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SJC Ruling May Revive Case Against Former Holyoke Home Leaders

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:36 GMT

Criminal proceedings can proceed against two former Holyoke Soldiers’ Home officials accused of negligence that led to the deaths of dozens of veterans early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the state’s highest court ruled Thursday. In a 5-2 decision that reversed a lower court’s dismissal of grand jury indictments, the Supreme Judicial Court said prosecutors should have a chance to present their case at trial against Bennett Walsh, the facility’s former superintendent, and David Clinton, its former medical director. Justice Dalila Argaez Wendlandt wrote in the majority ruling that testimony presented to the grand jury “constituted probable cause to believe that the defendants violated the elder neglect statute” and concluded Superior Court Judge Edward McDonough “erred in dismissing the indictments” in November 2020. Justices David Lowy and Elspeth Cypher dissented, with Lowy writing that there was “insufficient evidence before the gra...

Your pollen allergies are overwhelming? This might be why

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:36 GMT

(CNN) — Pollen has exploded to eye-watering levels this spring in some parts of the country after warm weather pushed plants out of their winter slumber much earlier than normal.In Atlanta, the pollen count sky rocketed to “extremely high” in early March and stayed high through much of April, according to the Atlanta Allergy and Asthma physicians practice. Farther north in Washington, DC, allergy sufferers have been dreading the lime-green film of pollen covering that covers windshields and porches and piles up on streets and sidewalks.But these aren’t isolated trends. As the planet warms, researchers say allergy season is starting earlier and lasting longer. And a study from the journal Nature published last year found that pollen count is projected to increase by 200% by the end of the century if planet-warming pollution continues to rise.Climate Central, a nonprofit focused on climate news and research, recently analyzed how w...

New anti-obesity drug poised to upend weight loss care

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:36 GMT

As a growing number of overweight Americans clamor for Ozempic and Wegovy — drugs touted by celebrities and on TikTok to pare pounds — an even more powerful obesity medicine is poised to upend treatment.Tirzepatide, an Eli Lilly and Co. drug approved to treat type 2 diabetes under the brand name Mounjaro, helped people with the disease who were overweight or had obesity lose up to 16% of their body weight, or more than 34 pounds, over nearly 17 months, the company said on Thursday.The late-stage study of the drug for weight loss adds to earlier evidence that similar participants without diabetes lost up to 22% of their body weight over that period with weekly injections of the drug. For a typical patient on the highest dose, that meant shedding more than 50 pounds.Having diabetes makes it notoriously difficult to lose weight, said Dr. Nadia Ahmad, Lilly’s medical director of obesity clinical development, which means the recent results are especially significant. “We have...

Heat-Knicks redux? ‘We understand the rivalry that they had back in the day. It’s not the same’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:36 GMT

It is the narrative that will drive the initial discussion, as the Miami Heat move into their Eastern Conference best-of-seven semifinal playoff series against the New York Knicks, a series that opens 1 p.m. Sunday at Madison Square Garden.But the reality of the rivalry is that the last time the teams met in a meaningful, competitive postseason matchup, Bam Adebayo had yet to turn 3, Gabe Vincent had yet to turn 4, Jimmy Butler was 10 and even sage Kyle Lowry was just 14.That was an epic 2000 Eastern Conference semifinal that went the full seven games and went to the Knicks, with Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway as the Heat’s leading protagonists. To put the time lapsed into further perspective, Mourning is now 53, Hardaway 56.Yes, the teams since then also met in the 2012 first round, but that was a series the Heat dominated 4-1 behind their Big Three core of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, a series so unlike Heat-Knicks of the previous era that streamers were dropp...

Federal officials investigating two explosions in Weare, NH

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:36 GMT

Two explosions shut down roads in Weare, New Hampshire, and brought in federal investigators Thursday morning, according to police and the Boston field division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.Officials provided few details of the incidents and did not confirm whether any people were injured in the explosions as of noon.Weare police first reported Concord State Road was closed due to an unspecified active investigation before 8 a.m. Thursday. Shortly after, the road was reopened and police narrowed the investigation to Sugar Hill Road leading to Hopkinton.Weare police also reported Dustin Tavern Road on Wednesday afternoon, without specifying if the incident was connected.Around 10 a.m. ATF Boston confirmed federal agents were on the scene investigating the incident.New Hampshire State Police tweeted troopers are also assisting the ongoing investigation. The department said there is “no known threat to public safety at this time” and local traf...

SJC says Holyoke Soldiers’ Home leaders can be charged

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:36 GMT

Criminal proceedings can proceed against two former Holyoke Soldiers’ Home officials accused of negligence that led to the deaths of dozens of veterans early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the state’s highest court ruled Thursday.In a 5-2 decision that reversed a lower court’s dismissal of grand jury indictments, the Supreme Judicial Court said prosecutors should have a chance to present their case at trial against Bennett Walsh, the facility’s former superintendent, and David Clinton, its former medical director.Justice Dalila Argaez Wendlandt wrote in the majority ruling that testimony presented to the grand jury “constituted probable cause to believe that the defendants violated the elder neglect statute” and concluded Superior Court Judge Edward McDonough “erred in dismissing the indictments” in November 2020.Justices David Lowy and Elspeth Cypher dissented, with Lowy writing that there was “insufficient evidence before the grand ...

4 easy ways to reduce your carbon footprint when traveling

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:36 GMT

Travel, by nature, takes energy. Moving our bodies around the globe requires fuel, often in the form of carbon-emitting fossil fuels.Air travel generates 11% of total U.S. transportation emissions, according to a 2021 White House fact sheet. That’s a huge number, but it points to another big carbon toll: 89% of emissions happen on the ground.Thankfully, being a more sustainable traveler doesn’t require enormous sacrifice — or expense. Reducing the impact of getting around on the ground at your destination is easy and can improve the quality of your trip.1. Visit transit-friendly destinationsFor many destinations, the airport signs that point to “ground transportation” have only a couple of options: rideshares and rental cars. Neither of these is very carbon-friendly, according to a 2022 report from the Congressional Budget Office, which estimates that cars release just under half a pound of carbon dioxide per passenger mile traveled.On the other hand, rail transit releases less than...

Turkey’s Erdogan appears via video link after health scare

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:36 GMT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan inaugurated a nuclear power plant via video Thursday in his first public appearance since falling ill on live TV and canceling campaign stops, as he sought to dispel concerns about his health weeks before a crucial election.The 69-year-old leader looked pale sitting behind a desk surrounded by Cabinet members, aides and political allies to preside at the event marking the delivery of the first fuel to the Russian-built Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in southern Turkey.Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey for two decades, canceled election rallies Wednesday and Thursday after suffering what the health minister described as a gastrointestinal infection during a TV interview on Tuesday. Turkish officials denied online rumors that Erdogan, who underwent intestinal surgery in 2011, had suffered a serious illness and was hospitalized. “We categorically reject such baseless claims regarding President (Erdogan’s) health,” his communications ...

Mounties give update on deadly stabbing rampage in Saskatchewan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:36 GMT

MELFORT, Sask. — Mounties are releasing details about what happened during a deadly mass stabbing in Saskatchewan last year. RCMP Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore says the Mounties probe into the rampage was incredibly complex and large-scale. Eleven people were killed and 18 were injured on the James Smith Cree Nation and in the nearby village of Weldon on Sept. 4.Myles Sanderson, the 32-year-old accused in the attacks, died in police custody a few days later.Blackmore said she understands that people have many questions about how the tragedy could have happened. “Some of those answers, unfortunately, may never be known,” Blackmore said. RCMP expect the latest update to take four hours and will provide information about what Sanderson was doing that morning and the sequence of attacks.Blackmore said RCMP examined 42 different crime scenes, including buildings and vehicles. They also seized around 700 exhibits and spoke with more than 250 witnesses. Mounties said ...

Sunak says UK, Italy ‘aligned’ as he meets far-right Meloni

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:08:36 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Prime Minister Rishi Sunak declared that Britain and Italy are “very aligned” in values as he welcomed far-right Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni on Thursday for talks focused on migration, defense and the war in Ukraine.While Sunak meets leaders of all political stripes from around the world, he had notably warm words as he greeted Meloni at 10 Downing St., the British leader’s official residence.The Conservative prime minister praised Meloni’s “very careful handling of the Italian economy.”“I think the values between our two countries are very aligned, which is why we can work so well together on shared challenges, whether it’s responding to Putin’s illegal invasion in Ukraine, where again I pay tribute to your leadership, but also tackling illegal migration, which is something that is common to both of us,” Sunak said.The two governments share an interest in stopping migrants reaching their countries by boat.Sunak’s administration is passing a bill through Parliament ...