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Former Worcester City Manager to join Healey Administration

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:08:49 GMT

The state has hired a new $180,000 per year secretary to go along with its recently minted Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, an invention of Gov. Maura Healey’s split from the Department of Housing and Economic Development.Former Worcester City Manager Ed Augustus, who was most recently serving as the Chancellor of Dean College, will join the Healey Administration as its newest Cabinet member at the start of June, the governor’s office announced Monday.According to the governor, Augustus’ work in central Massachusetts developing new housing and his familiarity with local government make him uniquely suited to the role.“He left Worcester a stronger city than it was a decade ago, with booming economic development in the downtown and thousands of new housing units. Importantly, he is intimately familiar with local government and knows what it takes to collaborate with municipalities to move our state forward on our housing goals,” she said along with his ...

Chicago Bears free-agency news: Sam Mustipher, who started 40 games at center the last 3 years, signs with the Baltimore Ravens

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:08:49 GMT

In his second offseason with the Chicago Bears, general manager Ryan Poles has had plenty of salary-cap space to help him rework a roster that finished 3-14 in 2022.The Tribune is tracking all of the Bears’ arrivals and departures and providing insight into what they mean.Sorting through the Bears’ pass rusher options as GM Ryan Poles seeks to beef up the defenseHow every Bears offensive player did in 2022 — and what their contract status is going forwardHow the Bears defensive players did in 2022 — and what their contract status is going forwardBears 2023 schedule: Here’s who they’ll play — and our predictions for each gameSign up for our free Bears alerts so you don’t miss any newsMondayFormer Bears center Sam Mustipher signed a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens.What it means: The Bears moved on from Mustipher in March when they declined to tender him a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent. Signed as an undrafted rookie ...

Watch Live: Chairwoman Vargas to provide update before Fletcher resignation

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:08:49 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- As the effective time for Nathan Fletcher's resignation draws closer, San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas is set to hold a press conference Monday on what happens next.Fletcher announced his intention to step down from his elected office at the end of March, hours allegations of sexual misconduct from a former Metropolitan Transit System employee were made public in a lawsuit filing against him.The Supervisor said that his resignation would be effective Monday at 5 p.m. According to the county, staff from the District 4 office will remain as county employees, serving as a liaison for constituents, the county and other departments. They will become an extension of the county government, with a localized focus on District 4.While there is no Supervisor in the seat, there will be no policies, votes or board letters coming from the office. When a new Supervisor is voted into office later this year, staffing could change.Vargas will be holding her pr...

Historical marker dedicated to feminist, Communist Party leader removed in New Hampshire

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:08:49 GMT

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A historical marker dedicated to a feminist and labor activist in New Hampshire who also led the Communist Party was removed Monday just two weeks after it was unveiled. The green and white sign describing the life of Elizabeth Gurley Flynn was installed May 1 in Concord close to where she was born in 1890. But it quickly drew criticism from two Republican members of the Executive Council, the five-member body that approves state contracts, judicial nominees and other positions. They argued it was inappropriate given Flynn’s communist involvement. Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, meanwhile, called for a review of the historical marker process. “All polices and guidelines were followed in removing this controversial marker,” said Sununu’s spokesperson, Ben Vihstadt. He said Concord city officials weren’t advocating to keep it, and once state officials realized it was on state property and not city land as previously believed, the state removed it.But sup...

Justice Minister David Lametti expected introduce bail-reform legislation

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:08:49 GMT

OTTAWA — Justice Minister David Lametti and the federal government are expected to bring forward legislation to enact bail reform as early as Tuesday. The government has given notice to the House of Commons that it intends to introduce a bill to amend the Criminal Code and a press conference has been scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.Lametti has said he will make “targeted reforms” to the Criminal Code after the provinces and territories publicly raised concerns about repeat offenders. The federal government said the changes will aim to deal with repeat violent offenders and offences involving firearms and other dangerous weapons.The premiers had asked the government to create a “reverse onus” system for some offences. That would require defendants to show the court why they should be released on bail, rather than requiring the prosecution to show why an individual should not be released.They were optimistic the federal government would do just that following m...

Appeals court puts brakes on order that could end US health law’s preventative care mandate

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:08:49 GMT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal appeals court in New Orleans temporarily put on hold Monday a federal judge’s ruling striking down a part of the Affordable Care Act that requires most insurers to cover preventative care including vaccines and screenings for cancer, diabetes and HIV. Without comment, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued an “administrative stay” of the March 30 ruling issued by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor of Texas.The Biden administration had asked for a stay as it appealed the March 30 decision. Administration lawyers said in court filings that O’Connor’s decision would affect preventive care for 150 million people. O’Connor, a nominee of former President George W. Bush, is the same judge who ruled more than four years ago that the entire health care law, a signature achievement of former President Barack Obama, was unconstitutional. The U.S. Supreme Court later overturned that ruling.In his March ruling, O’Conner blocked only the r...

Georgia sheriff agrees to policy review to settle students’ race discrimination complaint

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:08:49 GMT

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia sheriff has agreed to review his department’s policies on bias-free policing and other practices to settle a race discrimination complaint filed by a historically Black college on behalf of students whose bus was pulled over and searched for drugs, the U.S. Justice Department said Monday. The April 2022 traffic stop by sheriff’s deputies in Liberty County caused outrage at Delaware State University, with campus President Tony Allen saying the women’s lacrosse team had been humiliated and intimidated by deputies searching their bus.University administrators filed a complaint with the Justice Department, saying the traffic stop along Interstate 95 south of Savannah had been racially motivated and had violated the students’ civil rights.The Justice Department said in a statement that the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office had agreed to examine its department’s traffic stop and search policies and “make necessary updates,” as wel...

Wyoming black bear hunter accused of killing protected grizzly near highway into Yellowstone

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:08:49 GMT

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A Wyoming hunter faces up to a year in jail and a $10,000 fine if convicted of killing a protected grizzly bear he allegedly claims he mistook for a legal-to-hunt black bear outside Yellowstone National Park.The male grizzly weighing about 530 pounds (240 kilograms) drew a lot of attention from drivers after its death May 1 near U.S. 14-16-20, the eastern approach into Yellowstone.Patrick M. Gogerty, of Cody, turned himself in early the next morning, Wyoming Game and Fish Department game warden Travis Crane wrote in an affidavit filed in Park County Circuit Court.By then, rumors about the dead bear were circulating far and wide.“Gogerty should have turned himself in immediately,” Crane wrote.Grizzlies in the Yellowstone region of southern Montana, eastern Idaho and northwestern Wyoming are a federally protected species. Killing one without a good reason, such as self defense, can bring tough penalties under state and federal law.Gogerty is charged under Wyoming...

Grizzlies’ Morant in limbo again, awaits review of latest gun video on social media

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:08:49 GMT

Ja Morant still had his endorsement deals Monday. While his latest gun video on social media is costing him plenty in public relations currency, he hasn’t lost any money.Any, or all, of that could change any day. Once again, Morant is in limbo — awaiting the outcome of yet another NBA investigation into what could end up becoming a cataclysmic off-court decision.“This is going to be a hot question,” Syracuse professor of sport management Rick Burton said Monday. “I don’t think they can hit pause on this. I think that there will be too much demand for, ‘What are you going to do?’”The NBA already suspended the two-time All-Star guard eight games in March for livestreaming himself holding an apparent handgun in Colorado. That cost him about $669,000 in salary. How Morant’s sponsors react to him being caught on social media apparently holding a weapon for the second time in less than three months is another issue. Morant has endorsement deals with Nike and the sports drink Powerad...

Colorado man tries to trade places with dog to avoid DUI arrest

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:08:49 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Colo. (AP) — A driver, who was pulled over for speeding, tried to switch places with his dog to avoid arrest, police in Colorado said.An officer watched him maneuvering inside the car before he got out on the passenger side on Saturday night in Springfield, a town of about 1,300 people on the state’s Eastern Plains, police said in a Facebook post Sunday.The man said he was not behind the wheel and clearly showed signs of being drunk, police said. He ran from the officer when asked about how much he had had to drink and was caught within about 20 yards (18 meters), police said. After being taken to the hospital to be checked out, the man was arrested on suspicion of charges including driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and driving while ability impaired as well as for previous warrants for his arrest. The Associated Press