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Community members voice concerns about proposal to close Leominster Hospital birthing center

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:15 GMT

It was a packed house at a public hearing Monday on a proposal by the UMass Memorial Health system to close the existing birthing center at Leominster Hospital. UMass announced in May its decision to close the birthing center in September. At that point, UMass Health mothers will be sent to Worcester. Mothers could also choose a different regional hospital within a half hour of Leominster. Many expectant mothers and others have expressed concerns about the closure, though, saying they’re worried the changes could put their families in danger.“How many children are we going to see die?” said Ronnie Hule this week. “How many women are we going to see dying?”Head of Obstetrics at UMass memorial health system Dr. Tiffany Moore Semis said “like many of our health system peers, we’re experiencing unprecedented workforce shortages after the pandemic.”“This, along with the declining number of births at the hospital severely impacts the sustainability of this inpatient servic...

Director Ryan Coogler reveals why Steph Curry peeled back the veil for ‘Underrated’ doc (EXCLUSIVE)

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:15 GMT

NBA star Steph Curry is motivating others to shoot their best shot in Apple TV’s Stephen Curry: Underrated.The documentary film chronicles intimate details of Curry’s rise from in his own words “the undersized, scrawny kid that was just trying to figure out how to make it” to a four time NBA champion.The documentary’s producers, “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler and Unanimous Media’s Erick Peyton, revealed the Golden State Warriors star wanted to pull the curtain on his personal life “to reframe the quote-unquote celebrity athlete documentary.”“On the surface, someone could write this film off, but this is a film about the power of being seen,” Coogler told the Daily News.He added: “That was the biggest thing I think that Steph did was allow himself to be open at a time when he was trying to accomplish so much that requires so much focus. Trying to take a team on a playoff run, trying to complete your ...

Bishop Fenwick hit with sanctions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:15 GMT

PEABODY — Just an hour after the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association publicly released the letter it sent to Bishop Fenwick detailing its Board of Directors’ unprecedented decision to ban postseason play for all sports in 2023-24, the penalized school packed its auditorium Monday night in an open forum for the Crusaders’ community to raise concerns and get answers from administration on what exactly happened.Upset attendants voiced frustration toward hosts Thomas Nunan (Bishop Fenwick President) and Neil Harrington (Chairman of the Board of Trustees), preaching accountability after the two discussed what they felt were honest mistakes in violation of MIAA Rule 87.6 regarding waivers — specifically middle school and fifth-year eligibility.Whatever contrast parents and the two feel in what should happen to the administration involved, though, the message was loud and clear from both sides: The MIAA’s penalty is far too excessive, and pointed at the wrong people.“This de...

Luxury group LVMH joins top-tier French sponsors of the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:15 GMT

PARIS (AP) — The world’s biggest luxury group, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, announced a sponsorship deal Monday with the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics, joining the ranks of top-tier French sponsors such as banking group BPCE, pharmaceutical maker Sanofi and supermarket operator Carrefour.Antoine Arnault, one of the heirs to the LVMH empire, confirmed the deal during a news conference also attended by International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, Paris 2024 chief organizer Tony Estanguet, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and France’s sports minister, Amelie Oudea-Castera.LVMH is led by Arnault’s father, Chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault. Its collaboration with the Games will include various company brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior, Moet Hennessy and Chaumet. Prestigious jeweler Chaumet will design the medals for the Games, and the French athletic delegation will wear clothes from one of LVMH’s fashion houses. Sephora, LVMH’s beauty retailer, is sponsoring the Olympic ...

CPD officer in hospital after being shot in Englewood

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:15 GMT

CHICAGO — A Chicago Police Department officer is in the hospital after a shooting in the Englewood neighborhood Monday evening, department officials say.According to police, an officer-involved shooting took place around 7:40 p.m. in the 5600 block of South Shields Avenue, after officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop.While attempting to conduct the traffic stop, one of the officers involved was shot in the left hand, and the suspect police were trying to stop, fled. According to CPD interim superintendent Fred Waller, that suspect is still at-large. The injured officer was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center by his partners, where he is in good condition. 19-year-old charged with 1st degree murder in connection to Chatham fatal shooting No other information is available at this time.

Elon Musk says tweets are to be called 'X's' now

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:15 GMT

(The Hill) - Twitter owner Elon Musk said on Monday that tweets are expected to be called “X’s,” becoming one of the latest changes to happen to the social media platform. Musk responded to a tweet from a user who asked, “So now that Twitter has been rebranded to X, what are tweets called now?”“x’s,” Musk replied.Musk’s response came after he announced the rebranding of the social platform on Sunday, changing his profile avatar to an X logo and posting promotional content of the new logo from its well-known bird outline.“[S]oon we shall bid adieu to the twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds,” Musk tweeted on Sunday. What Twitter knows about you – and what you can do about it The X logo also began to appear on the desktop version of the platform, though the soon-to-be outgoing bird logo remains on the platform’s mobile version. Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino said in a series of tweets that the new logo represents “the future state of unlimited interactivity — centered ...

Man falls from hot air balloon in Connecticut

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:15 GMT

GUILFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — A 69-year-old man was taken to a hospital after falling from a hot air balloon during a Connecticut festival over the weekend. The Guilford Fire Department says the incident happened around 9:45 p.m. Sunday night at the Guilford Fairgrounds where the Balloon Glow and Laser Show was being held. According to authorities, the man, a volunteer, was helping passengers on and off the aircraft when the balloon began to rise.The man was reportedly hanging onto the outside of the balloon's basket before he fell about 10 to 15 feet to the ground. Woman says she was fired after trying to stop shoplifters Hot Air Ballon Management, the company behind the show, issued the following statement to WTNH regarding the incident:“For some reason, [the volunteer] grabbed onto the bottom (of) the balloon as it ascended and was pulled off his feet. He dropped off at some point quickly and was injured in the fall. Our thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family.”The man was...

SUNY's black turf field caused an unintentional buzz: Athletic director explains the decision

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:15 GMT

MORRISVILLE, N.Y. (WSYR) - It's not usually the thing that gets national or even international attention, but the replacement of SUNY Morrisville's turf field is creating a buzz even the school wasn't expecting.Most colleges have various shades of green field turf, but there are a small few who have a pop of color such as Boise State University with its blue turf and Eastern Washington University with its red turf. SUNY Morrisville is now one of these select colleges that is going to be known for its black turf. The black turf has prompted many online to question the decision, citing the possibility of the field becoming as hot as a blacktop driveway on a sunny day. Large amount of marijuana washes up on Florida beach So why the black turf? SUNY Morrisville's Athletic Director Matt Grawrock discussed the trending move with Nexstar's WSYR.Courtesy of SUNY MorrisvilleCourtesy of SUNY MorrisvilleWhy a black turf field?Grawrock explained the choice for the black turf was made after d...

Illinois man sentenced to 110 years in prison for deadly bar shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:15 GMT

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) -- Barring a successful appeal, Michael Bakana will spend the rest of his life in prison, a judge ordered Monday.Chief McLean County Circuit Judge J. Casey Costigan sentenced Bakana to 110 years in prison for a double shooting that left one woman dead and her friend injured outside a Downtown Bloomington bar two years ago.Specifically, the judge imposed a 60-year sentence for first-degree murder in connection with the Jan. 30, 2021, shooting death of 22-year-old Mariah Petracca outside Daddios. 19-year-old charged with 1st degree murder in connection to Chatham fatal shooting The judge also handed down a 50-year prison term for attempted first-degree murder for shooting Bibianna Cornejo, who suffered permanent nerve damage to her left arm during the same incident.By law, the sentences must be served consecutively. Also, Bakana, 44, of Normal, must serve 100% of his 60 years handed down on the murder conviction and 85% for the attempted first-degree m...

City of Blanco, water supplier at odds over emergency restrictions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:15 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The City of Blanco says its water supplier is to blame for the city's water shortage and emergency restrictions.The city says that Blanco City Attorney Tim Tuggey sent a letter to Texas Water Company alleging the city's water shortage is due to "the company’s decision to prioritize delivery to other customers, causing our water supply to drop dangerously low." ‘We had 24 hours of water left’: City of Blanco bumps up to Stage 6 water restrictions after supply issues KXAN has reached out to Texas Water Company for a comment on the letter and this story will be updated once we hear back.Texas Water Company has provided the city of Blanco with water for more than a year as its own water planet has been down for renovations. In the letter, Tuggey said the city "believes the actions of the company are a violation of the law, as well as a clear violation of a long-established memorandum of understanding between the city and the company."Read the city's letter to Texas Wat...