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Future of Roxbury’s Clifford Playground hamstrung by Mass and Cass, neighborhood residents say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:26 GMT

Caiden Coleman just wants to play football with his teammates, but the conditions at the dilapidated Clifford Playground are making it difficult for the 11-year-old to truly find joy in the game he loves.On the first day he came to the 8-acre park in Roxbury, Coleman said he had to pick up needles with his coach. Over the past five years he’s been involved with the Boston Bengals Pop Warner football program, conditions have slightly improved, he said, but more needs to be done to ensure safety.“It’s still not perfect,” Coleman said. “We shouldn’t have to play and worry about stepping on needles. Last year, a kid was over there … I’m running, taking a lap, and he has a needle inside his leg. He shouldn’t have to go through that.”Coleman confidently pleaded for help Saturday when city officials led residents through Clifford Playground to receive feedback on what needs to be done to ensure a future where children can play their favorite game without fearing for their safety.Residents ...

Morgues short of space to handle rising death toll from Maui fires. Follow live updates

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:26 GMT

By REBECCA BOONE (Associated Press)Follow live updates about wildfires that have devastated parts of Maui in Hawaii this week, destroying a historic town and forcing evacuations. The National Weather Service said Hurricane Dora, which passed south of the island chain, was partly to blame for strong winds that initially drove the flames, knocking out power and grounding firefighting helicopters.As the death toll from the fires on the island rises, it’s unclear how morgues will be able to accommodate the number of victims considering there is just one hospital and three mortuaries.The number of deaths has risen to 80, according to a statement by Maui County on Friday. The number of confirmed fatalities in the 9 p.m. announcement increased from the previous figure of 67.The fire is the deadliest in the U.S. since the 2018 Camp Fire in California, which killed at least 85 people and destroyed the town of Paradise. Beyond the confirmed deaths in Maui, hundreds of other people remai...

What WooSox manager Chad Tracy wants people to know about Triston Casas and Ceddanne Rafaela

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:26 GMT

Chad Tracy does a very important job for the Red Sox.As manager of their Triple-A affiliate, the Worcester Red Sox, also known as the WooSox, it’s his responsibility to prepare the organization’s top prospects for their future, and help injured and demoted Major Leaguers work their way back.And he has to get the job done in the ever-rainy Worcester, where he’s lost count of how many rain delays and postponed games his squad has weathered this season. In April alone, the club postponed six games due to inclement weather or wet grounds.When a torrential downpour forced the WooSox to postpone yet again on Thursday, the skipper sat down with the Herald to discuss two of the organization’s brightest stars, one who’s knocking at his debut’s door, and another making his case for American League Rookie of the Year.Ceddanne RafaelaRed Sox executives already considered their No. 2 prospect a Major League-caliber defender, but plate discipline was among the areas in need of i...

Mets Notebook: Brandon Nimmo, Francisco Lindor out of lineup for first game vs. Braves

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:26 GMT

The Mets are without Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor as they begin a Saturday doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves. The two might be available later in the series, but their injuries have left the Mets with a lineup full of Triple-A players against the league’s best team for a long day of baseball.Nimmo was removed from the series opener Friday night as a precaution and diagnosed with a left quad contusion Saturday. The leg tightened up on him in Kansas City two weeks ago and the Mets have been playing it safe with their center fielder ever since. Lindor was scratched shortly before the series opener Friday night with tightness on his right side and underwent imaging Saturday morning, which revealed nothing that might land him on the injured list.“Francisco had an MRI this morning that came back with pretty good news, all things considered,” said manager Buck Showalter. “We’ll see about his availability for the second game.”The lineup the re...

American player Julian Green racially abused in German Cup soccer game

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:26 GMT

HALLE, Germany (AP) — American soccer player Julian Green was the victim of racist abuse in a German Cup game on Saturday.Green, who is Black, was playing for Greuther Fuerth against host Hallescher FC in the first round of the competition. On the Fuerth club website, Green said a spectator racially abused him during the game. Fuerth coach Alex Zorniger said the abuse occurred repeatedly and called for other fans to intervene in cases of racist abuse. “The stadium was 95% full. There were enough people there who could have intervened,” Zorniger said in comments reported by German news agency dpa.The dpa agency also reported that Halle club spokeswoman Lisa Schöppe issued an apology on behalf of the club. Green has played for Fuerth in Germany since 2017 and also played 15 times for the United States national team from 2014 through 2018.Second-tier Fuerth beat third-tier Halle 1-0.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerThe Associated Press

Trump’s Iowa state fair spectacle clouds DeSantis as former president is joined by Florida officials

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:26 GMT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gone was the helicopter, but Donald Trump on Saturday renewed his reputation for defying norms and creating a mega-celebrity’s spectacle at the Iowa State Fair. Trump, in fewer than two hours on the steaming fairgrounds in Des Moines, attracted thousands of sweating, chanting supporters to his stops at the Iowa Pork Producers tent, a baby farm animal exhibit and a popular Grand Concourse pub. All the while, Trump not-so-subtly tried to set himself apart from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Trump’s main rival with more than five months until Iowa’s leadoff caucuses and who was on the fairgrounds at the same time. Just as DeSantis and his family were wrapping up their day at the fair, meeting with Iowa Republican leaders and activists, Trump descended into the huge scrum of backers accompanied by about a dozen Florida U.S. House members, a shot at DeSantis who is making an aggressive pitch to Iowa Republicans. Trump spoke little to the public in hi...

Morgues short of space to handle rising death toll from Maui fires

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:26 GMT

Follow live updates about wildfires that have devastated parts of Maui in Hawaii this week, destroying a historic town and forcing evacuations. The National Weather Service said Hurricane Dora, which passed south of the island chain, was partly to blame for strong winds that initially drove the flames, knocking out power and grounding firefighting helicopters.UNCERTAINTY OVER HOW MORGUES WILL HANDLE RISING DEATH TOLLAs the death toll from the fires on the island rises, it’s unclear how morgues will be able to accommodate the number of victims considering there is just one hospital and three mortuaries.The number of deaths has risen to 80, according to a statement by Maui County on Friday. The number of confirmed fatalities in the 9 p.m. announcement increased from the previous figure of 67.OFFICIALS CONSIDER WHERE TO PUT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMESEmergency managers in Maui were still assessing the scope of the damage Saturday in the center of Lahaina and searchin...

Classes still off early next week in Kentucky’s largest school district due to bus schedule mess

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:26 GMT

LOUSIVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville schools will remain closed early next week to allow for more time to fix bus routes whose redesign left some children at home on the first school day this year and others getting home hours late.The Jefferson County Public Schools had already canceled classes Thursday and Friday in response to Wednesday’s route fiasco. Now there will be no school Monday and Tuesday “as we continue to work on short and long-term changes to ensure the reliability of our bus services.” the district said Saturday on X, formerly known as Twitter. Kentucky’s largest district, with 96,000 students, had retooled its bus system through a Massachusetts-based consulting company that uses computer algorithms to map out courses and stops. It was a response to a chronic bus driver shortage. The redesigned plan reduced the number of routes. Wednesday’s mess resulted in hungry and tired children, angry parents and exasperated politicians. An apologetic Superintendent Ma...

Map shows where Maui suffered estimated $5.5B in damages

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:26 GMT

HONOLULU (KHON2) — In a new map released by the County of Maui, estimates show the extent of the damage sustained from Maui's fires. Those estimates were made based on visual inspection of satellite imagery and open source images.An estimated 2,170 acres burned in the Lahaina area, with 2,719 structures exposed to the fire. Maui wildfire disaster: How can I donate to help? The map further estimates a need to shelter 4,500 which is estimated to need 3,560 gallons of water and 9,000 meals a day.Gov. Josh Green asked rental owners to house displaced residents, stating on Wake Up 2Day that he would change the rules, as needed. Maui Economic Opportunity is currently taking an inventory of available housing to meet the needs of displaced residents. Those able to help can email [email protected]. (Courtesy Maui County)Notable structures that were damaged or lost in the Lahaina fire include Pioneer Inn, along with its restaurant Papa'aina. The Lahaina Arts building was gutted, thou...

Child riding Texas migrant bus dies in southern Illinois

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:26 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A 3-year-old child riding one of Texas’ migrant buses died while on the way to Chicago, officials said Friday, the first time the state has announced a death since it began shuttling thousands of migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border last year.Texas authorities confirmed a child’s death in a statement Friday but did not say where the child was from or why they became ill. The Illinois Department of Public Health said the child was 3 years old and died Thursday in Marion County, in the southern part of that state.“Every loss of life is a tragedy,” the Texas Division of Emergency Management said in a statement. “Once the child presented with health concerns, the bus pulled over and security personnel on board called 9-1-1 for emergency attention.” Strong storms likely overnight into Saturday morning Texas has bused more than 30,000 migrants to Democratic-controlled cities across the U.S. since last year as part of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s sprawling mission o...