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Rare deep-water beaked whale found dead in Florida Keys

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:17:50 GMT

TAVERNIER ISLAND, Fla. (WSVN) – A beaked whale species that typically resides in deep waters and is rarely seen near the surface was discovered dead on the sandbar located on the northwest side of Tavernier Island.On Sunday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Coalition (FWC) alerted the Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder (DPMMR) Stranding Coordinator, Steve McCulloch, after receiving unconfirmed reports of a live dolphin bleeding in the area.McCulloch responded to the call and arrived by boat within minutes. When he got to the location, he discovered a large marine creature stranded in the shallow sand flats. A hands-on assessment revealed the animal to be a Mesoplodont, a highly uncommon type of beaked whale known to inhabit depths beyond 300 meters. Its presence so close to shore was a rarity in itself.Unfortunately, upon closer examination, the DPMMR team, accompanied by FWC Officer Daniel Marshall and NMFS SER Stranding Coordinator, Blaire Maise, determined that the majestic...

Georgia court website publishes, then takes down, list of criminal charges against Trump

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:17:50 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — A list of criminal charges in Georgia against former President Donald Trump briefly appeared Monday on a Fulton County website, but prosecutors said Trump had not been indicted in their long-running investigation of the 2020 presidential election.A Fulton County grand jury began hearing from more witnesses Monday. Shortly after 12 p.m., Reuters reported on a list of several criminal charges to be brought against Trump, including state racketeering counts, conspiracy to commit false statements and solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer.Reuters, which later published a copy of the document, said the filing was taken down quickly. A spokesperson for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said the report of charges being filed was “inaccurate,” but declined to comment further.It was unclear why the list was posted while grand jurors were still hearing from witnesses in the sprawling investigation into actions taken by Trump and others in their efforts ...

Volunteers in Waltham give away hundreds of backpacks to families in need ahead of school year

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:17:50 GMT

Hundreds of backpacks and more were handed out to families in need as volunteers with the Salvation Army held a back-to-school distribution event in Waltham this week.The Salvation Army Massachusetts Division stuffed some 700 backpacks with classroom supplies ahead of the upcoming school year and gave them away on Monday. Aiming to help families in Waltham, Watertown, and Newton, organizers said it received a number of inquiries ahead of this year’s distribution, noting that a general need for assistance has been on the rise.“We have had phone calls after phone calls asking ‘will you have a backpack event? We need supplies for our children,'” said Lieutenant Nicole Fullop. “We know that the need has grown from last year – last year, we served 625. Prior to opening up at 10 o’clock, we had a line all the way down to the left of our building. Parents, children of all ages, here, ready and waiting.”“We are here to be that helping ha...

Medford police search for nighttime assault suspect after he allegedly cut off his GPS ankle monitor

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:17:50 GMT

Medford police are asking for the public’s help as officers search for an assault suspect who violated his probation and allegedly cut off his GPS monitoring device.The Medford Police Department said there is an outstanding warrant for the arrest of 18-year-old Nature Moncoeur of Somerville, who was being sought after cutting off his court-ordered GPS ankle monitor.Moncoeur was on probation after being arrested last month in connection with an assault that occurred on Royall Street, where police said a woman in her 20s was attacked while she was out for a walk on the night of July 2. According to Medford PD, a male suspect ran up to the victim and struck her several times after grabbing her from behind before fleeing. Moncoeur was taken into custody nearly a week later.During his arraignment afterwards, the prosecution also revealed that another person had come forward over the course of the investigation and told police she too had been followed by someone resembling Moncoeu...

Source: Patriots signing free-agent Ezekiel Elliott to 1-year contract

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:17:50 GMT

The Patriots are signing free-agent running back Ezekiel Elliott to a one-year contract worth up to $6 million, a source confirmed to the Boston Herald on Monday.Elliott took a visit with the Patriots late last month. Their depth has been tested behind starter Rhamondre Stevenson as Ty Montgomery and Pierre Strong have missed training camp practices.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Sources: Patriots expected to sign linebacker Carson Wells New England Patriots | Two theories on Patriots’ recent usage of rookie QB Malik Cunningham New England Patriots | Patriots extra points: JuJu Smith-Schuster excited by rookie receivers New England Patriots | Patriots veteran explains Marte Mapu’s ‘tough’ role in preseason game New England Patriots | Patriots training camp Day 19: Mac Jones sizzles until late INT, Malilk Cunningham back at QB Elliott joins Stevenson, Montgomery, Strong, Ke...

Trump rails at ‘very biased’ judge in election case

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:17:50 GMT

NEW YORK  — Donald Trump is assailing the federal judge overseeing the election conspiracy case against him, days after she warned him not to make inflammatory statements about the case.The former president made posts Monday on his social media network calling U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan “highly partisan” and ” VERY BIASED & UNFAIR!” because of her past comments in a separate case overseeing the sentencing of one of the defendants charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.Chutkan in a hearing Friday imposed a protective order in the case limiting what evidence handed over by prosecutors the former president and his legal team can publicly disclose. She warned Trump’s lawyers that his defense should be mounted in the courtroom and “not on the internet.”Trump posted about the case online anyway, firing off about the judge.A spokesperson for special counsel Jack Smith declined to comment Monday.Prosecutors sought the prote...

Kansas police and a small newspaper are at the center of a 1st Amendment fight after a newsroom raid

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:17:50 GMT

By JOHN HANNA and MARGERY A. BECK (Associated Press)MARION, Kan. (AP) — A small newspaper and a police department in Kansas are at the center of a dispute over freedom of speech that is being watched around the country after police raided the office of the local newspaper and the home of its owner and publisher.Officials with the Marion Police Department confiscated computers and cellphones from the publisher and staff of the Marion County Record in the Friday raid, prompting press freedom watchdogs to condemn the actions of local authorities as a blatant violation of the U.S. Constitution’s protection for a free press. The police searches were apparently prompted by a complaint from a local restaurant owner, Kari Newell, who accused the newspaper of invading her privacy after it obtained copies of her driving record, which included a 2008 conviction for drunk driving. Newspaper publisher and co-owner Eric Meyer maintains that the newspaper’s aggressive coverage of...

New Mattel Adventure Park to feature Barbie beach house, Hot Wheels roller coasters

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:17:50 GMT

Mia Taylor | TravelPulse (TNS)The Mattel Adventure Park slated to open in Arizona next year will feature two Hot Wheels-themed roller coasters and — just in time to ride the Barbie-craze sweeping the country — a life-size Barbie beach house.There will also be attractions based on longtime kid-favorite Thomas & Friends, Masters of the Universe, Magic 8 Ball, Pictionary, and UNO at the nine-acre park, which will be located in Glendale, south of State Farm Stadium.The park is planning to operate year-round and its attractions will be located both outdoors and indoors in air-conditioned facilities (which is good news in a hot climate state like Arizona).“Mattel Adventure Park features a unique and strategic year-round indoor and outdoor design providing acres of air-conditioned space to ensure a cool guest experience all summer long here in the heat of Arizona,” Mark Cornell, president at Epic Resort Destinations, said in a statement. “Our attractions development t...

Sources: Patriots expected to sign linebacker Carson Wells

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:17:50 GMT

The Patriots are expected to sign free-agent linebacker Carson Wells, sources told the Boston Herald.Wells worked out for the Patriots in June. The team does not currently have an opening on their roster, so they’ll need to make a corresponding move.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Source: Patriots signing free-agent Ezekiel Elliott to 1-year contract New England Patriots | Two theories on Patriots’ recent usage of rookie QB Malik Cunningham New England Patriots | Patriots extra points: JuJu Smith-Schuster excited by rookie receivers New England Patriots | Patriots veteran explains Marte Mapu’s ‘tough’ role in preseason game New England Patriots | Patriots training camp Day 19: Mac Jones sizzles until late INT, Malilk Cunningham back at QB Wells most recently played for the XFL’s St. Louis BattleHawks. After going undrafted out of Colorado in 2022, Wells signed w...

Eckersley boyfriend sentenced in frigid baby abandonment

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:17:50 GMT

MANCHESTER, N.H. — A 45-year-old New Hampshire man will spend at least a year in jail for endangering the life of a newborn baby, after MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Dennis Eckersley’s daughter gave birth in the woods last year during subfreezing temperatures.George Theberge was sentenced on Monday after pleading guilty to the misdemeanor child endangerment charge, having reached a deal with prosecutors, plus an additional six months behind bars for a probation violation stemming from his arrest in January and a drug charge.The baby boy was left alone in a tent for more than an hour on Dec. 26 as the temperature dipped to 15 degrees, authorities said.A police affidavit referred to Theberge as the boyfriend of the baby’s mother, Alexandra Eckersley, 26, who is accused of abandoning her son without heat or proper clothing. She pleaded not guilty to charges of assault, reckless conduct, and other counts, and was released on bail. She awaits trial next year.Eckersley’s lawy...