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One holiday season party not to miss: the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party

Linda Laban Special to the Telegram & Gazette Sam Adams does not look happy. He starts yelling at a rather nicely attired gentlemen, who it appears the red-faced Adams really does not like. A great debate ensues as various people stand and orate, and some plain just stand and yell. The annual reenactment of the meeting on Dec. 16, 1773, at the Old South Meeting House in Boston’s Downtown Crossing is a heated affair, indeed. This was the meeting that preceded the humorously named but infamous act known as the Boston Tea Party, often cited as the event that kicked the Revolutionary War into action. Well, at least nudged it. It would be another 15 months before the first battle ensued in earnest. Shutdown by the pandemic, 2022 saw the first such reenactment since 2019, and it returned somewhat changed. In this day and age, it is acknowledged before many such performances play out that we stand on another’s land, “Occupied lands belonging to the Massachusetts, the Nipmuc, and the Wampanoag,” it is solemnly noted at the Old South Meeting House before the “performance” begins. 'Here ye sons of liberty, speak tonight' It is the Crown’s latest tax, on tea no less, that currently stirs up the colonists' growing rancor — the ire against the Crown’s list of taxes is long by now, and many duties had been successfully repealed. But not the tea tax, which would bail out the once-mighty but now failing London-based East India Company. For weeks the fate of three East India Company schooners — the Beaver, the Eleanor and the Dartmouth, all moored and guarded on Griffin Wharf — has been discussed, the Crown and the governor of Massachusetts demanding they be unloaded, the merchants of Boston refusing to allow such a thing. You can imagine it was a cold, frosty night that Dec. 16 in 1773. Not many people would be out and about in Boston. Apart from those gathering for that meeting at the Old South Meeting House, whose wooden pews are packed with impassioned or worried faces. Much mumbling and grumbling ensues until the meeting is called to order by some bewigged fellow seated high up in a galleried perch, for all to see and heed. “Here ye sons of liberty, speak tonight,” commands the moderator. 'Petty tyrants are in this town' Besides Sam Adams, also present and equally incensed is Henry Knox, a member of the Boston Grenadier Corps militia; Judge Samuel P. Savage of Weston, a merchant who would go on to become a member of the Massachusetts Board of War; and James Otis Jr., a loyalist by birth but now a revered figure of dissent following his speeches on constitutional rights. (Otis, his quick mind eventually dissolved into mental illness, does not live to see much of the republic he is shaping.) Ebenezer Macintosh, a shoemaker who fought in the British army at Fort Ticonderoga in 1758 is here, protesting taxes once again. Josiah Quincy is here and seems to have a cool head among many who do not. James Lovell, a Boston Latin schoolteacher, who had spoken publicly and at length against the Boston Massacre two years earlier, is here, as is his close friend Dr. Joseph Warren. In less than two years, within days of the Battle of Bunker Hill in June 1775, Lovell is arrested and imprisoned by the Crown; Warren is dead on the battlefield. Phillis Wheatley is here and speaks. Although well known at the time for her poetry both in the colonies and in England, it is doubtful a woman, let alone a Black person, emancipated just a few months earlier, had a voice. Susannah Copley, whose father, Richard Clarke, worked for the despised East India Company, speaks. Even Susannah, a white woman from a wealthy family and the wife of noted painter John Singleton Copley, would not have had a voice in 1773. The addition of women and also an enslaved man, and even having audience members speak in opposite gender roles — one man is Abigail Adams, a girl is James Otis. Jr. — plays with historical fact for inclusivity. One thing that has changed little: the political divide: When a Tory suggests the Patriots are criminals, he is soon shot down, but only by big boos. “Remove the Dartmouth,” someone is suggesting. Though who knows to where, and what of the other two ships? “Petty tyrants are in this town,” yells someone who probably means the Crown’s men — very probably. “Taxes should to go to the colonies, not the Crown,” bellows someone. “Treason!” yells a loyalist in disgust. “Taxation without representation is tyranny,” shouts a colonist, most eloquently. It may or not have been James Otis Jr., who is credited widely as saying the pertinent sentence, simply because he wrote so many such rousing epithets. Cries of “Huzzah!” are matched by much stamping of feet — oh, it’s an impassioned lot here tonight. There can be no agreement in this room on this fateful night. As tempers rise, several men — first and foremost among them is Sam Adams — suddenly storm out and leave in a huff. Soon there will be shouts outside — something is going on. Men are heading to Griffin Wharf! A night to remember In 1773, Griffin Wharf would have been nearer to the Old South Meeting House. This once-bustling center of commerce was lost to landfill during the city’s expansion through the 19th century. In the 1920s, a plaque was erected at Congress and Purchase streets noting its significance as the place where the Boston Tea Party took place. Back in 1773, with the meeting adjourned, the actions of that historic night then shifted to the harbor. For the reenactment, the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, located on the Congress Street Bridge, not far from where Griffin’s Wharf once stood, is a good stand-in. Replicas of the Beaver, Dartmouth and Eleanor are moored at the museum. Some have tea chests in their cargo holds. Now, tea was not the mass-produced cheap commodity as it is today. It was expensive and three ships laden with tea amounted to quite a treasure chest. Dumping that lot in the harbor was an unthinkable act then — now, what they did seems rather humorous and hardly treasonous. But it was an attack on personal property — the property of a Crown ally, too. Though dumping anything in the precious harbor waters is not to be encouraged, the Tea Party Museum joins the reenactment with a ceremonious tea dumping into the water each year. On Sept. 27, the very day the ships laden with tea set sail from England for Boston in 1773, the East India Company — which still exists — held a press conference in London marking the 250th anniversary with a new cargo of tea, which was sent to Boston and will be dumped this Dec. 16. This year, the drum and fife parade from the Old South Meeting House to the museum resumes. But the actual act in 1773 would have been quite different. For one thing, due to the seriousness of the crime against private property— the East India Company’s tea cargo — there would have been no such fanfare. Even Sam Adams and his motley crew sought to hide their identity and dressed up as Mohawk Indians. But where on a minute’s notice did Adams find such costumes? The local open-all-night Halloween costume store? Perhaps Adams planned this well in advance and the protagonists had their disguises stashed, ready for their antics. It is indeed a night to remember and what a thrill to be sitting in the very places where the debate took place, watching Sam Adams and his angry supporters storm off — we know where they are going: off to the harbor to make mischief with some tea! For more information on all events and for tickets, go to revolutionaryspaces.org. Tea Time! As if to give those Brits a bit of a last laugh, the holiday season in Boston is afternoon tea season. At these hotels, it’s an occasion to dress up and tip a pinky while sipping exquisite teas and nibbling darling little bits and bobs. A cozy overnight stay is a delicious option, too. At Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street, which is tucked in a quiet corner of Back Bay near Symphony Hall, afternoon tea is served every weekend in the chic Trifecta lounge. The cake stand brims with colorful cakes and pretty savories, and a choice of fine teas is served in bright floral designed fine china tea pots — cunning devices these: the cup is underneath the pot! Afternoon tea includes a glass of Mumm Champagne to begin with and a liqueur paired to the tea flavors, say Earl Grey with Grand Marnier (rooms from $850 per night. fourseasons.com/onedalton). Overlooking the harbor, afternoon tea at the Rowes Wharf Sea Grille, inside the Boston Harbor Hotel, pairs a variety of tea sandwiches and pastries with a selection of teas, including herbal South African rooibos, Japanese jasmine, or Chinese oolong. The hotel’s signature tea cocktails may be added to afternoon tea service: Tropical Garden shakes up oolong tea with vodka and Grand Marnier; the Green Tea Sparkler tops off green tea, peach liqueur and peach puree with Prosecco (rooms from $533 per night; bostonharborhotel.com). The Newbury serves seasonal tea in its second-floor salon underneath Murano glass chandeliers, made for the original Ritz-Carlton that opened the building in 1927. Tea includes a glass of bubbly for those who desire it, and hot cocoa for children. The super-cute fine china tea set is especially designed for the hotel and coopts the Make Way for the Ducklings story into its design. Along with small savories and sweets, excellent scones are served with jams and thick cream. Year-round, guests at the beguiling boutique hotel may take tea in their rooms. Call the fireplace butler to lay a fire in the original wood-burning hearth (rooms from $600 per night; thenewburyboston.com). Could anything be cozier?

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Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's 2nd State of the City speech

AND THE DUDLEY. AND THIS IS OUR DEMOCRACY AT WORK. WE ARE CINDY FOR ALL VOICES TONIGHT A STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS STARTED WITH ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE STAGE. PROTESTERS INTERRUPTED MAYOR MICHELLE WU JUST AS THE ADDRESS WAS GETTING UNDERWAY. SOME CARRIED A PALESTINIAN FLAG. OTHERS HUNG A BANNER FROM THE BALCONY. OUR POLITICAL REPORTER SHARMAN SACCHETTI IS LIVE AT THE MGM MUSIC HALL RIGHT NOW WITH THE DEMONSTRATORS AND WHAT THE MAYOR HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE STATE OF THE CITY TONIGHT, SEAN ED SEVERAL OF THOSE PROTESTERS WERE ARRESTED. IT’S UNCLEAR TONIGHT WHAT THEY’LL BE CHARGED WITH, BUT WE DO UNDERSTAND THEY WILL BE IN COURT TOMORROW MORNING. AS FOR THE MAYOR, SHE MOVED RIGHT AHEAD WITH HER SPEECH. GOOD EVENING. BOSTON. MOMENTS INTO THE MAYOR’S SPEECH. PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS SHOUT AND UNFURL A BANNER. SEVERAL OF THEM ARE ARRESTED. THIS IS OUR DEMOCRACY AT WORK. WE ARE A CITY FOR ALL VOICES. AS THE MAYOR MOVING AHEAD, TAKING A VICTORY LAP FOR CLEARING TENTS FROM MASS AND CASS, SETTLING THE POLICE CONTRACT, FILLING. THOUSANDS OF POTHOLES AND LANDING BOSTON A SEAT ON THE MBTA BOARD. THE STATE OF OUR CITY IS STRONG, MAYOR WU, PLEDGING TO TACKLE THE HOUSING CRISIS BY CHANGING ZONING RULES TO TURN SPACES LIKE BASEMENTS AND GARAGES INTO HOMES. AND SHE SAYS HER PLAN TO TURN EMPTY OFFICE SPACE INTO HOMES IS WORKING. WE LAUNCHED AN OFFICE TO RESIDENTIAL CONVERSION PROGRAM THAT’S ALREADY ATTRACTED PROPOSALS TO TURN EIGHT DOWNTOWN BUILDINGS INTO HOUSING, THE MAYOR ALSO PLANNING THOUSANDS OF NEW PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS IN THE NEXT DECADE, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL PROVIDE MORE THAN $100 MILLION A YEAR TO MAINTAIN THEM. MAYOR WU SAYS SHE’S MAKING BIG INVESTMENTS IN SCHOOLS. TEN MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY. THE MAYOR BECAME EMOTIONAL TELLING A STORY ABOUT HER MOTHER BRINGING HER TO A MUSEUM AS A CHILD. ON A DAY WHEN IT WAS FREE. AND IN THIS MOMENT, THIS MOM WITH NO MONEY AND NO WORDS IN THIS LANGUAGE, FEELS LIKE THE BEST MOM ON EARTH BECAUSE SHE HAS GIVEN HER DAUGHTER THE WORLD FOR A DAY. MY MOM HAS HAD SOME CHALLENGES IN HER LIFE WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND I’M SO GRATEFUL TO HER FOR HER EXAMPLE OF STRENGTH AND THE REASON THE MAYOR BROUGHT THAT UP, SHE SAYS. NOW ALL FAMILIES WILL BE ABLE TO GO TO BOSTON MUSEUM. SEVERAL OF BOSTON’S MUSEUMS AND TH Advertisement Boston mayor pushes through protests to deliver State of the City speech focused on homes, schools Share Copy Link Copy During her second State of the City speech on Tuesday night, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu outlined her plans for the year ahead, emphasizing the theme of home and emphasizing her plans to address the housing shortage. She also spoke at length about addressing challenges for Boston Public Schools.Before she could get through the customary greetings to family members and elected officials, however, Wu faced chants and protests. Two people were escorted out past the stage with a Palestinian flag and others unfurled a banner from the upper seats. "This is our democracy at work. We are a city for all voices," she said as security led the pair with the flag away from the stage. When she got back on track, Wu opened her speech by noting the celebration of Boston’s first-ever Pop Warner national champions and using their persistence as a metaphor for the whole city.“The grit, courage, and deep sense of community that drives us to overcome the impossible—for the people we love and the place we call home. It’s that spirit that the world needs most right now, when so much feels impossible: peace and safety, prosperity and stability; pride in our democracy, and hope for a tomorrow with a little more light.”Wu returned to the MGM Music Hall at Fenway, the site of her first State of the City speech last year, to present her second speech on Tuesday night. After the introductory ceremonies, her remarks began around 7:30 p.m.Tuesday's speech was also Wu's opportunity to highlight her achievements at the midpoint of her first term. On that list, she included the removal of encampments in the troubled neighborhood known as Mass and Cass, a new contract with the city’s police union, and a ban on using fossil fuels in new city buildings. During last year's speech, Wu renewed her call for the city to get a seat on the MBTA Board. As she pointed out Tuesday, that became law through a change embedded in a state budget and Wu appointed a board member in September.Wu also spoke about her restructuring of the Boston Planning and Development Agency and the launch of what she called “the first comprehensive rezoning in decades.” She also said that the city’s office-to-residential conversion program has attracted proposals to turn eight downtown buildings into housing. “The State of our City is strong. Not because the challenges that remain are simple or small. But because they’re big, and they matter, and we are rising to meet them. And that starts with housing, because home is the place where everything starts.”In the year ahead, Wu pledged to eliminate barriers to help multigenerational families build accessory dwelling units and set a goal of identifying locations for 3,000 new public housing units to be built over the next decade. Rent control was not a part of Wu’s pitch this year, but she did speak about launching a new fund to make apartment buildings more affordable and prevent the properties from being scooped up by private investors. She set a goal of protecting 400 family homes in the year ahead. Nearly a quarter of Wu’s speech was focused on education, a topic that was being closely watched in light of a recently published long-term facilities plan that cited the need to "consolidate or combine schools."“After decades of underfunding, we’re building and renovating schools to reflect our students’ aspirations: state-of-the-art science labs, performing arts spaces, locker rooms befitting the City of Champions,” Wu said. “Today, ten major BPS capital projects are underway—as many as were built in the last 40 years, combined.”Wu also touted use of a $20 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to add 50 electric school buses to the city’s fleet. Wu promised in the year ahead to begin work on “restoring Franklin Park to its fullest potential” by hiring a park administrator, expanding the maintenance staff and renovating the park’s stadium.“We’re excited to renovate the historic White Stadium at Franklin Park into the first sports venue in the country that will co-house a pro sports team and a public school athletics program,” Wu said. Starting February, the mayor announced, all Boston Public School students and their families will get free admission at the Museum of Fine Arts, the Institute of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Science, the Boston Children’s Museum, the New England Aquarium, and the Franklin Park Zoo on the first and second Sundays of each month. A Boston police spokesperson said several protestors arrested at the State of the City would have charges filed. They were expected to be arraigned in Boston city court on Wednesday.

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Israeli Military Releases New Details on Killing of 3 Hostages

New details released by the Israeli military about the accidental killing of three Israeli hostages in Gaza City include that there was a gap of 15 minutes between the fatal shootings of the first two hostages and the third and that a commander had urged the third hostage to come out of hiding just before he was fatally shot. Among other new details were that the lookout soldiers who fired the bullets that killed the third hostage did not hear an order to hold fire. The Israeli army has been under intense pressure from the families of the hostages and the general public to investigate and explain how the three hostages, who had stripped from the waist up to show they were unarmed and were holding a makeshift white flag, could have been shot by Israeli soldiers. The army has taken full responsibility for the Dec. 15 incident and has said that the soldiers involved in the shooting violated the military’s rules of engagement but did not act with malicious intent. The latest account, released late on Thursday, consists of a 10-bullet statement, accompanied by photos from the ground and air and a map showing locations of significance in relation to the spot where the hostages were killed. It offers new details and adds perspective to previous disclosures, portraying the soldiers involved as having been engaged in intense and prolonged fighting and as extremely wary of Hamas ruses. Just days before the hostages were shot, two senior Israeli commanders and seven other soldiers were killed in a Hamas ambush in the same area, Shejaiye.

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Suspicious death near NH high school ruled homicide, victim IDed

Violence that included sexual atrocities committed during the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7 in Israel amounts to war crimes and may also be crimes against humanity, two United Nations human rights experts said on Monday, following months of frustrated accusations from Israel and women’s groups that the U.N. was ignoring the rape and sexual mutilation of women during the Oct. 7 invasion. Alice Jill Edwards, a special rapporteur on torture, and Morris Tidball-Binz, a special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, said the growing evidence of sexual violence in the day’s wide range of “brutal attacks” was “particularly harrowing,” noting allegations of sexual assault, gang rape, mutilation and gunshots to the genital areas. In a statement, they called for “full accountability for the multitude of alleged crimes,” and urged all parties to agree to a cease-fire, abide by international law, and investigate any crimes alleged to have occurred during the fighting. “These acts constitute gross violations of international law, amounting to war crimes which, given the number of victims and the extensive premeditation and planning of the attacks, may also qualify as crimes against humanity,” they said. “There are no circumstances that justify their perpetration.” Israeli officials say about 1,200 people were killed and more than 240 taken hostage on Oct. 7. Investigators with Israel’s top national police unit, Lahav 433, have been gathering evidence of cases of sexual violence but have not specified a number. Hamas has denied the accusations of sexual violence. Reacting to the experts’ statement on Monday, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said on social media: “Harrowing. Hamas’ horrific acts of sexual violence must be immediately and unequivocally condemned.” Accounts of sexual violence on Oct. 7 were shared in a presentation at U.N. headquarters in New York in early December. “Silence is complicity,” said Sheryl Sandberg, the former Meta executive, who helped organize the presentation. Hundreds of protesters outside accused the United Nations of holding a double standard on sexual violence, which the U.N. has acknowledged in many other conflicts. Some chanted: “Me too, unless you’re a Jew.” The New York Times published a two-month investigation in late December, finding that the attacks against women were part of a pattern of gender-based violence on Oct. 7. The Times identified at least seven locations where Israeli women and girls appeared to have been sexually assaulted or mutilated. Reporters interviewed witnesses who described seeing women raped and killed along a highway, reviewed photographs that showed a woman’s corpse with dozens of nails driven into her thighs and groin, and spoke with volunteer medics and Israeli soldiers who came across at least 24 bodies of women and girls in at least six houses, some mutilated, some tied up, and many naked and alone.

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Westfield Public Health Bulletin: Be informed, get vaccinated against COVID, flu

Winter solstice greetings! The shortest day and longest night of year celebrates the return of the light. Unfortunately, winter viruses are rampant during this month of many celebrations. As predicted, COVID-19 cases are increasing along with influenza, RSV, strep and many other respiratory illnesses. The newest coronavirus subvariant, JN.1, is rapidly spreading and becoming the most dominant variant. The World Health Organization has classified it as a “variant of interest.” To be a variant of interest it must have genetic changes that impact its characteristics and growing in a way that makes it a risk to global public health. To date there is no evidence of it causing more serious illness. The updated vaccine appears to be active against JN.1. Symptoms are similar to previous strains. Worse symptoms and outcomes are more dependent on a person’s immunity and overall health. The CDC reports emergency room visits, hospitalizations and death rates for COVID-19 cases are elevated nationally. In the Midwest emergency visits are increasing to last year’s surge numbers.

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Baby girl critically injured in I-495 crash in Andover

A one-year-old girl suffered life-threatening injures when the car she was in crashed on Interstate 495 early Friday morning in Andover, Massachusetts. State police say they responded to the single-vehicle crash around 3:40 a.m. and found a Toyota Camry with a baby and 33-year-old woman inside. The child was taken to Lawrence General Hospital and then flown by medical helicopter to a Boston hospital with critical injuries, police said. The driver suffered minor injuries in the crash and was also taken to Lawrence General. Police did not identify the relationship between the two but said both are from Nashua, NH. Get New England news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NECN newsletters. A preliminary investigation shows the woman lost control of her vehicle, causing the Camry to go into the grass median and down an embankment at which point it struck a tree. According to police, troopers are investigating distraction on the part of the woman as a potential cause of the crash. Further information has not been released. An investigation is ongoing.

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French Police Officer Convicted in High-Profile Abuse Case

Man suffers life-threatening injures in Boston shooting; suspect under arrest A suspect is facing charges after a man suffered life-threatening injuries in a shooting Monday in Roxbury.Boston police officers responded just before 4 a.m. to a ShotSpotter activation for six rounds of gunfire in the area of 48 Clifford St.Officers found a man suffering from life-threatening gunshot wounds. The victim was taken to a local hospital. Police said a suspect had been arrested, however, the person's identity was not released.WCVB will have more information when it becomes available. A suspect is facing charges after a man suffered life-threatening injuries in a shooting Monday in Roxbury. Boston police officers responded just before 4 a.m. to a ShotSpotter activation for six rounds of gunfire in the area of 48 Clifford St. Advertisement Officers found a man suffering from life-threatening gunshot wounds. The victim was taken to a local hospital. Police said a suspect had been arrested, however, the person's identity was not released. WCVB will have more information when it becomes available.

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Crews respond to fire in Boston high-rise - Boston News, Weather, Sports

BOSTON (WHDH) - Emergency crews responded to Congress Street in Boston Thursday after a fire broke out in a high-rise building in the area, the Boston Fire Department said. The fire department, in a post on X, said companies were on scene at 280 Congress Street as of around 8 p.m. battling flames on the building’s 30th floor. Companies were later clearing out of the building as of around 8:35 p.m., according to a later post. While some elevators remained shut down due to flooded elevator shafts, officials said elevators between the first and 15th floors were operating. The fire department said the building was “all commercial” and unoccupied. Boston fire officials shared photos from the response Thursday night, showing multiple ladders in use. No further information was immediately available. (Copyright (c) 2023 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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2024 Hoophall Classic: Angalace Quinones, No. 1 Central girls basketball prevail in OT (photos)

SPRINGFIELD ― Despite trailing by as many as 11 points late in the third quarter, No. 1 Springfield Central girls basketball came back to defeat Hamden (CT) in overtime, 47-37 on Friday at the 2024 Spalding Hoophall Classic.

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Jayson Tatum injury: Celtics star returns to Warriors game after scare

SAN FRANCISCO — Celtics fans held their breath midway through Tuesday’s game against the Warriors. C’s star Jayson Tatum appeared to roll his left ankle as he hobbled back to the locker room with 7:45 left in the first quarter. On the bright side, Tatum retreated to the Celtics locker room under his own power. Tatum appeared to step on the Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski shoe midway through play. Fortunately, it didn’t look like there was too much force on the play as Tatum went to the locker room after twisting his ankle. Here’s a look at the play. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. Up to that point, Tatum had put up four points, two rebounds and one assist on 2-for-3 shooting in four minutes. The injury didn’t appear serious initially, and that was indeed the case. Tatum returned to the Celtics bench with 2:19 left in the first quarter, walking under his own power and without a limp. Tatum made his return to the game to start the second quarter. This story will be updated.

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MFA among museums hit by cyberattack on widely used software

Arts MFA among museums hit by cyberattack on widely used software The Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Rubin Museum of Art in New York and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Arkansas were among the institutions confirming that their systems have experienced outages in recent days. The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Pat Greenhouse/Globe staff Several prominent museums have been unable to display their collections online since a cyberattack hit a prominent technological service provider that helps hundreds of cultural organizations show their works digitally and manage internal documents. The Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Rubin Museum of Art in New York and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Arkansas were among the institutions confirming that their systems have experienced outages in recent days. The service provider, Gallery Systems, said in a recent message to clients, which was obtained by The New York Times, that it had noticed a problem Dec. 28, when computers running its software became encrypted and could no longer operate. “We immediately took steps to isolate those systems and implemented measures to prevent additional systems from being affected, including taking systems offline as a precaution,” the company said in the message. “We also launched an investigation and third-party cybersecurity experts were engaged to assist. In addition, we notified law enforcement.” Advertisement: Gallery Systems did not immediately respond to email and phone requests for comment. Signs of disruption were evident on several museum websites because eMuseum, a tool that usually lets visitors search online collections, was down. There was also disruption behind the scenes: Some curators said that they had returned from their winter vacations to find themselves unable to access sensitive information from another Gallery Systems program called TMS. That system can include the names of donors, loan agreements, provenance records, shipping information and storage locations of priceless artworks. “We noticed the outage starting Dec. 28,” Sandrine Milet, a spokesperson for the Rubin Museum, said. “TMS was back and running yesterday while eMuseum is still down.” T. Barton Thurber, director of the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at Vassar College in New York, said, “I can confirm that unfortunately our museum — along with many others — has been impacted by the attack.” Paige Francis, chief information officer at Crystal Bridges, said, “We are mostly concerned about the public’s inability to benefit from viewing our collection remotely during this disruption.” Cyberattacks against cultural groups are becoming more common, according to some security experts. In November, personal data was stolen from the British Library by a ransomware group, which posted images of internal human resources files. The Metropolitan Opera and the Philadelphia Orchestra also faced cyberattacks last winter, hampering their ability to sell online tickets. Advertisement: In many cases these attacks have come from ransomware groups, which hold the online service hostage until victims pay a sum. The nature of the attack on Gallery Systems was not clear. Some museums that rely on Gallery Systems — including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art — said they were not affected because they host their own databases. It was not immediately clear how widespread the cyberattack was or what the full effect of it would be. “The objects in museums are valuable, but the information about them is truly priceless,” said Erin Thompson, a professor of art crime at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. “Often, generations of curators will have worked to research and document an artifact. If this information is lost, the blow to our knowledge of the world would be immense.” This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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Joan Acocella, Dance Critic for The New Yorker, Dies at 78

Joan Acocella, a cultural critic whose elegant, erudite essays about dance and literature appeared in The New Yorker and The New York Review of Books for more than four decades, died on Sunday at her home in Manhattan. She was 78. Her son, Bartholomew Acocella, said the cause was cancer. Ms. Acocella (pronounced ack-ah-CHELL-uh) wrote deeply about dancers and choreographers, including Mikhail Baryshnikov, Suzanne Farrell and George Balanchine. She scrutinized the vicissitudes of the New York City Ballet as well as the feats of the ballroom-dancing pros and celebrity oafs of the popular TV series “Dancing With the Stars.” She was The New Yorker’s dance critic from 1998 to 2019 and freelanced for The Review for 33 years. Her final articles for The Review were a two-part commentary in May on the biography “Mr. B: George Balanchine’s 20th Century,” by Jennifer Homans, her successor as The New Yorker’s dance critic. “What she wrote for us,” Emily Greenhouse, the editor of The Review, said in an email, “was often mischievous and always delicious — on crotch shots and cuss words, on Neapolitan hand gestures and Isadora Duncan’s emphasis on the solar plexus.”

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Daily Girls Basketball Stats Leaders: DaNaysia Banks leads all scorers & more

Note: Stats Leaders is based on results sent to MassLive. If a player is missing, coaches should email sports@masslive.com. MassLive is highlighting the top stats leaders for each girls basketball category throughout the season. Take a look at the day’s top performers below:

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Powerball: See the winning numbers in Saturdays $535 million drawing

It’s time to grab your tickets and check to see if you’re a big winner! The Powerball lottery jackpot continues to rise after one lucky winner in California won $1.73 billion in the October 11 drawing. Is this your lucky night? Here are Saturday’s winning lottery numbers: 03-09-10-20-62, Powerball: 25, Power Play: 3X Double Play Winning Numbers 09-39-41-46-65, Powerball: 03 The estimated Powerball jackpot is $535 million. The lump sum payment before taxes would be about $268.2 million. The Double Play is a feature that gives players in select locations another chance to match their Powerball numbers in a separate drawing. The Double Play drawing is held following the regular drawing and has a top cash prize of $10 million. Powerball is held in 45 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The Double Play add-on feature is available for purchase in 13 lottery jurisdictions, including Pennsylvania and Michigan. A $2 ticket gives you a one in 292.2 million chance at joining the hall of Powerball jackpot champions. The drawings are held at 10:59 p.m. Eastern, Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The deadline to purchase tickets is 9:45 p.m.

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Expedition Unknown episode 6: How to watch for free on Dec. 20

Josh helps recover the richest stash of lost treasure in the Americas in the newest episode of “Expedition Unknown” airing on Wednesday, December 20 on the Discovery Channel. The new season will air a new episode at 9 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on the Discovery Channel. Viewers looking to stream the new season can do so by using Philo, FuboTV and DirecTV Stream. All three streaming services offer free trials for new users. According to a description of the series from the Discovery Channel, intrigued by legendary mysteries and driven by curiosity, Josh Gates is on a mission for answers.`Expedition Unknown’ chronicles his global adventures as he investigates iconic unsolved events, lost cities, buried treasures and other puzzling stories. In the sixth episode of the new season, Josh helps recover the richest stash of lost treasure in the Americas; deploying cutting-edge technology and an armada of boats, the team dives the Caribbean to bring coins and jewels from the legendary Spanish galleon Maravillas to the surface. Here is a look at the series from Discovery’s YouTube Channel: How can I watch “Expedition Unknown” if I don’t have cable? The new season will air a new episode at 9 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on the Discovery Channel. Viewers looking to stream the new season can do so by using Philo, FuboTV and DirecTV Stream. All three streaming services offer free trials for new users. What is Philo? Philo is an over-the-top internet live TV streaming service that offers 60+ entertainment and lifestyle channels, like AMC, BET, MTV, Comedy Central and more, for the budget-friendly price of $25/month. What is FuboTV? FuboTV is an over-the-top internet live TV streaming service that offers more than 100 channels, such as sports, news, entertainment and local channels. What is DirecTV Stream? The streaming platform offers a plethora of content including streaming the best of live and On Demand, starting with more than 75 live TV channels

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Jewels That Are Spiky, Squiggly and a Little Bit Wild

Objects Jewels That Are Spiky, Squiggly and a Little Bit Wild Leafy and serpentine designs give earrings, necklaces and other pieces an organic edge.

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PSG vs. La Havre AC: Free live stream, TV, how to watch

The Patriots will face the Denver Broncos on Christmas Eve without three of their starters in tow. Safety Jabrill Peppers, who is having a terrific season despite the 3-11 mark, was ruled out with a hamstring injury. Wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster (ankle), and running back Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) also won’t be making the trip. Meanwhile, Hunter Henry (knee), another bright spot amidst a lost season, is among nine players listed as questionable. Both Peppers and Henry left Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. If Henry is unable to go, that would no doubt impact Bailey Zappe. In the three games since Zappe took over at quarterback, Henry, who has quickly established himself as the quarterback’s favorite target, has caught 12 passes for 131 yards and three touchdowns. Trent Brown, who missed Sunday’s game, has been back at practice this week. So it’s possible he’ll be back. Here’s the full report: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS OUT S Jabrill Peppers, Hamstring (DNP) WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, Ankle (DNP) RB Rhamondre Stevenson, Ankle (DNP) DOUBTFUL No Players Listed. QUESTIONABLE DL Christian Barmore, Shoulder (LP) Ja’Whaun Bentley, Knee (LP) OT Trent Brown, Ankle/Hand (LP) TE Hunter Henry, Knee (LP) LB Anfernee Jennings, Illness (LP) CB Jonathan Jones, Knee (LP) OT Conor McDermott, Concussion SpT Matthew Slater, Hamstring (LP) LB Jahlani Tavai, Ankle (LP) NOTES: Cody Davis was removed from the list. T Tyron Wheatley (knee) was a full participant in practice. Denver Broncos OUT OLB Nik Bonitto, Knee (DNP) TE Greg Dulcich, Hamstring / Foot (DNP) T Alex Palczewski, Knee (FP) DOUBTFUL No Players Listed. QUESTIONABLE No Players Listed. NFL fans can wager online on Massachusetts sports betting with enticing promo codes from top online sportsbooks. Use the FanDuel Massachusetts promo code and the DraftKings Massachusetts promo code for massive new user bonuses.

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Patriots put starter on season-ending IR to make room for new CB

FOXBOROUGH — A frustrating season for running back Rhamondre Stevenson has come to an end. The Patriots placed Stevenson on season-ending injured reserve on Wednesday afternoon to make room for ex-Cardinals cornerback Marco Wilson, who Bill Belichick claimed off the waiver wire. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. After hitting the 1000-yard rushing plateau and emerging as an every down back in 2022, Stevenson wasn’t able to find the same success this season. The 25-year-old suffered a high ankle sprain against the Chargers earlier this month, and will finish with 619 rushing yards at 4.0 yards per carry. His totals as a pass catcher dropped across the board, too. With injuries hitting the Patriots secondary, Belichick opted to claim Wilson, a 25-year-old corner who turned in a strange season with the Cardinals. Wilson started Arizona’s first 11 games and rarely came off the field, but then didn’t see a single defensive snap after a November 19 loss to the Texans. He’d only played special teams for the past month before being cut. It’s been a revolving door at cornerback for the Patriots in 2023. Over the course of the season, the Patriots have lost Christian Gonzalez to injury, cut Jack Jones, and placed J.C. Jackson on the non-football illness reserve list. With Jabrill Peppers and Jalen Mills both battling injuries, signing Wilson affords Belichick the flexibility to move Myles Bryant back to full-time safety against the Bills this weekend if he sees fit.

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Crypto Funds Have Arrived. But Who Needs Them?

Exchange-traded funds come in many shapes and sizes. Some are plain vanilla, diversified index funds that let you invest in the entire stock and bond markets, and are excellent core holdings for the great majority of people. Then there are the quirky, narrowly focused E.T.F.s like the Inverse Cramer Tracker, which enables you to bet against the stock picks of the CNBC television host Jim Cramer. The fund is legal, approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission — and a money-loser since its inception last year. Betting against Jim Cramer just isn’t a great investing strategy. Neither is fear of missing out. Yet FOMO is the main reason for putting money into Bitcoin, which remains highly speculative, difficult to categorize and without an immediately identifiable economic function. The S.E.C. this month approved 11 new E.T.F.s that track the price of Bitcoin, and the decision has been heralded by promoters of Bitcoin — and of the new funds — as an important event, legitimizing Bitcoin as an asset class.

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Four Takeaways From the COP28 Climate Summit

It took 28 years of climate negotiations for world leaders to agree to wean the global economy from the principal source of climate change: the burning of fossil fuels. “We’re finally naming the elephant in the room,” said Mohamed Adow, a climate campaigner from Kenya. It happened at the tail end of the hottest year on record. The talks were led by an oil company executive, in a desert kingdom built on oil. Why does it matter? And what does it say about a world in war, hunger and turmoil? Here are some takeaways: Geopolitics Didn’t Derail the Whole Thing That is notable considering the bitter divisions among countries over wars in Gaza and Ukraine, lingering resentment over unequal access to coronavirus vaccines and tensions between the United States and China.

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With much of the Green Line shut down, Boston.com reporters put their commutes to the test

Off Beat With much of the Green Line shut down, Boston.com reporters put their commutes to the test What can Green Line riders expect during this week's closures? Is the journey liable to spike your blood pressure? We decided to see for ourselves. Shuttles operate in Kenmore Square during the Green Line service suspension, as part of the MBTA’s Track Improvement Plan. Pat Greenhouse/Boston Globe Staff With the Green Line shutdown here, how painful is the experience of navigating multiple trains and shuttle buses? Three barely caffeinated and directionally challenged Boston.com staffers went on the journey that no one should have to do, but will, for the next week or so. Monday marked the beginning of several overlapping Green Line shutdowns and service disruptions, the most notable being the 9-day closure of downtown service between Kenmore and North Station (extending to Lechmere on Dec. 4 and 5). So, what can Green Line riders expect during the closures? How much extra travel time should you leave yourself? Is the journey liable to spike your blood pressure? Advertisement: Boston.com content producer Heather Alterisio and staff writers Abby Patkin and Katelyn Umholtz — all regular riders on the Green Line’s B Branch — decided to find out. The three of us documented our morning commutes as we made our way to Boston.com’s office on State Street, navigating trains, shuttle buses, walking routes and, well, more trains. Here’s how it went. The basics The Green Line’s B Branch is shut down from Babcock Street on, with shuttle buses replacing trolleys between Babcock and Copley. From there, the MBTA is recommending that riders walk the few blocks between Copley and Back Bay stations (the T has also said on the social media platform X that accessible vans are available upon request) to catch the Orange Line downtown. The T made the commuter rail fare-free between South Station, Back Bay, and Lansdowne stations during the shutdown. For riders of the Green Line’s B Branch, the 57 bus is also free to use between Kenmore and Packard’s Corner. For simplicity’s sake, we stuck with the MBTA’s advertised route: Green Line to shuttle to Orange Line. Green Line Reminder: Service is suspended from North Station to Babcock St (B), Kenmore (C + D), and Heath St (E) through December 5. Use Buses for service to Back Bay, and Orange Line for service downtown. More information here: https://t.co/ehichy3RwR pic.twitter.com/uOwsJqfTBv — MBTA (@MBTA) November 28, 2023 This seems perfectly clear. Getting out the door Abby: It usually takes me about 45 minutes to an hour to get downtown from just outside Cleveland Circle, so I’m out the door around 7 a.m. The T said to leave additional travel time but didn’t say how much extra. I tried to map out my commute the night before, but the MBTA Trip Planner didn’t seem to take the shuttle buses into account and kept trying to throw in a random commuter rail leg (side note: three different trains for a one-hour commute is simply too many). I decided to give myself an extra half hour to be on the safe side, but waiting for the Green Line in the dark was a bummer. Heather: I start work at 7 a.m., so I leave a little earlier than perhaps most commuters (assuming most office workers start the day at 8 or 9). It usually takes me 35-45 minutes to get downtown from the Harvard Avenue area in Allston. I planned out my commute the night before and walked out the door 15 minutes earlier than I usually do. I haven’t had many successful experiences in the past with the MBTA Trip Planner, so I just planned my route by looking at the map that the MBTA shared of which stops would be closed, and hoped for the best. Advertisement: Katelyn: It turns out Google Maps, which I have relied on heavily in navigating new transit routes since moving to Boston three months ago, does not take into account the shuttle buses either. So I had to hope there would be clear signage from the MBTA to get this millennial around, at least part of the way, without the help of my phone. My trip to work takes about 45 minutes, normally putting me at my stop around 7:15 a.m. I left about 30 minutes earlier than usual, just in case transit moved slower than usual, or the more-than-likely scenario, I got lost. The Green Line Heather: I reached my usual T stop around 6:10 a.m., but as I was crossing the street, the T was already leaving the stop (a lovely common occurrence for me). Unsure when the next T would arrive, I decided to walk the two stops to Babcock where the shuttle buses began, so I cannot speak to how the actual Green Line transition was to the shuttle buses. Minutes after I arrived at the stop, another Green Line Train pulled in, so I could have waited for the next T and arrived at roughly the same time. Abby: I got to my usual T stop at 6:31 a.m., and the train pulled up within 5 minutes. A promising start? Advertisement: Katelyn: I was at my stop at 6:45 a.m. (sadly without my usual coffee in hand so that I could take reporting notes). There were a handful of others waiting, a smaller crowd than the usual group that gathers after 7 a.m. I normally am either running to catch the Green Line or waiting for more than 10 minutes, but today it arrived in six minutes. Abby: The operators on my Green Line train gave a couple overhead announcements about the last stop at Babcock and how to get downtown from there via shuttles. Kudos for that, though the overhead speaker cut out due to feedback a couple of times, and it was a little tricky to make out some of the directions (par for the Green Line, tbh). Katelyn: The Green Line was maybe slightly less busy than usual and as quiet as the morning commuters typically are, with the exception of a loud and consistent screeching noise coming from the trolley. The signs inside the Green Line were also not working, though the conductor calling out the stops was almost audible enough to hear over that aforementioned sound that no one should hear this early in the morning. He also did not call out the final stop — Babcock — until the doors were open at said stop, but the MBTA employee did clearly direct people to go to the right from the stop, where five yellow buses were parked. The Blandford Street Green Line station is closed. The street-level tracks are being used to move equipment into the tunnel for repairs, as part of the MBTA’s Track Improvement Plan. – Pat Greenhouse/Boston Globe Staff The shuttle Heather: As I walked toward the shuttle buses at Babcock, I observed signage directing people across the street from the T to the buses, as well as signage near the buses to let people know they could board. There was also an MBTA employee at the stop to help point people in the right direction. It was 6:20 a.m. and there were at least eight shuttle buses, prepared and waiting for the morning rush. The Yankee Line shuttle buses were clearly marked with the electronic sign updated and flashing “Green Line” and “Babcock Street.” Advertisement: Katelyn: There were signs, a few noticeable employees on site to help, and again, the five bright yellow Yankee Line buses were a big indicator of where I needed to be. I noticed there were five parked on Comm. Ave. going toward downtown, but only one headed toward Boston College. I can only assume that’s because less people may be heading that way at this time of day, though I don’t know how difficult it gets during the afternoon commute, when both directions feel just as busy. I got directly on the bus after crossing the street, waited for two minutes, and then we drove off with less than 10 people seated at about 7:05 a.m. Abby: The shuttle experience was a typical bus ride — some waiting around for breaks in traffic, some bumpiness. On the bright side, the views were a little nicer above ground, especially with the holiday lights up on the Comm Ave. mall. Heather: I sat on the shuttle bus for about 5 minutes, as people boarded, before the driver closed the doors and we were off. A few feet ahead, though, the driver pulled over to let one more person on and then talked to another T employee about where the bus should stop next. There seemed to be some confusion about the next move, but the T employee stepped off the bus and the driver closed the doors again. Katelyn: For first timers of the shuttle bus experience (like me!), I think it’s worth noting that there aren’t any stop request buttons. The driver stopped at each stop between Babcock and Copley, calling out that those stops were approaching as loud as he could, then a few people would trickle on and off. It did appear there was confusion at the Amory Street stop, where passengers waiting for the bus had possibly waited a block farther away. They still got on the bus, but told the driver this is where they were picked up yesterday. Because I was on the bus at the time, I couldn’t confirm if this was an issue due to signage or lack of employees at the in-between stops. Advertisement: Heather: At first, I was unsure if the driver planned to announce any of the stops, but when someone stood up at BU East, the driver yelled out for the first time. It was a similar experience to when the intercom fails and a driver has to yell out the stop as people look around and try to discern what the driver just said. It’s not a perfect system – some of the announcements are mumbles – but this morning’s bus driver did their best to enunciate each stop as we arrived. Katelyn: I spoke to a commuter while on the shuttle bus, who was frustrated that his now four-mile, 45-minute commute took an hour on Monday (they call that MBTA math). “It’s at least a scenic drive,” he said. The passenger also said that the most confusing part of the detour commute was when Green Line passengers arrived at Copley and had to find the Back Bay Orange Line station — because there weren’t enough employees around on Monday, my fellow passenger said he helped an older individual find their way. People board buses to Back Bay on Monday, Nov. 27. Shuttles operate in Kenmore Square during the Green Line service suspension, as part of the MBTA’s Track Improvement Plan. – Pat Greenhouse/Boston Globe Staff The Orange Line Abby: The yellow-vested MBTA employee at Copley just sort of pointed down the block and said, “Back Bay.” Realistically, I knew it was supposed to be a straight shot — a few blocks down, station on the left. But directions aren’t my strong suit on a good day, let alone first thing in the morning when I’m working with a couple of brain cells and a single cup of coffee. I followed a woman who looked like she knew where she was going, and I guess it panned out because then I started seeing street signs for Back Bay. If I were new to Boston/the T and hadn’t seen the MBTA’s diversion map beforehand, might’ve been a different story. Advertisement: Heather: The bus driver announced that Copley was the last stop, but did not provide further details. I watched at least one person go up to the driver and ask what they should do next. As commuters exited the bus, an MBTA employee in a bright yellow vest pointed down the block and yelled out “Back Bay” a few times. From there, I knew where to go from experience, but I wondered if someone unfamiliar with the area would know how to navigate to Back Bay if they hadn’t thought to ask the driver. I did not notice any new signage leading to Back Bay, but there were a few smaller signs on poles that point to the Orange Line, which may be helpful for some. There was also an MBTA employee standing in front of Back Bay, but it would have been more helpful to have an employee near the intersection of Dartmouth and Stuart streets to let people know that they were walking in the right direction. There is plenty of hustle and bustle around Copley Square, so I imagine it would be easy for someone unfamiliar with the area to get lost between the drop-off at Copley and the 0.2-mile walk to Back Bay. Katelyn: Not to brag, but I found my way to Back Bay pretty easily! Without using my phone! That’s huge! There was an MBTA employee shouting “Back Bay!” and waving his hand in the direction of the station, but I just followed my fellow passengers (until I lost them at the first big intersection). There were a few other MBTA staff scattered around Copley, talking to passersby, and even answering questions about the shutdown. I can see where the walk toward Back Bay — if you didn’t know your way around — would get dicey. I saw maybe one MBTA employee along the route after Copley and before getting to Back Bay, where there were two more employees. I’m only sort of familiar with the area, having gone to one doctor’s appointment right by the Back Bay stop, so to be fair I wasn’t in the dark here. But I also followed the biggest swarm of people, thinking they were likely headed in the same direction, which maybe isn’t recommendable in an area as bustling as Back Bay. It got me to the Orange Line, though (and I can’t stress this point enough, without my phone). Advertisement: Heather: I reached Back Bay around 6:55 a.m. There were plenty of people waiting at the platform for the next Oak Grove train, but the crowd seemed standard for a weekday morning at Back Bay. The train arrived within 5 minutes with another train scheduled to arrive 7 minutes later. The train was not too crowded — plenty of space to stand and a few open seats. Abby: Got to Back Bay around 7:15 a.m., and there was a pretty big crowd on the platform (though nothing too unusual for the T at rush hour). The train arrived within a minute or two and wasn’t terribly crowded — only a couple of seats, but plenty of elbow room for those who were standing. It was my first time riding one of the new Orange Line cars, so that was cool. It smelled like disinfectant, which I guess is a good thing in the grand scheme of T smells. Katelyn: I got to the Orange Line platform just before 7:30 a.m. It appeared incredibly busy at first, but turns out people love to crowd around the stairs instead of moving down the extensive platform. I did the latter, and I recommend it! The wait was only four minutes, too. I have no reference point for what the Orange Line normally looks like during a morning commute. When I got on, there weren’t seats available until a couple of stops before State Street, but unlike the Green Line, those standing had plenty of space. I asked a passenger if this commute was busier than usual, but she said no. The verdict Abby: Got to State at 7:25 a.m. and was at my desk by 7:30 a.m., exactly 30 minutes early. I’m … pleasantly surprised? I admittedly didn’t have high expectations. With so many moving parts in this Green Line closure, there’s a lot of room for things to go wrong — shuttles getting snagged in traffic, missing the Orange Line and having to wait 10+ minutes for the next one, and so on. I wonder what it’s like to make this trip during off-peak hours, when some trains run less frequently. Advertisement: Heather: I arrived at the office at 7:09 a.m., which is admittedly, not unusual for me (sorry, editors!). I left my house 15 minutes earlier than I usually do and arrived at roughly the same time. Perhaps I will leave 20 minutes early tomorrow. Overall, my commute was not a major headache since I knew what to expect. As Abby said, a lot of things could have gone wrong. I am curious how the commute home will go. There were plenty of shuttle buses lined up in preparation this morning, but I am not sure if I can expect the same in the evening. I just hope the MBTA will keep it up with staffing and signage along these routes as we endure shutdowns across all subway lines for the next year. Katelyn: I got to my desk around 7:45 a.m., early enough to pour a much-needed coffee that was missed during my commute. It took me about an hour to get to work, which is sometimes how long it takes when I just take the Green Line — MBTA math strikes again! I needed to get in earlier anyway (to write this), but I feel like I could have left 10 minutes later and still made it to work on time. Another note to mention from my passenger source: He said he didn’t know the shutdown was happening until the last minute. In preparation for today’s commute, I used Boston.com coverage and other local outlets for help, and I couldn’t recommend your local news outlets enough as a tool for staying informed on all MBTA news. That being said, I’m not excited to do this all over again, in the opposite direction, to get home later today. Green Line riders: How have the closures affected your commute? Green Line riders: Have the closures affected your commute? (Required) Yes, it's pretty bad. About the same. No, it's been good. Tell us how the Green Line closures have affected your commute. Name Your name may be published. Neighborhood/Town Your neighborhood/town may be published. What are your preferred pronouns? He/Him She/Her They/Them Other Please select your preferred pronoun so we may correctly refer to your response in an article. Email or phone Please enter an email address and/or phone number that we can easily contact you with. We may reach out for more information. It will NOT be published. Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

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Zipcar expanding EV offerings after Boston pilot

The company, owned by Avis , has been expanding its EV fleet since a pilot program started in Boston in 2022 with just 10 electric vehicles. It added more vehicles in more cities in 2023 and currently has about 300 EVs in its fleet nationwide. Under an initiative announced in December, Zipcar plans to double its EV fleet in 2024, with at least one-quarter available in economically disadvantaged communities. The expansion will span 10 cities including Boston, Chicago, New York, and Denver. (Some of you may be wondering: Zipcar is still around? Yes, it is.) Zipcar, the car-sharing company based in Boston, is delving deeper into the electric vehicle market after a successful local pilot program. Advertisement According to the company’s surveys, only about one in 10 customers has ever driven an electric vehicle. So a top priority for the program was addressing drivers’ questions and concerns about charging, Justin Holmes, vice president of policy and marketing, said. Get Innovation Beat Boston Globe tech reporters tell the story of the region's technology and innovation industry, highlighting key players, trends, and why they matter. Enter Email Sign Up “What we found is that the best-case scenario is when a member doesn’t have to worry about charging really at all,” Holmes said. To address the challenge, Zipcar has sought out designated parking spots with chargers (every Zipcar has a specific parking spot where customers pick up and drop off the vehicle). When that isn’t possible, Zipcar staff take EVs to nearby charging stations for a fill-up before a customer picks up a vehicle. Each Zipcar EV also includes cards for popular charging networks, in case a customer needs to recharge on a longer road trip. That’s similar to the company’s gas-powered cars, which have a special debit card tucked in the sun visor to pay for gas refills. Zipcar hopes to avoid some of the horror stories that have beset EV programs at traditional car rental companies. Hertz and others ran into problems when they stuck customers with electric cars unexpectedly. That can’t happen at Zipcar, where customers choose to rent a specific, individual car, electric or gas-powered. Advertisement Zipcar also designed an online guide with a series of how-to videos for its EV customers, covering topics like driving dynamics and charging. College student and Zipcar customer Madeline Mueller had never driven an EV before she tried one from the car-sharing service in November. Going electric was just as easy to rent and drive as a gas-powered car, she said. Living in Somerville, she doesn’t need to own a car right now, but “this experience has me strongly considering electric vehicles if I do move somewhere I require a car,” she said. Winning over future EV drivers could be an added benefit of Zipcar’s program, according to Ingrid Malmgren, policy director at nonprofit EV advocacy group Plug In America. “Particularly with something like Zipcar where you may use the same vehicle multiple times, it seems like a great introduction to an electric vehicle,” Malmgren said. Aaron Pressman can be reached at aaron.pressman@globe.com. Follow him @ampressman.

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House Censures Jamaal Bowman for False Fire Alarm

I have no idea how I got to my office this morning. I mean, I do know: I walked to the tube station near my house, got on a train, transferred a few stops later to another one, got off near my office and then walked in, making the briefest of stops at a coffee shop to pick up a breakfast sandwich on the way. But that list of steps describes the limit of my knowledge. I have no idea who opened the tube station, or what it takes to keep it functioning. (Or, for that matter, why one of its turnstiles was stuck half open, bleeping a plaintive alarm about its situation to no one in particular.) I do not know how to drive a train, and certainly not how to maintain one. And I’m sure the people of London are very grateful that I have never had to consider how to dig a subway tunnel or lay a rail line. And yet if those things had not happened in the correct order, as designed by experts and carried out by professionals, the city would shut down. This week that shutdown nearly happened, in fact, because of a transport strike that was called off at the last moment. This is the magical thing about institutions: They exist so that complex processes can become automatic, so that large groups of people can collaborate without having to create new systems for doing so, and so people like me can rely on expertise without possessing that expertise even a tiny bit.

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Live stream: Celtics 91, Knicks 90

Joe Mazzulla on the decision to bring Al Horford off the bench: “You don’t make decisions without taking in consideration who he is and what he stands for. I’m not saying he lined up, shit, like raising his hand excited about it. But he’s Al, so we’re grateful for him.” – 5:47 PM

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Original AC/DC drummer dies, band says

The original drummer for well-known band AC/DC — Colin Burgess — has died, according to the band. “Very sad to hear of the passing of Colin Burgess. He was our first drummer and a very respected musician. Happy memories, rock in peace Colin,” the band said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

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The Supreme Court Helped Trumps Delay Strategy. By How Much Remains to Be Seen.

Here is a look at what’s ahead. What issue is Mr. Trump appealing? Mr. Trump is attempting to get the entire indictment against him tossed out with an argument that has never before been tested by the courts — largely because no one else has ever made it this way. He is claiming that he is absolutely immune to criminal prosecution on the charges of election interference because they stem from acts he took while he was in the White House. Judge Tanya S. Chutkan, who is handling the underlying case in Federal District Court in Washington, rejected that claim earlier this month in a decision that found there was nothing in the Constitution or American history supporting the idea that the holder of the nation’s highest position, once out of office, should not be subject to the federal criminal law like everybody else. Mr. Trump appealed the decision to the first court above Judge Chutkan’s: the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. But fearing that a protracted appeal could delay the case from going to trial as scheduled in March, Jack Smith, the special counsel who filed the indictment, made an unusual request to the Supreme Court: He asked the justices to step in front of the appeals court and consider the case first to speed up the process and preserve the current trial date. On Friday, in a one-sentence order, the Supreme Court turned down Mr. Smith’s request. Where will the case be heard now? The appeals court in Washington will hear the immunity matter. In fact, the court will do so on a schedule that is extremely accelerated by judicial standards.

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Los cuidadores de Baystate Health brindan consejos para una mejor salud en 2024

¿Incluiste una mejor salud en tus propósitos de Año Nuevo? Los expertos en la salud de Baystate Health sugieren establecer objetivos realistas y priorizar lo que es más importante para usted, dar pequeños pasos y recordar no castigarse si encuentra un revés en sus objetivos de salud para el 2024. Algunos objetivos que usted debe considerar para su salud y su alma a medida que continúa su trayectoria incluyen: Mejorar sus niveles de azúcar en la sangre: Hay tres enfoques importantes para mejorar sus niveles de azúcar en sangre al comenzar el nuevo año. Primero, modere su consumo de carbohidratos. No se necesita ningún enfoque dramático. Si antes tomabas dos cucharadas de patatas, ahora toma una y llena el espacio vacío con verduras sin almidón. En segundo lugar, aumente su actividad física. El uso de nuestros músculos empujará el azúcar hacia nuestras células y lo sacará de nuestro torrente sanguíneo. Cuanto más nos movamos y seamos físicamente activos, mejores serán nuestros números. En tercer lugar, una modesta pérdida de peso. Perder entre el 5 y el 10 % de nuestro peso corporal tendrá un impacto dramático en la forma en que metabolizamos el azúcar. Hable con su proveedor de atención médica para personalizar este enfoque para usted. Nosotros en Baystate contamos con especialistas en enfoques de estilo de vida para mejorar la salud metabólica, llamados educadores en diabetes, que pueden brindarle información personalizada adicional. - Dra. Cecilia A. Lozier, jefa de la División de Endocrinología y Diabetes, Baystate Health No permita que los problemas de sueño afecten su salud: Los niveles de estrés son más altos hoy en día en el mundo en el que vivimos. Si bien el estrés puede hacer que dormir bien sea más difícil, es importante priorizar el sueño, que es necesario para la salud y el bienestar. La mayoría de los adultos funcionan mejor durmiendo entre 7 y 8 horas y los adolescentes necesitan alrededor de 9 horas. Un sueño de buena calidad es importante para prevenir infecciones y mantener el sistema inmunológico funcionando bien. Los estudios han demostrado que las personas privadas de sueño no desarrollan la misma respuesta inmune después de las vacunas que las personas que duermen bien, por lo que es importante asegurarse de dormir bien por la noche antes de vacunarse contra la gripe o el COVID, por ejemplo. Mantener un horario de sueño regular permitirá que el reloj interno de su cuerpo le ayude a dormir lo mejor posible por la noche. Si usted tiene dificultades para dormir o signos de mala calidad del sueño con ronquidos fuertes, dificultad para permanecer dormido, orinar con frecuencia durante la noche o somnolencia o cansancio durante el día, puede beneficiarse de una evaluación de medicamentos para el sueño en Baystate. Los estudios del sueño están disponibles mediante remisión de su médico o, para obtener más información, llame al 413-794-5600. - Dra. Karin Johnson, directora médica, Programa Regional del Sueño de Baystate Health y Laboratorio del Sueño del Centro Médico de Baystate, Baystate Health Mantenerse a salvo del COVID-19 y de las infecciones respiratorias estacionales: mantenerse al día con las vacunas contra el COVID-19, la gripe y el RSV es importante si desea mantenerse saludable en 2024. No es demasiado tarde para recibir estas vacunas, en particular si tiene 60 años o más, tiene un sistema inmunológico débil o tiene condiciones médicas que lo ponen en riesgo de sufrir una infección respiratoria grave. Hable con su proveedor de atención médica si tiene preguntas. Es prudente usar su mascarilla si se encuentra en un lugar público interior o en cualquier área concurrida con poca ventilación. - Dr. Armando Paez, jefe de la División de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Baystate Health Mantener a los niños sanos: a medida que nos adaptamos a la “nueva normalidad” de un mundo pospandémico, nuestros niños han enfrentado muchos desafíos que han impactado su bienestar. Los problemas de salud mental, incluido el aumento de las tasas de depresión, ansiedad y autolesiones, resaltan la importancia de asegurarse de que los niños tengan relaciones sólidas con adultos y compañeros afectuosos. Centrémonos en guiar a nuestros hijos hacia una curación y un crecimiento continuo. Además de las expresiones diarias de amor y seguridad, anime a sus hijos a explorar salidas creativas que traigan alegría y fomenten la resiliencia. Las conexiones con el mundo real y el tiempo de pantalla consciente son clave para equilibrar el panorama digital. Como familias, podemos priorizar enfoques de bienestar apropiados para la edad, ya sea mediante el movimiento regular o el fomento de hábitos alimentarios saludables. Adaptar nuestro enfoque garantiza que los niños no sólo estén equipados para enfrentar los desafíos que enfrentan, sino que también estén capacitados para prosperar en un mundo en constante evolución. - Dra. Amy J. Starmer, MPH, jefa de la División de Pediatría General y Salud Familiar Controlar su peso: ¿Su propósito de Año Nuevo es comer más saludablemente, hacer más ejercicio o lograr otra meta relacionada con la salud? El nuevo año trae consigo la oportunidad de iniciar un camino hacia el bienestar o, si ya lo has hecho, de mantener hábitos saludables. Sin embargo, puede resultar difícil lograr que estos objetivos se mantengan a pesar de todos los desafíos que nos presenta el año. ¿Cuál es la mejor manera de tener éxito en el logro de sus propósitos de salud? Considere lo siguiente: 1. Sé específico con tus objetivos. En lugar de “Comeré más sano,” considere algo como “Reemplazaré 4 refrescos por semana con agua.” Establecer una meta más específica puede ayudarte a “marcar” si has completado la meta cada día y, por lo tanto, tener éxito a largo plazo. 2. Asegúrate de que tus objetivos sean mensurables. Si su objetivo es perder peso, por ejemplo, establezca una cantidad mensurable con un período de tiempo para alcanzar su objetivo. Por ejemplo, “Quiero perder 10 libras para abril de 2024″ y “hacer ejercicio durante 30 minutos, 3 veces por semana” son objetivos más mensurables que “perder peso este año.” 3. Haga que sus objetivos sean realistas para usted. Por ejemplo, si viaja a diario para el trabajo, “dejar de comer mientras viaja” como resolución puede no ser realista para su estilo de vida. Es posible que se dé por vencido en febrero si ha comprado alguna comida fuera. Esto obstaculiza cualquier progreso que podría haber logrado en un período más largo. En su lugar, pruebe con un objetivo más realista y flexible, como “preparar un almuerzo saludable para conservarlo en un lugar fresco 4 veces por semana.” Prepárese para el éxito este año haciendo resoluciones que funcionen para usted, que sean específicas y mensurables. De lo contrario, es posible que se sienta rápidamente frustrado por su incapacidad para cumplir y alcanzar sus objetivos. - Eliana Terry, MS RD CSG LDN, dietista registrada, Baystate Noble Hospital Dónde buscar atención: si no se siente bien y no puede esperar a una cita regular de atención primaria con su proveedor de atención primaria de Baystate, Convenient Care ofrece atención sin cita previa el mismo día con horarios extendidos que se adaptan a su horario. Baystate Convenient Care brinda atención de alta calidad, conveniente y asequible para lesiones y enfermedades que no ponen en peligro la vida y que requieren atención médica oportuna. Por el contrario, los departamentos de emergencias (DE) ofrecen atención las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana para afecciones agudas o emergencias médicas graves con atención experta. Al decidir si acudir o no a Convenient Care, considere si la enfermedad o lesión pone en peligro la vida y requiere tratamiento médico integral. Si es así, el servicio de urgencias debería ser su primer destino. Sin embargo, algunos síntomas y afecciones comunes no requieren una visita al Departamento de Emergencias. Las ubicaciones incluyen Convenient Care en Baystate Wing Hospital, Baystate Convenient Care Longmeadow, Baystate Convenient Care Northampton, Baystate Convenient Care Springfield y Baystate Convenient Care Westfield. Para obtener más información, visite Baystate Convenient Care. - Dra. Agnieszka Nicora, directora médica, Baystate Convenient Care Traducido por Damaris Pérez Pizarro

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The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion episode 10: How to watch for free

The Contenders soar to new heights in a sky-high challenge in the newest episode of “The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion” airing on Wednesday, December 20 on MTV. In season 39, “reality stars party, fight and hook up in exotic locales while competing in insane physical challenges and scheming to win cash prizes on the competition show that started it all,” according to MTV. The new season will air a new episode at 8 p.m. EST on MTV. Viewers looking to stream the new season can do so by using Philo, FuboTV, Sling and DirecTV Stream. Philo, fuboTV and DirecTV all offer free trials and Sling offers 50% off your first month. In episode 10 of the new season, the Contenders soar to new heights in a sky-high challenge, with an outcome that makes one Contender question their alliance. A decorated Champion brings the heat in the elimination. Here is a look at the new season from MTV’s The Challenge YouTube Channel: How can I watch “The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion” without cable? The new season will air a new episode at 8 p.m. EST on MTV. Viewers looking to stream the new season can do so by using Philo, FuboTV, Sling and DirecTV Stream. Philo, fuboTV and DirecTV all offer free trials and Sling offers 50% off your first month. What is Philo? Philo is an over-the-top internet live TV streaming service that offers 60+ entertainment and lifestyle channels, like AMC, BET, MTV, Comedy Central and more, for the budget-friendly price of $25/month. What is FuboTV? FuboTV is an over-the-top internet live TV streaming service that offers more than 100 channels, such as sports, news, entertainment and local channels. What is DirecTV Stream? The streaming platform offers a plethora of content including streaming the best of live and On Demand, starting with more than 75 live TV channels. DirecTV also offers a free trial for any package you sign up.

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Victims in Western MA plane crash identified

A 29-year-old man was killed in a shooting at a Lawrence nightclub just after midnight on Christmas Eve, according to police. Lawrence police responded to a report of shots fired at Energy Lounge on Broadway around 12:20 a.m. Sunday morning, police said in a press release. There, officers and paramedics found the victim with a gunshot wound. They treated him before taking him to Lawrence General Hospital where he was declared dead. Energy Lounge confirmed in a statement posted to its Instagram account that the shooting happened inside the nightclub. It said it is cooperating with investigators. “Energy Lounge deeply regrets the human loss, and we send our most sincere condolences to the victim’s relatives. We accompany them in their pain,” the nightclub wrote. No further information about the shooting, including the identity of the victim, has been released.

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Franz Beckenbauer, Der Kaiser of World Soccer, Dies at 78

Franz Beckenbauer, a World Cup winner as a player and a coach who became the defining figure in German soccer for more than half a century, died on Sunday. He was 78. He died at his home, his family confirmed in a statement. The statement did not specify where he lived or state the cause of death. His relatives had previously suggested to German media outlets that he was in failing health. Known throughout an illustrious, trophy-laden career as “Der Kaiser,” Beckenbauer had retreated from public view in recent years, buffeted by the death of one of his five children, Stephan, from a brain tumor in 2015, and by a heart bypass operation the next year. Before then he had been a totemic, magnetic presence in both German soccer and German public life. He was a player, a defender of unusual poise and elegance. He was a coach, exhibiting a deft touch and an easy manner with his players. And he was an executive, showing himself to be a skilled diplomat and consummate networker.

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Ex-Celtics forward: Winning title was not main agenda for 2018-19 team

Red Sox Red Sox lose out on Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who reportedly agrees with Dodgers on $325 million deal The Red Sox were one of the handful of teams who met with the Japanese phenom. FILE - Japan's Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivers a pitch during the fifth inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Mexico on March 20, 2023, in Miami. Yamamoto, the most prized pitcher on the free-agent market, has agreed to a $325 million, 12-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to multiple reports. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File) AP LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prized free-agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to a $325 million, 12-year contract, according to multiple reports. Yamamoto is set to join Japanese countryman Shohei Ohtani with the Dodgers, who signed the two-way superstar to a record $700 million, 10-year deal last week. The Dodgers did not confirm the agreement with Yamamoto on Thursday night. MLB.com and ESPN were among the outlets citing anonymous sources in reporting the deal. The New York Yankees and New York Mets were among the many clubs that pursued Yamamoto. It’s the third major pitching coup for the NL West champion Dodgers this offseason. In addition to Ohtani, the team signed right-hander Tyler Glasnow to a $136.5 million, five-year contract after he was traded from the Tampa Bay Rays to Los Angeles. Advertisement: Ohtani made a video pitch to Glasnow to join him in Hollywood. “It was important to Shohei that this wasn’t the one move we were going to make,” Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman said at Ohtani’s introductory news conference last week. Yamamoto was 16-6 with a 1.21 ERA this season, striking out 169 and walking 28 in 164 innings. He is 70-29 with a 1.82 ERA in seven seasons with the Orix Buffaloes. Yamamoto struck out a Japan Series-record 14 in a Game 6 win over Hanshin on Nov. 5, throwing a 138-pitch complete game. Orix went on to lose Game 7. Orix posted the 25-year-old right-hander on Nov. 20 and Major League Baseball teams had until Jan. 4 to sign him. Yamamoto’s deal with the Dodgers would be the largest and longest ever guaranteed to a big league pitcher. Ohtani was a two-time AL MVP with the Los Angeles Angels before becoming a free agent this offseason and moving to the Dodgers. Yamamoto pitched his second career no-hitter, the 100th in Japanese big league history, on Sept. 9 for the Buffaloes against the Lotte Marines. The game, watched by MLB executives, extended his scoreless streak to 42 innings. A two-time Pacific League MVP, Yamamoto also threw a no-hitter against the Seibu Lions on June 18 last year. His fastball averaged 95 mph and topped out at 96.6 mph in Japan’s semifinal win over Mexico at the World Baseball Classic in March. He threw 20 fastballs, 19 splitters, six curveballs, six cutters and one slider in a 3 1/3-inning relief outing. Batters swung at 11 of his splitters and missed four. Advertisement: Following hard-throwing 21-year-old sensation Roki Sasaki, Yamamoto gave up two runs and three hits in 3 1/3 innings with four strikeouts and two walks, allowing Alex Verdugo’s RBI double. Yamamoto was charged with a second run when Isaac Paredes hit an RBI single off Atsuki Yuasa. Under the MLB-NPB agreement, the posting fee will be 20% of the first $25 million of a major league contract, including earned bonuses and options. The percentage drops to 17.5% of the next $25 million and 15% of any amount over $50 million. There would be a supplemental fee of 15% of any earned bonuses, salary escalators and exercised options.

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Falcons vs. Saints: How to watch NFL week 12 for free on FOX

Jorge Alfaro is headed to the Windy City. The former Boston Red Sox catcher signed a minor-league deal with the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, FanSided’s Robert Murray reported. The deal includes an invite to spring training. Alfaro signed a minor-league deal with the Red Sox in January ahead of spring training. He made a legitimate case to make the Opening Day roster. But Connor Wong beat out Alfaro and he began the year in Triple-A Worcester. After hitting .320 with six home runs in 43 games, Alfaro opted out of his contract June 1. A brief stint with the Colorado Rockies ended with him getting cut and back on the free agent market before re-signing with Boston on July 6 after Reese McGuire went down with an oblique strain. Alfaro struggled both at the plate and behind it, going just 2-for-17 before he was cut by the Red Sox. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. Enter your email address here to receive the Fenway Rundown email newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday. The 30-year-old will now get a fresh start with the Cubs as he looks to revamp his career. He’ll join catchers Yan Gomes and Miguel Amaya — who are both on Chicago’s 40-man roster. In 1,710 plate appearances, Alfaro has slashed 253/.302/.393.

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15 must-see concerts at Bostons smaller music venues during winter 2023-24

Events 15 must-see concerts at Boston’s smaller music venues during winter 2023-’24 Boston's small- to mid-size venues will be hosting shows to suit all tastes in December, January, and February. Jamila Woods, Open Mike Eagle, Tinashe, Marshmello, and Josh Ritter are all coming to Boston's smaller stages this winter. Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for Slow Factory; Courtesy Photo; Monica Schipper/Getty Images for ABA; Courtesy Photo / Nick Farr; Courtesy Photo As Steve Martin once said, “Let’s get small!” Here are 15 concerts worth seeing at Greater Boston’s smaller venues, organized by genre. (Sites include Brighton Music Hall, Paradise Rock Club, Royale, Big Night Live, The Sinclair in Cambridge, Crystal Palace in Somerville, The Cabot in Beverly, and Chevalier Theatre in Medford; check out our guide to larger venues here.) Please note, some of these shows may only have verified resale tickets available. Best soul, R&B, and blues shows Matthew Stubbs, Tim Carman, and Pat Faherty of GA-20. – Courtesy Photo / Fancey Pansen GA-20 is one of Boston’s most successful and high-profile blues units. Three of their releases have topped the Billboard Blues Albums chart, and two — including this year’s “Live in Loveland” — have fallen just one spot short of that mark. Advertisement: They are also three-time Boston Music Awards Blues Artist of the Year honorees, and are nominated in the same category (for this sixth time overall) and for the Live Artist of the Year trophy this year. Austin-based blues, funk, and soul guitarist Black Joe Lewis has released six albums and two EPs since 2007; 2009’s “Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is!” was produced by Jim Eno of Spoon, for whom Lewis opened — along with fellow indie rockers Okkervil River — in 2007. His latest effort is “The Difference Between Me & You” (2018). Saturday, Dec. 2, 8 p.m., Brighton Music Hall, 158 Brighton Ave., Boston, $25 Jamila Woods was born and is currently based in Chicago. However, she is an erstwhile New Englander by virtue of having graduated from Brown University. As a writer, she is a published poet, anthology editor, and an associate artistic director of Young Chicago Authors. As a musician, she has released three albums since 2016. The first two, “Heavn” and “Legacy! Legacy!,” were ranked among the top albums of their respective years by multiple outlets, with both appearing on the year-end lists by Pitchfork, Exclaim!, and NPR. If the reviews that accompanied the Oct. 13 release of “Water Made Us ” are any indication, then it is sure to be similarly recognized. With Kara Jackson, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 8 p.m., The Sinclair, 52 Church St., Cambridge, $45 Best rap and hip-hop shows This Brooklyn-born and bred trio is currently on tour in celebration of the 10th anniversary of “BetterOffDead,” a mixtape that was released before their debut EP (“Clockwork Indigo,” recorded with Flatbush hip-hop duo The Underachievers) and their two LPs, “3001: A Laced Odyssey” (2016) and “Vacation in Hell” (2018), the latter two of which peaked at No. 10 and 11, respectively, on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The most recent entry in the group’s discography is 2020’s “now, more than ever,” which came out ten days after the murder of George Floyd alongside a statement from the band that read, in part, “This music was made for you. It was released with you in mind. Use it to start an evolution.” With A$AP Twelvyy, Sunday, Dec. 3, 7 p.m., Big Night Live, 110 Causeway St., Boston, $77.51(verified resale ticket) Over his dozen-plus years of recording, Open Mike Eagle has released numerous collections of songs with revealing and descriptive titles such as “Unapologetic Art Rap,” “Rappers Will Die of Natural Causes,” the highly praised “Brick Body Kids Still Daydream,” “What Happens When I Try to Relax,” “Anime, Trauma and Divorce,” and this year’s “Another Triumph of Ghetto Engineering.” In the press release that accompanied “Another Triumph’s…” forthcoming release, Eagle stated, “These songs are all fancy ways of saying ‘f— you’ to people that ignore us and ‘thank you’ to people that care if we live or die!” With Pink Navel, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 8 p.m., The Sinclair, 52 Church St., Cambridge, $20 Best alternative, indie, and rock shows Anyone who has followed the Boston independent music scene at any point in the past 20 years has to at least recognize the name Will Dailey. After all, it’s difficult to fly under the radar of local fans when you’re a seven-time BMA winner in four different categories. If you more of a television person, then you may have heard at least one of his several songs that have appeared on — among other programs — “90210,” “CSI” and its offshoots, “NCIS” and its offshoots, “Numb3rs,” “BOSE,” and “Ghost Whisperer.” If you like what you’ve heard or would like to hear what so many others have, check out him and his band in Davis Square on Dec. 9. With Hayley Reardon, Saturday, Dec. 9, 8 p.m., Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, $20 Named after an obscure 1963 movie that was filmed in Vermont, Hallelujah the Hills has established itself as one of the most admired Boston-based rock bands of the 2000s. Fronted by singer, songwriter, guitarist, journalist and author Ryan H. Walsh (click here for an interview about his book “Astral Weeks”), the sextet won more or less universal — and international — acclaim for its ambitious 2019 epic, “I’m You.” Last September, Walsh announced on the HTH website that the band would begin work on “DECK,” which would comprise “52 songs, one for each card. 4 thirteen-song albums, one for each suit.” With Eldridge Rodriguez and Aaron & the Lord, Friday, Dec. 15, 8:30 p.m., The Sinclair, 52 Church St., Cambridge, $20 Although my introduction was belated, I became an instant fan of Torres upon hearing “Thirstier” two years ago. It was the Orlando native’s fifth album, and my hurried attempt to play catch-up revealed that any of the previous ones would have had me just as effortlessly hooked. The follow-up to “Thirstier,” “What an enormous room,” is set for release on Jan. 26. As the first singles — “Collect” and “I got the fear” — indicate, it is (to use a critic’s cliché) less immediate than its predecessor. However, they are also unmistakable signs of artistic growth by an artist who is not only unafraid but eager to experiment. With Addie, Saturday, Jan. 27, 8 p.m., The Sinclair, 52 Church St., Cambridge, $20 Best dance and electronic shows DJ/producer Marshmello has topped Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart three times in the past five years. He also has (by my count), 20 gold, platinum, and multi-platinum singles worldwide — the most successful of which is “Happier,” featuring the British band Bastille — making him one of the most popular practitioners of his chosen genre. His newest record, “Sugar Papi,” debuted at No. 1 on Nov. 18, 2023. It was his first venture into Latin music, with Latin artists serving as most of its guests and most of the song titles being in Spanish. Thursday, Dec. 28, 9:30 p.m., Big Night Live, 110 Causeway St., Boston, $97.50 Snakehips is a duo from Sheffield, England. Their biggest hit is the 2015 worldwide smash “All My Friends,” featuring Tinashe (see below) and Chance the Rapper. Other hits include collaborations with MØ (“Don’t Leave”), Anderson .Paak (“Money on Me”), and Anne-Marie & Joey Badass (“Either Way”). In 2023, the duo issued a remix of Taylor Swift’s “Lavender Haze” and their debut full-length, “Never Worry,” which featured a slew of guests that included Medford-born hip-hop artist and six-time Boston Music Award winner BIA. Saturday, Jan. 28, 10:30 p.m., Big Night Live, 110 Causeway St., Boston, $28.40 Best folk, country, and Americana shows Taylor Goldsmith, Lee Pardini, Griffin Goldsmith, and Wylie Gelber of Dawes. – Courtesy Photo / Matt Jacoby This Los Angeles quartet has spent 2023 touring in support of 2022’s “Misadventures of Doomscroller,” which was released in a deluxe edition in February that featured a live performance, and in recognition of the 10th anniversary of “Stories Don’t End,” which was also given deluxe treatment this year. The former was, like several other Dawes records, produced by Jonathan Wilson, whose credits include Margo Price, Father John Misty, and Billy Strings. Together and individually, Dawes and Wilson have been praised for their approximation of the Laurel Canyon sound, the classic practitioners of which include Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and Neil Young. With Annika Bennett, Thursday, Dec. 28, 8 p.m., The Cabot, 286 Cabot St., Beverly, $68.50-$112.25 Josh Ritter will spend the two weeks of February touring in celebration of the two full decades that have passed since the release of his third LP, “Hello Starling.” Like Dawes, however, he will (presumably) have one foot planted firmly in the present, as he has another album, “Spectral Lines,” that will still be less than one year old when he plays the last of these shows at the Paradise. And just to keep things interesting, Ritter recently recorded his own version of Cyndi Lauper’s “The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough.” Given that I am a fellow ’80s kid who is only six months older than he is, I can definitely appreciate that. Friday, Feb. 16 and Saturday, Feb. 17, 8 p.m., Paradise Rock Club, 967 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, $54 It has been 62 years since the release of her debut, and folk stalwart Judy Collins is doing some of the strongest work of her seven-decade-spanning career. Last year’s “Spellbound,” her 29th studio LP, was the first on which she composed all of the songs herself. Her efforts were rewarded with a Grammy nomination — her seventh — for Best Folk Album. And not many performers who are eight decades into life — or much younger for that matter — can say, as Collins did in a recent interview, “Before the pandemic, I was doing 125 shows a year. I think it’s down to a hundred this year, but it’ll probably go back up.” Friday, Feb. 23, 8 p.m., The Cabot, 286 Cabot St., Beverly, $46.50-$101.00 Best pop show “I consider myself a pop artist who makes R&B-tinged pop music,” then-24-year-old Tinashe said in a 2017 interview with The Guardian. At that point, the Kentucky-born singer had two albums, a worldwide debut hit single (“2 On,” featuring ScHoolboy Q), and a shared lead vocal on another global smash (“All My Friends,” by Marshmello and including Chance the Rapper) to her credit. She had also headlined two tours and opened for Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, and Beyoncé. Since then, Tinashe has headlined three tours and recorded four more records, including “BB/ANG3L,” which dropped on Sept. 8, 2023. (It is probably worth noting that Tinashe said in a 2020 Rolling Stone interview, “I’m going to go as far as to say we need to abolish genres in general.”) Monday, Feb. 12, 8 p.m., Royale, 279 Tremont St., Boston, $32.50 in advance/$35 day of show Best singer-songwriter shows Born near LA and raised near Montreal, Patrick Watson — which is technically the name of the lead singer/songwriter and the band — has achieved an admirable level of popularity in his/its homeland and earned a fair amount of praise south of its border. Writing for the Boston Globe in 2015, Jeremy D. Goodwin made favorable comparisons to Andrew Bird, Rufus Wainwright, and Broken Social Scene. I, meanwhile, upon hearing 2022’s “Better In the Shade,” immediately thought of Nick Drake upon hearing Mr. Watson’s vocals. (And I was, of course, not the first to do so.) With La Force. Tuesday, Dec. 12, 8 p.m., The Sinclair, 52 Church St., Cambridge, $30 The artist born Charlyn Marie (“Chan”) Marshall has recorded her own versions of songs by dozens of others. Thirty-eight of them can be found on “The Covers Record,” “Jukebox,” “Dark End of the Street,” and “Covers.” Interestingly, but probably not surprisingly, the only artist whose songs she recorded two of on any of the aforementioned records is Bob Dylan. For her latest release, Marshall has gone whole hog on Dylan by recreating in its entirety his 1966 “Royal Albert Hall” concert. Unlike the mislabeled Dylan bootleg whose name stuck (hence the quotation marks — it was actually recorded at the Manchester Free Trade Hall), “Cat Power Sings Dylan” was, in fact, recorded at the Royal Albert Hall. And now she’ll perform the whole thing in Medford. Saturday, Feb. 17, 8 p.m., Chevalier Theatre, 30 Forest St., Medford, $55-$95 Also, don’t miss: What concerts are you looking forward to during winter 2023-2024? What did we miss? List the concerts you're looking forward to this winter. (Required) Let us know and we'll update the list above, and/or include your suggestions in a new article. Please include date and venue. Name Your name may be published. Neighborhood/Town Your neighborhood/town may be published. What are your preferred pronouns? He/Him She/Her They/Them Other Please select your preferred pronoun so we may correctly refer to your response in an article. Email or phone Please enter an email address and/or phone number that we can easily contact you with. We may reach out for more information. It will NOT be published.

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Boston Logan Airport has more than 100 canceled flights as snow covers Mass.

More than 100 flights have been canceled at Boston Logan International Airport on Tuesday as of just before 1 p.m. as another snowstorm overtakes the entire state. The airport had issued a warning at 8:20 a.m. on Jan. 16, that “due to weather, flights will be impacted.” Passengers were advised to check with their airlines before heading to the airport, and could check their flight status by checking the Boston Logan status page on the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) site. The Federal Aviation Administration, or the FAA, said about an hour later at 9:42 a.m. that snow may lead to delays at Boston Logan. As of just before 1 p.m., just over 100 flights in and out of the airport had been cancelled, according to tracking site FlightAware.com. In addition, more than 290 flights were delayed at that time. Republic Airways, Cape Air and United Airlines were the airlines with the most cancellations, while JetBlue, Delta and Republic Airways were the top-three delayed airlines as of just after noon, the site showed. In the Boston area, snow is expected to begin changing by early afternoon on Tuesday to a wintry mix of rain, freezing rain or sleet, according to National Weather Service forecasters. Read more: Speed limit reduced on all of Massachusetts Turnpike during snowstorm The mix will then go back to snow before tapering off between 5 and 7 p.m., forecasters said, and the weather service is warning evening commuters to “plan on slippery road conditions” in the evening. Jennifer Mehigan, Massport’s media relations director, stated the flight impacts expected today were not only due to the snow falling in Massachusetts — weather-related ground stops in Chicago and New York may also impact Logan flights.

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New England forecast: Next winter snowstorm this weekend Boston

With clear skies overnight, temperatures will fall back down into the upper teens and lower 20s. This is typical for this time of year and continues to allow for those backyard ponds to form thicker ice. But remember, if the ice is under 2 inches, you definitely do not want to walk on it. Once we get to 3 to 4 inches, the ice tends to be safe for walking and beyond that it just gets more able to hold heavier weight and activities. Wednesday’s weather features a brilliant blue sky, cold temperatures and that crisp winter feeling in the air. Although it’s rather brisk out there, these are the days when it’s quite nice if you can get outside and allow the January sunshine to do its work, giving you a little bit of vitamin D and an emotional lift. Advertisement Thursday will see a little more cloudiness mixing in with the sunshine and just a small chance of a snow shower over Western New England. But in general it’s just another dry, cold January day for the Boston area. We do have another storm system to track for Friday. There’s a strong likelihood that the bulk of the system is going to be too far away to produce much significant moisture. However, it’s not as simple as the storm going out to sea and not seeing any precipitation. Low pressure is forecast to pass well south and east of New England on Saturday. Tropical Tidbits Since water temperatures are still relatively warm and the winds will be coming from the north-northeast Friday night and Saturday, there could be some ocean effect enhancement to any light snow activity during this time. I don’t think it’s impossible that a coating to a few inches of snow does occur, especially south of the Mass Pike (I-90), during this window. The snow would not be very heavy and would actually last a fairly long time, so it’s more of a nuisance rather than something that’s going to impact travel and things like that. Advertisement A commuter is bundled for the cold outside South Station in Boston, MA on January 17, 2023. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff A coating to 2 inches of snow is possible Friday night and Saturday, mostly south of the Mass Pike. NOAA The map above shows a general probability forecast of 1 to 2 inches of snow -- with the highest likelihood south of the Mass Pike and over Cape Cod and the Islands with little or no snow to the north. There will be several more model runs in the coming days so that certainly by Thursday evening and Friday morning, we will be able to nail down a more definitive accumulation map if it’s needed. The rest of the weekend looks cold and dry with temperatures so much below average but nothing too extreme. But then we have a warm-up next week with temperatures getting back into the 40s, melting any existing snow and ice that’s on the ground. Warmer than average temperatures return for next week as arctic air is pushed far to the north. NOAA Here’s a little bit more information on safety when venturing out on those frozen ponds this week: Thicker ice is able to hold more weight and activities. Stay off ice that is less than 2 inches thick. NOAA EXTENDED OUTLOOK: THURSDAY – Increasing clouds, with a high near 29. West wind around 11 miles per hour. Night: Cloudy with a low around 22. Southwest wind 5 to 8 miles per hour. FRIDAY – A chance of snow, mainly after 11 a.m. Cloudy with a high near 29. North wind 6 to 9 miles per hour. Chance of precipitation 50 percent. New snow accumulation of less than 1 inch. Night: A chance of snow, mainly before 10 p.m. Cloudy with a low around 13. North wind 11 to 14 miles per hour. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. Advertisement SATURDAY – Mostly cloudy, with a high near 21. Northwest wind around 14 miles per hour. Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 12. Northwest wind 14 to 16 miles per hour. SUNDAY – Sunny with a high near 27. Northwest wind 15 to 17 miles per hour. Night: Mostly clear with a low around 16. Northwest wind 11 to 16 miles per hour. MONDAY – Mostly sunny with a high near 37. Southwest wind 10 to 14 miles per hour. Night: Mostly cloudy with a low around 28. Southwest wind around 15 miles per hour.

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Private Gun Ownership in Israel Spikes After Hamas Attacks

BOSTON (WHDH) - The U.S. Attorney’s office is now seeking charges against 28 people in connection with a brothel bust in the Boston area. In November, three people accused of operating “sophisticated high-end brothels” in parts of Massachusetts and eastern Virginia were taken into custody following a federal investigation, authorities said. Officials believe the network had clients who included “elected officials, high tech and pharmaceutical executives, doctors, military officers, government contractors that possess security clearances, professors, attorneys, scientists and accountants, among others.” “Pick a profession – they’re probably represented in this case,” Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy said during a news conference in November. Arrested in November were: Han Lee, 41, of Cambridge, Mass., Junmyung Lee, 30, of Dedham, Mass., and James Lee, 68, of Torrance, Calif. Investigators allege the defendants rented high-end apartments in the Boston area to be used as brothels. They also say there will be accountability for the buyers who fuel the commercial sex industry. (Copyright (c) 2023 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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Patriots-Jets preview: What to watch for in Bill Belichick's possible last game in New England

It’s come down to this. Bill Belichick’s Patriots against the hated Jets. Playoff hopes for both teams dissipated around Thanksgiving, leaving only pride and rivalry at stake. That will be enough Sunday, when speculation will swirl — along with snow — that Belichick may be coaching his last game in New England. Whether or not Belichick returns next season, here’s what to watch for in the Patriots’ 2023 season finale: When the Patriots run That steady-eddy run game feels like a memory from long ago. Thanks to opponents’ stacked boxes and injuries up front, Pats running back Ezekiel Elliott has rushed for 25, 27 and 39 yards the last three weeks. He’s averaged fewer than three yards per carry in all of those games and scored one rushing touchdown. The offense’s best runs have been Bailey Zappe scrambles, unscheduled scampers that catch a defense off-guard. Few opponents have caught the Jets off-guard on the ground this season, where their defense ranks 11th in yards per carry allowed and top 10 by Expected Points Added (EPA). The Patriots have utmost respect for defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and inside linebacker C.J. Mosley, who called out multiple plays in last year’s meeting at Gillette Stadium. Expect blocking Williams and Mosley on runs to be the game-plan focus for an offensive line that should again deploy backups at left tackle and left guard. When the Patriots pass The roller-coaster continues. Since Bailey Zappe took over on Dec. 3, the Patriots offense has become much more explosive at the cost of its efficiency. And that’s largely been fine by Bill O’Brien and Co., who are scoring three more points per game with Zappe at quarterback than Mac Jones. What the Pats cannot afford, however, are more turnovers. Zappe threw three interceptions last week at Buffalo, and more picks like that figure to be New York’s only path to victory. Look for Zappe to avoid Pro Bowl cornerback Sauce Gardner on the outside and instead feed his tight ends and running backs over the middle and in the flat. Elliott ranks second on the team in catches. The Jets’ pass defense ranks 28th at covering running backs by DVOA. Though, it’s their pass rush (ranked fifth in pressure rate, despite blitzing at the second-lowest rate in the NFL) that has Belichick’s attention: “Starts with the pass rush, they have a really good defensive line,” Belichick said this week. “A lot of tackles for loss, a lot of pressure on the quarterback and had a lot of impressive defensive stats in games.” When the Jets run As bad as the Patriots have played, looked and felt on offense this season, it’s been worse for Gang Green. And the Jets may have set all-time marks for ineptitude were it nor for Breece Hall. The Jets’ lead back has rushed for 816 yards and four touchdowns, while powering through and pulling away from defenses. Hall has dealt with some of the NFL’s worst run-blocking, but averages 4.4 yards per carry and remains a functioning centerpiece of the offense. After the front office parted ways with Dalvin Cook earlier this week, Hall figures to be featured even more heavily. One mismatch: Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux against Jets left guard Laken Tomlinson, the team’s worst-rated run-blocker at Pro Football Focus. Godchaux, meanwhile, has dominated the middle of some recent divisional games, with help from fellow defensive tackle Christian Barmore and outside linebacker Anfernee Jennings, who are tied for the team lead with 11 tackles for loss. When the Jets pass No Aaron Rodgers, no Zach Wilson, no Tim Boyle. Welcome, Trevor Siemian. The Jets' fourth starting quarterback this season has appeared in four games, completing 58.6% of his passes for 654 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions. Last week, he did enough against the Browns, passing for 261 yards, one touchdown and a pick. Siemian is a career journeyman who figures to rely heavily on No. 1 option Garrett Wilson. Wilson has 70 more targets than anyone else on the team and leads in catches (93), receiving yards (1,008) and first downs (45). In three career meetings with the Patriots, Wilson has averaged just over four catches and 58 yards per game, while often facing double-teams on third down and inside the red zone. Hall, the Jets' next leading receiver, might create mismatches if he goes head-to-head with linebackers Ja'Whaun Bentley and/or Jahlani Tavai in coverage. Game pick Patriots 10, Jets 6

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Gender parity on corporate boards in Mass. could take until 2044

That means each of the census’s 100 companies had at least one woman director, a modest achievement at best. The goal is now gender parity — having the same number of women on corporate boards as men. And that might not happen until 2044 based on the pace of change, according to the Boston Club , a group that tracks the number of women in boardrooms and corner offices. Advertisement You read that right: 2044. We can do better. We must when women make up half of the workforce in Massachusetts. Only five out of the 100 companies in this year’s census have reached gender parity on their boards: life sciences company Azenta Inc.,childcare provider Bright Horizons Family Solutions, medical device firm Insulet Corp., technology firm Novanta Inc., and retailer The TJX Companies. Remember their names. It’s no easy feat. Get Trendlines A business newsletter from Globe Columnist Larry Edelman covering the trends shaping business and the economy in Boston and beyond. Enter Email Sign Up The upshot from this year’s census, released on Tuesday, is that progress has been made once again. But if we want to go further, we must go much faster. Think of it this way: The Boston Club, a group that advances women leaders, has been crunching the data with Bentley University since 2003, drawing from public securities filings under the philosophy of what gets measured gets done. Only in the last couple of years has the all-male board been excised from the list — albeit momentarily, depending on which companies make up the 100 biggest public companies in Massachusetts that year. Lest you think the all-male board is out of vogue, think again. Just a couple of weeks ago, OpenAI — the San Francisco artificial intelligence company that is supposed to lead humanity into the future — had the audacity to install a preliminary board of all white men as if no one would notice. Advertisement Moving the needle considerably means companies need to promote more women into executive roles because that’s a significant part of the pool of future female directors. On that front, companies also have a long way to go. Women are woefully under-represented in senior leadership, accounting for only 21.9 percent of executive officer positions among census companies. Twenty of the companies have no women executive officers! To rev up diversity on boards, companies could also expand their board membership and implement age and/or term limits. Consider this other eye-opening statistic from the census: Among the 109 male independent directors, more than half are over 75 years old. “If the pace continues, it’s just going to be same-old, same-old,” said Ann LaFrance, who along with Renee Knilans are members of the Boston Club’s Corporate Board Committee that worked on the census with Bentley professors Cynthia Clark and Laura Jackson Young. Here are other highlights: Women hold 30.7 percent of board seats among the census companies: That surpassed last year’s record of 29.6 percent. Critical masses matter: More than half (58) of the census companies have at least three women directors, the same as last year, and 17 of the companies have four or more women on their boards. Zero “zero-zero” companies: That’s the ignominious label of having no women on the board and no women in senior leadership. This is the third consecutive year of zero zero-zero’s. Advertisement Racial diversity lags: Fifty-four companies have at least one director who is a woman of color. But overall, women of color account for just 7.2 percent of all directors among the census companies. Technology sector is still stuck in the past: Technology and software companies account for the largest number of companies, but as a group, they have the lowest percentage of women directors. Shirley Leung is a Business columnist and host of the Globe Opinion podcast “Say More with Shirley Leung.” Find the podcast on Apple, Spotify, and globe.com/saymore. Follow her on Threads @shirley02186 Shirley Leung is a Business columnist. She can be reached at shirley.leung@globe.com.

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Bristol County DA identifies homicide victim found in Fairhaven after almost 40 years

After nearly 40 years, the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office has identified the body of a man who was found on the side of the road in Fairhaven in 1985. The man, who is believed to have been killed, was identified through genetic testing as Cranston, Rhode Island, resident Keith Olson, the DA’s office said in a press release Tuesday. He went missing in 1981 and was 27 at the time. The investigation into Olson’s body On April 8, 1985, a driver traveling west on I-195 in Fairhaven spotted a human skeleton on the side of the road, the DA’s office said. He contacted police and took them to the body’s location — about 45 feet from the road in the brush, just past the Mattapoisett town line. Police searched the scene and recovered the body, as well as some physical evidence, but found nothing indicating who the body belonged to, the DA’s office said. The body was then submitted to the FBI. The FBI lab determined that the body was that of a white man who was around 5-foot-9 inches tall, that he had been killed a few years before his body was found and that a pair of shoes found at the scene had been manufactured in 1981. The skeleton also showed signs of trauma, and the man’s death was ruled a homicide, the DA’s office said. Investigators tried to use dental records to match the skeleton to that of missing persons, but were unsuccessful. They also released information about the body, as well as an image of what they believed the man looked like based on his skull, but came up empty, the DA’s office said. Investigators created a rendering of what they believed the unidentified man looked like.Bristol County District Attorney's Office The skeleton remained unidentified until recently when the DA’s office worked with a private lab and the FBI’s genetic genealogy team to create a genetic profile based on DNA evidence recovered from the remains. The body was identified as Keith Olson using forensic genetic genealogy, which compares a genetic profile to thousands of other DNA profiles to find an unidentified person’s relatives, the DA’s office said. What investigators think happened to Olson Olson was born and raised in Rhode Island, and was last seen on April 15, 1981, the DA’s office said. At the time of his disappearance, Olson had been dating a woman for a short time. This had resulted in “friction” between him and the woman’s ex-boyfriend — North Providence resident John Broccoli, the DA’s office said. Read more: Haverhill man arrested in connection with 2016 slaying of man at N.H. hotel A witness previously told investigators he saw two men escort Olson from his Cranston apartment shortly before he went missing. Additionally, the DA’s office said, on the day Olson was last seen, Broccoli made “cryptic statements” to the woman Olson had been dating that suggested he was involved. Cranston, Rhode Island, resident Keith Olson was 27 when he went missing in 1981.Bristol County District Attorney's Office Broccoli, who was also known as Michael Corleone, died in 2019 at the age of 63, the DA’s office said. According to his obituary, Broccoli was the owner of Spardello’s Clothier in North Providence for over 20 years. He was also the subject of a Rhode Island Supreme Court case that reaffirmed his conviction in a 1985 robbery case. How investigators can close Olson’s case Investigators are asking the public to help them gather information about Olson’s disappearance and killing. “Police have strong reason to believe that the crime was committed by at least two people and believe that there are individuals who could provide helpful information to solve this crime,” the DA’s office wrote in the release. Anyone with information about Olson’s disappearance is asked to call Det. AnnMarie Robertson at (855)-627-6583.

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U.S. Engine Maker Will Pay $1.6 Billion to Settle Claims of Emissions Cheating

The United States and the state of California have reached an agreement in principle with the truck engine manufacturer Cummins on a $1.6 billion penalty to settle claims that the company violated the Clean Air Act by installing devices to defeat emissions controls on hundreds of thousands of engines, the Justice Department announced on Friday. The penalty would be the largest ever under the Clean Air Act and the second largest ever environmental penalty in the United States. Defeat devices are parts or software that bypass, defeat or render inoperative emissions controls like pollution sensors and onboard computers. They allow vehicles to pass emissions inspections while still emitting high levels of smog-causing pollutants such as nitrogen oxide, which is linked to asthma and other respiratory illnesses. The Justice Department has accused the company of installing defeat devices on 630,000 model year 2013 to 2019 RAM 2500 and 3500 pickup truck engines. The company is also alleged to have secretly installed auxiliary emission control devices on 330,000 model year 2019 to 2023 RAM 2500 and 3500 pickup truck engines.

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Despite loss, Southwick wrestling showing major signs of improvement

SOUTHWICK – The Southwick wrestling team took a “L” in the win-loss column Wednesday night against Hampshire, a 42-36 loss, but there are a lot of underlying stats that show the Rams are winning in many other ways on the mat. First, Southwick’s Amadi Ezeugwu built an early 6-0 lead in a matchup of 120 pounders. Thirty seconds into the second period, he landed a pin.

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A Mother, a Daughter, a Deadly Journey: An Update

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music This week, The Daily is revisiting some of our favorite episodes of the year and checking in on what has happened in the time since they first ran. With mountains, intense mud, fast-running rivers and thick rainforest, the Darién Gap, a strip of terrain connecting South and Central America, is one of the most dangerous places on the planet. Over the past few years, there has been an enormous increase in the number of migrants passing through the perilous zone in the hopes of getting to the United States. Today, we hear the story of one family that’s risking everything to make it across.

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Single family residence in Cohasset sells for $2.9 million

Bad — but not surprising — news if you live in Massachusetts: the Bay State has been ranked one of the worst states to drive in the U.S., according to a new study from WalletHub, the personal finance company. The study compared every U.S. state against four key dimensions: cost of ownership and maintenance, traffic and infrastructure, safety and access to vehicles and maintenance, according to WalletHub. Those dimensions were evaluated through 31 key metrics, some of which were average gas prices, the number of icy days and car theft rate, according to WalletHub. Each metric was rated on a 100-point scale, with 100 being a perfect score. WalletHub said it determines each state’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its score. The scores are ranked from best to worst driving state. Massachusetts was ranked 45th and had an overall score of 51, according to WalletHub. Massachusetts also ranked poorly in cost of ownership and maintenance, as well as traffic and infrastructure, placing 46th and 49th respectively. But when it came to safety and access to vehicles and maintenance, the Commonwealth rose to the top slots at 4th and 8th place respectively, WalletHub found. The other New England states didn’t do too hot, either, according to WalletHub. Maine came in 32nd with a score of 56.08 Connecticut came in 33rd with a score of 56.05 New Hampshire came in 39th with a score of 52.64 Vermont came in 42nd with a score of 51.71 Rhode Island came in 43rd with a score of 51.52 Iowa was ranked the best state in which to drive with an overall score of 65.8, while Hawaii fell last as the worst with a score of 44.8, WalletHub also found.

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How Trump Sidestepped the Tradition of Iowa Pandering

Campaigning in Iowa in the months leading up to the caucuses has traditionally involved candidates’ embracing local customs, visiting familiar locations and championing policies aimed at helping the state’s farm-driven economy. But this year, the Republicans seeking their party’s presidential nomination have largely avoided over-the-top pandering to local priorities — and any such attempts appear not to be as effective as in the past. That’s largely because former President Donald J. Trump, who has run in the style of an incumbent, has dominated the state while barely setting foot in it. Though he refers to Iowa farmers in his speeches and talks about how he has poured money into the state, Mr. Trump has eschewed the classic retail politicking that is a mainstay of the caucuses in favor of larger rallies while focusing his message more on national issues. In doing so, Mr. Trump is suggesting that it is perhaps not as necessary to show so much deference to local priorities to score a victory in Iowa — at least, for a former president with a huge following.

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Paul Reveres tombstone, businesses damaged in weekend Boston vandalism spree

A pair of Massachusetts residents and a Connecticut man were killed in a plane crash on the Greenfield-Leyden line Sunday afternoon, according to the Massachusetts State Police. Identities of the three passengers killed in the crash were released on Monday. Indian Orchard resident William Hampton, 68, Southwick’s Fredrika Ballard, 53 and Woodstock, CT resident Chad Davidson, 29, were all aboard the twin-engine Beechcraft 55 Baron that crashed within the Leyden Wildlife Management Area on Sunday, officials said. Ballard was the owner of Fly Lugu Flight School in Westfield and Hampton was a Fly Lugu flight instructor, according to officials. Davidson was a student pilot, police said. The plane, owned by the Fly Lugu Flight School, departed from Barned Airport in Westfield almost an hour and a half before the plane was located, according to officials. Troopers on the scene confirmed that the three individuals killed were the plane’s only occupants. The three victims were removed from the wreck by firefighters and transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Officials said the National Transportation Safety Board, Greenfield Police and the Northwest District Attorney’s Office are continuing to investigate the incident, with the NTSB leading the charge. An NTSB representative said preliminary information on the incident is that the plane crashed under unknown circumstances near Leyden Wildlife Management Area. The NTSB investigator is expected to arrive at the scene Monday when the aircraft will be examined. Information that will be gathered in the NTSB’s investigation includes fight track data, maintenance records, air traffic control communication records, possible surveillance video, witness statements, 72-hour background on the pilot and pilot’s license.

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New head of JCC has eye on expansion

With the help of chief development officer Jillian Kohl , Rabinoff-Goldman got to work. Many donors stepped up, led by three seven-figure gifts from developer Arthur Winn and his family, the Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation (cofounded by former Reebok CEO Paul Fireman ), and the Chleck Family Foundation . That was in the summer of 2022, and Rabinoff-Goldman was recruited from her administrative job at the Gann Academy to take over for the Newton-based organization following the retirement of longtime chief executive Mark Sokoll . One of the first items on her to-do list: raise $5 million to renovate and update the lobby areas of the JCC’s complex in Newton. Lily Rabinoff-Goldman had barely settled into her then-new job as CEO of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Boston when she had to start raising money. Such is the life of a nonprofit executive. Advertisement They pulled it off, and construction finally is set to begin this week on the 11,000-square-foot project. The remodeling of the 1980s-era lobby includes a new “J-Cafe” and teen lounge as well as new communal seating areas. Rabinoff-Goldman hopes contractor Elaine Construction Co. will have the bulk of the work done in time for a gala honoring former JCC chair Lou Grossman in April. The project represents the last phase of a series of upgrades to the facility that began in 2015 but were put on hold early in the COVID-19 pandemic. “It has felt really exciting that people wanted to be part of the next phase,” Rabinoff-Goldman said. “It gives people a sense of community. That’s the thing that we emerged from COVID wanting filled. ... Essentially, we are creating new ways to gather for informal and more formal programming within the building.” She also has had to help the JCC navigate a much larger project next door, the construction of a 174-unit senior living complex by 2Life Communities, a project that required the JCC to use its emergency back entrance as its main front gate. Advertisement Remodeling aside, it’s been “an amazing learning curve” getting up to speed on the organization and its various services, including its fitness center and summer camps, she said. The JCC employs about 450 people year-round (and many more in the summer), brings in about $26 million a year in revenue, and has about 2,500 members. “This is a JCC that’s not afraid to try new things,” Rabinoff-Goldman said. “This is a super-creative and innovative organization.” Jim Rooney, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s chief executive. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff Chamber chief has an eye on crime During her State of the City speech last Tuesday, Mayor Michelle Wu highlighted the drop in gun violence under her watch. But she didn’t mention another crime stat that Jim Rooney, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s chief executive, brought up two days later in a video address to chamber members, in which he conveyed “growing concerns” about personal safety in downtown Boston, among many of the issues he cited that the chamber will be watching in 2024. “Shootings are down,” Rooney noted, “but overall crime in the city increased 2 percent from the year before.” Rooney also cited a busted-up transit system and lack of affordable child care as obstacles to bringing more workers back downtown after the office towers emptied out early in the pandemic. In a subsequent interview, Rooney said he regularly hears from people who live or work downtown and feel it has become less safe since before the pandemic. Yes, Boston is safe when compared to many other cities of its size, Rooney said, but he doesn’t want civic leaders to be lulled into complacency. Rooney says he has expressed these concerns to Wu, and believes she takes them seriously. Advertisement “It’s tricky for a chamber president and for a mayor to say things out loud that might dissuade people from coming downtown,” Rooney said. “I don’t want to be the person painting the picture that downtown isn’t a safe place. It is. [But] I don’t want to be the Amityville sheriff either, [saying] ‘go in the water while the shark swims by.’” Marketing maven Colette Phillips, pictured on April 5, 2021. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff With new book, Phillips highlights allies who promote diversity In 2014, marketing maven Colette Phillips did something unexpected for a Black woman known for highlighting people of color: She shone the spotlight on white guys instead. Phillips came up with a list of diversity supporters, dubbed “White Men Who Could Jump,” to highlight white executives who are working to make their companies more inclusive. Now, Phillips has taken it a big step further, by writing a book about the topic, called “The Includers.” She’s scheduled to talk about the book on Tuesday, its publication date, at the ‘Quin House, alongside one of her “includers,” Eastern Bank chief executive Bob Rivers. Other prominent local executives who get shout-outs in her book include State Street’s Ron O’Hanley, Liberty Mutual’s Tim Sweeney, and Tim Ryan at PwC. The book is jam-packed with strategies for improving an organization’s diversity, examples of how it’s done, and descriptions of the tangible benefits. Advertisement The book arrives at a time when corporate diversity efforts, known collectively as “DEI,” are under fire. The new wave of criticism — Phillips calls it “anti-woke rhetoric” — makes her book, published by BenBella Books, even more timely. “I got pushback from people of color: ‘You’re Miss Diversity in Boston, I can’t believe you’re going to honor all white men,’” Phillips said. “My contention is, you have to amplify and spotlight the white guys who get it ... so that others will emulate them.” North Carolina-based Honeywell has hired Interise to run its “StreetWise MBA” program for potential city contractors, to help diversify Honeywell’s Boston-area roster of suppliers as it proceeds with various upgrades to city buildings. Justin Sullivan/Getty Honeywell teams up to boost minority contracting While the city of Boston has been criticized for awarding relatively few city contracts to Black- or Latino-led businesses, a partnership between a giant industrial conglomerate and a Boston-based nonprofit is trying out a new approach to change that. North Carolina-based Honeywell has hired Interise to run the nonprofit’s “StreetWise MBA” program for potential city contractors, to help diversify Honeywell’s Boston-area roster of suppliers as it proceeds with various upgrades to city buildings. The StreetWise MBA program, usually taught over the course of a dozen or so classes, teaches management, procurement, and business development skills. “They want to bid on more city contracts, and retain the one they have when it comes up for renewal,” Interise chief executive Darrell Byers said, in reference to Honeywell. Representatives from 15 contractors are set to begin Interise classes at UMass Boston on Jan. 25. If this pilot program proves successful, Byers said, Honeywell may try it in other cities, and it could be a model for other Boston companies to replicate. He added: “We’re taking away that stigma that we can’t find minority businesses.” Advertisement In November, Kate Haranis left her role as a senior manager in corporate public relations at Boston Scientific to launch Haranis & Co., which aims to help local life sciences tell their unique stories. The Boston Globe/Boston Globe Haranis pursues a dream she didn’t know she had When she was young, Kate Haranis didn’t dream about becoming a med-tech PR consultant. But then, as she would be quick to point out, what kid does? However, as her career progressed, at PR shops Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications and Denterlein, and then as a senior manager in corporate public relations at Boston Scientific, Haranis realized she did have that dream, after all. In November, she left Boston Scientific to pursue it. She is launching Haranis & Co. to help local life sciences companies tell their unique stories. For now, she’ll work out of her Southborough home, which may or may not come in handy while raising two young children. Haranis got her start at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, with the help of Levi Garraway, now chief medical officer at Roche, and also learned from mentors such as Geri Denterlein and the late Larry Rasky. While Haranis doesn’t have an M.D. or Ph.D. after her name, she does have something important to offer the region’s med-tech cluster. “I’m not scientifically gifted [but] what I am good at is storytelling,” Haranis said. “Better storytelling isn’t just helpful to a company’s reputation and bottom line. It can actually make connections that accelerate innovation.” Jon Chesto can be reached at jon.chesto@globe.com. Follow him @jonchesto.

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Inflation jumps 0.3% in December, higher than expected

The Labor Department said Thursday that the consumer price index, a broad measure of the price of everyday goods including gasoline, groceries and rent, rose 0.3% in December from the previous month, more than expected. Prices climbed 3.4% from the same time last year, which is higher than both the estimate by Refinitiv economists and the 3.1% gain recorded in November. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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DeSantis Adviser Continues Campaigns Sharp Attack on Haley

A top adviser to Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida on Friday accused Nikki Haley of “greed” as a candidate, saying that she’s trying to damage him to help former President Donald J. Trump in the Iowa caucuses. The comments from David Polyansky, Mr. DeSantis’s deputy campaign manager, came at an event hosted by Bloomberg News on Friday in downtown Des Moines, as the blizzard buffeting the city forced the campaign to cancel some events later in the day — though Mr. Polyansky said that Mr. DeSantis’s ground game was best equipped for the brutal weather barreling. He was joined by the campaign’s spokesman, Andrew Romeo, and its pollster, Ryan Tyson, but he did most of the talking. He said that Ms. Haley is running in Iowa to draw votes toward Mr. Trump and siphon them away from Mr. DeSantis. Mr. Polyansky also repeated Mr. DeSantis’s claim that Ms. Haley, the former South Carolina governor, is running to be Mr. Trump’s vice-presidential pick, and criticized her for not ruling out joining a Trump ticket.

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Police charge Boston car chase suspect with assault in Roxbury shooting

Boston police have charged a Malden man — who was arrested last week following a car chase through the city — in connection with a shooting in Roxbury that took place earlier this month. Christopher Meade, 30, is now facing a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, as well as other firearms charges, in addition to firearms and drug charges stemming from last week’s car chase, according to a Boston police press release. Read more: Police arrest 2 after suspect’s SUV sparks car chase through Boston Massachusetts State Police said previously that the car chase began after a trooper in Dorchester spotted an SUV thought to be connected to a shooting. Boston police have now connected Meade to a Dec. 4 shooting in Roxbury. On that day, officers responded to 48 Clifford St. around 3:50 a.m. and found a man with multiple gunshot wounds, Boston police said. At the time, officers believed the man’s wounds were life-threatening, but an evaluation at a hospital found them to be non-life-threatening. Officers arrested a suspect at the scene, but that person was later released, Boston police said previously. Authorities have not identified the victim in the shooting. Read more: Early morning Boston shooting leaves man with life-threatening injuries Meade was arrested the night of Dec. 11 after a car chase through Dorchester and South Boston that prompted a large police presence. State police said he was a passenger in the suspect SUV. Bridgewater resident Kailyn Almeida, 23, drove the SUV during the car chase, according to state police. She is facing a slew of charges in connection with the incident, including assault with a dangerous weapon, negligent operation and malicious destruction of property over $1,200. Read more: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu to apologize for wrongful arrests in 1989 murder Meade was arraigned on Dec. 12 and ordered held until a dangerousness hearing on Monday, according to court records. At the hearing, a judge found him to be a danger to the community and ordered him held until April 18, 2024. According to court documents, Meade has numerous previous criminal convictions on charges such as assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and larceny.

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Nutrition First of Agawam offers sweet yet healthy smoothies and energizing teas

Still fresh into the 2024, New Year’s resolutions for many are a top priority. One of the most popular resolutions is the coveted — and sometimes agonizing — notion to lose weight or improve your overall health.

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Alleged subway urinator and female friend charged with assaulting rider, 72

Crime Alleged subway urinator and female friend charged with assaulting rider, 72 The couple allegedly resorted to name-calling and physical violence after the 72-year-old spotted the male suspect urinating on the platform. The Government Center MBTA station. Ryan Breslin/Boston.com, File A man and a woman were arrested on New Year’s Day after allegedly assaulting a 72-year-old at the Government Center T station, according to officials. The couple resorted to name-calling when the alleged victim spotted the male suspect urinating in a corner of the platform around 8 p.m. Monday, MBTA Transit Police said in a statement. The pair then approached the older man and allegedly assaulted him. The 72-year-old was taken to the hospital with a head injury, police said.

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The Best, Worst and Weirdest Political Stories of 2023 - The New York Times

It has been such a special political year, brimming with extraordinary, even historic moments. From an ex-president indicted to a Senate staffer busted for making porn at work, each fresh development made you proud to be an American. Singling out the exceptional events and players was tougher than ever. I mean, when Marjorie Taylor Greene doesn’t even merit a mention …. But making hard calls is part of my job, and the true standouts deserve a shout-out. Most Likely to Be Picked Last in Gym Class: Matt Gaetz Many Americans fantasize about taking up their pitchforks and storming the boss’s office. But in the history of Congress, only this Florida Man has succeeded — metaphorically, of course — leading a coup against his own party’s speaker. The ouster of Kevin McCarthy, followed by the chaotic scramble for his replacement, became a slow-rolling, breathtaking fiasco that ground the House to a halt and made the entire Republican conference look like a pack of petty, pouty, incompetent preschoolers. Way to build the brand, guys! Most Fabulous Fabulist: George Santos Many politicians lie, but this recently ousted congressman from New York approached the task with a baroque panache of which few could even conceive. Falsely asserting that the Sept. 11 attacks “claimed” his mother’s life? That he was a college volleyball star? That he was a producer of the Broadway atrocity “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark”? So macabre. So pointless. So bizarre. Cannot wait to see his next act.

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Disney Rejected Her a Few Times. The Wish Director Just Kept Trying.

It was a proactive path Veerasunthorn knew well. She grew up in a small seaside town in Thailand’s Chonburi Province, where she said her only exposure to animation as a career came in the form of the local artists who hand-painted posters to announce new movie releases in the town square. At home, she and her younger siblings would watch the 1941 Disney animated film “Dumbo” on repeat. The movie’s fantastical nature and its message of persevering against the odds resonated with her as a young girl. Also, she said wryly, “Maybe that was the only VHS we had.” Her parents ran an auto parts shop in front of the family home, and Veerasunthorn used their industrial cardboard boxes and a wall in the kitchen as her canvases. But she had no formal training, and art was just a hobby. When she was 15, she left home for high school in Bangkok, where she chose a computer science track, hoping to learn to write emails. And after graduating in 2000 with the expectation that she would pursue a practical, lucrative career in her home country, she enrolled in medical school. But Veerasunthorn “did not love” the idea of becoming a doctor, and during her semester break, she began taking art classes and writing to Ratanasirintrawoot, who recommended her to the president at his alma mater, Columbus College of Art & Design in Ohio. Her parents were supportive but nervous. No one in Veerasunthorn’s family had pursued a career in the arts. “I was leaving behind something that, to a lot of people, family and friends, is a very solid career to do something that is unknown,” she said.

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3 dead in Nahant; authorities eye high carbon monoxide levels

Three people have died in a Nahant home with elevated levels of carbon monoxide, according to authorities. Police and fire personnel were sent to a house on Cottage Street Monday night to check on the people there, according to a press release from the North Shore town. They found the bodies of three adult family members as well as elevated carbon monoxide levels in the home, according to Police Chief Timothy Furlong and Fire Chief Austin Antrim. Authorities said foul play is not suspected and Furlong said in the release there is no danger to the community. People were asked last night around 10:45 p.m. to avoid the area while investigators, including the Nahant Police and Fire departments and State Police detectives assigned to the Essex County District Attorney’s Office were on the scene. Cottage Street is a dead-end road with about five houses on it only a couple blocks away from Stony Beach and Nahant Bay, according to Google Maps. “Wonderful people — salt of the earth. Wonderful people. You wouldn’t get better people. Just wonderful. It’s shocking,” neighbor Ted Mahoney told WCVB.

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Mucus-Covered Jellyfish Hint at Dangers of Deep-Sea Mining

A treasure trove of metal is hiding at the bottom of the ocean. Potato-size nodules of iron and manganese litter the seafloor, and metal-rich crusts cover underwater mountains and chimneys along hydrothermal vents. Deep-sea mining companies have set their sights on these minerals, aiming to use them in batteries and electronics. Environmentalists warn that the mining process and the plumes of sediment it would dump back into the sea could affect marine life. A series of shipboard experiments on jellyfish in the Norwegian fjords, published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications, offer insights into those warnings. The scientists approximated the effects of mining by pumping sediment into the jellies’ tanks, essentially asking how the animals would cope with the muddy water. The answer? Not well. The researchers selected helmet jellyfish as their research subjects because of the ubiquity and hardiness of the dinner-plate-size creatures. The idea was to choose an organism that the team could easily get hold of “and then expose it to conditions that we expect in the mid-water in the open ocean,” said Helena Hauss, a marine ecologist at the Norwegian Research Center who conducted the study while working at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research Kiel in Germany. The jellies, which are found around the world in waters 1,500 to 2,000 feet deep, serve as representatives of the countless soft-bodied animals living in the open ocean that could be affected by mining.

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Wait, Josh Allens jersey has pockets? You can do that? | NickNacks

Here are some half-baked thoughts and knickknacks (AKA NickNacks) I came up with while watching the New England Patriots play the Buffalo Bills on New Year’s Eve: - I’ve seen the Patriots play in plenty of cold-weather games over the years. I don’t even bat an eye when I see a player with one of those hand-warmer pouches strapped around their waist, particularly quarterbacks. But I don’t know if I’ve ever noticed a player have pockets sewn into his jersey like Bills QB Josh Allen has (and has had for a least a couple of years). BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. - Allen could be seen tucking his hands right into slots sewn into the jersey right at his midsection, with what appears to be some warm lining inside the slots. It’s an unusual feature on a jersey. But apparently, they’ve been around for a long time. - As noted by Paul Lukas of UniWatch, it was once common for players to have pockets sewn right into their jerseys. In a piece he wrote for ESPN, Lukas notes that former Buccaneers equipment manager Frank Pupello introduced the idea of a removable hand warmer pouch back in the 80s. That pouch eventually gave way to the team-banded pouches we see many players wearing today. - As for the game itself, this game in Buffalo was chaos right out of the gate. Jalen Reagor popped off right away by taking the opening kickoff back 98 yards for a touchdown. It was the Patriots’ first kickoff return for a TD since 2018. - The play was also a mirror opposite of last year’s game in Buffalo, which opened with the Bills taking the game’s first kickoff back for a score. - Unfortunately for the Patriots, things went south quickly after that -- at least for Bailey Zappe the offense. - Zappe’s first pass attempt of the game was a quick throw to Mike Gesicki, which Bills DB Rasul Douglas saw coming from a mile away. After Douglas deflected it, Bills DL Ed Oliver came in for a brilliant diving interception. - On the ensuing drive, Douglas struck again, jumping a slant route to DeVante Parker for an easy interception. Zappe simply didn’t see Douglas jump the route. - Zappe’s disastrous start: 0-for-3 passing with two interceptions. - It wasn’t until the fourth drive of the game that Zappe finally completed a pass, hitting tight end Pharoah Brown out wide for a short gain. But that too turned into a turnover as Brown was stripped, with Buffalo recovering the fumble. - But Zappe wasn’t done with disastrous picks. In the second quarter, there was a clear miscommunication between him and Reagor. Zappe appeared to think Reagor was going to run a quick slant. Reagor looked to be running a deeper route. But the time Reagor turned to look for the ball, it had already been interception by -- once again -- Rasul Douglas. - Former Patriots running back James White was among those blaming Reagor. “That one is on the receiver! Have to run your (sight) adjust,” he wrote on social media. - Despite the offensive falling flat on its face, the Patriots stuck with Zappe. They also stuck around in this game, playing an impressively pesky game, especially after Zappe made it a 20-14 game after running it in from 17 yards out for his first rushing score. - There was some good news for New England. For as disastrous as the offense was, the defense did a heck of a job of limiting the damage. - For as bad a Zappe was, Allen wasn’t exactly lighting it up against a banged-up Patriots secondary. He started the game 0-for-6 passing. According to the CBS broadcast, that’s the longest he’s gone into a game without completing a pass. - The Patriots pass rush created some major problems for the Bills. Deatrich Wise recorded a big sack out of the gate. Meanwhile, rookie Keion White showed some impressive quickness to get into the backfield and prevent Allen from making magic. Then there was Mack Wilson, who’s continued to impress in his new role as an outside pass rusher. - Rookie cornerback Alex Austin got his first career interception against the team that drafted him earlier this year. The Patriots picked up Austin to provide some depth to their thinned-out secondary. So far, he’s stepped up with some big plays in extended playing time. - Things got a little worse along the offensive line. Rookie guard Atonio Mafi went down late in the second quarter, leading to rookie offensive lineman Jake Andrews playing his first NFL snaps. - Chad Ryland’s rocky rookie season continues. After a brilliant game-winner last week, Ryland hooked a 47-yarder before halftime. - Who brings a beach ball to a Bills game in late December? Apparently, someone did. You could see a beach ball flying up into the view of the camera. - To be fair, that’s better than other objects we’ve seen thrown around at Bills game.

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Woman Rescued From Rubble in Japan Five Days After Deadly Quake

Police and other rescue workers pulled a woman in her 90s out from under a collapsed house on Saturday in western Japan, five days after a powerful earthquake struck the region, killing more than 126 people. Few details were available, but video footage showed a fleet of rescuers surrounding the site in Suzu, one of the hardest-hit villages. According to the Metropolitan Police Department cited by the Yomiuri newspaper, the woman appeared to be suffering from hypothermia but was responsive. The woman, who was not identified, had been trapped underground beneath the first floor of a two-story house. She was rescued around 8:20 p.m. and taken to the hospital, according to officials in the crisis management office of Ishikawa Prefecture, where Suzu is located.

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Springfield shooting leaves 1 injured, 2 with criminal histories under arrest

SPRINGFIELD – Two men accused of shooting another man in the leg early Thursday morning were tracked down by police and arrested on a variety of charges. Both men have a long list of convictions and one was recently arrested for assault with a dangerous weapon and was out on bail in a case from Northampton District Court. Police Superintendent Cheryl C. Clapprood expressed frustration with the fact that the men were in the community. “This happens daily in our world and somewhere, sometime, someone has to come out and say bad, evil, convicted repeat felons have to be held in jail so injuries don’t happen to innocent people, my people, my K-9s,” Clapprood said. “Let’s start doing the right thing as a society. You demand a lot from us, let’s start demanding a lot from the courts,” she said. The victim, who was brought to Baystate Medical Center by a private vehicle, was treated for injuries that are not life-threatening, said Ryan Walsh, police spokesman. The shooting took place at about 1:50 a.m. on Dickinson Street between the intersection of Orange Street and Marengo Park. Police responded following a ShotSpotter activation and found evidence of the shooting, Walsh said. Crime analysts with the department were able to identify a vehicle believed to have been involved in the shooting that was recorded on city cameras. Officers later spotted the car and tried to stop the driver at about 2:45 a.m. He sped away, but crashed a short distance away on Longhill Street, Walsh said. Men arrested Police arrested the driver, Antonio Vega, and Julio Nunez-Jimenez, both 24, of Springfield, on a variety of charges. They include possession of a large-capacity firearm, carrying a firearm without a license, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a Class B drug, Walsh said. After the arrest, officers searched the car and found crack cocaine and two firearms, including an unlawful ghost gun capable of holding 14 rounds of ammunition, he said. Vega was recently arrested for assault with a dangerous weapon and is out on bail in a case from Northampton District Court. He has been convicted of heroin trafficking on firearms offenses in the past, Clapprood said. Nunez-Jimenez has two previous firearms convictions and was recently released from prison, she said. This is the second shooting in Springfield in the first four days of 2024. Last year 31 people were killed, mostly by gunfire, which was an all-time high for the city. Both shooting victims are expected to recover from their injuries.

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Why Are Frogs and Other Amphibian Species Disappearing Worldwide? - The New York Times

We met the ecologist Karen Lips in Washington, D.C. One morning, she picked us up from a Metro station and took us to Shenandoah National Park, keen to show us a species of salamander. Dr. Lips describes herself as an amphibian forensic scientist. For decades, she has been researching the disappearance of amphibian species, and what she told us that day was shocking. As filmmakers, we’ve covered the extinction of species and other ecological issues in our work for years. Mammals, reptiles, insects, fish — much of the planet’s wild fauna is threatened with extinction. But no other vertebrate class is as threatened as amphibians. Herpetologists like Dr. Lips don’t just fear for individual species; they fear for the class Amphibia as a whole. No one else we had met and interviewed on this subject seemed to be as affected by it as Dr. Lips. To put it simply: Frogs, salamanders and all amphibians are her life. For her, their increasing disappearance from our planet is a personal drama.

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As Office Workers Make Their Return, So Does the Lowly Cubicle

Among office designers and architects, cubicles are rarely mentioned. The once-ubiquitous fixture, so popular in the 1980s and ’90s, has become vilified as a sign of the dehumanization of the work force. Design experts today say cubicles are a “hard no.” And yet cubicles, like scrunchies, are back, spurred by demand from employers and employees alike. “I frankly thought the cube market was dying,” said Brian Silverberg, who sells refurbished and used office furniture with his brother, Mark, in their store, the Furniture X-Change in North Brunswick, N.J. “We have sold more cubes in the last three years than in the five years before,” he said, adding that 2024 would be “bigger than this year.” Covid-19 was an amplifier of a trend that preceded the pandemic. But as workers returned to the office after months of working at home, quiet spaces became more important, said Janet Pogue McLaurin of Gensler. “We had seen a drop in effectiveness because of noise interruptions, disruptions and a general lack of privacy,” she said. Global demand has pushed cubicles and partitions to a $6.3 billion market, which is expected to grow over the next five years to $8.3 billion, according to a 2022 report from Business Research Insights, a market analysis firm.

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Bill Belichicks statement saying goodbye to Patriots after mutual parting of ways

FOXBORO — The Patriots held a press conference Thursday, allowing Bill Belichick and owner Robert Kraft to deliver their statments in person after the former head coach and organization mutually agreed to part ways. Belichick mentioned the Kraft family, coaches, support staff, players, media and fans in his statement, which lasted nearly five minutes and was off the cuff. Belichick then shook Kraft’s hand, hugged him and allowed him to deliver his own statement. Here’s what Belichick said on Thursday at noon: “All right, morning. I haven’t seen this many camera since we signed Tebow. Robert and I after a series of discussions have mutually agreed to part ways. For me this, is a day of gratitude and celebration. Start with Robert and his family. So much thanks for the opportunity to be the head coach here for 24 years. It’s an amazing opportunity, received tremendous support. We had a vision of building a winner, building a championship football team here, and that’s exceeded my wildest dreams and expectations, the amount of success we were able to achieve together through a lot of hard work and contributions of so many people. I’m very proud of that and always have those memories. I’ll carry those with me the rest of my life. “Of course, after Robert, thanks to the assistant coaches. I’ve had so many great coaches here. They’ve made my life so much easier. It’s a long list, but the amount of work, preparation and diligence that they do, every one of them, and I say this about the players and the coaches regardless of how long they were here, how many years they were here, how many years they coached or what the position was. It was a great team effort, and everybody put everything they had into it. That’s why we were successful. “To the coaches, the support staff, it’s an amazing staff here that supported me in every way. All of the scouting, and all of the football support people to the equipment to the training, security, video, operations and so forth, right down that line. Dining room, it’s all first class. It’s all extremely, extremely good. Special thanks to Berj (Najarian) and Nancy (Meyers). They’ve been here since Day 1 and made my life a lot easier, or I’ve made theirs a lot harder, however you want to look at it. But that’s a big shoutout to them. “Of course, a great deal of thanks and appreciation to the players. Players win games in the NFL, and I’ve been very fortunate to coach some of the greatest players who have ever played, some of the greatest players who have ever played for the Patriots. Some of them are already in the hall of fame. Many more are going. Regardless of however long the players were or weren’t here or what their role was or how many games they played or even if they didn’t win championships, I respect the way the players come to work here on a daily basis, all of them that I’ve coached, well over 1,000. But their ability to work, prepare, train in the weight room, train their bodies, meet, rehearse over and over again what we need to do things right to be successful to win, I have so much respect for all of the players, and we’ve had many that have been here for a long time and had great contributions. Too many to name at this time, but great thanks to the players. “To the media, to you guys, I don’t know if anyone has got more coverage than I have, we have in the last 24 years. I give you guys a lot of respect, what you do. You’re our voice to the fans. Even thought we don’t always see eye to eye all of the time — most of the time but not all of the time — I do respect what you do. “Finally, to the fans. Fans here are amazing. So many memories of the fans, the send-offs, the parades, the Sundays, whatever the situations are. The letters to support, the seeing the fans away from here at a gas station or grocery store or wherever you bump into them. The Patriots fans here and not just in New England but they extend nationally and even internationally as I’ve traveled. It’s amazing how far the arm reaches. We saw that this year in Germany. So appreciative of the fans for all of the support they’ve given me, my family, this football team. “There are so many fond memories and thoughts that I think about the Patriots. I’ll always be a Patriot. I look forward to coming back here, but at this time, we’re going to move on. And I look forward, I’m excited for the future but always very, very appreciate of the opportunity here, the support here and Robert, what you’ve done here for me. Thank you.”

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See all homes sold in Cape Cod, Nov. 26 to Dec. 2

The following is a listing of all home transfers in Cape Cod reported from Nov. 26 to Dec. 2. There were 63 transactions posted during this time. During this period, the median sale for the area was a 1,350-square-foot home on Cynthia Lane in Dennis Port that sold for $600,000. Barnstable 109 Palomino Drive, Barnstable, $802,500, 1,592 square feet, $504 per square-foot, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Brewster 1117 Millstone Road, Brewster, $340,000, 1,148 square feet, $296 per square-foot, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. 13 Oyster Leaf Lane, Brewster, $1,135,000, 1,990 square feet, $570 per square-foot, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Buzzards Bay 13 Hideaway, Buzzards Bay, $320,000, 578 square feet, $554 per square-foot, two bedrooms and one bathroom. 19 Alden Ave., Buzzards Bay, $460,000, 1,032 square feet, $446 per square-foot, three bedrooms and one bathroom. 25 Eel Pond Road, Buzzards Bay, $535,000, 744 square feet, $719 per square-foot, two bedrooms and one bathroom. Cataumet 48 Scraggy Neck Road, Cataumet, $625,000, 1,756 square feet, $356 per square-foot, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Centerville 346 Great Marsh Road, Centerville, $510,000, 1,064 square feet, $479 per square-foot, two bedrooms and one bathroom. 21 Micah Hamlin Road, Centerville, $685,000, 1,874 square feet, $366 per square-foot, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. 100 Bay Lane, Centerville, $850,000, 2,218 square feet, $383 per square-foot, two bedrooms and three bathrooms. Chatham 104 Arbutus Trail, Chatham, $1,750,000, 3,213 square feet, $545 per square-foot, three bedrooms and four bathrooms. Cotuit 217 Sandalwood Drive, Cotuit, $517,000, 944 square feet, $548 per square-foot, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Dennis Port 14 Myrtle Lane, Dennis Port, $330,000, 572 square feet, $577 per square-foot, two bedrooms and one bathroom. 3 Third Mate Row, Dennis Port, $392,500, 984 square feet, $399 per square-foot, two bedrooms and one bathroom. 50 North Street, Dennis Port, $450,000, 1,496 square feet, $301 per square-foot, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. 39 Cynthia Lane, Dennis Port, $600,000, 1,350 square feet, $444 per square-foot, three bedrooms and one bathroom. 62 Baxter Street, Dennis Port, $825,000, 1,777 square feet, $464 per square-foot, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. East Falmouth 23 Edmar Road, East Falmouth, $550,250, 1,288 square feet, $427 per square-foot, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. 31 Sunrise Lane, East Falmouth, $1,565,000, 2,844 square feet, $550 per square-foot, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Eastham 27 Beach Plum Lane, Eastham, $880,000, 1,186 square feet, $742 per square-foot, three bedrooms and one bathroom. Falmouth 4 Old Dock Road, Falmouth, $1,200,000, 2,479 square feet, $484 per square-foot, three bedrooms and four bathrooms. Forestdale 18 Weeks Pond Drive, Forestdale, $454,949, 1,600 square feet, $284 per square-foot, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. 24 Tabor Road, Forestdale, $475,000, 1,000 square feet, $475 per square-foot, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Harwich 12 Pamela Way, Harwich, $547,000, 1,540 square feet, $355 per square-foot, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. 123 Depot Road, Harwich, $695,000, 1,638 square feet, $424 per square-foot, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. 9 Robert Road, Harwich, $1,050,000, 2,089 square feet, $503 per square-foot, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. 10 Colonial Way, Harwich, $1,110,000, 1,612 square feet, $689 per square-foot, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. 339 Queen Anne Road, Harwich, $1,580,740, 1,290 square feet, $1,225 per square-foot, three bedrooms and one bathroom. Hyannis 61 Bettys Pond Road, Hyannis, $328,000, 1,560 square feet, $210 per square-foot, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. 452 Bishops Terrace, Hyannis, $425,000, 768 square feet, $553 per square-foot, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. 50 Sterling Road, Hyannis, $539,950, 1,239 square feet, $436 per square-foot, three bedrooms and one bathroom. Marstons Mills 4 Mor Way, Marstons Mills, $680,000, 1,754 square feet, $388 per square-foot, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Mashpee 114 James Circle, Mashpee, $375,000, 1,888 square feet, $199 per square-foot, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. 10 Kettle Lane, Mashpee, $535,000, 1,685 square feet, $318 per square-foot, two bedrooms and three bathrooms. 68 Mid Iron Way, Mashpee, $600,000, 1,034 square feet, $580 per square-foot, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. 24 Stratford Ridge, Mashpee, $760,000, 2,169 square feet, $350 per square-foot, two bedrooms and three bathrooms. North Chatham 193 Northgate Road, North Chatham, $1,285,000, 2,083 square feet, $617 per square-foot, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Orleans 170 Barley Neck Road, Orleans, $600,000, 1,030 square feet, $583 per square-foot, two bedrooms and one bathroom. 10 Locust Road, Orleans, $600,000, 3,518 square feet, $171 per square-foot, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. 152 Monument Road, Orleans, $1,000,500, 2,108 square feet, $475 per square-foot, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Pocasset 94 Bellavista Drive, Pocasset, $725,000, 1,916 square feet, $378 per square-foot, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. 333 Circuit Ave., Pocasset, $730,000, 1,232 square feet, $593 per square-foot, two bedrooms and one bathroom. Provincetown 15 Cottage Street, Provincetown, $600,000, 367 square feet, $1,635 per square-foot, one bedroom and one bathroom. 5 Brewster Street, Provincetown, $909,000, 1,145 square feet, $794 per square-foot, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. 8 Mechanic Street, Provincetown, $1,000,000, 840 square feet, $1,190 per square-foot, three bedrooms and one bathroom. Sandwich 3 Salt Kettle Lane, Sandwich, $520,000, 1,032 square feet, $504 per square-foot, three bedrooms and one bathroom. 42 Triangle Circle, Sandwich, $590,000, 2,026 square feet, $291 per square-foot, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. South Dennis 1706 Route 6a, South Dennis, $340,000, 695 square feet, $489 per square-foot, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. 45 Dunstable Cross Road, South Dennis, $515,000, 1,480 square feet, $348 per square-foot, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. 46 Wildwood Street, South Dennis, $580,000, 1,824 square feet, $318 per square-foot, four bedrooms and two bathrooms. 56 Island Street, South Dennis, $835,000, 1,700 square feet, $491 per square-foot, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. 653 Airline Road, South Dennis, $970,000, 2,133 square feet, $455 per square-foot, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. South Yarmouth 11 Windjammer Lane, South Yarmouth, $490,000, 960 square feet, $510 per square-foot, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. 161 Captain Nickerson Road, South Yarmouth, $540,000, 1,428 square feet, $378 per square-foot, two bedrooms and one bathroom. Teaticket 233 Falmouthport Drive, Teaticket, $730,000, 1,352 square feet, $540 per square-foot, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. 11 Montauk Street, Teaticket, $759,500, 1,344 square feet, $565 per square-foot, four bedrooms and two bathrooms. Wellfleet 36 Cove Road, Wellfleet, $250,000, 500 square feet, $500 per square-foot, two bedrooms and one bathroom. 135 Old Truro Road, Wellfleet, $785,000, 1,300 square feet, $604 per square-foot, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. 86 Old Wharf Road, Wellfleet, $916,750, 1,931 square feet, $475 per square-foot, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. West Harwich 189 Route 28, West Harwich, $785,000, 1,754 square feet, $448 per square-foot, two bedrooms and three bathrooms. West Yarmouth 441 Buck Island Road, West Yarmouth, $440,000, 1,080 square feet, $407 per square-foot, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. 46 Acres Ave., West Yarmouth, $650,000, 1,624 square feet, $400 per square-foot, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. 30 Moss Road, West Yarmouth, $1,625,000, 2,166 square feet, $750 per square-foot, five bedrooms and four bathrooms. Real Estate Newswire is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to generate analysis of data from Propmix, an aggregator of national real-estate data. See more Real Estate News

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Ricardo Arjona, Prolific Latin Pop Star, Says He Will Stop Touring

The newest season of “Southern Hospitality” will premiere on Thursday, Dec. 21 at 9 p.m. ET. on Bravo. Viewers without cable looking to stream season 2 and the rest of the show can watch it online using DirecTV Stream, Sling, and fuboTV. DirecTV and fuboTV both offer free trials. “Accepting nothing short of perfection from her staff, Leva runs a tight ship, but her once-close-knit team faces a multitude of obstacles as they try to keep their jobs while maintaining their friendships and relationships,” Bravo wrote about the show. The new episode is titled “Once Upon a Lie.” How can I watch the newest episode of ‘Southern Hospitality’? Viewers looking to stream can do so by using FuboTV, Sling or DirecTV Stream. Both FuboTV and DirecTV offer free trials when you sign up and Sling offers 50% off your first month. What is FuboTV? FuboTV is an over-the-top internet live TV streaming service that offers more than 100 channels, such as sports, news, entertainment and local channels. What is DirecTV? The streaming platform offers a plethora of content including streaming the best of live and On Demand, starting with more than 75 live TV channels. DirecTV also offers a free trial for any package you sign up.

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2 paramedics found guilty of criminally negligent homicide in Elijah McClains death

CNN — Two paramedics were found guilty of criminally negligent homicide Friday in the death of Elijah McClain, an unarmed 23-year-old Black man who was subdued by police and injected with ketamine in Aurora, Colorado, in August 2019. Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec had pleaded not guilty to the felony charges. Cichuniec was also found guilty of a second-degree unlawful administration of drugs assault charge. Prosecutors had argued the paramedics acted recklessly in administering a large amount of the powerful sedative ketamine to McClain, who had been violently subdued by police, despite not speaking with him or checking his vital signs. An amended autopsy report released in 2022 listed McClain’s cause of death as “complications of ketamine administration following forcible restraint.” However, the paramedics testified they were following their training for treating patients experiencing “excited delirium,” a controversial diagnosis describing extreme agitation generally applied to people being subdued by police. “During our training, we were told numerous times that this is a safe, effective drug,” Cichuniec told the court. “That is the only drug we can carry that can stop what is going on and calm him down so we can control his airway, we can control him and the safety of him, get him to the hospital as quick as we can.” Three Aurora police officers who subdued McClain have also faced trial for their involvement in the incident. Officer Randy Roedema was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide and assault and subsequently fired by the department, while officers Jason Rosenblatt and Nathan Woodyard were acquitted of all charges. This is a developing story and will be updated. CNN’s Eric Levenson and Jeremy Harlan contributed to this report.

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Notre Dame vs. Oregon State: How to buy tickets to Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl

The Oregon State Beavers are looking to avoid their third straight loss when they take on Notre Dame in the Sun Bowl, and they’ll have to do so without quarterback DJ Uiagalelei who entered the NCAA transfer portal earlier this month. The Fighting Irish, meanwhile, are looking for their 10th win of the year and their third in a row. Kickoff is 12/29 at 2 p.m. ET in El Paso, Texas. Fans looking to attend this college football game in person have plenty of options and can shop around at StubHub and *VividSeats. *New customers who purchase tickets through VividSeats can get $20 off a $200+ ticket order by using the promo code MassLive20 at checkout.* If you need to travel outside your local area to get to this game, head over to TripAdvisor, VRBO, Marriott or Booking.com for deals on everything from car rentals to airfare to hotels. Who: Notre Dame vs. Oregon State When: 12/29 2 p.m. ET Where: Sun Bowl, El Paso Stream: fuboTV (free trial); or Sling; or DirecTV Stream Tickets: StubHub and *VividSeats. Gear: Shop around for jerseys, shirts, hats, hoodies and more at Fanatics.com Sports Betting Promos: Football fans can wager online on Massachusetts sports betting with enticing promo codes from top online sportsbooks. Use the FanDuel Massachusetts promo code and the DraftKings Massachusetts promo code for massive new user bonuses. RELATED CONTENT: Texas bound: No. 15 Notre Dame to face No. 21 Oregon State in Sun Bowl By The Associated Press No. 21 Oregon State (8-4, Pac-12) vs. No. 15 Notre Dame (9-3, independent), Dec. 29, 2 p.m. ET. LOCATION: El Paso, Texas TOP PLAYERS Oregon State: QB DJ Uiagalelei, 2,638 yards passing, 21 touchdowns. Notre Dame: QB Sam Hartman, 2,689 yards passing, 24 touchdowns. NOTABLE Oregon State: The Beavers started the season with an 8-2 record before dropping its final two games to Washington and Oregon, the two teams that played in the conference title game. Notre Dame: Hartman is the active Division I leader with 15,656 career yards passing. LAST TIME Oregon State 38, Notre Dame 21 (Dec. 28, 2004). BOWL HISTORY Oregon State: Third appearance in the Sun Bowl, 20th bowl appearance in school history. Notre Dame: Second appearance in the Sun Bowl, 42nd bowl appearance in school history. ___ Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football Oregon State, Washington State, Mountain West agree to 6-game football scheduling arrangement in ‘24 By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Football Writer Oregon State, Washington State and the Mountain West announced a football scheduling agreement Friday for the 2024 season that gives the two remaining Pac-12 schools six opponents each and positions them to operate as a two-team conference for at least a year. All 12 Mountain West schools will be involved and Oregon State and Washington State will each play three home games and three road games against members of a conference that includes: Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State, Wyoming, Nevada, UNLV, San Jose State, Utah State, Fresno State and New Mexico. Oregon State and Washington State will pay about $14 million to the Mountain West next year as part of the agreement, Washington State athletic director Pat Chun confirmed. “We are still focused on re-building the Pac-12, and continue to prioritize the student-athlete experience at Oregon State,” Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes said. Barnes said a full football schedule will be released soon and will include five Power Five opponents, six from the Mountain West and one FCS school. For its part, the Mountain West will play a seven-game conference schedule and the games against Oregon State and Washington State will not count in the league standings. Washington State athletic director Pat Chun said the Cougars have 11 of their 12 games filled now on their schedule and hope to have the final game solidified in the coming weeks. “This is a unique and unprecedented opportunity for Oregon State and Washington State to play against highly competitive Mountain West football programs in 2024,” Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez. She said the agreement expands the conference’s footprint and strengthens its nonconference schedules. Oregon State and Washington State are trying to plot a path forward after the Pac-12 was torn apart by conference realignment. Ten Pac-12 schools are joining new Power Five leagues in 2024. There has been speculation about a combination of some kind between the two remaining schools and the Mountain West, including scheduling agreements in other sports, as the sides explore options. Oregon State and Washington State, however, want to rebuild the Pac-12 and NCAA rules allow for a conference to be as small as two schools for a two-year period. Chun said the Cougars will continue to use the Pac-12 marks and logo on its field and uniforms next season. He also reiterated that this is only a one-year agreement with the Mountain West to provide non-conference games. “It’s definitely a partnership that allows the two schools to get to know Commissioner Nevarez and the Mountain West Conference a little bit better,” Chun said. “But the reality is the amount of instability in the FBS and in all conferences is a real issue for college athletics and we’re going to make sure that we position ourselves in the most strategic manner going forward.” The Pacific Northwest schools are currently in a legal battle with the Pac-12 and the 10 departing schools to determine who runs the conference and has control over potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in assets. It is unclear how the additional games could impact the Mountain West’s television agreement with Fox and CBS, which runs through the 2025 football season. The Pac-12 has no television contract in place beyond this season. The league’s failure to land a deal competitive with other Power Five conferences was a primary factor in the breakup of the Pac-12. The departures started in 2022 when Southern California and UCLA announced they would join the Big Ten in 2024. The pace picked up this fall. Oregon State and Washington State sued the Pac-12 and departing members in September, claiming those schools relinquished a right to be on the conference board of directors and vote on league matters when the announced they were leaving. The exiting schools say they should still be able to vote until they officially leave in August 2024. Currently, any decisions made in the Pac-12 have to be by unanimous consent of all 12 members. A judge ruled last month in favor of Oregon State and Washington State, but the conference and departing schools have appealed to the Washington Supreme Court and t he lower’s court ruling has been put on hold. The departing schools hailed the football announcement. “The unanimous support for this agreement from all 12 current Pac-12 members demonstrates that OSU and WSU can successfully plan for their future while all members continue to have a say in Pac-12 decisions impacting the current athletics year,” the schools said in a statement. “The nine-figure annual revenues the Pac-12 was already contracted to receive in the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 athletics years will support this agreement and any other future plans for the conference.” ___ Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.appodcasts.com. Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here ___ AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll The Associated Press contributed to this article

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Red Cross has received handover of hostages being released Sunday, IDF says

National security adviser Jake Sullivan speaks with CNN on Sunday. CNN The Biden administration has “reason to believe” one of the Americans held hostage will be released Sunday, a top US official said Sunday. “We're dealing with Hamas. We are in a ‘don't trust, but verify’ situation here. And so we have reason to believe that there will be an American release today,” national security adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN's Dana Bash on "State of the Union." “Today should be a good day, a joyful day, but until we actually see it happen, we are going to remain really at the edge of our seat,” he said. Sullivan's comments confirm previous reporting from CNN that an American citizen is due to be among those freed today. Two American women and one child, 4-year-old Abigail Edan, are currently unaccounted-for and are expected to be part of the group of 50 women and children hostages released as part a four-day truce, now in its third day. No Americans were released as part of the deal on Friday or Saturday. Ten Americans are unaccounted for in total. The US, Sullivan said, has “growing optimism” that Edan will be returned, though he declined to provide a timeline. “We are now hopeful that Abigail will be released and reunited with her family. She turned four just two days ago. She has been through hell. She had her parents killed right in front of her and has been held hostage for the last several weeks,” Sullivan said. “But I am going to say that we have growing optimism about Abigail and we will now watch and see what happens.” Sullivan said that it is difficult to know the true status of the Americans being held. “We cannot say for certain whether all three of them are still alive. But we do know this: we have reason to believe that today, one American will be released,” he said.

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Jets latest free agent bust makes Patriots look even smarter

The New England Patriots and New York Jets both needed some veteran running back depth this offseason. The Jets got Dalvin Cook while the Patriots landed Ezekiel Elliott. The Patriots got the better player at about half the cost. BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. This comes after Wednesday’s news that the Jets and Cook are parting ways, a move that was dubbed “good business.” The 28-year-old fell well below expectations in New York. Coming off four straight Pro Bowl appearances, Cook arrived with the Jets with high expectations. However, he ran for just 214 yards, averaging just 3.2 yards per carry. He also wasn’t much of a factor in the passing game. Cook’s price tag: a one-year, $7 million deal with $5.8 million guaranteed. Meanwhile, the Patriots got Elliott for cheap, signing him to a one-year deal worth $3 million total and $2.15 million in guarantees. Both players former Pro Bowlers who are 28 years old. They were both cut loose this offseason due to cap concerns. But while Cook had just made his fourth straight Pro Bowl, Elliott’s stock had declined a bit in Dallas. Elliott, a two-time NFL rushing leader, last made the Pro Bowl in 2019. After emerging as one of the NFL’s biggest stars in Dallas, he was cut loose in favor of Tony Pollard this offseason. He eventually found a solid role in New England. Over 16 games, Elliott has run the ball 171 times for 588 yards. That’s a career-worst average of 3.4 yards per carry. However, his biggest contributions have come in the passing game. Elliott heading into the final game of the season with 46 catches on the year, with ranks second on the team. He’s also drawn high praise for his effort level and pass blocking even when he’s not getting the ball. Bill Belichick’s roster building has been far from perfect as of late. The Patriots have rocky situation at quarterback. Their offensive line is held together with duct tape. The receivers (especially JuJu Smith-Schuster) have been a disappointment. But at least with Elliott, Belichick landed a good bargain-bin find. Plus, even the receiver deals have gone worse for the Jets. They signed Mecole Hardman as a free agent over the offseason and traded him back to the Kansas City Chiefs by October.

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Boston police officer provides life-saving CPR to 2-year-old boy in Dorchester, union says

When Oliveira reached the apartment, he found a person performing CPR on an unresponsive boy lying in a bed, the report said. Shortly before 2:30 a.m., Boston police Officer Daniel Oliveira responded to a call reporting an unresponsive child in an apartment on Ellington Street, according to a redacted copy of the police report that was obtained by the Globe. A Boston police officer provided “life-saving CPR” to a 2-year-old boy while responding to an early morning call in Dorchester on Saturday, according to the patrolmen’s union and a police report. Oliveira began performing chest compressions on the victim, “who started to be conscious and breathing,” the report said. Oliveira and another officer then turned the boy on his side to release fluid, the report said. Advertisement The child’s grandmother said she was sleeping when she heard him cry out and found him shaking and turning purple, the report said. Boston EMS and the Boston Fire Department also responded to the apartment, and the child was taken to Boston Medical Center for evaluation. No further information on the boy’s condition was released. The Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association praised Oliveira in a social media post on Monday. “Thanks to the hardworking men and women of District B-3, an unresponsive 2-year-old baby who wasn’t breathing when officers arrived on scene early Saturday morning is alive today after officers applied life-saving CPR,” the union said. “Job well done, PO Oliveira.” Nick Stoico can be reached at nick.stoico@globe.com. Follow him @NickStoico.

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Gran Cocina, Holyoke business incubator, gets $45K state coworking grant

HOLYOKE — Taking a food idea — or a family recipe — and turning it into a business often requires a commercial kitchen few can afford. That’s where Wellspring Cooperative Corp. and its new project Gran Cocina comes in, renting professional kitchen space for as little as $25 an hour and also providing food safety training. “There is a lot of interest,” said Fred Rose, co-director of Wellspring Co-Operative. The name Gran Cocina transales to “big kitchen.” Wellspring also founded and runs worker-owned enterprises such as Wellspring Harvest greenhouse in the Indian Orchard section of Springfield and Wellspring Upholstery Cooperative, a furniture repair business in Springfield. On Wednesday, the state and MassDevelopment, the state’s economic development agency and land bank, announced a $45,000 grant for Gran Cocina, which is on High Street in Holyoke’s downtown. The money — one of 16 grants totaling $950,000 for the Collaborative Workspace Program — will pay for an energy-efficient mini-split heating and cooling system; repairs; renovating an unfinished room into additional space; and adding a walk-in cooler. Rose said to expect a publicity push in the new year, looking to add businesses to the facility. Wellspring also will add a cafe, where customers can try out food produced within. Other local projects included in Wednesday’s announcement include: Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce received $50,000 to build out a collaborative workspace at a building it owns. Last year, MassDevelopment awarded the organization a $5,000 seed grant to study market and design feasibility for the project. The Sphere, Northampton received $100,000 to build out a vacant and gutted storefront to increase space and visibility of The Sphere Innovation Lab. The lab will be a woman- and nonbinary-oriented entrepreneur coworking space based on inclusivity, collaboration and uplifting entrepreneurs. The storefront is 82 Maple St. in the Florence section of Northampton.

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Dear Annie: I dont know how else to tell people I dont celebrate the holidays

Dear Annie: I’m writing to respond to the post about “Godmother Goes Awry,” in which a mother was very upset that a godmother would not co-sign for her daughter. The daughter was requesting a co-signer to rent an apartment. The mother was enraged that the godmother declined. I just wanted to say that I, in the past, have been a co-signer for young people’s loans. This has caused me to lose over $20,000 when they lost their job or just declined to repay the loans. I now have a policy of never co-signing for any children of mine or other people. It is a bad situation and one should never mix money and family. If you were willing to completely lose the money and financially able, perhaps then it is fine. But one can never be sure that someone’s going to pay them back — and then the relationship gets ruined. So I support the godmother in this case and I think the mother should back off. — Learned From my Past Dear Learned: Everybody’s situation is different, but it is always wise to consider all possible outcomes when co-signing a loan. If you cannot afford to lose the money or if you think it could cause tension in a relationship, then it’s best to refrain from being a co-signer. Dear Annie: It’s that time of year again and I dread having people ask me to celebrate the holidays with them. I haven’t celebrated a holiday in 20 years. For me, the holidays are full of misery. I lost my entire family during the holidays. Add to that, I made some mistakes that led to my not being able to celebrate the holidays because prison doesn’t allow for celebration. That said, how do I clearly and effectively tell people that I don’t partake in holiday festivities? I have tried simply telling them. I have tried explaining to them the reason behind it. They don’t listen to me and insist that I must celebrate with them. I feel like, in the end, I have to be rude to get them to leave me alone. I don’t miss the gift-giving or what I feel like are fake pleasantries. — The Grinch Dear Grinch: The holidays, while full of spirit and cheer for many, can be extremely difficult and stressful for others. I’m sure the loved ones in your life who are requesting your presence at such gatherings genuinely mean well and want you there, but it is frustrating they will not respect your wishes not to participate. The key here is exactly what you said: clear and effective communication. The next time you receive an invite to something holiday related, say something along the lines of, “Thanks for thinking of me. I won’t be able to make it, but I hope you have a great time, and I look forward to catching up with you in the new year.” Once you’ve given an answer, you needn’t respond any further. It’s unnecessary to explain yourself or defend your choice. What matters is that you gave them a polite answer while honoring yourself. Wishing you peace and comfort this season. “How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM

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Donald Trump, Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis Battle for Iowa - The New York Times

Patriots coach Bill Belichick will be the guest picker when ESPN’s “College GameDay” makes it way to Foxborough this Saturday for the Army-Navy game at Gillette Stadium. He’ll join Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Kirk Herbstreit, and Lee Corso on the weekly show to select who they think will win major college football games that day. Army-Navy is the only FBS game on Saturday, so Belichick’s pick load will be light. The 24th-year head coach grew up in Annapolis, Md., where the Naval Academy is located. He was four years old when his father, Steve, started as a scout for Navy’s football team, and the elder Belichick spent 33 years on Navy’s staff.

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How Group Chats Rule the World

This kind of communication has been technologically possible for decades now, but for much of my lifetime it had to occur in fixed locations (in front of computers) at fixed times (when you were all online; this was back when the idea of being “online” or “offline” still had meaning). Then smartphones smashed that distinction. In 2008, Apple made it possible to text-message multiple people at the same time, moving limited SMS messaging into their iMessage system — essentially conflating “texting” and “messaging,” collapsing group conversation into a single organized chain. Cell carriers and competitors followed, and slowly, over the next decade, the group chat moved from an occasionally convenient tool — say, something your sister might use to blast big news to a large family group — to a ubiquitous social phenomenon. My own group chats serve a wide range of purposes, from the purely practical to the highly intimate. There is a taxonomy — not quite a hierarchy, but not not a hierarchy. Some are basically purpose-driven and never meant to last: A new chat might pop up for a wedding weekend, a set of unsaved numbers asking one another questions about the location of a brunch, a fleeting collective of friends-of-friends that loses touch on Sunday night. Some are more or less affinity groups: I am in two separate chats for Grateful Dead enthusiasts, both of which tend to move at the pace of old-school internet forums. (Someone posts a good live version of “Scarlet Begonias,” or a joke about Bob Weir, and we all give it a thumbs-up or a heart or a “ha ha” reaction, iMessage innovations that make even-more-passive communication possible.) Some group chats map almost exactly onto I.R.L. groups of friends and are used for a combination of idle chatter and social planning; one has become such a dominant feature of my social life that it is simply named “The Girls,” as if there were no other girls. (The act of naming of a group chat in iMessage indicates, to some degree, its staying power, no matter how silly the name itself may be.) Thus “The Girls” has become one of the first places any of us would look to make social plans. At least, I think so — it is highly possible that for one or another of us there is another group chat, totally unknown to me, that is more important.

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With the End of the Cease-Fire, Concern Grows Over the Oldest Israeli Hostages Left Behind

Nurit Cooper, 79, is one of the Israeli hostages released by Hamas. But her son, Rotem Cooper, continues to press for the urgent release of the remaining hostages, especially those who are old and sick. He has a personal stake in the matter. His father, Amiram Cooper, who will turn 85 on Dec. 11, remains a hostage. “A concrete arrangement is needed to rescue the elderly and the people with chronic conditions. And we know that time is of the essence,” Rotem Cooper said earlier this week. “With the elderly, a few weeks or a few days could make the difference between people making it out alive or not.” As Israel resumed airstrikes on Gaza on Friday, his worry intensified. “I and my family are all very concerned about the safety of my father now that the war is raging again,” he said. “We were hoping for the cease-fire and hostages exchange to resume with the release of elderly hostages like my father.” Amiram and Nurit were kidnapped from kibbutz Nir Oz. According to what he has learned from his mother, who was freed on Oct. 23 after 17 days of captivity, and others who have been released in recent days, his parents and others were kept underground in tunnels, five prisoners in a small room with little light or ventilation. The sandy ground had a flimsy porous covering over it. There was a mattress and a few pillows. Food was scarce. Most days they were given pita with olive oil. Occasionally there were cheese and cucumbers. But more concerning, Mr. Cooper said, was that he had been told both that his father had not been receiving much of his needed medication and that he continued to struggle with undiagnosed ailments he was experiencing before he was kidnapped. “He has a lot of stomach pain,” said Rotem Cooper, “and we don’t know what it is, but obviously they’re not going to take him for a CT scan.” The deprivation of medical care is likely an issue impacting many, if not all, the older hostages — as well as those with chronic conditions. To try to prevent the prisoners from muscle atrophy or conditions that can arise from lack of movement while being imprisoned in a small room, Hamas guards encouraged the older hostages to walk daily, Rotem Cooper said. Image Nurit Cooper. Credit... Hostages and Missing Families Forum, via Associated Press But navigating the sandy ground of the dark tunnels was challenging for his aging parents and their fellow prisoners, he said, especially because the Hamas gunmen took his father’s eyeglasses when they abducted him and broke his mother’s shoulder. His mother, now living with her daughter in Israel, is working to gain strength through physical therapy. The rest of her recovery is more complicated, her son said. “Mentally,” he said, “she’s definitely doing better. She is more engaged with the people and becoming more independent. But one thing that you have to keep in context is that part of recovery is getting back to what you used to do.” For Nurit Cooper, this is not possible. “My father is still kidnapped” Rotem Cooper said, “and she can’t live in her home at the kibbutz. No one lives there anymore.”

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Maria Callas Was Operas Defining Diva. She Still Is.

She left her husband for the shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, largely giving up performing in the process. When Onassis eventually married Jackie Kennedy instead, Callas was alone and bereft, without either the vocation that had given her purpose or the man who had replaced it. Living mostly in seclusion, though always harboring hopes of returning to the stage, she became for many a kind of saint or martyr, an embodiment of the hopelessly loving, direly abandoned characters she had played. “Until the end,” a friend said, “she continued her vocal exercises.” As Callas’s life fades ever further into the distance, her voice is more and more what we are left with. “Generally, I upset people the first time they hear me,” she told a biographer, “but I am usually able to convince them of what I am doing.” Francesco Siciliani, an impresario who engaged Callas as she rose in the late 1940s, was right when he said, “Parts of the voice were beautiful, others empty.” But the flaws that grew more prominent over time — the thinnesses and wobbles, the metallic harshness and questionable intonation — were, as she knew, usually convincing, not least because her sound, for all its troubles, was so instantly recognizable, and such a perfect vessel for extreme emotion. There was always that sense of every phrase being considered, without feeling studied — of a voice with a purpose. We can see from photos the amazing ability of her face — and, perhaps just as important, her hands — to capture anguish, authority and charm. But among the most pernicious stereotypes about Callas is that she was an actress who could barely sing, who got by on charisma alone. The records disprove this. Listen to her tender “O mio babbino caro.” Listen to her delicate yet commanding “D’amor sull’ali rosee.” She was always a bel canto singer at heart. In the early 1970s, when she led a series of master classes at the Juilliard School, a student defended herself after a bad high note by saying it was meant as a cry of despair.

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Mattel Has a New Cherokee Barbie. Not Everyone Is Happy About It.

A Barbie doll in the likeness of Wilma Mankiller, the first woman to be elected chief of the Cherokee Nation, has been hailed by tribal citizens. It’s also been lamented for its inaccuracies. An event held Tuesday in Tahlequah, Okla., marked the anniversary of Ms. Mankiller becoming chief in 1985 and celebrated her Barbie doll. Mattel, the company that produces Barbie dolls, announced the new toy last month as part of the “Inspiring Women” series that includes the conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, the journalist Ida B. Wells and the writer Maya Angelou. The doll’s release has been met with some criticism. The doll itself portrays Ms. Mankiller, who died in 2010, with dark hair, wearing a turquoise dress and carrying a basket, a depiction that Chuck Hoskin Jr., principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, said was “thoughtful” and “well done.” However, he noted that some in the community said the doll’s basket wasn’t authentically Cherokee.

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A Russian Village Buries a Soldier, and Tries to Make Sense of the War

If you weren’t in Dorchester at Massachusetts State Lottery headquarters claiming a big prize on Tuesday, then where were you? Probably waiting out the snowstorm at home, like many Bay Staters — except for three lottery winners, who claimed one $4 million and two $1 million lottery prizes on Jan. 16. The $4 million prize was from the “100X Cash” scratch ticket game, which costs $10 to play. It was sold in Peabody from a shop called Summit Variety. As of Jan. 17, there’s just one $4 million grand prize remaining to be claimed. One of the $1 million prizes claimed was from the lottery’s new “Gold Mine 50X” scratch ticket, which was released last Tuesday and was the first grand prize to be claimed. The winning ticket was sold in Leominster from Russell’s Package Store. The other $1 million lottery prize was from the “$4,000,000 Bonus Loot” scratch ticket game, and the winning ticket had been sold in Dracut from a shop called Dracut Convenience. Overall, there were at least 628 lottery prizes worth $600 or more won or claimed in Massachusetts on Tuesday, including 18 in Springfield and 32 in Worcester. The Massachusetts State Lottery releases a full list of all the winning tickets each day. The list only includes winning tickets worth more than $600.

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They Ran for a Better Life, Straight Into a Wildfire

Greek authorities assumed the victims were migrants because no one was looking for missing people locally. And for more than a month, their identities, and the circumstances of their deaths, remained a mystery. But over weeks of reporting, The New York Times was able to piece together previously unknown details about the group’s journey in its desperate final hours. The reporting shows that at least 12 had already been captured once before by Greek border guards and turned back to Turkey. Their decision to risk the wildfire was meant to avoid recapture at any cost. They were fleeing war-ravaged Syria, seeking what they hoped would be a better life in Europe. Instead, they died on a rocky hillside, their ashes now mixed with the gray-scale landscape of Evros, where the climate crisis fueling ferocious wildfires collided with the migrant crisis that has long brought tragedy to this region. Only one body has been identified conclusively through DNA testing, because most of the close relatives of the rest live in Syria and cannot travel to provide similar tests. But interviews with Greek officials, aid workers, more than 20 relatives of the victims, and the smuggler who put them on the route, provided extensive evidence about the identities of the others.

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Ukraine Targets Russian Oil Plants, Aiming to Disrupt Military Operations

Ukraine hit an oil depot in Russia in a drone attack on Friday, officials on both sides said, the latest in a series of recent assaults targeting Russian oil facilities as Kyiv increasingly seeks to strike critical infrastructure behind Russian lines. Alexander Bogomaz, the governor of the Russian region of Bryansk, which borders Ukraine, said oil tanks in the town of Klintsy had caught fire after a drone dropped munitions on the depot. The drone, he added, was brought down by electronic jamming. A Ukrainian intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters, said Ukraine was behind the assault. Friday’s attack was the fourth on a Russian oil facility in the past three weeks, in what experts say is an effort by Ukraine to deliver setbacks to Russia’s military capabilities by targeting the facilities that supply fuel to tanks, fighter jets and other critical military equipment. “Strikes on oil depots and oil storage facilities disrupt logistics routes and slow down combat operations,” said Olena Lapenko, an energy security expert at DiXi Group, a Ukrainian think tank. “Disruption of these supplies, which are like blood for the human body, is part of a wider strategy to counter Russia on the battlefield.”

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Man charged with child enticement after incident at Walgreens in Ludlow

Ludlow police have arrested a man on a felony charge after they say he tried to lure two young girls into his car near a Walgreens on East Street Saturday afternoon. When police arrived at Walgreens just after noon on Saturday, Jan. 6 they found a car facing the wrong direction and blocking cars coming at it on East Street and two moms confronting a man in the car, Police Chief Daniel Valadas said in a press release. Police believe the man, who they identified as Michael Wilson, 35, of Ludlow, was watching two young girls inside the Walgreens at 54 East St. as the girls were paying for something. Police said he approached the girls in the parking lot and “tried to lure them into his vehicle,” a gray Toyota Camry. The girls found their parents nearby. At some point, Wilson started to leave, but officers found him in his car parked in the eastbound lane in front of 65 East St. facing the wrong way while the girls’ mothers “were engaging” with him from the sidewalk. Valadas said Wilson was arrested without incident. He was charged with enticement of a child under 16 (felony) and disorderly conduct. He was arraigned Monday morning at Palmer District Court and held on $15,040 cash bail, the press release said. “I would like to commend the efforts and professionalism of the police officers, dispatchers and the shift sergeant for their quick response to a frantic 911 call,” Valadas said in the release. “Their response led to a detailed and thorough on-scene investigation that resulted in an arrest to a very serious crime.”

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Sign Up for Wells Mediterranean Diet Week

When we published an article on the merits of the Mediterranean diet last year, the reader response was overwhelming — and for good reason. The Mediterranean diet is an approach to eating with health benefits backed by decades of research. It has been linked to reduced risks for cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, cognitive decline and certain types of cancer. And unlike many other popular diets, it’s not a restrictive program, but more of a “lifestyle,” as one expert put it, that emphasizes whole, mostly plant-based foods. We have since heard from many readers who wanted to know exactly how to get started. What foods should you buy? Which recipes are best? And what does a day of eating on the Mediterranean diet look like? We’re here to help.

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Mexico vs. Honduras: Live stream, how to watch CONCACAF Nations League

Mexico will look to earn its first Nations League win when it takes on Honduras on Friday night in a CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal match. In its last four internationals since earning the Gold Cup this summer, Mexico has won just once. Honduras is coming off a 4-0 win over Cuba, while Mexico looks to rebound from a 2-2 draw to Germany. Here’s how to watch Mexico vs. Honduras (CONCACAF Nations League) What time will the match start? What TV channel will it be on? — Friday’s match will air at 9 p.m EST on TUDN for those with cable. It will also be streamed on Paramount+. Live stream info — Paramount+ | fuboTV | DirecTV — Fans without cable can stream the match using fuboTV, DirecTV or Sling, as well as Paramount+. Subscriptions start at $5.99/month for Paramount+. Paramount+ offers a seven-day free trial to new users. DirecTV and FuboTV also offer free trials. MORE COVERAGE VIA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MIAMI (AP) — AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, will be the site of the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals on March 21 and the final three days later. The stadium is among the sites of the 2026 World Cup and is under consideration for the final on July 19 of that year. The Nations League site was announced Monday by the governing body of soccer in North and Central America and the Caribbean. The Nations League semifinals will involve the winners of the four quarterfinal series being played this week and next: United States vs. Trinidad and Tobago; Mexico vs. Honduras; Costa Rica vs. Panama; and Jamaica vs. Canada. The U.S. won the first two editions of the Nations League, in 2021 at Denver and this June at Las Vegas. The four quarterfinal winners also qualify for next year’s Copa America, the South American championship that will be played in the United States. The quarterfinal losers advance to a playoff for two Copa America berths, to be played on March 23 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The Associated Press contributed to this article

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The Edaville road to a magical Christmas landscape

Friday nights are one of the busiest at the park, and the first train was leaving at 3:30 p.m. being pulled by the Edaville No. 3 engine. Workers wore soot-covered overalls and donned rawhide gloves to prepare two steam engines for the journeys ahead that Friday night. CARVER — Swirling plumes of white hot steam shot skyward on a recent early afternoon from the chimneys of two powerful steam locomotives warming up in the storage yard at the Edaville Family Theme Park. The workers arrive hours before the trains start to carry the thousands of passengers on a circuitous 3½-mile route on the 2-foot wide tracks past flooded cranberry bogs and through towering pines transformed into a magical landscape by 250,000 brilliant colored Christmas lights. Advertisement Edaville, which opened in 1947, is one of the oldest heritage railroad operations in the United States. Christmas lights reflected on a train car window as Connor Bruce, 4, from Ned Bedford peered out on a train ride at the Edaville Family Theme Park in Carver. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Engineers Brian Fanslau and Joe Card do the hard work that enables the trains to run. They meticulously care for its iconic engines, including Edaville No. 11, which was built in 1925, and No. 3, which dates back to 1913. Fanslau performed a complete restoration last year on Edaville No. 11 during which he narrowed the wheels’ wider stance for use on the park’s 2-foot gauge railway and brought the boiler and pressure gauges back to working condition. Before the restoration, No. 11 was a static attraction on the grounds. “We are carrying on the history of these trains.” Fanslau said. It’s a dirty job, he said, as he checked the antique pressure gauges in the grimy engine compartment with hands blackened from coal. Each engine burns a ton of coal nightly during its numerous loops around the tracks. The coal is bought months in advance and is loaded throughout the trip by a firefighter, who rides in the engine with the engineer and shovels the large black chunks continually into a firebox. Advertisement The coal-fueled fire brings the 600-gallon water tank in each train to a boil. The resulting steam powers the pistons back and forth, and cylinders power the train wheels. Coal was loaded into the firebox of a steam engine to boil the water in the boiler to power the steam locomotive. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff During station stops to pick up new passengers, the engineers top off the water tanks from a large hose that hangs at the station. Fanslau performed this task on Edaville No. 3 while kneeling on hard chunks of coal adjacent to the roof of the engine. As he works, dozens of passengers file one by one into the train cars, where young children press their faces against the large windows as Christmas lights bathe them in vivid colors. Signaling it was safe to leave the station, conductor Jessica Fitzgerald shined her flashlight toward the engine as she stood on the metal stairs of the caboose. “I love watching the generations of families come aboard the trains and especially seeing the kids’ faces,” Fitzgerald said. With a deafening hiss of steam being released, Card set Edaville No. 3 in motion from the work yard on its five-minute trip to the station. Clouds of steam puffed so high they caught the magenta glow of the late-afternoon sun, and passengers took out their phones to capture the sight. Card, who has been at Edaville for 11 years, said he played with Lionel trains when he was a kid. Growing up nearby, he visited the park constantly before he started working there when he turned 18. When he was 21, he became an engineer. Advertisement Engineer Joe Card stood atop the roof of the Edaville No. 3 steam locomotive as he shoveled coal on to the train from a front-end loader. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Every late afternoon when the trains start to run, the clickety clack of the large steel wheels rolling down the tracks is a welcome sound to passengers waiting for the day’s first train. Edaville’s Christmas trains run Thursday through Sunday until Dec. 31. Elizabeth Mattos from Rockland fed her 5-month-old baby, Scott, on one of the passenger train cars as she waited for it to depart at the Edaville Family Theme Park. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Passengers sat on one of five train cars as they wait for the ride to start. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Engineer Joe Card was surrounded by steam being released under pressure as it heats up from the No. 3 steam locomotive. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Conductor Jessica Fitzgerald waited to board one of the train passenger cars. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff

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Flush With Investment, New U.S. Factories Face a Familiar Challenge

The Biden administration has begun pumping more than $2 trillion into U.S. factories and infrastructure, investing huge sums to try to strengthen American industry and fight climate change. But the effort is facing a familiar threat: a surge of low-priced products from China. That is drawing the attention of President Biden and his aides, who are considering new protectionist measures to make sure American industry can compete against Beijing. As U.S. factories spin up to produce electric vehicles, semiconductors and solar panels, China is flooding the market with similar goods, often at significantly lower prices than American competitors. A similar influx is also hitting the European market. American executives and officials argue that China’s actions violate global trade rules. The concerns are spurring new calls in America and Europe for higher tariffs on Chinese imports, potentially escalating what is already a contentious economic relationship between China and the West.

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Man arrested, after pointing loaded ghost gun at Springfield officer

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Springfield Police have arrested a man after he pointed a gun at an officer in a Harriet Street apartment overnight. According to the Springfield Police Department, officers were conducting a follow-up connected to a domestic assault involving a gun and were looking for 30-year-old Joseph Morales-Dejesus when they received permission to enter the apartment he was staying in. When officers arrived at the apartment Morales-Dejesus walked into view with a loaded large-capacity ghost gun with an extended magazine in hand. Police said he pointed it directly at an officer before complying and tossing it away from him. Morales-Dejesus was arrested and charged with the following offenses: Firearm Violation with Three Prior Violent/Drug Crimes Firearm-Armed Assault in Dwelling Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Two Counts) Assault with a Dangerous Weapon Carrying a Loaded Firearm without a License Possession of a High-Capacity Magazine/Feeding Device Possession of a Firearm without an FID Card - Subsequent Offense Possession of Ammunition without an FID Card Threat to Commit a Crime Witness Intimidation Authorities also revealed Morales-Dejesus was convicted on firearms charges in 2019, numerous drug distribution charges in 2017 and several domestic related charges in 2020 including assault & battery on a pregnant female. Copyright 2023. Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.

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Israeli hostages and their families rejoice after their release from captivity

“Did you miss me? Did you think about Dad?” Asher asked his daughters — Raz, 4, and Aviv, 2 — to which his wife murmurs: “All the time.” Yoni Asher, whose wife, Doron, and two daughters were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz, was reunited with them Friday. In a video released by the Schneider children’s hospital Saturday, Asher can be seen embracing his wife and children on a hospital bed. The 13 Israeli hostages freed Friday after being abducted in the Hamas-led surprise attack last month have begun reuniting with their families, ending nearly seven weeks of uncertainty and fear over their fates in the Gaza Strip. Advertisement “I dreamed that we went home,” Raz said. “Your dream came true,” Asher said with a smile. “We’re home, we’re going to our home soon.” In another video released by the hospital, Ohad Munder Zichri, 9, runs down a hospital hallway into his father’s arms. His family also shared images of the bespectacled Ohad — abducted along with his mother, Keren, and grandmother Ruti from Nir Oz — playing with a Rubik’s cube. Thirteen Israeli hostages were released in Friday’s exchange, the first group of roughly 50 expected to be freed from captivity under the terms of Israel’s cease-fire with Hamas. At least 150 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are slated for release from Israeli jails as part of the deal. Gilat Livni, who is overseeing the treatment of the returned child hostages at Schneider, said the four Israeli children who had returned were “overall in generally good condition” despite their ordeal. “Both the mothers and the children are speaking, telling stories and sharing their experiences,” Livni told reporters, calling it “astonishing and emotional.” For many families — even for those whose loved ones were released — the joy at their liberation was mixed with profound sadness for the more than 200 hostages believed to remain in the Gaza Strip. Some families were split up, with women and children sent home even as male relatives remained behind — including Ohad’s grandfather Avraham. Advertisement “We’re happy, but we’re not celebrating. There are still other hostages in captivity,” Roy Zichri, Ohad’s brother, said in a video statement. “We need to keep up the struggle until all the hostages are freed, every last one,” he added. This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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Cyber Monday sale: JetBlue offering flights out of Boston for as low as $49

BOSTON — JetBlue is marking Cyber Monday with a sale that offers travelers flights out of Boston’s Logan International Airport for as low as $49. Logan’s largest carrier is holding a three-day sale for travelers looking to book a flight between January 9, 2024, and March 27, 2024. Travelers can snag one-way flights to New York, Charlotte, and Richmond for just $49. Other deals include a $59 flight to Baltimore, as well as trips to Florida for $64 and Los Angeles for $69. There are also discounted one-way flights to Aruba, Atlanta, Austin, Bermuda, Barbados, Denver, Las Vegas, Nassau, New Orleans, Punta Cana, and San Francisco, among many other destinations, included in the sale. JetBlue noted that the deals are good for Tuesday and Wednesday travel for the lowest available fare. The airline is also offering travelers up to $750 off flight and hotel accommodation packages with a $99 deposit. For more information, click here. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW ©2023 Cox Media Group

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Trump Asks Appeals Court to Toss Election Case on Immunity Grounds

Lawyers for former President Donald J. Trump asked an appeals court in Washington on Saturday night to toss a federal indictment accusing him of plotting to overturn the 2020 election, arguing that he was immune to the charges because they arose from actions he had taken while he was in the White House. The weekend filing to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit was the latest salvo in a long-running and crucial battle between Mr. Trump and the special counsel, Jack Smith, over whether the former president enjoys immunity to the election interference charges. The fight over immunity has now touched all three levels of the federal court system, including the Supreme Court, which on Friday declined Mr. Smith’s request to intervene and hear the case before the appeals court. The ultimate resolution of the issue will have a significant effect not only on the overall viability of the election interference case, but also on whether a trial on the charges is postponed until the heart of the 2024 campaign — or even until after the election. At that point, if Mr. Trump wins the presidency, he could order the charges to be dropped. In a 55-page brief to a three-judge panel of the court, D. John Sauer, a lawyer who has been handling appeals for Mr. Trump, argued that under the Constitution, judges cannot hold the president accountable for any acts undertaken while in office.

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First Night Boston: New Year's Eve celebrations announced by Wu

This year’s 13 hours of free festivities will include ice sculptures and musical performances on the plaza, located at Government Center, children’s programming inside of City Hall, comedy at the Improv Asylum, free carousel rides on the Greenway, an evening parade from the plaza to Boston Common, and two sets of fireworks: one over the Common at 6 p.m. and another over the Boston Harbor at midnight. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu Wednesday announced details of the city’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, including the move of the hub of this year’s First Night celebration from its normal spot at Copley Square, which is under renovation, to City Hall Plaza. Advertisement At a City Hall news conference Wednesday, officials emphasized the importance of public safety, encouraging would-be revelers not to drink alcohol in public, to avoid handling fireworks, and not to pilot drones in the areas of the public celebrations. “Public safety begins with each one of us,” said Wu. “This is a family-friendly event . . . and we want to keep it that way,” added Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox. Law enforcement officials, including Cox and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Police Chief Kenneth Green said there are no known local threats for the holiday. “If you see something, say something,” said Green. Wu encouraged those who were attending the celebration to use public transit; the T and the commuter rail will be free starting at 8 p.m. Sunday. Patrick Ellis, a Boston fire marshal, said extra inspectors would be on duty ensuring there will be no overcrowding at private events at bars, restaurants, and other venues. The full schedule for First Night activities can be found online. Danny McDonald can be reached at daniel.mcdonald@globe.com. Follow him @Danny__McDonald.

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How Much Power Should Government Experts Have?

Ambulance services across Massachusetts are required to submit the vaccination status of their employees annually to the state Department of Public Health under a new regulation that EMS providers say is a “blatant overreach.” The state Public Health Council in September adopted a series of regulations regarding COVID-19 and flu vaccinations, clumping licensed ambulance services together with health care facilities where patients reside or are treated. Most fire departments across the state operate licensed ambulance services, and EMS providers say the new regulation adds an additional “significant unfunded burden” to their plate. Ambulance services are now mandated to require and maintain proof of each employee’s current vaccination status against COVID-19 and the flu or the “individual’s exemption statement,” and they need to run a central tracking system. The data then must be submitted to the state every year. DPH sent a memo to EMS providers last week outlining steps needed to fulfill the regulations which also mandate services to “ensure all personnel are vaccinated annually with seasonal influenza vaccine,” barring exemptions. Rich MacKinnon, Jr., president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, sent a letter to union members shortly after DPH released the advisory, vowing to work with legal counsel and fight on their behalf. “This regulation is a blatant overreach by DPH,” he wrote, while also clarifying that the state has confirmed “multiple times” that the new rule is not a vaccine mandate. The regulations started to take shape after the state and federal COVID-19 public health emergencies ended in May. They reflect how DPH has incorporated COVID-19 response and management into a broader respiratory illness prevention and mitigation strategy, according to officials. EMS providers are now mandated to provide or arrange for vaccinations of all personnel “who cannot provide proof of current immunization against influenza unless an individual is exempt.” They must inform personnel about the “risks and benefits of influenza vaccine,” too. An objective was to “Close pre-existing gaps and inconsistencies in vaccine requirements, by including all health care facilities and Emergency Medical Service providers in this process, as all serve vulnerable and immunocompromised patients.” The regulations apply to all individuals who either work at or visit EMS facilities, including independent contractors, students and volunteers, whether or not they provide direct care. Individuals are allowed to decline the vaccine under the regulations, but if they do, they must take mitigation measures and sign a statement that they are exempt from vaccination and are aware of the pros and cons of the shots. MacKinnon, in a letter to DPH in August, said in order for fire departments to track vaccination states, a full-time staffer would have to be dedicated to the task alone. He highlighted how the regulations as a whole could “cause unintended consequences.” “Some of the decisions that DPH and (Office of Emergency Medical Services) make, they sometimes don’t realize how it’s going to trigger bargaining within the actual communities that we work for,” MacKinnon told the Herald on Thursday. Providers who administer vaccinations across the state are already mandated to report data to the Massachusetts Immunization Information System, a practice that has been followed since 2011, Easthampton Fire Chief Christopher Norris wrote in a letter to DPH over the summer. “Given the purpose and scope of this statewide database already in place,” Norris wrote, “the documentation and reporting requirements of these proposed changes to the regulations would provide absolutely no additional value or information that isn’t already being made available to the Commonwealth.” J. Dominic Singh, executive director of the Western Massachusetts Emergency Medical Services Committee, believes providing or arranging for employees to be vaccinated in his region could be particularly daunting. Many EMS agencies there are small, either part-time/on-call services or fully volunteer in nature, meaning they would have to contract with work-health clinics or hospitals to meet that requirement, Singh told DPH. “In the Western Massachusetts area facilities of this type are geographically far apart,” he wrote in a letter. “The financial commitment in paying for the vaccine administration would be an additional significant unfunded burden on already cash-strapped EMS agencies.”

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Mass. Gas Prices Tumble Four Cents With Arctic Blast On Horizon

BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — With an Arctic blast of cold weather gunning for New England, AAA Northeast says Massachusetts' average gas price is down four cents from last week at $3.13 per gallon. Officials say there's been an uptick in energy demand as the temperatures continue to drop, though overall need has been lower than previous winters. Because of that, regional inventories of oil and gasoline have been seeing steady price decline. Still, the Commonwealth's average price for gas is seven cents higher than the national average. Read More: Cinema For All: Belmont World Film Fest Comes To Greater Boston “The national average for a gallon of gas is very close to a flat $3 a gallon and we’re not far behind here in the Northeast. But prices might waffle a bit on weather-related concerns and the potential for escalating tensions in the Middle East, which so far, have not had a lasting impact on oil prices,” said Mark Schieldrop, Senior Spokesperson for AAA Northeast. AAA Northeast's most recent survey found that the current national average is also down— one cent below last week at $3.06.

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COVID in Mass.: New Year's surge arrives

The impact on infections and hospitalizations won’t be known for at least another week, when Massachusetts releases numbers for early 2024. But, while some on the front lines say they are seeing more infections now than at this time last year, most say hospitalizations have still not reached last year’s levels. As a highly infectious new COVID variant races across the country, the vast majority of workers returned to the office this week in the same state in which they attended holiday parties, traveled through busy airports, and dined with friends and loved ones over the holiday break: blissfully maskless and un-boosted. (According to the latest state numbers, just 18 percent of state residents had received the updated COVID vaccine as of late December). Advertisement In Rhode Island, Dr. Leonard Mermel, medical director of epidemiology and infection control at Lifespan, which runs hospitals across the state, says the number of weekly positive tests for respiratory viruses has already surpassed January 2023 levels. “I think generally people have let their guard down,” he said. “So we have suboptimal uptake of vaccines that will reduce the risk of getting infected and severity of infection. There’s probably more social gathering indoors without any sort of respiratory protection than previously.” In Worcester, Dr. Robert Klugman, medical director of Employee Health Services at UMass Memorial Medical Center, said emergency room visits and hospitalizations for COVID have tripled over the last three weeks. But they remain below what they were last year at this time. Meanwhile, the number of employees who have called in sick has also nearly tripled – “numbers we haven’t seen for several years.” Klugman notes that health care workers skew young and healthy, which means few of them are likely to end up hospitalized. That same youth may make them less likely to take precautions that would have prevented them from testing positive and having to miss work in the first place. Advertisement “Omicron was bad,” he said “This is worse. We’ve had, some days, 40 to 50 people calling in with COVID. We haven’t seen numbers like this since ‘21.” Dr. Larry Madoff, medical director for the bureau of infectious disease and laboratory sciences at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, said COVID and flu infections rose at “very brisk levels” over the last week. “Anecdotally, all of my colleagues are very busy,” he said. But he said a surge is “not unusual this time of year.” Last year, hospitalizations peaked the week after Christmas with close to 24 percent of emergency room admissions related to acute respiratory illnesses, including flu and COVID. That was down from 2022, when close to 30 percent of ER admissions were caused by acute respiratory disease. “Historically, influenza-like illness has peaked post-Christmas. In the last couple years, COVID rates [have been] similar, which may mean they are settling down into the seasonal patterns we see with other viruses,” he says. Coming into the holiday break this year, the week ending Dec. 23 — the most recent week for which state data are available — the number of emergency room visits for respiratory infections was substantially lower — 16.7 percent. “It’s lower because we have more vaccine and infection derived immunity,” said Dr. Cassandra M. Pierre, an infectious disease physician and the associate hospital epidemiologist at Boston Medical Center. “Even though we had a fair amount of immunity last year, we have even more now. So that’s one factor we have that plays in our favor.” Advertisement Still, this year’s COVID surge may just be getting started. “I am not a forecaster, but I think we have yet to see our peak,” she said. “And my thought is that we’ll see high levels of transmission, at least until the end of January is my guess.” If you’re feeling a little less casual than your maskless colleagues, or the public at large, here are some things you can do to protect yourself: Get the latest booster “Even though we are kind of in the midst of respiratory virus season, it is really not too late,” said BMC’s Pierre. “Protect yourself, because we still have a few more weeks of this intense rise ahead of us.” Test at the first sign of symptoms. And, if you are at high risk, consult a doctor about medication. “COVID vaccinations are disappointingly low – it will protect you against severe disease,” said Madoff of the state public health department. “But therapeutics are also being underutilized for both flu and COVID. People at higher risk should get treated with antivirals as quickly as possible.” Mask more frequently Since the JN.1 variant is more contagious, it takes fewer virus particles and less time for someone to become infected, said Klugman. High-ceiling spaces, like supermarkets, are safer than bars or bistros, because they have room for a greater volume of air, which allows it to circulate and lessens your chance of inhaling infectious particles. Advertisement The same is true of offices. Klugman notes that, in offices, coworkers are breathing the same air, and are at risk of infecting one another. Masks, particularly in cramped spaces, are a good idea, he said. Minimize large indoor gatherings Mermel suggests minimizing large indoor social gatherings as much as possible as we move into peak season. But there are ways to minimize the risks. In addition to masking, vaccinating and testing, finding ways to ensure air circulation can reduce the risk of transmission. Most hospitals, he notes, have strict guidelines regarding airflow, with the capacity to ensure air exchange so that viral particles can be quickly removed. At home, opening windows can make a difference. Test more Klugman says the incubation period for COVID has fallen in recent years, and anyone infected on New Year’s Eve, is likely to see the first symptoms in 48 to 72 hours. Mermel said it usually takes three to four days. Both note that plenty of people exposed to COVID might not see any symptoms at all – and should test if they are concerned about exposure and worried about getting others sick. Matthew Fox, a professor in the departments of epidemiology and global health at Boston University, notes it can take anywhere from a few days to, in rare cases, as long as three weeks. Most will see symptoms within the first week. Adam Piore can be reached at adam.piore@globe.com.

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Single family residence sells in Cohasset for $1.6 million

A 4,804-square-foot house built in 1998 has changed hands. The spacious property located at 20 Sanctuary Pond Road in Cohasset was sold on Nov. 14, 2023, for $1,625,000, or $338 per square foot. This is a two-story house. The home's external structure has a gable roof design, covered with asphalt roofing. Inside, a fireplace adds character to the home. The property is equipped with a gravity heating system and a cooling system. In addition, the house is equipped with an attached one-car garage, offering a dedicated parking spot and storage area. These nearby houses have also recently been sold: A 3,402-square-foot home at 89 Fairoaks Lane in Cohasset sold in August 2023, for $1,200,000, a price per square foot of $353. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. In September 2023, a 1,080-square-foot home on North Main Street in Cohasset sold for $662,000, a price per square foot of $613. The home has 1 bedroom and 2 bathrooms. On Fairoaks Lane, Cohasset, in June 2023, a 3,953-square-foot home was sold for $1,750,000, a price per square foot of $443. The home has 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Real Estate Newswire is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to generate analysis of data from Propmix, an aggregator of national real-estate data. See more Real Estate News

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How to watch Celebrity Jeopardy! semifinal episode on Jan. 16 for free

“Celebrity Jeopardy!” continues on ABC with a new episode this Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT — its third semifinal for the season. For those without cable who want to watch the new episode, they can do so for free through either FuboTV and DirecTV Stream. Both platforms offer a free trial for new users. You can also watch the series the next day on Hulu, which offers a free first month when you sign up, followed by payments as low as $7.99 per month thereafter. FuboTV said in a description of the third semifinal episode for the show’s second season that celebrity contestants are Rachel Dratch, Mo Rocca, and Heather McMahan. How can I watch “Celebrity Jeopardy!″ for free without cable? The new episode is available to watch through either FuboTV or DirecTV Stream. Both offer free trials to new users. You can also watch the series the next day on Hulu, which offers a free first month when you sign up, followed by payments as low as $7.99 per month thereafter. What is FuboTV? FuboTV is an over-the-top internet live TV streaming service that offers more than 100 channels, such as sports, news, entertainment and local channels. What is DirecTV Stream? The streaming platform offers a plethora of content including streaming the best of live and On Demand, starting with more than 75 live TV channels. DirecTV also offers a free trial for any package you sign up.

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Is Dunkin open on New Years Day 2024?

It may be a holiday, but don’t worry, you can score your first (or second, or third) coffee of the year at Dunkin’. Dunkin’ stores will be open on New Year’s Day 2024. While you can still grab a coffee on Monday, Jan. 1, Dunkin’ encourages guests to check with their local Dunkin’ to see when stores will open, as hours vary by location because of the holiday. Customers can also use the Dunkin’ app or the online store locator to check holiday hours at their local Dunkin’. So ring in the New Year with a Dunkin’ run because, as they say, America runs on it.

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Gaza War Has Buoyed Egypts Leader Ahead of Presidential Vote

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt woke up on Oct. 7 remarkably unpopular for someone considered a shoo-in for a third term — guaranteed by his authoritarian grip on the country to dominate elections that begin on Sunday, but badly damaged by a slow-motion economic collapse. The ensuing weeks have eclipsed all of that, with war displacing financial worries as the top item on many Egyptians’ minds, lips and social media feeds. For Western partners and Persian Gulf backers, the crisis has also highlighted Egypt’s vital role as a conduit for humanitarian aid to Gaza and a mediator between Israel and Hamas, the armed Palestinian group that led the attack on Israel on Oct. 7 and set off the war. Mr. el-Sisi, a former general with a knack for outlasting setbacks, appeared to have caught yet another break, one that has allowed him to position himself as a champion of the Palestinian cause at home and an indispensable regional leader abroad. In Cairo these days, a widespread boycott of Western companies associated with support for Israel has transformed the simple act of serving a Pepsi into a serious faux pas. Egyptians struggling to cover the basics after nearly two years of record-setting inflation have opened their wallets to help victims of the Gaza war.

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The Threat of a Wider War in the Middle East

A storm is expected to hit Massachusetts Sunday night into Monday, bringing potentially strong winds and heavy rain, according to the National Weather Service. Rainfall is expected to begin late Sunday night into early Monday morning with the strongest winds in the late morning or early afternoon on Monday, the weather service said. The conditions may last into the middle of next week, with coastal flooding along the South Coast a possibility. The National Weather Service also has a high wind watch for the Eastern coast of Massachusetts from Sunday night to Monday evening with South winds from 30 to 40 mph with the potential for gusts up to 55 mph. The wind gusts has the potential to blow down trees and power lines with potential power outages. Before the storm hits, dry and mild conditions will otherwise remain into the weekend. Saturday will be above normal temperatures with a mix of clouds and sun.

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Former Celtics big man responds to Boston reunion trade rumors

The odds of the Celtics landing Kelly Olynyk in a trade over the next month would seem to be very long. The big man is earning just over $11 million in salary this season, making a potential salary match in a trade extremely challenging. However, that has not stopped Boston from keeping tabs on the big man according to a report from Marc Stein on Substack. Olynyk was back in Boston for a Jazz matchup with the Celtics on Friday night at TD Garden and responded to rumors of Boston’s interest leading up to the trade deadline. “I’ve heard it. It’s kind of like, ‘Whatever happens, happens,’” Olynyk told reporters Friday morning at Utah’s shootaround. “If you’re in Utah or Boston, you put your best foot forward and try to help that organization succeed and accomplish their goals. If it happens in Utah, that’s where my focus is. If it happens somewhere else, that’s where my focus will shift to.” BET ANYTHING GET $250 BONUS ESPN BET CLAIM OFFER MASS 21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. Olynyk is in the midst of an expiring deal making him a likely sell candidate for Danny Ainge and Utah. However, Utah’s turnaround of late may impact just how much Utah is willing to sell at least from a timing standpoint. The team had won seven of their last ten games entering Friday night, putting them just one game behind the Lakers for the final spot in the Western Conference Play-in tournament. Figuring out what Utah’s motives are with Olynyk and their other players on expiring contracts will be intriguing in the coming weeks but don’t look for the Celtics to be able to make a run at Olynyk. That type of trade would require Boston to include Payton Pritchard and at least three other bench players to even match salaries for the deal. That type of shakeup to the bench unit seems unlikely for a Boston squad that has started the year with a 26-7 record. “I think every year around this time you’re looking at, OK, how do we improve to give ourselves our best chance?” Brad Stevens said Thursday. “And I think there are different ways to do it. Obviously you can improve from within and we can get better at what we do on both ends of the court and hopefully make strides individually in how we fit together. And then you can improve from free agency or trades or whatever. I do think that the key to us is going to be improvement from within.”

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Sale closed in Southborough: $875,000 for a four-bedroom home

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman on the Supreme Court, lay in repose on Monday in the court building where she served for decades, often as the ideological center, making her one of the most powerful women in America. The Supreme Court justices, former law clerks and the public gathered on a blustery morning to remember and celebrate Justice O’Connor, who died of complications from dementia this month at 93. “She never disregarded the realities of our country,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor said during remarks at a private ceremony. “The nation was well served by the steady hand and intellect of a justice who never lost sight of how the law affected ordinary people.” Justice Sotomayor, the third female justice, added that she thought Justice O’Connor would be “smiling, knowing that four sisters serve” on the nine-member court.

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Where to buy Hootie and the Blowfish Fenway tickets before they go on sale

Hootie and the Blowfish -- along with special guests Barenaked Ladies, Collective Soul, and Edwin McCain -- will be taking over Fenway Park in Boston on Friday, June 21, 2024. Fans looking to attend the Summer Camp with Trucks Tour show live can wait till tickets go on sale on Nov. 10, 2023, or they can head over to StubHub where there are tickets already listed. For those Hootie followers that don’t want to be left out of what is destined to be one of his most memorable live shows, scooping up some seats now, before tickets go on sale and potentially sell out, might be the best move. As of Monday, Nov. 6, tickets in Fenways lower boxes were starting at more than $1,000 each, on StubHub. Turf/Pit seats were going for around $4,000 each. Hootie and the Blowfish will also be coming to New Hampshire and Saratoga in June, if you can’t make it to Boston for the Fenway show. You can shop at VividSeats or StubHub for those shows, as well. “Basically overnight, our lives changed when Cracked Rear View did what it did – and yet as we quickly moved from vans and college bars to tour busses and arenas, not much else changed with how we approached making music and sharing it with our fans,” reflects Mark Bryan. “Edwin McCain told someone at the time that touring with us felt like summer camp with trucks... and that’s exactly how we want next year to feel, too. We can’t wait for you to join us!” The Summer Camp with Trucks Tour tour kicks off May 30 in Dallas and runs through Sept. 28 in West Palm Beach Blink182 has also announced a 2024 tour stop at the home of the Red Sox. Another Boston show circled on many music fans’ calendars is Bad Bunny coming to TD Garden in April. Related: A Taylor Swift songwriting class is offered at Berklee College of Music

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Rep. Jim McGovern condemns Henry Kissinger after diplomats death at 100

Following the death of former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger at age 100 on Wednesday, condemnation for his record under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford exploded on social media. Kissinger died at his Connecticut home on Wednesday. In the 1970s, he served under Nixon and Ford as a national security advisor, secretary of state and sometimes both, according to the AP. He attended Harvard University and earned a B.A. in 1950 and a Ph.D. in 1954, according to his biography on the State Department’s website. He went on to be an advisor to several presidents in the decades after Ford’s electoral defeat in 1976. Of the many who spoke out, one Massachusetts politician shared his thoughts on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Remembering all the lives Henry Kissinger destroyed with the terrible violence he unleashed in countries like Chile, Vietnam, Argentina, East Timor, Cambodia, and Bangladesh,” Rep. Jim McGovern, D-2nd District, posted Thursday. “I never understood why people revered him. I will never forgive or forget.” Remembering all the lives Henry Kissinger destroyed with the terrible violence he unleashed in countries like Chile, Vietnam, Argentina, East Timor, Cambodia, and Bangladesh. I never understood why people revered him. I will never forgive or forget. — Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) November 30, 2023 A popular reaction seen across social media was sharing a passage from chef and television host Anthony Bourdain. In 2001, he wrote about Kissinger on a trip to Cambodia in a tie-in book for his Food Network show “A Cook’s Tour.” “Once you’ve been to Cambodia, you’ll never stop wanting to beat Henry Kissinger to death with your bare hands,” Bourdain wrote. “You will never again be able to open a newspaper and read about that treacherous, prevaricating, murderous scumbag sitting down for a nice chat with (former television host) Charlie Rose or attending some black-tie affair for a new glossy magazine without choking.” “Witness what Henry did in Cambodia — the fruits of his genius for statesmanship — and you will never understand why he’s not sitting in the dock at The Hague next to (former Yugoslav and Serbian president Slobodan) Milošević,” he continued. “While Henry continues to nibble nori rolls and remaki at A-list parties, Cambodia, the neutral nation he secretly and illegally bombed, invaded, undermined, and then threw to the dogs, is still trying to raise itself up on its one remaining leg.” Staunch criticism of Kissinger’s record goes back decades. The same year “A Cook’s Tour” was published, the late journalist Christopher Hitchens called the diplomat a war criminal in his book “The Trial of Henry Kissinger,” where he cites the deaths of millions as being a result of Kissinger’s diplomacy. Kissinger’s tenure drastically impacted several countries, including Vietnam, Chile, Argentina, East Timor, Greece, Cyprus, Bangladesh and Cambodia, among many others. Biographer and Yale University professor of history Greg Grandin has estimated that the deaths of 3 million people around the world were a result of Kissinger’s time in the White House, according to The Intercept.