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Services to be held for National Grid worker killed in Waltham work site crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:59 GMT

Family members and friends of the National Grid worker who was killed in last week’s deadly crash in Waltham gathered for his fun wake and funeral on Saturday. Roderick Jackson, 36, was killed last Wednesday along with Waltham Police Officer Paul Tracey when a man in a pickup truck allegedly struck them at a worksite on Totten Pond Road. Tracey was laid to rest on Friday after his funeral in Waltham. Jackson’s funeral services are being held at St. Paul AME church in Cambridge.“Oh my God,” said Jackson’s mother, Norma Asprilla, on Friday. “I’m burying my baby. Horrific.”“He supported all of us to the fullest,” said Jackson’s brother, Manuel Asprilla-Hassan. “He didn’t just mean everything to us, he was everything to us and we lost it all.”Known as “Kito” to his siblings and mother, Jackson’s family said he had been working for National Grid for three years when he was killed. “After tomorrow, I will never get to see him again,” said Norma Asprilla. “It’s painful for all of us.”...

Wedding band, engagement ring dropped in Salvation kettle outside Waltham Market Basket

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:59 GMT

A Salvation Army worker in Waltham were surprised to find a wedding band and an engagement ring in their kettle. The rings donated outside the Waltham Market Basket were accompanied by a note: “This ring is being given in love for a second time. Like the first time, I hope this ring will bring joy and make a difference.”

Black Ohio woman criminally charged after miscarriage underscores the perils of pregnancy post-Roe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:59 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio was in the throes of a bitter debate over abortion rights this fall when Brittany Watts, 21 weeks and 5 days pregnant, began passing thick blood clots.The 33-year-old Watts, who had not shared the news of her pregnancy even with her family, made her first prenatal visit to a doctor’s office behind Mercy Health-St. Joseph’s Hospital in Warren, a working-class city about 60 miles (100 kilometers) southeast of Cleveland.The doctor said that, while a fetal heartbeat was still present, Watts’ water had broken prematurely and the fetus she was carrying would not survive. He advised heading to the hospital to have her labor induced, so she could have what amounted to an abortion to deliver the nonviable fetus. Otherwise, she would face “significant risk” of death, records of her case show.That was a Tuesday in September. What followed was a harrowing three days entailing: multiple trips to the hospital; Watts miscarrying into, and then flushing and plun...

Four under-the-radar Patriots players to watch Week 15 vs. Chiefs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:59 GMT

The Patriots are set to play their game of the season without any playoff contention on the line.Officially eliminated from the playoffs Sunday, the Patriots are only playing for draft positioning and pride at this point.Head coach Bill Belichick will likely still preach doing what’s best for the team in the final four weeks of the season. At this point, that should be with an eye toward the future as the Patriots get a look at more inexperienced players.Here are four to watch this week against the Chiefs.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots-Chiefs preview: Can the Pats upset Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid? New England Patriots | NFL Notes: Inside the Dirty Show, one of the last hallmarks of the Patriots dynasty New England Patriots | Patriots-Chiefs injury report: Bill Belichick adds 2 starters to 7 questionable for Sunday New England Patriots | Bill Belichick explains Patriots veteran running back’s l...

Putin supporters formally nominate him as independent candidate in Russian presidential election

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:59 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘s supporters on Saturday formally nominated him to run in the 2024 presidential election as an independent candidate, state news agencies reported. The nomination by a group of at least 500 supporters is mandatory under Russian election law for those not running on a party ticket. Independent candidates also need to gather at least 300,000 signatures in their support. The group that nominated Putin included top officials from the ruling United Russia party, prominent Russian actors and singers, athletes and other public figures. “Whoever is ready to support the candidacy of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin for the post of president of Russia, please vote. Who’s in favor?” Mikhail Kuznetsov, head of the executive committee of the People’s Front, asked those gathered. The People’s Front is a political coalition, founded in 2011 by Putin.After the vote, Kuznetsov announced that the group had voted unanimously to nominate Putin.According...

Catholic activists in Mexico help women reconcile their faith with abortion rights

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:59 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — In a corner of their Mexico City office, activists from Catholics for the Right to Decide keep an image of the Virgin Mary close to a green scarf that reads: “Mary was consulted to be mother of God.”For these Catholic women, prayer does not conflict with their fight for abortion access nor does their devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe prevent them from supporting LGBTQ+ rights. “You might think that one cannot be a feminist and a Catholic,” said activist Cinthya Ramírez. “But being women of faith does not mean that we oppose progressivity, human rights or sexual diversity.”The organization was founded in 1994 by theologians and activists following in the footsteps of Catholics for Choice in the United States. Now present in 10 Latin American countries, its members denounce the invisibility of women in some religious environments and advocate for the reinterpretation of sacred texts with a feminist perspective.“Assuming our right to decide and dissent with the eccle...

Suspect dies in crash after sex assault, kidnapping, robberies in Bridgeport

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:59 GMT

CHICAGO -- A string of crimes from sexual assault, robbery, kidnappings and a stabbing ended with the death of a suspect in a rollover crash Friday morning, police said.According to police, an unidentified man entered a residential building in the 1500 block of South Wabash Avenue early Friday morning. He approached a woman, produced a knife and proceeded to batter and sexually assault her.Police say the man then encountered two more women and forced all three of them into a residence, then robbed all three at knifepoint. A man then entered the residence and was also held at knifepoint and robbed.The woman who was sexually assaulted managed to escape, police said. The ma forced the remaining victims into his car and went to a Subway restaurant in the 700 block of 31st Street in Bridgeport. Violent crime spree ends in Bridgeport neighborhood, death of suspect Police said the man attacked and robbed a restaurant employee and left with cash from the register. The man got back into th...

Austin to build its first all abilities playground

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) announced that it will build a new all abilities playground, a first for the city, with assistance from the Austin Parks Foundation (APF).The department said that it wants to build the playground at the Onion Creek Metropolitan Park, which is on Nuckols Crossing Road. Currently, that park is "largely untouched," according to PARD. All-abilities playground opens in Del Valle However, it will take some time before construction of the playground will begin. The "discovery phase" of the project, consisting of virtual and in-person community meetings, begins in January 2024.PARD and APF said that they expect approval of the final design during summer 2024. 2019: Round Rock ISD installs new accessible playgrounds for kids of all abilities A February memo from PARD said the department selected Springwoods Neighborhood Park on Anderson Mill Road as a potential "play-for-all-abilities" park.

A bright and mild weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Sunny days and clear nights highlight this third weekend of December. The cold front that moved across Central Texas Friday left dry air from a north wind.Afternoon highs this afternoon will rise to the low to mid 60s.Today's normal high is 64°Camp Mabry measured .45" of rain Friday, bringing the three day total to .53", one of the higher amounts. A gauge six miles WNW of Richland Springs recorded the most rain with .73" followed by one of the gauges at Buchanan Dam with .69".It was hoped that more rain would be measured. The upper low, originally forecast to track from New Mexico to Texas instead moved northeast into Oklahoma placing it further away from Central Texas. RAINFALL REPORTS FROM CENTRAL TEXAS The weather will be quiet the next five days. Tomorrow morning will be our coldest morning when lows fall to the mid to upper 30s. Sunday afternoon will be quite pleasant with a mostly sunny sky and highs in the upper 60s to low 70s.A cold front will silently mo...

Thomas Friedman: The Arab oil states won’t rebuild Gaza for free

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:59 GMT

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — I’ve been concerned from the start that Israel launched its invasion of the Gaza Strip to eradicate Hamas with no plan for what to do with the territory and its people in the wake of any victory. Having just spent a week in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates taking the pulse of this important corner of the Arab world, I am now even more worried.Let me summarize my concerns this way: Because Hamas built a vast tunnel network under Gaza, Israeli forces, in their quest to eliminate that vicious terrorist organization, are having to destroy huge numbers of structures. It’s the only way they can kill a lot of Hamas fighters and demilitarize Gaza without losing a lot of their own soldiers in the short window that Israel feels it has in the face of pressure from the U.S. and other allies to wind down the invasion.Israel was justified in hitting back at Hamas for breaking the cease-fire that existed on Oct. 7 and indiscriminately murdering, raping or maiming mo...