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Healey declines to release emails between top staffers in run up to emergency declaration

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

Gov. Maura Healey’s office largely declined to release top staffers’ emails associated with a state of emergency declaration earlier this month, keeping secret the conversations they had in the runup to the major decision.Healey declared a state of emergency on Aug. 8 in response to emergency shelters filling up with constantly arriving migrants from other countries and as surging housing costs hurt residents already in Massachusetts.Housing and migrant advocacy groups applauded the move as a way to free up resources and easily clear bureaucratic hurdles to respond to what they have described as a humanitarian crisis.But the online discussions decision-makers in state government had in the months prior have been withheld from public view. The governor is not subject to the public records law in Massachusetts but has, in some cases, released records to the public and media.The Herald requested emails sent or received between May 1 and Aug. 8 by Healey, Chief of Staff Kate...

Lucas: Is Ed Markey’s ‘fat cat’ private jet surtax bill aimed at John Kerry?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

Surely Sen. Ed Markey did not have Climate Czar John Kerry in mind when he filed his bill taxing “fat cats” flying around the world in carbon-polluting private jets.Markey said that one percent of the world’s population is responsible for half of all aviation emissions.“The one percent can’t free ride on our environment and our infrastructure at a discount,” Markey said.Markey last week sent out an email seeking signature support for his bill.It can’t be true about Kerry, though. Markey owes his Senate seat to fellow Democrat Kerry. So, it is unlikely that he would turn on him.But hardly had Kerry finished taking a beating before a Republican-led committee hearing for allegedly flying around the world on private jets, then Markey filed his bill blasting the rich for flying private and polluting the world.Kerry’s explosive hearing before a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on oversight — where Republicans were gunning for him — took place Thursday, July 13. Markey filed ...

Holliston High girls cross country star Carmen Luisi puts injury behind her

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

An untimely stress fracture in her foot put Carmen Luisi on the sidelines for the spring track season, but the Holliston High senior is healthy and fit now.And with a summer of consistent mileage under her belt running the back roads of her rural hometown, she’ll look to become the first female cross country runner to capture her third consecutive All-State title since the great Grace Connolly of Natick.Despite her immense accolades and the historic niche she’s already carved out in Massachusetts, Luisi still believes she has something to prove.“I really want to prove to myself that despite my injuries I really want to run some fast times,” she said. “Hopefully the wins will come with them.”The Massachusetts Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year in 2020-21, Luisi knew the track season was a wash. She realized taking her time getting healthy again was paramount.“I wanted to take the time off and not push anything,” she said. “...

7 San Diego-area companies ranked among 'best employers' in US: Forbes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Do you work at one of the greatest organizations in country? There are seven San Diego-area companies that made Forbes' 2023 list of Best Employers in the U.S.In order to determine which work places are at the top, Forbes and market research firm Statista surveyed a total of 70,000 full or part-time employees in each of the 50 states as well as the District of Columbia. Each company considered had 500 or more workers.Participants -- all anonymous -- were asked whether they would recommend their employer to friends and family. They were also asked to evaluate their employer based on criteria, including working conditions, diversity, compensation packages, potential for development and company image. Apple backs California’s ‘Right to Repair’ bill in major policy shift The following San Diego-area companies earned a ranking on Forbes' list during this survey:-- DexCom: This healthcare equipment services organization is based in San Diego and has 4,500 employees.-- ...

County officials update residents on water boil advisory

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- During a press briefing Friday, San Diego County officials updated the public regarding an ongoing boil water advisory affecting Coronado's Silver Strand and surrounding areas. The advisory impacts customers of the utility company, California America Water, including portions of Imperial Beach and Chula Vista.The advisory went into effect Thursday after E. coli bacteria was detected in the drinking water system. Since then, residents in affected areas have been urged to either boil their water before using it or use bottled water. These schools are closed due to a boil water advisory San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Nora Vargas says the county has been working closely with the state, the water agency and other local agencies in response to this situation. "I wanted to make sure I emphasize that our county emergency operations have been activated and is setting up coordination events with all the city managers," Vargas stated.She says impacted businesse...

Missouri judge says ban on gender-affirming health care for minors can take effect on Monday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri judge ruled Friday that a ban on gender-affirming health care for minors can take effect on Monday, as scheduled. The ruling by St. Louis Circuit Judge Steven Ohmer means that beginning next week, health care providers are prohibited from providing gender-affirming surgeries to children. Minors who began puberty blockers or hormones before Monday will be allowed to continue on those medications, but other minors won’t have access to those drugs. Some adults will also lose access to gender-affirming care. Medicaid no longer will cover treatments for adults, and the state will not provide those surgeries to prisoners.Physicians who violate the law face having their licenses revoked and being sued by patients. The law makes it easier for former patients to sue, giving them 15 years to go to court and promising at least $500,000 in damages if they succeed.The ACLU of Missouri, Lambda Legal, and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner last month sued to overturn the l...

4 tornados confirmed as Michigan storms down trees and power lines; 5 people killed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

CANTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — At least four tornados touched down in Michigan as part of severe storms powered by strong winds that killed five people, while downing trees, tearing roofs off buildings and leaving hundreds of thousands of customers without power, officials said.The National Weather Service on Friday confirmed that an EF-1 tornado with winds of 90 mph (145 kph) crossed from Ingham County into the western edge of adjacent Livingston County on Thursday night.Two other EF-1 tornados were reported in Wayne County’s Belleville and south of Newport in Monroe County.A weaker EF-0 tornado with peak winds of 80 mph (128 kph) was on the ground for less than two miles in Wayne County’s Canton Township, west of Detroit, the weather service said. That tornado caused a tree to fall into a house, said meteorologist Sara Schultz.The weather service office in Grand Rapids, in western Michigan, said officials would be in the field Friday conducting damage surveys on a suspe...

Woman who tried to take COVID transplant fight to Supreme Court dies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

An Alberta woman who tried to take her fight over COVID vaccine requirements for organ transplants all the way to the Supreme Court has died.The former lawyer for Sheila Annette Lewis confirmed her death Friday.“Ms. Lewis was a real true believer in fighting for personal rights and freedoms,” said Allison Pejovic, who was in touch with her former client’s son. Lewis was diagnosed with a terminal disease in 2018 and was told she would not survive unless she received an organ transplant.She was placed on a transplant wait list in 2020, but was informed a year later she would need to get the COVID-19 vaccine first.Lewis said taking the vaccine would offend her conscience and argued the requirement violated her Charter rights.The case was dismissed by an Alberta court, which said the Charter has no application to clinical treatment decisions. The Supreme Court also turned down her application for a hearing. Pejovic remembered Lewis as someone with strong beliefs. ̶...

S&P/TSX composite up, U.S. stock markets also rise Friday after Powell speech

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

TORONTO — Canada’s main stock index climbed on Friday, buoyed by strength in the energy sector, while U.S. markets also rose following a speech by U.S. Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, who said future decisions on interest rates will be based on what the incoming data says about inflation and the economy.Markets breathed a sigh of relief after Powell spoke at an annual symposium, sending stocks a little higher Friday after a rocky week, said Philip Petursson, chief investment strategist at IG Wealth Management.Investors had been anxiously anticipating the speech at Jackson Hole, as Powell’s hawkish comments last year took them by surprise. This year, however, the chairman didn’t offer anything new, said Petursson.“No news is good news,” Petursson said. “He didn’t try and disappoint or throw water on the market. He just came out and said the exact same thing that he’s been saying for the last six months.”The S&P/TSX composite index was up 59.92 points at 19,835.75.In Ne...

DoorDash to pay $1.6M to its workers for violating Seattle sick time policy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — DoorDash will pay $1.6 million to its workers after a Seattle investigation found the company failed to implement the city’s required sick and safe time policy. The city’s Office of Labor Standards said this week that the San Francisco-based delivery company, which contracts workers to make food deliveries, violated city requirements for the second time, The Seattle Times reported. The city initially passed the requirements for food delivery and transportation app-based companies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Seattle made the first-in-the-nation law permanent in March as part of an effort to strengthen labor rights for “on-demand” gig workers on apps such as DoorDash, Postmates and Instacart. Multiple DoorDash workers told Seattle’s labor office that the company failed to establish a system for workers to request and use paid time, to provide timely compensation to some workers for use of the time, and to provide workers with monthly notice of their balanc...