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Reporter’s Notebook: John Connolly, ‘Whitey’ Bulger and the murderers among us

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:30 GMT

This addendum to Tuesday’s parole hearing for ex-FBI agent John “Zip” Connolly falls into the category that the past can forever be painful.More than 25 convicts and parolees had their cases reviewed by the Florida Commission on Offender Review before Connolly’s “compassionate release” came up for the ultimate 2-1 vote to allow him to remain at home in Massachusetts. The board, however, will review the matter at the next 90-day medical update. (All the coverage is here…)So what about those other cases? They are the stuff of nightmares. It’s also part of Connolly’s story. These killers and rapists are convicts Connolly may be sent back to bunk with if his parole is reversed.Some Herald readers say he made that choice when he partnered with slain Southie mobster James “Whitey” Bulger; others argue at 83, Connolly should be left alone. As readers asked, here are examples of the other cases the parole board reviewed Tuesd...

What to stream: A grab bag of new releases and returning reality shows

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:30 GMT

Katie Walsh | Tribune News ServiceThankfully, the Writers Guild of America and major Hollywood studios reached a tentative agreement over the weekend, ending 146 days of picketing. While pencils are not back up again for the TV and film writers in the guild, it’s a great sign for progress, and new productions will likely begin soon.There’s still an interesting grab bag of new stuff to stream this week, from spinoff miniseries to long-standing reality TV favorites, to other curios available on streamers. So let’s check out what’s new this week.First up, the “John Wick” prequel “The Continental: From the World of John Wick” is a three-part miniseries that premiered last week on Peacock, with Episodes 2 and 3 dropping Friday, Sept. 29, and Friday, Oct. 6, respectively. The miniseries focuses on the mysterious hotel for assassins that features in the Wick movie franchise, and takes place in the 1970s, offering ample opportunity to play in the styles of kung fu and blaxploitation. Colin ...

Hep C’s number comes up: Can Biden’s 5-year plan eliminate the longtime scourge?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:30 GMT

Michelle Andrews | (TNS) KFF Health NewsRick Jaenisch went through treatment six times before his hepatitis C was cured in 2017. Each time his doctors recommended a different combination of drugs, his insurer denied the initial request before eventually approving it. This sometimes delayed his care for months, even after he developed end-stage liver disease and was awaiting a liver transplant.“At that point, treatment should be very easy to access,” said Jaenisch, now 37 and the director of outreach and education at Open Biopharma Research and Training Institute, a nonprofit group in Carlsbad, California. “I’m the person that treatment should be ideal for.”But it was never easy. Jaenisch was diagnosed in 1999 at age 12, after his dad took him to a San Diego hospital because Jaenisch showed him that his urine was brown, a sign there was blood in it. Doctors determined that he likely got the disease at birth from his mom, a former dental surgical assistant who learned she had the viru...

Feds’ cash stream supports Colorado River conservation — but the money will dry up

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:30 GMT

Matt Vasilogambros | Stateline.org (TNS)Despite a megadrought, states in the West have been able to avoid drastic cuts to their allocations of Colorado River water this year not only because of surprising storms but also thanks to generous financial incentives from all levels of government that have encouraged people to conserve.The temporary Colorado River water-sharing agreement that Arizona, California and Nevada announced in May depends on an injection of $1.2 billion from the federal government. Some of the 30 tribal nations in the river basin also are getting federal dollars. The Gila River Indian Community, for example, will receive $233 million from the feds over the next three years, mostly to conserve water.Fueled by the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the feds will spend a total of $15.4 billion for drought resiliency programs over the coming years, mostly for large-scale projects for water storage and recycling but also to persuade people t...

Man selling shoes robbed at gunpoint; 3 arrested

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:30 GMT

ENCINITAS, Calif. -- Two teens and one adult were arrested after a man who was selling shoes was robbed at gunpoint in Encinitas, authorities said.The robbery occurred on the afternoon of Sept. 14 in the 2100 block of Carol View Drive, Sgt. Heather Bruton with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSO) said in a news release Tuesday. The victim, who was selling several pairs of shoes, met with another man and woman in a parking lot when a third man joined the group and pointed a gun at the victim, according to law enforcement."Fearing he may be injured, the victim ran to his vehicle and got into the driver's seat. The woman and two men ran away together with the victim's shoes," Bruton said.During the investigation, authorities used the victim's Tesla cameras to identify the suspects. Body found on sidewalk; SDPD investigating On Sept. 15, the sheriff's department found and arrested two 16-year-old suspects. One was a boy wearing a pair of shoes stolen from the robbery...

Suspects sought in Gaslamp Quarter assault

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:30 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Authorities are asking for the public's help in identifying and locating suspects they say assaulted two men and a woman back in August. The attack took place in the Gaslamp Quarter on Sunday, Aug. 6 around 1 a.m., Mark Herring with the San Diego County Police Department explained in a news release.Authorities say four friends were walking on the 700 block of 6th Avenue, and two unknown suspects were walking on the same block. Abandoned boat washes up on Torrey Pines State Beach The first suspect (S1) accidentally bumped shoulders with the first victim (V1), police said. As the victims continued walking, S1 and suspect 2 (S2) reportedly turned around and confronted them.According to SDPD, S1 placed both of his hands around V1’s neck and strangled him multiple times. When V2 attempted to stop the fight, S2 began strangling V2 and pushed him to the ground.While V2 was on the ground, S1 attempted to kicked him in the face but V2 was able to block his foot," police explai...

A judge found Trump committed fraud in building his real-estate empire. Here’s what happens next

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:30 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A judge’s ruling that Donald Trump committed fraud as he built his real-estate empire tarnishes the former president’s image as a business titan and could strip him of his authority to make major decisions about the future of his marquee properties in his home state.The Tuesday order rescinds business licenses as punishment, which could make it difficult or impossible for some of Trump’s companies to operate in New York if not successfully appealed.Trump’s attorney vowed to appeal, calling the decision “un-American” and part of a campaign to thwart his second bid for the presidency.Here are some of the key points of the case, and what happens next:WHAT DID THE JUDGE SAY? Trump and his company massively overvalued his assets, creating “a fantasy world” on the financial statements he gave to banks and others, Judge Arthur Engoron found in a lawsuit brought by the New York attorney general. Trump’s Florida Mar-a-Lago club, for example, was over...

Montana judge temporarily blocks enforcement of law to ban gender-affirming medical care for minors

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:30 GMT

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A Montana law banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors is temporarily blocked, a state judge ruled Wednesday, just four days before it was to take effect.Legislative debate over Montana’s bill drew national attention this spring after Republicans punished Democratic Rep. Zooey Zephyr — the first transgender woman elected to the state’s Legislature — for admonishing lawmakers who supported the bill.District Court Judge Jason Marks agreed with transgender youth, their families and health care providers that the law passed by the 2023 Montana Legislature is likely unconstitutional and would harm the mental and physical health of minors with gender dysphoria, rather than protect them from experimental treatments, as supporters said it would.The judge noted the same Republican-controlled legislature passed a law saying patients, including minors, have a right to receive treatment with experimental drugs — as long as it’s recommended by a hea...

Alberta premier defends minister over possible conflict of interest concerns

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:30 GMT

EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is defending one of her cabinet ministers over possible conflict of interest concerns.Provincial records show that the husband of Environment and Protected Areas Minister Rebecca Schulz may be lobbying the government in areas that could overlap with her ministry’s work.Cole Schulz is a partner in the firm Garrison Strategies, which has been hired by the Explorers and Producers Association of Canada. Alberta’s lobbyist registry records show the firm is trying to influence the government on how reclamation certificates for oil and gas sites are issued.“This includes improving timeline certainty and developing new approaches for issuing reclamation certificates, variances and accounting for new technology,” the firm’s statement says.It is also lobbying for the oil and gas industry to have more access to what is now protected caribou habitat, saying it seeks to “address the moratorium on tenure in caribou regi...

Auto workers union to announce plans on Friday to expand strike in contract dispute with companies

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:30 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers union says it will announce on Friday how it plans to expand its strike against Detroit’s three automakers.The union says President Shawn Fain will make the announcement at 10 a.m. Eastern time in a video appearance addressing union members. Additional walkouts will take place at noon Friday without serious progress in contract talks, the union said. The union went on strike Sept. 14 when it couldn’t reach agreements on new contracts with Ford, General Motors and Jeep maker Stellantis. At first it targeted one assembly plant from each company, and last week it added 38 parts distribution centers run by GM and Stellantis. Ford was spared the second escalation because talks with the union were progressing. The union wouldn’t say what action it would take on Friday, reiterating that all options are on the table. The union is scheduled to meet with GM negotiators Wednesday afternoon, according to two people with direct knowledge o...