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Wasps, hornets force temporary closure of small park in Ashland

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:27 GMT

The town of Ashland has recently been dealing with a massive pest problem in the form of wasps and hornets. The insects, including paper wasps, yellow jackets and hornets, have taken over a part of the downtown area over the past week, forcing officials to cordon off a small park on Front Street and call in outside help from a pest control company.“I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Ashland DPW Director Doug Small in an interview on Monday. The aggressive wasps, which unlike bees, can sting multiple times and survive, have stung at least two people in recent days.“These are all naturally territorial wasps, so this is expected,” said Ashland Conservation Agent Becca Soloman. “They’re just a little more aggressive than we would like to see in a public space.A pest control company sprayed a green-friendly insecticide in the affected area on Friday. But that did little to stop the wasps. On Monday, the company was back to spray again. Though they looked in trees an...

Mets Notebook: Edwin Diaz hopes to pitch this season after torn patellar tendon

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:27 GMT

Edwin Diaz has a goal in sight: He wants to pitch this season.Whether or not his right knee will cooperate is another story, but so far his rehab from a torn patellar tendon is going so smoothly that the Mets closer is eying a late September return.“The goal is I want to pitch this year,” Diaz said Monday, speaking to reporters for the first time since April. “But I’ve got all the checkmarks to check off and we have to see what’s coming up.”A typical timeline for a return is six-to-eight months. September would put the 29-year-old right around the six-month mark. Diaz is still a few weeks off from having to make a decision, but he hopes to hit enough rehab benchmarks to be able to return before the final game of the season in October.Diaz hit a major benchmark Sunday when he threw his first outdoor bullpen. He didn’t face hitters, but he did throw off a mound to a catcher. It was the first time he pitched in a scenario that might mimic a gam...

Healey issues statement in response to wave of weekend gun violence

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:27 GMT

Gov. Maura Healey responded to a rash of gun violence seen across the state over the weekend by issuing a statement and pointing to a small infusion of federal funds her administration has directed to violence prevention programs.On Saturday, eight people were shot in Boston after two men opened fire on each other just as a parade heralding the city’s annual Caribbean Carnival was taking place. In Worcester, a similar event was shuttered early on Sunday after an adult and a child were struck by bullets fired by a pair of mutual assailants.The governor also addressed recent violence in Springfield. In mid-August Victor Nieves, 34, took his own life after he allegedly forced his way into his neighbor’s home and killed 52-year-old Kim Fairbanks before shooting two of her grandchildren and her dog. Aubrianna Lynn Serra, 10, died of her injuries days later.“I’m heartbroken over the gun violence that occurred this weekend in Boston and Worcester amid proud celebrations of cult...

‘Don’t be a Michael Scott’ and avoid getting Storrowed: Massachusetts DCR adds new ‘Cars Only’ sign ahead of move-in day

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:27 GMT

Will the state’s efforts to curb Storrowing actually work this move-in season?The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation has been on a full-court press ahead of move-in day on Sept. 1 — trying to get the word out so people moving their couches and beds in U-Haul trucks don’t slam into low-clearance bridges and overpasses on Storrow Drive, Soldiers Field Road, and Memorial Drive.In addition to a funny social media campaign, DCR on Monday put up a new, more visible and durable “Cars Only” sign on David G. Mugar Way.“This year DCR has expanded our efforts to ensure the public knows about low bridge clearances on our river roads to ensure that we can safely welcome students back to school and new residents to the area,” said DCR Commissioner Brian Arrigo.“We have implemented a pilot program to test out new, more visible and durable signage on Mugar Way and to warn people of the dangers of driving box trucks on low clearanc...

A healthier Andrew Benintendi has been showcasing power for the Chicago White Sox

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:27 GMT

The Chicago White Sox weren’t having much success against Seattle Mariners starter Luis Castillo.Andrew Benintendi struck out his first two at-bats against the right-hander.And Castillo had fanned four consecutive Sox batters when Benintendi came to bat again in the sixth inning of the Aug. 21 game at Guaranteed Rate Field.“I was getting blown away by his heaters and I figured, ‘What’s the worst thing that can happen? I’ll strike out?’” Benintendi said Saturday. “So I might as well try something and I ended up hitting a double.”He sliced a 98 mph fastball to left field on a 1-2 pitch for the double.“I think it kind of clicked right there,” Benintendi said. “Don’t want to jinx it or anything, but going to keep trying to ride it out.”Benintendi has been in a good rhythm at the plate, including showing some more power. He homered in three of his last six games entering Monday’s series opener again...

Boston University CTE study: 41% of contact sport athletes who died young had CTE

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:27 GMT

A new Boston University CTE Center brain bank study has found that more than 40% of contact and collision sport athletes who died young had CTE.The BU Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Center study released on Monday details more than 60 cases of CTE diagnosed in athletes under age 30, including the first American woman athlete diagnosed with CTE.Among a brain bank sample of 152 young athletes exposed to repetitive head impacts (RHI) who died when they were under 30 years old, 41.4% (63 athletes) had neuropathological evidence of CTE — a degenerative brain disease caused by RHI.“This study clearly shows that the pathology of CTE starts early,” said corresponding author Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology at VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the BU CTE Center.“The fact that over 40% of young contact and collision sport athletes in the UNITE brain bank have CTE is remarkable — considering that studies of community brain banks show that fewer...

Video of man petting dog before stealing bike from garage leads to arrest: SDPD

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:27 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A video of a man playing with a dog before police say he stole a bike from a Pacific Beach garage has resulted in an arrest, authorities said.A 42-year-old San Diego man was arrested on suspicion of bicycle theft, San Diego Police Department said in a post on its Instagram Sunday.In early August, police released video of a man who they say entered a garage and got away with a 2019 black Electra three-speed bicycle, which costs around $1,300. Police say the theft happened around 10:30 p.m. on July 15. Motorcyclist killed on SR-78 identified In the video, the man is seen starting to leave with the bike until the household dog appears in the garage and approaches the suspect, who then parks his bike and begins to pet the dog."You're the coolest dog I've ever known, I love you too," the man is heard saying to the dog.About a minute later, the suspect leaves the scene after one last pet."We're thrilled to report the bicycle is back home, much to the delight of Ace, a very ...

Powerful quake and aftershocks rock Indonesia’s Bali and Java islands. No casualties reported

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:27 GMT

DENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) — A powerful earthquake and two strong aftershocks rocked Indonesia’s resort island of Bali and other parts of the country early Tuesday, causing panic but no immediate reports of damage or casualties.The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 and was centered in the Bali Sea 181 kilometers (112 miles) northeast of Gili Air, a tiny island near the coast of Lombok Island, next to Bali. It occurred at a depth of 513.5 kilometers (319 miles).Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency said there was no danger of a tsunami but warned of dangers from aftershocks. The agency put the quake’s preliminary magnitude at 7.4. Variations in early measurements are common.The quake was followed by aftershocks of magnitude 5.4 and 5.6 that hit the Bali sea a few minutes later, just before dawn.Many residents and tourists rushed out of their homes and hotels toward higher ground after reporting powerful shockwaves, but ...

Mark Meadows says actions laid out in Georgia election indictment were part of his official duties

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:27 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — Mark Meadows testified in court Monday that actions detailed in a sweeping indictment that accuses him of participating in an illegal conspiracy to overturn then-President Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss were all part of his job as White House chief of staff.The extraordinary testimony — from a former top presidential aide who now faces charges alongside his old boss — came in the first courtroom skirmish in a case that’s likely to have many. Meadows’ claims were part of his argument that the case should be moved from a state court to federal court. U.S. District Judge Steve Jones did not immediately rule. As Trump was consumed by claims of widespread election fraud in the weeks after his 2020 loss, Meadows said, it was difficult to focus on the things they needed to be doing to wind down the presidency. As a result, Meadows said, he took actions to determine whether the allegations were true, including actions prosecutors allege were improper.Mead...

Guatemala progressive’s presidential victory certified, but his party is suspended from operating

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:27 GMT

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Guatemala’s top electoral tribunal declared progressive Bernardo Arévalo the winner of the country’s presidential elections on Monday, but the prospect of him taking office on Jan. 14 was uncertain after another government body suspended all activities by his Seed Movement party.No authority has explained exactly what the suspension, confirmed to The Associated Press by the party’s lawyer, will mean for the president elect.The moves come after one of the most tumultuous elections in the Central American nation’s recent history, which has put to test Guatemala’s democracy.At a time that Guatemalans, hungry for change, have grown disillusioned with endemic corruption, Arévalo and other competitors of the country’s elite faced waves of judicial attacks in an attempt to knock them out of the race.Arévalo faced former first lady Sandra Torres in the Aug. 20 runoff. According to the official count, the progressive candidate obtained 60.9% of the valid vot...