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Universal free school meals keeping Massachusetts students more awake during class

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:04 GMT

Less than a month into the school year, hundreds of thousands of students across Massachusetts are taking advantage of universal free breakfasts and lunches, keeping them more attentive throughout the day, officials say.This is the first year the state Legislature is providing universal free meals to Bay State schools permanently, a program officials say is a major relief from what they describe as a “broken system.”Waivers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture brought flexibility to districts during the pandemic, allowing them to provide students with meals at no cost. But federal breakfast and lunch programs resumed last year for the first time since pre-pandemic.Massachusetts families, however, don’t need to worry about spending money on school meals this year, as the state budget includes about $172 million in permanent funding to provide universal free breakfasts and lunches for public school students in kindergarten through high school.The Quincy school district has seen a 2...

‘Free Karen Read’ billboard goes up ahead of hearing in murder case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:04 GMT

A new billboard not far from Gillette Stadium in Foxboro aims to capture the attention of the few in Greater Boston who haven’t been following the case of Karen Read, the Mansfield woman accused of killing her boyfriend with her car on a snowy night in January of last year.Read’s case has been quite the talker first in Greater Boston, when she was lugged into court just days after the body of her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, was discovered by responding police on the front yard of 34 Fairview Road in Canton. Read and two other women were attempting to breathe life and warmth into the cold, mangled O’Keefe a little after 6 a.m. on Jan. 29, 2022.The case, which has become popular enough that the doors to the Norfolk Superior Court room where its hearings have taken place were left open at the last hearing to accommodate onlookers who couldn’t grab a bench in time, is back on Friday morning for what is sure to be another motions fight based on recent filings in the ca...

MBTA gets scathing letter from feds: ‘Immediate’ action ordered to avoid worker ‘death’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:04 GMT

The Federal Transit Administration has stepped into the MBTA’s affairs, ordering the beleaguered agency to act fast to keep employees out of potentially deadly situations.In a letter sent to MBTA General Manager Phil Eng Thursday, the feds said that “immediate action” is required to prevent trains from colliding with track workers, as they apparently nearly have several times in the last month.“Over the last month MBTA has experienced four additional near miss events, including two incidents on the Red Line and two on the Green Line. The MBTA also failed to report these near misses as required by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU). Based on these incidents, FTA has determined that a combination of unsafe conditions and practices exist such that there is a substantial risk of serious injury or death of a worker,” they wrote.The letter cites five other near misses they warned the MBTA about in April, before going on to issue a set of demands.“FTA deems it nec...

Both sides rest in Texas AG Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial, moving historic case closer to a verdict

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:04 GMT

By PAUL J. WEBER and JAKE BLEIBERG (Associated Press)AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — With time running out in Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ‘s impeachment trial on corruption charges, the Republican on Thursday pointed to renewed support from Donald Trump before a jury of GOP lawmakers decides his future. The final stretch of the historic trial is pushing Paxton closer to a verdict that will determine whether one of Texas’ most powerful figures — who tried to baselessly help Trump overturn the 2020 election — is removed from office after years of criminal charges and alleged scandal. Late Thursday, Paxton’s defense team rested after calling four witnesses, all of them current employees. It was not immediately clear how soon closing arguments might begin.Trump blasted the impeachment as “shameful” in the waning moments of a trial that has showcased fractures in the party. Paxton was impeached by the Republican-led Texas House in May and activi...

Zelenskyy is expected to visit Washington as Congress is debating $21 billion in aid for Ukraine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:04 GMT

By STEPHEN GROVES, LISA MASCARO and MATTHEW LEE (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected at the White House and on Capitol Hill next week as he visits the U.S. during the United Nations General Assembly.Zelenskyy’s trip comes as Congress is debating President Joe Biden’s request to provide as much as $21 billion in military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine as it fights the Russian invasion.An administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive visit, said Zelenskyy will meet with Biden at the White House next Thursday. The trip to the Capitol was confirmed by two congressional aides granted anonymity to discuss the plans. The Ukrainian president made a wartime visit to Washington in December 2022 and delivered an impassioned address to a joint meeting of Congress. At the time it was his first known trip outside his country since Russia invaded in February of that year. In his speech to ...

Man sentenced for killing brother with crossbow

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:04 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- On Thursday, a judge sentenced a man convicted of killing his older brother to 25 years to life in prison. The murder happened in August 2021 in City Heights.Inside a downtown San Diego courtroom, two parents faced a heartbreaking reality, having to split their love for their two sons during a sentencing for one convicted of killing the other.  “I firmly believe that he was wrongly convicted. I implore you to consider the circumstances. I can't," the mother of Adam and Trenton Thomas said before breaking down in tears.  The father finished reading the mother’s statement in court. “To say we love our children immensely is not enough. The thought of losing another child to life in prison for an unintentional act is unfathomable,” Adam and Trenton’s dad said.  A judge sentenced Adam Thomas to 25 years to life for killing his older brother, 22-year-old Trenton Thomas, but, not before Adam’s lawyer tried to argue a motion to drop the charge to second-degree murder....

Janitors protest at San Diego International, demanding better pay

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:04 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Banging drums, chanting slogans and holding signs, dozens of janitors who work at San Diego International held a protest outside Terminal 2 Thursday morning, demanding better pay and working conditions.“What we understand is that many workers across California are fighting for $20 an hour, $25 an hour. Janitors at San Diego International Airport are making less than $20 an hour and some of these folks have been working here for 10-15 years," said Christian Ramirez, political director with SEIU.Around 200 janitors at the airport work for contractor Flagship. But they’ve worked without a contract since August.“We want wages, we want to be respected and give us dignity. We want a good working environment," said Ernesto Salazar, a janitor who has worked at the airport for about 10 years and is making around $18 an hour.Ramirez says Flagship has been slow coming to the negotiating table, adding that needs to change in order to solve the labor dispute.“We are hopeful that Fla...

Zelenskyy is expected to visit Washington as Congress is debating $24 billion in aid for Ukraine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:04 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected at the White House and on Capitol Hill next week as he visits the U.S. during the United Nations General Assembly.Zelenskyy’s trip comes as Congress is debating President Joe Biden’s request to provide as much as $24 billion in military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine as it fights the Russian invasion.An administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive visit, said Zelenskyy will meet with Biden at the White House next Thursday. The trip to the Capitol was confirmed by two congressional aides granted anonymity to discuss the plans. The Ukrainian president made a wartime visit to Washington in December 2022 and delivered an impassioned address to a joint meeting of Congress. At the time it was his first known trip outside his country since Russia invaded in February of that year. In his speech to cheering lawmakers, Zelenskyy thanked Americans for helping to fund the ...

Alabama Public Library Service to create list of controversial books

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:04 GMT

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Public Library Service has voted to create a list of books that parents might consider inappropriate for children and teenagers. The list will be compiled from submissions from the public and posted to the Library Service website and distributed to libraries, news outlets reported. The proposal, approved Wednesday, was sponsored by Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl, who is a member of the library board. Wahl told The Associated Press that the list is meant to be a resource for librarians and parents. He said it will be up to local libraries to decide what books they stock and where they are placed. Wahl said they do no not believe they have the authority to dictate to local libraries on book selection. The board is seeking an opinion from the Alabama attorney general’s office on the scope of their authority.“Since the beginning of time, parents have protected children from inappropriate material,” Wahl said.Lauren Boone with ...

Eight children released from hospital after E. coli outbreak at Calgary daycares

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:04 GMT

Eight children who were severely ill from E. coli infections have been discharged from hospital even as the number of cases related to an outbreak at several Calgary daycares continued to rise.There were 329 lab-confirmed cases of the bacterial infection, as of Thursday, related to an outbreak at 11 daycares that was declared Sept. 4.Investigators were still looking for the source of the outbreak, but health officials have said it almost certainly came from a central kitchen used by the daycares.Alberta Health Services said in a statement that the number of infected had gone up as test results came back from the lab, but that the number of patients in Alberta Children’s Hospital had declined for a second day.“There are currently 13 patients receiving care in hospital, all of whom are children,” the health authority said Thursday. “Eight children have been discharged since yesterday and are now recovering at home.”Twenty patients — 19 children and one ad...