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Column: Craig Counsell’s strong first impression shows why the Chicago Cubs made the right call

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

If there were any questions as to whether the Chicago Cubs got it right, they were answered Monday morning at Craig Counsell’s introduction as the 56th manager in franchise history.Counsell admitted that he was a little “scared” and “uncomfortable” sitting at the table in his new job, that he wasn’t totally up to snuff on the Cubs roster and that he underestimated the angry reaction of Wisconsinites to his defection to the Milwaukee Brewers’ archrival.Counsell said he would take things slowly at first after the whirlwind courtship that led him to becoming the highest-paid manager in baseball history, but he was clearly excited about the challenge of living up to the expectations that go hand-in-hand with the record payday.“My hope is that the pressure to win in Chicago is just the pressure to win in Chicago,” he said. “I don’t need any more than that. That’s what it is. That’s what it should be. We should ...

Chicago Bears want to see Justin Fields do full-team work in practice before deciding on status vs. Detroit Lions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus said Justin Fields’ throws “look good” as the quarterback works his way back from a dislocated right thumb.But whether Fields is healthy enough and ready to return Sunday against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field is something the Bears must monitor in practice this week.The Bears returned to Halas Hall from their mini-bye Monday for a short practice that included individual work in helmets, a special teams period and an offensive and defensive walk-through. Fields participated in the practice.But Eberflus said the Bears want to see how Fields looks in full-team work before determining whether he can play for the first time since Oct. 15. The Bears will hold a full practice Wednesday.“Once we see him in the game of football in terms of going against the scout team and taking snaps and playing full speed, then we’ll make a determination,” Eberflus told reporters after practice. “But it’s not there today.&#...

Lawmakers to weigh $250M shelter aid 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

With two days left before lawmakers depart for a seven-week break and shelter-seeking families now being placed on a waitlist, House and Senate Democrats disagree on how prescriptive their crisis response should be.Senate Democrats indicated Monday they favor putting another $250 million toward soaring shelter costs, the same amount that featured in a spending bill the House approved last week, but the plan they rolled out Monday instead gives the Healey administration more leeway to continue dictating the state’s approach.The Senate’s supplemental budget requires some of the quarter-billion dollars for shelters to be spent, without specifying any minimum amounts, on wraparound supports for affected families and reimbursements to school districts that have enrolled children who recently arrived in Massachusetts. It also allows — but does not order — the administration to put funding toward temporary shelter sites.That’s a contrast from the House bill, w...

Gov. Healey taps new boss for MassDOT, MBTA

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

It’s official: Gov. Maura Healey has appointed Monica Tibbits-Nutt as secretary of transportation, removing the acting title from a position she’s held for two months.Healey made the announcement Monday, saying that Tibbits-Nutt is a “proven leader who has done important work at MassDOT over the past year” as her administration has worked to make the state’s public transportation system “more reliable, safe and accessible.”Related ArticlesPolitics | MBTA slow zone repair plan will require sporadic closures through 2024 Politics | Eng lays out plan to eliminate MBTA slow zones by end of 2024 Politics | MBTA being run by ‘adults’ at long last, advisory board head says Politics | Battenfeld: Maura Healey dodges blame for repeated MBTA failures Politics | MBTA boss cites new ‘spirit of partnership” with Chinese train maker The governor initially appointed Tibbits-Nutt as undersecretar...

Paul Pelosi testifies in trial against man accused of attacking him with a hammer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ (Associated Press)SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Paul Pelosi recounted publicly for the first time Monday what happened the night he was attacked by a man in the San Francisco home he shares with former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, recalling how shocking it was to see a man standing at his bedroom door, then how the man whacked him in the head with a hammer.“It was tremendous shock to recognize that somebody had broken into the house and looking at him and looking at the hammer and the ties, I recognized that I was in serious danger, so I tried to stay as calm as possible,” Pelosi told jurors as he testified in the trial of David DePape.Prosecutors say DePape bludgeoned Paul Pelosi in the early hours of Oct. 28, 2022, just days before that year’s midterm elections, and that he had zip ties with him. DePape has pleaded not guilty to attempted kidnapping of a federal official and assault on the immediate family member of a federal official with i...

Arson likely caused fire that damaged vital artery of Los Angeles freeway, governor says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Arson likely caused a massive weekend fire that has indefinitely closed a vital section of a freeway in Los Angeles, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday. The columns of Interstate 10 were charred and chipped, guardrails along the deck were left twisted and blackened, and crews shored up the most damaged section for the safety of workers clearing the debris. It’s still unclear what structural damage, if any, the blaze caused to the freeway. Newsom did not say whether there were any suspects or persons of interest.Engineers were assessing the situation Monday. The freeway is used by 300,000 vehicles daily and the closure is expected to be felt well beyond the city, including possibly slowing the transport of goods from the twin ports of LA and Long Beach, federal officials have said. The ports are among the nation’s largest and handle more than half the goods coming into the U.S. President Joe Biden had been briefed on the fire that erupted Saturday.Los Angeles...

Jill Biden hosts tea for female faith leaders and others, including South Carolina prayer partner

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jill Biden hosted a White House listening session on Monday with about 60 female faith leaders, community leaders and others, including the South Carolina pastor’s wife whom she credits with helping restore her faith in God after the Bidens’ son Beau died of cancer in 2015. The first lady said she sought Robin Jackson’s help assembling the group “so that I could learn what’s on your minds, and what’s on your hearts.”Jackson’s husband is pastor of Brookland Baptist Church in West Columbia, where the women met when Joe Biden visited in 2019 as he campaigned for the Democratic presidential nomination. South Carolina is the state that helped set Joe Biden on the path to becoming the nominee in 2020, a feat he hopes to replicate next year as a candidate for reelection. Jill Biden discussed her faith journey during a visit to the church in 2021.But in the Blue Room of the White House on Monday, after the women were treated to a T...

South Dakota hotel owner sued for race discrimination to apologize and step down

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

A South Dakota woman who said she would ban Native Americans from her hotel cannot manage the establishment for four years and must publicly apologize under agreement with the U.S. Justice Department. The federal agency announced the apology last week as part of a consent decree with owners of Rapid City’s Grand Gateway Hotel.Hotel co-owner Connie Uhre in March 2022 posted on social media that she would no longer allow American Indians on the property because of a fatal shooting at the hotel involving two teenagers who police said were Native American.“We will no long(er) allow any Native American(s) on (our) property,” Uhre wrote in a Facebook post, while offering a “very special” hotel rate to travelers and ranchers. Members of the Indigenous-led activist group NDN Collective were denied hotel rooms shortly after Uhre’s posts.After months of boycotts and protests against the hotel and its owners, the Justice Department stepped in and sued, alleging racial discrimination agai...

Legal action is sought against Arizona breeding company after 260 small animals were fed to reptiles

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Two humane societies are considering legal action against an Arizona breeding company after as many as 260 small animals that were supposed to be placed for adoption were instead frozen and fed to reptiles at a metro Phoenix farm.“I’m heartbroken for our organization whose mission it is to protect and save animals,” Humane Society of Southern Arizona board chair Robert Garcia said at a news conference last week.Garcia, who is a Tucson attorney, didn’t immediately return a phone call Monday seeking an update on the situation.But on the society’s website, Garcia said the breeder clearly intended “to use these animals as feed instead of finding them adoptive homes.”Garcia said he wants to “ensure this tragedy never happens again and that those who are responsible are held accountable.”Authorities said that due to overcrowding, the San Diego Humane Society asked the southern Arizona nonprofit chapter in July for help with finding homes for a large group of “pocket p...

Northwest Territories to hold election today delayed by wildfire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

YELLOWKNIFE — Residents of the Northwest Territories are heading to the polls today, more than a month after the election was originally set to be held.The election had been scheduled for Oct. 3, but was delayed because of a wildfire season that saw about 70 per cent of the territory’s population under evacuation order.Legislature members voted unanimously to delay the election during a late August session held in the town of Inuvik, with the capital Yellowknife and its roughly 20,000 residents still under an evacuation order at the time.Premier Caroline Cochrane announced in September that she wasn’t running for re-election.Sixteen seats are being contested, while three candidates have been acclaimed.After the vote, the 19 legislature members will elect a premier, six other cabinet members and Speaker from their own ranks.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2023.The Canadian Press