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SJC says Holyoke Soldiers’ Home leaders can be charged

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:10:35 GMT

Criminal proceedings can proceed against two former Holyoke Soldiers’ Home officials accused of negligence that led to the deaths of dozens of veterans early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the state’s highest court ruled Thursday.In a 5-2 decision that reversed a lower court’s dismissal of grand jury indictments, the Supreme Judicial Court said prosecutors should have a chance to present their case at trial against Bennett Walsh, the facility’s former superintendent, and David Clinton, its former medical director.Justice Dalila Argaez Wendlandt wrote in the majority ruling that testimony presented to the grand jury “constituted probable cause to believe that the defendants violated the elder neglect statute” and concluded Superior Court Judge Edward McDonough “erred in dismissing the indictments” in November 2020.Justices David Lowy and Elspeth Cypher dissented, with Lowy writing that there was “insufficient evidence before the grand ...

4 easy ways to reduce your carbon footprint when traveling

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:10:35 GMT

Travel, by nature, takes energy. Moving our bodies around the globe requires fuel, often in the form of carbon-emitting fossil fuels.Air travel generates 11% of total U.S. transportation emissions, according to a 2021 White House fact sheet. That’s a huge number, but it points to another big carbon toll: 89% of emissions happen on the ground.Thankfully, being a more sustainable traveler doesn’t require enormous sacrifice — or expense. Reducing the impact of getting around on the ground at your destination is easy and can improve the quality of your trip.1. Visit transit-friendly destinationsFor many destinations, the airport signs that point to “ground transportation” have only a couple of options: rideshares and rental cars. Neither of these is very carbon-friendly, according to a 2022 report from the Congressional Budget Office, which estimates that cars release just under half a pound of carbon dioxide per passenger mile traveled.On the other hand, rail transit releases less than...

Turkey’s Erdogan appears via video link after health scare

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:10:35 GMT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan inaugurated a nuclear power plant via video Thursday in his first public appearance since falling ill on live TV and canceling campaign stops, as he sought to dispel concerns about his health weeks before a crucial election.The 69-year-old leader looked pale sitting behind a desk surrounded by Cabinet members, aides and political allies to preside at the event marking the delivery of the first fuel to the Russian-built Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in southern Turkey.Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey for two decades, canceled election rallies Wednesday and Thursday after suffering what the health minister described as a gastrointestinal infection during a TV interview on Tuesday. Turkish officials denied online rumors that Erdogan, who underwent intestinal surgery in 2011, had suffered a serious illness and was hospitalized. “We categorically reject such baseless claims regarding President (Erdogan’s) health,” his communications ...

Mounties give update on deadly stabbing rampage in Saskatchewan

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:10:35 GMT

MELFORT, Sask. — Mounties are releasing details about what happened during a deadly mass stabbing in Saskatchewan last year. RCMP Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore says the Mounties probe into the rampage was incredibly complex and large-scale. Eleven people were killed and 18 were injured on the James Smith Cree Nation and in the nearby village of Weldon on Sept. 4.Myles Sanderson, the 32-year-old accused in the attacks, died in police custody a few days later.Blackmore said she understands that people have many questions about how the tragedy could have happened. “Some of those answers, unfortunately, may never be known,” Blackmore said. RCMP expect the latest update to take four hours and will provide information about what Sanderson was doing that morning and the sequence of attacks.Blackmore said RCMP examined 42 different crime scenes, including buildings and vehicles. They also seized around 700 exhibits and spoke with more than 250 witnesses. Mounties said ...

Sunak says UK, Italy ‘aligned’ as he meets far-right Meloni

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:10:35 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Prime Minister Rishi Sunak declared that Britain and Italy are “very aligned” in values as he welcomed far-right Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni on Thursday for talks focused on migration, defense and the war in Ukraine.While Sunak meets leaders of all political stripes from around the world, he had notably warm words as he greeted Meloni at 10 Downing St., the British leader’s official residence.The Conservative prime minister praised Meloni’s “very careful handling of the Italian economy.”“I think the values between our two countries are very aligned, which is why we can work so well together on shared challenges, whether it’s responding to Putin’s illegal invasion in Ukraine, where again I pay tribute to your leadership, but also tackling illegal migration, which is something that is common to both of us,” Sunak said.The two governments share an interest in stopping migrants reaching their countries by boat.Sunak’s administration is passing a bill through Parliament ...

DEA chief grilled over probe into no-bid contracts, hiring

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:10:35 GMT

Lawmakers grilled U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration chief Anne Milgram on Thursday over millions of dollars in no-bid contracts that are the subject of a watchdog probe into whether the agency improperly hired some of her past associates. Milgram faced a barrage of criticisms from mostly Republican members of the House Appropriations Committee over an Associated Press investigation that the DEA spent $4.7 million on “strategic planning and communication” and other no-bid contracts to hire people Milgram knew from her days as New Jersey’s attorney general and as a New York University law professor — at costs far exceeding pay for government officials.“Everyone is afforded the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. But these reports are pretty strong,” said Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia.Added Rep. Mike Garcia of California: “To make the assertion that you’re doing this job well, or getting the job done, is frankly flagrant and offensive. I don’t think you’re doing a goo...

Chopin museum reopens in Warsaw with new original exhibits

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:10:35 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A baroque Warsaw mansion hosting a museum dedicated to one of Europe’s greatest 19th century musicians, Polish pianist and composer Frederic Chopin, is reopening with a new focus on original artifacts after months of pandemic-spurred renovations.“The main reason of this refurbishing was to create a good atmosphere, good air conditions for the … original objects,” Artur Szklener, director of the National Frederic Chopin Institute said Thursday.“And at the same time we wanted to change some ideas of the exhibition itself showing more of the originals,“ he told The Associated Press.The museum, which houses Chopin’s last piano, a Pleyel, and manuscripts of his music, will also display new items including letters he wrote to his companion, writer George Sand, and a satirical drawing she made of him, as well as an oil portrait of Chopin by his friend Teofil Kwiatkowski, a fellow Pole.The focus of the renewed exhibition is on the original manuscripts, whic...

Railroad workers rescue 3-year-old from tracks in New York

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:10:35 GMT

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — A railroad conductor in New York sprinted to scoop up a 3-year-old boy who had wandered dangerously close to the electrified third rail, officials said this week.Engineer William Kennedy, who was operating a southbound train April 6, was the first to spot the boy on Metro-North Railroad tracks near Tarrytown, north of New York City, and sent out an emergency radio message, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said in a news release.“There’s a little kid north of you guys,” someone can be heard saying in a video released by the MTA, addressing the crew of an approaching northbound train. The video shows the northbound train proceeding slowly until the crew can spot the child. Assistant conductor Marcus Higgins jumps down from the train, grabs the boy from a fence on top of the third rail and carries him to safety.Meanwhile, the MTA said, two additional railroad employees on their way to help spotted the child’s sobbing mother and sister on a street c...

PHOTOS: New 'REACH' sculpture opens at O'Hare Multi-modal Facility

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:10:35 GMT

CHICAGO — The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) announced the installation of a new large-scale sculpture at O'Hare International Airport. The sculpture consists of two arms, approximately 27 and 31 feet long suspended between nine and 34 feet off the ground in the North Escalator Hall of the Multi-Modal Facility."REACH" was created by two New-York based artists, Hank Willis Thomas and Coby Kennedy. CPS looking to hire more nutritional staff “REACH” is just the latest in a series of art installations that have gone up in recent years at the MMF, as part of the expansion and modernization of Terminal 5.The CDA and DCASE are also partnering to commission the largest set of works by artists by the City of Chicago in the last 30 years. City spokespersons say that the $3.5 million project allows the city to invest in artists while giving international visitors a unique and welcoming experience to the city.

Chipotle sweepstakes offers 'Burrito Care Packages' for health care workers: Here’s how to enter

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:10:35 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Chipotle is planning to award thousands of “burrito care packages” to health care workers as a thank you for their hard work over the last year.Beginning April 27, health care professionals across the U.S. can enter for a chance to win one of up to 2,000 burrito prize packages, each containing 50 codes for free entrées at Chipotle. Grass-fed beef burgers recalled over possible rubber pieces "Given the demands placed on the healthcare community every day, we know finding time to bond, celebrate, or even eat as a team can be challenging," Chris Brandt, the chief marketing officer at Chipotle, said in a press release issued Thursday. "The Burrito Care Packages offer a convenient opportunity for healthcare units to come together and share a delicious meal on us."Those who qualify can enter the sweepstakes through the end of National Nurses Week, which wraps up on May 12. Chipotle will start notifying winners later that month.In addition to its sweepstakes, Chipotle is also...