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Venezuelans become No. 1 nationality arrested at U.S. border

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:31 GMT

Venezuelans became the largest nationality arrested for illegally crossing the U.S. border, replacing Mexicans for the first time on record, according to figures released Saturday that show September was the second-highest month for arrests of all nationalities.Venezuelans were arrested 54,833 times by the Border Patrol after entering from Mexico in September, more than double from 22,090 arrests in August and well above the previous monthly high of 33,749 arrests in September 2022.Arrests of all nationalities entering from Mexico totaled 218,763 in September, up 21% from 181,084 in August and approaching an all-time high of 222,018 in December 2022, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Arrests for the government’s budget year that ended Sept. 30 topped 2 million for the second year in a row, down 7% from an all-time high of more than 2.2 million arrests in the same period a year earlier.Venezuela plunged into a political, economic and humanitarian crisis over the ...

Red-hot Wellesley, Max Poirier put up enough points to edge Natick

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:31 GMT

WELLESLEY — As Max Poirier made the customary walk across the stream to the field Saturday, the skies appeared somewhat ominous. Wellesley football fans were concerned about an oncoming monsoon, but the senior was focused on his opponent.Attention to detail pays off.The wideout finished with 124 total yards, scampering for a late touchdown as Wellesley put the Bay State Conference on notice with a 17-10 victory over Natick on Senior Day.“I think it’s fitting that we’re honoring our seniors today, because it’s really the seniors that have taken control the last few weeks,” Wellesley coach Jesse Davis said. “We started off 0-3, right? But to win four straight like that, especially against good teams like Natick, who are well coached, these kids are tough.”For the majority of the first half, the game itself was a stalemate. The torrential rain wreaked havoc, keeping offense at a premium. Bronson Manccini hit a 25-yard field goal to break a scoreless deadlock with 8:35 to play in the se...

‘A math problem’: Providers support limits to Massachusetts emergency shelter capacity

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:31 GMT

For Mark DeJoie, the head of North Shore human services provider Centerboard, Inc., the need to limit the number of people in the state’s emergency shelter system boils down to a simple “math problem.”“There’s just too many people for too few units. And that, too, has been exacerbated because of the migrant influx,” he said in an interview. “We’re dealing with an immigration crisis as a shelter system. We’re not built for that. We’re built to house families.”An influx of migrants over the past year has pushed a shelter system built to handle about 3,000 families each year to its limits, forcing providers across the state to scramble to find additional housing units for the thousands of new arrivals that have made their way to Massachusetts.More than 1,500 families have entered the emergency shelter system since Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency at the start of August. The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities reported 7,089 families in the system as...

Celtics’ Al Horford willing to sacrifice with bench role, focused on impacting winning

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:31 GMT

Al Horford has played 1,180 games in his career – regular season and postseason combined – with 1,168 starts. That includes starts in all 429 games he’s played in five seasons with the Celtics. Horford has stated in the past his preference is to start, and his consistent play throughout his career has justified that.“For me as a competitor, I want to be in a position that I’m playing when it matters most,” Horford said in 2021. “I do like to start. That’s just the reality. As a competitor I try to feel like I contribute and be a great asset.”Two years later, though, the equation has changed. This offseason, the Celtics added Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, two All-Star level players still in their prime, to form arguably the most talented roster in the league that also includes, of course, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White.While Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has not committed to a starting lineup – a narrative he feels is being overblown – the fresh look means Horford m...

St. John’s Prep wins battle of trenches, defeats Catholic Memorial

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:31 GMT

DANVERS — St. John’s Prep coach Brian St. Pierre said that when you play Catholic Memorial, you find out just how good you are in the trenches.On Saturday, St. Pierre had to like the answer he received on that.St. John’s Prep ran the ball well and stopped the run in a 19-8 victory over Catholic Memorial in a steady downpour.This was the first loss by the Knights (4-2) to a Massachusetts team since a defeat to the Prep (7-0) in the 2019 D1 state title game at Gillette.“I thought our lines, both sides of the ball, dominated the game,” St. Pierre said. “Against that group, against the size they have, the injuries. We started a freshman right guard today: Cayden Blanchette. He just turned 14 this summer, I think. Proud of our guys, that’s all I can say. Our lines won the day. I believe, the coaching staff, we believe in the trenches and winning up front … I thought we won the trenches on both sides.”It was an accurate assessment. The Prep ...

Patriots activate CB Jack Jones in series of transactions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:31 GMT

The Patriots are getting a Week 7 boost to their secondary.Cornerback Jack Jones was activated from injured reserve on Saturday. The Patriots also activated safety/special teamer Cody Davis from the physically unable to perform list, placed offensive lineman Riley Reiff on injured reserve and elevated wide receiver Jalen Reagor and defensive tackle Trysten Hill from the practice squad.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Four Patriots who should play bigger roles vs. Bills in Week 7 New England Patriots | Patriots-Bills preview: How Bill Belichick can upset Josh Allen and Buffalo New England Patriots | NFL notes: How the Patriots and Bills switched places in the AFC East New England Patriots | Patriots-Bills injury report: Bill Belichick lists 16 players as questionable for Sunday New England Patriots | Bill Belichick honors Dante Scarnecchia, Mike Vrabel ahead of Patriots Hall of Fame ceremony Jones w...

Somerville towing company busted for allegedly towing 100+ cars in under 2 weeks unlicensed

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:31 GMT

A towing company in Somerville that tried to defy the odds by towing more than 100 vehicles in less than two weeks without a license has been told to knock it off.Quick Towing Services had yet to receive a license from the city to commence operations before it allegedly towed over 100 vehicles between Oct. 5 and Oct. 16, and the business is accused of failing to report the towings to police, city records show.Police last Monday contacted owner Luciano Quintanilha and told him to cease towing vehicles until he receives “proper approval from the city,” according to a police report.The City Council’s Licenses and Permits Committee last week did not recommend awarding a license to the business due to the wrongdoings.“We have an applicant that has been operating illegally,” Council President Ben Ewen-Campen said. “This is a business that I am not comfortable licensing to operate in Somerville.”A woman who identified herself as Susan Shannon, and spoke on behalf of Quintanilha, told the H...

San Diego among top 10 cities most likely to 'ghost' in relationships: study

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:31 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- After a bad date or disagreement with an acquaintance, do you become nothing more than a phantom in the night? You're not the only one. What we're referring to here is something that's become common in the modern dating world -- "ghosting." This is when someone decides to stop talking to another person without an explanation.Though it's usually something that occurs in the the dating realm, research shows it's also happening with newer friendships, in workplaces, and even businesses. Dave’s Hot Chicken is giving away spiced-to-order sliders thanks to rapper Drake According to a new study by Thriving Center of Psychology, San Diego is among the top 10 biggest U.S. cities where people are most like to "ghost" someone. Overall, the study found that 84% respondents said they have been ghosted before. Despite this, their data also shows three in four people think "ghosting" is acceptable depending on the circumstances.When analyzing this topic, researchers at Thrivi...

Former Albanian prime minister says he’s charged with corruption and money laundering in land deal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:31 GMT

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania’s former prime minister Sali Berisha said Saturday that prosecutors charged him with corruption and money laundering in connection with a land deal involving a Tirana property.Berisha, 79, said the prosecutor’s office in charge of cases against senior officials or major cases, ordered him not to leave the country. Berisha also said his son-in-law, 50-year-old Jamarber Malltezi, was arrested on the same charges at the Tirana International airport. Berisha said both he and Malltezi are innocent.“On these charges I declare that they are absolutely without any basis and purely and fully political accusations from (current prime minister) Edi Rama,” he said at a news conference late Saturday.Rama did not immediately respond to Berisha’s claim. The Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organized Crime office alleges that Berisha’s son-in-law exploited Berisha’s position as prime minister to privatize land in Tirana owned by the c...

Demonstration causing traffic delays near Gardiner Expressway

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:31 GMT

There are traffic delays downtown Toronto due to a reported demonstration called the “National March for Gaza” that began at the U.S. Consulate on University Avenue.The demonstration initially blocked University Avenue between Wellington Street West and Front Street, that moved towards the Gardiner Expressway, shutting down part of Lake Shore Boulevard.Demonstrators have since moved eastbound on Bremner Boulevard.Demonstrators are on the roadway and Toronto police advise motorists to use caution in the area, expect traffic delays and consider alternate routes.The final Toronto FC game of the season at BMO Field has been delayed by 20 minutes due to the traffic.???? Update: Due to transportation issues, the match between Toronto FC and Orlando City, originally slated to kick off at 6:00 p.m. ET, will now begin at 6:20 p.m. ET.#TORvORL | #TFCLive pic.twitter.com/v9IBdGnSie— Toronto FC (@TorontoFC) October 21, 2023Westbound 509 and 510 TTC streetcars on Queens Quay he...