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Illegal immigrant in-state tuition plan stays in Senate budget

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:03 GMT

The state Senate will move forward with a plan to allow some undocumented immigrants to qualify for in-state tuition at state schools after an amendment to remove the proposal was rejected following impassioned speeches from several Democratic lawmakers.The Senate met in formal session for a second straight day on Wednesday, when they dispensed with more than 300 of the over 1,000 amendments lawmakers have appended to the already more than $55.8 billion spending plan.Among the proposed changes to the budget document rejected by lawmakers was an amendment offered by Republican state Sen. Ryan Fattman which struck language from the spending bill aimed at providing an easier path into higher education for young undocumented residents.To qualify for in-state tuition, according to the plan as written, a student must graduate from a Massachusetts high school and have been a resident for three years.Fattman told his colleagues that after the Senate budget was made public, despite its multi...

ESPN’s Jessica Mendoza has Red Sox thoughts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:03 GMT

Nearly two months into the regular season, the 2023 Red Sox are somewhat mystifying.They’re 26-23, which ties them for last in their division, but is still one of the better records in baseball. After winning their series in San Diego, they’ve fallen into a three-game slump, and have only scored one run over their last 32 innings.Who are the 2023 Red Sox? What are they doing, what can they do, and what might happen?Ahead of the west coast trip, the Herald caught up with ESPN’s Jessica Mendoza to hear her thoughts on this roller coaster season.Like many baseball fans, the Olympic gold medalist-turned-sportscaster is intrigued by the Red Sox.“I actually love that Chaim Bloom’s priority wasn’t exactly what fans wanted,” she says. “It felt like (the bullpen) was one of their best focuses in the offseason, but at the time, you looked at what they were doing and it was like, ‘Really? That guy?’ ”She points out that expectat...

‘We will ride it out together’: Identical twin meteorologists guide Guam through Typhoon Mawar

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:03 GMT

HONOLULU (AP) — As Typhoon Mawar aimed its fury at Guam, residents facing terrifying winds and crashing waves from the strongest typhoon to hit the U.S. Pacific territory in decades had identical twin meteorologists to keep them informed — and to provide the outside world with a glimpse of the chaos unfolding on the remote island.The National Weather Service’s Guam office employs Landon Aydlett as its warning coordination meteorologist. His brother Brandon Aydlett is the science and operations officer. Together, the 41-year-olds tag-teamed Facebook Live broadcasts watched by thousands as Typhoon Mawar approached with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (225 kph), wreaking havoc as residents lost power, internet and water service. Their colorful descriptions of the Category 4 storm painted a picture as they both took turns describing trees snapped like toothpicks, thrashing winds, nearly 2 feet (0.6 meters) of torrential rain and “whiteout conditions” outside the office wh...

Mayoral candidates debate cuts to transit, city services, and Doug Ford in Scarborough

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:03 GMT

The six leading Toronto mayoral candidates outlined their visions for the future of transit, city services and taxes in a spirited 90 minute debate in Scarborough Wednesday evening, in a region of the city that is shaping up to be a key battleground in the upcoming election.The candidates – former NDP parliamentarian Olivia Chow, city councillor Josh Matlow, ex-police chief Mark Saunders, former deputy mayor Ana Bailao, councillor Brad Bradford and former Liberal MPP for Scarborough-Guildwood Mitzie Hunter – said, if elected, they would focus on revitalizing declining city services and infrastructure such as transit and neighbourhood centres in the diverse, populous region, which many called a microcosm for issues across Toronto. Chow, the perceived front-runner according to several recent polls, continued to face attacks from other candidates during the debate, particularly Bradford and Saunders who said her plan would significantly increase taxes for Toronto property o...

Indiana woman dies while trying to hike from Grand Canyon rim to river in a day

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:03 GMT

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. (AP) — Officials say an Indiana woman died earlier this month while hiking inside Grand Canyon National Park.The National Park Service said Wednesday the 36-year-old from Westfield died May 14 while trying to hike to the Colorado River and back in a day. She was found unconscious on the Bright Angel Trail above the Three-Mile Resthouse. Her name was not included in a news release.The Coconino County Medical Examiner is assisting in an investigation of her death.Park Rangers say the incident is a reminder that visitors, especially those visiting the inner canyon, need to plan for the weather. They anticipate extremely hot days in the coming weeks.Some exposed areas of the trail can reach 120 degrees (48.8 degrees Celsius) during the summer. Hiking in the inner canyon between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. is strongly discouraged during more sweltering temperatures. They also do not encourage hiking from the rim to the river and back in one day. Rangers also say ...

At Tennessee museum, fans remember Tina Turner’s talent, strength, influence

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:03 GMT

BROWNSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Standing in a Tennessee museum, near exhibits of shimmering dresses worn by Tina Turner, Lisa Lyons wiped tears from her cheeks as she remembered the impact the singer and actress had on her life.Lyons recalled watching Turner’s performance in the film “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” as Auntie Entity, the tyrannical leader of a post-apocalyptic civilization. “She was fierce, and she was strong, and she was powerful, and that has stayed with me,” said Lyons, who, like Turner, is Black. “As a little girl of color who didn’t have that type of role model in real life, it has stuck with me all these years.” Turner, 83, died Tuesday, after a long illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, according to her manager. Her Grammy-winning singing career includes the hit songs “Nutbush City Limits,” “Proud Mary,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It” and “We Don’t Need Another Hero,” from “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.” Her film credits also i...

The day after: Guam assesses damage after Typhoon Mawar hits US Pacific territory

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:03 GMT

HAGATNA, Guam (AP) — Guam residents and officials emerged from homes and shelters Thursday to survey the damage done to the U.S. Pacific territory after a long night of hunkering down as Typhoon Mawar’s howling winds shredded trees, flipped vehicles and knocked out utilities. The central and northern parts of the island received more than 2 feet of rain as the eyewall passed, and most of Guam received about a foot of rain during the storm, said Brandon Aydlett, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. The island’s international airport flooded, and the swirling storm churned up a storm surge and waves that crashed through coastal reefs. “We are waking up to a rather disturbing scene out there across Guam. We’re looking out our door and what used to be a jungle looks like toothpicks — it looks like a scene from the movie ‘Twister,’ with trees just thrashed apart,” said Landon Aydlett, his twin brother and fellow NWS meteorologist. “Most of Guam is dealing ...

Microsoft: State-sponsored Chinese hackers could be laying groundwork for disruption

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:03 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — State-backed Chinese hackers have been targeting U.S. critical infrastructure and could be laying the technical groundwork for the potential disruption of critical communications between the U.S. and Asia during future crises, Microsoft said Wednesday.The targets include sites in Guam, where the U.S. has a major military presence, the company said.Hostile activity in cyberspace — from espionage to the advanced positioning of malware for potential future attacks — has become a hallmark of modern geopolitical rivalry. Microsoft said in a blog post that the state-sponsored group of hackers, which it calls Volt Typhoon, has been active since mid-2021. It said organizations affected by the hacking — which seeks persistent access — are in the communications, manufacturing, utility, transportation, construction, maritime, information technology and education sectors.Separately, the National Security Agency, the FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) ...

3 ex-officers in Mississippi indicted in death of Black man seen on video being tased repeatedly

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:03 GMT

JACKSON, Mississippi. (AP) — A Mississippi grand jury has indicted two former police officers on murder charges and another ex-officer on a manslaughter charge in the death of a Black man who was pinned to the ground and repeatedly tased during an arrest last December.Officials in Jackson, Mississippi’s capital, released body camera footage Wednesday that showed three officers — Avery Willis, Kenya McCarty and James Land — struggling to handcuff Keith Murriel as he was stunned numerous times over a 10-minute span.Authorities said the officers had tackled Murriel while arresting him for allegedly trespassing at a hotel shortly before midnight on Dec. 31, 2022. McCarty and Willis have been charged with second-degree murder, and Land with manslaughter, court records showed. All three were placed on administrative leave after the incident and McCarty was fired in February, then Willis and Land in April.McCarty and Willis are Black, and Land is white, according to Melissa Faith Pay...

Louis Vuitton takes Baroque and botanical cues from Italy’s Isola Bella for Cruise 2024 collection

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:03 GMT

STRESA, Italy (AP) — Incessant rain failed to put a damper on Nicolas Ghesquiere’s ambitions for his Louis Vuitton 2024 Cruise collection, unveiled Wednesday to an A-list crowd including Oprah Winfrey, Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Connolly and Emma Stone.Originally envisioned against a golden sunset setting aglow magnificent fountain on the aptly named Isola Bella on northern Italy’s Lago Maggiore, the show was instead moved into the stately public rooms of the Borromeo Palace, construction of which was started in the 17th century and only completed 400 years later, after World War II. The sprawling palace near the Swiss border remains the summer residence of the Borromeo family.Destination cruise shows are among the fashion world’s most ambitious, winging the fashion crowd to some of the planet’s most scenic locations. The internet still buzzes over Ghesquire’s Cruise 2018 show in Kyoto and Cruise 2017 in Rio de Janiero.The Isola Bella show was no less enterprising, imagined amid the i...