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Boston City Council punts Mass. and Cass ordinance to public hearing

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:14:54 GMT

The Boston City Council quietly moved one of the most-talked-about issues in the city into its legislative process Wednesday with little discussion in the chamber, rejecting an attempt to immediately adopt the mayor’s strategy for addressing encampments in an area that’s at the center of the state’s opioid epidemic.The council sent a Mayor Michelle Wu ordinance related to the homeless encampment at Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard to its Committee on Government Operations — after Wu’s announcement last week of a new approach to address the tent city and “open air drug market” on the border of Roxbury and the South End grabbed headlines and sparked strong reactions across Boston.Wu on Monday filed the ordinance, which would give police the power to immediately remove tents and tarps on public property and roads. Under current protocol, Boston officials have to give 48-hours notice.The mayor’s “phase ch...

Boston police, BPS take part in inaugural ‘Dodge Bowl’ in Hyde Park

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:14:54 GMT

It was game on at the New Mission High School in Hyde Park Wednesday for the inaugural “Dodge Bowl” involving members of Boston Public Schools Safety Services and the Boston Police Department’s School Engagement Unit. The dodgeball tournament ran with the goal of strengthening the partnership between the school engagement unit and BPS safety specialists, as described in a press release from the Boston Public Schools. “Although we’re adults, inside there’s always that inner child, and what better way than to just let it go, relax and just be ready for the school year,” said Boston Public Schools Engagement Unit Commander Juana Hernandez. As officials got out of uniform and hit the court, Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox and Boston Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper joined in. “This is, to me, a good celebration of fun and joy, of coming together,” Skipper told reporters. “Sometimes, we forget that life is also about enjoying each other’s company and h...

Feds question Tesla on no-hands driving

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:14:54 GMT

DETROIT — Tesla is allowing some drivers to use its Autopilot driver-assist system for extended periods without making them put their hands on the steering wheel, a development that has drawn concern from U.S. safety regulators.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has ordered Tesla to tell the agency how many vehicles have received a software update making that possible and it’s seeking more information on what the electric vehicle maker’s plans are for wider distribution.“NHTSA is concerned that this feature was introduced to consumer vehicles, and now that the existence of this feature is known to the public, more drivers may attempt to activate it,” John Donaldson, the agency’s acting chief counsel, wrote in a July 26 letter to Tesla that was posted on the agency’s website. “The resulting relaxation of controls designed to ensure that the driver remain engaged in the dynamic driving task could lead to greater driver inattent...

Source: Patriots Tyquan Thornton to start season on injured reserve

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:14:54 GMT

The Patriots will be without wide receiver Tyquan Thornton for at least four weeks.The Patriots plan to place Thornton on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, according to a source. Thornton suffered his injury during joint practices with the Packers in Green Bay two weeks ago. He has no participated in practice since landing awkwardly diving for a pass.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Kendrick Bourne happy to be with Patriots through trades, cutdowns New England Patriots | DeVante Parker among 3 Patriots missing at practice Wednesday, several others return New England Patriots | Patriots re-signing Bailey Zappe, Malik Cunningham to practice squad New England Patriots | Patriots practice squad tracker: Bailey Zappe, Malik Cunningham re-sign New England Patriots | Callahan: The Patriots failed to help Mac Jones this offseason and paid for it on cutdown day The 2022 second-round pick also missed t...

Coco Gauff channeling NBA star Jimmy Butler in U.S. Open run

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:14:54 GMT

Coco Gauff was only two months ago embarrassingly bounced from Wimbledon in the first round.Today? Gauff’s in top form. She won the tuneup tournament in Cincinnati less than two weeks ago, toppling No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the final. At Flushing this year, she’s the best hope for the first American champion — men or women — since Sloane Stephens in 2017.The adjustment, Gauff said, was strictly mental. And it was inspired by one of her loyal fans, NBA star Jimmy Butler, who watched from courtside Wednesday as Gauff trounced Mirra Andreeva in the second round, 6-3, 6-2.“That switch I had in the last couple weeks. people think some incredible thing happened,” the sixth-seeded Gauff said. “But realistically, the two weeks between Wimbledon and the next tournament I played, nothing could have really changed that much. It was really just the mental thing. I think that’s what I learned from watching Jimmy compete over the years.”As a South ...

Kendrick Bourne happy to be with Patriots through trades, cutdowns

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:14:54 GMT

FOXBORO — Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was a popular guy around cutdown day.The Patriots received calls from wide receiver-needy teams interested in acquiring Bourne in a trade, a source confirmed a report from The Athletic. The Patriots turned them down, and Bourne is happy to stick in New England.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | DeVante Parker among 3 Patriots missing at practice Wednesday, several others return New England Patriots | Patriots re-signing Bailey Zappe, Malik Cunningham to practice squad New England Patriots | Patriots practice squad tracker: Bailey Zappe, Malik Cunningham re-sign New England Patriots | Callahan: The Patriots failed to help Mac Jones this offseason and paid for it on cutdown day New England Patriots | Patriots depth chart reset: Projecting New England’s starters after surprising 53-man roster cuts “I appreciate Bill (Belichick),” B...

Raimondo: China ‘uninvestable’ without change 

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:14:54 GMT

SHANGHAI — Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo  said she warned Chinese leaders that U.S. businesses might stop investing in their country without prompt action to address complaints about worsening conditions due to raids on firms, unexplained fines and unpredictable official behavior.Raimondo’s comments Wednesday add to pressure on Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government, which is trying to revive investor interest and reverse an economic slump. Business groups say confidence among foreign companies is at an all-time low. Official figures show foreign investment plunged in the latest quarter.Raimondo visited Beijing as part of U.S. efforts to restore relations that plummeted to their lowest level in decades due to disputes about technology, security, Taiwan and other issues.She called her meetings with China’s No. 2 leader, Premier Li Qiang, and other officials “very productive” but said she “didn’t pull any punches” in conveying busines...

Red Sox notebook: Despite strong numbers, Rafael Devers has been ‘off’ all season

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:14:54 GMT

By normal standards, Rafael Devers is having a terrific season.Entering Wednesday Devers was batting .269 with 29 home runs, 88 RBI, 28 doubles and an .853 OPS, putting him on pace to comfortably top 30 home runs and 100 RBI for the third time in his career. He’s also third on the team in wins above replacement (3.0), leads the team in total bases (244), and ranks seventh in baseball for OPS among qualifying players age 26 and under.Most players would kill to put up numbers like that, yet by Devers’ standards this season has often felt a tad underwhelming.Devers’ season has been defined by a series of peaks and valleys, with brief explosions of production interspersed around longer offensive droughts. He hit three home runs total in the month of May after hitting 10 in April, went homerless for 16 straight games between May 20 and June 8 and more recently hit just one over 17 games between July 28 and Aug. 16.His on-base percentage also lingered south of .300 throu...

Ticker: Economic growth revised downward; Biden tweak would up overtime eligibility 

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:14:54 GMT

The U.S. economy expanded at a 2.1% annual pace from April through June the government said Wednesday in a downward revision from its initial estimate.The government had previously estimated that the economy expanded at a 2.4% annual rate last quarter.The Commerce Department’s second estimate of growth last quarter marked a slight acceleration from a 2% annual growth rate from January through March.Though the economy has been slowed by the Federal Reserve’s strenuous drive to tame inflation with interest rate hikes, it has managed to keep expanding, with employers still hiring and consumers still spending.Consumer spending, which accounts for about 70% of the U.S. economy, rose at a 1.7% annual pace in the April-June quarter — a decent gain, though down from 4.2% in the first three months of 2023.Biden tweak would up overtime eligibilityThe Biden administration is proposing a new rule that would make 3.6 million more U.S. workers eligible for overtime pay, reviving an Ob...

Man killed in stabbing near McDonald's

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:14:54 GMT

SAN DIEGO — A man was killed Wednesday in a stabbing near a McDonald's in the Midway District, San Diego police said.According to SDPD, police received a report of a stabbing around 11:25 a.m. at the McDonald's located at 3805 Midway Drive.Upon arrival, officers found a man in the parking lot with at least one stab wound, police said. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Brother of Encanto shooting suspect talks to FOX 5 During their preliminary investigation, police learned that a man pulled up in a vehicle, possibly a white or light-colored minivan, and chased the victim down and stabbed him, Lt. Jud Campbell said.According to police, the suspect was last seen driving westbound on Midway Drive. The identity of the victim has not yet been publicly released. He was described as a man in his 30s by police.The incident is under investigation and homicide detectives were on scene to search for physical evidence, potential victims and nea...