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Northeast 7 on 7: Methuen nips Milton for New England title

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:45 GMT

WESTWOOD — For the Northeast 7v7 New England title Thursday night at Xaverian, the top seeds and highest-performing teams met in the championship.It came as a surprise that Methuen and Milton were the last teams standing.In a hotly-contested game, Methuen earned a 22-19 victory, and with that the Rangers have earned a boost heading into the fall.Methuen won the North regional a few weeks ago, and only lost to Peabody on Thursday.“That definitely gives us a lot of momentum now,” said Methuen quarterback Drew Eason, who is going into his third year starting for the Rangers. “Obviously, we know we can be at the top and win like this, against good teams, too. It gives us a lot of momentum going into the season.”Rangers coach Tom Ryan was pleased with how 7-on-7 has impacted his squad.“I think, honestly, the synergy between the quarterback and wide receivers (stands out),” Ryan said. “That’s always the best benefit of 7-on-7. Defensively, i...

Isiah Kiner-Falefa screamed with joy as the trade deadline passed: ‘Thank God I’m a Yankee’

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:45 GMT

As Tuesday’s 6 p.m. trade deadline neared, Isiah Kiner-Falefa awaited clarity.The Yankees’ utilityman, an impending free agent, had just discussed the anxieties that players feel on deadline day. Suddenly moving, packing, uprooting families and separating from friends and teammates is not easy, no matter how much money you make. And in Kiner-Falefa’s case, he would have had to coordinate care and travel plans for his goldendoodle, Bella.“IKF” didn’t have to do any of that on Tuesday, though. The deadline came and went, and no member of the Yankees’ brass informed him of a trade. He eventually started shouting in excitement.“I didn’t get called into the office,” Kiner-Falefa said Wednesday. “6, 6:15, I was waiting, waiting, waiting…“They didn’t find me. Nothing happened, and it was a sigh of relief, and I just started screaming.”While some players use social media to track trade rumors before th...

Jack Flaherty dominates in debut, Ryan Mountcastle paces Orioles’ offense in 6-1 series-clinching win over Blue Jays

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:45 GMT

Jack Flaherty, in Jordan Hicks’ estimation, is at his best in situations such as Thursday’s sixth inning.Flaherty cruised for much of his Orioles debut, starting against the Toronto Blue Jays two days after Baltimore acquired him from the St. Louis Cardinals for three prospects minutes before the MLB trade deadline. But the sixth inning saw his dazzling debut in peril, with Toronto plating a run and threatening for more with the bases loaded and one out.Manager Brandon Hyde had two relievers warming but showed trust in his newest starter. Flaherty rewarded it, retiring the next two Blue Jays to propel the Orioles to a 6-1 series-clinching victory.“They definitely got one of the most fierce competitors I’ve met,” said Hicks, a Toronto reliever who St. Louis also traded away this week. “He’s always gonna go out there every time and leave it all out there.”Flaherty allowed one run over six innings while striking out eight, becoming only t...

Gallery: New England 7v7 championships

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:45 GMT

New England 7v7 championships

Both expelled members of ‘Tennessee Three’ win back their state House seats

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:45 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones, who became Democratic heroes as members of the “Tennessee Three,” reclaimed their legislative seats Thursday after they were expelled for involvement in a gun control protest on the House floor. The young Black lawmakers were reinstated by local officials after being booted from the GOP-dominated Statehouse, but only on an interim basis. They advanced Thursday through a special election to fully reclaim their positions. Both faced opponents in districts that heavily favor Democrats and easily defeated them according to unofficial results from the Tennessee’s Secretary of State’s office.Jones, who lives in Nashville, was up against Republican candidate Laura Nelson. Meanwhile, Pearson, from Memphis, faced independent candidate Jeff Johnston. “I think if we keep running this race, there will be victory after victory after victory,” Pearson said to supporters on Thursday. He stressed that his victory w...

International pressure mounts on coup leaders in Niger while hundreds rally in support of junta

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:45 GMT

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — International pressure mounted Thursday against leaders of the coup in Niger as the American secretary of state said the United States “stands very much” in support of West African leaders who have threatened to use force to restore the nation’s democracy, and Senegal offered troops to help.As hundreds of anti-French protesters rallied in the Nigerien capital in support of the ruling junta, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken offered general support for the regional bloc known as ECOWAS, though he did not specifically refer to its threat of military action. Blinken told reporters in New York that the U.S. believes the bloc’s efforts to reinstate toppled President Mohamed Bazoum are “important, strong and have our support.”Senegal’s foreign affairs minister said her country would participate in a military intervention if ECOWAS decides to act. “Senegalese soldiers have to go … these coups d’état must be stopped,” Aissata Tall Sall said....

The pride of Peru, Illinois: The Pistol Shrimp

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:45 GMT

PERU, Ill. — If you’ve never seen a “fish out of water,” you just may want to visit Peru, Illinois, where -- on any given afternoon this summer -- you may see four of them.“It’s definitely a big culture change for sure,” said Tobey Jackson, 19, one of four college baseball players who are native Hawaiians, living in Peru to play for the city’s Prospect League team, the Pistol Shrimp. “I didn’t know Peru, Illinois existed,” Xander Sielken, another one of the players, said.Before a game this week, the four went to Baker Lake, to fish. “There’s not much that’s similar to home,” said Cody Kashimoto https://smcgaels.com/sports/baseball/roster/cody-kashimoto/4199, who had caught a blue gill. “The fish are different, too.”Kashimoto, 20, is a student at St. Mary’s College of California. “I want to make it professionally,” he said. “I want to play baseball in the MLB. Especially coming from Hawaii, we look up top guys like Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Kolten Wong. we want to be in their spots pla...

CPD issues community alert after multiple armed robberies on North Side

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:45 GMT

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Police Department have issued a community alert after six armed robberies on the city's North Side early Thursday morning.According to the Chicago Police Department, a group of suspects drove up to victims who were walking on foot, exited the vehicle, armed with handguns, and demanded the victim's property.The following locations are where the armed robberies took place:1900 block of North California Avenue at 1:15 a.m.2600 block of North Fullerton Avenue at 1:20 a.m.2000 block of North Milwaukee Avenue at 1:30 a.m.5400 block of West Gale Street at 1:55 a.m.2400 block of North Central Avenue at 2:11 a.m.3400 block of North Knox Avenue at 2:40 a.m.The suspects involved have been described as a group of Black men, between 15 and 25-years-old, 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-10, weighing 140 to 160 pounds, wearing black face masks, dark clothing, and armed with handguns.Anyone with information regarding these incidents are asked to contact the Chicago Police Department at ...

Water restrictions ramp up as drought continues

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:45 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin has now seen 27 straight days at 100 degrees or higher, and it looks like those high temperatures will continue.What does that mean for people living in Central Texas?It could mean tougher water restrictions as some places have already added more restrictions."Has it ever been like this hot in Austin before?" asked Henry Pugh as he walked through his grandfather's yard.Gary Pugh is under Travis County Water Control and Improvement District 17, where they are under stage 2 restrictions."We have a lot of dead grass in the yard," said Pugh. "We've got a courtyard area that lost a lot of plants."Pugh can water two times a week, but some areas are cracking down even harder."Mid-June, we moved to stage 2, which limits the amount of time watering," said Jennifer Riechers with the West Travis County Public Utility Agency. "Then July 20, we had to move to stage 3 watering restrictions which is one day per week watering."Reichers says growth in areas like Dripping Sprin...

Train derails in Texas after crash with semi, one person dead

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:45 GMT

LUBBOCK, Texas -- A train derailment was reported at a railroad crossing near US 84 between Amherst and Sudan after a crash on Monday, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. One person was killed.The incident was reported around 10:45 a.m. as a crash between a semi and a train. DPS provided an update and said the driver, who was identified as Brent Michael Spahich, 25, of Borger, passed away while being taken to the hospital.(Nexstar/Staff)(Nexstar/Staff)(Nexstar/Staff)(Nexstar/Staff)(Nexstar/Staff)(Nexstar/Staff)(Nexstar/Staff)(Nexstar/Staff)(Nexstar/Staff)Some of the train cars were carrying a "possible hazardous material," according to DPS. Officials said five cars derailed. A Hazmat response was underway, DPS said.Westbound traffic on the Clovis highway was shut down. Eastbound remained open.