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Lucas: Healey could tackle immigration invasion by restarting New England Regional Commission

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:59 GMT

Gov. Healey could do herself and Massachusetts a lot of good if she regionalized the state’s serious immigration problem.If she doesn’t soon get a handle on the immigrant invasion of the state, it will bury her administration.It will not be easy, but nothing is when it comes to dealing with the influx of Immigrants from around the world — both legal and illegal.They have flocked to Massachusetts to partake in the state’s generous welfare policies, policies that have overwhelmed the state’s ability to care for them.The policy was written forty years ago to deal with homeless Massachusetts residents but has been liberally interpreted to include homeless immigrants from around the world.It is as though the state hung a “Welcome to Massachusetts” sign around its neck. So they have come, and are still coming. Why not? Everything is free in Massachusetts.Except that the Legislature, temporarily stymied, will appropriate another $250 million to help pay for the housing, feeding...

Judge finds Voting Rights Act violation in North Dakota redistricting for two tribes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:59 GMT

By JACK DURA (Associated Press)BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota’s 2021 legislative redistricting plan violates the rights of two Native American tribes because it dilutes their voting strength, a federal judge ruled Friday.U.S. District Chief Judge Peter Welte said the redrawn legislative districts violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The ruling came months after a trial held in June in Fargo.In his ruling, Welte said the plan approved by the state Legislature to redraw voting districts in accordance with the latest census data “prevents Native American voters from having an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice” – a violation of the landmark civil rights law.Welte gave the Republican-controlled Legislature until Dec. 22 “to adopt a plan to remedy the violation.”The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and the Spirit Lake Tribe alleged the 2021 redistricting map “packs” Turtle Mountain tribal members int...

In death, one cancer patient helps to erase millions in medical debt

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:59 GMT

A New York City woman who died Sunday from cancer has raised enough money to erase millions of dollars in medical debt with a posthumous plea for help.Casey McIntyre told followers in a social media message posted by her husband that she had arranged to buy the medical debt of others as a way of celebrating her life.McIntyre wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that “if you’re reading this I have passed away.”“I loved each and every one of you with my whole heart and I promise you, I knew how deeply I was loved,” the 38-year-old wrote. The posts included a link to a fundraising campaign started through the nonprofit RIP Medical Debt. McIntyre’s husband, Andrew Rose Gregory, posted the messages on Tuesday, and the campaign quickly blew past its $20,000 goal. It had raised about $140,000 by Friday afternoon, or enough to buy around $14 million in medical debt. Gregory said his wife had good health insurance and received great care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Even so, ...

Ohio man facing eviction fatally shoots property manager, 2 others before killing himself

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:59 GMT

MENTOR, Ohio (AP) — A man facing eviction from a mobile home park in Ohio fatally shot the site’s property manager and two other residents before retreating into his home, where he fired shots at police and kept officers at bay before he killed himself, authorities said.Another resident was wounded in the shooting that broke out at the Mentor Green Mobile Estates in Mentor around 4:30 p.m. Thursday.Police responding to a 911 call about shots fired at the park found property manager Laura Colon, 62, dead on a roadway. Terrance Mathis Sr., 63, a resident who had a stomach wound, was found nearby and was carried to safety by officers before he was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.The body of another resident, Thomas Galizia, 81, was later found at the scene while Charles Skala, 63, was found in his home with gunshot wounds to the shoulder and right thigh. He remained hospitalized Friday in stable condition.As the officers attended to the victim...

DA says gun charge dropped against NYC lawmaker seen with pistol at protest because gun did not work

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:59 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Charges have been dropped against a New York City lawmaker accused of bringing a gun to a protest because her gun was inoperable, prosecutors said Friday.City Council member Inna Vernikov, a strongly pro-Israel Republican, was arrested on Oct. 13 for bringing a handgun to a Brooklyn College demonstration supporting Palestinians.Vernikov was seen in photos and videos with the butt of a pistol jutting out from her waistband while counterprotesting at the pro-Palestinian rally, according to the New York Police Department.She was arraigned in Brooklyn criminal court this month on a charge of possessing a gun at a sensitive location.Vernikov had a license to carry a concealed weapon, but under New York law, even licensed gun owners may not bring weapons to certain sensitive locations, including protests and school grounds. But after Vernikov surrendered her gun, the police examined it and found that it was missing the recoil spring assembly, rendering it inoperable, Brook...

US labor board delays new employment rule after business groups sue

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:59 GMT

The federal government is delaying a new rule that could make it easier for millions of workers to unionize after business groups challenged it in court.The National Labor Relations Board said Thursday that the rule — which was scheduled to go into effect in December — will now be effective Feb. 26. The board said the delay will give it time to resolve legal challenges.The rule sets new standards for determining when two companies should be considered “joint employers” in labor negotiations. Under the current NLRB rule, which was passed by a Republican-dominated board in 2020, a company like McDonald’s isn’t considered a joint employer of most of its workers since they are directly employed by franchisees.But the new rule would expand that definition, saying companies may be considered joint employers if they have the ability to control — directly or indirectly — at least one condition of employment. Conditions include wages and benefits, hours and scheduling, the ...

Police evacuate Jewish school in North York after threat was received

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:59 GMT

Toronto police are investigating after a threat was made against a Jewish high school in North York.Investigators say students at Tanenbaum Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto on Wilmington Avenue have been evacuated as a precaution after a threat was received at the school just before 11:30 a.m. Friday.No further details were provided as to the nature of the threat.Police K9 units were on the scene to assist investigators in their search of the school for any threats. This is the same school which was the focus of a hate-crime investigation last month after online threats were received. In that instance, two teens and a man were charged with making threats after a group of Jewish students were threatened outside the school.Police forces across the GTA have increased patrols around Jewish communities as well as cultural centres, synagogues, mosques and other places of worship in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war in the Middle East.

Driver facing charge of impaired driving causing death in Gardiner crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:59 GMT

A driver is facing an upgraded charge following a single-vehicle crash on the Gardiner Expressway last weekend that has now claimed the life of a 22-year-old passenger in the sedan.Just after 3 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11, police were called to the area of the expressway near Jameson Avenue.Police say the 22-year-old driver in Nissan Maxima was travelling west on the Gardiner when he lost control of the vehicle and hit a guard rail.The passenger was transported to hospital with life-threatening injuries and died on Thursday.Three other people in the vehicle were treated for minor injuries.The driver was arrested at the scene of the crash.Police initially charged Stefano Odorico, from Weston, with three impaired driving offences. Investigators say the charges will be upgraded to impaired operation of a conveyance causing death.

Toronto man, woman charged in online child luring investigation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:59 GMT

Toronto police have charged a man and woman for allegedly trying to lure a child over the internet.Police say the two suspects communicated with who they believed was a 14-year-old girl on Thursday, November 16.That communication led to members of the Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Section and officers from 42 division obtaining and executing a search warrant.Maragret Ann Mayhew, 40, of Toronto was later charged with two counts of luring a child under 16 years and one count of invitation to sexual touching.Troy Emmanuel Persaud, 38, of Toronto, faces the same charges at Mayhew as well as the following additional charges:Unlawfully Possess Child PornographyUnlawfully Access Child Pornographythree counts of Store Firearm or Restricted Weapon Contrary to Regulation 7 of the Criminal Codefour counts of Careless Storage of Firearm, Weapon, Prohibited DeviceUnauthorized Possession of a Prohibited or Restricted WeaponPolice are reminding parents to remain vigilant when it comes to their...

EV battery subsidy deals to cost $5.8B more than government projections: PBO report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:59 GMT

OTTAWA — A report from the Parliamentary Budget Officer says the total cost of provincial and federal support for electric vehicle battery manufacturing in Canada will be $5.8 billion more than government projections.The report analyzes the costs to governments of recent deals struck with Northvolt, Volkswagen and Stellantis-LGES to locate EV battery manufacturing facilities in Canada.It pegs the total cost of government support at $43.6 billion between 2022 and 2033, which is $5.8 billion higher than the $37.7 billion in costs announced by Ottawa and the provinces.The report says the extra $5.8 billion represents foregone corporate income tax revenues for the federal, Ontario and Quebec governments.Of the total $43.6 billion in costs, 62 per cent will be borne by the federal government and 38 per cent will fall on the governments of Ontario and Quebec.The report also estimates a break-even timeline for governments of 11 years for the Northvolt production subsidy, 15 years for the V...