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MassGOP starts veterans coalition to focus on military issues, find candidates

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

The MassGOP announced the formation of a “veterans coalition” in honor of the observance of Veterans Day to help the state’s minority party find qualified political candidates from among the military population.According to state Republican Party Chairwoman Amy Carnevale, the group will led by a pair of party committee members who are themselves veterans and tasked with addressing issues important to the state’s hundreds of thousands of veterans, military retirees, and their families.“With mounting conflicts around the globe, it is more important than ever to recognize the service and sacrifice so many have made to keep our nation safe. My hope is this coalition leads to an increase in awareness and advocacy amongst our elected officials on veterans issues,” Carnevale said when announcing the group.The coalition, according to the party chairwoman, will also serve as a bench from which to call up conservatives to seek office on behalf of the party, which does not control ...

Patriots captains declare belief in Bill Belichick after latest loss

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

FRANKFURT, Germany — Another painful loss, more difficult questions.After Sunday’s 10-6 loss to the Colts, several Patriots were asked about their confidence in coach Bill Belichick, whose job security has been widely questioned in recent weeks. Their answers were nearly unanimous in offering support.“I think coach Belichick has plenty of respect in this locker room,” Pats running back Ezekiel Elliott said. “Just a lot of things haven’t gone our way, we haven’t executed the best. We haven’t taken care of the football the best. We haven’t played sound enough. We haven’t played disciplined enough.“We have too many penalties. We just gotta find a way to go out there and play better football.”Turnovers were again an issue for the Patriots in Germany, where Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe both threw devastating interceptions and Hunter Henry fumbled. Belichick repeatedly stressed the importance of protecting the ball, which the team failed to do over its 1-5 start. His...

New England Center and Home for Veterans receives $500K grant

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

The New England Center and Home for Veterans is the recipient of a $500,000 grant courtesy of the Yawkey Foundation which will aid in the provider’s expansion and renovation efforts.Grant funding will be used to reconfigure a part of the center’s housing spaces into 10 individual private rooms and add 11 new ones. The work will nearly double the number of accommodations for the center’s veterans..Andy McCawley, the center’s president and CEO, said the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the veteran community was significant, even for those required to self-isolate within the facilities. While the center was fortunate enough to avoid any serious illness or death due to the virus, the pandemic underscored the need for renovations and growth to effectively aid hundreds of local veterans.“As the Center observed the coronavirus pandemic unfold at other veteran and senior living and care locations in the winter of 2020, it was very concerned and expected significant mortality,” McCawley said. “...

New ALDI grocery store opening in North County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

SAN MARCOS, Calif. -- A new cost-effective grocery store is set to open its doors in North County next week.ALDI, a German multinational family-owned discount supermarket chain, announced a brand new storefront is coming to San Marcos at 671 S. Rancho Santa Fe Rd. The grand opening is set for Thursday, Nov. 16 at 7:45 a.m. ALDI said the first 100 customers will receive a gift card as part of their "Golden Ticket" gift card giveaway program. Father Joe’s Villages prepares to kick off Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week Shoppers can also enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win a $500 ALDI gift card from opening day through Sunday, Nov. 19.“Our stores are designed to make grocery shopping smarter, faster and easier, and we’ve been voted the price leader for six years running,” said Tom Cindel, Moreno Valley Group Director of Logistics and Operations for ALDI. “We’re excited to open our first ALDI store in San Marcos and introduce local customers to a new, more affordable way ...

Israel loses to Kosovo in Euro 2024 qualifying game

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Israel’s chances of reaching the European Championship finals went down Sunday after its 1-0 loss to Kosovo in their delayed qualifying game. It was the first soccer match for Israel since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and the ongoing war in Gaza. It had originally been scheduled for Oct. 15 but was postponed.Kosovo fans whistled Israeli players when they had the ball but the game passed off peacefully in Pristina.Milot Rashica scored the only goal in the 41st minute. He controlled the ball in the area and under pressure managed a strong shot which Israel goalkeeper Omri Glazer couldn’t stop.Glazer had a busy night, including denying Vedat Muriqi twice in the second half.Israel’s first good opportunity came in the 34th with a close-range header from Eran Zahavi. Goalkeeper Arijanet Muric saved a shot from Israel’s Oscar Gloukh nine minutes from the end.Israel went down to 10 men in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time after Roy Revivo ...

US conducts airstrikes against Iran-backed groups in Syria, retaliating for attacks on US troops

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military conducted airstrikes on two locations in eastern Syria involving Iranian-backed groups, hitting a training location and a weapons facility, according to the Pentagon and U.S. officials. It marks the third time in a bit more than two weeks that the U.S. has retaliated against the militants for what has been a growing number of attacks on bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria.In a statement, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the strikes targeted sites near Abukama and Mayadin and were used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps as well as Iran-backed militias.“The President has no higher priority than the safety of U.S. personnel, and he directed today’s action to make clear that the United States will defend itself, its personnel, and its interests,” Austin said.A U.S. official said one site also included weapons storage. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of a military operation.The militant groups, many ope...

‘The Marvels’ opens with $47M at box office, marking a new low for the MCU

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Since 2008’s “Iron Man,” the Marvel machine has been one of the most unstoppable forces in box-office history. Now, though, that aura of invincibility is showing signs of wear and tear. The superhero factory hit a new low with the weekend launch of “The Marvels,” which opened with just $47 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.The 33rd installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a sequel to the 2019 Brie Larson-led “Captain Marvel,” managed less than a third of the $153.4 million its predecessor launched with before ultimately taking in $1.13 billion worldwide. Wynonna Judd ‘comes clean’ after fans express concern over CMA performance with Jelly Roll Sequels, especially in Marvel Land, aren’t supposed to fall off a cliff. Yet “The Marvels” debuted with more than $100 million less than “Captain Marvel” opened with — something no sequel before has ever done. David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Research Entertainment, called it “an u...

LIVE: Peak fall foliage in Central Texas coming soon

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — While Central Texas isn't exactly known for vivid leaf colors in the fall, we do sometimes get treated to some beautiful fall foliage this time of year.During the first week of December 2022, we were treated to some rather beautiful colors, even in downtown Austin as seen from this photo below.Fall foliage in Austin near Riverside Drive and Interstate 35 (Courtesy: Julio Sattler)According to ExploreFall.com, our leaf color is in the "low" category right now with parts of South Texas experiencing little to no color change at all.Latest fall foliage conditions. Courtesy: ExploreFall.comBy mid-November we'll be trending closer to moderate color, especially in parts of the Hill Country.Foliage forecast by mid-November. Courtesy: ExploreFall.comWhen do colors reach their "peak" in Central Texas?According to ExploreFall.com, within 2-3 weeks from now we will arrive in what is normally "peak" fall color here in Central Texas. This map shows you that late November is when we...

Wild’s Freddy Gaudreau begins skating, could play in Sweden

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

Forward Freddy Gaudreau, out since a 7-4 victory over Edmonton on Oct. 24, skated for the first time since being sidelined on Sunday, a positive sign for a Wild team still trying to find itself this season.Part of that, of course, has been injuries to key players such as Gaudreau, Matt Boldy, Jared Spurgeon and Alex Goligoski, who have missed games this season a combined 40 times.Spurgeon played his first game of the regular season in a 3-2 loss at Buffalo on Friday, leaving Gaudreau (upper body) and Goligoski (lower body) on the shelf. Both will travel to Sweden for weekend games against Ottawa and Toronto in Stockholm, but only Gaudreau has a chance of playing.Evason said Gaudreau is on long-term injury reserve, which means he won’t be eligible to return until next Sunday’s game against the Maple Leafs.“That’s a possibility,” the coach said before Sunday’s 5 p.m. puck drop at Xcel Energy Center. “We’ll see.”Gaudreau was injured when he took a blind check from former teammate Ryan ...

Another beautiful weekend—but is rain on the way?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

ST. LOUIS – Another amazing weekend! Can you stand it? Hard to believe this is November, with highs in the 60s and plenty of sunshine.For a little perspective, last year on this date we had snow falling, and it was cold. Our pattern favors some more nice temperatures this week, with more above-normal highs.We are precipitation-free for this week, too, which is good and bad. Outside events are great, but we need the rain badly. A big fat zero in the rain bucket this month, and for the year, we are over seven inches short.