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Massachusetts police disciplinary records database could come next week, POST says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:52 GMT

State regulators plan to release a trove of law enforcement disciplinary records as early as next week, a move that would offer the public a detailed look at the backgrounds of their local cops, a top official at the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission said Thursday.The POST Commission is required by law to create an online database that details misconduct among police officers all across Massachusetts. POST Commission Executive Director Enrique Zuniga said officials have “finalized the collection and review” of disciplinary records after police departments submitted thousands for inspection.The commission plans to release roughly 4,500 disciplinary records, Zuniga said at a Thursday morning meeting. At a meeting earlier this summer, Zuniga said more than 4,000 complaints covering incidents through Jan. 31 had enough evidence to support the allegations against the accused officer.“I am now comfortable saying that because publishing this information is imminent, this coul...

Sinkhole shuts down part of Longwood Ave. in Boston’s medical hub

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:52 GMT

A large sinkhole has formed on Longwood Avenue in the city’s medical hub, forcing closure of a part of the critical roadway, according to police.Boston police said the stretch of the road between Binney and Blackfan Streets, a block that includes Boston Children’s Hospital, has been closed.Police are advising people to avoid the area.Traffic Advisory: Due to a large sink hole, traffic on Longwood Ave is shut down between Binney and Blackfan Streets. Please seek an alternative route.— Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) August 10, 2023– Developing

1 dead, 4 hurt in suspected DUI crash in North County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:52 GMT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. -- One person is dead and four others were taken to a hospital after a multi-vehicle collision on Interstate 5 Wednesday evening in the Oceanside area, authorities said.The crash occurred around 8:58 p.m. on I-5 north, just north of State Route 78, according to California Highway Patrol.Authorities say a red sedan was parked on the side for unknown reasons, when a high-speed black Chevrolet Corvette was passing on the right shoulder and slammed into the red sedan. The crash caused the red sedan to push into the number four lane (slow lane), where an 18-wheeler collided with that sedan, per CHP.The driver of the Corvette -- a 39-year-old man from Oceanside --then left the car on foot and ran up a nearby hill. Officers were able to locate the Corvette driver and arrested him, CHP confirmed. All evacuation orders lifted for ‘Bunnie Fire’ in Ramona A passenger in the red sedan -- a woman whose identity has not been released -- was pronounced dead at the scene, author...

From eggs to electronics to used cars, consumer inflation eased its grip on US households in July

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:52 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation in the United States edged up in July after 12 straight months of declines. But excluding volatile food and energy costs, so-called core inflation matched the smallest monthly rise in nearly two years, a sign that the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes have continued to slow price increases.The inflation figure the government reported Thursday showed that overall consumer prices increased 3.2% from a year earlier. That was up from a 3% annual rise in June, which was the lowest rate in more than two years. The latest figure remained far below last year’s peak of 9.1%, though still above the Fed’s 2% inflation target.The Fed, economists and investors, though, pay particular attention to core inflation figures for signs of where inflationary pressures might be headed. From June to July, core inflation remained a tame 0.2%, thanks to easing prices for such items as groceries, used vehicles and electronics.“Core prices are moving in the right directio...

Virgin Galactic takes off with its first tourists on flight to the edge of space

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:52 GMT

TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M. (AP) — Virgin Galactic is taking its first space tourists on a long-delayed rocket ship ride, including a former British Olympian who bought his ticket 18 years ago and a mother-daughter duo from the Caribbean.The rocket-powered plane was carried aloft Thursday morning from Spaceport America in the New Mexico desert. The flight plan called for the plane to be released about an hour later and fire its rocket to reach the edge of space.If all goes well, Richard Branson’s company will begin offering monthly trips to customers on its winged space plane, joining Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the space tourism business.Virgin Galactic passenger Jon Goodwin, who was among the first to buy a ticket in 2005, said he had faith that he would someday make the trip. The 80-year-old athlete — he competed in canoeing in the 1972 Olympics — has Parkinson’s disease and wants to be an inspiration to others.“I hope it shows them t...

American man charged with fraud in Durham impersonated retired NFL player, police say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:52 GMT

Police allege an American man defrauded banks in Durham Region while impersonating a retired NFL player. The 34-year-old suspect from Georgia was arrested Wednesday night at Pearson Airport while attempting to fly back to the United States. “Investigators became aware of a male that was attending numerous financial institutions where he would identify himself as a retired NFL player,” police said in a release. “He would open bank accounts with fraudulent cheques and obtain a portion of the money prior to the cheque clearing.”Police say the suspect, Darryl Frank “Buster” Skrine was able to fraudulently obtain over $100,000 in this manner before he was busted. Durham police say they worked in tandem with Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Peel Regional Police, to make the arrest. Skrine is facing four counts of fraud over $5000, seven counts of make false statement of procure money, as well as possess property...

Olivia Chow appoints new city hall chairs and vice-chairs of executive committees

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:52 GMT

Mayor Olivia Chow has appointed members of council as chairs and vice-chairs of multiple committees, effective Aug. 10 for a term of office ending on November 14, 2026.The executive committee consists of the mayor, the deputy mayors, the chairs of all standing committees, the chair of the budget committee and one member-at-large who is a member of council.Chow, as the executive committee chair, named Ausma Malik as her first deputy mayor and also vice-chair. Malik was also named chair of the striking committee with councillor Alejandra Bravo named vice-chair.Electing four deputy mayors total, Jennifer McKelvie will continue with the role of deputy mayor in Scarborough, while Amber Morley will represent Etobicoke as their deputy mayor and Mike Colle will represent North York as deputy mayor.Four standing committees were named: economic and community development, general government, infrastructure and environment, and planning and housing.Three special committees were named, consistin...

Canada joins U.S., Britain in sanctioning Lebanese trio accused of embezzlement

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:52 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada is joining peers in leveraging sanctions on a trio of people tied to an alleged embezzlement scandal at Lebanon’s central bank.The sanctions apply to former bank governor Riad Salameh, his brother Raja Salameh and his former assistant Marianne Hoayek.The three stand accused of involvement in allegedly siphoning commissions from the central bank when it bought bonds, without providing any services of value.Prosecutors allege those funds were used to buy luxury properties for the three in multiple European countries.Britain and Washington have also sanctioned Salameh, accusing him of contributing to endemic corruption in Lebanon.The sanctions come as Lebanon is years into an economic crisis, with soaring costs of living and people fleeing for Europe on rickety boats at levels not seen for decades.Last week, Canada joined other Western countries in chastising Lebanese officials for “stalling” on an impartial investigation into the deadly explosion at the Por...

Russia’s military push on the eastern front prompts Ukraine to evacuate thousands of civilians

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:52 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian authorities ordered a mandatory evacuation Thursday of nearly 12,000 civilians from 37 towns and villages in the eastern Kharkiv region, where Russian forces reportedly are making a concerted effort to punch through the front line.The local military administration in Kharkiv’s Kupiansk district said residents must comply with the evacuation order or sign a document saying they would stay at their own risk. Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar had said the previous day that “the intensity of combat and enemy shelling is high” in the area.The city of Kupiansk and the territories around it were under Russian occupation until September 2022, when Ukrainian forces conducted a rapid offensive operation that dislodged the Kremlin’s forces from nearly the entire Kharkiv region.The retaking of those areas strengthened Ukraine’s arguments that its troops could deliver more stinging defeats to Russia with additional armament deliveries, which its ...

Bullets hit Lebanese defense minister’s car as he was on the road near Beirut but no one was hurt

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:52 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Two bullets hit the car of Lebanon’s caretaker defense minister on Thursday as he was driving in a convoy near Beirut, a senior security official said. No one was hurt.In a brief statement, Defense Minister Maurice Sleem confirmed the shooting, which occurred in the Beirut neighborhood of Hazmieh, but did not provide further details. An investigation was underway to find out if the minister was targeted, a senior Lebanese official said, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.In a separate development in the nearby suburb of Ghobeiry, a funeral was held Thursday for a member of the militant Hezbollah group killed the previous day when his truck overturned on a mountain road in the Christian town of Kahaleh. The truck was carrying Hezbollah munitions and after it crashed, clashes erupted at the scene. A second person, a resident of Kahaleh, was also killed in the shootout. The man’s family claimed he was an innocent passer-by but a poster erect...