent “cyber kidnapping” scheme to extort $80,000 from the student’s family.The 17-year-old student was reported missing Friday, a day after he was last seen at the home where he had been staying in Riverdale, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from Salt Lake City.Riverdale police initially said that they believed the student had been forcefully taken from his home. But on Sunday night they said he was found safe in a tent about 25 miles (40 kilometers) away from Riverdale in the Brigham City area.He was convinced that his family in China was threatened and that he needed to isolate himself, according to police. It’s unclear how he received this information or why he was isolating himself.Meanwhile, his family had received a ransom note and photograph of the student that made it appear that he’d been abducted and was ...

Excessive crowding at Union Station causes delays to get home on New Year’s Eve

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:57 GMT

Users on different social media platforms showed excessive crowding at Union Station last night with hundreds of people stuck trying to get home.Reddit user skipper_8 posted photos of crowds of people packed inside various parts of the station with little room to move.Union station on New Year’s byu/skipper_8 inTTCCityNews reached out to Metrolinx to ask about any potential maintenance issues, though the transit agency says the main reason for the congestion was the sheer number of people.“It appears that the videos in question were taken at a time when bars close and when volume would be higher with customers waiting for their train, bus or the subway,” said Metrolinx Media Relations in a statement.“Significant planning and preparation is done for major events like New Year’s Eve to accommodate the expected increased customer volumes at these times. Volumes in our concourses are also directly impacted by TTC service changes as additional people waiting for t...

Rays shortstop Wander Franco arrested amid allegations of relationship with minor, AP source says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:57 GMT

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco was arrested Monday in the Dominican Republic after being interviewed by prosecutors investigating him for an alleged relationship with a minor, according to an official in the Puerto Plata province prosecutor’s office.Franco appeared before prosecutors while accompanied by two lawyers, days after not showing up for a meeting with prosecutor Olga Diná Llaverías, according to the official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss the case. The official said the interview lasted nearly three hours.Llaverías had originally requested Franco appear Dec. 28, two days after prosecutors and police visited two of Franco’s properties in Baní, the All-Star player’s hometown some 37 miles (60 kilometers) southwest of the capital, to request his appearance. They did not find the 22-year-old player there.Authorities have released little informat...

Ethiopia and a breakaway Somali region sign a deal giving Ethiopia access to the sea, leaders say

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:57 GMT

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Landlocked Ethiopia took the first steps toward gaining access to the sea on Monday, signing an agreement in the capital of Addis Ababa with the breakaway Somali region of Somaliland to access the Somaliland coastline.The memorandum of understanding was signed by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi.As part of the deal, Somaliland plans to lease a 20-km (12.4-mile) stretch of land along its coastline to Ethiopia to establish a marine force base, Abdi said at the signing.With a population estimated at over 120 million, Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country in the world.The agreement strengthens the security, economic and political partnership between Ethiopia and Somaliland, a statement from the Ethiopian prime minister’s office said.Somaliland President Abdi said the agreement included a statement that Ethiopia would recognize Somaliland as an independent country in the near future.Somaliland seceded fro...

6 injured in North Lawndale crash

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:57 GMT

CHICAGO — A crash on the city's West Side left six people injured and a bus stop shelter badly damaged on Monday.The crash happened around 12:30 p.m. near Central Park Avenue and Roosevelt Road in North Lawndale. Driver crashes into tree near ice rink in Millennium Park Two damaged vehicles were spotted at the scene, including one that was still lodged inside a CTA bus stop shelter.Six people were hospitalized following the crash, but the extent of their injuries is currently unknown.Currently, it is unclear what led to the crash.

NASCAR legend Cale Yarborough dies at 84

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:57 GMT

FLORENCE, S.C. (WBTW) -- NASCAR legend Cale Yarborough has died at 84 after a long illness. Yarborough died early Sunday morning at McLeod Hospice in Florence, South Carolina, according to his family. NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France released a statement following Yarborough's death:“Cale Yarborough was one of the toughest competitors NASCAR has ever seen. His combination of talent, grit and determination separated Cale from his peers, both on the track and in the record book. He was respected and admired by competitors and fans alike and was as comfortable behind the wheel of a tractor as he was behind the wheel of a stock car. On behalf of the France family and NASCAR, I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Cale Yarborough.”Cale Yarborough is pictured at the 1978 Pocono 500 / NASCAR Winston Cup Series Coca-Cola 500 at Pocono Raceway. (Photo by Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)During his career, Yarborough won 83 races, tying Jimmie Johns...