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Ask Amy: She stiffed my kid for the cat-sitting, then sent a nasty note

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:58:12 GMT

Dear Amy: My 13-year-old daughter did a cat-sitting job for a neighbor and friend of ours, finishing on the first of the month.She sent a text to the cat’s owner on the last day, saying thanks for letting her pet-sit and that she enjoyed it. We never heard anything back.Five days later, I sent a text saying thanks for letting my kid pet-sit, and asking politely when she would get paid.Cat Owner said, “I’ll pay you on the 10th as I prefer to pay in cash and give feedback in person, is that OK? Or I could do Venmo, but only if you need that.” I agreed to payment on the 10th.On the 10th, Cat Owner texted saying, “I am too exhausted and have no cash so can’t do payment today. Can we do another day? Or if you urgently need money, I can do Venmo but prefer not to.”I responded, “Sure, we can do another day. Which day is good?” There was no response to this.On the 14th, I texted, “Hey, Cat Owner, just checking in on that payment for Anni...

Harriette Cole: Our hometown is talking. How can I help her without getting sullied by scandal?

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:58:12 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a friend who has been involved in a bit of controversy in our hometown.I haven’t lived there for decades. She moved back recently, and because of what happened, people are talking badly about her.Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: My neighbor won’t listen to what I’m saying about the dog Advice | Harriette Cole: Should I commit to working with this intense woman? Advice | Harriette Cole: Someone is threatening me online, and I think I know who it is Advice | Harriette Cole: I was drinking with new friends, and I regret telling this story Advice | Harriette Cole: My hobby scares my girlfriend, but she doesn’t like to be left out I feel for her. While it seems like she did do what people are accusing her of, she still deserves support. I want to be there for her, but I do not want to get in the middle of politics in our town. How can I manage this?—...

Inside the Lefty Congressional Delegation to Latin America

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:58:12 GMT

The U.S. and Venezuela are in talks to further relax sanctions in exchange for a free and fair election next year. This week on Deconstructed, Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, joins Ryan Grim to discuss the recent trip he, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and other progressive Democrats took to Latin America, visiting with leaders and discussing the impact of past and present U.S. policies in the region — and how to rectify them. Casar discusses the U.S. role in dirty wars throughout the region, the urgency in establishing new relations with Latin America, and impact of policies on the region today.Transcript coming soon.The post Inside the Lefty Congressional Delegation to Latin America appeared first on The Intercept.

How parents can discern between real numbers and anecdotal stories of COVID in classrooms

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:58:12 GMT

Kids are back in the classroom. Though, across the D.C. region, some classrooms are already seeing empty desks because kids are home sick with COVID-19.But for all the stories you might hear from parents and teachers, the true numbers are harder to track than they used to be.That’s because the dashboards that used to provide up-to-date information on COVID-19 infections down to the ZIP code don’t do that anymore. To confirm the reports, some parts of the region track the virus through monitoring stations in sewage wastewater.“Probably the best picture we have these days is that wastewater monitoring that’s going on,” said Dr. Donald Milton, a professor of environmental and occupational health at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. “It’s happening in D.C. Not so much in the rest of Maryland.”Montgomery County is the only county in Maryland tracking COVID-19 in wastewater. Virginia still does it too.“That’s go...

Un estadounidense robado cuando era bebé en Chile se reencuentra con su madre a los 42 años

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:58:12 GMT

(CNN) — Jimmy Lippert Thyden dice que siempre supo que era adoptado. También sabía que no había nacido en Estados Unidos, sino en Chile. Criado en Virginia por unos padres adoptivos muy cariñosos y comprometidos, dice que nunca le faltó de nada. Este hombre de 42 años, que sirvió en la infantería de Marina, ahora es abogado, está casado y tiene dos hijas pequeñas.“Me dijeron que me dieron en adopción por amor”, cuenta Thyden. “Entregado por una madre que me quería y quería lo mejor para mí: una vida llena de oportunidades, educación y significado”.Todo eso empezó a cambiar en 2012, cuando su madre adoptiva le entregó los papeles de su adopción mientras se preparaba para desplegarse en Afganistán. Thyden cuenta que cuando empezó a examinar detenidamente los expedientes de adopción, descubrió que había muchas discrepancias e incoherencias.“Había tres o cuatro relatos diferentes de una historia que eran tan divergentes que no podían ser todos ciertos...

New speed humps coming to roads near 3 Arlington schools

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:58:12 GMT

Speed humps will be installed this fall near three Arlington, Virginia, schools where county officials say a lower speed limit in school zones hasn’t deterred drivers from speeding.The speed humps will be installed on South Lang Street near Gunston Middle School, South Queen Street near Hoffman Boston Elementary School and 19th Street North near Cardinal Elementary School.The measure is part of a pilot program, according to Dan Nabors, the county’s transportation, engineering and operations manager.ARLNow first reported details of the program.In an effort to make streets near schools safer, Arlington started lowering school zone speed limits last year. It introduced school slow zones, which have permanent 20 mph speed limits on neighborhood streets within 600 feet of a “key” school access point.The 20 mph zones were adopted around 13 schools last year, and will be used near 14 schools this year and 19 more next year. Previously, school zone speed limits were ...

Humidity and Some Rain Returns this Weekend

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:58:12 GMT

Following what was a really nice week for September standards, the summer feels return to South Florida this weekend.Winds off the water along with a southerly steering flow back in place will allow for humidity to increase starting this weekend with hotter temperatures in the low to mid 90s, which is a few degrees above normal. These warmer temperatures will last into next week too.This Saturday, expect a mix of sun and clouds with scattered showers and storms, especially late today across our inland areas, although a few showers cannot be ruled out by the coast this morning.Then on Sunday, it will be a fairly similar setup, although with a southeast breeze instead of an east wind, temperatures should be a degree or two warmer. The day should start off mostly dry, then some showers and storms will be possible during the afternoon and evening, mainly for inland locations.Much of next week will feature fairly similar conditions with the daily chance for scattered showers and storms. ...

How Patriots will try to neutralize Eagles’ biggest strength Week 1

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:58:12 GMT

FOXBORO — If the Patriots fail to slow down the Eagles’ pass rush in Week 1, it’s certainly not for lack of awareness.Head coach Bill Belichick’s message that the Eagles’ defensive front is not something to be messed with has trickled down successfully as the Patriots prepare for their season opener on Sunday.“Defensively, their front is a very dominant front, best pass rushing front in the league by, I’d say, quite a bit with good depth,” Belichick said Wednesday morning. “So, they can roll those guys out of there pretty comfortably and bring in other guys that are just as explosive, dangerous. They’ve got a great combination of power and speed in the pass rush front.”Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots-Eagles injury report: Jack Jones out, Rhamondre Stevenson among 5 questionable New England Patriots | Source: Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson expected to play Week 1 despite practice absence New England Patriots | Patriots are s...

Battenfeld: Boston power brokers flexing weakened muscles to influence City Council race

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:58:12 GMT

The Boston old boys’ network that used to run the city is trying to flex its withered muscles to tilt the City Council race in what could be a last gasp at power.The group of power brokers is funding a new super PAC that’s running ads supporting a slate of more conservative candidates.But it’s questionable whether the strategy will work.The old Boston — once controlled by politicians like Marty Walsh and Ray Flynn — is gone.It’s been replaced by Michelle Wu’s Boston.The first term mayor put together a coalition of progressives to win the last election and install a number of progressive Democrats like Kendra Lara and Ruthzee Louijeune on the council. They now run the city.Southie’s Ed Flynn is still the council president for a few more months but he lost control of his more liberal colleagues a long time ago.The Wu administration has effectively shut out the once powerful network represented by businessmen like New Balance’s Jim Davis.Davis is now almost entirely funding the super P...

‘The world knows us.’ South Sudanese cheer their basketball team’s rise and Olympic qualification

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:58:12 GMT

JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — Basketball has united the South Sudanese.The country, which gained its independence just 12 years ago, is still celebrating the men’s national team after its first-ever qualification for the Olympics.South Sudan will play at the Paris Olympics as the automatic qualifier from Africa thanks to a 101-78 win over Angola a week ago at the basketball World Cup in the Philippines.Thousands of fans, some wrapped in the national flag, blew horns and flooded the streets of the capital this week to welcome the team home.Chol David, a 22-year-old diehard fan, called it incredible and historic.“The world knows us,” he said.The players and staff met Friday with South Sudan President Salva Kiir, who expressed his pride for their accomplishment. The government called the Olympic qualification a “remarkable achievement.”Earlier in the week outside the Juba International Airport for the team’s arrival, fan Anger Aquin Awan said “they have registered our names in history...