Hazardous air quality threatens first Red Sox-Yankees series

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:11:17 GMT

Hazardous air quality threatens first Red Sox-Yankees series The first Red Sox-Yankees meeting of the season is scheduled to take place in the Bronx this weekend, but the ongoing air pollution from more than 400 wildfires in Canada could impact the series.Toxic smoke particles have traveled down to the Midwest and East coast, turning New York skies an eerie yellow-orange color and making the air unsafe. According to the Centers For Disease Control, wildfire smoke can cause short-term respiratory problems, worsen chronic ailments, and irritate eyes.As concerning photos of the conditions at Yankee Stadium circulated online Wednesday afternoon, Collin Grosse of News12 New Jersey reported that the AQI had risen to 342 (the ideal number is as close to zero as possible), which not only puts New York City in the “Hazardous” category, but also makes it currently the worst air quality of any major city on earth.Less than two hours later, the Yankees announced the postponement of their Wednesday night game against the Chicago White Sox. They’ll now att...

Boston City Council kills plan to cut $42M from police budget

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:11:17 GMT

Boston City Council kills plan to cut $42M from police budget A City Council plan to slash $42 million from the police department budget was killed, for now.An 8-4 Council vote to send Boston’s $4.2 billion operating budget back to the mayor, with roughly $74 million in amendments, was later overturned Wednesday when two city councilors reversed course at the last minute — preventing the required majority needed to pass the spending plan.The flip-flop puts the City Council on a tight deadline. The body has until next Wednesday to submit a new operating budget to Mayor Michelle Wu, who will then choose which amendments to approve or veto.“This budget, if passed and went over there, no mayor in their right mind is going to cut the police department $42 million,” said City Councilor Michael Flaherty. “We know that right now. So let’s make these changes in the working sessions. Let’s be realistic. Let’s be fair. Let’s pull it together.”Prior to the initial vote, Flaherty spoke vehemently against the proposed police cuts, which included a $10...

Scott Longo tosses gem for top-seeded Milton against Norwood

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:11:17 GMT

Scott Longo tosses gem for top-seeded Milton against Norwood MILTON — When Scott Longo first got word that he was getting the start Wednesday, he knew the pressure would be at its highest. To be frank, he essentially was going to have to turn in one of the best performances of his young career to keep his team’s historic season alive.Mission accomplished. The sophomore fired six innings of shutout ball, surrendering just one hit while striking out nine as top-seeded Milton continued its intense pursuit of a Div. 2 baseball championship with a 9-3 victory over No. 17 Norwood.“Fastball was working really good today,” said Longo. “I was painting it good on the outside corner. Slider had good movement, and I was able to get a couple of rollers with that along with the changeup. Changeup headed outside a lot, and it just got rollovers with the contact I was looking for, and the defense always makes the plays behind my back.”In the evening leading up to this Round of 16 tilt, Milton coach Brendan Morrissey had his group prepare by facing higher vel...

Solid defense sparks Franklin past Concord-Carlisle, 7-3

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:11:17 GMT

Solid defense sparks Franklin past Concord-Carlisle, 7-3 FRANKLIN — A quick start and solid defensive play helped lead No. 7 Franklin to a 7-3 girls lacrosse victory over No. 10 Concord-Carlisle in the second round of the Division 1 MIAA Tournament.The battle was a rematch of the 14-13 overtime victory for the Panthers from May 16 and Panthers coach Kristin Igoe Guarino said her team’s defensive play was the key to this victory.“We were playing as a unit,” Igoe Guarino said. “We were fortunate enough to play them a few weeks ago and we knew some of their tendencies.”The Panthers dominated at the jump, scoring the first five goals of the game. Three of those tallies came from junior Katie Ryan, and she said that the depth of the offensive unit helped her achieve this.“A huge part of the game together was putting the pieces together on offense,” Ryan said. “I think we have a great lineup, and it was making sure everyone gets a touch.”The Patriots called a timeout and then rallied to score three straight to end the half. While this was...

Millbury’s Ron Silvestri joins elusive baseball coaching fraternity with 600th win

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:11:17 GMT

Millbury’s Ron Silvestri joins elusive baseball coaching fraternity with 600th win UXBRIDGE — One of the most elite clubs in Massachusetts high school baseball has a new member.Millbury’s Ron Silvestri became just the 10th coach to win 600 or more games as his Woolies broke a 1-1 tie with No. 6 Uxbridge thanks to a two-run single from Alex Havalotti in the top of the seventh inning and then staved off a bottom of the seventh rally by the Spartans to take a 3-2 win at McCloskey Field.“This has been a long time coming, obviously,” Silvestri said after getting an ice bath from his team. “This is a big accomplishment for all the kids who have played for me. I’m so thankful for all of them. This is all because of them.”Silvestri joins a group which includes North Reading’s Frank Carey (736), Leominster’s Emile Johnson (722), Greenfield’s Tom Suchanek (676, heading into Wednesday’s game), Chicopee Comp’s Dan Dulchinos (639), Cardinal Spellman’s Peter Ambrose (628), BC High’s Norm Walsh (622), Dighton-Rehoboth’s Bill Cuthbe...

Mets Notebook: Buck Showalter sticking with struggling hitters in lineup vs. Braves

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:11:17 GMT

Mets Notebook: Buck Showalter sticking with struggling hitters in lineup vs. Braves ATLANTA — The Mets haven’t turned a blind eye toward the club’s struggles this season.Fans might be screaming into a Twitter void about Daniel Vogelbach being in the lineup over Mark Vientos one night after going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, or complaining about Jeff McNeil hitting second instead of Francisco Lindor after the shortstop hit his 11th home run of the season Tuesday night, but there is a method to the madness.The Mets have to try everything they can to get some of their struggling players going again to snap a four-game losing streak and play the type of baseball they believe they are capable of playing.“Anytime we have a number of guys that haven’t yet performed to their track record, you try to make their path easier to get back to that,” manager Buck Showalter said Wednesday at Truist Park before the Mets took on the Atlanta Braves in the second game of a three-game series. “You’re frustrated for them.”The guys ...

'An insane loss': BMX community reacts to Pat Casey's death

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:11:17 GMT

'An insane loss': BMX community reacts to Pat Casey's death SAN DIEGO -- Pat Casey is being remembered by the BMX community as a talented rider and role model as well as a loving father and husband.The 29-year-old died Tuesday at Slayground Motocross Park in Ramona after he lost control of the motocross bike he was riding and was ejected, the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office said. Casey was performing a jump on the park ramps, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department said.“To have him gone so soon, it’s not real," Gary Young, a professional BMX rider and friend of Casey told FOX 5 on Wednesday. “He’s one of the toughest humans I’ve ever met. He's not somebody that was willing to give up just because it was hard. He’s a fighter in the sense that he’s always pushing himself and the limits of what’s possible on a bike.” Young said he met Casey during a camp when Young was a visiting professional, and Casey was still a teenager, about 16 years ago.  BMX star Pat Casey dies in crash at Ramona motocross track Young is n...

Woman charged in deadly Carlsbad e-bike crash

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:11:17 GMT

Woman charged in deadly Carlsbad e-bike crash CARLSBAD, Calif. -- A driver involved in a Carlsbad crash last year that killed a mother riding an e-bike has been charged with vehicular homicide, police said.Lindsey Turmelle, 42, was the driver of a Toyota 4Runner that collided with the 35-year-old cyclist, Christine Hawk Embree, carrying a then 16-month-old infant who did not get hurt, Lt. Alonso DeVelasco with the Carlsbad Police Department said in a news release Wednesday.Turmelle was charged by the San Diego County District Attorney's Office on May 25, Carlsbad police said. She pleaded not guilty in Vista Superior Court, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.The crash happened on Aug. 7 on Basswood Avenue and Valley Street. When authorities arrived on scene, they found Embree hurt at the intersection, police said. She was taken to the hospital, where she died from her injuries the following day.The infant, named Delilah, was strapped into a bike seat wearing a helmet and was “miraculously” not hurt, Embree's family told FOX 5....

2 Connecticut officers fired over treatment of man paralyzed in police van after 2022 arrest

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:11:17 GMT

2 Connecticut officers fired over treatment of man paralyzed in police van after 2022 arrest The City of New Haven, Connecticut, fired two police officers Wednesday for what authorities called their reckless actions and lack of compassion toward Richard “Randy” Cox, who was injured and became paralyzed in the back of a police van after his arrest last year.City police commissioners voted to dismiss Jocelyn Lavandier and Luis Rivera for violating officer conduct rules on following the law, integrity, trustworthiness, courtesy and respect. The two officers and three others also face criminal charges.Four of the six commissioners voted in favor of the terminations while two abstained, which Commission Chair Evelise Ribeiro said was likely because they didn’t attend hearings on the matter. The body also postponed a vote on whether to fire two other officers involved in Cox’s detention. A message seeking comment was left with a lawyer for Lavandier and Rivera.Cox injured his neck on June 19, 2022, when the police van braked hard to avoid a collision with another vehi...

Richard Snyder, ‘warrior-king’ of publishing who presided over rise of Simon & Schuster, dead at 90

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:11:17 GMT

Richard Snyder, ‘warrior-king’ of publishing who presided over rise of Simon & Schuster, dead at 90 NEW YORK (AP) — Richard Snyder, a visionary and imperious executive at Simon & Schuster who in bold-faced style presided over the publisher’s exponential rise during the second half of the 20th century and helped define an era of consolidation and growing corporate power, has died. He was 90.Snyder died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles, according to his son Matthew Snyder, who said he had been in failing health. “Dick Snyder led Simon & Schuster through some of its most storied and eventful years,” the company said Wednesday in a statement. “He built Simon & Schuster into one of the largest and most influential publishing companies in the world, known for headline-making nonfiction, bestselling fiction and timeless classics.”Snyder was among those who helped transform the industry. When he joined Simon & Schuster as a sales assistant in the early 1960s, publishing houses were mostly privately owned, some still run by their founders. By the time he was forced ...