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Massachusetts rent control ballot campaign fails, organizer says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

A campaign to place a rent control question on the 2024 ballot has failed, as it faced a near impossible task of collecting the required amount of signatures within the next two weeks.The initiative had collected roughly 10,175 signatures over the past six weeks, far short of the 74,574 required by Nov. 22 for the question to advance in the process, according to state Rep. Mike Connolly, who organized the effort.The Cambridge Democrat announced the development on Friday night, much to the delight of groups who argued that the measure shouldn’t be placed on the ballot.The proposal looked to allow municipalities to regulate residential evictions, rents and fees, broker fees, and the removal of housing units from the rental market.Connolly said his group, of more than 500 elected officials, individuals and organizations, suggested it band together with Homes for All Massachusetts, a statewide housing justice coalition, to collect the required signatures and then decide how the question...

Ticker: US continuing jobless claims rise for 7th straight week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

Recurring applications for U.S. unemployment benefits rose for a seventh straight week, adding to evidence that the labor market is cooling.Continuing jobless claims, a proxy for the number of people receiving unemployment benefits, increased to 1.83 million in the week ended Oct. 28, the highest since mid-April, according to Labor Department data out Thursday.Initial claims ticked lower to 217,000 in the week ending Nov. 4. The four-week moving average, which smooths out some of the volatility in the weekly data, rose to 212,250.The recent pickup in continuing claims suggests unemployed workers are increasingly having a harder time finding new jobs. Demand for workers is retreating from unprecedented pandemic levels and the unemployment rate now stands at the highest level in nearly two years.— Bloomberg NewsWalgreens prepares for 267 corporate layoffsWalgreens is preparing to lay off 5% of its Chicago-based corporate workforce, the company confirmed Thursday.The cuts amount to 267...

Without Jim Harbaugh, No. 2 Michigan grinds past No. 9 Penn State with 32 straight runs in 24-15 win

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

With Jim Harbaugh banned by the Big Ten Conference, J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum and No. 2 Michigan played unfazed by a scandal that has hounded the program for weeks — and their toughest opponent yet — grinding past No. 9 Penn State 24-15 Saturday.Corum ran for 145 yards and two touchdowns, McCarthy made few key plays with his arms and legs and the Wolverines (10-0, 7-0, No. 3 CFP) improved to 3-0 since it was revealed the program was under NCAA investigation for a sign-stealing scheme.The struggles in big games continued for coach James Franklin and Penn State (8-2, 5-3, No. 10 CFP), which scored a combined 26 points in losses to Big Ten East rivals Ohio State and Michigan this season.In a game Harbaugh no doubt loved from afar, on what turned into a chilly and gray day in Happy Valley, the Wolverines ran the ball on 32 straight plays that counted, starting with the final two of the first half and ending with a couple of kneeldowns.The 27th run was Corum’s 30-yard touchdown to...

Hospitals have special protection under the rules of war. Why are they in the crosshairs in Gaza?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — The head of surgery at Gaza’s largest and most advanced hospital held up his phone Saturday to the hammering of gunfire and artillery shelling. “Listen,” said Dr. Marwan Abu Sada as fighting raged around Shifa Hospital.Close quarters combat between the Israeli military and Hamas militants sent shells hissing through the hospital courtyard and crashing into wards. Doctor tried to help patients even as they ran for cover.Abu Sada described Shifa as a death trap for thousands of war-wounded, medical staff and displaced civilians sheltering there. The Israeli military denied it launched direct strikes or placed Shifa under siege.In this Israel-Hamas war, hospitals in the main combat zone of northern Gaza have increasingly ended up in the crosshairs as Israeli tanks crunch through the hollowed-out heart of Gaza City. They have also become flashpoints for warring narratives.Israel says Hamas militants are using hospitals as shields for fighters, while the Palestinians and...

Star safety Koi Perich reminded of commitment to Gophers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

Star high school football recruit Koi Perich was reminded of his commitment to the Gophers in a unique way on Saturday afternoon.A “Row The Boat” banner flew behind an airplane during the Class 3A state quarterfinal between Perich’s Esko team and Annandale in Brainerd, Minn.Jamie Broman, the sports director at KRWC Radio, posted two tweets about the message before the broadcast of the game.Perich committed to the Gophers in April, but received a scholarship offers from Ohio State on Monday, with Florida State and USC offering rides in October.The creative message is clear: Minnesota and its backers want the four-star safety recruit from northern Minnesota to remain home and be saying head coach P.J. Fleck’s mantra for years to come.In 2017, Fleck turned heads in recruiting by having a helicopter take him and receivers coach Matt Simon from Dinkytown to Apple Valley to watch Edina offensive lineman Quinn Carroll vs. Eastview in 2017. Fleck wore a Carroll jersey to the high school gam...

Eric Schmitt unfazed by special election results, expects Trump vs. Biden race in 2024

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

WASHINGTON - Democrats claimed victory in several notable races during Tuesday's special elections, particularly ones in Kentucky, Ohio, and Virginia. These wins come roughly one year before the next presidential election, and many were races centered on the national debate over abortion.What might this November election's voting trends mean for the next one? Turnout will be substantially higher in a presidential election cycle, so factors like public opinion, party strength, and key issues could look different from one year to the next. Man killed in south St. Louis County road-rage shooting Some elected officials, including Missouri U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, say it's hard to draw comparisons between election results in presidential and non-presidential voting years."I think it's hard to look at elections in years like 2023 or 2019 as any kind of precursor to what happens in a big presidential election," said Schmitt, speaking one-on-one virtually with FOX 2 earlier this week. "Ea...

Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen out “weeks” after scary collision with end boards

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

Artturi Lehkonen is expected to miss “weeks” after crashing head-first into the end boards Thursday night, per Colorado coach Jared Bednar.Lehkonen collided with Seattle defenseman Jamie Oleksiak during the second period of a 4-3 loss to the Kraken at Ball Arena. He went to a local hospital as a precaution for further evaluation.“We’re still gathering information, but he’s going to miss weeks,” said Bednar, who reiterated upon further review that he didn’t believe Oleksiak’s hit deserved a penalty. “Can’t give you a timeline yet.”Bednar said it is not a head injury, but didn’t offer further details on the issue. It is the first significant blow to the Avalanche during the 2023-24 regular season. The Avs have had two players miss one game each from the opening-night roster because of injury.Lehkonen is a key secondary scorer for the Avs. He’s relied upon in all three phases of the game. Cale Makar called him “hard as nails” ...

These 8 habits may help you live longer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

Aging is inevitable, but you might be able to slow down the process with some healthy lifestyle changes. That's according to a new study presented Monday at the American Heart Society's Scientific Sessions 2023 in Philadelphia. Scientists pointed to eight healthy habits that can reduce your biological age and help you live longer. While everyone knows their chronological age (the number of years you've been alive), biological age refers to how old your cells are and the speed at which you're aging physically.  1 in 4 US medical students consider quitting, most don’t plan to treat patients: report For the study, researchers at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University in New York City calculated the phenotypic, or biological, age of 6,500 adults. The analysis found that good cardiovascular health can slow the pace of biological aging by up to six years and reduce the risk of developing age-related diseases.For example, the average actual ag...

Desmond Child Discusses Career at Grammy Museum

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

Desmond Child Discusses Career at Grammy Museum: Desmond Child’s name is one that recalls a time, pre the downloading and streaming age, when you’d buy an album and set aside some time for it. You’d open up the sleeve notes, whether that be the vinyl inner sleeve or the CD booklet or the fold-out cassette cover, lie back and read it all while you listened. And for a large portion of the ’80s and ’90s in particular, you’d often see Child’s name next to the songs in parentheses.Not that Child has ever stopped working. He’s not a nostalgic figure; the man, as we were told at the Grammy Museum on Thursday evening, always has about ten projects on the go. But it’s certainly true that Child oversaw the meteoric rise of Bon Jovi, penning or co-penning the biggest hits from the enormous Slippery When Wet album, including “Livin’ on a Prayer,” the song that gives his new book it’s name.Child also wrote the songs th...

Petaluma man arrested for allegedly stealing truck with owner's dog in it

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

(BCN) -- A Petaluma man was arrested Friday after he allegedly stole a truck with its owner's dog in it, police said.Around 7:30 p.m. Friday, officers received a call from a man reporting someone had just stolen his truck in the area of Weller and East D Street, with his dog in it, the Petaluma Police Department said in a news release. DA: Serial shoplifter at Westfield San Francisco mall denied bail The victim gave a description of the vehicle and multiple officers searched the area but were initially unsuccessful in finding it. Police said they issued a "be on the lookout" alert to neighboring law enforcement agencies to notify them about the stolen vehicle. Around 8:05 p.m., a Santa Rosa officer found the stolen vehicle traveling on northbound U.S. Highway 101 in Santa Rosa. He attempted to pull the truck over, but the suspect allegedly fled. A car chase followed, which went on southbound Highway 101 into Petaluma.A Petaluma officer threw a "spike strip" in front of the fleeing...