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Robbins: Classic musical puts rise of hate center stage

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:57:01 GMT

The Berkshire mountains of western Massachusetts are as uplifting a place as there is to find oneself in June, and hardly someplace that summons to mind the bitter battles for America’s soul presently being waged. There’s a kind of moral hand-to-hand combat going on within the country. Which side ultimately prevails – rededication to tolerance and truth-telling, on one hand, or venom and conspiracy theories, on the other – remains very much a jump ball.The Berkshires are known for the explosion of performing arts during the summer months. Among the artistic institutions that attract the highest quality talent is Pittsfield’s Barrington Stage Company, which chose to begin the season by staging a revival of the musical “Cabaret,”’ a deeply sobering portrayal of Germany’s descent into Nazism during the 1930s. It centers on two characters, Clifford Bradshaw, an American who has come to Berlin to write, and Sally Bowles, an English entertainer who headlines a raunchy nightclub. It is pri...

Four kids found hidden in filthy South Boston apartment where a man died: BFD

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:57:01 GMT

Emergency crews found four children living in squalid conditions and being hidden from first responders during a medical response in South Boston in which a person died, according to an incident report.That fire department report, obtained by the Herald and confirmed by police response, states that a BFD crew was sent to Old Colony Avenue Saturday morning for a call that a man had gone into cardiac arrest and required medical attention. That address is the Mary Ellen McCormack Housing complex run by the city.However, according to the incident report, firefighters found more than just a routine medical emergency.“The apartment was in extremely unsanitary conditions. Approximately 6 adults, who appeared to be males, were seen in the apartment,” they wrote, saying they subsequently found “four children in the back bedroom being hidden by an adult male from first responders.”According to the incident report the children ranged from ages 5 to 10.“All of the adult parties were being uncoo...

Mom of children killed in SR-78 crash suspected of DUI

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:57:01 GMT

VISTA, Calif. -- The mother of the two children killed after being struck by a vehicle on eastbound SR-78 Sunday night was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in connection to the crash, the California Highway Patrol said.Sandra Ortiz, 33, was identified as the mother of 10-year-old Alan Gerardo and 16-year-old Amy Monserrat.Around 6:12 p.m., authorities received a call that the boy and girl had been hit on the highway just east of the Mar Vista Drive exit. According to CHP, the children got out of the vehicle after Ortiz, who was driving, pulled her GMC SUV onto the right shoulder of the road.CHP said the children walked into oncoming traffic, where they were struck by a Nissan sedan in the No. 3 lane. The two were later pronounced dead on the scene by authorities. Search continues for missing hiker at Three Sisters Falls Details about what led up to the collision remain under investigation by CHP. Initial reports from the Vista Fire Department, who also responde...

Highest-rated restaurants with outdoor seating in San Diego, according to Yelp

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:57:01 GMT

CanvaHighest-rated restaurants with outdoor seating in San Diego, according to YelpTheres something special about taking in a meal while enjoying the air outside, and it could even contribute to your happiness, particularly if there are plants around. During the pandemic, having outdoor seating was a lifeline for many restaurants, allowing them to operate both takeaway and dine-in services.Many also used the opportunity to show off their personality with decor and furniture that fit their vibe. Are you partial to a luxurious fake garden? Or are you more into lawn chairs and tiki vibes?Globally, many people may have associated the outdoor dining experience with the cafes of European cities or street food stalls in Asia. Travelers and locals alike often spend hours sipping coffee and eating delicious and cheap food. In the U.S., outdoor seating can take the form of small tables, semi-private nooks, or communal-style seating for the masses, like at a beer garden. Key to a good outdoor ...

Suspect in jail after 4 people fatally shot at residence in Idaho, police say

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:57:01 GMT

KELLOGG, Idaho (AP) — A 31-year-old man detained at the scene of a shooting in northern Idaho that left four people dead on Sunday has been booked into jail on probable cause for murder and is a neighbor of the victims, state police said. In a news release late Monday afternoon, Idaho State Police said they were still investigating the shooting deaths in the small city of Kellogg, about 36 miles (58 kilometers) east of Coeur d’Alene, after working through the night.“This is a tragic situation that will affect the Kellogg community. Detectives continue working to establish a timeline and what led to the shooting,” Lieutenant Paul Berger, a detective with the Idaho State Police, said in the news release. “Investigators are releasing that the suspect is the neighbor of the victims,” the news release said. “However, neither the relationships between the parties nor the suspect’s motive will be confirmed by law enforcement until after the initial court appearance when records become avai...

Oil and gas, electricity emissions remain a challenge for Ottawa-Alberta relationship

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:57:01 GMT

OTTAWA — There is no line in the sand between his government and Alberta over energy and climate policies but there is also still a lot of daylight in their respective visions, Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said Monday.Wilkinson was in Calgary with Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc for a face-to-face meeting with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. It was the first Alberta-Ottawa sit down since Smith’s United Conservative Party was re-elected last month. The two governments have had a rocky relationship amid concerns in Alberta about Ottawa’s climate-change policies and plans for a transition to a net-zero emissions economy. Before the meeting Smith said Ottawa’s plan for an emissions-free electricity grid by 2035 and a cap on oil and gas sector emissions that could be announced before the end of June aren’t realistic for her province without a massive cost to the economy and jobs. She said she was drawing a line in the sand that ...

Mexican government orders state-funded academics not to post ‘damaging’ criticism of bosses

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:57:01 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Mexican government defended Monday an order issued to academics at a state-funded research institute not to post criticism that could “damage the dignity” of their bosses on social media, or share them in emails. The order made public over the weekend was directed to researchers and employees of the Center for Economic Research and Teaching, known by its initials as the CIDE. The independent, state-funded center has been a focal point of resistance to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s drive to make academic institutions more nationalistic, state-oriented and pro-government. Critics said the new rules amounted to little more than a gag order, telling anyone connected with the center “they should not send any messages or comments by electronic means such as social media, email or messaging apps that could damage the dignity or integrity of public officials.”The government’s federal employee regulatory agency said Monday “these orders do not seek to l...

RCMP refutes media reports that it is investigating Trudeau over SNC-Lavalin

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:57:01 GMT

The RCMP is refuting multiple reports that it’s investigating Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over allegations of political interference in the SNC-Lavalin trial.In a statement released on Monday night, the RCMP wrote:“The RCMP is not investigating allegations of political interference in the exercise of prosecutorial discretion to secure a remediation agreement for SNC-Lavalin.”In response to numerous media reports, the RCMP can confirm it is not investigating allegations of political interference in the trial of SNC Lavalin.— RCMP (@rcmpgrcpolice) June 19, 2023“The RCMP’s Sensitive and International Investigations unit conducted as assessment pertaining to these allegations. As part of that review the RCMP spoke with and collected information from a variety of sources, and examined the matter in the most thorough, objective and professional manner.“After a comprehensive and impartial assessment of all available information, the RCMP determined tha...

Injured employees had complained of long commutes prior to bus crash: union

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:57:01 GMT

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — The union representing housekeepers at a pipeline camp who were involved in a bus crash near Prince George, B.C., on Friday says they’re awaiting a grievance decision over complaints about the long ride to get to the work site.Unite Here Local 40 spokesperson Michelle Travis says Horizon North, which runs the lodge as part of the Coastal GasLink pipeline project, decided in March to move the housekeepers from on-site to Prince George to make room for pipeline workers.That meant a four-hour round-trip ride to and from work each day, which the union argues goes against their current collective agreement. Thirty people were on board the bus that ran off a forestry service road and flipped on Friday, and Travis says the 18 people hurt are recovering from injuries, including concussions and broken bones.The union is calling on the company to go back to providing accommodations for its workers on-siteHorizon North did not immediately respond to a request for co...

Community comes together to support children of man killed in Willowbrook Juneteenth mass shooting

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:57:01 GMT

WILLOWBROOK, Ill. — As police search for suspects and motive in the Willowbrook Juneteenth mass shooting, the focus shifts from the crime, to those most affected by it — the victims.At the center of it all is Reginald 'Reggie' Meadows, the man identified by the DuPage County Coroner's Office as the victim who was fatally shot in the abdomen early Sunday morning.According to a GoFundMe page set up to help the Meadows family cover his funeral costs, the page also aims to help provide a financial safety net for his two children — RJ and Gabby — who are now tasked with navigating life without their father."They're absolutely devastated," said Robert Fakhouri, an attorney representing the family. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Fatality ID’d in shooting at Juneteenth celebration in Willowbrook that left 22 others injured Fakhouri said he is looking into past reports of trouble at the same location over previous Juneteenth celebrations."This was the third time that this Juneteenth celebration was oc...