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National Police Dog Association to honor memory of fallen Mass. state police K9, Frankie

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:16 GMT

The National Police Dog Association will be honoring the memory of fallen State Police K9 Frankie, who was fatally shot last summer during an armed standoff in Fitchburg.Frankie was a highly decorated member of the police force, receiving the Medal of Valor in 2017, among other accolades.A wreath-laying at the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C. on Thursday will honor Frankie and all the other police dogs who were killed in the line of duty.

Animal Rescue League of Boston takes in dozens of cats from ‘overcrowding’ situation

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:16 GMT

The Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) recently took in more than 60 cats from caretakers in Norfolk County who urgently needed to downsize the number of animals in their care. This marks the fourth large-scale intake of cats from overcrowding situations in 2023 and ARL has cared for nearly 200 overcrowding cats so far this year.The cats in the home were not spayed or neutered, and because cats can start breeding as young as four months of age and can have about three litters a year, a few cats turned into many in a very short period of time.The majority of the cats from this situation are social and friendly, and have received thorough veterinary exams, vaccinations, microchip and spay/neuter surgeries. A large number have been adopted already, but some remain in the care of ARL and are available at both ARL’s Boston and Dedham Animal Care and Adoption Centers.ARL has cared for nearly 200 cats from overcrowding so far in 2023, and the organization regularly receives requests for ...

Colleagues to honor memory of fallen trooper with ‘Burpees for Bucci’ along East Coast

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:16 GMT

State troopers who graduated with fallen Massachusetts State Police Trooper Tamar Bucci will be honoring her memory by embracing her love of fitness and doing ‘Burpees for Bucci’ along the East Coast.Bucci, 34, died in a traffic crash in Stoneham last year.when a tanker truck struck her cruiser as she pulled over to help a motorist in a disabled vehicle on Interstate 93 north. Now, classmates of her graduating state trooper class will be gathering at Gillette Stadium on Thursday to kick off ‘Burpees for Bucci,’ a multi-state journey to complete service projects on their way to Washington, D.C. They’ll be doing burpees in each state they pass through.Bucci is the 22nd trooper in the department’s history to die in the line of duty. She became a trooper during a graduation ceremony at Gillette Stadium in May 2020.She was also a graduate of Andover High School and Middlesex Community College. Before becoming a trooper, she worked security at ...

Battenfeld: Immigration disaster could spell doom for Biden re-election

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:16 GMT

An escalating immigration disaster is threatening to derail President Biden’s re-election bid and hand the White House back to Donald Trump next year.Related ArticlesOpinion Columnists | Thousands of illegal immigrants flood the border as Title 42 nears end With thousands of migrants pouring across the southern border every day, it’s about to get even worse as a pandemic-era rule allowing authorities to expel illegal migrants expires this Thursday at 11:59 p.m.Massachusetts and other states across the country are bracing for the storm to arrive on their streets and in their shelters, while Biden appears oblivious to the political peril.This is why Trump’s critics can find him liable for defamation but the court of public opinion will hold Biden liable for the pending immigration collapse.There is no system in place to assist these migrants, most of whom are without money, food or shelter. Even liberal states like Massachusetts cannot handle them. State agencies and n...

Polaris General XP is grand

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:16 GMT

As Polaris continues to be a leader in off-road utility, their fleet in 2023 looks stout with an array of off-road options. In Grasso’s Garage this week, it’s the 2-seater General XP 1000 Trailhead Edition. Wrapped in Blue and Orange exterior, the General, known for its off-road capability and extreme fun boats and array of new and exciting features. A 4,500 pound HD winch with a synthetic rope and sport bumper, RIDE Command GPS navigation, and Rockford Fosgate Stage 3 audio. Also, the LED 11” Pro Armor light bar was super useful for night trail riding.Our 2023 General XP 1000 Trailhead tester is not only grand, but its stature is really accommodating. Easy to get in and out, plenty of headroom for all types of users, comfortable seats, positioned right console and instrument cluster and easy to use center infotainment similar to our recently tested on-road Slingshot.As off-road and usage are at the top of Polaris’ mind for consumers, their brand has really had some great addi...

Israel kills another militant commander in Gaza as Cairo presses on with efforts to mediate truce

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:16 GMT

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip killed a fourth militant commander on Thursday, raising the Palestinian death toll from the latest burst of fighting to 25. Rocket fire toward southern Israel continued even as Egypt pressed on with attempts to broker a cease-fire. It has been the worst bout of fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza in months, and among the dead were also women and children. The conflagration comes at a time of soaring tensions and spiking violence over the past year in the occupied West Bank. Early on Thursday, the Israeli military carried out strikes against the Islamic Jihad militant group and said a senior commander in charge of the group’s rocket launching force, Ali Ghali, was killed when his apartment was hit. The Health Ministry in Gaza said 25 people have been killed since the fighting erupted.Military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told Israeli Army Radio that two other militants were also killed in the...

Serbians hand over thousands of weapons after mass shootings

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:16 GMT

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbian citizens have handed over nearly 6,000 unregistered weapons in the first three days of a month-long amnesty period that is part of an anti-gun crackdown following two mass shootings last week, police said Thursday.Police also have received nearly 300,000 rounds of ammunition and about 470 explosive devices during the same period, the Serbian Interior Ministry said on Instagram.The effort to rid Serbia of excessive guns was launched after 17 people were killed in two mass shootings last week and 21 were wounded, many of them children. One of the shootings took place in a school for the first time ever in Serbia.Authorities have told citizens to give up unregistered weapons by June 8 or face prison sentences. Other anti-gun measures include a ban on new gun licenses, stricter controls on gun owners and shooting ranges, and tougher punishment for the illegal possession of weapons. The school shooter was a 13-year-old boy who used his father’s gun t...

Germany: Several people injured in explosion at residential building

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:16 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Several people were injured in an explosion Thursday at a residential building in the western town of Ratingen, German police said.A spokesperson for police in nearby Mettmann said that officers are among those injured, but was unable to immediately provide further details.The spokesperson, Julia Lappert, told The Associated Press that a large police presence was at the scene of the incident, in a multi-occupancy residential building, she said.Ratingen is located on the northeastern outskirts of Duesseldorf.The Associated Press

Chinese vice president visits Netherlands, continuing diplomatic push in Europe

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:16 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — China continues its diplomatic push in Europe on Thursday with a high-level visit to the Netherlands where Vice President Han Zheng will be meeting the king and the prime minister — and facing questions about its relations with Russia and the European Union.The visit comes amid difficult relations between China and the West. The 27-nation EU increasingly sees Beijing as a systemic rival on the global stage instead of an ally and economic partner.Dutch King Willem Alexander received Han early on Thursday before Prime Minister Mark Rutte has political talks with the vice president in the afternoon. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang has also traveled through Western Europe this week, meeting with his German and French counterparts. On Wednesday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that Berlin wants to work in partnership with China “everywhere it’s possible” but that it would be naive to ignore the risk of ending up in a position of reliance, in...

Real-life ‘The Queen’s Gambit’: Custodian leads school chess teams in Maine

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:16 GMT

HAMPDEN, Maine (AP) — David Bishop spends the school day as a mild-mannered custodian, but before the final bell rings, he grabs his chess boards and pieces and begins his second role.“The Queen’s Gambit” is playing out in real life in Maine, where this custodian is coaching his schools’ chess teams to acclaim.Bishop, a part-time chess coach and full-time custodian, led his elementary and middle school teams to state championship titles this year, drawing comparisons to the Netflix series about a chess prodigy inspired by a janitor.Some of his players are good enough to beat their coach, proudly declaring “checkmate!”“Initially, it was humiliating and demoralizing, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that’s a good thing. They’re getting stronger,” the 61-year-old said.Nationwide, chess is riding a new wave of popularity, and it’s not just because of the popular Netflix mini series based on the 1983 book by Walter Tevis.During the pandemic, a growing num...