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Official pumpkin of Boston arrives at Boston Public Market, weighing nearly 1,600 pounds

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:37 GMT

The official pumpkin of Boston is so big that it took more than just wiggling through the door to get it inside Boston Public Market.Al Rose arrived at the market with the bright orange gourd, weighing nearly 1,600 pounds and measuring almost 6 feet wide, around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday after driving from his farm in north central Massachusetts.It took nearly an hour for the pumpkin to get inside, making for great drama.After flagging down a truck driving to a nearby construction site, the worker let Rose and others borrow a saw to shave a few inches off a pallet so the “most orange pumpkin ever” could fit through the market’s doors, “with a quarter inch to spare,” Rose said.The pumpkin is also joined by two others, one a monstrous green squash weighing in at 892 pounds.“They’re in there, and they are huge, but it was a team effort for sure,” said Chelsea Doliner, chief marketing and engagement officer for the Boston Public Market Association.Rose, owner of Red Apple Farm in Phillipston, ...

Tufts Students for Justice in Palestine group is ripped for ‘obscene’ comments about Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Israel

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:37 GMT

Students at another Boston-area university are under fire for their “obscene” comments in support of Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Israel.The Tufts Students for Justice in Palestine group (Tufts SJP) recently posted in favor of the terrorists, who slaughtered Israelis and took hostages over the weekend.“Since Friday, Palestinians have been launching a historic attack on the colonizers,” Tufts SJP wrote in a letter. “Footage of liberation fighters from Gaza paragliding into occupied territory has especially shown the creativity necessary to take back stolen land.”Tufts SJP’s remarks in support of Hamas come after dozens of Harvard student groups blamed Israel for Hamas’ terrorist attacks.In response to Tufts SJP’s letter, a Tufts University spokesperson said in a statement, “Dismissing the loss of Israeli lives in the recent surprise attacks cannot be condoned. We deeply mourn those losses and vehemently disagree with th...

Water rescue: Officers recount kayakers’ close call near Moon Island

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:37 GMT

Two kayakers were rescued Friday night after the wake from a boat threw them into distress in the area of Moon Island and Long Island Bridge, BPD officers recounted Tuesday.“One was still on his kayak, but it was taking on water, was maybe half full with water,” Officer Stefani McGrath said, standing on a gusty BPD dock in Southie late Tuesday afternoon. “And the other kayaker, who had fallen in the water, he was clinging to the stanchion of the bridge and his kayak had capsized.”A Boston Police Harbor Patrol Unit, including McGrath and Officer Jose Aruajo, was escorting a ship out of Boston Harbor came in.The kayakers, a 34-year-old man from Pennsylvania and 22-year-old man from New York, headed out around 4 p.m., police said.Far into the harbor after sunset, the wake of a larger boat crashed into the pair, sending one into the cold depths.By the time the rescuers headed out, officers recounted, the swimmer was cramping in the cold water.“It was kind o...

Orioles on deck: Pitching matchup, lineups and how to watch ALDS Game 3 vs. Rangers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:37 GMT

ORIOLES VS. RANGERSGame 3, American League Division Series (best-of-five; Texas leads, 2-0)Where: Globe Life Field, Arlington, TexasFirst pitch: 8:03 p.m.TV/Radio: FS1/97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AMStarting pitchers: Rangers RHP Nathan Eovaldi (12-5, 3.63 ERA) vs. Orioles RHP Dean Kremer (13-5, 4.12 ERA)ORIOLES LINEUPGunnar Henderson (L) SSAdley Rutschman (S) CAnthony Santander (S) RFRyan Mountcastle (R) 1BRyan O’Hearn (L) DHAustin Hays (R) LFCedric Mullins (L) CFJordan Westburg (R) 3BAdam Frazier (L) 2BRANGERS LINEUPMarcus Semien (R) 2BCorey Seager (L) SSMitch Garver (R) DHAdolis García (R) RFEvan Carter (L) LFJonah Heim (S) CNathaniel Lowe (L) 1BJosh Jung (R) 3BLeody Taveras (S) CFPREGAME READING‘Resilient’ Orioles believe they can rally from ALDS deficit vs. Rangers: ‘I don’t want to go home yet’Orioles’ Dean Kremer to start Game 3 of ALDS with family in Israel ‘in back of my head’The wonder years: An Orioles season ...

New gun bill opposed by Massachusetts Chiefs of Police

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:37 GMT

The state’s police chiefs do not support the Legislature’s efforts to strengthen Massachusetts gun laws — and it’s unanimous.Mark Leahy, former chief of the Northboro Police Department and the executive director of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, said his organization recently met and voted to come out against Bill HD.4607, or An Act modernizing firearm laws.The bill simply won’t reduce crime, Leahy said.“Earlier today our membership met. We ultimately polled our members concerning HD.4607 and the result was an unprecedented unanimous vote to not support this bill,” Leahy told the House Ways and Means Committee Tuesday.Representing all 351 Bay State cities and towns and more than 100 university police departments, the law enforcement organization was joined by dozens of gun rights advocates and constitutionalists in opposing the gun control bill during a hearing held Tuesday.Through most of a full day of testimony, the committee heard from tho...

Feeling squashed

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:37 GMT

The Boston Public Market unveiled its ninth annual “Official Pumpkins of Boston” Tuesday — and a gourd time was had by all.The giant pumpkins on display came from a farm owned by Art Kazenski of Irving. The largest weighed in nearly 1,600 pounds.Boston, MA - October 10: Al Rose directs his son, John, with the forklift as the Boston Public Market unveils its ninth annual “Official Pumpkin of Boston” as it is delivered from Red Apple Farm. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)Boston, MA - October 10: Bill Rise shows off the almost 1600lb pumpkin as the Boston Public Market unveils its ninth annual “Official Pumpkin of Boston” as it is delivered from Red Apple Farm. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)Boston, MA - October 10: Al Rose directs his son, John, with the forklift past diners as the Boston Public Market unveils its ninth annual “Official Pumpkin of Boston” as it is delivered from Red Apple Farm. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)Boston, MA - October 10: Ming Wu takes a selfie with pumpk...

Ex-Girlfriend alleges billions in FTX cash diversions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:37 GMT

NEW YORK — The trial of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried took a star turn when his former fellow top executive, and girlfriend, Caroline Ellison, testified against him, saying he directed her to commit crimes before his cryptocurrency empire collapsed last November.The Stanford-educated Ellison, 28, testifying in Manhattan federal court throughout the afternoon, said she committed fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering along with Bankman-Fried and others.Asked by a prosecutor about Bankman-Fried’s involvement, she said: “He directed me to commit these crimes.”Repeatedly, Ellison made clear that Bankman-Fried was behind the biggest financial moves in his companies, to the point that bitcoins he created were sometimes called “Sam’s coins.”She described him as “very ambitious” and envisioning eventually leading huge companies and using his money influentially.He even thought there was a 5% chance he’d become president s...

Ticker: Powerball climbs again, to $1.73B; Movie biz about to be Swifted

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:37 GMT

The Powerball jackpot climbed to an estimated $1.73 billion after no one matched the game’s six numbers Monday and won the giant prize.The winning numbers announced were: 16, 34, 46, 55, 67 and the Powerball 14.In Massachusetts, $50,000 prizes were won for matching four balls plus the Powerball in Berkley, Charlestown, Marshfield, Newburyport and Raynham.To win the Powerball jackpot, purchased tickets have to match the five white numbers and the red Powerball number. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, according to Powerball.The $1.73 billion prize is for a sole winner who is paid through an annuity, with annual checks over 30 years. Most jackpot winners opt for cash, which for the next drawing Wednesday night would be an estimated $756.6 million.Movie biz about to be SwiftedMovie theaters are readying for an onslaught like they’ve never seen before, beginning Friday when “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” debuts. The concert film, compiled fro...

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle say social media is harming kids and teens mental health

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:37 GMT

By HALELUYA HADERO (AP Business Writer)NEW YORK (AP) — Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on Tuesday called for social media platforms to adopt better content-moderation policies and other fixes, saying modifications need to be made to addictive apps that can harm young people’s mental health. The couple spoke at a panel discussion coordinated by their Archewell Foundation in New York City as part of a second annual mental health awareness festival hosted by a nonprofit called Project Healthy Minds.Harry and Meghan’s comments came after hearing from panels featuring a handful of parents who lost children due to mental health challenges tied to social media use. The parents spoke about their loss and how a community that the foundation has created to talk about these issues is helping them find support.Harry said the foundation has been bringing parents together through Zoom during the past year because many of them didn’t have the opportunity to connect with o...

Will the 'ring of fire' solar eclipse Saturday be visible in San Diego?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:37 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A highly-anticipated solar eclipse will be visible from numerous U.S. states on Saturday, creating a "ring of fire" as the moon passes in front of the sun.Called an annular eclipse, the spectacle is different than other types of eclipses, as the moon will be at its farthest distance from earth on its ellipse-shaped orbit when it moves to block the light from the sun. When it is at this distance, known as the apogee, the moon's positioning blocks less of the sun, causing a bright ring effect around its shape."When an object is closer, it occupies a greater angle in the sky than when it's further away," explained Douglas Leonard, associate professor of astronomy at San Diego State University. "What you'll get is the moon blocking the sun, but there will be a ray of the solar disk around the moon that's still visible. It's called the 'Ring of Fire.'" Fall foliage is soon to arrive in San Diego County: When and where to see it However, the ring will only be visible in the...