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City Councilor Kendra Lara’s driving record shows multiple violations, sanctions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:00 GMT

Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara’s driving record features multiple violations and sanctions, including failing to appear in court or trial in Connecticut.That’s according to a state driving record provided to the Herald by the Registry of Motor Vehicles on Saturday, the day after she crashed her car into a house in Jamaica Plain.The Connecticut violations, which also include not wearing a seatbelt and not obeying a traffic sign, occurred in 2014. The record also shows a violation in Dorchester for not possessing a vehicle registration in August 2010. Lara’s driver’s license status is “revoked,” according to the driving record, which was verified through the councilor’s address.Lara was involved in a Friday afternoon car crash that left her child, Zaire, with “profuse bleeding” from a laceration on the left eyebrow and a home on Jamaica Plain’s Centre Street damaged, according to police. The city councilor is due in West Roxbury Court on charges of operating a motor vehicle a...

CIA veteran to lead Massachusetts State House security

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:00 GMT

A 12-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency will serve as the next security director for the state capitol building.Shaun Deinstadt comes to the State House with “many years of security experience working for the federal government,” Gov. Maura Healey’s office said Friday, most recently as deputy chief in the Office of Security at the CIA’s Directorate of Support.The Northeastern University graduate also served the CIA as a federal law enforcement officer, special agent, executive protection course team leader, and supervisory special agent, Healey’s office said. He previously worked for the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve for 10 years.State House Security Director Adam Elias left the building in February and the role has been filled since then on an interim basis by Bureau of the State House employee Taylor Frizzell. The security post was created in 2017 and reports jointly to the governor, House Speaker Ronald Mariano, and Senate President Karen Spi...

Suspect indentified after fatally stabbing Nigerian student in Scarborough

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:00 GMT

A suspect has been identified after a man was fatally stabbed in a Scarborough plaza parking lot, killing 28-year-old student Ifeanyichukwu Oseke from Nigeria.Tamar Cupid, 25, of Toronto, has been identified as the suspect and is wanted for second degree murder. A Canada-wide warrant has been issued for his arrest.Toronto police were called to a strip mall on Eglinton Avenue just west of Brimley Road around 7 p.m. on June 25 after getting reports that two people were fighting.When they arrived, they found a man suffering from stab wounds. He was taken via emergency run to a nearby trauma centre, where he was pronounced dead.Cupid is described as having medium-length dark hair, and was last seen wearing a light-coloured tank top, pants and shoes and was last observed getting into a dark-coloured sedan.With files from Lucas Casaletto.

Beatriz dissipates after brushing Mexico’s Pacific coast as a hurricane, while Adrian also weakens

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:00 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Tropical Storm Beatriz dissipated Saturday after brushing Mexico’s southwestern Pacific coast as a hurricane, dumping heavy rain across coastal areas.Hurricane Adrian, meanwhile, weakened into a tropical storm out in the Pacific while continuing to move farther out into the ocean far away from land.Beatriz weakened into a tropical storm after swirling out over open waters and had been forecast to keep up its strength as it passed just to the southwest of the Islas Marias during Saturday night. But the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Beatriz dissipated west of Cabo Corrientes at midday.At midafternoon, Adrian’s maximum sustained winds had weakened to 60 mph (95 kph) and its center was about 440 miles (705 kilometers) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. It was moving west-northwest at 7 mph (11 kph) and was expected to weaken into a tropical depression Sunday.The Associated Press

Canadians highlight national diversity, freedoms at Canada Day celebrations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:00 GMT

OTTAWA — The sounds of Indigenous drumming rang out alongside songs and cheers in honour of Canada Day on Saturday as Canadians from coast to coast gathered to celebrate the diversity and freedom they say make the country special.Municipalities across the country marked a return to the kinds of celebrations seen before the COVID-19 pandemic prompted years worth of cancellations, though for some the return to normalcy was marred by air quality and weather conditions that forced them to nix marquee events like fireworks shows. But at the parades, concerts and tributes that did proceed, Canadians and dignitaries alike took time to highlight traditions from Indigenous peoples and cultures around the world.“People are coming to Canada to proudly call it their home and build their lives and our communities and our country, all together,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a cheering crowd at a Canada Day ceremony in Ottawa. He said the country has withstood challenges, like wi...

Trump returns to campaign rallies, draws thousands to small South Carolina city ahead of July 4

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:00 GMT

PICKENS, S.C. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump on Saturday marked a return to the large-scale rallies of his previous presidential campaigns, speaking to thousands gathered in the streets of a small South Carolina city on a blazing day ahead of the July 4 holiday.“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be to kick off the Fourth of July weekend than right here on Main St., with thousands of hardworking South Carolina patriots who believe in God, family and country,” Trump said to a roaring crowd standing on asphalt as temperatures climbed into the 90s.It wasn’t immediately clear how many people had gathered in the streets of downtown Pickens, a small city in South Carolina’s conservative Upstate of around 3,400 residents. Law enforcement officials told some media outlets that around 15,000 people had gathered by 11 a.m., two hours before Trump’s remarks.The heavily Republican area is a popular one for GOP hopefuls as they aim to attract support for South Ca...

NASCAR halts Chicago Street Race due to inclement weather

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:00 GMT

CHICAGO - Thunderstorms and lightning in the downtown Chicago area have brought the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ The Loop 121 street race to a screeching halt. The Chicago Office of Emergency Management is asking spectators to find shelter and take any necessary precautions as the race is temporarily suspended. What happens if bad weather hits the NASCAR Chicago Street Races? Severe weather was a cause of concern as the city of Chicago was set to hold the inaugural Chicago Street Race weekend. WGN meteorologist Mike Jansen says that while thunderstorms might not have drenched the course (inside the circled area) just yet, the ongoing lightning is too close for comfort, as additional rain develops just west of the course and will travel east.There is a 50 percent chance of storms for Saturday, Janssen added, when the Xfinity Race was scheduled to start at 4 p.m.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

AM radios in new vehicles at risk?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:00 GMT

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A farmer or resident in a rural area can listen to AM radio in their vehicles for now — but an apparent trend with automakers could silence such radios in the future.Some automakers appear to be moving away from installing AM radios in new vehicles, particularly electric models. Ford had originally proposed removing AM radios from some new vehicle models starting in 2024 but reversed after hearing from federal lawmakers and officials Tesla, BMW, Porsche, Audi and Volvo have all dropped AM radio from some models citing that electric models interfere with the reception of AM radio. The electric cars create buzzing and other noises in the reception of AM radio, some automakers have said.A bipartisan front has emerged to to push for the retention of AM radio in all new vehicles at no additional charge. The legislation is called the AM for Every Vehicle Act. Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar is one of multiple sponsors. A release from the South Dakota ...

Chicago appeals ruling to vacate permit denial for Southside Recycling

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:00 GMT

CHICAGO — The city of Chicago is appealing a judge's decision to vacate a permit denial for a controversial metal shredding plant. The case centers around Southside Recycling, which applied to move its metal scrapping operations from the city's North Side to Burley Avenue on the Southeast Side. SEE ALSO: Protestors rally against judge’s decision to allow operation at General Iron metal recycling plantIn February of last year, the city's public health department denied the company's permit application. The company appealed and in May, a judge overturned the denial. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesThe city is now appealing the decision.

Pflugerville Fire Chief: July 4th one of busiest days for firefighters

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:00 GMT

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — As the sun set over Travis County on July 4, 2022, Austin Fire Department's incidents webpage rapidly added new incidents across the city and county: grass fires, structure fires and more.Pflugerville Fire Chief Nick Perkins said that the night of July 4th is routinely one of the busiest nights for firefighters. What to know about fireworks use in Travis County this 4th of July "I think it's a combination of it being a holiday weekend — there's a lot of people out celebrating," Perkins said. "Obviously, there's a fire danger because people are lighting fireworks. So, we see a dramatic increase in our number of fires. Last year, we had almost almost 30 fires in a shift, and that's a lot. That's everything from a small grass fire in the yard, all the way to structure fires. All of which had some involvement with fireworks."Perkins said that in 2022 his department saw a 142% increase in call volume, which prompted extra staffing this year. Specifically,...