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A Massachusetts church was set on fire after a Pride worship service. State fire officials are investigating

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:15:40 GMT

A Somerville church’s sanctuary was set on fire after a Pride worship service over the weekend, as state and local fire officials investigate the blaze.First Church Somerville reported that the fire was set in its sanctuary, while the congregation was downstairs directly below the sanctuary working on a service project. The fire happened right after the church’s Pride worship service on Sunday.A member of the congregation extinguished the fire, and no one was physically injured. There is some damage to the sanctuary.“The incident is currently being investigated by the local and state authorities,” the church wrote. “We do not yet know whether there is a connection between our Pride service and the fire. We are grateful to the Somerville Fire Department for their ongoing investigation and support.“Regardless of the outcome of the investigation, First Church Somerville will continue to be unapologetically queer, queer affirming, and Christian,”...

Medical suicide legislation gets new life under new governor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:15:40 GMT

Advocates in support of a proposal before the state Legislature which would allow terminally ill patients with less than six months to live access to medically assisted suicide say that sentiments have shifted among voters who rejected a similar idea just over a decade ago.Armed with new polling that shows the vast majority of Bay State voters support a medically assisted suicide proposal, advocates of the End of Life Options Act, or H. 2246 and S.1331, were at the State House Wednesday for a lobbying day, telling any lawmaker that would listen that the time is ripe for the Commonwealth to join other jurisdictions where patients and doctors are provided legal protections for end of life care.“This legislation would allow mentally capable, terminally ill adults to have the option to obtain prescription medication they could decide to take to gently end their suffering if it becomes unbearable,” a spokesperson wrote ahead of the lobbying day. “Nearly three out of four Massachusetts vo...

Mike Preston’s Ravens observations on Ronnie Stanley, Todd Monken, wide receivers and more | COMMENTARY

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:15:40 GMT

Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley said Wednesday he could return to his Pro Bowl form this year because he has finally had a full offseason to work out.Stanley, 29, has missed extensive playing time the past three seasons because of a left ankle injury that has required multiple surgeries. He signed a five-year, $98.75 million extension with the Ravens in October 2020 but suffered a devastating injury two days later.Stanley played the 2021 season opener before it was determined that the ankle was not fully healed and required another surgery. In 2022, he missed the first month of the season and two additional games.This offseason, he didn’t have to concern himself with rehabilitating the ankle, just returning to his usual workouts.“A majority of my time the past couple of years have been spent on rehab,” said Stanley, a 2016 first-round draft pick. “About 80% of that offseason time [had been focused on rehab] and probably 20% on training. So, being able to re...

Mass. election overseer confident in automatic voter registration as driver’s license law takes effect

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:15:40 GMT

The state’s top election official said concerns that a new driver’s license law for people without legal immigration status could interfere with the automatic voter registration system are not justified.People without lawful proof of presence in the United States can apply for a driver’s license in Massachusetts starting July 1 so long as they have two documents verifying their identity and date of birth. The law was billed as a way to increase road safety and make sure all drivers on the road are insured.But Republicans who unsuccessfully tried to block the measure last year said Massachusetts residents without legal status could inadvertently be registered to vote through the state’s automatic voter registration system while applying for a license.Secretary of State William Galvin, who manages elections in Massachusetts, said he does not foresee any issues as people start to seek out licenses next month.“Do I think there’s going to be a problem? No, I don’t,” he told t...

PHOTOS: Elementary school students visit Massachusetts State House for Flag Day with Secretary Galvin

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:15:40 GMT

Secretary of State William Galvin handed out United States flags to students from Southborough’s Margaret Neary Elementary School at a Wednesday morning event inside the State House.Students packed the building’s Great Hall — which features flags from every city and town in Massachusetts — to listen to a short speech from Galvin, who stressed the importance of the U.S. Flag and how it represents the country’s diverse population. The students were also led on a tour of the building by guides from the secretary of state’s office.Secretary of State William Galvin and students from Southborough’s Margaret Neary Elementary School recite the Pledge of Allegiance during a Flag Day event at the State House on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. (Chris Van Buskirk/Boston Herald)Secretary of State William Galvin holds up a United States flag as speaks during a Flag Day event inside the State House on June 14, 2023. (Chris Van Buskirk/Boston Herald)

Former Giants wide receiver Homer Jones dead at 82

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:15:40 GMT

Former Giants wide receiver Homer Jones has died at the age of 82 following a battle with lung cancer, the team announced Wednesday.Jones is credited with the invention of the spike and is known for his speed on the field during his seven-year career.“Homer Jones had a unique combination of speed and power and was a threat to score whenever he touched the ball,” said Giants president John Mara. “He was one of the first players [if not the first] to spike the ball in the end zone after scoring a touchdown and he quickly became a fan favorite. I remember him as an easygoing, friendly individual who was well liked by his teammates and coaches.”The Pittsburg, Texas native spent six seasons with the Giants, from 1964-69, after a brief stint with the Houston Oilers. He surpassed the 1,000-yard mark three times with the Giants from 1966-68 and was selected to two Pro Bowls during that stretch. His 1209 receiving yards and 13 touchdown receptions in the 1967 season l...

Roger Payne, who found out that whales could sing, dies at 88

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:15:40 GMT

By PATRICK WHITTLE (Associated Press)Roger Payne, the scientist who spurred a worldwide environmental conservation movement with his discovery that whales could sing, has died. He was 88.Payne made the discovery in 1967 during a research trip to Bermuda in which a Navy engineer provided him with a recording of curious underwater sounds documented while listening for Russian submarines. Payne identified the haunting tones as songs whales sing to one another.He saw the discovery of whale song as a chance to spur interest in saving the giant animals, who were disappearing from the planet. Payne would produce the album “Songs of the Humpback Whale” in 1970. A surprise hit, the record galvanized a global movement to end the practice of commercial whale hunting and save the whales from extinction.Payne was cognizant from the start that whale song represented a chance to get the public interested in protecting an animal previously considered little more than a resource, curiosi...

No timetable for Liam Hendriks’ return, as Chicago White Sox taking ‘wait and see’ approach with reliever

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:15:40 GMT

Liam Hendriks first felt something not quite right in his right elbow around May 4, the day the Chicago White Sox reliever left to begin his rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte.“It’s been sore for the last few weeks, ever since before my rehab assignment it was barking, but my mantra is to pitch things until I can’t,” Hendriks said Tuesday before the Sox lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 at Dodger Stadium. “It kept getting a little worse and worse and worse until the last couple of outings I wasn’t able to pitch through that pain.“The more I throw, generally the better I feel. And this time, it wasn’t going away. It was lingering.”The Sox placed Hendriks on the 15-day injured list Saturday with right elbow inflammation, the team announced Sunday morning.“Structurally, it’s fine,” Hendriks said. “It’s all good. Or goodish for me. But it’s just a little inflammation that’s sitting on...

Drew Smith’s sticky stuff suspension leaves more questions than answers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:15:40 GMT

The Mets are officially a man down for the next 10 games.Drew Smith was suspended by MLB for violating the foreign substance rules Wednesday afternoon, shortly before the team hosted the Yankees in the second game of the Subway Series. Smith was ejected before the top of the seventh Tuesday night at Citi Field after failing to pass a check by crew chief Bill Miller. He becomes the second pitcher from the club’s Major League roster to receive a suspension for sticky stuff, and the fourth from the organization this season. Max Scherzer was suspended in April, and Triple-A right-handers Dylan Bundy and Eric Orze were also punished this season.Smith insisted it was only sweat and rosin, which is what Scherzer has maintained he used as well. But four pitchers from one club will either lead people to believe that the Mets are cheating or lead people to believe that the league is out to get the Mets.Manager Buck Showalter sees both sides of the argument but didn’t deny that som...

Red Sox notebook: Hitters have been stuck in the clutch too often of late

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:15:40 GMT

Despite some messy innings from Kutter Crawford and Justin Garza at the beginning and end of Tuesday night’s 7-6 loss to the Colorado Rockies, it’s not the Red Sox pitching staff which should be fidgeting on the hot seat amidst the team’s recent struggles.Since May 17, the starting rotation owns the fifth-best ERA (3.60) in the Majors, with two earned runs or fewer in 18 of their last 25 games, and the bullpen owns the ninth-best ERA (3.65) since May 16.This stretch of agonizingly close games is almost entirely due to a subdued lineup (and poor defense). Eleven of their last 17 games were decided by one or two runs. Five of their last eight games were decided by one, including each of their previous three, all of which were extra-inning contests.Over their first 13 games of the month, the Red Sox left 103 men on base. They’re averaging 7.83 stranded runners per game, up from 6.88 in May, and 6.6 in April. Conversely, their average runs scored per game has plu...