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Shelter at former Cambridge courthouse helping ‘most vulnerable folks’ during holidays

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:21:21 GMT

A Cambridge Democrat applauded a decision to open an emergency overnight shelter for homeless families with children and pregnant people at a former courthouse in the city while acknowledging the roughly 150-year-old building needs work.Rep. Mike Connolly, whose district encompasses the overnight shelter opening Friday at the courthouse that houses the Middlesex South Registry of Deeds, said there are several challenges with the structure, including plumbing, lack of showers, and infrastructure.But there are “a lot of efforts underway to address” those concerns, he told the Herald hours before he was scheduled to tour the site with other stakeholders. As temperatures continue to dip below freezing, Connolly said officials are trying to help families with children who have no place to go.“What we’re doing here is making vacant space available so that those most vulnerable folks won’t have to be either on the street, or in some other place that isn’t really fit for h...

Probe: Doomed Philadelphia news helicopter hit trees fast, broke up, then burned, killing 2 on board

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:21:21 GMT

By WAYNE PARRY (Associated Press)SHAMONG, N.J. (AP) — A Philadelphia television news helicopter returning from an assignment photographing Christmas lights earlier this week plunged into a southern New Jersey forest “at very high speed,” broke apart, then caught fire after it crashed, killing both occupants, a federal crash investigator said Friday.Todd Gunther, an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, told reporters near the crash site that WPVI’s Chopper 6 was returning to its base at Northeast Philadelphia Airport Tuesday night when something caused it to crash into Wharton State Forest in Washington Township.The crew had been photographing Christmas light displays near Atlantic City.Killed in the crash were the pilot, 67-year-old Monroe Smith of Glenside, Pennsylvania, and a photographer, 45-year-old Christopher Dougherty of Oreland, Pennsylvania.“The aircraft hit at very high speed, and after striking the trees, it fragmented,...

Mass and Cass dealer who sold ‘deadly drugs for his own profit’ sentenced to prison

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:21:21 GMT

A Mass and Cass drug dealer who had a “major presence” in the homeless area has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after being convicted on numerous drug and gun charges.Lowell man Jay Candelario, 43, sold “deadly drugs for his own profit” in the Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard section of Boston, according to the Suffolk District attorney.A judge on Thursday sentenced Candelario to eight years on the charges of: trafficking fentanyl, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of suboxone with intent to distribute, illegal possession of a firearm, and illegal possession of a high-capacity magazine. Candelario is also facing an additional five years for possession of a firearm while in commission of a felony.“Mr. Candelario was a major presence at Mass and Cass when the area was at its peak population point,” Suffolk DA Kevin Hayden said. “Our focus has always been on the opportunists like him who saw only one...

Supreme Court rejects prosecutor’s push to fast-track ruling in Trump election subversion case

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:21:21 GMT

By MARK SHERMAN and ERIC TUCKER (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court said Friday it will not immediately take up a plea by special counsel Jack Smith to rule on whether former President Donald Trump can be prosecuted for his actions to overturn the 2020 election results.The ruling is a scheduling win for Trump and his lawyers, who have sought repeatedly to delay the criminal cases against him as he campaigns to reclaim the White House in 2024. It averts a swift ruling from the nation’s highest court that could have definitively turned aside his claims of immunity and further throws into doubt the possibility of the landmark trial proceeding as scheduled on March 4.The issue will now be decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which has signaled it will act quickly to decide the case. Special counsel Jack Smith had cautioned that even a rapid appellate decision might not get to the Supreme Court in time for review and fin...

Supreme Court rejects prosecutor's push to fast-track ruling in Trump election subversion case

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:21:21 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court said Friday it will not immediately take up a plea by special counsel Jack Smith to rule on whether former President Donald Trump can be prosecuted for his actions to overturn the 2020 election results.The ruling is a scheduling win for Trump and his lawyers, who have sought repeatedly to delay the criminal cases against him as he campaigns to reclaim the White House in 2024. It averts a swift ruling from the nation's highest court that could have definitively turned aside his claims of immunity and further throws into doubt the possibility of the landmark trial proceeding as scheduled on March 4.The issue will now be decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which has signaled it will act quickly to decide the case. Special counsel Jack Smith had cautioned that even a rapid appellate decision might not get to the Supreme Court in time for review and final word before the court’s traditional summer break.Smith had ...

Moneris says ‘intermittent processing issues’ resolved, apologizes for inconvenience

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:21:21 GMT

TORONTO — Canadians getting in some last-minute Christmas shopping faced some troubles at the checkout counter.Payments processing company Moneris says it experienced intermittent issues that caused a “service degradation.” The Toronto-based technology company says the issue has been resolved but merchants will continue to experience some slowness as systems catchup.The company apologized for the disruption and added that things should return to normal shortly.Service disruption tracker Downdetector showed people started reporting problems with payments services like Interac, Visa and RBC around 2:30 p.m. EST.Moneris is a joint venture between Royal Bank of Canada and the Bank of Montreal. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 22, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:RY, TSX:BMO)The Canadian Press

NFL denies Eagles security chief DiSandro’s appeal of fine, sideline ban, AP source says

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:21:21 GMT

The NFL has denied Eagles security chief Dom DiSandro’s appeal of a $100,000 fine in addition to banning him from the sideline for the remainder of the regular season for his role in a scuffle with 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw, a person familiar with the league’s decision told The Associated Press on Friday.The team has paid DiSandro’s fine, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter hasn’t been disclosed.DiSandro has still been permitted to travel and perform all other work duties. The AP previously reported the suspension on Dec. 16. DiSandro can return for the postseason.DiSandro pulled Greenlaw off Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith and shouted at him after a reception in the third quarter of Philadelphia’s 42-19 loss to San Francisco on Dec. 3. Greenlaw, who was penalized for unnecessary roughness on the play, popped up and reached over two officials to put his hand in DiSandro’s face.Greenlaw was ejected and later fined $10,927 by the league for th...

New agreement ratified for almost 26,000 workers at Loblaw-owned stores in Ontario

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:21:21 GMT

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — The United Food & Commercial Workers union says workers have ratified a collective agreement with Loblaw Cos. Ltd. covering almost 26,000 grocery store workers across Ontario.The agreement with two UFCW locals covers workers at 121 stores under the Loblaw Great Food, Real Canadian Superstore and Zehrs Great Food banners. The union says the agreement is historic and industry-leading, with full-time workers receiving a $4.60 an hour raise over five years. The union says the deal also protects full-time and part-time members’ pay gains as the minimum wage increases. The agreement is the latest in a string of collective agreements that have seen grocery store workers achieve major gains at the bargaining table in the wake of the pandemic and inflation. UFCW 1006A president Wayne Hanley says negotiations were “intense and difficult,” but the deal is “the best in decades.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 22, ...

Former Kenyan minister and 2 others charged with fraud over hospitality college project

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:21:21 GMT

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya’s anti-corruption commission Friday charged the country’s former tourism minister and two others with economic crimes for the alleged fraud of tens of millions of dollars in inflated costs for the construction of a hospitality college.Najib Balala, former principal secretary Leah Addah Gwiyo, and the managing partner of West Consults, John Odero, appeared before Principal Magistrate James Mwaniki in the coastal town of Malindi, where they denied the charges.Balala is the first high profile person to be charged with corruption under President William Ruto’s administration. The three were released after posting bail.Thirteen other suspects are expected to be charged with corruption offenses and economic crimes for the alleged malfeasance that took place 16 years ago. Balala was then serving in the government of late President Mwai Kibaki.The original cost of the Ronald Ngala Utalii College on the East African coast approved by the minister of finance ...

‘Out of their lane’: Minister to overrule Ontario Energy Board

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:21:21 GMT

The Ontario Energy Board strayed “out of their lane” with a decision that would increase costs for new homes heated with natural gas, the province’s energy minister said Friday as he promised to overturn it.But environmental groups said the OEB’s decision was a huge win for the environment and Ontarians, as it would have encouraged the uptake of greener home heating and cooling, such as with heat pumps, and the reversal would be just a gift to Enbridge Gas.The OEB decision relates to a rate application from Enbridge, which serves the majority of natural gas customers in the province. The energy board said the utility’s long-term plan is unreasonable because it assumes that every new housing development will include gas servicing and that homebuyers will remain on gas for 40 years, despite an energy transition toward electrification.Despite this trend, Enbridge’s forecasts show continued growth in natural gas peak demand, with $14 billion in capita...