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Thunderstorms set for western Massachusetts with flooding possible, as Boston area prepares for another hot and humid week

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:36:26 GMT

If you’ve been putting off buying that window air conditioner because you think this heatwave just couldn’t last, you may want to reconsider.“At least early in the week” it will be cooler, National Weather Service meteorologist Bill Leatham told the Herald Saturday afternoon, before destroying that fairytale promise of relief with his next line. “And then it warms back up.”Leatham didn’t have much time to elucidate the week’s weather ahead on Saturday because he and the other team members in the NWS’ Norton office were monitoring some severe thunderstorms about to unleash some havoc from Worcester County to all parts west in Massachusetts.As Leatham spoke with the Herald, NWS Boston issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the western part of the state — including Northampton, Amherst and North Amherst — set to last until 5:45 p.m.And Leatham said flooding could come with it, as he predicted an inch and a half to three inches of water coming down in Western Mass. The flood watch wil...

Solar storm expected to make Northern Lights visible in 17 states, including New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:36:26 GMT

A solar storm forecast for Thursday is expected to give skygazers in 17 American states a chance to glimpse the Northern Lights, the colorful sky show that happens when solar wind hits the atmosphere.Northern Lights, also known as aurora borealis, are most often seen in Alaska, Canada and Scandinavia, but an 11-year solar cycle that’s expected to peak in 2024 is making the lights visible in places farther to the south. Three months ago, the light displays were visible in Arizona, marking the third severe geomagnetic storm since the current solar cycle began in 2019.The Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks has forecast auroral activity on Thursday in Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Indiana, Maine and Maryland.Auroral activity also has been forecast for Canada, including Vancouver.Light displays are expected to be visible overhead in Milwaukee, M...

US destroys last of its declared chemical weapons, closing a deadly chapter dating to World War I

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:36:26 GMT

RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) — The last of the United States’ declared chemical weapons stockpile was destroyed at a sprawling military installation in eastern Kentucky, the White House announced Friday, a milestone that closes a chapter of warfare dating back to World War I.Workers at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky destroyed rockets filled with GB nerve agent, completing a decadeslong campaign to eliminate a stockpile that by the end of the Cold War totaled more than 30,000 tons.“For more than 30 years, the United States has worked tirelessly to eliminate our chemical weapons stockpile,” President Joe Biden said in a statement released by the White House. “Today, I am proud to announce that the United States has safely destroyed the final munition in that stockpile — bringing us one step closer to a world free from the horrors of chemical weapons.”The weapons’ destruction is a major watershed for Richmond, Kentucky and Pueblo, Colorado, where an Army depot destroyed the last of its ch...

New England Free Jacks beat San Diego Legion in MLR Championship

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:36:26 GMT

CHICAGO, Ill. -- The New England Free Jacks one upped the San Diego Legion in the 2023 Major League Rugby Championship Saturday, earning the Boston team's their first title after the 24-25 match.The game, which was held at SeatGeek Stadium in Chicago, was a battle that ended after Le Roux Malan scored the Free Jacks' game winning point in the 77th minute of play.For the Legion, the championship lost also marked an end to a 14-game winning streak. This new Waterfront Park mural is more than a work of art The initial scoring moment of the game occurred when Free Jacks' Mitchell Jacobson took a drop by Legion and scored just four minutes into the competition.The Legion tied the match just six minutes later on a conversion involving Christian Poidevin Will Hooley. Then came a pair of New England penalty kicks.At the 29th minute, the Legion scored on another conversion involving Nate Augspurger and Hooler. This play gave the Legion their first lead of the game.Right before halftim...

Rare and remarkable sight: Red panda cub makes historic debut at San Diego Zoo

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:36:26 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A four-week-old endangered red panda made history this week after making its public debut as the first cub born at the San Diego Zoo in almost two decades.Zoogoers who were in the right place at the right time in the mid-morning hours Thursday took in a rare and remarkable sight as the baby red panda entered the outdoor habitat in the zoo’s Asian Passage alongside its mother.This moment was the first time staff and guests were able to get a glimpse of the curious cub outside of its den, following its birth on June 9. Marine expert discusses shark sighting in North County The roaming cub represents a significant milestone for the zoo as the youngster is the first of its species to be born at the park since 2006, said the San Diego Wildlife Alliance.“The birth of any animal is always an emotional experience, but for a species that hasn’t conceived in so long, this moment is even more remarkable,” said Erika Kohler, senior vice president and executive director of the Sa...

Toronto swimmers using real-time sensors to get data on changing lake conditions

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:36:26 GMT

With the hotter and more humid weather we’ve seen in the Greater Toronto Area, it might be tempting to head down to Lake Ontario for a swim.However, an open water swimmer and competition organizer along with a few other enthusiasts have turned to sensors to gather real-time information on changing water conditions. They’re carrying out the effort to help prevent people from getting into trouble.“I’ve long had an itch to scratch, which is why can’t we get real-time water temperature?” Steve Hulford said on Saturday at Humber Bay Park West on Saturday.He said it’s something that’s vital year-round for swimming recreationally or planning competitions.“Do I need to wear a wetsuit today or do I not? And this is why it is a danger to a lot of people who are not aware of what’s going on. They may go on the lake, it could be four or five, six degrees,” Hulford said.Sudden cold water changes can even happen on a hot summer’s d...

National Wrestling Association hosts fundraiser for Cooper Roberts

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:36:26 GMT

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. — The National Wrestling Association brought a free event to Highland Park Saturday, it's purpose to not only raise funds for Cooper Roberts — the youngest victim of last year's Highland Park shooting on the Fourth of July — but to also bring a sense of community through wrestling."This is amazing. If you have seen or see Cooper back there, He’s wearing the Championship belt and we’re all little concerned he might get in the ring and actually call a real heavy weight bought," said Keely Roberts, Cooper's mom. "But it’s amazing. The Highland Park community continues to just be incredible."The event, hosted by Billy Corgan — president of the NWA and frontman for the Smashing Pumpkins — said he looks forward to bringing other events just like this to the community he calls home."I talked with Keely Roberts, Cooper's mom, and she said ‘look, I’d like to tell you that we don’t need any help and everything is fine’ and she said It’s been a tough year and we need your h...

This Illinois city ranks among the nation's best for recreation: report

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:36:26 GMT

ILLINOIS (WMBD) – Being active often means having a spot where you can reliably get some great exercise, but that can be challenging if your city doesn’t have facilities for you to use.Depending on where you live, you might have a slew of opportunities for recreation. In some cities, it's easy to stay active with a variety of indoor and outdoor activities.A new ranking released by WalletHub, a personal finance website, ranked cities based on the best and worst recreation destinations. For the ranking, the 100 largest U.S. cities were compared across 48 key metrics that demonstrate the importance of recreation. Each city was assessed based on its living costs, the quality of its parks, the accessibility of entertainment facilities and recreational facilities, as well as the weather.As a final step, WalletHub calculated each city's weighted average score across all metrics before ranking the cities.According to the study, Chicago is the 10th best city in the U.S. for recreation. Chica...

Attention turns to legacy admissions after affirmative action ruling

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:36:26 GMT

(The Hill) — The target on the back of university legacy admissions grew larger after the Supreme Court ruled against the use of race-conscious admissions. Every year, thousands of students are able to get into top schools through their ties to family alumni or wealthy donors, a practice that largely favors applicants who are rich and white.  Nearly a quarter of Republicans say classified docs charges make them more likely to support Trump: poll After the Supreme Court ruled institutions cannot use race as a factor in the admissions process, calls from both Democrats and Republicans went out to end legacy admissions. “I think the question is how do you continue to create a culture where education is the goal for every single part of our community?" Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), who is running for president, said. "One of the things that Harvard could do to make that even better is to eliminate any legacy programs where they have preferential treatment for legacy kids, not allow fo...

State of Texas: New property tax relief plan aims to help renters

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:36:26 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — As top Texas Republicans show scant signs of progress towards a deal to lower property taxes, some Democrats in the Texas House are taking the impasse as an opportunity to present their own ideas.State. Rep. John Bryant, D-Dallas, led a small coalition of progressives on Thursday in supporting a new package of property tax relief measures that tops out larger than any other proposal yet.His bill proposes $20.9 billion to provide homestead exemptions of up to $200,000, cash rebates to renters, permanent pay raises to teachers, and some cuts to school district tax rates."Texans pay the fifth highest property taxes in the nation, yet our state is 44th in its support for public education. Neither ranking is acceptable," Bryant said. "We believe a property tax relief plan should simultaneously address both."A recap of the 9:30 a.m. news conference is available in the video player below. House Bill 62 increases the basic allotment for publ...