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Xcel gets $100M for wildfire projects in Colorado, other states

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:51 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Wednesday announced $3.5 billion for 58 projects across the country, including in Colorado, to strengthen electric grid resilience as extreme weather events such as the deadly Maui and California wildfires continue to strain the nation’s aging transmission systems. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said it was the largest federal investment ever in grid infrastructure, supporting projects that will harden electric systems and improve energy reliability and affordability. Biden wraps up visit to wartime Israel, to address the nation on Thursday The federal spending, combined with money promised by private partners, could result in up to $8 billion in investments nationally to upgrade the grid, Granholm said.“The grid, as it currently sits, is not is not equipped to handle all the new demand” and withstand natural disasters and extreme weather worsened by climate change, Granholm said at a news conference Wednesday. “We need it to be b...

Veteran first responder with search-and-rescue organization shares account of recovery efforts in Israel

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:51 GMT

As people wait for the violence in the Middle East to stop, South Florida is doing what it can to support the victims in the war between Israel and Hamas. A man who has helped in the recovery efforts in a couple of America’s worst disasters is once again taking the call.“I can’t say that I’m used to disasters, because no one is used to disasters, but I went through a lot,” Yossi Landau said.A lot, but Landau said it is nothing like what he’s witnessing now in Israel. Landau works as a volunteer who recovers and identifies the dead.He leads a team of volunteers with ZAKA, the Israeli search-and-rescue organization, who have been called in the wake of mass casualty accidents, natural disasters and acts of terror.Landau’s team also helps to prepare the dead for burial in accordance with Jewish law.“It’s 9/11 attack, or it was in Surfside in Miami, I was there,” he said.ZAKA was deployed to the Surfside condo col...

District volunteer arrested after allegedly pushing police officer during BCPS board meeting discussing sex-ed curriculum

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:51 GMT

A meeting about controversial coursework in Broward County schools led to a harsh lesson in the law for one of the speakers.Sex education at Broward schools became a heated topic at Tuesday night’s board meeting.The discussion led to a public disruption, which ended with the arrest of a district volunteer.According to Fort Lauderdale Police, Debbie Espinoza got into an exchange with another attendee and then pushed a police officer.She appeared in bond court Wednesday morning and was later released.At the board meeting, parents and others looked into the revised sex ed curriculum. Some addressed board members directly.“Those statistics go up, new cases of HIV and AIDS go up, if we are not educating our children about what it means to engage in sexual intercourse in science-based ways,” said a speaker.“You start to teach our children, ‘Mostly girls have vulvas, and mostly boys have penises.’ Well, that’s not true,” said another speaker....

President Biden wraps up visit to Israel after meeting with prime minister, war cabinet

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:51 GMT

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — President Joe Biden swept into wartime Israel for a 7 1/2-hour visit Wednesday that produced a heaping dose of vocal support, a deal to get limited humanitarian aid into Gaza from Egypt, likely by the end of the week, and a plea for Israelis not to allow rage over the deadly Hamas attack to consume them.“I understand. Many Americans understand,” Biden said as he wrapped up his stay in Tel Aviv, likening the Oct. 7 Hamas assault to the attacks against the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, that killed nearly 3,000 people. “You can’t look at what has happened here … and not scream out for justice,” he said.“But I caution this: While you feel that rage, don’t be consumed by it,” he said. “After 9/11, we were enraged in the United States. And while we sought justice and got justice, we also made mistakes.”Biden urged Israel to step back from the brink, not just to ease growing tensions in the Mideast that threaten to spiral into a b...

Group of children in Newton raises money to help kids in Israel

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:51 GMT

Many in the Boston area have continued to take a stand in support of Israel as the country’s war with Hamas continues. In Newton, one group of children is finding ways to raise money to help Israeli children.“When I heard about what was going on there, I couldn’t bear it, so I thought there must be something I could do to help,” one of the children in Newton said this week. “It made me feel bad and worried about all the people who were injured or kidnapped or died,” another one of the children said. The group in Newton had already raised $5,000 as of Wednesday to help replace toys, clothes and other personal items. As part of their efforts, the children said they’re doing everything they can to collect donations, including setting up a booth to sell cookies at a harvest festival last weekend. The group has also partnered with an organization that delivers care packages to children who have evacuated with their families. “Someone needed to make a difference a...

Gun reform bill opposed by police chiefs passed by state House

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:51 GMT

House lawmakers have passed a sweeping new gun reform bill already unanimously opposed by Bay State police chiefs.The House suspended their rules, passed the bill by a vote of 120-38, and will send it to the state Senate.Lawmakers said they aim to reduce gun violence by strengthening laws around firearms licensing, and carrying and by going after so-called ghost guns.“While the Commonwealth annually ranks as one of the safest states in the entire country from gun violence, the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision nullified existing components of our gun laws, threatening the safety of the Commonwealth’s residents. With the passage of this legislation, the House has once again displayed an unwavering commitment to ensuring that Massachusetts remains one of the safest states in the country,” House Speaker Ron Mariano said.This summer, a year after the high court decided in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen that most extraordinary licensing requirements were at odds with...

Jayson Tatum praises Celtics’ culture change under Joe Mazzulla: ‘We’ve all bought in’

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:51 GMT

Jayson Tatum was honest about what the last two-plus weeks of training camp have been like for him and the Celtics.“Practice has been hard as (expletive), I ain’t gonna lie,” the Celtics star said.The competitive portions of Celtics practice are closed off from viewing, but the energy on the courts of the Auerbach Center have been apparent from behind closed curtains over the last two weeks. Players have raved about the competitiveness. Something feels different.It makes sense. A year ago, the Celtics were in the process of navigating an adverse situation after head coach Ime Udoka was suddenly suspended on the eve of training camp. First-time head coach Joe Mazzulla stepped in and did his best, but he was learning on the fly.“I honestly don’t remember much about the beginning of last year,” Mazzulla admitted. “It happened so fast.”But with a season under his belt and a full summer of preparation, Mazzulla has organized training camp to his liking. It’s been well received by h...

Bruins notebook: B’s finally get back to work, hit the road

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:51 GMT

Let the bonding begin.The Bruins begin their first extended road trip on Thursday in San Jose and, as they do annually, they talked about the importance of getting away from home and getting into that road bubble to become a more cohesive team on and off the ice.Some years, it can be more true than in others. But it’s a good bet the 2023-24 version of the Bruins are a team that could use a little bit of away time. Boston’s roster has eight players who were not on the team last year, including a pair of rookies. Call it a transitional year or a rebuild-on-the-fly type of season. But who exactly the B’s are is still a wide-open question and any positive vibes they can bottle on the road will be needed if they’re to get back to the Stanley Cup tournament in April.“To me it’s nothing but positives – and it’s not because I’m a positive person,” said coach Jim Montgomery before hitting the road. “It’s early in the year, these guys have got t...

Worcester man accused of pretending to be Uber driver, raping passenger

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:51 GMT

A Worcester man has been ordered held on $10,000 bail for allegedly pretending to be a rideshare driver and then raping a customer.“This is a terrifying incident involving a woman who entered a vehicle with the full understanding that she was going to be delivered home in safety and a driver who took advantage of the victim and the situation,” Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a statement.Qabel Najeeb, 29, was charged in Boston Municipal Court Monday with one count of rape. Should he post bail, he is ordered to wear a GPS-tracking ankle bracelet and abide by a curfew that keeps him off the streets from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. He is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 15.The alleged victim met with Boston Police Saturday morning just before 5 on Border Street in Eastie, where she told them she was dropped off by a man she believed to be her Uber driver who had raped her somewhere among tall buildings near Storrow Drive, according to the Suffolk DA’s office.Police used surveil...

Ravens OLB Odafe Oweh returns to practice after missing past 4 games; Safety Marcus Williams absent

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:51 GMT

Ravens outside linebacker Odafe Oweh returned to practice Wednesday after missing four games because of an ankle injury suffered in the second week of the season.Coach John Harbaugh had said Oweh was close to coming back, and he will be a welcome addition to a position group that has relied heavily on veterans Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy. Oweh was off to a strong start in his third NFL season with four quarterback hits in the Ravens’ opening win over the Houston Texans.Only safety Marcus Williams (hamstring), defensive end Brent Urban (neck) and cornerback Kevon Seymour (ankle) were missing from the portion of Wednesday’s practice open to reporters. Linebacker Malik Harrison (concussion protocol) participated, while Clowney was present but not wearing a helmet or football shoes.With Williams unlikely to play against the Detroit Lions, the Ravens signed safety Andrew Adams, a veteran with eight interceptions in 100 career games, to their practice squad. Adams coul...