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  36. <title>Pivetta spoke to union about Automatic Ball-Strike System after rehab game</title>
  37. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/red-sox-nick-pivetta-abs-system-umpires-union/</link>
  39. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Gabrielle Starr]]></dc:creator>
  40. <pubDate>Sat, 04 May 2024 00:24:05 +0000</pubDate>
  41. <category><![CDATA[Boston Red Sox]]></category>
  42. <category><![CDATA[MLB]]></category>
  43. <category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
  44. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4864395</guid>
  45.  
  46. <description><![CDATA[MINNEAPOLIS – Nick Pivetta&#8217;s first rehab start on Thursday will be the only one he needs. He&#8217;d already joined the Red Sox in Minnesota when Alex Cora made the announcement before Friday night&#8217;s series opener against the Twins. &#8220;He&#8217;s good, he threw the ball well,&#8221; Cora said. &#8220;Struggled early with command or the strike zone, [&#8230;]]]></description>
  47. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>MINNEAPOLIS – Nick Pivetta&#8217;s first rehab start on Thursday will be the only one he needs.</p>
  48. <p>He&#8217;d already joined the Red Sox in Minnesota when Alex Cora made the announcement before Friday night&#8217;s series opener against the Twins.</p>
  49. <p>&#8220;He&#8217;s good, he threw the ball well,&#8221; Cora said. &#8220;Struggled early with command or the strike zone, whatever it was&#8230; Very happy with the way he competed. Velo was good, and everything is trending in the right direction so hopefully he feels great tomorrow and there&#8217;s a good chance he&#8217;ll pitch in Atlanta.&#8221;</p>
  50. <p>Following the Triple-A outing, in which the right-hander was charged with four runs and issued four walks, he expressed frustration with the Automatic Ball-Strike System (ABS), which is currently being tested in the minor leagues.</p>
  51. <p>&#8220;I hate it, it&#8217;s terrible,&#8221; he told reporters. &#8220;Hopefully, it never comes to baseball.&#8221;</p>
  52. <p>&#8220;It was very tight,&#8221; Cora said of the automatic zone during Pivetta&#8217;s outing. &#8220;I was watching the game and the first inning, I was like, oh this is gonna be tough for the pitchers.&#8221;</p>
  53. <p>A day later, Pivetta was in a better mood.</p>
  54. <p>&#8220;It went well yesterday, got the work I needed,&#8221; he told the Herald. &#8220;Little bit of a rough first inning, but everything felt good.&#8221;</p>
  55. <p>He&#8217;s still staunchly opposed to the ABS system, though.</p>
  56. <p>&#8220;No, I don&#8217;t like the ABS, the system how it is right now is not right,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It just didn&#8217;t seem like the strike zone that I was used to.&#8221;</p>
  57. <p>Pivetta did, however, concede that his final line wasn&#8217;t all due to the system.</p>
  58. <p>&#8220;Pitches that I usually throw for strikes were not, but I also didn&#8217;t have the best mechanics yesterday, I did walk four guys, so I was scuffling a little,&#8221; he said.</p>
  59. <p>The right-hander also said he spoke to the players&#8217; union on Thursday to discuss the system, and came away feeling somewhat optimistic.</p>
  60. <p>&#8220;They&#8217;re never really gonna listen to us, but I mean, we have a vote now and it kind of works, and it at least gets our voice out there,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I think that&#8217;s enough for right now, and we&#8217;ll see what happens down the line. I think it&#8217;s something that hopefully we can negotiate, we can talk, we can get on the same page.&#8221;</p>
  61. <p>Regardless, Pivetta prefers the human aspect of umpiring, with some improvements.</p>
  62. <p>&#8220;I like the game how it is,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I mean, people are imperfect, I&#8217;m imperfect. I had a situation opening weekend in Seattle where an umpire missed a call and he came up to me and he said, &#8216;Hey I missed that,&#8217; and I said &#8216;Hey, I appreciate that.&#8217; &#8221;</p>
  63. <p>&#8220;I think there&#8217;s a good communication there. I&#8217;m gonna miss things, I&#8217;m gonna think things are balls and they&#8217;re actually strikes. It&#8217;s just a more of a natural, human kind of connection. I think it&#8217;s great where they do the video replay and stuff like that, but for the most part, I think I like it the way it is.&#8221;</p>
  64. <p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t mind the challenge system,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I think that&#8217;s something that could bring a positive aspect to the game.&#8221;</p>
  65. <p>Brayan Bello is scheduled to make his own rehab start with Double-A Portland on Tuesday, and Cora believes he&#8217;ll be one-and-done, too.</p>
  66. <p>The two pitchers will rejoin a starting rotation that has more than kept its head above water. The Red Sox entered Friday leading the Majors with a 2.03 rotation ERA and ranked second in WHIP (1.01) and opponent average (.207). It&#8217;s their lowest rotation ERA through 32 games in the Live-Ball Era (since 1920) and according to Elias Sports Bureau, the best mark through that span by any team since the 1972 Los Angeles Dodgers.</p>
  67. ]]></content:encoded>
  71. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4864395</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Pivetta.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="147400" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Boston Red Sox pitcher Nick Pivetta throws to an Oakland A&#039;s batter during the first inning of an April 4 game in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) ]]></media:description></media:content>
  72. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T20:24:05+00:00</dcterms:created>
  73. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T20:36:28+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  74. </item>
  75. <item>
  76. <title>Kerry blasted for secrecy, and receives Presidential Medal of Freedom</title>
  77. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/kerry-blasted-for-secrecy-and-receives-presidential-medal-of-freedom/</link>
  79. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Joe Dwinell]]></dc:creator>
  80. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 23:29:28 +0000</pubDate>
  81. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
  82. <category><![CDATA[Nation]]></category>
  83. <category><![CDATA[National Politics]]></category>
  84. <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  85. <category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
  86. <category><![CDATA[Biden]]></category>
  87. <category><![CDATA[John Kerry]]></category>
  88. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4864087</guid>
  89.  
  90. <description><![CDATA[Former climate envoy John Kerry was among the 19 just bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom, as a watchdog group called him out for his serial secrecy.]]></description>
  91. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Former climate envoy John Kerry was among the 19 just bestowed the <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/biden-awards-the-presidential-medal-of-freedom-to-19-politicians-activists-athletes-and-others/">Presidential Medal of Freedom</a>, as a watchdog group called him out for his serial secrecy.</p>
  92. <p>The pro-energy advocacy group <a href="https://powerthefuture.com/">Power The Future</a> accuses Kerry of &#8220;hiding the truth&#8221; about who worked for him in the Climate office he just left. He&#8217;s now assigned to President Joe Biden&#8217;s re-election campaign.</p>
  93. <p>The group said a Freedom of Information Act request seeking the identities of Kerry&#8217;s Climate staff was rejected, the same <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/04/08/john-kerry-shows-naked-contempt-in-final-refusal-to-share-climate-office-identities/">rejection the Herald recently received</a>.</p>
  94. <p>“John Kerry may be gone, but the practice of hiding the truth remains,&#8221; Daniel Turner, Founder and Executive Director for Power The Future.</p>
  95. <p>&#8220;It’s clear the Biden Administration doesn’t want anyone to know who is wielding the real power in his administration so the only remaining question is why. It makes us wonder if the reason behind the secrecy is because this office serves a revolving door between official government offices and well-connected campaign donor interests and they don’t want the public to know before the election,&#8221; Turner told the Herald.</p>
  96. <p>&#8220;There is simply no reason to keep these names a secret,&#8221; he added, &#8220;yet Joe Biden and John Podesta are hell-bent on continuing to do so.”</p>
  97. <p>Podesta has replaced Kerry at the Climate office.</p>
  98. <p>Kerry informed the Herald last month in a “final” response to a records request submitted in July of 2022, that the full identity of his office staff will never be released.</p>
  99. <p>“This action closes your request in this office,” he declared via the State Department’s Statutory and Compliance Division.</p>
  100. <p>The only update to the FOIA is the addition of six names of office employees out of 27, and those came after the Herald pointed out two of them were already on Kerry’s climate website.</p>
  101. <p>Turner, however, said the number of payroll employees &#8220;ranged from 27 to the mid-30s – yet 45 have been cited in the org chart.&#8221;</p>
  102. <p>The annual payroll of $4.3 million remains the same, as previously reported.</p>
  103. <p>The Herald is appealing the &#8220;final&#8221; denial.</p>
  104. ]]></content:encoded>
  108. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4864087</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/AP24124798180983.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="216081" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ President Joe Biden awards the nation&#039;s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to former Secretary of State John Kerry during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House Friday. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) ]]></media:description></media:content>
  109. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T19:29:28+00:00</dcterms:created>
  110. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T19:31:22+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  111. </item>
  112. <item>
  113. <title>Massachusetts college students call on Congress to intervene, address &#8216;tsunami of antisemitism&#8217;</title>
  114. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/massachusetts-college-students-call-on-congress-to-intervene-address-tsunami-of-antisemitism/</link>
  116. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Lance Reynolds]]></dc:creator>
  117. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 23:03:55 +0000</pubDate>
  118. <category><![CDATA[Crime & Public Safety]]></category>
  119. <category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
  120. <category><![CDATA[Massachusetts]]></category>
  121. <category><![CDATA[Nation]]></category>
  122. <category><![CDATA[National Politics]]></category>
  123. <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  124. <category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
  125. <category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
  126. <category><![CDATA[anti-Semitism]]></category>
  127. <category><![CDATA[Cambridge]]></category>
  128. <category><![CDATA[Congress]]></category>
  129. <category><![CDATA[Emerson College]]></category>
  130. <category><![CDATA[Harvard University]]></category>
  131. <category><![CDATA[Israel-Hamas war]]></category>
  132. <category><![CDATA[Jake Auchincloss]]></category>
  133. <category><![CDATA[MIT]]></category>
  134. <category><![CDATA[Northeastern]]></category>
  135. <category><![CDATA[Northeastern University]]></category>
  136. <category><![CDATA[Protests]]></category>
  137. <category><![CDATA[Tufts University]]></category>
  138. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4864326</guid>
  139.  
  140. <description><![CDATA[Jewish students from seven colleges and universities across Massachusetts are urging Congressional intervention to address the “tsunami of antisemitism” threatening their safety on campus. ]]></description>
  141. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Jewish students from seven colleges and universities across Massachusetts are urging Congressional intervention to address the “tsunami of antisemitism” threatening their safety on campus.</p>
  142. <p><a href="https://www.restoreourcampuses.org/">The Restore Our Campuses Coalition</a>, a group of students from more than 50 universities, sent a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Friday, urging Congress to step up as leaders at their schools have fallen short to combat the harassment they’re enduring from <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/tag/protests/">pro-Palestinian protesters</a>.</p>
  143. <p>“This is a moment that demands leadership by those who are responsible for our campuses,” the letter states. “Instead, unbelievably many of our university leaders have taken no meaningful action to reassert control over our campuses.</p>
  144. <p>“It is no exaggeration to say that many school administrators have appeased the antisemites, and surrendered our campuses to terror-supporting hate mobs,” it continues. “This is an absolute disgrace and a complete abdication of all sense of principle, morality and professional responsibility.”</p>
  145. <p>Students from Harvard, Babson, Williams, MIT, Northeastern, UMass Amherst and Boston University all signed onto the letter.</p>
  146. <p>They’re recommending Congress enforce Title VI violations – a message echoed by <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/02/auchincloss-demands-harvard-other-colleges-take-down-pro-palestinian-encampments/">U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss</a> – and withhold federal funding, call for the termination of faculty and expulsion of students who are “in breach of university codes of conduct,” and work with the Biden administration to “initiate and enforce deportation of non-U.S. students who engage in antisemitic activity.”</p>
  147. <p>Talia Khan, a graduate student who signed the letter for MIT, participated in a rally at her school Friday afternoon supporting Jewish and Israeli students, across the street from Kresge Lawn where a pro-Palestinian encampment popped up on April 21.</p>
  148. <p>“These encampments and all of our universities have become hotbeds and terrorist breeding grounds. We should all be worried about the future of western values and democracy,” Khan said. “We need to come together with a renewed commitment to not only addressing these issues but ensuring none of the students on any of the campuses have to endure these challenges alone.”</p>
  149. <p>The rally, organized by the New England chapter of the Israeli American Council, sparked controversy as MIT President Sally Kornbluth highlighted in a <a href="https://orgchart.mit.edu/letters/important-update">letter Friday morning</a> that the school made “every appropriate preparation for these rallies, with strong support from local police.”</p>
  150. <p>“As I explained by video last Saturday, one of our concerns about the current encampment has been its potential to turn our campus into a magnet for protestors from outside MIT,” Kornbluth wrote. “This is not theoretical: Earlier this week, a group of more than 150 people from outside MIT gathered on Massachusetts Avenue in support of the encampment.”</p>
  151. <p>“I ask that members of the community join us in doing everything possible to keep the peace,” she added.</p>
  152. <p>The rally, which drew hundreds of Israeli and Jewish community members and supporters and shut down a portion of Massachusetts Avenue, went peacefully – resembling a <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/04/28/jewish-students-look-to-eradicate-hate-on-college-campuses-across-greater-boston/">gathering last Sunday at Temple Israel of Boston</a>.</p>
  153. <p>MIT Scientists Against Genocide Encampment, a student group demanding the school end all research contracts sponsored by the Ministry of Defense of Israel, took exception to Kornbluth’s letter.</p>
  154. <p>“Your email is an attempt to shift blame prematurely onto students who advocate for justice, rather than addressing the root cause of the issue – that MIT’s research programs breed violence and now attract supporters of that violence,” the group wrote to Kornbluth. “Your call for the community to join in maintaining ‘peace’ is disingenuous and dangerously passive; it fails to acknowledge the systemic violence that underpins this entire situation; the Genocide in Gaza. There is no peace if there is no justice for Palestinians.”</p>
  155. <p>A wave of demonstrations has spread across U.S. campuses over the last two weeks, led by students who have pitched tents or occupied buildings in protest of the Israel-Hamas war.</p>
  156. <p>It started April 18 when police moved to break up an encampment at Columbia University in New York City. Since then, it has spread to dozens of other campuses from Harvard to UCLA.</p>
  157. <p>More than 100 arrests were made as police broke down encampments at <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/04/25/boston-police-arrest-108-at-emerson-college-palestinian-tent-encampment/">Emerson</a> and <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/04/27/100-protesters-detained-as-northeastern-police-break-up-israel-hamas-war-protest/">Northeastern</a>.</p>
  158. <p>Students are calling on colleges to stop doing business with Israel or companies they say support the war in Gaza. Agreements at schools including Brown, Northwestern and Rutgers stand out amidst the chaotic scenes and 2,400-plus arrests on 46 campuses across the nation</p>
  159. <p>The Israel-Hamas war was sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7 raid into southern Israel in which the terrorist group killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 hostages. Israel says the militants are still holding around 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others.</p>
  160. <p>The war has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, around two-thirds of them children and women.</p>
  161. <p>Meron Ruben, Consul General of Israel to New England, called the ongoing unrest a “pivotal moment” for the younger generation.</p>
  162. <p>“I am adding my voice,” he said, “to call on the administrations of universities around New England and the US to ensure the safety of Israeli and Jewish students so that they can be on campus without fear of being threatened or assaulted. We can’t be silent and must stand up for our community.”</p>
  163. <p><em>The Associated Press contributed to this report</em></p>
  164. <figure id="attachment_4864086"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/mitms03_75b972.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="People gather at a pro-Palestinian encampment at M.I.T.. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald)" width="7238" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/mitms03_75b972.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="4864086" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/mitms03_75b972.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/mitms03_75b972.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/mitms03_75b972.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/mitms03_75b972.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/mitms03_75b972.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">People gather at a pro-Palestinian encampment at M.I.T.. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald)</figcaption></figure>
  165. <figure id="attachment_4864081"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/mitms09_4bb903.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="Israeli supporters rally at M.I.T.. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald)" width="7697" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/mitms09_4bb903.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="4864081" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/mitms09_4bb903.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/mitms09_4bb903.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/mitms09_4bb903.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/mitms09_4bb903.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/mitms09_4bb903.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Israeli supporters rally at M.I.T.. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald)</figcaption></figure>
  166. ]]></content:encoded>
  170. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4864326</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/mitms08_84512c.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="444311" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Israeli supporters rally at M.I.T.. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) ]]></media:description></media:content>
  171. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T19:03:55+00:00</dcterms:created>
  172. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T19:10:29+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  173. </item>
  174. <item>
  175. <title>Arizona is boosting efforts to protect people from the extreme heat after hundreds died last summer</title>
  176. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/arizona-is-boosting-efforts-to-protect-people-from-the-extreme-heat-after-hundreds-died-last-summer/</link>
  178. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Associated Press]]></dc:creator>
  179. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 22:33:35 +0000</pubDate>
  180. <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
  181. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4864352&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=4864352</guid>
  182.  
  183. <description><![CDATA[By ANITA SNOW (Associated Press) TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) &#8212; Arizona&#8217;s new heat officer said Friday that he is working with local governments and nonprofit groups to open more cooling centers and ensure homes have working air conditioners this summer in a more unified effort to prevent another ghastly toll of heat-related deaths, which topped 900 [&#8230;]]]></description>
  184. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>By ANITA SNOW (Associated Press)</p>
  185. <p>TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) &#8212; Arizona&#8217;s new heat officer said Friday that he is working with local governments and nonprofit groups to open more cooling centers and ensure homes have working air conditioners this summer in a more unified effort to prevent another ghastly toll of heat-related deaths, which topped 900 statewide last year. </p>
  186. <p>&#8220;We don&#8217;t want to see that happen again,&#8221; Dr. Eugene Livar said of last year&#8217;s deaths. &#8220;We cannot control it, even though we can control our preparation in response. And that&#8217;s what we&#8217;ve been focusing on.&#8221;</p>
  187. <p>Livar, a physician with the Arizona State Department of Health Services, was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-heat-officer-2a1aeec6dd56bf23bd76b399ff1f0101">named</a> to his post by Gov. Katie Hobbs earlier this year, making him the first heat officer of a U.S. state in the nation. The new position recognizes the serious public health risks posed by climate-fueled extreme heat, which has increased in recent years. </p>
  188. <p>Livar was joined at a news conference to kick off Arizona Heat Awareness Week May 6-10 by officials from governments including the neighboring cities of Phoenix and Tempe and Maricopa County, Arizona&#8217;s largest county that saw a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-heat-deaths-953578b55defcf6445e7ebf0ef8b8281">record</a> 645 heat-related deaths last year. In attendance was climate scientist David Hondula, who will see his third summer as the first heat officer in Phoenix, America&#8217;s hottest city. </p>
  189. <p>The increased coordination comes as federal agencies seek better ways to protect human beings from the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/heat-wave-climate-change-worsen-hotter-797aae046df8165f5f8be7d3f40a8b74">dangerous heat waves</a> that are arriving earlier, lasting longer and increasing in intensity. </p>
  190. <p>The National Weather Service and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month presented a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/killer-heat-health-climate-red-hot-magenta-496d5dfad5d3b224b8d1a506a755d42b">new online heat-risk system</a> that combines meteorological and medical risk factors with a seven-day forecast that is simplified and color-coded for a <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/environment">warming world</a> of <a href="https://apnews.com/article/heat-wave-climate-change-worsen-hotter-797aae046df8165f5f8be7d3f40a8b74">worsening heat waves.</a></p>
  191. <p>Last summer, Phoenix experienced the hottest three months since record-keeping began in 1895, including the hottest July and the second-hottest August. The daily average temperature of 97 F (36.1 C) in June, July and August passed the previous record of 96.7 F (35.9 C) set in 2020. Phoenix also set a record in July with a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/heat-warming-climate-environment-temperature-phoenix-arizona-d7db7d44effcdab554b6a742288eb2be">31-day streak</a> of highs at or above 110 F (43.3 C).</p>
  192. <p>This year&#8217;s hot season began Wednesday in Maricopa County, where it runs from May 1 through Sept. 30. </p>
  193. <p>Hobbs this year <a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vZHJpdmUuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS9maWxlL2QvMURxSkZYem1FcDZWTUFLMDZ0Q3J1X1R6UjJqUDNCbkZDL3ZpZXc_dXNwPWRyaXZlX2xpbmsmdXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5IiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDUwMy45NDI0ODUwMSJ9.Hio5WZ9gI9MkItr1LMgY4tYVL97KNOTpupBoSR_CKe8%2Fs%2F1184452005%2Fbr%2F241833611429-l&#038;data=05%7C02%7Casnow%40ap.org%7C92142480a29843c882e508dc6b0e7539%7Ce442e1abfd6b4ba3abf3b020eb50df37%7C1%7C0%7C638502957071477113%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&#038;sdata=DTa5smOtMv6%2BMNXfyAEpZfXkX7IVm4ZxhO7vuiD90rA%3D&#038;reserved=0">proclaimed</a> May 6-10 as Arizona Heat Awareness Week to draw attention to the dangers of the summer in this arid Southwest state and work on ways to better protect people. Arizona for the first time this year also has an <a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vbWN1c2VyY29udGVudC5jb20vNDRhNTE4NmFhYzY5YzEzYzU3MGZjYTM2YS9maWxlcy9hZGExZDQ3Zi04M2Y1LTQxODktZDgzNS0xZWVjMTU1MmFlZWEvMjAyNC4wMy4wMV9FeHRyZW1lX0hlYXRfUHJlcGFyZGVuZXNzX1BsYW4ucGRmP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDA1MDMuOTQyNDg1MDEifQ.hYeAwyXHdHWgvma2ZHPp5J1Ct-qfIvTXIJUav6e49CM%2Fs%2F1184452005%2Fbr%2F241833611429-l&#038;data=05%7C02%7Casnow%40ap.org%7C92142480a29843c882e508dc6b0e7539%7Ce442e1abfd6b4ba3abf3b020eb50df37%7C1%7C0%7C638502957071541139%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&#038;sdata=Q%2BzZhxHjKxViCOvK2jO2YQMwqBFSwq%2Bhk2NjKNIJkIg%3D&#038;reserved=0">Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan</a>.</p>
  194. <p>Among the new measures the state is introducing are at least a half dozen mobile cooling centers made with shipping containers that are solar powered and can be moved to wherever they may be needed. </p>
  195. <p>The City of Phoenix for the first time this summer is opening two 24-hour cooling centers, one in a downtown public library and the other in a senior center. </p>
  196. <p>Maricopa County has set aside nearly $4 million to expand evening and weekend hours of cooling and respite centers where people can escape the outdoor heat, rest in an air-conditioned space and drink plenty of water. It is also working to help people with limited resources to get help paying their utilities and to have their air conditioners repaired or replaced. </p>
  197. ]]></content:encoded>
  201. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4864352</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Extreme_Heat_11962.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="104592" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Dr. Eugene Livar, Arizona&#8217;s first heat officer for the Arizona Department of Health Services, speaks during a news conference held by the ADHS and Governor&#8217;s Office of Resiliency ahead of Heat Awareness Week at the Escalante Multi-Generational Center Friday, May 3, 2024, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
  202. ]]></media:description></media:content>
  203. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T18:33:35+00:00</dcterms:created>
  204. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T19:09:06+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  205. </item>
  206. <item>
  207. <title>History in the making in Game 7? Bruins, Leafs don&#8217;t want to be on wrong side of it</title>
  208. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/history-in-the-making-in-game-7-bruins-leafs-dont-want-to-be-on-wrong-side-of-it/</link>
  210. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Conroy]]></dc:creator>
  211. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 22:28:58 +0000</pubDate>
  212. <category><![CDATA[Boston Bruins]]></category>
  213. <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  214. <category><![CDATA[NHL]]></category>
  215. <category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
  216. <category><![CDATA[Bruins]]></category>
  217. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4863744</guid>
  218.  
  219. <description><![CDATA[History has been a burden for the Maple Leafs for over half a century. If the Bruins lose Game 7, they'll have some of their own with which to deal.]]></description>
  220. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Imagine playing a Game 7 in your own building against the NHL&#8217;s most cursed franchise. And you are the ones bearing the burden of history.</p>
  221. <p>That is the role the Bruins have created for themselves, against the Toronto Maple Leafs of all teams, when they take the ice for the do-or-die matchup on Saturday night on Causeway Street.</p>
  222. <p>The B’s, who have won as many Game 7s as any team (15, tied with Montreal) and lost more than any (15), can set a rather ignominious mark if they lose. They would become the first team in any sport (NHL, NBA, MLB) to blow 3-1 leads in consecutive seasons, according to ESPN.</p>
  223. <p>So they’ve got that going for them.</p>
  224. <p>The teams have undergone a dizzying role reversal in less than a week’s team. Last Saturday at Scotiabank Arena, the Leafs were booed off the ice by their fans after the B’s suffocated them in their own building to take what looked like a commanding 3-1 series lead. To make matters worse, the Leafs’ best player, 69-goal scorer Auston Matthews, was pulled from that Game 4 and would miss the next two games. Beleaguered coach Sheldon Keefe looked like a man who was slowly walking the plank.</p>
  225. <p>But a funny thing has happened. The Leafs’ team that has been built so heavily – top-heavily, to be honest – on stars, became something completely different once the brightest one was taken out of the equation.</p>
  226. <p>The Leafs (12-14 in Game 7s) have become that plucky, gutsy, shot-blocking everyman team. They have become, in the ultimate coach-speak compliment, a tough team to play against.</p>
  227. <p>The B’s, on the other hand, have gone to extraordinary lengths to give the Leafs hope. When they seemingly needed to land just one early jab to end this series, they accumulated a grand total of three shots on net combined in the two first periods in Games 5 and 6, exasperating B’s coach Jim Montgomery, now the one under the microscope.</p>
  228. <p>“It’s unacceptable, our start again,” said Montgomery moments after the Game 6 loss. “We’ve got to find a way to start on time and we’ve got to find a way to be better. Toronto’s starting on time, they’re getting the advantage, they have the momentum. I thought the last 30 minutes we pushed back really well, but it shouldn’t take that long.”</p>
  229. <p>The pressure is mounting on Montgomery, who could well be coaching for his job on Saturday. Up 3-1, he made a couple of questionable lineup changes for Game 5 and the B’s have not been the same team since then, no matter how much or little the changes had to do with that loss. Throughout his two-year tenure, Montgomery has been careful to be supportive of his players. But while he praised David Pastrnak’s effort, he essentially called out his star player (2-2-4 in six games), saying he needs to step up and be the dominant player he can be.</p>
  230. <p>We’ll see if that approach yields better results.</p>
  231. <p>Keefe, on the other hand, looked like a relaxed man when he met with reporters after Game 6, especially when he was asked what it will be like to coach another Game 7.</p>
  232. <p>“In my mind, we just played two Game 7s,” said Keefe, who told reporters in Toronto that Matthews has made “progress” but his Game 7 availability is TBD.</p>
  233. <p>And they’ve found a way to win those two crucial playoff games not with their abundant skill but with something they’ve been lacking in the recent past – gumption.</p>
  234. <p>“They’ve pulled together. They’ve fought, you know?” said Keefe. “Didn’t lay down, didn’t accept their fate. They changed it. They’ve been tremendous in terms of their work ethic.”</p>
  235. <p>Even Keefe’s silly Brad Marchand-gets-away-with-everything lament after Game 3 has seemingly produced results. The B’s – who had torched the Leafs on the power play (6-for-13) in the first four games – got just one man-advantage apiece in Games 5 and 6. Pontus Holmberg holding on to Marchand for dear life in Game 5? Play on. Holmberg’s dangerous hit from behind on Mason Lohrei? Nothing to see here.</p>
  236. <p>Then again, it’s tough to draw penalties when you don’t have the puck. The Leafs have won battles along the walls. They’ve captured the inside ice, at least in front of their own net. And they’ve owned the faceoff circle (62.6% in the last two games), fueling possession and refusing to allow the B’s faltering offense to get any kind of momentum.</p>
  237. <p>Now the Leafs, who haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1967 and haven’t beaten the B’s in a playoff series since 1959, can exorcise some well-known demons. In the past 11 years, no team has tormented them more than the Bruins. The B’s have beaten them three times in Game 7s at the Garden in 2013, 2018 and 2019. They infamously blew a 4-1 third-period lead in ‘13, and bad suspensions to Nazem Kadri helped along their demise in the other two years.</p>
  238. <p>As they were set to pack a big bag for what they believe will be their second round series against the Florida Panthers starting on Monday, the Leafs did not seem like a bunch that was hiding from their history.</p>
  239. <p>Meanwhile, as all of Bruins Nation was losing its collective mind in the aftermath of the Game 6 loss, Marchand tried to put the situation in perspective.</p>
  240. <p>Said the captain: “If someone told us at the start of the season we’d have a Game 7 at home against Toronto, we’d take that all day. It doesn’t matter how you get there. We’re there.”</p>
  241. <p>True words. Now he and his teammates need to play like they believe them.</p>
  242. <figure id="attachment_4864344"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bruins-two.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="754px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bruins-two.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bruins-two.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bruins-two.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bruins-two.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bruins-two.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand protects the puck from Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner (16) during first-period action in Game 6. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)" width="6994" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bruins-two.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="4864344" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bruins-two.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bruins-two.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bruins-two.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bruins-two.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bruins-two.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand protects the puck from Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner (16) during first-period action in Game 6. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)</figcaption></figure>
  243. ]]></content:encoded>
  247. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4863744</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bruins-Leafs.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="258705" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll stops Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand during the first period of Game 6  in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP) ]]></media:description></media:content>
  248. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T18:28:58+00:00</dcterms:created>
  249. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T18:34:43+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  250. </item>
  251. <item>
  252. <title>Final salute for Billerica&#8217;s Sgt. Taylor</title>
  253. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/final-salute-for-billericas-sgt-taylor/</link>
  255. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Boston Herald staff]]></dc:creator>
  256. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 22:16:01 +0000</pubDate>
  257. <category><![CDATA[Crime & Public Safety]]></category>
  258. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
  259. <category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
  260. <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  261. <category><![CDATA[Billerica]]></category>
  262. <category><![CDATA[Police]]></category>
  263. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4864300</guid>
  264.  
  265. <description><![CDATA[Billerica and Lawrence bid farewell to police Sgt. Ian Taylor Friday. His funeral was in St. Patrick's Church in Lawrence and he was buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Methuen. The 49-year-old Billerica officer, who once patrolled Lawrence, suffered fatal injuries while working on a road construction site on Boston Road last week.]]></description>
  266. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Billerica and Lawrence bid farewell to police Sgt. Ian Taylor Friday. His funeral was in St. Patrick&#8217;s Church in Lawrence and he was buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Methuen. The 49-year-old Billerica officer, who once patrolled Lawrence, <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/04/26/billerica-police-officer-killed-while-working-road-construction-site/">suffered fatal injuries</a> while working on a road construction site on Boston Road last week.</p>
  267. <figure id="attachment_4864035"  class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo09.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="Officers gather outside St. Patrick's Church to honor the life of Sgt. Ian Taylor, a Billerica policeman who formerly served the city of Lawrence. (Libby O'Neill/Boston Herald)" width="955" height="637" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo09.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="4864035" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo09.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo09.jpg?fit=310%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 310w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Officers gather outside St. Patrick&#8217;s Church to honor the life of Sgt. Ian Taylor, a Billerica policeman who formerly served the city of Lawrence. (Libby O&#8217;Neill/Boston Herald)</figcaption></figure>
  268. <div class="article-slideshow"><button class="icon-close" aria-label="Close fullscreen slideshow"></button><ul data-total="10"><li data-index="1"><div class="image-wrapper"><img decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo02.jpg" class="attachment-article_inline size-article_inline lazyload" alt="Police line up outside the Lawrence Police Department for the..." draggable="false" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo02.jpg?w=620 620w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo02.jpg?w=780 780w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo02.jpg?w=810 810w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo02.jpg?w=1280 1280w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo02.jpg?w=1860 1860w" data-src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo02.jpg" /><p class="slide-credit"></p><p class="slide-caption">Police line up outside the Lawrence Police Department for the funeral procession of Sgt. Ian Taylor, a Billerica policeman who formerly served the city of Lawrence. (Libby O'Neill/Boston Herald)</p></div></li><li data-index="2"><div class="image-wrapper"><img decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo08.jpg" class="attachment-article_inline size-article_inline lazyload" alt="Lawrence Fire Department hangs an American flag above South Broadway..." draggable="false" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo08.jpg?w=620 620w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo08.jpg?w=780 780w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo08.jpg?w=810 810w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo08.jpg?w=1280 1280w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo08.jpg?w=1860 1860w" data-src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo08.jpg" /><p class="slide-credit"></p><p class="slide-caption">Lawrence Fire Department hangs an American flag above South Broadway Street in Lawrence to honor the life of Sgt. Ian Taylor, a Billerica policeman. (Libby O'Neill/Boston Herald)</p></div></li><li data-index="3"><div class="image-wrapper"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo13.jpg" class="attachment-article_inline size-article_inline lazyload" alt="Officers salute the casket of Sgt. Ian Taylor, a Billerica..." draggable="false" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo13.jpg?w=620 620w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo13.jpg?w=780 780w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo13.jpg?w=810 810w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo13.jpg?w=1280 1280w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo13.jpg?w=1860 1860w" data-src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo13.jpg" /><p class="slide-credit"></p><p class="slide-caption">Officers salute the casket of Sgt. Ian Taylor, a Billerica policeman who formerly served the city of Lawrence, at Saint Patrick Parish in Lawrence. (Libby O'Neill/Boston Herald)</p></div></li><li data-index="4"><div class="image-wrapper"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="703" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo11.jpg" class="attachment-article_inline size-article_inline lazyload" alt="Officers carry the casket of Sgt. Ian Taylor, a Billerica..." draggable="false" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo11.jpg?w=620 620w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo11.jpg?w=780 780w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo11.jpg?w=810 810w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo11.jpg?w=1280 1280w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo11.jpg?w=1860 1860w" data-src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo11.jpg" /><p class="slide-credit"></p><p class="slide-caption">Officers carry the casket of Sgt. Ian Taylor, a Billerica policeman who formerly served the city of Lawrence, down the steps of Saint Patrick Parish in Lawrence. (Libby O'Neill/Boston Herald)</p></div></li><li data-index="5"><div class="image-wrapper"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo10.jpg" class="attachment-article_inline size-article_inline lazyload" alt="Officers gather outside Saint Patrick Parish to honor the life..." draggable="false" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo10.jpg?w=620 620w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo10.jpg?w=780 780w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo10.jpg?w=810 810w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo10.jpg?w=1280 1280w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo10.jpg?w=1860 1860w" data-src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo10.jpg" /><p class="slide-credit"></p><p class="slide-caption">Officers gather outside Saint Patrick Parish to honor the life of Sgt. Ian Taylor, a Billerica policeman who formerly served the city of Lawrence. (Libby O'Neill/Boston Herald)</p></div></li><li data-index="6"><div class="image-wrapper"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="710" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo07.jpg" class="attachment-article_inline size-article_inline lazyload" alt="A funeral procession for Sgt. Ian Taylor drives by the..." draggable="false" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo07.jpg?w=620 620w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo07.jpg?w=780 780w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo07.jpg?w=810 810w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo07.jpg?w=1280 1280w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo07.jpg?w=1860 1860w" data-src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo07.jpg" /><p class="slide-credit"></p><p class="slide-caption">A funeral procession for Sgt. Ian Taylor drives by the Lawrence Police Department where he served for a dozen years before joining the Billerica Police Department. (Libby O'Neill/Boston Herald)</p></div></li><li data-index="7"><div class="image-wrapper"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="674" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo01.jpg" class="attachment-article_inline size-article_inline lazyload" alt="Police line up outside the Lawrence Police Department for the..." draggable="false" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo01.jpg?w=620 620w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo01.jpg?w=780 780w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo01.jpg?w=810 810w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo01.jpg?w=1280 1280w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo01.jpg?w=1860 1860w" data-src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo01.jpg" /><p class="slide-credit"></p><p class="slide-caption">Police line up outside the Lawrence Police Department for the funeral procession of Sgt. Ian Taylor, a Billerica policeman who formerly served the city of Lawrence. (Libby O'Neill/Boston Herald)</p></div></li><li data-index="8"><div class="image-wrapper"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo05.jpg" class="attachment-article_inline size-article_inline lazyload" alt="Lawrence police salute the funeral procession for Sgt. Ian Taylor,..." draggable="false" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo05.jpg?w=620 620w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo05.jpg?w=780 780w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo05.jpg?w=810 810w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo05.jpg?w=1280 1280w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo05.jpg?w=1860 1860w" data-src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo05.jpg" /><p class="slide-credit"></p><p class="slide-caption">Lawrence police salute the funeral procession for Sgt. Ian Taylor, a Billerica policeman who formerly served the city of Lawrence. (Libby O'Neill/Boston Herald)</p></div></li><li data-index="9"><div class="image-wrapper"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo06.jpg" class="attachment-article_inline size-article_inline lazyload" alt="People stand outside of Lawrence Police Department to honor the..." draggable="false" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo06.jpg?w=620 620w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo06.jpg?w=780 780w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo06.jpg?w=810 810w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo06.jpg?w=1280 1280w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo06.jpg?w=1860 1860w" data-src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo06.jpg" /><p class="slide-credit"></p><p class="slide-caption">People stand outside of Lawrence Police Department to honor the life of Sgt. Ian Taylor, a Billerica policeman who formerly served the city of Lawrence. (Libby O'Neill/Boston Herald)</p></div></li><li data-index="10"><div class="image-wrapper"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="672" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo04.jpg" class="attachment-article_inline size-article_inline lazyload" alt="Lawrence police salute the funeral procession for Sgt. Ian Taylor,..." draggable="false" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo04.jpg?w=620 620w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo04.jpg?w=780 780w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo04.jpg?w=810 810w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo04.jpg?w=1280 1280w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo04.jpg?w=1860 1860w" data-src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo04.jpg" /><p class="slide-credit"></p><p class="slide-caption">Lawrence police salute the funeral procession for Sgt. Ian Taylor, a Billerica policeman who formerly served the city of Lawrence. (Libby O'Neill/Boston Herald)</p></div></li></ul><div class="caption"><button class="caption-expand">Show Caption</button><div class="slideshow-credit"></div><div class="slide-count"><span class="current"></span> of <span class="total"></span></div><p class="slideshow-caption"></p><a href="#" class="icon-enlarge" aria-label="Expand fullscreen slideshow"><span>Expand</span></a></div></div>
  269. ]]></content:encoded>
  273. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4864300</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Funerallo12.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="286068" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Officers carry the casket of Sgt. Ian Taylor, a Billerica policeman who formerly served the city of Lawrence, down the steps of Saint Patrick Parish in Lawrence Friday. (Libby O&#039;Neill/Boston Herald) ]]></media:description></media:content>
  274. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T18:16:01+00:00</dcterms:created>
  275. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T18:18:20+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  276. </item>
  277. <item>
  278. <title>Republicans file lawsuit to block count of Nevada mail ballots received after Election Day</title>
  279. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/republicans-file-lawsuit-to-block-count-of-nevada-mail-ballots-received-after-election-day/</link>
  281. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Associated Press]]></dc:creator>
  282. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 21:55:34 +0000</pubDate>
  283. <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
  284. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4864365&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=4864365</guid>
  285.  
  286. <description><![CDATA[THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS) LAS VEGAS (AP) &#8212; The Republican National Committee on Friday filed a federal lawsuit seeking to prevent Nevada from counting mail ballots received after Election Day, as the state&#8217;s law currently permits. The law, passed by Democrats in 2021, permits the tallying of mail ballots received up to four [&#8230;]]]></description>
  287. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)</p>
  288. <p>LAS VEGAS (AP) &#8212; The <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/republican-national-convention">Republican National Committee</a> on Friday filed a federal lawsuit seeking to prevent Nevada from counting mail ballots received after Election Day, as the state&#8217;s law currently permits.</p>
  289. <p>The law, passed by Democrats in 2021, permits the tallying of mail ballots received up to four days after Election Day, provided the envelopes are postmarked before the end of the day. The lawsuit says the provision also assumes that envelopes received three days after Election Day that don&#8217;t have a postmark indicating otherwise were posted in time.</p>
  290. <p>Republicans contend this violates the U.S. Constitution&#8217;s requirement that there be a single day for Election Day.</p>
  291. <p>&#8220;Nevada&#8217;s ballot receipt deadline clearly violates federal law and undermines election integrity in the state,&#8221; RNC Chairman Michael Whatley said in a statement. &#8220;Ballots received days after Election Day should not be counted.&#8221; </p>
  292. <p>The lawsuit comes after Republicans <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mail-voting-ballot-deadlines-republicans-trump-fa62a5c8678c0b6ec8dc3f63030d6339">sued</a> to overturn laws permitting the tallying of ballots received after Election Day in Mississippi and North Dakota, and it&#8217;s the 83rd election-related suit filed by the party six months before Election Day. That&#8217;s a sign of both the increased pace of election-related litigation and the party&#8217;s <a href="https://apnews.com/article/rnc-trump-lawsuits-2024-election-voter-rolls-c7d8943dcac776103d948532f62f2a5c">focus on fighting over election rules</a> after former President Donald Trump <a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-national-committee-ronna-mcdaniel-trump-whatley-51c1cf029cd0a5901082f475abc81673">installed</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-national-committee-trump-whatley-legal-fees-53402f8e8ac845db3cf4ab82c882ea74">loyalists</a> who have parroted his <a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">false claims</a> about the 2020 election being stolen from him.</p>
  293. <p>Nineteen states, including Nevada, allow ballots to be tallied if they&#8217;re received after Election Day. Supporters of those rules say they make it easier to vote and ensure that those who cast ballots by mail have as much time to make up their minds as those who vote on Election Day. Opponents contend they slow election results, undermine trust in the system and can be exploited.</p>
  294. <p>&#8220;I hope the RNC is putting as much time and energy into educating voters on how to participate in elections as they put into suing the state of Nevada,&#8221; the state&#8217;s Democratic secretary of state, Francisco Aguilar, said in a statement.</p>
  295. ]]></content:encoded>
  299. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4864365</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Election_2024_RNC_Nevada_Voting_77143.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="118614" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ FILE &#8211; An election worker prepares mail-in ballots at the Clark County Election Department on Nov. 8, 2022, in Las Vegas. The Republican National Committee on Friday, May 3, 2024, filed a federal lawsuit seeking to prevent Nevada from counting mail ballots received after Election Day, as the state&#8217;s law currently permits. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)
  300. ]]></media:description></media:content>
  301. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T17:55:34+00:00</dcterms:created>
  302. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T18:48:47+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  303. </item>
  304. <item>
  305. <title>With Game 7 looming, goaltending hardly a problem for Bruins</title>
  306. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/with-game-7-looming-goaltending-hardly-a-problem-for-bruins/</link>
  308. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Rich Thompson]]></dc:creator>
  309. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 21:52:52 +0000</pubDate>
  310. <category><![CDATA[Boston Bruins]]></category>
  311. <category><![CDATA[NHL]]></category>
  312. <category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
  313. <category><![CDATA[Stanley Cup Playoffs]]></category>
  314. <category><![CDATA[Toronto Maple Leafs]]></category>
  315. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4864212</guid>
  316.  
  317. <description><![CDATA[Montgomery did not disclose any line-up changes for Game 7 but he indicated that Swayman deserved to make his sixth start against the Maple Leafs. ]]></description>
  318. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>BEDFORD — The Boston Bruins are getting some of the finest goaltending in the Stanley Cup playoffs and all they have to show for it is a Game 7 showdown against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night (8) at the TD Garden.</p>
  319. <p>The Maple Leafs trailed the series 3-1 but staved off elimination with a 2-1 victory in overtime in Game 5 on Tuesday night at the TD Garden. Toronto evened the series 3-3 with a 2-1 victory on Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena.</p>
  320. <p>Bruins’ goaltender Jeremy Swayman was outstanding in both losses and he, along with Linus Ulmark, have combined for the highest save percentage in the playoffs. The Bruins top the charts with a .940 save percentage, slightly ahead of the New York Rangers (.931), who swept the Washington Capitals in their opening round series.</p>
  321. <p>“Both goalies have (played well), but especially Swayman because he has played the majority of the games and has been tremendous,” said Montgomery, after the team’s arrival on Friday afternoon at Hanscom Field.</p>
  322. <p>“We need everybody to be more like Jeremy Swayman. He’s in the moment, he’s owned the moment and he is relishing being a difference maker.”</p>
  323. <p>The Rangers and the Bruins flip flop in goals against average. The Rangers lead the way with a 1.75 goals against average in four games while the Bruins are second at 1.82 in six matches.</p>
  324. <p>With good goaltending typically the defining barometer of playoff success, the Bruins should be in a better place than coming home for a Game 7 with all the momentum favoring the rejuvenated Maple Leafs.</p>
  325. <p>Montgomery did not disclose any lineup changes for Game 7 but he indicated Swayman deserved to make his sixth start against the Maple Leafs.</p>
  326. <p>“When you get an opportunity to play in a Game 7 whether you are a Celtics fans or a Red Sox fan, you think about the opportunity to play in a Game 7 and be a difference maker,” said Montgomery. “I’m getting goose bumps right now just talking about him (Swayman) and that is the attitude we have to have.”</p>
  327. <p>The Maple Leafs&#8217; resurgence is also based on exceptional goaltending but from a surprising source. Toronto backup Joseph Wall supplanted starter Ilya Samsonov in Game 4 and was lights out in the next two starts.</p>
  328. <p>Woll leads all playoff goalies with 0.86 goals against average, followed by Swayman at 1.60. Woll tops the leaderboard with a .964 save percentage, followed by Swayman at .947. In four starts, Samsonov registered a 3.31 goals against average and a .883 save percentage.</p>
  329. <p>The Bruins have been analyzing Woll over two straight starts, searching for flaws in his mechanics and determining the best ways to break him down. The Maple Leafs have provided a force field for Woll, packing it down between the circles and the low slot, making it harder for the Bruins to get pucks through the congestion.</p>
  330. <p>“We have to get bodies in front of the net and if you ask any goalie, no goalie likes traffic,” said Bruins’ center Charlie Coyle. “We have to get traffic there and they are doing a good in front of him and he is playing great.</p>
  331. <p>“To their credit, they are playing well in front of him packing it in and making it tough to get shots through. We have to spread them out somehow and find ways to do that and get to the net. We need to fight for our space in there and work for that and get to the net.</p>
  332. <p>“It’s the same old simple cliché that we say, but that’s how you do it with second and third and fourth efforts. That’s the mindset you have to have when a goalie is playing well. You get traffic in front of him and take away his eyes and good things will happen when you go to the net.”</p>
  333. <h4>Winning draws</h4>
  334. <p>The Bruins&#8217; deficiencies in the faceoff circle in Game 6 were emblematic of their problems in this decisive area throughout the series.</p>
  335. <p>The Bruins won 20-of-54 for a 37% success rate and 14-of-48 (31%) at even strength. Coyle was the only Bruins player with a positive ratio, winning 8-of-15. Pavel Zacha won just 1-of-10.</p>
  336. <p>The Maple Leafs won 34-of-54 for a 63% success rate and 33-of-48 (69%) at even strength. Topping the Leafs was center John Tavares, who won 15-of-23, with David Kampf and Mitch Marner winning seven apiece.</p>
  337. <p>“We can always be better there and it starts with the centermen,” said Coyle. “You have your wingers there to help, too, and that’s the first battle of any shift.</p>
  338. <p>“We have to take a little more initiative to win those and fight for those and tie up if we have to. It’s all five guys out there at that point but the centermen have to take ownership there and really battle. They do a good job of that in their faceoffs and that is one area we can definitely get better.”</p>
  339. <h4>Motivating Pasta</h4>
  340. <p>Montgomery called out right wing David Pastrnak after Game 6 for not producing on the ice. Pastrnak logged 19:58 minutes and 29 shifts, the most by a Bruins forward, and came away with three shots, six hits and a penalty.</p>
  341. <p>“I talked to him right after the game about it and I talked to him about it during the game,” said Montgomery. “Pasta and I have a real healthy communicative relationship and he’s ready to go.”</p>
  342. ]]></content:encoded>
  346. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4864212</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bruins-goalie.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="187315" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman catches the puck during the first period of Game 6 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP) ]]></media:description></media:content>
  347. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T17:52:52+00:00</dcterms:created>
  348. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T17:55:06+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  349. </item>
  350. <item>
  351. <title>Shannon O’Brien accuses Goldberg of using ‘anonymous witnesses’ as hearings stretch on</title>
  352. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/shannon-obrien-accuses-goldberg-of-using-anonymous-witnesses-as-hearings-stretch-on/</link>
  354. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Van Buskirk]]></dc:creator>
  355. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 21:46:45 +0000</pubDate>
  356. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
  357. <category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
  358. <category><![CDATA[Massachusetts]]></category>
  359. <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  360. <category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
  361. <category><![CDATA[Cannabis Control Commission]]></category>
  362. <category><![CDATA[State House]]></category>
  363. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4864260</guid>
  364.  
  365. <description><![CDATA[An attorney representing suspended Cannabis Control Commission Chair Shannon O’Brien accused Treasurer Deb Goldberg of “relying on anonymous witnesses” to build a case against O’Brien as the duo is set to stretch into a third closed-door meeting later this month.]]></description>
  366. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>An attorney representing suspended Cannabis Control Commission Chair Shannon O’Brien accused Treasurer Deb Goldberg of “relying on anonymous witnesses” to build a case against O’Brien as the duo is set to stretch into a third closed-door meeting later this month.</p>
  367. <p>Two days worth of private hearings were apparently not enough to resolve a long-running dispute between O’Brien and Goldberg that started when the <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/09/18/up-in-smoke-cannabis-commission-to-meet-without-suspended-chairwoman/">treasurer abruptly suspended O’Brien</a> last fall, claiming “several serious allegations,” including alleged <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/12/01/reports-massachusetts-pot-boss-was-suspended-for-racist-remarks/">racially incentive comments</a>, led to the decision.</p>
  368. <p>O’Brien has denied the accusations and her attorney, Max Stern, said Friday afternoon that the suspended chair was trying to “publicly defend her reputation and bring transparency to the process.”</p>
  369. <p>“Treasurer Goldberg is trying to build her case relying on anonymous witnesses,” Stern said in a statement. “Although Treasurer Goldberg was personally and deeply involved in key events, the treasurer has insisted that she should be allowed to report her own version of her role as the truth, without testifying under oath or being cross-examined.”</p>
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  406. </li><li>
  407.  
  408. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/">Politics | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/02/07/ousted-pot-boss-obriens-appeal-denied-hearing-with-over-job-can-go-forward/" title="Ousted pot boss O&#8217;Brien&#8217;s appeal denied; hearing over job can go forward">
  410. <span class="dfm-title metered">
  411. Ousted pot boss O&#8217;Brien&#8217;s appeal denied; hearing over job can go forward </span>
  412.  
  413.  
  414.  
  415. </a>
  418. </li></ul></aside>The pair of hearings, which <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/02/hearings-on-pot-boss-shannon-obriens-suspension-kicks-off-with-little-flare/">kicked off Thursday</a>, are governed by a court-approved protocol which O’Brien <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/12/22/judge-clears-way-for-hearing-on-top-cannabis-regulator-shannon-obriens-suspension/">unsuccessfully attempted to challenge</a> last year.</p>
  419. <p>O’Brien wanted to remove Goldberg as the “fact finder” for the meetings, arguing the treasurer was too tied up in the internal affairs of the commission to oversee the hearings. But a Suffolk County Superior Court judge denied that attempt and a local Appeals Court upheld the ruling.</p>
  420. <p>O’Brien and Goldberg will meet again on May 31 after the two hearings this week ended without a resolution.</p>
  421. <p>Goldberg said the discussions were “moving along.”</p>
  422. <p>“I think that given the importance of this entire process, that we should take whatever time is necessary in order to come to the right conclusion,” Goldberg told reporters after Friday’s four-hour meeting finished.</p>
  423. <p>Two reports authored by independent investigators — which have not been made public other than a letter detailing the alleged racial comment — outline the allegations against O’Brien and are expected to serve as the basis for Goldberg’s decision to remove or keep O’Brien at the Cannabis Control Commission.</p>
  424. <p>The court protocols called for two four-hour sessions where both Goldberg and O’Brien could address why the pot boss was suspended. The meetings were also expected to cover the two outside investigations.</p>
  425. <p>An independent mediator, Thomas Maffei of the law firm Sherin and Lodgen, oversaw the first two meetings.</p>
  426. ]]></content:encoded>
  430. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4864260</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/shannonms004.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="281543" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Former Chair of the Cannabis Control Commission, Shannon O&#039;Brien appears in Suffolk Superior Court.Matt Stone/Boston Herald ]]></media:description></media:content>
  431. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T17:46:45+00:00</dcterms:created>
  432. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T18:00:19+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  433. </item>
  434. <item>
  435. <title>Revolution keeper Aljaz Ivacic set to debut in Chicago</title>
  436. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/revolution-keeper-aljaz-ivacic-set-to-debut-in-chicago/</link>
  438. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Rich Thompson]]></dc:creator>
  439. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 21:34:51 +0000</pubDate>
  440. <category><![CDATA[New England Revolution]]></category>
  441. <category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
  442. <category><![CDATA[MLS]]></category>
  443. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4863341</guid>
  444.  
  445. <description><![CDATA[Ivacic found Hitchcock, a former player and coach in the English Premier League, to be the kind of instructor he can work with to get acclimated at an accelerated pace. ]]></description>
  446. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic passed the audition.</p>
  447. <p>New England Revolution head coach Caleb Porter and goalkeeper coach Kevin Hitchcock got to test drive the Slovenian import for a week in training before signing the MLS veteran on April 23 to a free agent contract through the 2005 season.</p>
  448. <p>Ivacic, 30, is slated to get his first start when the Revolution (1-7-1) engage Chicago Fire FC (2-4-4) in the opener of a two-game road swing on Saturday night (8:30) at Soldier Field. The Revolution and the Fire battled to a 1-1 draw on March 23 at Gillette Stadium.</p>
  449. <p>“We had him in for a trial, that was huge,” said Porter. “Anytime you can get a guy in to train with you before you sign him, that&#8217;s ideal.</p>
  450. <p>“My experience is typically, the mistakes in signings happen when you don&#8217;t evaluate a guy as thoroughly as you should, live especially. So, in this case, we were able to see the guy live for a full week. To be able to see him train live, for me, the talent is obvious to see.</p>
  451. <p>“He&#8217;s very athletic. He&#8217;s composed, he&#8217;s confident, he&#8217;s good with his feet. I think he fits the way we want to play. I think that&#8217;s really key, finding pieces that fit our game model.”</p>
  452. <p>The Revolution appeared to have filled their vacancy for a true No. 1 goalkeeper when Sporting Director Curt Onalfo acquired Henrich Ravas on Jan. 6 from the Polish club Widzew Lodz. The Revolution spent an undisclosed fee and Ravas was tendered an MLS contract through the 2026 season with a team option for 2027.</p>
  453. <p>The deal looked like a home run when Ravas recorded three clean sheets and one goal allowed in four Concacaf Champions Cup matches.</p>
  454. <p>But Ravas initial success in Champions Cup did not cross over to MLS play, resulting in the Revolution’s race to the basement of the Eastern Conference. Veteran back-up Earl Edwards Jr. didn’t fare any better during Ravas’ international absences. That put the Revolution in the market for an experienced keeper eight games into the regular season.</p>
  455. <p>Onalfo didn’t stop with Ivacic. In a move to bolster the back line in Porter’s 4-2-3-1 scheme, once considered a team strength, the Revolution acquired center back Xavier Arreaga on the same day in a trade with the Seattle Sounders. Arreaga made his Revolution’s debut in their 4-1 loss to Inter Miami FC on April 27 at Gillette Stadium.</p>
  456. <p>“They are footballers, they bring confidence, they bring composure in our ability to play out the back a bit, get control in games,” said Porter. “They are also very experienced players in this league. It&#8217;s great to have them.”</p>
  457. <p>Ivacic found Hitchcock, a former player and coach in the English Premier League, to be the kind of instructor he can work with to get acclimated at an accelerated pace.</p>
  458. <p>Hitchcock was hired by Bruce Arena and retained by Porter based on his resume and successes in New England. Hitchcock is the “horse whisperer” of MLS goalkeeper coaches and the spinoffs of his tutorial wizardry are currently laboring in his old stomping grounds.</p>
  459. <p>Since 2020, the Revolution’s back end was manned by two of the most dominant goalkeepers in MLS, Matt Turner and Djordje Petrovic, both of whom crossed the Atlantic to play in the English Premier League.</p>
  460. <p>Turner was the 2021 MLS Goal Keeper of the Year and a starter on the U.S. Men’s National Team when he left to compete for Arsenal in the EPL. Turner has since transferred to Nottingham Forest.</p>
  461. <p>Arena signed Petrovic on June 12, 2022, to replace Turner and the Serbian national performed above and beyond expectations. Despite beginning his MLS tenure well into the 2022 season, Petrovic finished second in the Goalkeeper of the Year voting.</p>
  462. <p>Petrovic was an MLS All-Star in 2022 and the favorite to win the 2023 Goalkeeper of the Year award when he transferred out of MLS to compete for Chelsea in the EPL.</p>
  463. <p>“It’s something new for me, but I like it,” said Ivacic. “(Hitchcock) is a hard-working guy, and this is something that I like and that is a part of me.</p>
  464. <p>“It’s how I grew up and it’s the work that I believe in. It’s the hard work, that’s the only way, and he’s that guy and he has been helping me a lot. I still need to adapt to his training, but I love it and we’re really getting along.”</p>
  465. ]]></content:encoded>
  469. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4863341</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Revs-goalie.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="66549" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic is scheduled to make  his first start for the New England Revolution on Saturday in a MLS game at the Chicago Fire. (Revolution courtesy photo) ]]></media:description></media:content>
  470. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T17:34:51+00:00</dcterms:created>
  471. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T17:39:17+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  472. </item>
  473. <item>
  474. <title>Ticker: Workers begin removing I-95 overpass scorched in Connecticut fuel truck inferno [+video]</title>
  475. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/ticker-workers-begin-removing-i-95-overpass-scorched-in-connecticut-fuel-truck-inferno-video/</link>
  477. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Associated Press]]></dc:creator>
  478. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 21:18:25 +0000</pubDate>
  479. <category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
  480. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
  481. <category><![CDATA[Nation]]></category>
  482. <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  483. <category><![CDATA[Connecticut]]></category>
  484. <category><![CDATA[Traffic]]></category>
  485. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4864216</guid>
  486.  
  487. <description><![CDATA[Workers on Friday began tearing down a bridge over a Connecticut highway that was damaged in a fiery crash involving a gasoline tanker truck — a project expected to extend the traffic nightmare caused by the closing of Interstate 95 through the weekend.]]></description>
  488. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Workers on Friday began tearing down a bridge over a Connecticut highway that was damaged in a fiery crash involving a gasoline tanker truck — a project expected to extend the traffic nightmare caused by the closing of Interstate 95 through the weekend.</p>
  489. <div style="width: 1920px;" class="wp-video"><!--[if lt IE 9]><script>document.createElement('video');</script><![endif]-->
  490. <video class="wp-video-shortcode" id="video-4864216-1" width="1920" height="1080" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/AP9088841348.mp4?_=1" /><a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/AP9088841348.mp4">https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/AP9088841348.mp4</a></video></div>
  491. <p>A day after the crash, crews removed metal fencing on the span in Norwalk before two large excavators — one on each side of the highway — began demolishing the concrete parts of the structure.</p>
  492. <p>Gov. Ned Lamont said the plan is for both sides of the highway to fully reopen by Monday morning&#8217;s commute. He and other officials continued to urge drivers to avoid the area.</p>
  493. <p>“And here we are more than 24 hours later. And that bridge is going to be down very soon,” Lamont said at a news conference in Norwalk on Friday.</p>
  494. <p>About 160,000 vehicles travel that section of I-95 in both directions daily, officials said.</p>
  495. <p>The crash happened at around 5:30 a.m. Thursday on the southbound side of the highway.</p>
  496. <p>The bridge removal and road repairs could cost about $20 million, said U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat.</p>
  497. ]]></content:encoded>
  501. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4864216</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/AP24124620957950.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="206431" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ In this photo made from video, a demolition crew begins work on tearing down the Fairfield Avenue bridge, Friday in Norwalk, Conn.  (WABC TV via AP)) ]]></media:description></media:content>
  502. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T17:18:25+00:00</dcterms:created>
  503. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T17:18:25+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  504. </item>
  505. <item>
  506. <title>&#8216;Millionaire&#8217;s Tax&#8217; drives up April revenues in Massachusetts</title>
  507. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/millionaires-tax-drives-april-revenues-in-massachusetts/</link>
  509. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Van Buskirk]]></dc:creator>
  510. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 20:53:53 +0000</pubDate>
  511. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
  512. <category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
  513. <category><![CDATA[Massachusetts]]></category>
  514. <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  515. <category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
  516. <category><![CDATA[Maura Healey]]></category>
  517. <category><![CDATA[millionaire tax]]></category>
  518. <category><![CDATA[politics]]></category>
  519. <category><![CDATA[State Budget]]></category>
  520. <category><![CDATA[State House]]></category>
  521. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4864183</guid>
  522.  
  523. <description><![CDATA[Massachusetts appears poised to avoid ending the fiscal year in the red after April tax revenues shot past already lowered projections, Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew Gorzkowicz said Friday afternoon.]]></description>
  524. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Massachusetts appears poised to avoid ending the fiscal year in the red after April tax revenues shot past already lowered projections, Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew Gorzkowicz said Friday afternoon.</p>
  525. <p>Massachusetts tax collections beat April expectations by more than $1 billion, or about 19.5% above the benchmarks that Gov. Maura Healey reduced earlier this year after months of dismal returns.</p>
  526. <p>The increase was largely driven by the so-called “Millionaire&#8217;s Tax” and excess capital gains. Those dollars are already set aside for other uses, which means the state does not have an extra $1 billion lying around to help balance the budget, Gorzkowicz said.</p>
  527. <p>Department of Revenue officials are still figuring out exactly how much the 4% surtax on incomes over $1 million and excess capital gains played a role in April’s revenue numbers, Gorzkowicz said.</p>
  528. <p>But even if the Healey administration sets aside what it believes was collected under the surtax and excess capital gains, the state is expected to end fiscal year 2024 in balance, Gorzkowicz told reporters.</p>
  529. <p>Surtax dollars cannot be used to balance the budget because they are earmarked for education and transportation initiatives. State law requires officials to deposit excess capital gains revenues into Massachusetts&#8217; rainy day fund.</p>
  530. <p>Months of struggling revenues have left Beacon Hill budget writers anxiously awaiting April’s figures, which account for the largest tax collection month of the fiscal year.</p>
  531. <aside class="related left"><h2 class="widget-title" data-curated-ids="" data-relation-type="automatic-primary-tag">Related Articles</h2><ul><li>
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  585.  
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  591. </li></ul></aside>
  592. <p>Healey in January slashed $375 million from the state’s fiscal year 2024 budget and lowered expectations by $1 billion in an effort to keep Massachusetts from running into the red. As poor revenues kept coming in, Healey last month put in place stricting hiring measures in an attempt to rein in costs.</p>
  593. <p>The administration does not plan to reverse any of the moves it has already made and any decision to extend “hiring controls” would not be made until at least July, Gorzkowicz said.</p>
  594. <p>Gorzkowicz said revenue officials are still keeping an eye on May and June, the last two months of the fiscal year, for potential revenue below benchmark collections.</p>
  595. <p>Preliminary revenue collections for April totaled $6.3 billion, or about 32% more than the same time last year, according to the Department of Revenue.</p>
  596. <p>Fiscal year 2024 year-to-date collections are at roughly $33.8 billion, or 4.8% more than the same period last fiscal year and 2.7% above projections set by the Healey administration.</p>
  597. <p>April tax collections last year set off alarms when <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/05/03/state-tax-revenue-plummeted-in-april-came-in-billions-under-projections/">revenues came in $1.6 billion below what officials originally estimated</a> the state would collect. Those numbers came as both Healey and the Legislature were in the process of working through varying tax cut proposals.</p>
  598. <p>Healey <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/01/09/gov-maura-healey-defends-tax-cuts-as-massachusetts-faces-1-billion-revenue-slowdown/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CWe%20accomplished%20that%20with%20the,a%20promise%20that%20we%20made.%E2%80%9D">later defended a $1-billion-a-year package of tax cuts</a> in January in the face of poor revenue collections.</p>
  599. ]]></content:encoded>
  603. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4864183</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/aleynl15.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="206330" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Boston, MA - Finance Secretary Matthew Gorzkowicz testifies before the Ways and Means Committee at the State House. ]]></media:description></media:content>
  604. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T16:53:53+00:00</dcterms:created>
  605. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T17:00:17+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  606. </item>
  607. <item>
  608. <title>Red Sox lineups: Vaughn Grissom activated, set to start at 2B in team debut</title>
  609. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/red-sox-lineups-vaughn-grissom-activated-set-to-start-at-2b-in-team-debut/</link>
  611. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mac Cerullo]]></dc:creator>
  612. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 20:31:27 +0000</pubDate>
  613. <category><![CDATA[Boston Red Sox]]></category>
  614. <category><![CDATA[MLB]]></category>
  615. <category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
  616. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4864160</guid>
  617.  
  618. <description><![CDATA[One of the Red Sox most intriguing offseason additions will finally make his club debut tonight in Minnesota.]]></description>
  619. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>After missing all of spring training and the season&#8217;s first month due to a series of injuries, Vaughn Grissom is finally set to make his Red Sox debut tonight in Minnesota.</p>
  620. <p>The new Red Sox second baseman was officially activated from the 10-day injured list and will start at second base and bat seventh as the club opens its three-game series against the Twins.</p>
  621. <p>To clear space on the roster the Red Sox optioned first baseman Bobby Dalbec to Triple-A.</p>
  622. <p>Grissom was initially sidelined with a groin strain suffered over the offseason and then experienced a setback when he suffered a left hamstring strain while ramping up during camp. Grissom spent 20 days on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Worcester throughout April, batting .333 with an .844 OPS in nine games with the WooSox, but was delayed once again after coming down with the flu on Tuesday.</p>
  623. <p>In addition to Grissom, first baseman Garrett Cooper will get the start at first base, Dominic Smith will serve as the designated hitter, Reese McGuire will start at catcher and the rest of Boston&#8217;s regulars will take the field at their usual positions. Tanner Houck (3-2, 1.60 ERA) is set to start against Minnesota&#8217;s Chris Paddack (2-1, 5.88).</p>
  624. <h4>Red Sox lineup</h4>
  625. <p>Jarren Duran CF</p>
  626. <p>Rafael Devers 3B</p>
  627. <p>Tyler O&#8217;Neill LF</p>
  628. <p>Wilyer Abreu RF</p>
  629. <p>Garrett Cooper 1B</p>
  630. <p>Dominic Smith DH</p>
  631. <p>Vaughn Grissom 2B</p>
  632. <p>Reese McGuire C</p>
  633. <p>Ceddanne Rafaela SS</p>
  634. <p>Tanner Houck P</p>
  635. <h4>How to watch</h4>
  636. <p><strong>When</strong>: 8:10 p.m. ET</p>
  637. <p><strong>Where</strong>: Target Field, Minneapolis, Minn.</p>
  638. <p><strong>Broadcast info</strong>: NESN, WEEI 93.7 FM, WCCM 1490 AM (Spanish)</p>
  639. ]]></content:encoded>
  643. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4864160</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Sox-Grissom.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="218700" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Atlanta Braves infielder Vaughn Grissom, right, high-fives teammates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run against Oakland during a Sept. 7, 2022 game. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) ]]></media:description></media:content>
  644. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T16:31:27+00:00</dcterms:created>
  645. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T16:31:27+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  646. </item>
  647. <item>
  648. <title>How the Cat King in ‘Dead Boy Detectives’ captures a familiar queer dynamic</title>
  649. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/how-the-cat-king-in-dead-boy-detectives-captures-a-familiar-queer-dynamic/</link>
  651. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tribune News Service]]></dc:creator>
  652. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 20:24:07 +0000</pubDate>
  653. <category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
  654. <category><![CDATA[Things To Do]]></category>
  655. <category><![CDATA[network]]></category>
  656. <category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
  657. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4864167&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=4864167</guid>
  658.  
  659. <description><![CDATA[‘They're teenagers and they're having a coming-of-age story, just in a nontraditional way because two of our main characters are dead.’]]></description>
  660. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Tracy Brown | Los Angeles Times (TNS)</strong></p>
  661. <p>When the Dead Boy Detectives Edwin Paine and Charles Rowland are first summoned by the Cat King, the shape-shifting feline just wants retribution after they break his rules.</p>
  662. <p>But after whisking Edwin away to privately discuss his crime and potential punishment, the Cat King is quick to admit that the handsome teen ghost fascinates him. He turns up his seductive charm — while shirtless in a fur robe — and then magically traps Edwin in his small town.</p>
  663. <p>&#8220;Because Edwin has his walls up so much, it&#8217;s suddenly a game to him,&#8221; said Lukas Gage, the out actor who portrays the Cat King in the supernatural drama. &#8220;Edwin is very guarded and well put together so that entices the Cat King. He wants to rough him up a little bit and see him get angry and get kind of messy.&#8221;</p>
  664. <p>Based on the comic book characters created by Neil Gaiman and Matt Wagner, &#8220;Dead Boy Detectives,&#8221; now streaming on Netflix, follows Edwin (George Rexstrew) and Charles (Jayden Revri), the show&#8217;s solvers of supernatural mysteries.</p>
  665. <p>Edwin and Charles&#8217; longstanding routine and dynamic are shaken up after they meet Crystal (Kassius Nelson), a very much living teenager with a demon ex-boyfriend and no memories of her past.</p>
  666. <p>&#8220;We always knew that part of the Season 1 journey for all three of our core characters was going to be an exploration of identity,&#8221; said Steve Yockey, who developed the series.</p>
  667. <p>&#8220;All of our characters are trying to figure out who they are,&#8221; added Beth Schwartz, who served as co-showrunner with Yockey. &#8220;They&#8217;re teenagers and they&#8217;re having a coming-of-age story, just in a nontraditional way because two of our main characters are dead.&#8221;</p>
  668. <p>For Charles, who died in the 1980s after being attacked by school bullies, this involves confronting why he is so outwardly happy and positive all of the time. While Crystal, with no memory of herself, has to both figure out her actual identity and who she wants to be in the aftermath of a toxic relationship.</p>
  669. <p>&#8220;For Edwin, we wanted to hit him from all sides,&#8221; said Yockey. &#8220;The Cat King is that older experienced man that maybe doesn&#8217;t have the best intentions, but is also charming and seductive. Monty (a younger supernatural suitor), who you think has nefarious intentions, really just tries to honestly be affectionate with Edwin. We&#8217;re just giving him all of these different eye-opener experiences and context as he slowly realizes, &#8216;Oh, wait, this is something that I am and it&#8217;s OK.&#8217;&#8221;</p>
  670. <p>In addition to realizing he is attracted to men, Edwin has to sort through his feelings for his best friend over the course of the season. According to Yockey, the relationship between Cat King and Edwin was of particular interest for the gay writers on the show because it was a dynamic many of them were familiar with.</p>
  671. <p>&#8220;When you first are starting to come out, you always find a more experienced gay man who&#8217;s happy to hold your hand and walk you into that world and not always with the best intentions,&#8221; said Yockey. Their aim was &#8220;capturing that in a supernatural way.&#8221;</p>
  672. <p>While &#8220;Dead Boy Detectives&#8221; is set within the broader &#8220;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2022-08-05/netflix-the-sandman-neil-gaiman-series-review">Sandman</a>&#8221; universe (as played up by a couple of cameos), the Cat King is an original character Yockey created for the series. A longtime fan of the &#8220;Dead Boy Detectives&#8221; comic books, &#8220;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2020-12-17/hbo-max-flight-attendant-kaley-cuoco-finale-explained">The Flight Attendant</a>&#8221; showrunner explained that they wanted the Cat King &#8220;to be as fun as possible.&#8221;</p>
  673. <p>&#8220;And then we got Lukas and that fun was realized,&#8221; said Yockey.</p>
  674. <p>Gage, who has played a string of memorable roles in buzzy shows like &#8220;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2021-08-12/the-white-lotus-hbo-final-episode-guide">The White Lotus</a>,&#8221; &#8220;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-03-09/you-netflix-sera-gamble-penn-badgley">You</a>&#8221; and &#8220;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-11-22/noah-hawley-fargo-season-5">Fargo</a>,&#8221; said he didn&#8217;t have much time to really prepare for the Cat King since it immediately followed his wrap on this year&#8217;s remake of &#8220;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-03-09/rowdy-road-house-premiere-on-screen-and-off-marks-start-of-sxsw">Road House</a>.&#8221; It wasn&#8217;t until he put on the Cat King&#8217;s robe and makeup for the wardrobe test that he figured out the character.</p>
  675. <p>&#8220;He has a bunch of fur on and I remember [thinking] there&#8217;s a bit of a sensuality to this character,&#8221; said Gage. &#8220;He feels very comfortable in a robe and seducing this ghost in his lair.&#8221;</p>
  676. <p>Gage admits he was primarily drawn to the project for the opportunity to work with Yockey, though he does describe himself as an animal person who loves both cats and dogs.</p>
  677. <p>&#8220;I&#8217;ve been fascinated by cats and how they kind of just play hard to get and give you a little bit (of affection) and then they&#8217;re like &#8216;OK, I&#8217;m done with you, leave me alone,&#8217;&#8221; said Gage, who says his time as the Cat King was a joy. &#8220;I always love to play these kind of complicated characters that you can&#8217;t tell if you hate them or like them.&#8221;</p>
  678. <p><aside class="related left"><h2 class="widget-title" data-curated-ids="" data-relation-type="automatic-primary-section">Related Articles</h2><ul><li>
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  728. <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/04/23/one-with-the-whale-review-climate-change-and-animal-activists-threaten-an-indigenous-alaskan-community/" title="‘One with the Whale’ review: Climate change and animal activists threaten an Indigenous Alaskan community">
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  732.  
  733.  
  734.  
  735. </a>
  738. </li></ul></aside>For Gage, part of the excitement in playing characters like the Cat King where his backstory is a mystery is &#8220;the creative freedom to fill in the blanks for yourself.&#8221; So although he describes the Cat King as a brat, he believes it stems from past heartbreak.</p>
  739. <p>The Cat King &#8220;clearly has a lot of wisdom and has been around for a long time, but there was a lot of idiosyncrasies with him,&#8221; said Gage. &#8220;He came off so cold and heartless, but I think it came from a place of getting his heart broken for hundreds of years.&#8221;</p>
  740. <p>What made the Cat King particularly fun for Gage is that he is untrustworthy and a liar, even to himself. So in crafting the character, Gage was interested in exploring the Cat King&#8217;s rage as well as his narcissism.</p>
  741. <p>&#8220;He loves hearing the sound of his own voice,&#8221; said Gage. &#8220;He loves the way he looks. He loves his body. I wanted to get in touch with that and [explore] how much of that was actually a lie, how much of that was a mask, how much of that was a front.&#8221;</p>
  742. <p>For Gage, the Cat King&#8217;s thirst for attention, at least, was something he could relate to as an actor.</p>
  743. <p>&#8220;I can connect to that as a kid who didn&#8217;t feel like he got enough attention growing up and (chose) this career where he essentially was going to have the world give him attention,&#8221; said Gage, with a laugh. The role also brought new challenges, such as acting opposite tennis balls that were stand-ins for cats that would be digitally added later. (Yockey and Schwartz said only two real cats were used during the production.)</p>
  744. <p>And although he starts off just toying with Edwin, &#8220;there&#8217;s something kind of beautiful about this person that&#8217;s been around for hundreds of years but still has the giddiness and the butterflies of having a crush and falling in love again,&#8221; said Gage.</p>
  745. <p>The showrunners credit Gage&#8217;s performance for the Cat King&#8217;s unique appeal.</p>
  746. <p>&#8220;Lukas brought this fully realized performance,&#8221; said Yockey. &#8220;He has this sort of wink in what he does, and I think it&#8217;s really fun to see a character be playful about sexuality in a show that can be very serious on the topic sometimes.&#8221;</p>
  747. <p>&#8220;Even though it&#8217;s this nefarious character that is a full-on predator, people come away from the show loving him because of Lukas&#8217; charm,&#8221; said Schwartz. &#8220;He brought a different side to the Cat King, where the Cat King does start to really learn something about himself as well.&#8221;</p>
  748. <p>Gage describes the Cat King&#8217;s arc as going from &#8220;jaded to open to possibilities.&#8221;</p>
  749. <p>He also recognizes that &#8220;aspiring to be a supernatural creature is cornerstone queer culture in a way,&#8221; said Gage, who was so obsessed with &#8220;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-sep-05-et-trueblood5-story.html">True Blood</a>&#8221; in middle school that he wanted to be a vampire. &#8220;From my experience in the queer community, we love a form of expression other than dialogue. There&#8217;s something akin to drag in supernatural things.&#8221;</p>
  750. <p>&#8220;There&#8217;s a part of my emo punk preteen [and] teen self that would have just devoured this show and the queerness of it all.&#8221;</p>
  751. <p><em>©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit <a href="https://www.latimes.com/">latimes.com</a>. Distributed by <a href="https://www.tribunecontentagency.com/">Tribune Content Agency, LLC.</a></em></p>
  752. ]]></content:encoded>
  756. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4864167</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ENTER-VID-DEAD-BOY-DETECTIVES-GAGE-MCT.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="169054" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Lukas Gage as the Cat King in “Dead Boy Detectives.” (Netflix/TNS)
  757. ]]></media:description></media:content>
  758. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T16:24:07+00:00</dcterms:created>
  759. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T16:24:14+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  760. </item>
  761. <item>
  762. <title>Home Showcase: Hingham estate so nice you&#8217;ll never leave home</title>
  763. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/home-showcase-hingham-estate-so-nice-youll-never-leave-home/</link>
  765. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Miriam Schwartz]]></dc:creator>
  766. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 20:13:08 +0000</pubDate>
  767. <category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
  768. <category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
  769. <category><![CDATA[Real Estate]]></category>
  770. <category><![CDATA[Real Estate Market]]></category>
  771. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4863842</guid>
  772.  
  773. <description><![CDATA[Welcome to your own slice of paradise on the shores of Hingham, where waterfront luxury meets laid-back charm at 21 Bel Air Road. Get ready to swoon over the lovingly updated 1905 estate boasting more than 8,000 square feet, four floors, and 1.4 acres of prime waterfront real estate with 150 feet of direct water [&#8230;]]]></description>
  774. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Welcome to your own slice of paradise on the shores of Hingham, where waterfront luxury meets laid-back charm at 21 Bel Air Road. Get ready to swoon over the lovingly updated 1905 estate boasting more than 8,000 square feet, four floors, and 1.4 acres of prime waterfront real estate with 150 feet of direct water frontage.</p>
  775. <p>Picture-perfect sunsets? Check. Mesmerizing views of the Boston skyline? Double check. With expansive decks, a sparkling gunite pool, and a deep water dock perfect for all your water adventures, every day feels like a vacation here.</p>
  776. <p>Step inside, and you&#8217;ll find yourself in a world of timeless, coastal elegance and contemporary creature comfort. From the spacious rooms and high ceilings to the period details and modern updates, every inch of this home exudes a laid-back style with fine craftsmanship throughout. You’ll find French doors, ample built-ins, and extensive moulding.</p>
  777. <p>Among the four lavish floors, the real fun is on the lower level. Host epic movie nights in the media room, pop open a bottle of wine from your very own cellar, or whip up wood-fired pizzas in the poolside kitchen complete with a pizza oven. Decks, patios, and a lush yard await, too.</p>
  778. <p>And did we mention the views? From every corner of the house, you&#8217;ll be treated to breathtaking vistas that remind you why waterfront living is the ultimate dream.</p>
  779. <p>On the market for $8,650,000, the sale of the property is represented by Tara Coveney with Coldwell Banker, 617-823-9781.</p>
  780. <p>Home Showcase:</p>
  781. <p>Address: 21 Bel Air Road, Hingham, MA 02043</p>
  782. <p>Bedrooms: 5</p>
  783. <p>List Price: $8,650,000</p>
  784. <p>Square feet: 8,287</p>
  785. <p>Price per square foot: $$1,043</p>
  786. <p>Annual taxes: $66,890 in 2024.</p>
  787. <p>Location: Hingham Bay waterfront.</p>
  788. <p>Built in: 1905</p>
  789. <p>The Appraisal:</p>
  790. <p>Pros:</p>
  791. <p>Acreage and square footage</p>
  792. <p>Direct water frontage</p>
  793. <p>Cons:</p>
  794. <p>May want some updates</p>
  795. ]]></content:encoded>
  799. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4863842</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/hingham-14.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="306435" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ home showcase - 21 Bel Air Rd Hingham, MA 02043
  800.  
  801. Photo credit: Blu Lemonade Photography ]]></media:description></media:content>
  802. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T16:13:08+00:00</dcterms:created>
  803. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T16:13:37+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  804. </item>
  805. <item>
  806. <title>‘Hacks’ review: Jean Smart’s Deborah Vance sets her sights on a late-night talk show gig in Season 3</title>
  807. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/hacks-review-jean-smarts-deborah-vance-sets-her-sights-on-a-late-night-talk-show-gig-in-season-3/</link>
  809. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Nina Metz]]></dc:creator>
  810. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 20:11:09 +0000</pubDate>
  811. <category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
  812. <category><![CDATA[Things To Do]]></category>
  813. <category><![CDATA[network]]></category>
  814. <category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
  815. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4864153&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=4864153</guid>
  816.  
  817. <description><![CDATA[The Max comedy "Hacks" is about testing boundaries to get an adrenaline rush the characters can't getting anywhere else.]]></description>
  818. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>There’s real tenderness in a show like “Hacks.” Real cruelty, too, and that’s separate from its insult comedy sensibility. Back for its third and strongest season on Max, the Joan Rivers-esque showbiz veteran Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and her semi-obnoxious Gen-Z writer Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder) have a new goal: To land Deborah the job hosting a late-night talk show.</p>
  819. <p>It’s the same quasi-“Tonight Show” gig show that she lost earlier in her career — a crushing letdown that left her bitter and shellshocked for decades — so this feels personal: “I have been waiting over 40 years for a second chance. This is it.<em> I want that chair.</em>” Does the premise feel somewhat behind the times considering late-night TV has lost much of its cache in recent years? Yes! Don’t tell “Hacks” that, but maybe it doesn’t even matter. As a framing device, it gives the season a much-needed shape and a compelling narrative destination.</p>
  820. <p>The pair have been estranged for months, with Deborah busy (if bored) doing a victory lap after the massive success of her comedy special. Ava is on the upswing as well, writing for a show that’s a riff on John Oliver’s “Last Week Tonight.” Technically, they don’t need each other anymore. But clearly, in some metaphysical sense, they do. This is the cycle they’re trapped in and the show’s guiding principle: A gradual, somewhat grudging bond is formed between two prickly personalities, lulling you into the belief that their friendship has progressed beyond its transactional, sharp-elbowed origins and then — <em>zing</em> — betrayal. It’s a true Hollywood story.</p>
  821. <p>Ava remains the kind of annoying person who rear-ends a city bus and apologizes profusely as the passengers disembark — “I want to commend you for using mass transit!” — before she unironically hightails it back to her car.</p>
  822. <p>Old habits die hard for Deborah, as well. She still relies on her accumulation of <em>stuff</em> to compensate for her disappointments and insecurities. Her secondary closet isn’t just located somewhere in her mansion, it’s an entire warehouse at a separate location. None of this can fix whatever is gnawing at her soul, but it’s such an insightful detail.</p>
  823. <figure id="attachment_4864155"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ENTER-VID-HACKS-REVIEW-2-MCT.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" width="3000" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ENTER-VID-HACKS-REVIEW-2-MCT.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="4864155" data-srcset="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ENTER-VID-HACKS-REVIEW-2-MCT.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ENTER-VID-HACKS-REVIEW-2-MCT.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ENTER-VID-HACKS-REVIEW-2-MCT.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ENTER-VID-HACKS-REVIEW-2-MCT.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ENTER-VID-HACKS-REVIEW-2-MCT.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">From left, Jean Smart, Megan Stalter and Paul W. Downs in Season 3 of “Hacks.” (Jake Giles Netter/Max/TNS)</figcaption></figure>
  824. <p>Rooting from the sidelines are the various members of her team, including her agent (a terrifically beleaguered Paul W. Downs, who is also one of the show’s co-creators along with Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky) and his overeager, can’t-read-a-room-to-save-her-life assistant (Megan Stalter, who gets more nuance this season, making her less of a one-joke construct).</p>
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  875. <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/04/23/one-with-the-whale-review-climate-change-and-animal-activists-threaten-an-indigenous-alaskan-community/" title="‘One with the Whale’ review: Climate change and animal activists threaten an Indigenous Alaskan community">
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  885. </li></ul></aside>The quips are funnier this time out, too. You know nothing about fashion, Deborah informs Ava: “You look like you’re dressed to have lunch on a steel girder.” Another line is such an obvious but funny joke, I can’t believe we haven’t heard it sooner: “I can’t be woke, I’m exhausted!” Schmoozing and shilling are second nature to Deborah because she’s a warhorse in this business and willing to play the game if the price is right. Ava brings more awkward vulnerability and skepticism to the mix. Sexism and ageism remain the show’s core themes. But also the neediness of people who are drawn to fame and talk show stardom, and the way failure and neuroses can infect everyone around them. Roger Ebert clocked this in <a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/conan-obrien-cant-stop-2011" target="_blank" rel="noopener">his review</a> of the 2011 documentary “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop,” noting that after he lost “The Tonight Show,” everyone around him paid a price: “He relentlessly nibbles away at his support system, picks on his personal assistant, needles his sidekick Andy Richter and dominates his writers.” There’s a lot of Deborah and Ava in that description.</p>
  886. <p>It’s a real relationship, twisted and sad, but also weirdly supportive and meaningful — and far more intimate than any bond with their immediate family members. Despite the 40-year age gap, this is probably the most important connection either has ever had.</p>
  887. <p>“Hacks” is more or less doing variations on the same story each season, but it’s doing it in <em>interesting</em> ways, and the brass ring of a late-night talk show gig is a juicy arc onto which this toxic pattern can play out once again. Nobody self-sabotages their way to success like these two. Wariness gives way to trust. And then inevitably the entire floor gives way, every time.</p>
  888. <p><strong>“Hacks” Season 3 — 3.5 stars</strong> (out of 4)</p>
  889. <p><strong>Where to watch:</strong> Max</p>
  890. <p><em>Nina Metz is a Tribune critic.</em></p>
  891. ]]></content:encoded>
  895. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4864153</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ENTER-VID-HACKS-REVIEW-1-MCT.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="201976" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Jean Smart, left, and Mark Indelicato in Season 3 of “Hacks.” (Hilary Bronwyn Gayle/Max/TNS)
  896. ]]></media:description></media:content>
  897. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T16:11:09+00:00</dcterms:created>
  898. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T16:17:37+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  899. </item>
  900. <item>
  901. <title>Your fridge is a place where fresh food goes to die. That doesn’t have to happen</title>
  902. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/your-fridge-is-a-place-where-fresh-food-goes-to-die-that-doesnt-have-to-happen/</link>
  904. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tribune News Service]]></dc:creator>
  905. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 20:07:49 +0000</pubDate>
  906. <category><![CDATA[Things To Do]]></category>
  907. <category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
  908. <category><![CDATA[lifestyle]]></category>
  909. <category><![CDATA[network]]></category>
  910. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4864143&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=4864143</guid>
  911.  
  912. <description><![CDATA[Out-of-sight-out-of-mind design flaws can lead to refrigerator blindness — a common malady that prevents us from seeing the contents of our own fridge. ]]></description>
  913. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Laura Yuen | Star Tribune (TNS)</strong></p>
  914. <p>MINNEAPOLIS &#8212; Do you feel ashamed when you toss out rotting food? Maybe it&#8217;s a produce bag of slimy green onions decomposing in the bowels of your fridge. Or a forgotten bin of leftovers that would have made a terrific reheated lunch, if only you had noticed it earlier.</p>
  915. <p><aside class="related left"><h2 class="widget-title" data-curated-ids="" data-relation-type="automatic-primary-section">Related Articles</h2><ul><li>
  916.  
  917. <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/celebrate-cinco-de-mayo-with-some-tasty-mexican-recipes/" title="Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with some tasty Mexican recipes">
  919. <span class="dfm-title metered">
  920. Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with some tasty Mexican recipes </span>
  921.  
  922.  
  923.  
  924. </a>
  927. </li><li>
  928.  
  929. <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/02/have-toast-for-dinner-but-make-it-fancy/" title="Have toast for dinner, but make it fancy">
  931. <span class="dfm-title premium">
  932. Have toast for dinner, but make it fancy </span>
  933.  
  934.  
  935.  
  936. </a>
  939. </li><li>
  940.  
  941. <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/02/how-to-put-together-the-perfect-picnic/" title="How to put together the perfect picnic">
  943. <span class="dfm-title metered">
  944. How to put together the perfect picnic </span>
  945.  
  946.  
  947.  
  948. </a>
  951. </li><li>
  952.  
  953. <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/02/mary-ann-esposito-paulis-sandwich-magic/" title="Mary Ann Esposito + Pauli&#8217;s = sandwich magic">
  955. <span class="dfm-title metered">
  956. Mary Ann Esposito + Pauli&#8217;s = sandwich magic </span>
  957.  
  958.  
  959.  
  960. </a>
  963. </li><li>
  964.  
  965. <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/01/esther-the-zester-fruit-salsas-a-good-addition-for-cinco-de-mayo/" title="Fruit salsas are a good addition for Cinco de Mayo">
  967. <span class="dfm-title metered">
  968. Fruit salsas are a good addition for Cinco de Mayo </span>
  969.  
  970.  
  971.  
  972. </a>
  975. </li></ul></aside>Jiaying Zhao used to feel guilt-ridden, too. But she says wasting food is not entirely our fault.</p>
  976. <p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t think the fridge is designed with human behavior in mind,&#8221; Zhao said. &#8220;The design hasn&#8217;t changed for the past three or four decades. We&#8217;re taught to keep produce and perishables in drawers in the back of the fridge where it&#8217;s coldest. But those spots are the hardest to see.&#8221;</p>
  977. <p>These out-of-sight-out-of-mind design flaws can lead to refrigerator blindness — a common malady that prevents us from seeing the contents of our own fridge.</p>
  978. <p>Personal solutions to climate change often follow a narrative of self-depriving don&#8217;ts. Don&#8217;t eat meat. Don&#8217;t drive. Don&#8217;t take long showers. Don&#8217;t buy this, don&#8217;t buy that.</p>
  979. <p>But who among us can live out such saintly values? A behavioral scientist at the University of British Columbia, Zhao says humans are more likely to change their ways if the framing focuses on actions we can do. Rather than following the edict &#8220;don&#8217;t waste food,&#8221; consider Zhao&#8217;s approach, which she explained in a <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/jiaying_zhao_how_to_feng_shui_your_fridge_and_other_happy_climate_hacks/">TED Talk</a>: &#8220;Feng shui your fridge&#8221; so you can eat everything you&#8217;ve kept in cold storage.</p>
  980. <p>Every year, a typical family of four wastes about $2,500 of food, everything from moldy cream cheese to bags of browned salad that we never got around to. You might think the amount of uneaten food in households is a drop in the bucket compared to what&#8217;s thrown out by restaurants and grocery stores. You&#8217;d be wrong.</p>
  981. <p>More than 66 million tons of food is wasted each year in the United States in food retail, food service and residential sectors, according to <a href="https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-03/2019%20Wasted%20Food%20Report_508_opt_ec.pdf">Environmental Protection Agency</a> estimates. Of that amount, 40% is from households. Most of wasted food ends up in landfills. When food is discarded, all of the resources that went into producing the food — such as water, energy and labor — are wasted, too. The U.N. estimates that 7% of greenhouse gas comes from food that&#8217;s never eaten.</p>
  982. <p>So, here are some easy ways that we, the captains of our individual kitchens, can steer toward eating the food we have.</p>
  983. <h4>PRIORITIZE YOUR FRIDGE&#8217;S BEST REAL ESTATE</h4>
  984. <p>Fill eye-level spaces with your most time-sensitive perishables, such as produce, leftovers, meat, milk and yogurt. This is also a good place to place healthy snacks such as carrot sticks and celery so you&#8217;re more likely to grab them rather than potato chips when you&#8217;re hungry.</p>
  985. <p>Designate a highly visible &#8220;eat first&#8221; area such as the top left corner of your refrigerator. Use a clear basket to store a half-apple, leftovers that are about to turn, or a cup of sliced onion. Keep it simple, folks; no need to dash to the Container Store. &#8220;I got my basket for $2 from a thrift store,&#8221; says Jenny Kedward, food waste prevention specialist at Hennepin County.</p>
  986. <p>Items that will last, such as cans of pop or sparkling water, can be placed near the back of the fridge.</p>
  987. <h4>BEWARE THE CRISPER DRAWER</h4>
  988. <p>For fruits and veggies, the crisper drawers will do nothing to keep them fresh if you forget about them. Zhao&#8217;s trick is to place produce in her refrigerator doors, where she&#8217;s more likely to notice a cucumber about to go soft. She swears she has not wasted a single piece of food since reorganizing her fridge a couple of years ago.</p>
  989. <p>Some experts, however, warn that the doors are the warmest part of the fridge, which will cause your beautiful greens to wilt.</p>
  990. <p>Zhao doesn&#8217;t deny that. &#8220;You see the wilt, so you eat them sooner,&#8221; she says.</p>
  991. <p>Whether you stow condiments or cauliflower in your fridge doors, the point is to find a system that works for you and your family.</p>
  992. <h4>SHOP THE FRIDGE</h4>
  993. <p>Don&#8217;t bolt to the grocery store without checking your fridge and pantry first, says Twin Cities-based chef and <a href="https://www.soupdujoor.com/">home organizational expert</a> Joor Erin. Over-buying items will lead to not only food-waste guilt but buyer&#8217;s remorse. If you frequent Costco or Sam&#8217;s Club, bring a friend or relative. You can split the bill — as well as those giant containers of blueberries and mushrooms.</p>
  994. <h4>CARVE OUT TIME TO PREP YOUR VEGGIES</h4>
  995. <p>Joor and her children chop much of their produce, such as broccoli and bell peppers, on the day she buys her groceries. While this requires more effort on the front end, it may reduce any motivational barriers to cooking or eating vegetables later in the week.</p>
  996. <p>She stores her food in uniform-size rectangular glass bins. &#8220;Our refrigerators are rectangular, so you will maximize your space if you use square or rectangular containers,&#8221; she says. And the other perk about using containers that are just one size? &#8220;I&#8217;m never looking for lids.&#8221;</p>
  997. <h4>EAT THE FRIDGE</h4>
  998. <p>Think creatively about dinner plans by eyeing what in your fridge needs to be eaten now. Joor&#8217;s kids know when it&#8217;s &#8220;Eat the Fridge&#8221; night. Those evenings are reserved for improvised meals, which might consist of a pear, cauliflower, some leftover spaghetti and cheese and crackers.</p>
  999. <h4>KNOW WHICH FRUITS AND VEGGIES DON&#8217;T MIX</h4>
  1000. <p>Some kinds of produce emit ethylene gas as they ripen, causing other foods around it to spoil quicker. Keep <a href="https://www.marthastewart.com/8296471/fruits-vegetables-never-store-together">onions separate from potatoes and apples</a>, for example. In fact, <a href="https://www.eatthis.com/foods-ethylene-never-store-together/">apples</a> might be best left in their own bowl set on the counter. As a general rule, Joor says, &#8220;Fruits and veggies don&#8217;t like each other. They don&#8217;t get along.&#8221;</p>
  1001. <h4>USE YOUR SENSES</h4>
  1002. <p>Rely less on the product&#8217;s &#8220;use by&#8221; or expiration date and more on your nose, eyes and taste buds. Date labels set by the manufacturer typically refer to food quality rather than safety, Kedward says. &#8220;Our senses are pretty evolved.&#8221;</p>
  1003. <h4>REMIX MEAL INGREDIENTS</h4>
  1004. <p>When planning your week&#8217;s meals, think of ingredients that can get you through multiple dishes. Lettuce can be incorporated into wraps one day, salad the next. Once you buy tortillas for the wraps, you can make quesadillas with them another night. Got ham? That can go into an egg scramble, fried rice and a salad.</p>
  1005. <p>If fruits are about to overripen, blend them into smoothies. Limp veggies can be revived in a stir fry.</p>
  1006. <h4>GET EVERYONE ON THE SAME PAGE</h4>
  1007. <p>Once you reorganize your fridge, congratulations! That is the hardest part. Zhao, the expert on human behavior, says straightening out the fridge will make it easier to see items and stick to your approach. But you must explain (and re-explain) the system to everyone in your household.</p>
  1008. <p>&#8220;The habit is likely to form once we make the initial change,&#8221; Zhao says, &#8220;given that nobody else changes it back.&#8221;</p>
  1009. <p><em>©2024 StarTribune. Visit at <a href="https://www.startribune.com/">startribune.com</a>. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.</em></p>
  1010. ]]></content:encoded>
  1014. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4864143</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/FOOD-FRIDGE-REDUCE-WASTE-DMT.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="204433" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ We&#8217;re taught to keep produce and perishables in drawers in the back of the fridge where it&#8217;s coldest. But those spots are the hardest to see.&#8221; (Igor Sapozhkov/Dreamstime/TNS)
  1015. ]]></media:description></media:content>
  1016. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T16:07:49+00:00</dcterms:created>
  1017. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T16:07:57+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  1018. </item>
  1019. <item>
  1020. <title>Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with some tasty Mexican recipes</title>
  1021. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/celebrate-cinco-de-mayo-with-some-tasty-mexican-recipes/</link>
  1023. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Stephen Fries]]></dc:creator>
  1024. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 19:55:58 +0000</pubDate>
  1025. <category><![CDATA[Things To Do]]></category>
  1026. <category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
  1027. <category><![CDATA[network]]></category>
  1028. <category><![CDATA[recipes]]></category>
  1029. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4864126&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=4864126</guid>
  1030.  
  1031. <description><![CDATA[Mexico’s influence on the American food scene cannot be denied.]]></description>
  1032. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It is time for celebration …Cinco de Mayo is here. The day is a double celebration for me since it is also my birthday. When asked for my birth date throughout the year at the doctor’s office, pharmacy or wherever, Cinco de Mayo is quite often the topic of conversation.</p>
  1033. <p><aside class="related left"><h2 class="widget-title" data-curated-ids="" data-relation-type="automatic-primary-section">Related Articles</h2><ul><li>
  1034.  
  1035. <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/02/have-toast-for-dinner-but-make-it-fancy/" title="Have toast for dinner, but make it fancy">
  1037. <span class="dfm-title premium">
  1038. Have toast for dinner, but make it fancy </span>
  1039.  
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  1045. </li><li>
  1046.  
  1047. <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/01/how-to-make-chinese-dumplings-at-home/" title="How to make Chinese dumplings at home">
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  1050. How to make Chinese dumplings at home </span>
  1051.  
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  1054. </a>
  1057. </li><li>
  1058.  
  1059. <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/04/29/the-best-recipes-are-made-from-shopping-your-fridge/" title="The best recipes are made from shopping your fridge">
  1061. <span class="dfm-title metered">
  1062. The best recipes are made from shopping your fridge </span>
  1063.  
  1064.  
  1065.  
  1066. </a>
  1069. </li><li>
  1070.  
  1071. <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/04/29/gretchens-table-chicken-tinga-tacos-can-feed-a-crowd/" title="Gretchen&#8217;s table: Chicken tinga tacos can feed a crowd">
  1073. <span class="dfm-title metered">
  1074. Gretchen&#8217;s table: Chicken tinga tacos can feed a crowd </span>
  1075.  
  1076.  
  1077.  
  1078. </a>
  1081. </li><li>
  1082.  
  1083. <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/04/24/quick-fix-baked-pecan-crusted-halibut-with-broccoli-and-sweet-potatoes/" title="Quick Fix: Baked Pecan Crusted Halibut with Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes">
  1085. <span class="dfm-title metered">
  1086. Quick Fix: Baked Pecan Crusted Halibut with Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes </span>
  1087.  
  1088.  
  1089.  
  1090. </a>
  1093. </li></ul></aside>The day celebrates Mexico’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The day is sometimes thought as being Mexico’s Independence Day, which it is not. Mexico’s independence from Spain is celebrated on Sept. 16.</p>
  1094. <p>What I find interesting is that it is believed the day is celebrated with more gusto here in the United States than in its native country, although it is a big celebration in Puebla. Here, it has become a celebration of Mexican heritage, culture and of course, food and drink; like how we recognize Irish culture on St. Patrick’s Day.</p>
  1095. <p>May 5 is a day on which many prepare Mexican-inspired fare for a party, and a batch of margaritas to wash it all down. This year, since it falls on a weekend, the celebration can start early! To help you make this year’s fiesta unique and mouth-watering, the party-perfect recipes below will do the trick.</p>
  1096. <p>For those who wish to go out and enjoy Mexican food and have some fun, restaurants, and not only Mexican ones, are planning festivities and menus that go beyond guacamole, chips and margaritas.</p>
  1097. <p>This title of an article (<a href="https://bit.ly/3Wiytxt">https://bit.ly/3Wiytxt</a>) on Upworthy.com caught my attention: “Sorry Italian food lovers. America is about to have a new favorite ethnic food.”</p>
  1098. <p>It states, “According to Datassential, a Chicago-based market research firm, millennials (ages 27 to 42) rank Mexican food as their favorite ethnic cuisine over Italian, and Gen Z (ages 8 to 23) agrees, with Chinese in second and Italian in third.”</p>
  1099. <p>It is not true that all Mexican cuisine is very spicy and hot. I can attest to that, being very sensitive to both. The approach with any spice is to carefully add it to allow the flavors of the proteins and vegetables to shine.</p>
  1100. <p>Mexican food has evolved over the centuries with many influences, especially from the Aztec and Mayan civilizations. Mexico’s influence on the American food scene cannot be denied.</p>
  1101. <p>Tex-Mex is what many Americans believe authentic Mexican cuisine is because that’s what they have experienced in many chain restaurants, the usual suspects, tacos, fajitas and burritos. And yet, the cuisine goes way beyond these well-known delights.</p>
  1102. <p>My cooking inspiration comes from blogs, food manufacturers’ websites and, of course, cookbooks.</p>
  1103. <p>To help in my search for a Mexican dish or two to prepare, I perused my collection and selected “The Best Mexican Recipes: Kitchen-Tested Recipes Put the Real Flavors of Mexico Within Reach” by the editors of America’s Test Kitchen (2015, $29.99).</p>
  1104. <p>The book tells the story of Mexican cooking, considering the home kitchen and American supermarkets. What I found useful is the title’s recipes that include Mexico’s regional dishes, highlighting the ingredients from the varied climate and topography of the country.</p>
  1105. <p>For example, there are spicy fish preparations of the Yucatan as well as more rustic dishes from the north and complex moles of Puebla and Oaxaca. Don’t fret, in addition to the authentic dishes you probably haven’t seen in restaurants, there are many recipes that have been a part of what most think of as Mexican cuisine.</p>
  1106. <p>The introduction lists, and shows, the types of fresh and dried chilies, describes their appearance and flavor, provides substitutions and how to prepare them. The use of corn in its many forms (fresh corn, corn husks, corn meal, masa), a staple ingredient in Mexican cooking, is discussed.</p>
  1107. <p>How to use herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables plus other ingredients in Mexican cooking is explained. In the “Building Blocks of Mexican Cooking” pages, tips such as making sauces, using marinades and rubs, cooking with tortillas and finishing and serving are helpful in preparing the recipes.</p>
  1108. <p>This Cinco de Mayo, why not recreate some of your favorite Mexican dishes at home, and while you’re at it expand your repertoire to include a little-known authentic and tantalizing dish you rarely see north of the border. Check out these recipes from the book to help prepare your Cinco de Mayo celebration.</p>
  1109. <p>For the recipe for beef taco salad, visit <a href="https://bit.ly/2yEDlo4">https://bit.ly/2yEDlo4</a>.</p>
  1110. <h4>Seared Shrimp With Tomatoes and Avocado</h4>
  1111. <p>Serves 4</p>
  1112. <p>Ingredients:</p>
  1113. <ul>
  1114. <li>1 pound tomatoes, cored, seeded and cut into ½-inch pieces</li>
  1115. <li>6 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin</li>
  1116. <li>¼ cup minced fresh cilantro</li>
  1117. <li>3 garlic cloves, minced</li>
  1118. <li>1-2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce</li>
  1119. <li>Salt and pepper</li>
  1120. <li>1 ½ pounds extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined</li>
  1121. <li>1/8 teaspoon sugar</li>
  1122. <li>2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided</li>
  1123. <li>1 tablespoon lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving</li>
  1124. <li>1 avocado, halved, pitted, and diced</li>
  1125. </ul>
  1126. <p>Directions:</p>
  1127. <p>Toss tomatoes, scallion whites, cilantro, garlic, chipotle and ¾ teaspoon salt together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, toss shrimp with sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.</p>
  1128. <p>Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of shrimp to pan in single layer and cook, without moving them, until spotty brown on 1 side, about 1 minute. Transfer shrimp to large bowl (they will be underdone).</p>
  1129. <p>Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining shrimp.</p>
  1130. <p>Return now-empty skillet to high heat, add tomato mixture and lime juice and cook until tomatoes are slightly softened, about 1 minute. Stir in shrimp along with any accumulated juices and cook until shrimp are cooked through and hot, about 1 minute. Transfer shrimp to large platter and sprinkle with avocado and scallion greens. Serve with lime wedges.</p>
  1131. <figure id="attachment_4864128"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-Ceviche.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="Serve Shrimp and Lime Ceviche as an appetizer with crunchy tortilla chips or use as a topping for tostadas. (Courtesy of America's Test Kitchen)" width="1974" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-Ceviche.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="4864128" data-srcset="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-Ceviche.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-Ceviche.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-Ceviche.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-Ceviche.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-Ceviche.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Serve Shrimp and Lime Ceviche as an appetizer with crunchy tortilla chips or use as a topping for tostadas. (Courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen)</figcaption></figure>
  1132. <h4>Shrimp and Lime Ceviche</h4>
  1133. <p>Serves 6</p>
  1134. <p>Ingredients:</p>
  1135. <ul>
  1136. <li>1 tomato, cored, seeded, and chopped fine</li>
  1137. <li>½ cup lemon juice (3 lemons)</li>
  1138. <li>1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded and minced</li>
  1139. <li>1 teaspoon grated lime zest plus ½ cup juice (4 limes)</li>
  1140. <li>1 garlic clove, minced</li>
  1141. <li>Salt and pepper</li>
  1142. <li>1 pound extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled, deveined, tails removed, and halved lengthwise</li>
  1143. <li>¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil</li>
  1144. <li>4 scallions, sliced thin</li>
  1145. <li>3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro</li>
  1146. <li>½ teaspoon sugar</li>
  1147. </ul>
  1148. <p>Directions:</p>
  1149. <p>Combine tomato, lemon juice, jalapeño, lime zest and juice, garlic and ½ teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Stir in shrimp, cover and refrigerate until shrimp are firm and opaque throughout, 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring halfway through refrigerating.</p>
  1150. <p>Drain shrimp mixture in colander, leaving shrimp slightly wet, and transfer to serving bowl. Stir in oil, scallions, cilantro and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.</p>
  1151. <figure id="attachment_4864129"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-7-Layer-Dip.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="Although not a traditional Mexican dish, the recipe for 7-Layer Dip uses many flavors and ingredients to create a party-worthy appetizer. (Courtesy of America's Test Kitchen)" width="3413" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-7-Layer-Dip.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="4864129" data-srcset="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-7-Layer-Dip.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-7-Layer-Dip.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-7-Layer-Dip.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-7-Layer-Dip.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-7-Layer-Dip.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Although not a traditional Mexican dish, the recipe for 7-Layer Dip uses many flavors and ingredients to create a party-worthy appetizer. (Courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen)</figcaption></figure>
  1152. <h4>7-Layer Dip</h4>
  1153. <p>Serves 8-10</p>
  1154. <p>Ingredients:</p>
  1155. <ul>
  1156. <li>4 large tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped fine</li>
  1157. <li>6 scallions (2 minced; 4, green parts only, sliced thin)</li>
  1158. <li>2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded and minced</li>
  1159. <li>3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro</li>
  1160. <li>2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons lime juice (2 limes)</li>
  1161. <li>Salt</li>
  1162. <li>1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained but not rinsed</li>
  1163. <li>2 garlic cloves, minced</li>
  1164. <li>¾ teaspoon chili powder</li>
  1165. <li>1 pound pepper Jack cheese, shredded (4 cups)</li>
  1166. <li>1½ cups sour cream</li>
  1167. <li>1 recipe Chunky Guacamole (recipe below)</li>
  1168. </ul>
  1169. <p>Directions:</p>
  1170. <p>Combine tomatoes, minced scallions, jalapeños, cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice and ⅛ teaspoon salt in bowl. Let sit until tomatoes begin to soften, about 30 minutes. Drain mixture, discard liquid and return to bowl.</p>
  1171. <p>Meanwhile, pulse beans, garlic, chili powder, remaining 2 teaspoons lime juice and ⅛ teaspoon salt in food processor to coarse paste, about 15 pulses. Spread bean mixture evenly in 8-inch square baking dish or 1-quart glass bowl.</p>
  1172. <p>In a clean, dry food processor bowl, pulse 2½ cups pepper jack and sour cream until smooth, about 15 pulses. Spread pepper jack–sour cream mixture evenly over bean layer. Top evenly with remaining 1½ cups pepper jack, followed by guacamole and, finally, drained tomato mixture. (Dip can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours; bring to room temperature before serving.) Sprinkle with sliced scallion greens before serving. Serve with tortilla chips.</p>
  1173. <h4>Chunky Guacamole</h4>
  1174. <p>Makes about 3 cups</p>
  1175. <p>Ingredients:</p>
  1176. <ul>
  1177. <li>3 ripe avocados</li>
  1178. <li>¼ cup minced fresh cilantro</li>
  1179. <li>1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded and minced</li>
  1180. <li>2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion</li>
  1181. <li>2 tablespoons lime juice</li>
  1182. <li>2 garlic cloves, minced</li>
  1183. <li>Salt</li>
  1184. <li>½ teaspoon ground cumin</li>
  1185. </ul>
  1186. <p>Directions:</p>
  1187. <p>Halve 1 avocado, remove pit and scoop flesh into medium bowl. All cilantro, jalapeno, onion, lime juice, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt and cumin and mash with potato masher (or fork) until mostly smooth.</p>
  1188. <p>Halve, pit and dice remaining 2 avocados. Add cubes to bowl with mashed avocado mixture and gently mash until mixture is well combined but still coarse. (Guacamole can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours with plastic wrap pressed directly against its surface). Season with salt before serving.</p>
  1189. <p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-article_inline lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-corn_black_bean_tart.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-corn_black_bean_tart.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="4864130" data-srcset="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-corn_black_bean_tart.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-corn_black_bean_tart.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-corn_black_bean_tart.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-corn_black_bean_tart.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-corn_black_bean_tart.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /></p>
  1190. <h4>Corn and Black Bean Tortilla Tart</h4>
  1191. <p>Serves 4-6</p>
  1192. <p>Ingredients:</p>
  1193. <ul>
  1194. <li>¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil</li>
  1195. <li>2½ cups fresh or thawed frozen corn</li>
  1196. <li>2 large plum tomatoes, cored and cut into ¼-inch pieces</li>
  1197. <li>4 scallions, sliced thin</li>
  1198. <li>2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro</li>
  1199. <li>1 teaspoon lime juice</li>
  1200. <li>Salt and pepper</li>
  1201. <li>1 onion, chopped fine</li>
  1202. <li>1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced</li>
  1203. <li>3 garlic cloves, minced</li>
  1204. <li>1 teaspoon ground cumin</li>
  1205. <li>1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed</li>
  1206. <li>¾ cup vegetable broth</li>
  1207. <li>4 (10-inch) flour tortillas</li>
  1208. <li>1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded</li>
  1209. <li>½ cup queso fresco, crumbled</li>
  1210. </ul>
  1211. <p>Directions:</p>
  1212. <p>Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until kernels begin to brown and pop, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and let cool slightly. Stir in tomatoes, scallions, 1 tablespoon cilantro, and lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.</p>
  1213. <p>Wipe skillet clean with paper towels. Add 1 tablespoon oil and onion to skillet and cook over medium heat until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in jalapeño, garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in beans and broth and cook until liquid has nearly evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer mixture to large bowl and mash beans with potato masher until mostly smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.</p>
  1214. <p>Line rimless or inverted baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Place 1 tortilla on prepared sheet. Spread one-quarter of mashed beans over top, leaving ½ inch border around edge. Sprinkle with one-quarter of corn mixture, one-quarter of cheddar, and one-quarter of queso fresco. Repeat with remaining tortillas, beans, corn, cheddar and queso fresco to make layered tart.</p>
  1215. <p>Bake tart until cheese is melted and slightly brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then slide onto cutting board using parchment; discard parchment. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro over top. Cut into wedges and serve.</p>
  1216. <p><em>Recipes courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen</em></p>
  1217. <p><em>Stephen Fries is professor emeritus and former coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College in New Haven, Conn. He has been a food and culinary travel columnist for the past 16 years and is co-founder of and host of “Worth Tasting,” a culinary walking tour of downtown New Haven. He is a board member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Email him at Stephen@stephenfries.com. For more, go to <a href="http://stephenfries.com">stephenfries.com</a>.</em></p>
  1218. ]]></content:encoded>
  1222. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4864126</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ATK-Mexican-book-cover-.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="687092" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ The cover of &#8220;The Best Mexican Recipes: Kitchen-Tested Recipes Put the Real Flavors of Mexico Within Reach&#8221; by the editors of America&#8217;s Test Kitchen. (Courtesy of America&#8217;s Test Kitchen)
  1223. ]]></media:description></media:content>
  1224. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T15:55:58+00:00</dcterms:created>
  1225. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T16:01:31+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  1226. </item>
  1227. <item>
  1228. <title>Tiffany Haddish admits to hiring investigator to ‘destroy’ online trolls</title>
  1229. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/tiffany-haddish-admits-to-hiring-investigator-to-destroy-online-trolls/</link>
  1231. <dc:creator><![CDATA[New York Daily News]]></dc:creator>
  1232. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 19:54:45 +0000</pubDate>
  1233. <category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
  1234. <category><![CDATA[Things To Do]]></category>
  1235. <category><![CDATA[network]]></category>
  1236. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4864104&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=4864104</guid>
  1237.  
  1238. <description><![CDATA[The comedian owned up to creating a fake Instagram account under a pseudonym.]]></description>
  1239. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>By EVAN ROSEN | erosen@nydailynews.com | New York Daily News</strong></p>
  1240. <p>Tiffany Haddish has admitted to investigating hateful social media users and <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2024-05-02/for-real-tiffany-haddish-girls-trip" target="_blank" rel="noopener">even confronting them on the phone</a>, in an interview published Thursday by the Los Angeles Times.</p>
  1241. <p>The 44-year-old comedian owned up to <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/news/tiffany-haddish-online-hate-calls-trolls-1235990048/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">creating a fake Instagram account under the pseudonym “Sarah”</a> in attempt to “destroy” the trolls who were bullying her.</p>
  1242. <p>Haddish recounted users calling her a “pedo” and “not funny,” before some began sending her death threats. That’s when she says she hired a digital forensics analyst to dig into the online accounts.</p>
  1243.  
  1244. <p>“I’ve learned how to find people’s information — like I pull up the credit report, police records. You can do that for $1.99,” Haddish told the L.A. Times. “Sometimes, I get so mad that I’ll get their phone number and I’ll just call them.”</p>
  1245. <p>“Oh, I have called people, honey,” Haddish added. “They be shocked that I called. They’ll be like, ‘I can’t believe you even saw that.’ You did a whole video, b—h! You made a full, five-minute video! On the internet, people think they can just say whatever and you not gonna say anything. I try my best not to, but I’m a human being.”</p>
  1246. <p>Since shooting to megastardom in 2017, the “Girls Trip” actress has faced several controversies which have sparked a slew of online criticism. In 2022, she was arrested on DUI charges and <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/2023/11/24/tiffany-haddish-arrested-dui-asleep-behind-wheel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged a second time last November</a>, although the charges were later dismissed.</p>
  1247. <p>Haddish also faced a lawsuit in 2022 from a young woman who <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tiffany-haddish-aries-spears-accused-grooming-molesting-siblings-sexua-rcna46006" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accused her of grooming a fellow comedian</a>. That lawsuit was also later dismissed and Haddish has denied the accusations.</p>
  1248. <p>Earlier this year, Haddish announced she was taking a trip to Israel amidst its <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/2023/10/07/hamas-attack-israel-at-war-gaza/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ongoing war with Hamas</a>. Photos from the trip which Haddish shared on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C3vUYlGMOlR/?img_index=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">were met with a wave of hateful comments.</a></p>
  1249. <p>Despite all the attacks online, Haddish said her mental health is fine and she’s been seeing a therapist.</p>
  1250. <p>While focusing on her new memoir, “I Curse You With Joy,” she’s still made time for new roles. She’s starring in the upcoming flick “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” alongside Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, set to hit theaters June 7.</p>
  1251. ]]></content:encoded>
  1255. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4864104</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-2151137161.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="108507" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA &#8211; APRIL 09: Tiffany Haddish appears on SiriusXM&#8217;s &#8216;This Life of Mine with James Corden&#8217; at SiriusXM Studios on April 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
  1256. ]]></media:description></media:content>
  1257. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T15:54:45+00:00</dcterms:created>
  1258. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T15:54:51+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  1259. </item>
  1260. <item>
  1261. <title>‘Star Wars’ actor Mark Hamill drops by White House for a visit with ‘Joe-bi-Wan Kenobi’</title>
  1262. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/star-wars-actor-mark-hamill-drops-by-white-house-for-a-visit-with-joe-bi-wan-kenobi/</link>
  1264. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Associated Press]]></dc:creator>
  1265. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 19:49:35 +0000</pubDate>
  1266. <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
  1267. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4864134&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=4864134</guid>
  1268.  
  1269. <description><![CDATA[&#8220;Star Wars&#8221; actor Mark Hamill has dropped by the White House for a visit with President Joe Biden. Hamill, famous for playing Luke Skywalker, came away with a pair of the president&#8217;s aviator sunglasses and a greater respect for the office. Hamill turned up with the glasses at the White House press briefing on Friday and declared, &#8220;I love the merch.&#8221; Hamill says Biden told him to call him &#8220;Joe.&#8221; Hamill says he suggested a better idea, calling the president "Joe-bi-Wan Kenobi." Hamill says Biden liked that.]]></description>
  1270. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>By COLLEEN LONG (Associated Press)</p>
  1271. <p>WASHINGTON (AP) &#8212; &#8220;Star Wars&#8221; actor <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-star-wars-luke-hamill-app-08ec03bf1a2c9c0378857090079f00f9">Mark Hamill dropped by the White House</a> on Friday for a visit with President Joe Biden and walked away with a pair of the president&#8217;s aviator sunglasses and a greater respect for the office. </p>
  1272. <p>&#8220;I love the merch,&#8221; he said, taking off the glasses during a quick appearance at the White House daily press briefing following his visit with Biden. Hamill, 72, famous for playing Luke Skywalker, kidded with reporters that he&#8217;d take a few questions &#8212; as long as they weren&#8217;t about &#8220;Star Wars.&#8221;</p>
  1273. <p>&#8220;I was honored to be asked to come to the White House to meet the president,&#8221; he said. He&#8217;s been to the White House before, during the Carter and Obama administrations, but he&#8217;d never checked out the Oval Office, and that was quite something, he said. Biden showed off photographs and other Oval Office items, Hamill said. </p>
  1274. <p>Hamill said Biden told him to call him &#8220;Joe,&#8221; to which Hamill offered an alternative suggestion: &#8220;Can I call you Joe-bi-Wan Kenobi?&#8221;</p>
  1275. <p>&#8220;He liked that,&#8221; said Hamill, who also voiced the Joker in &#8220;Batman: The Animated Series.&#8221;</p>
  1276. <p>Both Hamill and the White House were vague about his reason for visiting. But Hamill, a Democrat and Biden supporter with a huge social media following, has been posting about the president&#8217;s reelection campaign this week. </p>
  1277. <p>&#8220;May The First Not Quench Your Thirst For Biden&#8217;s Re-election!&#8221; he wrote on May 1. </p>
  1278. <p>On Friday he posted, &#8220;May The Third Be Absurd That The Guy Who Tried To Steal A Fair Election Is Allowed To Run Again,&#8221; a reference to Donald Trump and his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. </p>
  1279. <p>May 4th is unofficially &#8220;Star Wars&#8221; Day, in part because of the famous Jedi phrase &#8220;May the force be with you.&#8221; The pun goes, &#8220;May the fourth be with you.&#8221; </p>
  1280. <p>Hamill also lent his voice to &#8220;Air Alert&#8221; &#8212; a downloadable app linked to Ukraine&#8217;s air defense system. His voice urges people to take cover whenever Russia unleashes another aerial bombardment on Ukraine.</p>
  1281. ]]></content:encoded>
  1285. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4864134</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Biden_65523.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="109960" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Actor Mark Hamill takes off sunglasses given to him by President Joe Biden, as he joins White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre as she speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
  1286. ]]></media:description></media:content>
  1287. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T15:49:35+00:00</dcterms:created>
  1288. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T17:20:27+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  1289. </item>
  1290. <item>
  1291. <title>United Methodist delegates repeal their church’s ban on its clergy celebrating same-sex marriages</title>
  1292. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/united-methodist-delegates-repeal-their-churchs-ban-on-its-clergy-celebrating-same-sex-marriages/</link>
  1294. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Associated Press]]></dc:creator>
  1295. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 19:38:10 +0000</pubDate>
  1296. <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
  1297. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4864119&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=4864119</guid>
  1298.  
  1299. <description><![CDATA[United Methodist delegates have repealed their church&#8217;s longstanding ban on the celebrations of same-sex marriages or unions by its clergy. The action marked the final major repeal of a half-century&#8217;s collection of LGBTQ bans and disapprovals that were embedded in the laws and social teachings of the United Methodist Church. The 447-233 vote by the UMC&#8217;s General Conference came one day after delegates overwhelmingly voted to repeal a 52-year-old declaration that the practice of homosexuality is &#8220;incompatible with Christian teaching&#8221; and two days after they repealed the denomination&#8217;s ban on LGBTQ clergy.]]></description>
  1300. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>By PETER SMITH (Associated Press)</p>
  1301. <p>CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) &#8212; `United Methodist delegates on Friday repealed their church&#8217;s longstanding ban on the celebrations of same-sex marriages or unions by its clergy and in its churches.</p>
  1302. <p>The action marked the final major reversal of a collection of LGBTQ bans and disapprovals that have been embedded throughout the laws and social teachings of the United Methodist Church over the previous half-century.</p>
  1303. <p>The 447-233 vote by the UMC&#8217;s General Conference came one day after delegates overwhelmingly <a href="https://apnews.com/article/methodists-lgbtq-samesex-marriage-gay-rights-e3a7677a3b025b07211153179727c255">voted to repeal</a> a 52-year-old declaration that the practice of homosexuality is &#8220;incompatible with Christian teaching&#8221; and two days after they repealed the denomination&#8217;s <a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodist-lgbtq-clergy-general-conference-acabe18fe22b6838e3005ad8895534fa">ban on LGBTQ clergy</a>.</p>
  1304. <p>It&#8217;s the UMC&#8217;s first legislative gathering since 2019, one that featured its most progressive slate of delegates in memory following the departure of more than 7,600 mostly conservative congregations in the United States because it essentially stopped enforcing its bans on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ ordination.</p>
  1305. <p>The delegates voted to repeal a section in their Book of Discipline, or church law, that states: &#8220;Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches.&#8221;</p>
  1306. <p>Clergy will neither be required nor prohibited from performing any marriage, according to existing law that the conference affirmed with minor revisions Friday.</p>
  1307. <p>On Thursday, delegates approved Revised Social Principles, or statements of the church&#8217;s values. In addition to removing the language about homosexuality being &#8220;incompatible with Christian teaching,&#8221; that revision also defined marriage as a covenant between two adults, without limiting it to heterosexual couples, as the previous version had done.</p>
  1308. <p>But while Social Principles are non-binding, the clause removed on Friday had the force of law.</p>
  1309. <p>Regional conferences outside the United States have the ability to set their own rules, however, so churches in Africa and elsewhere with more conservative views on sexuality could retain bans on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy. A pending amendment to the church constitution would also enable the U.S. region to make such adaptations. </p>
  1310. <p>The change doesn&#8217;t mandate or even explicitly affirm same-sex marriages. But it removes their prohibition. It takes effect Saturday following the close of General Conference.</p>
  1311. <p>The Rev. Rebecca Girrell of Vermont told fellow delegates that she regretted having initially declined a request to perform a same-sex marriage because of church rules. &#8220;I promised I would never betray my heart or my call to offer ministry and grace to all persons again,&#8221; she said. </p>
  1312. <p>Later, she said she did defy church rules and performed the same-sex wedding for two military servicemen before their deployment. &#8220;You will never convince me that that was wrong,&#8221; she said.</p>
  1313. <p>But Samuel Cole from Liberia urged the conference not to approve the measure, saying it would not be accepted in other parts of the world and adding that only a man and a woman can produce children. </p>
  1314. <p>A temporary window opened in 2019 that enabled American churches to leave with their properties, normally held by the denomination, under more favorable than normal terms. While the conference voted against extending that window to international churches, the conference votes could still prompt departures of some international churches through different means &#8212; particularly in Africa, where conservative sexual values prevail and where same-sex activity is criminalized in some countries.</p>
  1315. <p>Separately, the General Conference on Friday removed language making it a chargeable offense for clergy to be a &#8220;self-avowed practicing homosexual&#8221; or perform same-sex marriages &#8212; similar to previous repeals but affecting a different part of church law. There was some debate because the measure also removed other chargeable offenses, such as being unfaithful in marriage, but proponents said there are other parts of the Book of Discipline that allow the church to discipline ministers for immorality.</p>
  1316. <p>___</p>
  1317. <p>Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP&#8217;s <a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a> with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.</p>
  1318. ]]></content:encoded>
  1322. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4864119</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Disunited_Methodists_53825_a61880.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="231748" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ The Rev. David Meredith, left, and the Rev. Austin Adkinson sing during a gathering of those in the LGBTQ community and their allies outside the Charlotte Convention Center, in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, May 2, 2024. They were celebrating after the General Conference of the United Methodist Church voted to remove the denomination&#8217;s 52-year-old social teaching that deemed homosexuality &#8220;incompatible with Christian teaching.&#8221; (AP Photo/Peter Smith)
  1323. ]]></media:description></media:content>
  1324. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T15:38:10+00:00</dcterms:created>
  1325. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T17:45:15+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  1326. </item>
  1327. <item>
  1328. <title>For starters, Al Horford always ready to go for the Celtics</title>
  1329. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/for-starters-al-horford-always-ready-to-go-for-the-celtics/</link>
  1331. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Zack Cox]]></dc:creator>
  1332. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 19:12:32 +0000</pubDate>
  1333. <category><![CDATA[Boston Celtics]]></category>
  1334. <category><![CDATA[NBA]]></category>
  1335. <category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
  1336. <category><![CDATA[Al Horford]]></category>
  1337. <category><![CDATA[NBA playoffs]]></category>
  1338. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4863965</guid>
  1339.  
  1340. <description><![CDATA[“I want to make sure that defensively, I’m solid, I’m giving support to the group, I’m doing the things that I need to do on that end. My job doesn’t change." Al Horford]]></description>
  1341. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Following their blockbuster trades for Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, the 2023-24 Celtics entered the season with more starting-caliber players (six) than spots in the lineup (five).</p>
  1342. <p>The odd man out: Al Horford, who was bumped to the bench for the first time in his 17-year NBA career. The veteran center accepted his demotion, and teammates spent the next six months raving about his unselfishness and professionalism.</p>
  1343. <p>Having a player with Horford’s pedigree in a reserve role was a luxury for Boston, which was able to manage Porzingis’ workload as it raced to an NBA-best 68-14 record.</p>
  1344. <p>But with Porzingis, who suffered a soleus strain in his right calf during the Celtics’ first-round playoff series against Miami, now expected to miss all of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Horford is back in the spotlight in Boston’s frontcourt.</p>
  1345. <p>The 37-year-old slotted into the starting lineup for Game 5 against the Heat — a series-clinching 118-84 win Wednesday night at TD Garden — and, barring a drastic change in strategy by head coach Joe Mazzulla, should remain there until Porzingis is healthy enough to return.</p>
  1346. <p>“My approach kind of remains the same,” Horford said after Friday’s practice at the Auerbach Center. “I want to make sure that defensively, I’m solid, I’m giving support to the group, I’m doing the things that I need to do on that end. My job doesn’t change. And then on offense, continuing to stay ready and whatever I need to do.”</p>
  1347. <p>Horford was a part-time starter for Boston during the regular season (65 games, 33 starts) but came off the bench more times than he had in his first 16 pro seasons combined.</p>
  1348. <p>Entering this season, the 2007 third overall pick had appeared in 1,180 NBA games, including playoffs, and started 1,168 of them.</p>
  1349. <p>Horford also set career lows this season in shots (6.4), points (8.6) and minutes per game (26.8), taking a backseat to the uniquely talented Porzingis on arguably the most talented roster in basketball.</p>
  1350. <p>What changes with Porzingis in and Horford out? From a game plan perspective, not much, according to Horford.</p>
  1351. <p>“The things that we do (as a team) essentially are kind of the same, I would say,” he said. “Our offense, the things that we’re running, the things that we’re doing.”</p>
  1352. <p>Porzingis’ temporary absence — the Celtics reportedly hope he can return for the East finals if they advance — will force Boston to dig deeper into its bench, however. Expect substantial minutes for backup big Luke Kornet and possible roles for Xavier Tillman and Neemis Queta in Round 2.</p>
  1353. <p>Kornet played 18 minutes and grabbed seven rebounds in Wednesday’s first-round clincher. Tillman, who was part of Boston’s regular-season rotation after arriving in a February trade from Memphis, only saw the floor in garbage time in Game 5. Queta was a DNP.</p>
  1354. <p>“For me, it’s just all about continuing to impact winning,” Horford said. “So, it doesn’t change. It’s just now that I’ll be starting, now I’ll be expecting some of our guys — whether it’s Luke, whether it’s Neemy, whether it’s Xavier — to step up and be able to play minutes for us when our number’s called. That’s something that I’m excited for those guys and for that opportunity.”</p>
  1355. <p>Celtics players have full confidence in Horford. Starting guard Derrick White called him “the ultimate professional” earlier this week. Payton Pritchard said Horford is “our OG.”</p>
  1356. <p>“The truest pro,” Pritchard said Friday. “How he handles himself is unbelievable. I watch him on the daily and how he goes about his work and his mentality. He’s a big part of this.”</p>
  1357. <h4>Waiting game</h4>
  1358. <p>The Celtics practiced Friday without knowing which second-round opponent they should prepare for. They’ll face the winner of Cleveland-Orlando, whose opening-round series had yet to be decided.</p>
  1359. <p>The Cavaliers held a 3-2 series, with Game 6 set for Friday night on the Magic’s home floor. A possible Game 7 would be Sunday.</p>
  1360. <p>“I’ll wait until we know who we’re facing (to finalize the game plan), but I think our year has been built on being open-minded and being ready to be flexible,” Mazzulla said. “… We may have to play a completely different way to win the next (series), so we’ve got to be ready to do that. We’ve got to keep an open mind and understand the details and the physicality, regardless of who we’re playing.”</p>
  1361. <h4>Pritchard in play</h4>
  1362. <p>Asked whether he’s noticed a difference in how teams are guarding him in these playoffs compared to last year’s, Pritchard bluntly replied, “I didn’t really play last year, so that’s probably the difference. I was watching rather than out here playing.”</p>
  1363. <p>The 26-year-old backup point guard played in just half of Boston’s games during the 2023 postseason and averaged a measly 5.7 minutes per appearance. Now? Different story.</p>
  1364. <p>Having established himself as a core rotation player in his fourth pro season, Pritchard played 23.0 minutes per game in the Miami series. He, Sam Hauser and Horford were the only reserves to see action in all five first-round games, and though Pritchard’s shooting was spotty (22 points in the series), Boston scored more points than it allowed with him on the floor in each of its four victories.</p>
  1365. <p>“Every dude in the NBA was the best dude on their college team, definitely the best dude on their high school team,” said Pritchard, reflecting on the long road he took to his current role. “They’re taking 20 shots a game their whole life, so when you get to the league, it’s almost like a shock. You’ve got to figure out how to impact (the game) differently.</p>
  1366. <p>“I think it’s an adjustment. A lot of young dudes don’t adjust to it, and that’s why they don’t make it in the league. But the ones they do, they become successful.”</p>
  1367. ]]></content:encoded>
  1371. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4863965</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/lticsnl006_654770.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="199614" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Boston Celtics stars Jaylen Brown and Al Horford, right, celebrate during the third quarter of an April 21 playoff game at the TD Garden. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald) ]]></media:description></media:content>
  1372. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T15:12:32+00:00</dcterms:created>
  1373. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T15:14:31+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  1374. </item>
  1375. <item>
  1376. <title>Where Americans are traveling in 2024: by the numbers</title>
  1377. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/where-americans-are-traveling-in-2024-by-the-numbers/</link>
  1379. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Nerdwallet]]></dc:creator>
  1380. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 19:07:14 +0000</pubDate>
  1381. <category><![CDATA[Things To Do]]></category>
  1382. <category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
  1383. <category><![CDATA[network]]></category>
  1384. <category><![CDATA[personal finance]]></category>
  1385. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4864041&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=4864041</guid>
  1386.  
  1387. <description><![CDATA[Americans are going abroad more than ever, with Japan and Central America seeing the biggest increases.]]></description>
  1388. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>By Sam Kemmis | NerdWallet</strong></p>
  1389. <p>Americans are traveling abroad in droves.</p>
  1390. <p>The number of U.S. citizens flying to international destinations reached nearly 6.5 million passengers in March, according to the International Trade Administration. That’s the highest March total in over five years and shows that the post-pandemic <a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/will-revenge-travel-end?utm_campaign=ct_prod&amp;utm_content=1545435&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_source=syndication&amp;utm_term=medianews-group" target="_self" rel="nofollow noopener">“revenge travel”</a> trend is the new normal.</p>
  1391. <p>It wasn’t just March, which usually sees a spike in international departures for spring break. In every month of 2024 so far, more Americans left the country than last year and 2019. These trends point to a blockbuster summer for overseas travel.</p>
  1392. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.nerdwallet.com/assets/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/international-departures-march-2024-2-770x1040.png" alt="" width="770" height="1040" /></p>
  1393. <p>Nearly half of Americans (45%) plan to travel by air and/or stay in a hotel this summer and expect to spend $3,594 on average, on these expenses, <a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/2024-summer-travel-report?utm_campaign=ct_prod&amp;utm_content=1545435&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_source=syndication&amp;utm_term=medianews-group" target="_self" rel="nofollow noopener">according to a survey</a> of 2,000 U.S. adults, conducted online by The Harris Poll and commissioned by NerdWallet.</p>
  1394. <p>That&#8217;s despite <a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/travel-price-tracker?utm_campaign=ct_prod&amp;utm_content=1545435&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_source=syndication&amp;utm_term=medianews-group" target="_self" rel="nofollow noopener">rising travel prices</a> that have caused some hesitancy among would-be travelers. About 22% of those choosing not to travel this summer cite inflation making travel too expensive as a reason for staying home, according to the poll.</p>
  1395. <p>So where are traveling Americans going? And what does it mean for those looking to avoid crowds of tourists and higher travel prices?</p>
  1396. <h4>New travel patterns</h4>
  1397. <p>Nearly every region in the world saw an increase in U.S. visitors in March 2024 compared with March 2023, according to International Trade Administration data. Only the Middle East saw a decline of 9%. Yet not every region saw the same year-over-year bump. U.S. visitors to Asia saw a 33% jump, while Oceania and Central America each saw a 30% increase.</p>
  1398. <p>Comparing 2024 with 2023 only tells part of the story, however. The new patterns really emerge when comparing international travel trends to 2019. For example, Central America received 50% more U.S. visitors in March 2024 compared with March 2019. Nearly 1.5 million Americans visited Mexico, up 39% compared with before the pandemic. That’s almost as many visitors as the entire continent of Europe, which has seen a more modest 10% increase since 2019.</p>
  1399. <p>Only Canada and Oceania saw fewer visitors in March 2024 than in 2019, suggesting that interest in these locations has not rebounded. Indeed, the trends indicate a kind of tourism inertia from COVID-19 pandemic-era lockdowns: Those destinations that were more open to U.S. visitors during the pandemic, such as Mexico, have remained popular, while those that were closed, such as Australia, have fallen off travelers’ radars.</p>
  1400. <h4>Price pressures</h4>
  1401. <p>How these trends play out throughout the rest of the year will depend on a host of factors. Yet, none will likely prove more important than affordability. After months of steadiness, the cost of travel, including airfare, hotels and rental cars, has begun to sneak up again.</p>
  1402. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.nerdwallet.com/assets/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/oct-2023-travel-inflation-line-1-770x1039.png" alt="" width="770" height="1039" /></p>
  1403. <p>About 45% of U.S. travelers say cost is their main consideration when planning their summer vacation, according to a survey of 2,000 Americans by the travel booking platform Skyscanner.</p>
  1404. <p>That’s likely to weigh further on U.S. travelers’ appetite for visiting expensive destinations such as Europe, while encouraging travel to budget-friendly countries. It could also depress overall international travel as well, yet so far, Americans seem to be traveling more.</p>
  1405. <p>For those looking to avoid crowds while maintaining a budget, Skyscanner travel trends expert Laura Lindsay offered a recommendation many of us might need help finding on a map.</p>
  1406. <p>“Albania has been on the radar of travelers looking for something different,” Lindsay said. &#8220;Most people have yet to discover it, but flights and tourism infrastructure are in place, and there are fewer crowds in comparison to trending European destinations like Italy, Greece, or Portugal.”</p>
  1407. <p>On the flip side, American travelers looking to avoid crowds of compatriots would do well to avoid Japan, which has seen a staggering 50% increase in U.S. tourists between March 2019 and 2024.</p>
  1408. <div class="nw-more-from-nerdwallet" data-nw-component-type-name="More From NerdWallet" data-nw-component-type-slug="nw_more_from_nerdwallet">
  1409. <p><strong>More From NerdWallet</strong></p>
  1410. <ul>
  1411. <li><a class="nw-link" title="New Airline Requirements: Cash Refunds and Transparent Fees" href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/dot-airline-crackdown?utm_campaign=ct_prod&amp;utm_source=syndication&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_term=medianews-group&amp;utm_content=1545435" target="_self" rel="nofollow noopener" data-nw-component-type-name="Link" data-nw-component-type-slug="nw_link" data-nw-track-click="1" data-nw-track-impression="1">New Airline Requirements: Cash Refunds and Transparent Fees</a></li>
  1412. <li><a class="nw-link" title="3 Disney Theme Park Splurges to Skip Long Lines" href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/disney-theme-park-splurges?utm_campaign=ct_prod&amp;utm_source=syndication&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_term=medianews-group&amp;utm_content=1545435" target="_self" rel="nofollow noopener" data-nw-component-type-name="Link" data-nw-component-type-slug="nw_link" data-nw-track-click="1" data-nw-track-impression="1">3 Disney Theme Park Splurges to Skip Long Lines</a></li>
  1413. <li><a class="nw-link" title="8 Hotel Afternoon Teas Around the World Worth a Visit" href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/hotel-tea-parties?utm_campaign=ct_prod&amp;utm_source=syndication&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_term=medianews-group&amp;utm_content=1545435" target="_self" rel="nofollow noopener" data-nw-component-type-name="Link" data-nw-component-type-slug="nw_link" data-nw-track-click="1" data-nw-track-impression="1">8 Hotel Afternoon Teas Around the World Worth a Visit</a></li>
  1414. </ul>
  1415. </div>
  1416. <p>&nbsp;</p>
  1417. <div class="nw-author-box-wp" data-nw-component-type-name="Author Box - WP" data-nw-component-type-slug="nw_author_box_wp">
  1418. <div class="nw-author-box-wp--inner">
  1419. <aside class="nw-author-box" data-nw-component-type-name="Author Box" data-nw-component-type-slug="nw_author_box"><em>Sam Kemmis writes for NerdWallet. Email: skemmis@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @samsambutdif.</em></aside>
  1420. </div>
  1421. </div>
  1422. <p class="nw-originally-posted-link"><em>The article <a title="Where Americans Are Traveling in 2024: By the Numbers" href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/where-americans-traveling-2024?utm_campaign=ct_prod&amp;utm_source=syndication&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_term=medianews-group&amp;utm_content=1545435" rel="nofollow noopener">Where Americans Are Traveling in 2024: By the Numbers</a> originally appeared on <a title="NerdWallet.com" href="https://www.nerdwallet.com?utm_campaign=ct_prod&amp;utm_source=syndication&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_term=medianews-group&amp;utm_content=1545435" rel="nofollow noopener">NerdWallet</a>.</em></p>
  1423. ]]></content:encoded>
  1427. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4864041</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-1652145129.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="226781" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Travelers walk with luggage in the international terminal at Los Angeles International Airport on August 31, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
  1428. ]]></media:description></media:content>
  1429. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T15:07:14+00:00</dcterms:created>
  1430. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T15:11:55+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  1431. </item>
  1432. <item>
  1433. <title>Lucas: Trump to tower over Biden at Democratic National Convention in Chicago</title>
  1434. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/lucas-trump-to-tower-over-biden-at-democratic-national-convention-in-chicago/</link>
  1436. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Peter Lucas]]></dc:creator>
  1437. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 19:02:55 +0000</pubDate>
  1438. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
  1439. <category><![CDATA[National Politics]]></category>
  1440. <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  1441. <category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
  1442. <category><![CDATA[Opinion Columnists]]></category>
  1443. <category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
  1444. <category><![CDATA[Biden]]></category>
  1445. <category><![CDATA[Chicago]]></category>
  1446. <category><![CDATA[Democratic Party]]></category>
  1447. <category><![CDATA[politics]]></category>
  1448. <category><![CDATA[protest]]></category>
  1449. <category><![CDATA[Trump]]></category>
  1450. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4863599</guid>
  1451.  
  1452. <description><![CDATA[While the Democrats running the August 19-22 convention have listed eight nearby hotels for delegates that are within 5 miles of the convention site, Trump’s hotel did not make the cut even though it is closer. In a pompous official statement, the Democrat National Committee said, “We won’t be contracting with the Trump Hotel...]]></description>
  1453. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>President Joe Biden ought to stay at Chicago’s Trump International Hotel and Tower during the Democrat Party convention in August.</p>
  1454. <p>That would show former President Donald Trump who is the boss.</p>
  1455. <p>The 92-story lavish hotel with a huge TRUMP sign on its facade looms over Chicago the way Trump looms over Biden. It also looms over the United Center, the site of the nominating convention.</p>
  1456. <p>The lush hotel, with its expansive views of Lake Michigan, the Chicago River and everything beyond, is only 4 miles from the Unity Center or 10 to 15 minutes away by limo.</p>
  1457. <p>By taking a score of rooms at $ 500 a night at the Trump hotel, Biden would show Chicago, the nation, and the world that he has no fear of Trump or of losing the presidency to Trump in November. It would be “in your face, Donald.”</p>
  1458. <p>And on the way out he could stiff Trump on the bill.</p>
  1459. <p>But it won’t happen. Trump’s hotel has been blacklisted. Not only will Joe Biden not stay there, neither will any of the convention delegates or dignitaries.</p>
  1460. <p>While the Democrats running the August 19-22 convention have listed eight nearby hotels for delegates that are within 5 miles of the convention site, Trump’s hotel did not make the cut even though it is closer.</p>
  1461. <p>In a pompous official statement, the Democrat National Committee said, “We won’t be contracting with the Trump Hotel for any of our housing needs, not because of their non-union status, but because our party stands for unity, hope and freedom — values that stand in fundamental opposition with everything the Trump name and brand represent.”</p>
  1462. <p>The Democrats are probably doing Trump a big favor.</p>
  1463. <p>At the rate the pro-Hamas, pro-Palestinian, antisemitic demonstrations across the country are growing and becoming more militant, Trump’s hotel will be out of the line of fire and be one less hotel to thrash.</p>
  1464. <p>The demonstrations may also help him become president again.</p>
  1465. <p>Make no mistake, the increasing antisemitic demonstrations planned at the Democrat convention in August are going to be a replay of the 1968 anti-Vietnam War protests that shook Chicago and the party, only worse.</p>
  1466. <p>The year 1968 was when thousands of angry anti-Vietnam War protesters attempted to storm the Democrat Party convention on the eve of its nomination of Vice President Hubert Humphrey for president.</p>
  1467. <p>Humphrey was tied to outgoing President Lyndon B. Johnson&#8217;s unpopular Vietnam War policy and was too weak to break away from it.</p>
  1468. <p>Chicago became a war zone. Anti-war demonstrators clashed nightly with the Chicago cops who back then — unlike now &#8212; made liberal use of clubs and tear gas to fight them off. A lot of heads were broken.</p>
  1469. <p>The demonstrators fought back, some by throwing bags of excrement and urine at the cops. The National Guard was called out.</p>
  1470. <p>Clouds of tear gas hung over the city and the fumes spread into the hotels, bars and restaurants throughout downtown Chicago. It got into peoples’ eyes, on their clothes and in their hair.</p>
  1471. <p>The demonstrations and the Johnson/Humphrey war policy made a shambles of the Democratic Party. Humphrey was defeated in the November election by Republican Richard Nixon who campaigned on a policy to end the war.</p>
  1472. <p>But Nixon did not end the war. Instead, he expanded it by sending troops into Cambodia.  And on May 4, 1970, the Ohio National Guard shot and killed four unarmed students at Kent State University at a rally opposed to the Cambodian incursion. So much for Chicago.</p>
  1473. <p>As bad as the demonstrations were back then, they do not compare to what is happening now. In 1968 young Americans opposed a war in which they were being drafted to fight a Vietnamese people who meant us no harm.</p>
  1474. <p>Nobody is drafting these college students to fight for anything, anywhere.</p>
  1475. <p>Yet today, they are demonstrating against a war that our ally Israel is fighting against an Iranian-sponsored terrorist group that promises to kill the college demonstrators after they kill all the Jews.</p>
  1476. <p>And when the American college demonstrators, under the spell of their Hamas terrorist sponsors, are finished vilifying Americans who happen to be Jewish, those terrorist sponsors will come for them, chanting “Death to America.”</p>
  1477. <p>Good luck in Chicago.</p>
  1478. <p><em>Peter Lucas, a veteran political reporter, covered the riots at the 1968 Democrat Party Chicago convention. Email him at: peter.lucas@boston herald.com</em></p>
  1479. ]]></content:encoded>
  1483. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4863599</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/AP21078140095104.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="455109" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Boats move along the Chicago River near the towering Trump International Hotel and Tower, center, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File) ]]></media:description></media:content>
  1484. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T15:02:55+00:00</dcterms:created>
  1485. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T15:09:18+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  1486. </item>
  1487. <item>
  1488. <title>Are midwives and doulas the answer to keeping more Black babies alive?</title>
  1489. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/are-midwives-and-doulas-the-answer-to-keeping-more-black-babies-alive/</link>
  1491. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Cindy Krischer Goodman]]></dc:creator>
  1492. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 18:55:38 +0000</pubDate>
  1493. <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
  1494. <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  1495. <category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
  1496. <category><![CDATA[network]]></category>
  1497. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4863954&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=4863954</guid>
  1498.  
  1499. <description><![CDATA[With Florida’s infant mortality rate stubbornly higher than the national average, doulas and midwives represent a potential pathway to address the problem.]]></description>
  1500. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>This is part of a series of South Florida Sun Sentinel articles exploring maternal health care.</em></p>
  1501. <p>It is 2 a.m. when Brianca Spence slips behind the wheel of her car. The drive to the nearest hospital can stretch as long as an hour, and feel like an eternity when she’s rushing to guide an expecting mother through childbirth.</p>
  1502. <p>As labor unfolds, Spence will translate the harsh demands of a nurse on duty into calming guidance. She will encourage the woman to ask for pain medication when she needs it or suggest a position change to speed up labor. And, when the mother eventually returns home with a new baby, Spence will be her pillar of support, encouraging her to stick with breastfeeding, or go for her postpartum doctor’s visit.</p>
  1503. <blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="B2vseg3Gfz"><p><a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/05/01/babies-born-early-ill-or-dead-florida-spends-millions-on-prevention-why-isnt-it-getting-better/">Babies born early, ill, or dead: Florida spends millions on prevention. Why isn’t it getting better?</a></p></blockquote>
  1504. <p><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" title="&#8220;Babies born early, ill, or dead: Florida spends millions on prevention. Why isn’t it getting better?&#8221; &#8212; Sun Sentinel" src="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/05/01/babies-born-early-ill-or-dead-florida-spends-millions-on-prevention-why-isnt-it-getting-better/embed/#?secret=2bFKcMPYqf#?secret=B2vseg3Gfz" data-secret="B2vseg3Gfz" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
  1505. <p>In this maternity care desert on the western fringes of Palm Beach County, Spence’s mission as a doula is to advocate for mother and baby before, during and after childbirth. If she does her job well, she will play a vital role in keeping more Black mothers and babies alive.</p>
  1506. <p>With Florida’s infant mortality rate stubbornly higher than the national average and Black babies in the state dying at more than double the rate of white non-Hispanic babies, doulas represent a potential pathway to address the problem.</p>
  1507. <p>Doula training has ramped up in the state, the result of a confluence of factors that are making the option more available to women — particularly women of color — who may benefit most from having an advocate through the process. Doulas are non-medical, trained labor assistants or coaches who provide physical and emotional support during pregnancy, childbirth and recovery. A doula will speak up for a mother when a doctor dismisses her concerns. She will ensure a woman’s birth plan is followed as much as possible. And, she will pick up on signs of complications or postpartum depression that could have been overlooked.</p>
  1508. <p>There’s no legal training requirement for doulas in Florida, although most have completed certification programs.</p>
  1509. <figure id="attachment_4863956"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-rebekah1_180261012.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="Midwife Jamarah Amani, left, talks to Rebekah Antoine, 33, of North Miami Beach during a prenatal visit at the Southern Birth Justice Network in Miami on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Rebekah is 37 weeks pregnant with her 4th child. Florida is seeing a trend toward more babies being born premature and low birth weight. That means more resources will be needed to take care of them in the hospitals and once they go home. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)" width="5600" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-rebekah1_180261012.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="4863956" data-srcset="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-rebekah1_180261012.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-rebekah1_180261012.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-rebekah1_180261012.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-rebekah1_180261012.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-rebekah1_180261012.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Midwife Jamarah Amani, left, talks to Rebekah Antoine, 33, of North Miami Beach during a prenatal visit in February at the Southern Birth Justice Network in Miami. Antoine, who was pregnant with her fourth child, has since given birth to a healthy baby boy. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)</figcaption></figure>
  1510. <p>To become a doula, Spence participated in the first cohort in 2022 to graduate from a training program through Healthy Mothers, <a href="https://www.hmhbpbc.org/">Healthy Babies Palm Beach County.</a> The program was specifically designed to drive down death rates for Black mothers and babies. Spence then joined Florida’s Doula Network, an Orlando-headquartered company that provides health plans with credentialed doulas. In Florida, The Doula Network contracts with Medicaid plans to cover doula services and typically pays the doulas a flat fee for prenatal, childbirth and postpartum support. “Each plan has a different amount that they pay,” Spence said. A private-pay client typically pays a doula a higher rate, she said.</p>
  1511. <p>Spence balances her doula role with a full time job at Lake Okeechobee Rural Health Network and her responsibilities as a mother of three young children. She gave birth to her children in a birthing center using a midwife and wants other mothers to have a good birth experience, too.</p>
  1512. <p>“I just want to be that support for women in my community,” she said. “The most important thing I do is teach them to speak up and what to speak up for. You don’t get that with a traditional prenatal provider.”</p>
  1513. <blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="KRVCm2aUqX"><p><a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/04/15/fragile-babies-advanced-technology-helps-preemies-live-but-at-what-cost/">Steep cost of long-term preemie care takes heavy toll on overburdened families</a></p></blockquote>
  1514. <p><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" title="&#8220;Steep cost of long-term preemie care takes heavy toll on overburdened families&#8221; &#8212; Sun Sentinel" src="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/04/15/fragile-babies-advanced-technology-helps-preemies-live-but-at-what-cost/embed/#?secret=bISaocxoVg#?secret=KRVCm2aUqX" data-secret="KRVCm2aUqX" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
  1515. <p>In the past, doula care often has been unaffordable to low-income Black women who have higher risk of birth-related complications. If self-paid, a birth doula can cost $1,200 to $4,000, depending on whether pre- and post-birth visits are included.</p>
  1516. <p>As of 2019, many Medicaid enrollees in Florida’s managed care plans have access to the doula benefit. Florida is one of only 13 states that allows Medicaid plans to cover doula services, as an optional benefit. Some Florida plans offer it only to high-risk mothers while others make it more widely available.</p>
  1517. <p>For national insurer <a href="https://www.elevancehealth.com/">Elevance Health</a>, Florida is one of the biggest markets for doula services in its Medicaid plans.</p>
  1518. <p>“We recognize that the Black community is really embracing doulas as an opportunity for change, and so we’re trying to put ourselves in that space to be able to help support that,” said <a href="https://www.elevancehealth.com/our-approach-to-health/whole-health/turning-the-tide-on-maternal-health">Dr. Tiffany Inglis,</a> national medical director at Elevance Health.</p>
  1519. <p>Inglis said her company began its foray into doula coverage by educating doctors, nurses and midwives in its network on the value they bring to the care team.</p>
  1520. <p>“We made it clear we don’t want doulas to replace doctors, nurses and midwives. We want them to be part of the care team so that we can sort of remove that burden to find social support (for a mother) from a clinical team that’s not trained for it,” Inglis said.</p>
  1521. <figure id="attachment_4863957"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife4_180261026.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="Ashly Hinds, 30, of Coconut Grove, is surrounded by midwives as she breast feeds her two-month-old son, Travis Small Jr. during a post care visit at the Southern Birth Justice Network in Miami on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. Florida is seeing a trend toward more babies being born premature and low birth weight. That means more resources will be needed to take care of them in the hospitals and once they go home. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)" width="5839" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife4_180261026.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="4863957" data-srcset="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife4_180261026.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife4_180261026.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife4_180261026.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife4_180261026.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife4_180261026.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Ashly Hinds, 30, of Coconut Grove, is surrounded by midwives as she breastfeeds her 2-month-old son, Travis Small Jr., during a post-care visit at the Southern Birth Justice Network in Miami. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)</figcaption></figure>
  1522. <p>Spence, for example, not only accompanies mothers to prenatal and postpartum visits, but she also connects them to community resources for food, diapers, transportation, or mental health counseling.</p>
  1523. <p>Inglis said Elevance looks to its doctors to promote doula usage among patients and tracking results.  “The plans are putting doulas in communities where they know we have larger populations of Black moms because we are seeing such a good impact from it and we are seeing such a good uptake of it,” Inglis said.</p>
  1524. <p>Rebekah Antoine, a doula and community programs director with Miami’s Southern Birth Justice Network, said the doula benefit through Medicaid is a public health intervention and has the potential to reduce not only Florida’s infant mortality rate but also its maternal mortality and morbidity rates.</p>
  1525. <p>She wants to see Florida take the next step.</p>
  1526. <p>“There needs to be more funding going to community-based organizations to train new doulas to serve within their communities.” Antoine said. “There needs to be more education to let Medicaid recipients know the benefit is available. Midwives and doulas should be an option suggested to a pregnant person when they enroll.”</p>
  1527. <p>Just because you have a benefit doesn’t mean that you know how to sign up and how it works. Connecting the patients to the doulas is a missing link, she said.</p>
  1528. <p>Antoine would like to see state health officials foster more partnerships between doulas and providers such as Federally Qualified Health Clinics located in communities of color, particularly the underserved Haitian community.</p>
  1529. <p>“Doulas and midwives are an important part of the collaboration for making quality maternal care more accessible,” she said.</p>
  1530. <figure id="attachment_4863958"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife2_180261010.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="Midwife Jamarah Amani, left, comforts Ashly Hinds, 30, of Coconut Grove during a post care visit at the Southern Birth Justice Network in Miami on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. Florida is seeing a trend toward more babies being born premature and low birth weight. That means more resources will be needed to take care of them in the hospitals and once they go home. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)" width="5679" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife2_180261010.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="4863958" data-srcset="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife2_180261010.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife2_180261010.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife2_180261010.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife2_180261010.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife2_180261010.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Midwife Jamarah Amani, left, comforts Ashly Hinds, 30, of Coconut Grove during a post-birth care visit at the Southern Birth Justice Network in Miami. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)</figcaption></figure>
  1531. <p>In Tallahassee, the services that doulas provide to the minority communities have caught the attention of Florida Sen. Rosalind Osgood, D-Tamarac.</p>
  1532. <p>Osgood wants to propose doula legislation similar to a law recently passed in Virginia, which mandates that health insurers who cover obstetrical services also provide coverage for state-certified doulas. She wants plans to set a higher rate for reimbursement. Doulas often complain of low reimbursement rates.</p>
  1533. <p>“I would like to see doulas paid consistently by healthcare providers for their advocacy and support of babies and mothers doing childbearing,” Osgood said. “Once we get some kind of criteria for certification, it makes it easier to allocate government dollars for those services and ensure doulas get paid fairly for their services.”</p>
  1534. <p>The state of Florida now connects pregnant women with doulas as a new initiative of the Florida Association of Healthy Start Coalitions.</p>
  1535. <p>Medicaid plans have provided funding to Healthy Start to train doulas using the G.R.O.W. Doula model. Sixteen of the 32 Healthy Start offices in Florida are working to complete the certification of the trained doulas and connect them with pregnant women.</p>
  1536. <p>Healthy Start’s Cathy Timuta asked the state in its 2024 session for more money to expand the Florida Health Start doula program to improve the disparities in birth outcomes for women of color.</p>
  1537. <p>“Healthy Start is launching a doula program through contracts with some of the health plans for the Medicaid population. However, we are in need of funding for the pregnant mothers who are not eligible for Medicaid which represent about 50% of births in Florida,” she wrote in a funding request for 2024-25.</p>
  1538. <blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="KRVCm2aUqX"><p><a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/04/15/fragile-babies-advanced-technology-helps-preemies-live-but-at-what-cost/">Steep cost of long-term preemie care takes heavy toll on overburdened families</a></p></blockquote>
  1539. <p><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" title="&#8220;Steep cost of long-term preemie care takes heavy toll on overburdened families&#8221; &#8212; Sun Sentinel" src="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/04/15/fragile-babies-advanced-technology-helps-preemies-live-but-at-what-cost/embed/#?secret=bISaocxoVg#?secret=KRVCm2aUqX" data-secret="KRVCm2aUqX" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
  1540. <p>So far, the state has not approved the funding request.</p>
  1541. <p>However, in Miami, a Black Maternal and Infant Health Equity Collaborative has formed to train and certify 65 doulas and incorporate them into the obstetric care teams at Jackson Health, Miami-Dade’s large public hospital system.</p>
  1542. <p>“We have trained 29 doulas so far as well as training hospital staff to create a more doula-friendly environment,” said Loreen Chant, executive director of the Health Foundation of South Florida, which has provided funding for the Jackson Doula Pilot Project.</p>
  1543. <p>But doulas aren’t medical providers and won’t solve the problem of dwindling maternal care in some neighborhoods. About 19% of Florida’s counties are maternal care deserts, particularly concerning for Black women who face death rates related to pregnancy that are over three times those for white women.</p>
  1544. <p>Midwives are stepping in to fill the gaps and provide what they call “more culturally sensitive care.”</p>
  1545. <p>In a small office building in North Miami, Jamarah Amani runs a midwife clinic through a nonprofit called Southern Birth Justice Network. The space is calming, as is Amani’s voice as she sees Ashly Hinds for her first visit after giving birth. She asks the new mother about her success with breastfeeding, her mental health, her sex life.</p>
  1546. <p>Amani explains that midwives play a vital role in obstetric care.</p>
  1547. <p>“There’s different reasons that people come to us,” Amani said. “Sometimes it’s because they don’t trust the hospital. Sometimes it is because of previous birth trauma, or maybe they’re undocumented and they don’t want to be caught up in the system. But they do know when they come, that they’re going to get a more individualized, holistic, family-centered approach.”</p>
  1548. <p>Hinds, 30, of Coconut Grove said she is aware of the disparities facing mothers of color and didn’t feel comfortable with a hospital birth. She sought Amani to deliver her baby in her home. “For me it’s cultural,” Hinds said. “My grandmother was born at home with a midwife. What’s my normal might not be everyone else’s, and that’s OK.”</p>
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  1609. </li></ul></aside>The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women. Midwives like Amani see more interest in her profession with greater attention to these statistics.</p>
  1610. <p>A recent analysis highlighted by The Commonwealth Fund found that a midwife workforce, integrated into health care delivery systems, could potentially avert as much as 39% of neonatal deaths and 26% of stillbirths.</p>
  1611. <p>In Florida, midwives need a license to practice but they typically don’t see high-risk patients.</p>
  1612. <p>Community midwives work outside of hospitals, delivering babies in birthing centers or at homes. Some Florida hospitals like Jackson Health in Miami or UF Health in North Florida offer team-based care that includes nurse midwives as part of their staff.</p>
  1613. <p>Florida’s new Live Healthy bill championed by Kathleen Passidomo eases the restrictions on independent midwives, making it easier for them to practice at birthing centers. The bill also allows “advanced birth centers” to provide cesarean section deliveries for women considered low-risk pregnancies. Until now, birth centers have been prohibited from providing cesarean sections, surgical procedures previously done only in hospitals.</p>
  1614. <p>Some insurers including Medicaid cover the cost of midwives, but reimbursement rates vary, and often are low. Typical midwives spend at least 45 minutes with a patient each visit, a different approach than most obstetricians..</p>
  1615. <p>“Many traditional providers will spend very little time with their patients because they just need the volume,” Amani said.</p>
  1616. <p>Florida has 853 certified nurse midwives, according to the national certification board, and 169 student midwives.</p>
  1617. <figure id="attachment_4863959"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife3_180261024.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="Johanne Ulysse, 31, who is in training to be a midwife, talks about her experience with giving birth to her son. Ulysse is doing her internship at the Southern Birth Justice Network in Miami on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. Florida is seeing a trend toward more babies being born premature and low birth weight. That means more resources will be needed to take care of them in the hospitals and once they go home. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)" width="4616" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife3_180261024.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="4863959" data-srcset="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife3_180261024.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife3_180261024.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife3_180261024.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife3_180261024.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife3_180261024.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Johanne Ulysse, 31, who is in training to be a midwife, talks about her experience with giving birth to her son. Ulysse is doing her internship at the Southern Birth Justice Network in Miami. Ulysse said when her baby went into distress at 41 weeks, she had an emergency C-section. “I thought, there has to be a better way.” (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)</figcaption></figure>
  1618. <p>One of those student midwives is 32-year-old Johanne Ulysse. The Coral Springs mom is studying to become a midwife after a bad birth experience. Ulysse said when her baby went into distress at 41 weeks, she had an emergency C-section. “I thought, there has to be a better way.” The baby survived, but Ulysee knows the statistics — about 1,300 babies a year in Florida do not survive their first year.</p>
  1619. <p>“Midwives will talk about the patient’s personal life, health, diet … a lot of things that culminate and make a healthy pregnant person,” Ulysse said. “I think that if more Black women knew you don’t have to go to a doctor. You can have a midwife who will listen to you and give you more in-depth care. I think that it would be revolutionary.”</p>
  1620. <p>Jennie Joseph, founder of Orlando’s Commonsense Childbirth, became the first Black person in the U.S. in 2020 to privately own a nationally accredited midwifery school. She says Florida should offer universal healthcare to cover all women who want access to midwifery care, or doula care, or other maternal health providers.</p>
  1621. <p>As opposed to an OB-GYN she will take anyone who needs maternal care, regardless of their insurance status, and help them through the difficult process of applying to Medicaid, which few physicians in Florida want to accept, she said.</p>
  1622. <p>“Once you get to our clinic or make a phone call to our clinic, the answer is always going to be ‘Yes, we will see you.’”</p>
  1623. <p>After years of feeling dismissed in hospitals or provider offices, many Florida women are working to find prenatal caregivers who look like them, speak their language and listen to their concerns.</p>
  1624. <p>Belle Glade, a town with a significant population of women who are Hispanic, Black and Haitian, has only two prenatal care providers, and the nearest hospital with labor and delivery is 30 to 45 minutes away.</p>
  1625. <p>In her doula role, Spence feels like she is the safety net in her diverse community.</p>
  1626. <p>“When I looked at the stats and numbers and the community here, I saw mothers and babies in rural areas are dying more and the people who could make a difference don’t know or understand why,” Spence said. “Doulas might not be the end-all-be-all, but it’s a step in the right direction.”</p>
  1627. <p><em>Cindy Krischer Goodman, health reporter for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, reported this article while participating in the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2023 Data Fellowship, which provided training, mentoring, and funding to support this project. She can be reached at <a href="mailto:cgoodman@sunsentinel.com">cgoodman@sunsentinel.com</a>.</em></p>
  1628. <hr />
  1629. <h4>BORN TO DIE: FLORIDA’S INFANT MORTALITY CRISIS</h4>
  1630. <p><strong>PART 1: </strong>Babies are dying in Florida at a rate higher than the national average. Despite a declining birth rate, and millions of dollars spent on maternity programs, research, and outreach, the rate of babies who die before their first birthday remains unchanged. Florida’s tightening restrictions on access to abortion raise the risk even more, with the increasing likelihood that unhealthy and disadvantaged mothers will have no choice but to give birth to children who might die in their first year. So far, little the state is doing is leading to significant improvement in infant mortality, even while many of these deaths may be preventable. <strong><a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/03/21/born-to-die-floridas-infant-mortality-crisis/">SunSentinel.com/InfantMortality</a></strong></p>
  1631. <p><strong>PART 2</strong>: For the last five years, Florida has seen an increase in premature births, a product of our poor health system and an increase in the number of women with health complications because of that system. The result is millions of dollars of public money are being spent to keep the premature babies alive in NICUs and support their ongoing medical issues. Not only does this drain public funds, but it keeps the families at near-poverty levels. The final segment in the “Born to Die” series looks at the families coping with a generation of children in need of costly medical care, education and development support. <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/04/15/fragile-babies-advanced-technology-helps-preemies-live-but-at-what-cost/"><strong>SunSentinel.com/LongtermCare</strong></a></p>
  1632. <p><strong>PART 3:</strong> <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/05/01/babies-born-early-ill-or-dead-florida-spends-millions-on-prevention-why-isnt-it-getting-better/">Where does Florida spend its money</a> when it comes to ensuring the health of babies, whether unborn or newly born? Data shows that despite funding and resources, the rate of babies dying before the age of 1 remains above the national average and hasn’t improved much in a decade. Florida spends $150 million a year on this issue. We examine where the money goes, how results are measured, and where money could be better spent to keep more babies alive and healthy.</p>
  1633. ]]></content:encoded>
  1637. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4863954</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TFL-premature-low-birthweight-midwife5_180261030.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="189503" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Midwife Jamarah Amani holds on to two-months-old Travis Small Jr. during his mom postnatal visit at the Southern Birth Justice Network in Miami on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. Florida is seeing a trend toward more babies being born premature and low birth weight. That means more resources will be needed to take care of them in the hospitals and once they go home. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
  1638. ]]></media:description></media:content>
  1639. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T14:55:38+00:00</dcterms:created>
  1640. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T15:02:13+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  1641. </item>
  1642. <item>
  1643. <title>Mandatory reporting laws meant to protect children get another look</title>
  1644. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/mandatory-reporting-laws-meant-to-protect-children-get-another-look/</link>
  1646. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tribune News Service]]></dc:creator>
  1647. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 18:51:46 +0000</pubDate>
  1648. <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
  1649. <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  1650. <category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
  1651. <category><![CDATA[network]]></category>
  1652. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4863921&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=4863921</guid>
  1653.  
  1654. <description><![CDATA[There are efforts in states to roll back these laws, saying the result has been too many unfounded reports.]]></description>
  1655. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Kristin Jones | KFF Health News (TNS)</strong></p>
  1656. <p>More than 60 years ago, policymakers in Colorado embraced the idea that early intervention could prevent child abuse and save lives. The state’s requirement that certain professionals tell officials when they suspect a child has been abused or neglected was among the first mandatory reporting laws in the nation.</p>
  1657. <p>Since then, mandatory reporting laws have expanded nationally to include more types of maltreatment — including neglect, which now accounts for most reports — and have increased the number of professions required to report. In some states, <a href="https://www.casey.org/umr-efficacy-study/">all adults</a> are required to report what they suspect may be abuse or neglect.</p>
  1658. <p>But now there are efforts in Colorado and other states to roll back these laws, saying the result has been too many unfounded reports, and that they disproportionately harm families that are poor, Black, or Indigenous, or have members with disabilities.</p>
  1659. <p>“There’s a long, depressing history based on the approach that our primary response to a struggling family is reporting,” said Mical Raz, a physician and historian at the University of Rochester in New York. “There’s now a wealth of evidence that demonstrates that more reporting is not associated with better outcomes for children.”</p>
  1660. <p>Stephanie Villafuerte, Colorado’s child protection ombudsman, oversees a task force to reexamine the state’s mandatory reporting laws. She said the group is seeking to balance a need to report legitimate cases of abuse and neglect with a desire to weed out inappropriate reports.</p>
  1661. <p>“This is designed to help individuals who are disproportionately impacted,” Villafuerte said. “I’m hoping it’s the combination of these efforts that could make a difference.”</p>
  1662. <p>Some critics worry that changes to the law could result in missed cases of abuse. Medical and child care workers on the task force have expressed concern about legal liability. While it’s rare for people to be criminally charged for failure to report, they can also face civil liability or professional repercussions, including threats to their licenses.</p>
  1663. <p>Being reported to child protective services is becoming increasingly common. More than 1 in 3 children in the United States will be the subject of a child abuse and neglect investigation by the time they turn 18, according to the most frequently cited estimate, a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5227926/#:~:text=We%20estimate%20that%2037.4%25%20of,investigation%20by%20age%2018%20years.">2017 study</a> funded by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Children’s Bureau.</p>
  1664. <p>Black and Native American families, poor families, and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0190740924000185">parents</a> or <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0190740910003580">children</a> with disabilities experience even more oversight. Research has found that, among these groups, parents are more likely to lose parental rights and children are more likely to wind up in foster care.</p>
  1665. <p>In an <a href="https://cwig-prod-prod-drupal-s3fs-us-east-1.s3.amazonaws.com/public/documents/CMSummary22.pdf?VersionId=dtykqy6pecItRiPcGQEePwf.FCvmYcSH">overwhelming majority</a> of investigations, no abuse or neglect is substantiated. Nonetheless, researchers who study <a href="https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691235714/investigating-families">how these investigations affect families</a> describe them as terrifying and isolating.</p>
  1666. <p><aside class="related left"><h2 class="widget-title" data-curated-ids="" data-relation-type="automatic-primary-section">Related Articles</h2><ul><li>
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  1726. </li></ul></aside>In Colorado, the number of child abuse and neglect reports has increased 42% in the past decade and reached a record 117,762 last year, according to <a href="https://colorado.rom.socwel.ku.edu/reports/246">state data</a>. Roughly 100,000 other calls to the hotline weren’t counted as reports because they were requests for information or were about matters like child support or adult protection, said officials from the Colorado Department of Human Services.</p>
  1727. <p>The increase in reports can be traced to a policy of encouraging a broad array of professionals — including school and medical staff, therapists, coaches, clergy members, firefighters, veterinarians, dentists, and social workers — to call a hotline whenever they have a concern.</p>
  1728. <p>These calls don’t reflect a surge in mistreatment. More than two-thirds of the reports received by agencies in Colorado don’t meet the threshold for investigation. Of the children whose cases are assessed, 21% are found to have experienced abuse or neglect. The actual <a href="https://colorado.rom.socwel.ku.edu/reports/1053">number of substantiated cases</a> has not risen over the past decade.</p>
  1729. <p>While studies do not demonstrate that mandatory reporting laws keep children safe, the Colorado task force <a href="https://coloradocpo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mandatory-Reporting-Task-Force-Interim-Report-2024.pdf">reported in January</a>, there is evidence of harm. “Mandatory reporting disproportionately impacts families of color” — initiating contact between child protection services and families who routinely do not present concerns of abuse or neglect, the task force said.</p>
  1730. <p>The task force said it is analyzing whether better screening might mitigate “the disproportionate impact of mandatory reporting on under-resourced communities, communities of color and persons with disabilities.”</p>
  1731. <p>The task force pointed out that the only way to report concerns about a child is with a formal report to a hotline. Yet many of those calls are not to report abuse at all but rather attempts to connect children and families with resources like food or housing assistance.</p>
  1732. <p>Hotline callers may mean to help, but the families who are the subjects of mistaken reports of abuse and neglect rarely see it that way.</p>
  1733. <p>That includes Meighen Lovelace, a rural Colorado resident who asked KFF Health News not to disclose their hometown for fear of attracting unwanted attention from local officials. For Lovelace’s daughter, who is neurodivergent and has physical disabilities, the reports started when she entered preschool at age 4 in 2015. The teachers and medical providers making the reports frequently suggested that the county human services agency could assist Lovelace’s family. But the investigations that followed were invasive and traumatic.</p>
  1734. <p>“Our biggest looming fear is, ‘Are you going to take our children away?’” said Lovelace, who is an advocate for the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, an organization that lobbies for the civil rights of people with disabilities. “We’re afraid to ask for help. It’s keeping us from entering services because of the fear of child welfare.”</p>
  1735. <p>State and county human services officials said they could not comment on specific cases.</p>
  1736. <p>The Colorado task force plans to suggest clarifying the definitions of abuse and neglect under the state’s mandatory reporting statute. Mandatory reporters should not “make a report solely due to a family/child’s race, class or gender,” nor because of inadequate housing, furnishings, income or clothing. Also, there should not be a report based solely on the “disability status of the minor, parent or guardian,” according to the group’s draft recommendation.</p>
  1737. <p>The task force plans to recommend additional training for mandatory reporters, help for professionals who are deciding whether to make a call, and an alternative phone number, or “warmline,” for cases in which callers believe a family needs material assistance, rather than surveillance.</p>
  1738. <p>Critics say such changes could leave more children vulnerable to unreported abuse.</p>
  1739. <p>“I’m concerned about adding systems such as the warmline, that kids who are in real danger are going to slip through the cracks and not be helped,” said Hollynd Hoskins, an attorney who represents victims of child abuse. Hoskins has sued professionals who fail to report their suspicions.</p>
  1740. <p>The Colorado task force includes health and education officials, prosecutors, victim advocates, county child welfare representatives and attorneys, as well as five people who have experience in the child welfare system. It intends to finalize its recommendations by early next year in the hope that state legislators will consider policy changes in 2025. Implementation of any new laws could take several years.</p>
  1741. <p>Colorado is one of several states — including <a href="https://nyassembly.gov/comm/?id=5&amp;sec=story&amp;story=107298">New York</a> and <a href="https://sd37.senate.ca.gov/news/senator-min-announces-reforms-mandated-reporters-sb-1126">California</a> — that have recently considered changes to restrain, rather than expand, reporting of abuse. In New York City, teachers are being trained to <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2023/10/19/23924510/nyc-mandated-reporter-training-child-welfare/#:~:text=New%20York%20City%20has%20revised,Latino%20families%2C%20officials%20said%20Thursday.">think twice</a> before making a report, while New York state <a href="https://ocfs.ny.gov/programs/cwcs/hears.php">introduced a warmline</a> to help connect families with resources like housing and child care. In California, a state <a href="https://www.chhs.ca.gov/home/committees/california-child-welfare-council/">task force</a> aimed at shifting “mandated reporting to community supporting” is planning recommendations <a href="https://www.chhs.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MRCS-Task-Force-Subcommittees.pdf">similar to Colorado’s</a>.</p>
  1742. <p>Among those advocating for change are people with experience in the child welfare system. They include <a href="https://www.mjcfcoalition.com/">Maleeka Jihad</a>, who leads the Denver-based MJCF Coalition, which advocates for the abolition of mandatory reporting along with the rest of the child welfare system, citing its damage to Black, Native American, and Latino communities.</p>
  1743. <p>“Mandatory reporting is another form of keeping us policed and surveillanced by whiteness,” said Jihad, who as a child was taken from the care of a loving parent and placed temporarily into the foster system. Reform isn’t enough, she said. “We know what we need, and it’s usually funding and resources.”</p>
  1744. <p>Some of these resources — like affordable housing and child care — don’t exist at a level sufficient for all the Colorado families that need them, Jihad said.</p>
  1745. <p>Other services are out there, but it’s a matter of finding them. Lovelace said the reports ebbed after the family got the help it needed, in the form of a Medicaid waiver that paid for specialized care for their daughter’s disabilities. Their daughter is now in seventh grade and doing well.</p>
  1746. <p>None of the caseworkers who visited the family ever mentioned the waiver, Lovelace said. “I really think they didn’t know about it.”</p>
  1747. <p><em>(<a href="https://www.kff.org/">KFF Health News</a> is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs of <a href="https://www.kff.org/">KFF </a>— the independent source for health policy research, polling and journalism.)</em></p>
  1748. <p><em>©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.</em></p>
  1749. ]]></content:encoded>
  1753. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4863921</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/US-NEWS-MANDATORY-REPORTING-LAWS-DMT.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="108260" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ There are efforts in Colorado and other states to roll back laws meant to protect children. (Ken Wolter/Dreamstime/TNS)
  1754. ]]></media:description></media:content>
  1755. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T14:51:46+00:00</dcterms:created>
  1756. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T14:54:17+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  1757. </item>
  1758. <item>
  1759. <title>Mortgage rate forecast for May 2024: No break for homebuyers</title>
  1760. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/mortgage-rate-forecast-for-may-2024-no-break-for-homebuyers/</link>
  1762. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tribune News Service]]></dc:creator>
  1763. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 18:45:27 +0000</pubDate>
  1764. <category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
  1765. <category><![CDATA[network]]></category>
  1766. <category><![CDATA[personal finance]]></category>
  1767. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4863912&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=4863912</guid>
  1768.  
  1769. <description><![CDATA[As homebuyers grapple with record prices this spring, mortgage rates have also crept up.]]></description>
  1770. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Jeff Ostrowski | Bankrate.com (TNS)</strong></p>
  1771. <p>As homebuyers grapple with record prices this spring, <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/mortgage-rates/?mf_ct_campaign=tribune-synd-feed&amp;utm_content=syndication">mortgage rates</a> have also crept up. On a 30-year fixed loan, the average rate was 7.39% as of May 1, according to Bankrate’s <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/analysis/?mf_ct_campaign=tribune-synd-feed&amp;utm_content=syndication">survey</a> of large lenders, marking three straight months of 7% rates.</p>
  1772. <p>Blame <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/real-estate/inflation-housing-market/?mf_ct_campaign=tribune-synd-feed&amp;utm_content=syndication">inflation</a>. It’s still stubbornly elevated, rising to 3.5% in March, and that’s led to dialed-back expectations about how quickly the Federal Reserve cuts rates this year, if at all. The central bank left rates unchanged at its latest meeting concluding May 1.</p>
  1773. <p>Meanwhile, the unemployment rate was 3.98% in March, while economic growth slowed to 1.6% in the first quarter of 2024.</p>
  1774. <p>All of these factors have added up to an uncertain timeline for the Fed, prompting investors to bid up <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/rates/interest-rates/10-year-treasury-bill/?mf_ct_campaign=tribune-synd-feed&amp;utm_content=syndication">10-year Treasury yields</a>, the informal benchmark for <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/30-year-mortgage-rates/?mf_ct_campaign=tribune-synd-feed&amp;utm_content=syndication">30-year fixed mortgage rates</a>.</p>
  1775. <h4>Mortgage rate predictions May 2024</h4>
  1776. <p>As May ushers in peak real estate season, forecasters aren’t anticipating a break from the current spate of 7% mortgages.</p>
  1777. <p>“The wind continues to blow in the wrong direction for mortgage borrowers,” says Greg McBride, Bankrate’s chief financial analyst. “Rates have spiked as inflation runs hot, the Fed timetable for interest rate cuts gets pushed back and the supply of government debt rises. Expect mortgage rates to remain well above 7% in May, and maybe closer to 8% if the run of disappointing inflation data continues.”</p>
  1778. <p>Rates last hit 8% in October 2023. At that rate and the current median home price of $393,500, a borrower putting 3% down would pay about $250 more a month compared to a 7% loan.</p>
  1779. <p>While the Fed doesn’t establish 30-year mortgage prices, its moves can have immediate ripple effects, says Robert Frick, corporate economist at <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/reviews/navy-federal-credit-union/?mf_ct_campaign=tribune-synd-feed&amp;utm_content=syndication">Navy Federal Credit Union</a>.</p>
  1780. <p>“We shouldn’t expect relief from current high mortgage rates in May,” says Frick. “The root cause is inflation, which remains stubborn and is likely to hold steady for now. This in turn means the Fed won’t be cutting its rates any time soon, and cutting those rates would quickly filter through to the mortgage market.”</p>
  1781. <p>The Fed delay has upended 2024 forecasts that once called for rates below 6%.</p>
  1782. <p>“The early 2024 expectations for sharp Fed rate cuts are now highly unlikely to happen,” says Selma Hepp, chief economist at CoreLogic. “As the economy continues to grow, we expect the Fed to keep rates higher for longer. The best we can hope for at this point is rate cuts late in the year and mortgage rates to fall to the mid-6% range.”</p>
  1783. <p>“We’ll need a succession of improved inflation readings before we can hope for a sustained move below 7% in mortgage rates,” says McBride.</p>
  1784. <h4>Current mortgage rate trends</h4>
  1785. <p>The average rate on a 30-year mortgage was 7.39% as of May 1, according to Bankrate’s survey. While that’s a welcome drop from 8.01% on Oct. 25 of last year, it’s still higher than the sub-7% rates seen in January.</p>
  1786. <h4>When will mortgage rates go down?</h4>
  1787. <p>Overall, forecasters predict mortgage rates to continue easing, but not as much as previously thought.</p>
  1788. <p><aside class="related left"><h2 class="widget-title" data-curated-ids="" data-relation-type="automatic-primary-section">Related Articles</h2><ul><li>
  1789.  
  1790. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/business/">Business | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/ticker-workers-begin-removing-i-95-overpass-scorched-in-connecticut-fuel-truck-inferno-video/" title="Ticker: Workers begin removing I-95 overpass scorched in Connecticut fuel truck inferno [+video]">
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  1794.  
  1795.  
  1796.  
  1797. </a>
  1800. </li><li>
  1801.  
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  1808.  
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  1814. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/business/">Business | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/how-credit-cards-can-help-you-cope-with-travel-troubles/" title="How credit cards can help you cope with travel troubles">
  1816. <span class="dfm-title premium">
  1817. How credit cards can help you cope with travel troubles </span>
  1818.  
  1819.  
  1820.  
  1821. </a>
  1824. </li><li>
  1825.  
  1826. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/business/">Business | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/02/watchdog-warns-boston-mayor-wus-plan-to-hike-business-taxes-could-hurt-citys-economy/" title="Watchdog warns Boston Mayor Wu&#8217;s plan to hike business taxes could hurt city&#8217;s economy">
  1828. <span class="dfm-title premium">
  1829. Watchdog warns Boston Mayor Wu&#8217;s plan to hike business taxes could hurt city&#8217;s economy </span>
  1830.  
  1831.  
  1832.  
  1833. </a>
  1836. </li><li>
  1837.  
  1838. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/business/">Business | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/02/ticker-feds-boost-lead-water-line-funds-for-mass-mortgage-rates-hit-5-month-high/" title="Ticker: Feds boost lead water line funds for Mass; Mortgage rates hit 5-month high">
  1840. <span class="dfm-title metered">
  1841. Ticker: Feds boost lead water line funds for Mass; Mortgage rates hit 5-month high </span>
  1842.  
  1843.  
  1844.  
  1845. </a>
  1848. </li></ul></aside>While McBride had expected mortgage rates to fall to 5.75% by late 2024, the new economic reality means they’re likely to hover in the range of 6.25% to 6.4% by the end of the year, he says.</p>
  1849. <p>Mortgage giant Fannie Mae likewise raised its outlook, now expecting 30-year mortgage rates to be at 6.4% by the end of 2024, compared to an earlier forecast of 5.8%.</p>
  1850. <p>“A lot of us forecasted we’d be down to 6% at the end of 2023,” says Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist at Bright MLS, a large listing service in the Mid-Atlantic region. “Surprise, surprise, we [weren&#8217;t].”</p>
  1851. <p>One variable has been the unusually large gap between mortgage rates and 10-year Treasury yields. Normally, that spread is about 1.8%age points, or 180 basis points. This year, the gap has been more like 280 basis points, pushing mortgage rates a full percentage point higher than the 10-year benchmark indicates.</p>
  1852. <p>“There is room for that gap to narrow,” says Sturtevant, “but I’m not sure we’ll get back to those old levels. In this post-pandemic economy, the old rules don’t seem to apply in the same ways. We’re sort of figuring out what the reset is. Investors have a different outlook on risk now than they did before the pandemic. We’re just in this weird transition economy.”</p>
  1853. <h4>What to do if you’re getting a mortgage now</h4>
  1854. <p>Mortgage rates are at generational highs, but the basic advice for getting a loan applies no matter the economy or market:</p>
  1855. <p>—Improve your credit score. A lower credit score won’t prevent you from getting a loan, but it can make all the difference between getting the lowest possible rate and more costly borrowing terms. The best mortgage rates go to borrowers with the highest credit scores, usually at least 740. In general, the more confident the lender is in your ability to repay the loan on time, the lower the interest rate it’ll offer.</p>
  1856. <p>—Save up for a down payment. Putting more money down upfront can help you obtain a lower mortgage rate, and if you have 20%, you’ll avoid mortgage insurance, which adds costs to your loan. If you’re a first-time homebuyer and can’t cover a 20% down payment, there are loans, grants and programs that can help. The eligibility requirements vary by program, but are often based on factors like your income.</p>
  1857. <p>—Understand your debt-to-income ratio. Your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio compares your total monthly debt payments against your gross monthly income. Not sure how to figure out your DTI ratio? Bankrate has a calculator for that.</p>
  1858. <p>—Check out different mortgage loan types and terms. A 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is the most common option, but there are shorter terms. Adjustable-rate mortgages have also regained popularity recently.</p>
  1859. <h4>FAQ</h4>
  1860. <p>—How are mortgage rates determined?</p>
  1861. <p>It might seem like a bank or lender are dictating mortgage terms, but in fact, mortgage rates are not directly set by any one entity. Instead, mortgage rates grow out of a complicated mix of economic factors. Lenders typically set their rates based on the return they need to make a profit after accounting for risks and costs.The Federal Reserve doesn’t directly set mortgage rates, but it does set the overall tone. The closest proxy for mortgage rates is the 10-year Treasury yield. Historically, the typical 30-year mortgage rate was about 2 percentage points higher than the 10-year Treasury yield. In 2023, that “spread” was more like 3 percentage points.</p>
  1862. <p>—When should I refinance my mortgage?</p>
  1863. <p>Mortgage rates have jumped to 23-year highs, so not many borrowers are opting to refinance their mortgages now. However, if rates come back down, homeowners could start looking to refinance. Deciding when to refinance is based on many factors. If rates have fallen since you originally took out your mortgage, refinancing might make sense. A refi can also be a good idea if you’ve improved your credit score and could lock in a lower rate or lower fees. A cash-out refinance can accomplish that as well, plus give you the funds to pay for a home renovation or other expenses.</p>
  1864. <p><em>(Visit Bankrate online at <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/">bankrate.com</a>.)</em></p>
  1865. <p><em>©2024 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.</em></p>
  1866. ]]></content:encoded>
  1870. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4863912</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/BIZ-REAL-BANKRATE-MORTGAGES-DMT.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="417079" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ As May ushers in peak real estate season, forecasters aren’t anticipating a break from the current spate of 7% mortgages. (719production/Dreamstime/TNS)
  1871. ]]></media:description></media:content>
  1872. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T14:45:27+00:00</dcterms:created>
  1873. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T14:45:35+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  1874. </item>
  1875. <item>
  1876. <title>How credit cards can help you cope with travel troubles</title>
  1877. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/how-credit-cards-can-help-you-cope-with-travel-troubles/</link>
  1879. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tribune News Service]]></dc:creator>
  1880. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 18:34:57 +0000</pubDate>
  1881. <category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
  1882. <category><![CDATA[network]]></category>
  1883. <category><![CDATA[personal finance]]></category>
  1884. <category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
  1885. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4863902&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=4863902</guid>
  1886.  
  1887. <description><![CDATA[Not all travel insurance benefits cover the same situations, but here are a few of the most common credit card travel insurance policy perks.]]></description>
  1888. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Ted Rossman | Bankrate.com (TNS)</strong></p>
  1889. <p>“Revenge travel” has been a big theme the past couple of years as Americans have been raring to go here, there and everywhere after hunkering down during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the Transportation Security Administration screened a record-high 858.5 million passengers in 2023.</p>
  1890. <p>But it hasn’t been a smooth ride for travelers. In fact, if you flew in 2022 or 2023, there was a one-in-five chance your flight was delayed, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.</p>
  1891. <p>Cancellations were an especially big problem in 2022, when the airline industry had a tough time ramping back up after the pandemic. That year, 2.7% of flights were scrapped entirely, often due to staffing and/or equipment shortages. Last year, however, the cancellation rate was a mere 1.3%. Higher prices — not cancellations or delays — were travelers’ biggest concern <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/survey-summer-vacation/?mf_ct_campaign=tribune-synd-feed&amp;utm_content=syndication">last summer</a> and <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/personal-finance/travel-inflation-statistics/?mf_ct_campaign=tribune-synd-feed&amp;utm_content=syndication">last holiday season</a>, according to Bankrate research.</p>
  1892. <p>Still, there can be hidden costs associated with delays, cancellations and other travel snafus. For instance, my family flew from New Jersey to California last month, and both of our flights were delayed about two hours. With two young kids in tow, our nerves were strained more than our wallets, though we still ended up spending a bit extra on food (which isn’t cheap when even a basic airport sandwich seems to cost at least $15).</p>
  1893. <p>I’ve had a few other travel experiences in recent years which made me wish I had paid with a <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/travel-insurance-guide/?mf_ct_campaign=tribune-synd-feed&amp;utm_content=syndication">credit card with strong travel insurance benefits</a>. These perks wouldn’t have kicked in for my two-hour delay, but they definitely could have helped me out the time my flight from Chicago to New York was diverted to Virginia in the middle of the night and the airline basically just left us there. Or the two times in 2022 when airlines canceled our flights the night before they were scheduled to leave (seemingly due to operational issues) and couldn’t rebook us for several days — or when I came down with COVID and had to cancel a trip last fall.</p>
  1894. <h4>Credit cards with strong travel insurance benefits</h4>
  1895. <p>Not all travel insurance benefits cover the same situations, but here are a few of the most common credit card travel insurance policy perks:</p>
  1896. <p>—Trip delay reimbursement</p>
  1897. <p>—Trip cancellation or interruption insurance</p>
  1898. <p>—Baggage delay protection</p>
  1899. <p>—Lost or damaged baggage protection</p>
  1900. <p>—Medical evaluation</p>
  1901. <p>—Travel accident insurance</p>
  1902. <p>—Auto rental collision insurance</p>
  1903. <p>The Chase Sapphire PreferredⓇ Card is a great example. For a fairly modest $95 annual fee, it offers a lot of travel insurance (among other perks). In my estimation, its trip cancellation/interruption benefit (up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip) should have applied to both of my 2022 flight cancellations. I ended up getting those refunded by the airlines and booked new flights on different carriers (since the original carriers couldn’t accommodate us until nearly a week later), but that cost extra.</p>
  1904. <p><aside class="related left"><h2 class="widget-title" data-curated-ids="" data-relation-type="automatic-primary-tag">Related Articles</h2><ul><li>
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  1930. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/business/">Business | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/02/advice-for-working-with-a-home-buyers-agent-this-spring/" title="Advice for working with a home buyer’s agent this spring">
  1932. <span class="dfm-title metered">
  1933. Advice for working with a home buyer’s agent this spring </span>
  1934.  
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  1940. </li><li>
  1941.  
  1942. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/business/">Business | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/01/how-to-help-your-loved-one-navigate-the-costs-of-dementia-care/" title="How to help your loved one navigate the costs of dementia care">
  1944. <span class="dfm-title metered">
  1945. How to help your loved one navigate the costs of dementia care </span>
  1946.  
  1947.  
  1948.  
  1949. </a>
  1952. </li><li>
  1953.  
  1954. <div class="entry-section"><a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/business/">Business | </a></div> <a class="article-title" href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/04/30/more-student-loan-forgiveness-available-but-april-30-deadline-looms/" title="More student loan forgiveness available, but April 30 deadline looms">
  1956. <span class="dfm-title metered">
  1957. More student loan forgiveness available, but April 30 deadline looms </span>
  1958.  
  1959.  
  1960.  
  1961. </a>
  1964. </li></ul></aside>If I had paid for my original airline tickets with this card, I believe that Chase would have reimbursed me for the difference between my canceled flights and my new bookings (although I would have had to request that refund through a claims administrator). But there’s a chance my request would not have been approved, perhaps if the company argued I should have taken the airline up on its offer to fly a few days later, rather than rebooking myself more immediately at a higher cost on a different airline.</p>
  1965. <p>These programs aren’t always easy to navigate; a coworker needed to be very persistent and had to submit several rounds of documentation to win a reimbursement claim involving the <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/reviews/chase-sapphire-reserve/?mf_ct_campaign=tribune-synd-feed&amp;utm_content=syndication">Chase Sapphire Reserve</a>Ⓡ and a trip disrupted by a hurricane. I wish it were easier to utilize, but this coverage can still be very valuable.</p>
  1966. <p>For a heftier annual fee ($550), the Sapphire Reserve offers better trip delay insurance, triggering after six hours or an overnight delay, while the Sapphire Preferred triggers after 12 hours or an overnight delay. Both the Sapphire Preferred and the Sapphire Reserve offer the same primary rental car insurance, trip delay insurance (up to $500 per ticket), delayed baggage insurance, emergency medical coverage and more.</p>
  1967. <p>Both cards would have been useful the time I got stranded in Virginia (I ended up renting a car and driving about five hours to get home; my company paid for that since it was a business trip, but if it had been a personal trip, I likely could have gotten a reimbursement from a <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/travel/?mf_ct_campaign=tribune-synd-feed&amp;utm_content=syndication">travel card</a> with good trip cancellation/interruption protections).</p>
  1968. <p><a href="https://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/reviews/the-platinum-card-from-american-express/?mf_ct_campaign=tribune-synd-feed&amp;utm_content=syndication">The Platinum CardⓇ from American Express</a> and the <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/reviews/capital-one-venture-x/?mf_ct_campaign=tribune-synd-feed&amp;utm_content=syndication">Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card</a> also made our list of the <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/best-credit-cards-travel-insurance/?mf_ct_campaign=tribune-synd-feed&amp;utm_content=syndication">best credit cards for travel insurance</a>.</p>
  1969. <p>It’s also worth asking what the airline, hotel or rental car agency can do for you if you need to cancel. I lost out on a prepaid rental reservation in 2020 when I was afraid to travel in the early days of the pandemic. But in 2023, when I had COVID and needed to cancel a hotel stay, the hotel generously refunded my supposedly non-refundable reservation. Perhaps it made a difference that I was actually sick that time instead of worried about potentially getting sick, but it never hurts to ask.</p>
  1970. <h4>The bottom line</h4>
  1971. <p>Many airlines and hotel chains have relaxed their change and cancellation policies in recent years. So if you do encounter an unexpected issue, it’s a good rule of thumb to start with the travel supplier, and then pull in your credit card company as a backup.</p>
  1972. <p>For this reason, I think it only makes sense to <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/travel-insurance-guide/?mf_ct_campaign=tribune-synd-feed&amp;utm_content=syndication">pay for travel insurance</a> if you have a particularly complicated or expensive itinerary (especially an international trip). Often, that coverage is comparable to what you may already qualify for between your credit cards and the travel suppliers’ policies.</p>
  1973. <p>Paying with a credit card that has strong <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/travel-insurance-average-cost/?mf_ct_campaign=tribune-synd-feed&amp;utm_content=syndication">travel insurance benefits</a> can provide additional assistance without adding to the cost.</p>
  1974. <p><em>(For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.)</em></p>
  1975. <p><em>(Visit Bankrate online at <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/">bankrate.com</a>.)</em></p>
  1976. <p><em>©2024 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.</em></p>
  1977. ]]></content:encoded>
  1981. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4863902</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TRV-BANKRATE-CREDIT-CARDS-INSURANCE-DMT.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="383281" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ There can be hidden costs associated with delays, cancellations and other travel snafus. (Dreamstime/TNS)
  1982. ]]></media:description></media:content>
  1983. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T14:34:57+00:00</dcterms:created>
  1984. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T14:36:18+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  1985. </item>
  1986. <item>
  1987. <title>Britney Spears seems to blame mom for ‘out-of-control’ hotel drama, dismisses ‘nervous breakdown’ concerns</title>
  1988. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/britney-spears-out-of-control-at-chateau-marmont-possible-nervous-breakdown-reports-say/</link>
  1990. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Martha Ross]]></dc:creator>
  1991. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 18:25:28 +0000</pubDate>
  1992. <category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
  1993. <category><![CDATA[Music and Concerts]]></category>
  1994. <category><![CDATA[Things To Do]]></category>
  1995. <category><![CDATA[Britney Spears]]></category>
  1996. <category><![CDATA[Celebrity]]></category>
  1997. <category><![CDATA[network]]></category>
  1998. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4863889&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=4863889</guid>
  1999.  
  2000. <description><![CDATA[Spears and her boyfriend, Paul Richard Soliz, got into a fight at a hotel, where guests also reported that she appeared to be having a mental breakdown. ]]></description>
  2001. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Following Britney Spears’ reportedly wild night at Chateau Marmont Wednesday, with reports describing her “out-of-control” behavior and a fight with her on-again, off-again boyfriend that prompted a police response, the troubled pop star went <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C6fQqhvJ8Od/?img_index=1">on Instagram Thursday</a> to downplay the incident but to claim that her mother somehow escalated the drama.</p>
  2002. <p>Spears <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C6fQqhvJ8Od/?img_index=1">shared a video</a> that displayed a swollen and bruised foot, saying she “really twisted” her ankle in a fall, like “an idiot,” apparently referring to the commotion the night before at the famed Los Angeles hotel. But Spears also used her caption to tear into her mother, Lynne Spears, accusing the matriarch of somehow being involved in the situation, which unfolded late Wednesday night and continued into the early morning hours of Thursday.</p>
  2003. <p>““I haven’t talked to her in 6 months and she called right after it happened before the news being out,” Spears said. “I was set up just like she did way back when !!!”</p>
  2004. <p><a href="https://pagesix.com/2024/05/02/entertainment/britney-spears-shows-off-bruised-and-swollen-foot-seemingly-blames-mom-for-hotel-drama/">Page Six said</a> it’s not entirely clear if Spears was blaming her mother for summoning the paramedics from the Los Angeles Fire Department. But Page Six said Spears seemed to be using her Instagram post to blame her mother for alerting the news media to the hotel altercation.</p>
  2005. <p>First responders rushed to the Chateau Marmont early Thursday morning over a 911 call and other reports, which said that a woman matching Spears description was screaming, “out of control” and might be having a mental breakdown. According to Spears, the paramedics came to her suite at the Chateau Marmont, which, she said, “caused this huge scene” and “which was so unnecessary and all I needed was ice.”</p>
  2006. <p>In a second clip, the Grammy winner appeared to cry while comparing her non-injured foot with the swollen one. Spears then accused Lynne Spears of somehow being complicit in the situation.</p>
  2007. <p>“I wish I had grandparents !!! I can’t stand her !!!” Spears fumed. “I honestly don’t care I will say it!!!”</p>
  2008. <p>Whatever went down, the reports of Spears’ “out-of-control behavior” at the Chateau Marmont are likely to fuel new speculation that the embattled singer is struggling with another serious mental health crisis, blowing through her fortune or needs a new conservatorship.</p>
  2009. <p><a href="https://www.tmz.com/2024/05/02/britney-spears-fight-injured-boyfriend-paul-soliz-chateau-marmont-mental-breakdown/">TMZ</a> and <a href="https://pagesix.com/2024/05/02/entertainment/britney-spears-gets-in-fight-with-bf-paul-richard-soliz-at-hotel/">Page Six </a>reported Thursday that first responders rushed to an incident at the hotel, after Spears got into “a huge fight” with her boyfriend, Paul Richard Soliz, which left her crying and possibly injured.</p>
  2010. <p>According to TMZ, police had been called to the hotel a couple hours earlier, following a disturbance and a report that a woman matching Spears’ description was harassing and threatening hotel employees and guests. When officers arrived at 10:30 p.m., they found “no signs of trouble” and left, TMZ said.</p>
  2011. <p>At 11 p.m., Spears and Soliz retreated to a hotel room where they continued to party and to drink, TMZ reported. While in the hotel room, the couple got into an altercation that “turned physical.” During this altercation, Spears may have cut her leg.</p>
  2012. <p>Because Spears was screaming and “out of control” in the hallway of her suite, several guests grew alarmed that she was having a mental breakdown so paramedics were called, TMZ said.</p>
  2013. <p>A Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson confirmed to Page Six that it received a 911 call from the hotel, reporting that an adult female had been injured.</p>
  2014. <p>“The caller did not have much information regarding the nature of the injury,” the spokesperson, Brian Humphrey, told Page Six. One ambulance was dispatched to the hotel and was on scene until about 1:17 a.m.</p>
  2015. <p>Humphrey said it was not clear whether first responders offered any treatment, but notes that they “did not transport anyone to the hospital.”</p>
  2016. <p>TMZ reported that a tearful-looking Spears left the hotel on her own accord, with photos published on the site showing the singer walking out with a pillow and a blanket wrapped around her. She did not get into the ambulance and left with her security — and without Soliz, TMZ said.</p>
  2017. <p>Spears reportedly ended up back home, “safe,” at her mansion in Thousand Oaks, Page Six said. A source told the outlet: “She is home and fine.”</p>
  2018. <p>This reported altercation involving Soliz, her former housekeeper, took place shortly after the singer settled her divorce from ex-husband Sam Asghari, Page Six said. Compared with all the other drama in Spears’ life, her 14-month marriage to Asghari ended relatively peacefully. The couple called it quits in August 2023.</p>
  2019. <p>“Britney is continuing to turn the page,” a source told Page Six early Thursday. Spears also recently reached a settlement with her estranged father, Jamie Spears, over her controversial 13-year conservatorship.</p>
  2020. <p>Jamie Spears oversaw the conservatorship, which the Grammy winner described as “abusive.” A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge terminated the conservatorship in November 2021.</p>
  2021. <p>But in recent weeks, TMZ and Page Six have reported that Spears has been freely spending money from her $60 million fortune, splurging on lavish vacations and other extravagances.</p>
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  2082. </li></ul></aside>“She has no concept of money,” one insider told Page Six. “For over a decade, other people were in charge of her bank accounts, and every purchase had to be reported to the court — even if it was just a pack of gum. But now, she’s on her own.”</p>
  2083. <p>However, sources close to the situation denied to Page Six that Spears was close to “going broke.” Then again, TMZ shared an alarming assessment on Spears’ mental health  from Charles Sophy, a high-profile Los Angeles psychiatrist who is the former medical director for the County of Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services.</p>
  2084. <p>Sophy, who is not treating Spears, opined on an episode <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2024/04/29/britney-spears-needs-new-conservatorship-medication-unstable-dr-charles-sophy/">of “TMZ Live”</a> that the pop star appears to be “slowly unraveling,” given reports of her excessive spending and the “erratic,” “manic” behavior she displays on social media and elsewhere. Sophy said the conservatorship had been in place for a reason, even if her father wasn’t the best person to administer it.</p>
  2085. <p>“With a mental illness to this degree, you need that kind of supervision and structure,” Sophy told TMZ. He also believes that Spears is not taking her medication — and she needs it, he said. “She’s out of control on many levels,” he added.</p>
  2086. ]]></content:encoded>
  2090. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4863889</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ENTER-MUS-SPEARS-SISTER-GET-1.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="282933" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Britney Spears attends the 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at the Beverly Hilton on April 12, 2018, in Beverly Hills, California. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images/TNS)
  2091. ]]></media:description></media:content>
  2092. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T14:25:28+00:00</dcterms:created>
  2093. <dcterms:modified>2024-05-03T14:28:00+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  2094. </item>
  2095. <item>
  2096. <title>Selena Gomez disabled Instagram comments to set ‘boundaries’</title>
  2097. <link>https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/05/03/selena-gomez-disabled-instagram-comments-to-set-boundaries/</link>
  2099. <dc:creator><![CDATA[New York Daily News]]></dc:creator>
  2100. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 18:17:33 +0000</pubDate>
  2101. <category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
  2102. <category><![CDATA[Things To Do]]></category>
  2103. <category><![CDATA[network]]></category>
  2104. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.bostonherald.com/?p=4863870&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=4863870</guid>
  2105.  
  2106. <description><![CDATA[Gomez’s 428 million followers make her the platform’s most-followed woman.]]></description>
  2107. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>By JAMI GANZ | jganz@nydailynews.com | New York Daily News</strong></p>
  2108. <p>Selena Gomez, who frequently <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/01/10/selena-gomez-social-media-break-chalamet-jenner-golden-globes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">takes breaks from social media</a> to prioritize mental health, is opening up about <a href="https://www.today.com/popculture/selena-gomez-social-media-mental-health-rcna150350?taid=663394b4353a6f00014f0692&amp;utm_campaign=trueAnthem_manual&amp;utm_medium=trueAnthem&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">disabling her Instagram comments</a> to help maintain healthy “boundaries.”</p>
  2109. <p>The “Only Murders in the Building” star and <a href="https://www.rarebeauty.com/pages/rare-impact/rare-impact-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rare Beauty</a> founder, 31, spoke Wednesday at her company’s 3rd Annual <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C6cgg2Pt1-0/?img_index=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mental Health Summit</a> about the “fuss” fans have made over her new approach to Instagram. Gomez’s 428 million followers make her the platform’s most-followed woman.</p>
  2110. <figure id="attachment_4863872"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-2150991214.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="Rare Beauty Event in NYC" width="731" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-2150991214.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="4863872" data-srcset="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-2150991214.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-2150991214.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-2150991214.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-2150991214.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-2150991214.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Selena Gomez attends Rare Beauty’s 3rd Annual Mental Health Summit at on May 01, 2024 in New York City. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Rare Beauty)</figcaption></figure>
  2111. <p>“I disabled all my comments on my photos on Instagram for only my friends. So I think I’ve created boundaries to help me,” Gomez told U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy and “Today” show correspondent Hoda Kotb in an interview that aired Thursday.</p>
  2112. <p>While “people fussed about it” — “They fuss about about everything” — the Disney Channel alum said the move left her feeling “empowered … by saying, ‘This is just for me.&#8217;”</p>
  2113. <p>Gomez, who for years has been candid about her <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjUsVclIuB4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">experience with bipolar disorder</a> and the autoimmune disease lupus, is an advocate for mental health. Rare Beauty, for example, donates 1% of its annual sales to the <a href="https://www.rarebeauty.com/pages/rare-impact/rare-impact-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rare Impact Fund</a> to expand mental health services in underserved communities.</p>
  2114. <p>The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHP5MKgK0o8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Kill Em With Kindness”</a> singer on Thursday also spoke briefly about her relationship with <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/05/01/benny-blanco-talks-selena-gomez-relationship/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">music producer Benny Blanco</a>, with whom she collaborated on last summer’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOuqn4w1ozA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Single Soon.”</a></p>
  2115.  
  2116. <p>“It feels wonderful. He’s wonderful,” she said of the romance, which she <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/2023/12/08/selena-gomez-benny-blanco-relationship-ring/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> in December, before having to stave off negative commenters.</p>
  2117. <p>Her remarks came shortly after Blanco, 36, appeared on the <a href="https://www.today.com/video/benny-blanco-on-passion-for-cooking-selena-gomez-new-music-210048581856" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Today”</a> show and told Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager he <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/05/01/benny-blanco-talks-selena-gomez-relationship/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">can’t believe their relationship is real</a>.</p>
  2118. <p>“I wake up every day and I look in the mirror and I’m like, ‘How did this happen?&#8217;” said the “Open Wide” cookbook author. “Look at me, the only way I got where I am is cooking food. … That’s the best first date in the world. … How can anyone not love you if you’re making them a huge stake with potatoes and salad?”</p>
  2119. ]]></content:encoded>
  2123. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4863870</post-id><media:content url="https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GettyImages-2150991159-e1714760214186.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="41913" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ NEW YORK, NEW YORK &#8211; MAY 01: Selena Gomez speaks onstage during Rare Beauty’s 3rd Annual Mental Health Summit at  on May 01, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Rare Beauty)
  2124. ]]></media:description></media:content>
  2125. <dcterms:created>2024-05-03T14:17:33+00:00</dcterms:created>
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