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Maryland Senate panel OKs State Police chief nominee

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:03 GMT

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — A state Senate panel voted 15-2 on Wednesday to approve the nomination of Lt. Col. Roland Butler as superintendent of the Maryland State Police, an agency under a federal discrimination probe. If confirmed by the full Senate, he would become the first Black person to hold the post.Butler’s appointment by Gov. Wes Moore had led to some concerns among members of the Executive Nominations Committee, where senators questioned whether Butler, a leader with nearly three decades at the agency, would be the right person to bring change and reforms.Butler has served as chief of the State Police Field Operations Bureau, leading a force of more than 1,000 troopers and investigative personnel assigned to 23 barracks.Despite the unwavering support of the state’s first Black governor and the strong majority vote by the committee on Wednesday, Butler’s nomination has not had an easy path.Sen. Pam Beidle, who chairs the committee, told reporters Monday night ...

Live Local Act passed by Florida lawmakers to offer tax exemptions for affordable housing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:03 GMT

Rent and home prices continue to skyrocket in South Florida, but a new state law now on the books aims to provide incentives for developers to create more affordable housing.The Live Local Act was passed by the Florida Legislature as residents with good paying jobs struggle to find an affordable place to live.South Florida renter Arlisa Whitby said it’s an ongoing challenge for him to make ends meet.“I am not really living, I am surviving,” she said. “On the weekend, I don’t go anywhere. I just stay at home and watch TV because I cannot afford the luxury life of going to a restaurant.”The solution from lawmakers in Tallahassee was to pass a law that predominantly provides funding for developers to create workforce housing.“This bill includes $711 million for projects through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation,” said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, “and this is the largest ever support for housing in state history.”The lack of affordable housing in...

Taiwan’s president to visit US

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:03 GMT

The arrival of Taiwan’s president Tsai Ing-wen in the U.S. on Thursday is highlighting a divide between the White House and China hawks in Congress over how strongly to show support for the self-governing island that China claims as its own.The Biden administration — loath to inflame already tense relations with China — is downplaying the visit, carefully noting that Tsai is making a private trip and stressing that she is not meeting with any administration officials. But an increasingly vocal group of lawmakers are arguing the U.S. needs to do more to support Taiwan and — by extension — Tsai.Supporting Tsai’s visit is a way for the U.S. to “stand with Taiwan amid growing threats from [Chinese President] Xi Jinping, and we must ensure Taiwan has the weapons and training it needs to protect itself against growing CCP military aggression,” said House Foreign Affairs Committee chair Michael McCaul, using the acronym for the Chinese Communist Party.Tsai is stopping in the U.S. on b...

Patriots host ceremony honoring Vietnam veterans at Gillette Stadium

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:03 GMT

The New England Patriots helped deliver a salute to service at Gillette Stadium Wednesday, hosting 100 Vietnam veterans for a ceremony on the 50th anniversary of the day the last American troops left Vietnam in 1973.The Patriots presented each veteran with a special commemorative pin, marking a special day of remembrance at Patriot Place. “It’s a lifetime ago,” Veteran Bill Blaisdell said of his experience. “But it remains in my memory to this day.”The Patriots organization and owner Robert Kraft joined with the Commemorative Partner Program established by the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration to thank and honor Vietnam veterans and their families for their service. “We always say, without their sacrifice and their commitment, we can’t tailgate in the parking lots on Sundays,” Kraft Family Philanthropies President Joshua Kraft said. Some of the veterans in attendance at Wednesday’s event said their memories of the Vietnam War remain extremely vivid.&n...

Boston remembers civil rights leader, trailblazing politician Mel King 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:03 GMT

Boston is remembering the legacy of longtime civil rights activist Mel King after King died at the age of 94 Tuesday.An iconic civil rights leader and trailblazing politician, King is being remembered for his commitment to help ease Boston’s racial divide. “It is a loss for the city of Boston and the commonwealth of Massachusetts,” Gov. Maura Healey said. King served in the state legislature for almost a decade and was the first Black person to reach the Boston general mayoral election. King’s opponent in the 1983 mayoral race — Former Mayor Ray Flynn — said the two became close friends during the campaign. The groundbreaking race, Flynn said, was “good for the city.”Former Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts President Darnell Williams said King “was an advocate for the folks who were not at the table.”Williams continued, saying King unified Boston during a divisive time. “We may have a difference of opinion,” Williams said. “We may have a different...

What to watch for as the Chicago White Sox begin the 2023 season Thursday against the Houston Astros: ‘We’re eager to get going’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:03 GMT

Oscar Colás and Gavin Sheets crushed a number of pitches during batting practice.Yoán Moncada got in the necessary drills, including fielding and baserunning.Luis Robert Jr. and Eloy Jiménez tracked down fly balls.Those were some of the sights Wednesday as the Chicago White Sox worked out Wednesday at Minute Maid Park ahead of Thursday’s season opener against the Houston Astros.The Sox enter the season with new manager Pedro Grifol and are aiming to bounce back after finishing at .500 in 2022.“Our expectations are extremely high, and that doesn’t change based on whether we’re sitting here now coming off a year where we underachieved or a year ago when everybody throughout baseball is picking us to run away with the division and potentially make some noise deep into October,” general manager Rick Hahn said after the workout.“We are going to be in a much better position to control what we can control on a daily basis and we’re e...

Magic’s emphasis on attacking the paint put to the test in loss to Grizzlies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:03 GMT

At this point in the season, the Orlando Magic’s offensive desires are clear.They want to attack the rim with the hopes those paint touches will lead to efficient shots: free throws, layups/floaters or kick-out passes for feet-set 3s.These desires were put to the test in Tuesday’s 113-108 road loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, who have one of the league’s stingiest paint defenses.The Grizzlies won the matchup in large part because they blocked off the paint, disrupted Orlando’s shot near the rim and forced the Magic to take jumpers.The Magic’s 36 points in the paint were their fewest since they scored a season-low 32 in their Jan. 27 loss to the Miami Heat.Orlando, which shoots 57.7% inside the paint, shot 50% Tuesday.The Magic, who averaged 30.6 3-point attempts before Tuesday, took a season-high 49, only making 14 (28.6%).Orlando’s high volume of 3-point attempts was partially skewed by the Magic looking for 3s late to reduce the deficit. The Magic...

Day’Ron Sharpe emerging as true backup center for Nets

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:03 GMT

Day’Ron Sharpe is playing his best basketball.The second-year big man out of North Carolina and No. 29 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft has broken into head coach Jacque Vaughn’s Nets rotation — a pleasant development for a young player who had been glued to the bench earlier in the season.Entering Wednesday night’s matchup against the Houston Rockets, Sharpe had appeared in 41 of 75 possible games in Brooklyn. Yet as of Wednesday, the 6-10 big man played important — and impressive — minutes in each of the Nets’ last five games.Sharpe is averaging 9.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 17.4 minutes in the month of March and posted a career-high 20 points to go with 11 rebounds in Brooklyn’s Mar. 21 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.For reference, he is averaging just under five points and five rebounds on the season in its entirety.Starting center Nic Claxton said he has seen “a mental shift” in Sharpe’s approach ...

Here’s what’s new on the menu at Camden Yards, including a hyperlocal crab chip and three foot-long hot dogs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:03 GMT

Could this be the season that the Orioles’ yearslong rebuilding efforts pay off big? The team’s chances for a postseason run are finally legitimate after a strong 2022 showing and with a roster full of young, exciting talent.Baltimore fans will have a lot to chew on this season, both on the field and in the stands where ballpark snacks are upping their game, too.Visitors to Oriole Park at Camden Yards will find a mix of returning favorites and new menu items this year at the stadium, which opens April 6 for opening day against the New York Yankees.Behind the scenes, the team struck a new concessions deal at the start of the year, signing Chicago-based Levy as the ballpark’s new hospitality operator. The partnership ended a long-standing contract with Delaware North, the Buffalo, New York-based company that had been in charge of food and beverage sales at Camden Yards since 2010.Some of the stadium’s most recognizable vendors, such as Boog’s Barbeque and...

Where does the Patriots’ roster stand heading into the NFL Draft?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:03 GMT

NFL free agency is over.The owners meetings are finished.The scouting combine is a speck in the rearview.The last major event on the NFL offseason calendar is the draft, during which the Patriots will address their remaining needs in the short and long-term.Until then, here’s a position-by-position look at where the Pats stand after working to improve their roster the last two-plus months.QuarterbackMac Jones, Bailey ZappeAnalysis: Bill Belichick hasn’t committed to Jones as his long-term starter for six months, but it’s still difficult to see Zappe, a less experienced passer with lesser tools who functioned within a simplified system against lesser opponents last year, overtake him. Now that Jones has again been paired with an experienced offensive play-caller and quarterbacks coach in Bill O’Brien, it should be all systems go. His expected Year 2 leap may ultimately just come a season later than expected.Running backRhamondre Stevenson, James Robinson, Ty M...