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April Showers Continue

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

Sunday was less of April showers and more of an April soaking rain, but that’s ok we needed (and still need) some rain. The heaviest rain over the weekend fell in Western Massachusetts, then Central Massachusetts, with the lowest totals found in the eastern part of the state. Worcester really put a good dent in their April rain deficit, going from over 2″ below average, to less than a half of an inch below average for the month. Boston still has some catching up to do, sitting 1.67″ below normal for rain just for April alone.As far as any drought is concerned, that’s not a concern. At least not at the moment. The current drought monitor only has eastern Massachusetts as “abnormally dry”, not even to a drought category. Another thing to note is the drought monitor is issued on Thursdays, so this one is from last Thursday and doesn’t include Sunday’s rain. We’ll likely see some improvement with the new one that comes out this Thurs...

First Republic clients pulled $100B in deposits during panic

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

NEW YORK — Customers of First Republic Bank pulled more than $100 billion in deposits out of the bank during last month’s crisis, as fears swirled that it could be the third bank to fail a fter the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.San Francisco-based First Republic said Monday that it was only after a group of large banks stepped in to save it by depositing $30 billion in uninsured deposits that the bank was able to staunch the bleeding.The bank said it now plans to sell off assets and restructure its balance sheet, and said it also expects to lay off as much as a quarter of its workforce, which totaled about 7,200 employees at the end of 2022.First Republic reported first-quarter results Monday that showed it had $173.5 billion in deposits in early March before Silicon Valley Bank failed on March 9. On April 21, it had deposits of $102.7 billion, including the $30 billion the big banks deposited. It said since late March, its deposits have been relatively st...

Column: It’s over, Chicago Bears fans. Aaron Rodgers is out of Green Bay — and the NFC North.

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

The Green Bay Packers will find out what it’s like to enter a season without a franchise quarterback for the first time since 1992, when George H.W. Bush was president and a gallon of gas averaged $1.13.A remarkable run of elite quarterback play that extended 31 seasons — beginning in 1992, when Ron Wolf traded for Brett Favre, and continuing after Ted Thompson drafted Aaron Rodgers in 2005 — has come to an end.The Packers traded the 39-year-old Rodgers on Monday to the New York Jets, making Jordan Love, a first-round pick in 2020 by general manager Brian Gutekunst, the presumed starter.The Halas Hall nightmare for the Chicago Bears is over as Rodgers, a four-time MVP and a shoo-in as a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Fame selection, is no longer in the NFC North.Rodgers was 25-5 as a starter against the Bears, including the NFC championship game after the 2010 season, amassing more wins against them than any quarterback in league history. He heads to the Jets, a...

Marcus Smart fights through injuries to fuel Celtics: ‘I leave everything on the floor’

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

ATLANTA — On the first play of the second half in Sunday night’s Game 4, Marcus Smart flew in between De’Andre Hunter and Clint Capela in an effort to grab an offensive rebound. But the Celtics point guard landed awkwardly on Capela’s shoe and rolled his right ankle, the same one he injured earlier this season that kept him out for 11 games.Smart stayed on the ground for a few moments holding his ankle, but soon got up and hobbled to the other side of the court to play defense.Before the playoffs began, Smart declared himself as healthy as he’s been at this stage of the season in years. But given the daring nature in which he plays, that wasn’t going to last for long. Late in Game 3, he suffered a lower back contusion after falling hard on his tailbone. He was questionable for Game 4, but played. Moments before he rolled his ankle, Smart walked out of the locker room with a heat pack on his back.“I leave everything on the floor every night like it’s my last game and it just happens,...

Appeals court upholds Apple’s control of iPhone app store

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

An appeals court on Monday upheld Apple’s exclusive control over the distribution of iPhone apps, rejecting the latest attempt to force one of the world’s most powerful companies to dismantle the digital walls protecting its most lucrative product.The 92-page decision issued by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals largely affirmed the findings of a lower-court judge who presided over a 2021 trial that revolved around an antitrust lawsuit filed by Epic Games, the maker of the popular Fortnite video game.Epic Games’ lawsuit alleged Apple’s app store — which was launched in 2008, a year after the first iPhone went on sale — had turned into an illegal monopoly that stifles competition while generating billions of dollars in profit for Apple.Epic tried to offer an alternative way to get its mobile app, attempting to evade the developer fees inside the app store, which collects a commission of 15% to 30% on subscriptions and other digital transactions.Apple oust...

How to tell if a travel company is really following sustainable practices

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

If the data is to be believed, the public is increasingly interested in seeking sustainable travel options.A survey conducted by Booking.com in 2022 revealed that 81% of global travelers want to travel sustainably, and 50% say recent news about climate change has influenced their decision to make more sustainable travel choices.All of which is an important step forward. But how can consumers who possess such noble intentions ensure that the travel industry providers they select are adhering to sustainable travel practices? In an era when greenwashing — or making misleading claims about environmental stewardship and practices — is rampant, how can consumers separate fact from fiction?To get to the bottom of this question, we asked some of the travel industry’s most well-known sustainability experts, as well as travel advisers who’ve recently undergone leading-edge sustainability training, how consumers can identify companies that are truly following eco-friendly business practices. H...

Hawks guard Dejounte Murray suspended for Game 5 vs. Celtics after bumping referee

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

ATLANTA — Hawks guard Dejounte Murray has been suspended for Tuesday’s Game 5 against the Celtics for making inappropriate contact with and verbally abusing a game official at the conclusion of Game 4, the NBA announced on Monday.As the clock expired on the Celtics victory, Murray approached referee Gediminas Petraitis to say something to him. He leaned close to him and made contact before walking away. He turned around and yelled some parting words in his direction on his way off the court.The Hawks already had a slim chance of winning the series – the Celtics lead, 3-1 – but the suspension of Murray now makes the task nearly impossible. The guard was averaging 25.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game for the Hawks over the first four games of the series.

Center Schmitz’s Bobby Johnson connection and Bills’ priorities are possible Giant clues

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

Jeremiah Sirles played 12 games on Brian Daboll’s Bills offensive line in 2018, starting five times, and played center with Josh Allen and the Buffalo ones in the spring of 2019 under new Bills O-line coach Bobby Johnson.Now here Sirles was this March, in 2023, listening to Johnson tell him how Sirles’ client, Minnesota center John Michael Schmitz, had “aced” the Giants’ protection schemes over dinner the night before the Gophers’ pro day.“Bobby told me the next day, ‘I eventually had to throw tackle calls at him to try to get him to miss something,’” Sirles, an agent with One West Sports Group, told the Daily News on the phone Monday. “Bobby basically installed how they do all their protections, and its stuff that John Michael and I had been installing for two months.“He threw a bunch at him where he couldn’t take notes because they were at a restaurant,” Sirles added. “So it was ‘Here a...

On Nutrition: Do’s and don’ts for feeding infants

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

Barbara Intermill | Tribune News ServiceI had a conversation with a young mom who was surprised to hear some of the new guidelines for feeding infants in the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 (www.dietaryguidelines.gov). The recommendations are updated every five years by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services.One of the best ways to start an infant off on the path of lifelong healthy nutrition, say experts, is to feed human milk exclusively for at least the first six months of life.Starting at about 6 months, continue breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula and begin to introduce nutrient-dense complementary foods. Especially important at 6 months are foods rich in iron and zinc, minerals needed for baby’s fast-growing nervous system and immune function. (Infants are normally born with enough stored iron to last about 6 months. That’s why they need additional sources after this time.)Recommended iron-rich foods include iron-fortifie...

Demoting Brayan Bello is unexpected solution to overcrowded starting rotation

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:42:00 GMT

The Red Sox found a surprising solution to their overcrowded starting rotation:Optioning Brayan Bello back to Triple-A Worcester.After briefly expanding to a six-man rotation, the club announced the move on Monday afternoon. It comes just days after manager Alex Cora confirmed that Tanner Houck would still be in the rotation this week; he’s in line for Wednesday’s series finale in Baltimore, after pitching a career-high seven innings in his last start.However, this is a short-term solution to a larger, long-term roster problem. The Red Sox see Bello as a key part of their future, so he won’t stay in Triple-A forever, and James Paxton is scheduled for his next rehab games on Tuesday and Sunday. At some point in the near future, the rotation will be overcrowded again.After a mild forearm concern briefly halted his spring training, Bello began the regular season on the injured list. The 23-year-old righty only made two starts before the roster move: Marathon Monday at...