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Wild weather knocks out power, delays flights, causes damage around southern New England 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:55 GMT

Stormy weather blew through southern New England Monday, lashing the region with heavy rains and strong winds through much of the morning and afternoon. Though conditions were improving late Monday afternoon, one person was dead after a tree fell on a camper in Hanover. Thousands of others across Massachusetts remained in the dark after storm damage knocked out power.“We know the timing of this storm is terrible as people are trying to enjoy time off or prepare for the Christmas holiday,” said Eversource President of Regional Electric Operations Craig Hallstrom in a statement shortly before 3 p.m.“…[O]ur employees are committed to working around-the-clock until all of our customers affected by this storm have their power back,” he later continued.Local wind gusts peaked at 90 miles-per-hour on Great Blue Hill in Milton. Elsewhere, Boston, Nantucket, Norwood and North Weymouth recorded gusts over 60 miles-per-hour. The storm also dropped several inches of rain in many...

Wind rips roof off car wash in Salem, NH

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:55 GMT

Cleanup efforts were underway in Salem, New Hampshire Monday after witnesses said wind ripped the roof of a local car wash. The damage happened at Haffner’s Car Wash shortly after 11 a.m. off Route 28 near the peak of stormy conditions amid a day of wild weather across southern New England.“Just like a sardine can, it just peeled right back,” said Josh Houde, who works next to the damaged car wash. Houde said he heard a loud crashing noise. When he looked outside, he said he saw an Haffner’s employee approaching. “That’s when we walked across the street and saw all that stuff,” he said.Crews were seen moving debris at Haffner’s later in the day Monday. Speaking with 7NEWS, the owners of the now-closed car wash said they were thankful no one was hurt.“It definitely could have been worse,” added Houde. “There could have been people over there or cars parked over there because that place is always busy.”Elsewhere in Salem, workers also spent the afternoon removing a...

Patriots expected to sign ex-Bucs third-round pick to fill running back depth

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:55 GMT

The Patriots are filling one of their open practice squad spots to replenish their running back depth.The Patriots are expected to sign running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn to their practice squad, a source confirmed. Vaughn, a 2020 third-round pick out of Vanderbilt, was waived by the Buccaneers on Friday.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Source: Patriots claim new quarterback off waivers from Jaguars New England Patriots | Source: Chargers signing Patriots’ backup QB for rest of the season New England Patriots | Bill Belichick responds to whether Robert Kraft has his back amid job status reports New England Patriots | Callahan: Patriots’ loss to Chiefs clarifies harsh reality of upcoming rebuild New England Patriots | Patriots rookie Marte Mapu not satisfied after first career interception The 5-foot-10, 214-pound back finished his tenure with the Buccaneers with 103 carries for 384 yard...

Appeals court says Mark Meadows can’t move Georgia election case charges to federal court

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:55 GMT

By KATE BRUMBACK (Associated Press)ATLANTA (AP) — A federal appeals court on Monday ruled that former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows cannot move charges related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia to federal court.Meadows was indicted in August along with former President Donald Trump and 17 others on charges that they illegally conspired to keep the Republican incumbent in power despite him losing the election to Democrat Joe Biden.A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Meadows’ request, affirming a lower court ruling from September. The ruling is a win for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who brought the case and is seeking to try the remaining defendants in a single trial.Meadows’ attorneys had argued that he should be allowed to move the case to federal court because his actions outlined in the indictment were directly related to his duties as a federal official. Prosecutors argued that ...

Pentagon announces new international mission to counter attacks on commercial vessels in Red Sea

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:55 GMT

By TARA COPP and LOLITA C. BALDOR (Associated Press)MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — The U.S. and a host of other nations are creating a new force to protect ships transiting the Red Sea that have come under attack by drones and ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced early Tuesday in Bahrain. The seriousness of the attacks, several of which have damaged the vessels, has led multiple shipping companies to order their ships to hold in place and not enter the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until the security situation can be addressed. “This is an international challenge that demands collective action,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in statement released just after midnight in Bahrain. “Therefore today I am announcing the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian, an important new multinational security initiative.” The United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles a...

Source: Patriots claim new quarterback off waivers from Jaguars

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:55 GMT

It didn’t take long for the Patriots to replace quarterback Will Grier.The Patriots claimed quarterback Nathan Rourke off waivers from the Jaguars, a source confirmed. They needed a new third QB after the Chargers signed Will Grier off of the Patriots’ practice squad and onto their 53-man roster. The Patriots also recently lost QB Malik Cunningham off of their practice squad to the Ravens.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots expected to sign ex-Bucs third-round pick to fill running back depth New England Patriots | Source: Chargers signing Patriots’ backup QB for rest of the season New England Patriots | Bill Belichick responds to whether Robert Kraft has his back amid job status reports New England Patriots | Callahan: Patriots’ loss to Chiefs clarifies harsh reality of upcoming rebuild New England Patriots | Patriots rookie Marte Mapu not satisfied after first career inter...

Warm-weather escapes: Hot destinations to consider this winter

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:55 GMT

Star Tribune staff | Star Tribune (TNS)MINNEAPOLIS — Amid gray skies, barren trees and plummeting mercury, it’s that time of year when vacationing northerners swap out the woodsy cabin for the trade-winds cabana.Mercifully, airlines offer dozens of destinations where winter basically never happens — from the Caribbean to Mexico and Central America, and of course, Hawaii.So we checked weather records and mapped out a surprising 18 destinations from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport where the average high temperature in January is at least a balmy 80. And these are all nonstop routes — meaning you could wake up at dawn, catch a five-hour flight and potentially be on a tropical beach in time for evening cocktails.You could simply stick a finger on the map and try out a new paradise every year. But below are profiles of some of our tried and tested favorites. For the best deals, book your winter escape soon — wherever you fly from.Los Cabos: Tacos, tequila and diving at t...

Apple to stop some watch sales in US over patent dispute

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:55 GMT

CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) — If two of the latest Apple Watches are on your holiday shopping list, don’t dawdle for much longer because the devices won’t be available to buy in the U.S. later this week if the White House doesn’t intervene in an international patent dispute.Apple plans to suspend sales of the Series 9 and Ultra 2 versions of its popular watch for online U.S. customers beginning Thursday afternoon and in its stores on Sunday. The move stems from an October decision by the International Trade Commission restricting Apple’s watches with the Blood Oxygen measurement feature as part of an intellectual property dispute with medical technology company Masimo.The White House had 60 days to review the ITC order issued on Oct. 26, meaning Apple could have kept selling the two affected models in the U.S. through Christmas. But the Cupertino, California, company said in a Monday statement that it is pausing sales early to ensure it complies with the ITC...

Column: The worst tech of 2023 (an anti-gift guide)

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:55 GMT

Brian Merchant | (TNS) Los Angeles TimesIt’s the holidays, and you know what that means: an endless stream of wish lists, gift guides and splashy sales of products competing for our cash. Since this is the 21st century, so many of those are tech products — wearables, AI-infused gadgets, smart birdhouses, a firepit you control with an app, you name it.It’s been a lot.So I got to thinking: What if there was something closer to the opposite of a holiday wish list for tech products? What if, given all the attention focused on the tech we’re being exhorted to buy, we took the occasion to ask whether we need a $150 digitized mug that keeps your coffee heated to a precise temperature? (Seriously, I am seeing this thing everywhere.)What if we took the tech-saturated holidays as an opportunity to instead consider a list of all the tech we wished would go away? A sort of anti-tech gift guide? Maybe it’d help us confront the ways that consumerism has governed the ways t...

Preaching to polarized congregations: A responsibility and a challenge, clergy say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:55 GMT

(RNS) — The Rev. Susan Sparks, a minister and a professional comedian, uses humor in her sermons to help her American Baptist congregation in New York City consider ways to approach those with whom they disagree.Pastor Joel Rainey, who leads a West Virginia evangelical church, hosts a “special edition” of his preaching podcast to answer questions he’s received from his politically diverse congregation about hot-button issues.Rabbi Rachel Schmelkin recently preached about anger, realizing it was an emotion felt by congregants of her Reform synagogue in Washington, no matter their stance on the Israel-Hamas war.Fueled by their work in comedy, psychology and theology, some clergy say reducing polarization is both a spiritual necessity for them and an ever-increasing part of their job description.___This content is written and produced by Religion News Service and distributed by The Associated Press. RNS and AP partner on some religion news content. RNS is solely responsible for this st...