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School superintendent who criticized DeSantis could lose job

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:47 GMT

Florida officials are threatening to revoke the teaching license of a school superintendent who criticized Gov. Ron DeSantis, accusing the educator of violating several statutes and DeSantis directives and allowing his “personal political views” to guide his leadership.Such a revocation by the state Department of Education could allow DeSantis to remove Leon County Superintendent Rocky Hanna from his elected office. The Republican governor did that last year to an elected Democratic prosecutor in the Tampa Bay area who disagreed with his positions limiting abortion and medical care for transgender teens and indicated he might not enforce new laws in those areas.Disney also sued DeSantis this week, saying he targeted its Orlando theme parks for retribution after it criticized the governor’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law that then banned the discussion of sexuality and gender in early grades, but has since been expanded.Hanna has publicly opposed that law, once defied the ...

North Lauderdale mobile home fire that caused partial roof collapse under control; no reported injuries

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:47 GMT

Crews have knocked down a fire that broke out at a trailer park in North Lauderdale and caused a partial roof collapse.7Skyforce hovered above the scene of the mobile home blaze at The Villages, located along the 3700 block of Northwest 55th Court, Thursday evening.North Lauderdale Fire Rescue units responded to the scene just before 6 p.m.Officials said the fire may have started with a car and spread to the mobile home.An elderly man who lives inside the home was able to get out safely. A pet is also believed to have been recovered.No injuries have been reported.Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this breaking story.

Passenger dead after South Hadley car crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:47 GMT

A 21-year-old man died Thursday morning when a car in South Hadley crashed into a tree. The 19-year-old driver was transported to the hospital with serious injuries, according to officials.Around 7 a.m. on River Lodge Road, the car drifted across the center line and collided with the tree, the Northwest District Attorney Office reported. The driver was transported to Baystate Medical Center.State police and crash scene reconstruction team are working with other officials to investigate the crash.

New clean energy career pathway for Mass. high schoolers promises hands-on learning

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:47 GMT

Gov. Maura Healey announced a new Clean Energy Innovation Pathway for high school students to experience hands-on learning opportunities in the renewable energy sector. The pathway could help meet the workforce needs of the state’s “booming clean energy economy,” according to the state. Since 2010, the clean energy sector has grown by 73%, and there are over 100,000 workers in the industry in Massachusetts.“This new Clean Energy Innovation Career Pathway will open pathways for students to explore a future in the critical renewable energy sector,” Healey said. “Together, we’ll train the next generation of clean energy leaders and meet the workforce needs of the growing renewable energy sector – powering our efforts to remain a global leader in this industry.”Six to 10 public high schools in the coming school year will develop the pathway pilot program, and in 2025 students can begin to enroll. The program joins other career pathways sponsored by the Executive Office of Edu...

With Ideas, LGBTQ Youth Commission Eyes “Lighthouse” Role

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:47 GMT

A state commission charged with advocating for LGBTQ youth called on Massachusetts lawmakers Thursday to support an array of bills meant to ensure access to gender-affirming care, curb discrimination and harassment, and install new safeguards in the child welfare system.In its new nearly 300-page annual report, the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth urged Gov. Maura Healey and the Legislature — plus about 20 state agencies and departments — to enact the new policies and training opportunities to protect a growing community that’s facing rising attacks around the country.About 470 anti-LGBTQ bills have been filed across the U.S., targeting gender-affirming care, school curriculum and books, said Noemi Uribe, co-chair of the commission. In Massachusetts, 43 school districts have logged anti-LGBTQ incidents in recent years, such as removing pride flags and banning drag shows, Uribe said during a State House event as the commission unveiled its recommendation...

Mass. hospitals get new emergency room accessibility regulations through ‘Laura’s Law’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:47 GMT

Hospitals in Massachusetts will soon have new specific regulations in effect aimed at helping patients find and get inside emergency departments efficiently following the passage of “Laura’s Law,” officials announced.The law is named in honor of Levis, who died outside an emergency room in 2016 when she couldn’t find the entrance. Her widower, Peter DeMarco worked with state legislators to propose and pass the law in 2021. This week, officials announced that the state Department of Public Health had issued a completed set of regulations for hospitals in accordance with the legislation. “I know Laura’s name is on these new regulations, but they are not just for the rare case of someone collapsing outside an emergency department door — far from it,” DeMarco said in a statement shared with the announcement. Regulations include new required signage pointing individuals toward emergency departments, required training for hospital staff and required audio/video inter...

Lamar Jackson marched to his own beat. With a lucrative contract as proof, it worked out for the Ravens star.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:47 GMT

Lamar Jackson didn’t hire an agent. He didn’t agree to an extension when he became eligible. He requested a trade.Jackson did all of the things elite players like him do not do, taking seemingly unnecessary risks and marching — mostly through inaction — to his own beat. But the proof of his success is in the pudding: Jackson, a unique player who took a unique approach, reportedly became the highest paid player in NFL history by signing a five-year, $260 million contract Thursday, just hours before the NFL draft.Most top-flight quarterbacks, like recently signed Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles, negotiate a lucrative, long-term contract before their rookie contract expires. It’s usually the safer approach and it usually makes the most financial sense.Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, drafted 25 picks ahead of Jackson in 2018, agreed to a sizable deal two years ago and that’s been the norm for many quarterbacks. Jackson isn’t the nor...

Nantucket zoning change could slash short-term rentals by 95%: UMass report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:47 GMT

A Nantucket zoning change proposal could slash the number of short-term rentals on the island by 95%, according to a recent analysis from the UMass Donahue Institute.Next month, Nantucket residents at Town Meeting will be voting on Article 60, which would place restrictions on short-term rentals in residential districts. The amount of short-term rentals on Airbnb and Vrbo have been spiking across the island in recent years.The UMass Donahue Institute looked at the immediate impacts of Article 60, and the number of short-term rentals that would be affected by new zoning conditions. Of the 2,293 short-term rentals on Nantucket, it appears that only 114 short-term rentals would be eligible to rent — a 95% cut overnight.“Our interpretation of Article 60 suggests that a lot of short-term rentals would have a hard time complying with the zoning change,” Rod Motamedi from the Institute told the Herald.“That’s not to say that in a few years the owners couldn...

Jayson Tatum, Celtics not surprised by Heat’s upset of Bucks in first round

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:47 GMT

ATLANTA — The Celtics know firsthand how good the Heat is in the postseason. They saw it in the 2020 bubble, where they lost to them in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals. They saw it last spring, when they were pushed by the Heat over seven games en route to the NBA Finals.The Heat had an underwhelming regular season. They lost the No. 7 seed play-in game, and advanced into the playoffs as the No. 8 seed. But when they eliminated the top-seeded Bucks with a thrilling Game 5 overtime win in Milwaukee on Wednesday, the Celtics weren’t shocked.“I wasn’t too surprised,” Marcus Smart said. “The Heat is a dangerous team. We all know the Heat play different in the playoffs, and they played the Bucks really well.”The Heat became the fifth No. 8 seed in NBA history to upset a No. 1 seed in the first round, and the first since the 76ers knocked off the Bulls in 2012, when Derrick Rose tore his ACL in Game 1.“I wouldn’t really call it an upset,” Jayson Tatum said. “Miami is a really g...

Trump rallies small but energetic crowd in New Hampshire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:47 GMT

A star-spangled crowd gathered outside the DoubleTree hotel in Manchester hours before the scheduled arrival of former President Donald Trump.Some waited through the entirety of the morning and most of the early afternoon before they were eventually let into a 750-person capacity room rented by Trump’s 2024 campaign.“I’m very honored to be here in Manchester, a place I’ve gotten to know very well,” Trump said to uproarious applause, beginning his speech about half an hour after his scheduled start. “Next year we’re going to make history together when we win the New Hampshire primary for a third straight time.”Trump’s speech was wide-ranging and lasted about an hour and a half. He began by assuring New Hampshire Republicans that their coveted first-in-the-nation primary would not be changed, before thanking by name several state politicians who have endorsed his campaign.He predictably attacked both President Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, claiming he woul...