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Lucas: Spilka squares off v. DiZoglio in Beacon Hill budget brawl

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:11 GMT

Which of state Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s former colleagues in the state Senate — all fellow Democrats — will come to her aid in her budget battle with Senate President Karen Spilka?The answer is: none of them.So beholden are they to Spilka,70, who runs the 40-member Senate with an iron fist, that none are bold enough to vote against her wishes. The Senate is made up of 37 Democrats and three Republicans.Spilka is the Iron Lady of Beacon Hill.The main issue, besides personality conflicts, is that DiZoglio, 40, has promised to conduct unheard of audits of both the House and Senate, which both Spilka and House Speaker Ron Mariano oppose.One way to try and stop the audits is to cut the auditor’s budget request, which the Spilka-controlled Senate ways and Means Committee did last week, even though DiZoglio’s budget was approved in the state’s $55 billion overall budget by Gov. Maura Healey and the House.The full Senate has yet to take up the budget. Individual senators can propose a...

Get ready for a whale of a season off the Massachusetts coast

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:11 GMT

Remember the whales frolicking off the coast of Massachusetts last summer? Good news: those big, beautiful creatures are back.With local whale watching cruises launching again, it’s a perfect time – before the hot sun and crowds – to take in the magnificent sight of these extraordinary ocean giants.“This time is really great because, unlike summer when things are pretty consistent, there’s a lot of change that happens out there,” Laura Howes, director of research and education at Boston Harbor City Cruises told the Herald.Boston Harbor City Cruises (https://www.cityexperiences.com) debuted their whale watches this year on Tuesday, a bit later than usual for good reason: To protect the endangered right whales that call coastal Massachusetts their home early in the season.Now, she said, you’ll see lots of moms and their baby calves, along with a great selection of whale types like fin, minke and humpback.In Plymouth, the popular Captain John Boats (https://www.captjohn.com)  resumed t...

Sizzling Jake Burger hits 1 of 3 Chicago White Sox home runs in a 7-2 victory against the Cleveland Guardians

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:11 GMT

Luis Robert Jr.’s home run streak came to an end.But Jake Burger continued his tear, homering for his third straight game.It was one of three homers for the Chicago White Sox, who utilized the long ball to beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-2 in front of 12,241 on Wednesday at Guaranteed Rate Field.“Hitting is contagious,” Burger said. “All the guys are piecing good at-bats together and making solid contact. It just keeps rolling. The lineup is deep, and so one through nine there could be damage done. The starting pitcher has to dial it for all nine.“We are piecing them together. It’s really exciting and really fun.”Gavin Sheets hit a solo homer in the second, his second consecutive game with a home run.Andrew Vaughn led off the fourth with a home run, and Burger hit a two-run homer later in the inning.The Sox have outhomered the Guardians 6-0 in the first two games of the series.It’s the first time the Sox have hit at least three homers i...

All ears on summer as concert season kicks off

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:11 GMT

Do you have your Taylor Swift tickets? No? You can pay $1,112 for a single seat at the way, way back of Gillette Stadium. Or – and hear me out – you can spend that $1,112 on quality seats to half a dozen different shows.Swift and her Swifties kick off the summer concert season with an astounding three Gillette shows May 19, 20, and 21. But whatever side of Tay Tay you dig – country, pop, rock, that indie folk thing she tried on “Evermore” – there is something you will love just as much (or almost as much, but for way less) on our Not A Cruel Summer Concert PreviewGuster & the Boston Pops, Symphony Hall. June 6 & 7The Boston Pops kicked off an impressive season May 12 – jazz giants, Disney princesses, “Return of the Jedi” in concert. But if you really wanted to dig into the “Boston” part of the Boston Pops, go see Tufts-born rockers Guster play with America’s orchestra. The idea of the band’s signature song “Satellite” with strings is simply delightful.Tinariwen, the Sinclair...

Dyrt’s top campgrounds in New England

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:11 GMT

Avid campers are painfully aware of how challenging it has become to secure camping reservations over the past three years. Now we know just how much.Getting a spot was five times harder in 2022 than before the pandemic, according to an annual survey conducted by The Dyrt, a popular camping website and app with 30 million visitors annually.The Dyrt’s 2023 Camping Report, which is based on a random survey of 3,000 Dyrt users and a separate survey of camping property managers in all 50 states, found that sleeping under the stars is more popular than ever. The Dyrt says an estimated 80 million people went camping in the U.S. last year, 7.2 million for the first time. More than 15 million went camping for the first time in the past two years.More than 58.4% of respondents said they had a hard time finding campsites in 2022. That number was only 10.6% in 2019.“The thing that strikes me the most is the continued uptick of camping, which makes me really happy because I truly believe the ou...

Dear Abby: GF has mystery relationship with neighbor

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:11 GMT

Dear Abby: My girlfriend, “Jana,” and I have been together for 18 years. We live in a small community. About a year ago, a young single guy moved in next door. Jana and “Aiden” took an immediate liking to each other. She’s 64, and he’s 35.Aiden is on permanent disability, has never had a job and is heavily into drugs. He does odd things like walking down the middle of the street draped in blue lights and sitting in the middle of the street. The police have been called on him so many times he was almost kicked out of the neighborhood.He and Jana were together all the time — calling, texting and talking in person. They don’t meet so often now because we’ve had so many arguments about it. I was jealous in the beginning. Now I just don’t like her hanging out with him.She still calls and talks to him, but now she does it only when I’m not around. There doesn’t seem to be anything I can do about it. He’s always ...

Callahan: Celtics in real danger after dropping Game 1 to tougher, smarter Heat

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:11 GMT

Remember them?The zombie Heat, who spooked the Celtics into the scare of a basketball lifetime last year in Game 7?Well, they’re back, and scarier than ever.The Walking Dead rebooted for a surprise 12th season Wednesday night at TD Garden, when the Heat stole Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals in Boston 123-116. Miami’s formula felt painfully familiar. The Heat were tougher, smarter and better-coached — again.The memory of Jayson Tatum’s spectacular 51-point performance last Sunday faded instantly into another episode of the Playoff Jimmy Butler Show.Butler proved unsolvable, scoring 35 points around seven assists and six steals. He swiped three passes in the fourth quarter alone, helping expedite yet another crunch-time collapse for these Celtics. Meanwhile, Tatum committed three turnovers in a 90-second span down the stretch, and after his last giveaway, Butler drilled a dagger 3 to lift Miami into a 10-point lead with 1:03 left.The Heat led for the entirety...

Loud explosions heard as Russia targets Kyiv with cruise missiles, debris causes building fire

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:11 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Loud explosions were heard in Kyiv early Thursday morning, and the city’s Military Administration said falling debris caused a fire in a non-residential building.The scope of the Russian attack against the capital was unclear, and there was no immediate information on casualties.It was the ninth time this month that Russian air raids have targeted the capital, a clear escalation after weeks of lull and ahead of a much-anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive using newly supplied advanced Western weapons.The attack was carried out by strategic bombers from the Caspian region, probably using cruise missiles, and Russia later deployed reconnaissance craft over the capital. According to preliminary information, all enemy targets were destroyed, Serhiy Popko, head of the Kyiv Military Administration said in a Telegram post.Debris fell on two districts and the fire at a garage complex was extinguished. There was no information so far about any victims, Popko said.Earlie...

Alaska lawmakers pass bill to keep gun shops open during disasters if other businesses are

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:11 GMT

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska lawmakers on Wednesday passed legislation that seeks to block state and local officials from closing gun stores during disasters declared by the governor, unless such closures apply to all other businesses. The bill, HB61, is a response to business closures in Alaska and other states during the pandemic, according to a statement from House Speaker Cathy Tilton, a Wasilla Republican and the bill’s sponsor. Several other states have adopted similar bills.The bill was one of the last debated by lawmakers in the waning days of the 121-day regular legislative session, which was set to end Wednesday. It was backed by the lobbying arm of the National Rifle Association and criticized as a “special rights” bill by state Sen. Jesse Kiehl, a Juneau Democrat. The measure passed the Senate 17-3 on Tuesday and was returned to the House for a concurrence vote. The House agreed 28-12 to pass the bill late Wednesday.Last year a federal appeals court panel ruled tha...

Asian stocks follow Wall St higher on hopes for US debt deal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:11 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets followed Wall Street higher on Thursday on hopes U.S. political leaders can reach agreement to avoid a potentially disastrous default on government debt.Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Sydney advanced. Oil prices edged lower.Wall Street rallied Wednesday after President Joe Biden expressed confidence “America will not default” despite lack of agreement on Republican demands for cuts in aid to poor families to pay for food, medical care and rent in exchange for raising the amount the government can borrow.“Markets are now fully pricing an in-time resolution of the crisis,” said Clifford Bennett of ACY Securities in a report. “No one wants to sell ahead of an announcement of a deal being made.”Speaker Kevin McCarthy of the House of Representatives said Tuesday the two sides were far apart but could reach a deal by the end of the week. The U.S. government will run out of cash if they don’t agree by June 1 to increase its borrowing limit.Any...