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Snack attack: Dive-bombing seagulls shutter outdoor dining at Sullivan’s

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:39 GMT

Under the blazing sun, dark shadows loom over families hauling ice cream and food out of Sullivan’s on Castle Island — seagulls, watching and waiting.Until a fry falls.“Bird!” shrieks a woman clutching her shake, ducking and running away from a hungry gull diving just feet away before turning to a man lagging behind with their food. “Get cover!”Her fears aren’t unfounded; so many dive-bombing seagulls have stolen meals from customers at the Southie landmark that the restaurant was forced to close their outdoor dining this week.Sully’s was opened on Castle Island in 1951, regularly attracting a crowd of South Boston locals and visitors to the historic beachfront park.Caution tape now surrounds the green tables outside, with signs reading “Beware Seagulls.”“In the last 40 years, I’ve never seen it like this before,” said South Boston local Evelyn, who said she’s been coming to the restaurant since she ...

‘We would not accept this offer:’ Boston mayor to implement raises over objections of municipal police union

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:39 GMT

Boston’s mayor plans to implement far lower raises than what a union of municipal security guards is seeking, with her administration stating that the two sides have reached an impasse and the city can’t afford the group’s demands.The decision comes after the union’s president criticized Mayor Michelle Wu for nullifying raises the City Council voted to give them in this year’s budget, saying that it was the latest slap in the face in what’s been an “embarrassing” negotiations process.“Mayor Wu has nullified something positive for city workers, and continues to hurt the ones who earn the least,” Kevin Coughlin, president of the Boston Municipal Patrolmen’s Association, told the Herald.He added that union members learned of the nullification through the press, “which is not respectful, or an indicator of bargaining in good faith.”A spokesperson for Wu’s office hit back on Wednesday, stating that “this union’s and the City Council’s attempts to circumvent the co...

Red Sox notebook: Starter or reliever? Familiar decisions looming again for Houck, Whitlock

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:39 GMT

The Red Sox desperately need starting pitching. For several weeks the club has worked with a three-man rotation and a series of openers to fill the gaps when necessary. That approach has sufficed for now but isn’t a recipe for long-term success.But with the trade deadline approaching and reinforcements coming from within, the Red Sox might soon have some tough rotation decisions to make.Familiar ones, too.Throughout their Red Sox careers, Tanner Houck and Garrett Whitlock have see-sawed between the starting rotation and the bullpen, and while the long-term goal has been for both to become fixtures in the rotation, circumstances could soon force one or both back into relief roles.Red Sox manager Alex Cora said as much Wednesday, noting that they would soon have a conversation with the pair to map out their next steps as Houck recovers from his facial fracture and Whitlock from his elbow bruise.“It all depends on the role that we want them. We’re going to have time, ...

‘Non-human biologics’ found among wrecked alien craft, whistleblower says

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:39 GMT

Talk of UFOs is taking off.The U.S. has spent the last several decades attempting to reverse engineer the technology found among the wreckage of crashed UFOs and has recovered “non-human biologics” during its work, a whistleblower told a House committee on Wednesday.Former U.S. Air Force intelligence officer David Grusch testified alongside two former military pilots during a bipartisan hearing of the Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs, when he told lawmakers that though he has never seen an alien spacecraft in person, he has spoken to dozens of high ranking government officials who have.Under direct questioning by U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Grusch said some of the “remains” of pilots discovered at crash sites were “non-human.”“That was the assessment of people with direct knowledge on the program I talked to, that are currently still on the program,” Grusch said.Grusch testified that, while assigned to the National Reconnaissance Offi...

Firefighters battle cross-border brush fire

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:39 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A brush fire broke out Wednesday near the border and was burning on both the U.S. and Mexico sides, authorities said.The blaze, dubbed as the "Border 20 Fire," is on the international border on the south slope of Tecate Peak, Cal Fire San Diego County tweeted at 4:39 p.m. Deadly crash closes freeway lanes near border The fire has burned around 200 acres in Mexico and 100 acres in the U.S., officials confirmed.Helicopter aid is on the scene to help put out the fire.Check back for updates on this developing story.

Driver crashes into East County home

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:39 GMT

EL CAJON, Calif. -- A driver lost control of his vehicle Wednesday and plowed into a home in the El Cajon area, authorities said.The crash occurred around 9:07 a.m. at 1378 El Rey Court, according to Andy McKellar with Heartland Fire & Rescue.When first responders arrived on scene, a portion of the silver Mercedes was found inside the home. Deadly crash closes freeway lanes near border McKellar says an elderly man was driving downhill when he lost control of his vehicle, causing the car to jump the curb and go through the home's sliding glass door.The driver of the vehicle was taken to a hospital with what appeared to be minor injuries, while no one in the home was injured, fire officials said.

Alaska board delays action on proposal to bar transgender girls from girls’ high school sports teams

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:39 GMT

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The state board of education Wednesday delayed action on a proposal that would bar transgender girls from participating on high school girls’ athletic teams in Alaska, with several board members saying they wanted more time to consider the issue.Opponents of the proposal called it discriminatory and unconstitutional and say it likely will lead to litigation. Supporters, including Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy, said it is needed to ensure fairness in girls’ sports. The board heard more than 2 1/2 hours of public testimony Wednesday, in addition to receiving roughly 1,400 pages of written testimony ahead of the meeting, and went into executive session on the matter. Later, several board members said they favored postponing action on the proposed rule at Wednesday’s meeting but taking up the issue at a future date, perhaps during a special meeting. Two new board members were sworn in at the start of Wednesday’s meeting and another member wa...

Rain brings small ‘reprieve’ in B.C.’s north, but wildfire conditions dire elsewhere

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:39 GMT

The number of active wildfires in British Columbia has dropped sharply to about 400 as cooler weather and recent rain has cut the fire risk, but another hot spell could wipe out those gains as large sections of the province wilt under severe drought.Provincial fire information officer Mike McCulley said the BC Wildfire Service is grateful for rain in B.C.’s north, saying it has allowed for “a small piece of reprieve.”“It really helps us to get a handle on the fires and make some good progress,” he said in an interview Wednesday. “We’ve adjusted our tactics accordingly to try to take advantage of this window.”The service is reporting just 10 new fires in the last 24 hours amid the easing conditions.However, McCulley said this will be short lived.“We will be back into some very intense and dire wildfire conditions and extreme fire behaviour in the southeast part of the province especially, as they received virtually no precipitatio...

7 more people have died amid record highs in Arizona’s most populous county. Here’s what to know

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:39 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Another seven heat-associated deaths were confirmed over the last week in America’s hottest big metro, health officials reported Wednesday, amid a blistering heat wave with daytime highs over 110 F (43.3 C) and overnight lows not dropping below 90 F (32.2 C). Maricopa County, the most populous county in Arizona and home to Phoenix, reported that its health department has confirmed 25 heat-associated deaths this year as of Saturday since the first one was recorded in April, with 249 more under investigation.That’s seven more heat-associated deaths for the year since 18 were reported as of July 15, when there were 69 additional deaths under investigation.As of the same time last year, there were 38 heat-associated deaths and 256 more listed as under investigation.The region’s county and city governments, hospitals, schools and nonprofit groups that operate several hundred cooling and hydrating stations across the area are closely watching the confirmed death...

Ocean currents vital for distributing heat could collapse by midcentury, study says

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:39 GMT

A system of ocean currents that transports heat northward across the North Atlantic could collapse by mid-century, according to a new study, and scientists have said before that such a collapse could cause catastrophic sea-level rise and extreme weather across the globe.In recent decades, researchers have both raised and downplayed the specter of Atlantic current collapse. It even prompted a movie that strayed far from the science. Two years ago the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said any such catastrophe is unlikely this century. But the new study published in Nature Communications suggests it might not be as far away and unlikely as mainstream science says.The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation is a vital system of ocean currents that circulates water throughout the Atlantic Ocean, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It’s a lengthy process, taking an estimated 1,000 years to complete, but has slowed even more s...