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Bill Belichick updates Ezekiel Elliott’s progress in Patriots offense

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:39 GMT

In his first hours as a Patriot, running back Ezekiel Elliott met with Bill Belichick to cover the ins and outs of his new offense.Days later, Belichick offered an update on Elliott’s progress as he acclimates to a new system and his new teammates.“It’s been fine,” Belichick said Friday. “A couple days spending a lot of time with (running backs coach) Vinnie (Sunseri) and the ability in terms of just getting caught up on the terminology, things on the offense and all that. He took a few snaps yesterday. So, you know, we’ll work him into it here and see how it goes.”The Patriots rotated Elliott into team periods during Thursday’s padded joint practice with the Packers. His increased participation was a notable difference from Wednesday, when he was limited to non-contact positional drills. Elliott took six hand-offs and caught one pass from Mac Jones.“He’s done things,” Belichick added. “He worked out with the strength staff...

Worcester Bishop issues policy requiring students to act based on their biological sex

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:39 GMT

A new gender identity policy in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester is receiving praise from the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts but strong condemnation from several state lawmakers.Worcester Bishop Robert McManus in late June approved the policy, requiring students to “conduct themselves at school in a manner consistent with their biological sex,” and sent it to the diocese’s schools to implement into handbooks for this coming academic year.But not until last week did word about the policy get spread to the general public, after the diocese posted information about it online.“Catholic parents should enjoy the reasonable expectation that Catholic schools will provide a genuine alternative to the secular values and practices — often inimical to Christian morality and parental rights — which prevail in the government controlled public school system,” Catholic Action League Executive Director C.J. Doyle said in a statement.Under the “Catholic Education and the Human Person”...

A front-row seat to devastation on the shores of Lake Okanagan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:39 GMT

KELOWNA — The eerie calm on the Kelowna waterfront Saturday morning was broken by the faint percussive chops of helicopter blades in the distance. There were semblances of normality — people walking their dogs or cycling down the path along the lakefront. But hanging over Okanagan Lake was a pall of putrid wildfire smoke, and the threat posed by fires on both sides of the lake.Dale Simpson and Steve Smith were out walking their dogs near a marina, where dozens of boats and jet skis sat idle on the docks, the water mostly free of boats due to aerial firefighting craft needing a wide berth to do their work.  Simpson, along with hundreds of others, had gone up a hillside on Thursday night to watch the McDougall Creek wildfire across the lake when embers began blowing across the lake, sparking a spot fire nearby.  The crowd had a “front-row seat” to the devastation unfolding across the water.  “You saw fire going up hundreds of feet in the air,” he said. “The whole massive mountainside ...

South Dakota Democratic Party ousts state chair who was accused of creating hostile work environment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:39 GMT

FORT PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The South Dakota Democratic Party ousted Jennifer Slaight-Hansen as state chair on Saturday amid accusations that she violated party rules and created a hostile work environment for staff.The party’s State Central Committee voted 57-0, with two abstentions, to remove Slaight-Hansen. She can appeal. If her appeal is rejected, a new election for chair will be held Sept. 16 in Rapid City.The Sioux Falls Argus Leader reported that Slaight-Hansen did not attend the meeting in Fort Pierre. She did not respond to the newspaper’s requests for comment on whether she would challenge the recall vote.Since Slaight-Hansen became chair in May, office-holders and party activists accused her of not properly communicating with the 11 lawmakers who make up the Democratic caucus in the statehouse, improperly hiring and firing staff, and creating a new job position without notifying the executive board. Some also objected to how the state party joined the Biden Vict...

Leader of Niger’s junta says it will restore civilian rule within 3 years, but gives no details

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:39 GMT

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — The leader of mutinous soldiers who ousted Niger’s democratically elected president said Saturday night that they will return the country to civilian rule within three years. Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani gave no details on the plan, saying on state television only that the principles for the transition would be decided within 30 days at a dialogue to be hosted by the junta. “I am convinced that … we will work together to find a way out of the crisis, in the interests of all,” Tchiani said, commenting after his first meeting with a regional delegation seeking to resolve the West African nation’s crisis.The delegation from the ECOWAS bloc, headed by former Nigerian head of state Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, also met separately with toppled President Mohamed Bazoum. It joined reconciliation efforts by Leonardo Santos Simao, the U.N. special representative for West Africa and the Sahel, who arrived Friday.ECOWAS on Aug. 10 ordered the deployment of a “standby...

Congressman Davis, Mayor Johnson help put together West Side back-to-school bash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:39 GMT

CHICAGO — Mayor Brandon Johnson was alongside U.S. Congressman Danny Davis as Davis helped put together the 43rd iteration of a back-to-school parade and picnic in the Austin neighborhood Saturday afternoon.Starting off from Central and Bloomingdale, thousands of people marched the streets on the City's West Side for an event that helps kids get ready to put a close on summer break, and open up the books as classes begin again.Davis started hosting this specific event 43 years ago when he was alderman of Chicago's 29th Ward."We've never been rained out," Davis said. "We've been rained on, but never rained out." More from Judy: Belmont-Cragin hosts back-to-school drive for migrants The parade is also an annual ritual for Johnson, an Austin resident and former teacher in the area, but this was the first time he walked the event as the City's mayor."My favorite part about this parade is everyone coming together," said West Side resident Tawatha Potts. "Everyone is showing a lot of lo...

Eco Fest at Welles Park looks to help next generation protect the environment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:39 GMT

CHICAGO — It's in a green space on the City's North Side where we find the environment planting deep roots.Eco Fest at Welles Park in the Lincoln Square neighborhood is celebrating year no. 2 of being a place for those in the community to gather and revel in their shared interests of learning to help the environment on an individual, person-by-person scale."We're talking about ways you can compost," said Ald. Matt Martin (47th). "Ways you can reduce the use of plastics.""There are a lot of experts in their field here," said Linnea Stanton.Stanton helped organize the event and focused on developing material displaying realistic ideas on how to help out as changes in our environment are seen on a much more regular basis."We’ve had poor quality here in Chicago earlier this summer … The terrible flooding on the West Side, then you look beyond to what’s happening in Maui, and forest fires, and the Southwest with heat," Martin said. "It's here. It's now and there are things we can do, day...

Christie: Social Security, Medicare cuts are a necessary 'political risk' in today's economy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:39 GMT

(The Hill) — Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) said it’s time to take a “political risk” and consider changes to Social Security and Medicare benefits for young people.Changes to the programs are necessary, or they could run out of money for everyone in about a decade as the country faces a rising national debt, the presidential candidate said."The most disgusting part of Joe Biden's State of the Union address this year was when he stood up, and he said, ‘We'll all agree, right? We're not going to do anything to Social Security?’ And both sides got up and cheered,” Christie said at conservative radio host Erick Erickson’s conference in Atlanta on Saturday.  “[They’re] a group of liars and cowards, because they know they know that in 10 years, Medicare will be bankrupt. And in 11 years, Social Security will be bankrupt."The fund behind Social Security is on track to become insolvent in about a decade, according to federal analysis. If that happens, it can only pay o...

Federal court finds Texas law requiring rejection of mail ballots violates the Civil Rights Act

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:39 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas ruled Thursday that portions of Texas Senate Bill 1, which was adopted in September 2021, violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964, according to a news release from the United States Department of Justice. The court found that parts of S.B. 1 require officials to reject mail-in ballot applications and mail-in ballots based on errors or omissions that are not material in determining whether voters are qualified under Texas law to vote or cast a mail ballot, the release said.“The District Court’s decision affirms what the Justice Department has argued for nearly two years: these provisions of Texas Senate Bill 1 unlawfully restrict the ability of eligible Texas voters to vote by mail and to have that vote counted,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will continue to defend against unlawful efforts that undermine the right to vote and restrict participation in our democracy.”The court ...

Could Byron Buxton return to center field this year? Twins discussing possibility

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:39 GMT

As he rehabs from a right hamstring strain that has kept him out since early August, Byron Buxton has been feeling good. So good, in fact, that the Twins have begun having a discussion that had been tabled earlier in the season.The possibility of Buxton, who has been used strictly as a designated hitter all season, going out to play center field has come up in recent conversations, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. It’s not a guarantee. And even if he does trot back out to the outfield, Baldelli said it would be “on occasion” and wouldn’t be an everyday thing.“But you have to play one game in center before you can play two,” Baldelli said.While the hamstring strain is what landed him on the injured list, it’s a knee issue that stems back to last year that has kept him out of the outfield thus far this season. Buxton had season-ending surgery on his right knee last year, but it’s still something he has had to carefully manage.Having time off for the hamstring strai...