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Massachusetts shouldn’t have wildfire smoke impacts this week, it will ‘feel like summer’ with warm temps and thunderstorms

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

After the haze and smoke took over the region last week, the Bay State should not see the impacts from the Canadian wildfires this week as it’s expected to “feel like summer” with warm temperatures and thunderstorms.The smoke from the wildfires dissipated across Massachusetts by the weekend, and it doesn’t appear that the poor air quality will return this week.“It’s not looking like it will be similar to last week,” Bill Leatham, meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Boston office, told the Herald on Sunday.He noted the major change in the wind pattern, which is why the smoke won’t come back to the Bay State, at least for the week ahead.Meanwhile, temps for much of the week should be seasonable in the upper 70s and around 80 degrees, and the weather pattern is expected to turn unsettled again with the risk of showers each day.“It should feel like summer this week,” Leatham said. “While it will be warme...

Boston Latin stays unbeaten

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

After holding off a gritty Winchester team 3-2 in Sunday’s quarterfinal showdown, Boston Latin girls’ tennis coach Paulanne Wilson had to think for a moment to remember the last time the Wolfpack had advanced deep into the Div. 1 tournament.“It’s been a while since we’ve gotten to the quarters, but we lost, so this is a big thing for us,” said Wilson of her top-seeded, unbeaten (19-0) squad. “We knew this was going to happen. I mean, you don’t take anything for granted. I knew they were coming and they meant business. They’ve been here before a lot of times. When you get to this point either you win or you lose.”The afternoon was certainly a dramatic one as the 9th-seeded Red & Black (16-4) tried to extend its season. Winchester’s Daryana Skobeleva and the second doubles squad of Sophie Kim and Andrea Bilic were victorious matches, tying the contest at 2-2 with Latin’s Vanessa Vu locked in a three-hour match...

Methuen ousts Central Catholic in 4-2 win

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

Cam Roper stood in amazement while his star Matt Pappalardo could only smile ear to ear. Methuen’s dream tournament run includes a final four.Pappalardo threw six innings of two-run ball while also belting the go-ahead RBI triple as No. 21 Methuen advanced to the Div. 1 state semifinals with a stunning, 4-2 win over No. 4 Central Catholic on Sunday afternoon at Haverhill Stadium.Methuen, which has won three straight road games, will take on No. 1 Franklin for a spot in the state final.“I haven’t slept in two weeks,” said Roper, the Rangers head coach. “Look at our guys. Cinderella. Snow White. Call us whatever you want. We’re a hell of a baseball team.”The highly anticipated matchup between Merrimack Valley Conference foes entered the sixth deadlocked 2-2. Methuen, however, jumped in front. Owen Kneeland led off the top of the frame with a single, setting up an opportunity for Pappalardo. The Rangers’ best hitter blasted a triple to de...

Motorcyclist dies after fleeing from Barnstable Police, crashes into a vehicle in Hyannis

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

A motorcyclist died after speeding away from a Barnstable Police officer, crashing into a vehicle Sunday afternoon in Hyannis, according to police.The Barnstable Police Department patrol officer at around 1:41 p.m. tried to pull over the motorcyclist for a traffic violation on Route 28, near Garden Lane in Hyannis.The motorcyclist didn’t stop for the officer and fled north onto Bearses Way, police said. Moments later, the motorcyclist crashed into a vehicle on Bearses Way near Enterprise Road.The motorcyclist was transported to Cape Cod Hospital by a Hyannis Fire Department ambulance, where he was pronounced dead.The operator of the vehicle struck by the fleeing motorcycle sustained minor injuries in the accident.The crash is being investigated by the Cape Cod Regional Law Enforcement Council Crash Reconstruction Team.

Burlington rallies late, earns berth in Div. 2 state softball semifinals

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

BURLINGTON — Ahead of her team’s softball game with North Attleboro on Sunday, Burlington coach Kristen Farrell had a feeling it was going to come down be a one-run decision.Farrell’s feeling proved to be right on the money. Her Red Devils seized the one chance they got against Gatorade Massachusetts Player of the Year Kelly Colleran.Burlington took advantage of the only two walks Colleran issued to plate a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. Red Devils ace Cece Imbimbo did the rest as she struck out 13 to lead her team to the Div. 2 semifinals with a 2-1 win at Marvin Field. The Red Devils (19-4) move on to face top-seeded Westfield in the semifinals.“You just knew it was going to come down to a run with how the pitching was and it wasn’t going to be easy to push them across,” Farrell said.After striking out 11 times and being held to one hit through five by Colleran, it looked like the Red Devils were in trouble. But when Imbimbo walked to begin the bottom of the sixth, the d...

Cannabis commission considers new rules around veterans and pot

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

The State’s Cannabis Control Commission will consider removing registration fees for veterans using the medical marijuana program in order expand the use of a drug many say is far safer than the opioids veterans are frequently prescribed to manage pain.During its regular meeting last week, Commissioners learned that, though the state is home to hundreds of thousands of veterans, many of whom would qualify for medical marijuana as a result of service connected disabilities, veterans are not entering the medical marijuana program at nearly the same rates as other adults.Part of the problem is the law.“Access to medical marijuana in the regulated industry for veterans in Massachusetts continue to face significant barriers primarily due to the existing federal illegality of cannabis,” commissioners were shown during a presentation by Commissioner Bruce Stebbins.For the 71,000 Massachusetts veterans using a Veterans Administration facility for healthcare or the 11,000 who are 100% disabl...

Do you see wild turkeys in your Massachusetts community? MassWildlife wants to know

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

With the region’s wild turkey population booming, wildlife officials are again asking residents to report sightings as the state monitors the population and estimates the fall harvest potential.Every year from June 1 to Aug. 31, wild turkey reports from the public help MassWildlife biologists determine the population’s reproductive success.Wildlife officials are looking for wild turkey reports from all regions of Massachusetts — from the most rural communities to more densely-populated areas like Boston and Brookline, where turkeys are now spotted on a regular basis.“As we’ve seen over the past couple of decades, turkeys are becoming more and more common in suburban areas and now in urban settings,” MassWildlife Turkey Project Leader Dave Scarpitti told the Herald, noting that the turkeys are finding food in these areas.People can report sightings of hens (female turkeys), poults (newly-hatched turkeys), jakes (juvenile males), and toms (adult mal...

Report: Billionaire investor, philanthropist George Soros cedes control of empire to a younger son

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Billionaire investor turned philanthropist George Soros is ceding control of his $25 billion empire to a younger son, Alexander Soros, according to an exclusive interview with The Wall Street Journal published online Sunday. Soros’ business holdings include his nonprofit Open Society Foundations, which is active in more than 120 countries around the world and funnels about $1.5 billion annually to groups such as those that back human rights and promote the growth of democracies around the world, according to its website. The 37-year-old, who goes by Alex, told the Wall Street Journal that he is “more political” than his 92-year-old father, who has been a right-wing target for his backing of liberal causes such as reducing racial bias in the justice system. But he noted that the two “think alike.” Alex said he was broadening his father’s “liberal aims” and embracing different causes including voting and abortion rights, as well as gender equity. He said he...

Nick Taylor ends nearly 70-year Canadian drought to win RBC Canadian Open

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., sank a 72-foot putt on the fourth playoff hole to defeat Tommy Fleetwood and win the RBC Canadian Open, becoming the first Canadian player in almost 70 years to win the national men’s golf championship.Pat Fletcher was the last homegrown golfer to win the title at Vancouver’s Point Grey Golf and Country Club in 1954.It’s Taylor’s third career PGA Tour victory and first since winning the 2020 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.More to come

US aims to rejoin UN scientific and educational organization to push back on China

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration says the U.S. will rejoin the U.N.’s educational and scientific organization after a five-year absence that began while Donald Trump was president. The State Department said it had delivered a letter seeking re-admission to the Paris-based body, known as UNESCO, late last week. The June 8 letter from Deputy Secretary of State for Management Richard Verma proposed “a plan for the U.S. to rejoin the organization,” the department said.“Any such action would require concurrence by UNESCO’s current membership, and it is our understanding that UNESCO leadership will convey our proposal to the membership in the coming days,” the department said in a statement.Details of the proposal were not immediately clear. The U.S. owes a significant amount of money to the organization for arrears in dues payments. But earlier this year, the administration set aside $150 million in its current budget plan to pay for a return to UNESCO. The U.S. and UNESC...