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Commission rules in favor of Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara after review of eligibility challenges

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:59 GMT

A commission has ruled in favor of Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara after several residents filed objections over the councilor’s eligibility to represent her district.The Boston Ballot Law Commission held a two-hour hearing to review four objections on Tuesday. Officials listened to testimony before finding that claims of Lara not meeting the city council’s residency requirement did not meet the burden of proof.Boston city councilors are required to live in their district for at least one year prior to their election. One of the individuals who filed an objection claimed the councilor had only lived in her district for five months. “I think that these laws are in place to protect our constituents and this is just a moment where they were exploited for political gain and I’m glad that the ballot commission and the judge both ruled in favor,” Lara later told reporters.The hearing was held two weeks after the councilor was arraigned on charges in connect...

Peabody chiropractor at center of bathroom spy camera investigation pleads not guilty to new charges of secretly recording girl taking a shower

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:59 GMT

A chiropractor in Peabody already accused of filming a patient using his office’s bathroom pleaded not guilty Tuesday to new charges after authorities found he allegedly filmed a minor and possessed child pornography.Scott Kline, 44, of Middleton, was previously charged with taking nude photos of an unsuspecting person in the bathroom of his business, “Back on Track.” He appeared in court late Tuesday morning after officials announced new allegations.The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office said it was July 14 when a patient used the restroom at Back on Track and noticed a black, plastic coat hook hanging on the wall next to the toilet tank that “looked out of place.”“Upon further inspection the patient observed a blue light on the side of the hanger and discovered that it appeared to be a hidden spy camera complete with a lens on the front, USB port, on/off switch and an SD memory card,” the DA’s office stated in a news release. “The victim also documented what he obser...

Boston Ballot Commission dismisses residency challenge against Councilor Kendra Lara

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:59 GMT

The Boston Ballot Commission dismissed a residency challenge against City Councilor Kendra Lara, finding that the four objectors failed to prove that she lives outside of the district she represents.The unanimous ruling from the four commissioners allows Lara to move forward with her candidacy for District 6 councilor.The hearing was held just weeks before the Sept. 12 preliminary election, where Lara will face two challengers at a time when she’s also facing motor vehicle charges related to a June 30 car crash.“I think the ruling is exactly what is to be expected,” Lara told reporters following a Tuesday hearing at Boston Municipal Court, adding that she felt the evidence presented by the objectors lacked substance.“I think these laws are in place to protect our constituents,” she said, “and this is just a moment where they were exploited for political gain. I’m glad that the Ballot Commission and judge both ruled in favor.”Lara’s residency was challenged by four residents — Rashee...

Former New Mission School head charged with embezzling nearly $40K

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:59 GMT

The former head of the New Mission School in Hyde Park allegedly defrauded BPS of tens of thousands of dollars to go on extravagant Barbados vacations with her friends, heads of the DOJ’s District of Massachusetts, FBI and Boston Police alleged Tuesday morning.“We will not allow this type of gross abuse of authority and responsibility fly under the radar,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy in a DOJ release. “Individuals who take advantage of public trust to line their pockets will be investigated and held accountable.”Naia Wilson, 60, of Mattapan, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of wire fraud and pay restitution, the release stated. She will appear in federal court in Boston at a “later date,” according to prosecutors.Wilson, who served as the Head of School at the autonomous pilot school in BPS from 2006 to 2019, over time allegedly engaged in a scheme to defraud the district of approximately $38,806 by misusing school funds for...

Chicago Cubs get a ‘positive reinforcement’ roster boost with addition of third baseman Jeimer Candelario before trade deadline

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:59 GMT

The Chicago Cubs front office believes in this team’s potential.That’s the message they sent to the players and staff with their first move ahead of Tuesday’s 5 p.m. trade deadline, acquiring infielder Jeimer Candelario and a cash consideration from the Washington Nationals. In return, the Cubs sent two prospects, left-handed pitcher DJ Herz and infielder Kevin Made, to Washington in the deal before Monday’s 6-5 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.The Cubs have two months to make the most of Candelario’s return to Chicago, where he spent the first two seasons of his big-league career. He reunites with his fellow World Series championship teammates Kyle Hendricks and now manager David Ross. Ian Happ played with Candelario at Triple-A Iowa in 2017, and their call-ups to the Cubs that season were within four days of each other.“I’m excited to have him back and a part of this group and hit right in the middle of our lineup, it’ll be great,” ...

Column: Chicago Cubs are ready to make their move with Cody Bellinger on the roster and Jeimer Candelario en route

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:59 GMT

Cody Bellinger spent much of July answering questions about whether or not he would be traded.But as the Chicago Cubs got on a hot streak and Bellinger continued putting up numbers that make him a good bet to win National League Player of the Month, it became obvious that President Jed Hoyer couldn’t deal the would-be free agent and still be able to show his face at Wrigley Field.As the Cubs prepared to play the first-place Cincinnati Reds on Monday, the eve of the Aug. 1 trade deadline, manager David Ross confirmed what everyone expected — that Bellinger was sticking around for the rest of the season.A little while later, before the Cubs’ 6-5 loss to the Reds, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported the Cubs had acquired third baseman Jeimer Candelario from the Washington Nationals. The Cubs were taking batting practice at the time, but afterward could go check out the news on MLB Trade Rumors, the popular online clearinghouse for baseball rumors. The Cubs con...

Leprosy warning issued by CDC for people traveling in Florida

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:59 GMT

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning that cases of leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, are surging in Florida and should be considered when making travel plans.The infectious disease primarily affects the skin and nervous system and can be easy to treat if caught early.Leprosy has been historically uncommon in the United States, but has more than doubled in the South over the last 10 years. In a case report issued Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that Central Florida has accounted for 81% of reported cases in the state and almost one-fifth of reported cases nationwide.Of the 159 new leprosy cases reported in the United States in 2020, Florida was among the top reporting states with nearly 30 cases. The Florida Department of Health reported 19 cases from July 2022 to July 2023, with one South Florida case in Palm Beach County.The CDC said if untreated, the disease can progress to paralysis, blindness, the loss of one’s eyebrow...

Hyde Park hit-and-run case: Mattapan man pleads not guilty to killing 4-year-old boy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:59 GMT

The Mattapan man charged with striking and killing a Hyde Park 4-year-old boy and then fleeing the scene pleaded not guilty today and was ordered held pending $15,000 bail.Olguens Joseph, 30, of Mattapan, is charged with motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation, leaving the scene of personal injury or death and operating an unregistered vehicle. He appeared in municipal court in West Roxbury Tuesday morning at around 11 a.m. where a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf.Many members of the family of victim 4-year-old Ivan Pierre lined the benches in the courtroom.The proceedings were punctuated by Haitian Creole interpretation relayed over conference call as Joseph stood cuffed in the dock. He wore a maroon collared shirt under another long-sleeved shirt featuring drawings of teddy bears with Xs for eyes.The prosecution asked for a bail of $15,000 and that if released he not be able to drive and to have no contact with his alleged victim’s family. The prosecutor added that ...

Ford restarts electric pickup truck factory after retooling to increase output, says orders are up

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:59 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Ford is resuming production of the F-150 Lightning electric pickup after closing a factory in Dearborn, Michigan, for six weeks to triple production capacity. The move comes just two weeks after the company cut prices on all versions of the trucks, some by as much as $10,000, fueling speculation that demand had fallen. But company officials said Tuesday that they’re getting six times the orders now than before the price cuts, and Ford has an order bank big enough to take up 45 days of production at the reworked Rouge Electric Vehicle Center. The company wouldn’t give an exact number of orders. Lightning sales in the second quarter of the year were more than double the same period in 2022, but there were up only 4% from the first quarter.Ford says that’s because they stopped production at the Rouge Electric Vehicle center in June to add equipment and expand the plant so it can make more vehicles. The plant, which now employs about 2,000 workers,...

Three county parks close for month of August

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:59 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- During the peak of the summer heat, the county is taking precautions and closing three of San Diego’s most strenuous trails for the month of August.“People can get into big trouble because you just can’t quite carry enough water. Your body just uses it so fast,” Ranger Kyle Icke said.The closures include Hellhole Canyon Preserve in Valley Center, El Capitan in Lakeside and Mt. Gower in Ramona.During the summer, park rangers always urge hikers to stay hydrated and hike early morning or in the evening.“We go when the sun’s coming down. We check the weather daily since we live in Ramona, I mean, I check the weather hourly,” Michelle Tondreau West said. How to visit Cabrillo National Monument for free this week While you will see gates shut and closure signs at the three locations noted as the most dangerous in the month of August, the county does not issue fines or violations for entering at your own risk.  However, officials say the safety risks can lead to medical...