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Tag: Boston

  • Keeler: Here’s why Broncos QB Jarrett Stidham makes Patriots fans in Denver nervous

    Justin Grant had Tedy Bruschi on his back and Brock Osweiler on the brain.

    “I don’t like the storyline with Jarrett Stidham,” he told me as we shivered on the second-floor deck at Jackson’s LODO early Saturday night.

    Then he corrected himself.

    “I hate the storyline,” Grant continued, adjusting his bright blue Bruschi replica Patriots jersey.

    “Why?” I wondered.

    “Because we drafted him. And he gave us two years and then he left. And now he’s, like, the guy who’s coming in. I just don’t like the storyline.”

    New England rolls an MVP-caliber quarterback into Denver — only to get beaten by a Broncos backup? Justin’s seen the movie before. He always ends up crying at the end.

    The last time Grant, who calls Colorado Springs home but grew up in Maine, saw his beloved Pats at Empower Field was November 2015. When Osweiler rallied the Broncos past Tom Brady in the snow.

    Talk about your classic PTSD — Pats Traumatic Stress Disorder.

    “I’m 0-and-1, man,” Grant laughed on the eve of the AFC Championship between the Broncos and Patriots. “We don’t have a good record here.”

    Sure don’t. The Pats are tied with the Steelers for the most Super Bowl victories (six) since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. But they’ve never won a postseason game in Denver (0-4). Brady went 0-3. Empower Field was the one mountain too high for even the GOAT to climb.

    New England Patriots fan Brian Kureta screams among his fellow fans on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Jackson’s LODO in Denver. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)

    “Honestly, man, after losing two Super Bowls to Eli Manning and one to Nick Foles,” Grant’s friend Jordan Buck, a Pats fan from Lakewood, told me, “I’m not overlooking anybody. But you’ve got to be confident in your squad, so I like my team’s chances.”

    Love them, though?

    Not after Osweiler. Or Foles. Or Eli twice.

    “Yeah, (Stidham) hasn’t played in a long time,” Buck shrugged. “But I mean, he played for us for three years, so he knows us well.”

    What did Broncos fans and Pats fans have in common Saturday? Stidham, who’ll make his first postseason start against New England in place of injured Broncos QB Bo Nix, was on the lips of both teams’ fans the hours before the biggest football game at Empower Field in a decade.

    New Englanders packed into Jackson’s LODO for a pep rally just within shouting distance of Coors Field. Most of the shouts were distinctly of the NC-17 variety.

    Patriot Pat signs New England Patriots fan Sumaya Faggan's bag on Saturday at Jackson's LODO in Denver. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)
    Patriot Pat signs New England Patriots fan Sumaya Faggan’s bag on Saturday at Jackson’s LODO in Denver. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)

    “I LOVE DRAKE MAYE!” a Patriots fan cried.

    “(EXPLETIVE) THE BRONCOS!” Another screamed.

    The “Night Before” rally was a brainchild of the Pikes Peak Pats fan club. PPP typically hosts a night-before primer on the eve of an AFC title game in Denver, but it’s been a while. January 2016 brought roughly 700 Front Range Pats fans together. PPP president Anne Stone told me they were expecting at least 1,000 this time around — if not more. With the sun setting and temps falling at 5:15 p.m., a line of at least 100 patrons was seen snaking out from the front door of Jackson’s and around the block.

    Near the DJ stage on the second floor, the Patriots’ “All-Access”  television show did a live shoot for the locals back in Beantown. Pat Patriot danced in one corner. A giant ice sculpture of the New England logo rested in another. Former New England kicker Adam Vinatieri, the Patriots’ honorary captain for Sunday, showed up for his “All-Access” cameo as faithful waved tiny cardboard heads of New England rookie tackle Will Campbell.

    “We all we got?” Vinatieri asked.

    “We all we need!” they cried.

    “We all we got?” Vinatieri repeated.

    “We all we need!”

    “That’s what I’m talking about!” Vinatieri said.

    Former New England Patriots cornerback Logan Ryan signs autographs for fans on Saturday at Jackson's LODO in Denver. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)
    Former New England Patriots cornerback Logan Ryan signs autographs for fans on Saturday at Jackson’s LODO in Denver. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)

    It’s OK to roll your eyes. But not at the cause. PPP ran a raffle during the rally on Saturday, with a plethora of signed Pats items, in order to raise money for the Pikes Peak Region Peace Officers Memorial.

    As a Boston native, Stone’s accent is thicker than chowdah, bless her, with a laugh that lilts like a fly ball onto Lansdowne Street. She moved to the Front Range 30 years ago when her husband got a new gig — and never left.

    The Pikes Peak Pats Club started in 2006. Stone became president a year after that. PPP counts about 90 active members now. Before the pandemic, it was closer to 400. Things are more transient now, with East Coast military transplants looking for a good watch pah-ty coming and going as Uncle Sam ships them in and out of the Springs.

    “It’s good,” Stone said. “You get to meet new people all the time.”

    Pats owner Robert Kraft has even visited PPP tailgates and parties over the years, although he wasn’t on the guest list for Saturday’s rally.

    And if Stone’s got any PTSD, deep down, she sure as heck wasn’t showing it.

    “To tell you the truth, in all honesty, I think a lot of people, all of my Pats friends, everyone’s hearts are broken for poor Bo Nix,” Stone said. “Some of us are old enough that he could be our son. Here was a 25-year-old who spent the night crying. It’s just awful.”

    A pause.

    And cue the “but” …

    “That being said, I don’t think we’re a shoo-in,” Stone continued. “I do think we’re going to win. That’s my gut reaction. You know what they say: ‘Any given Sunday.’ It’s true. And we don’t have good luck (in Denver).”

    Oh and four.

    As in, uh-oh and four.

    “That worry you?” I asked Grant.

    “Yes, it does,” he replied. “It worries me a lot.”

    He just wishes Stidham would stop giving him that old Osweiler vibe.

    “So hopefully,” Grant said nervously, “history doesn’t repeat itself.”

    Stiddy as you Bo, man. Stiddy as you Bo.

    Sean Keeler

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  • NICU nurse gifted Patriots playoff, Super Bowl tickets amid cancer battle

    Regardless of the outcome of Sunday’s game, the New England Patriots are already making dreams come true.Shelly Sepulveda, a local NICU nurse, has been battling cancer for the last two years. The mother of six, five of whom were adopted, has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer three times since 2024.”I know I have limited time here on this Earth, so I created a bucket list and one of the things on that bucket list was to go to a Pats game,” she said.Sepulveda didn’t go to just any game; she went to last week’s playoff game against the Los Angeles Chargers.”I got to go on the field, I got to go in and see the players up close and personal,” she said. “I cried when I went on the field. It was just an amazing experience.”The game was a highlight for Sepulveda in what has been an unimaginable two years.The Kraft Foundation heard she was a fan and invited her to the game. And the excitement didn’t stop there.Kraft gifted her a ticket to the Super Bowl. “I’ve been on Cloud Nine ever since, even though I had some unfortunate news,” Sepulveda said.This past Tuesday, she found out her body is no longer responding to chemotherapy.She’s now trying to get into a clinical trial.The Super Bowl ticket is giving her hope and inspiration as she fights this disease.”I know that it’s a gift from them, but I don’t know really if they really understand how much it impacts me mentally, physically,” she said. “I want them to know how much this is keeping me going. And I have the Pats to thank for that.”

    Regardless of the outcome of Sunday’s game, the New England Patriots are already making dreams come true.

    Shelly Sepulveda, a local NICU nurse, has been battling cancer for the last two years.

    The mother of six, five of whom were adopted, has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer three times since 2024.

    “I know I have limited time here on this Earth, so I created a bucket list and one of the things on that bucket list was to go to a Pats game,” she said.

    Sepulveda didn’t go to just any game; she went to last week’s playoff game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

    “I got to go on the field, I got to go in and see the players up close and personal,” she said. “I cried when I went on the field. It was just an amazing experience.”

    The game was a highlight for Sepulveda in what has been an unimaginable two years.

    The Kraft Foundation heard she was a fan and invited her to the game.

    And the excitement didn’t stop there.

    Kraft gifted her a ticket to the Super Bowl.

    “I’ve been on Cloud Nine ever since, even though I had some unfortunate news,” Sepulveda said.

    This past Tuesday, she found out her body is no longer responding to chemotherapy.

    She’s now trying to get into a clinical trial.

    The Super Bowl ticket is giving her hope and inspiration as she fights this disease.

    “I know that it’s a gift from them, but I don’t know really if they really understand how much it impacts me mentally, physically,” she said. “I want them to know how much this is keeping me going. And I have the Pats to thank for that.”

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  • Video shows man hanging off pickup truck on Mass. Pike

    Wild video shows a man holding onto the back of a pickup truck as it drove on the Massachusetts Turnpike in Boston Tuesday morning.

    The man can be seen hanging off of the vehicle before dropping down onto the highway.

    Olban Santos, who recorded the video, said the man tried to get inside the truck several times.

    “I tried to honk at the guy, but the guy didn’t pay attention, he just drove off,” Santos said.

    The video shows the man holding on for at least 10 seconds before dropping off, picking up his lost shoe and moving on to the next vehicle.

    “He tried to get into some other car, and that’s pretty much it,” Santos said. “And the car there, they drove away.”

    Massachusetts State Police said they responded just after 10 a.m. to Mile Marker 134 on Interstate 90 eastbound after a report of a person having a mental health crisis.

    In addition to the incident recorded on video, police said the man had jumped onto the hood of a Massachusetts Department of Transportation vehicle before troopers arrived. MassDOT said it did not have any information about its equipment or personnel being involved.

    “I was surprised, and I was like, ‘Damn, that is not normal,’” Santos said.

    Police said the man was taken by Boston EMS to a nearby hospital to be evaluated.

    Jericho Tran

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  • Boston police report gives new details on fight at TD Garden; suspect’s name released

    A police report includes new details about a fight during a Boston Bruins game at TD Garden on Saturday that resulted in a man being seriously injured.

    Boston police said in their incident report that officers assigned to a detail for Saturday’s game responded for “a person that fell off the balcony” around 3:07 p.m. Multiple officers were called to Loge Section 2 for an initial report from TD Garden security of an unconscious male who had fallen down to that section from the above balcony level.

    As officers gathered more information from multiple witnesses in the area, it was determined that the victim was pushed while standing on the stairs and fell backward, according to the police report.

    The officers and TD Garden security found the victim lying on the ground, semi conscious and breathing, with his eyes slightly open in Row AA of Club Section 113. Officers immediately began to render aid and requested EMS, who stabilized the victim on scene before taking him to Massachusetts General Hospital for further evaluation.

    The victim, whose name has not been released, told police en route to hospital that he drank something and had no memory of the incident and didn’t know why he was going to hospital. He sustained an abrasion to the back of his head, police said. The extent of his head injury was not immediately known.

    Back at TD Garden, officers gathered more witness statements to locate and identify the suspect.

    One witness told police that he was in same row and observed the victim to be intoxicated and agitating the suspect and the woman that he was with. He said he saw the victim put his middle finger directly in the face of the suspect’s companion.

    A second witness told police that both the victim and suspect were heckling each other back and forth. Then the victim allegedly continued to inch closer to the suspect and his companion, at which point the suspect allegedly grabbed the victim by the neck and pushed him, causing him to fall backward down the stairs.

    Another witness gave police a suspect description of a man with long black hair, wearing glasses and a New York Rangers hat and jersey. She stated that a disturbance ensued while the victim, who appeared to be intoxicated, was harassing other Rangers fans. She said friends were trying to get him to leave to avoid continued escalation but the fight continued until the victim was pushed down the stairs “where he rolled down the stairs to the lower foyer.”

    A fourth witness said that during intermission between the second and third periods, he saw the suspect and his female companion having a discussion where it looked like the woman was trying to get the suspect to leave. The witness told police he then saw the victim and the suspect arguing. The suspect, who was standing higher up, then pushed the victim down the stairs, at which point the witness notified his security team and waited for Boston police to respond. He said the suspect left right after he pushed the victim.

    An additional witness seated in the area said she saw the suspect and victim arguing before she saw the victim fall three to five steps down, followed by the suspect heading up the stairs towards the Club Level to leave the area.

    A description of the suspect was broadcast, and he was later identified as 48-year-old Aaron Tucker, of Vermont, according to the police report. He was seated in Section 113, Row E, during the game and was wearing a black hat with a blue NY Rangers #73 jersey, as well as a black sweatshirt underneath and blue jeans.

    A photo of Tucker was disseminated by detectives, and TD Garden security cameras captured the suspect leaving the venue around 3 p.m. through the east exit before continuing on foot down Causeway Street.

    Cameras captured Tucker and the woman he was with at the game in the area of Endicott Street and Lafayette Avenue, according to police. Officers located and approached Tucker on Lafayette, where he was taken into custody without incident.

    Tucker was taken in for further questioning by detectives and then transported to Nashua Street Jail, where he was booked for the alleged aggravated assault. Tucker is facing charges of assault and battery resulting in serious bodily injury and assault and battery on someone 60+ or disabled with injury.

    He is scheduled to appear in court on Monday. It wasn’t immediately clear if he had hired an attorney.

    Kaitlin McKinley Becker and Marc Fortier

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  • Denver Nuggets finish marathon road trip with another gutsy win over Celtics

    BOSTON — Finishing their seven-game road trip with a losing record wasn’t what the Nuggets had in mind, but under the circumstances, they’ll happily take 3-4.

    Less undermanned than they were in Philadelphia but still fending without a traditional center, the Nuggets completed their Eastern Conference marathon with a 114-110 win over the Celtics on Wednesday.

    Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, left, wrestles for the ball against Boston Celtics guard Jordan Walsh, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

    Jamal Murray went for 22 points, 17 assists and only two turnovers. Peyton Watson led the team in scoring with 30 points on a 6-for-7 night from 3-point range. Jalen Pickett and Zeke Nnaji earned another opportunity to play in David Adelman’s closing lineup, fresh off their heroic performances Monday at Philly.

    And Denver assembled a 14-0 run in the middle of the fourth quarter for the second straight game, putting away the East’s second-place Celtics (23-13). All three teams the Nuggets (25-12) defeated on their road trip are top-five seeds in the conference.

    Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 33, but on 29 shot attempts against a variety of coverages. Boston kept pressing and fouling in the last minute, shaving an 11-point deficit to three before Murray clinched the game with a late free throw.

    A road trip that seemed doomed after a loss to the Nets on Sunday ended with two straight surprising wins.

    After entering halftime tied at 58 for the second consecutive game, offense dried up for the Nuggets in the third quarter. They missed 11 straight shots during a six-minute scoreless stint and fell behind, 72-63. Then Murray buried a 3-pointer out of a timeout and found Tim Hardaway Jr. for another in transition the next possession. Suddenly, it was a one-score game again, and Denver was on its way to a 13-2 run.

    Anfernee Simons was the Celtics’ antidote. He hit a couple of 3s while Brown was on the bench to take them into the fourth with an 82-79 lead and Denver’s non-Murray minutes looming.

    Pickett, scoreless in the first three stanzas, helped weather the storm with a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer from Aaron Gordon and a floater in the pick-and-roll. Murray came in for Hardaway after only a four-minute rest.

    The longer the game wore on, the more the Nuggets felt their size disadvantage on the glass. Celtics center Neemias Queta secured 20 rebounds, eight of them in the first three minutes and change of the fourth. Boston compiled 27 second-chance points and won the rebounding battle by eight.

    Like they did in Brooklyn, the Nuggets used Aaron Gordon off the bench in a sub pattern conducive to his minutes restriction that enabled him to be on the court when Murray wasn’t. Gordon said after his return from a hamstring injury that he felt a step slow on defense, and that was the case again on a few possessions in Boston. Still, he left an imprint with 12 points and six rebounds. He played 23 minutes, staying in the same range as last Sunday.

    Bennett Durando

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  • Boston protesters rally after ICE agent shoots and kills woman in Minneapolis

    The killing of a woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis sparked protests nationwide Wednesday, including a rally at Boston Common.

    NBC News reports 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was shot Wednesday by one of several ICE agents conducting an immigration enforcement operation. Authorities said Good allegedly blocked the street with her SUV, leading to a confrontation that escalated within seconds and ended with gunfire.

    Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the city is demanding accountability.

    “We, collectively, are going to do everything possible to get to the bottom of this, to get justice,” Frey said. “What they are doing is causing chaos and distrust.”

    The Department of Homeland Security defended the agents’ actions, claiming Good used her vehicle as a weapon. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem described the incident as “an act of domestic terrorism.”

    She added, “a woman attacked them and those surrounding them and attempted to run them over and ram them with her vehicle.”

    Political commentator Sue O’Connell talks about what the Minneapolis shooting in which an ICE agent killed a woman.

    Protesters expressed shock and outrage, with some saying the killing is reminiscent of George Floyd’s death at the hands of police in Minneapolis nearly 6 years ago.

    “It’s our job to stand against this and say, ‘No, we don’t stand for this,’” said Kojo Acheampong, an activist with the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

    Immigrant advocacy organizations say they have long feared that aggressive enforcement tactics could result in deadly outcomes.

    “We have feared that without appropriate checks and constraints on the agency, that there have been more violent incidents,” said Elizabeth Sweet, executive director of the MIRA Coalition.

    Sweet acknowledged the risks protesters face, adding, “sometimes you need to think about, ‘Where are appropriate places to be speaking up and protesting and ensuring that we are following all the rules?’”

    Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz issued a warning to the Trump administration after ICE agents fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis. “We do not need any further help from the federal government. To Donald Trump and Kristi Noem: you’ve done enough.”

    Retired Newton Police Chief John Carmichael urged patience as investigators review the incident.

    “This is an awful tragedy, a situation that probably could have and should have been avoided,” Carmichael said.

    He also cautioned against rushing to judgment.

    “We have to allow law enforcement to do their job, and again, if we don’t like that, society doesn’t like that, then we take the correct avenues to change that,” he said.

    Noem said the ICE agent who fired the shot was allegedly struck by the vehicle and was treated and released from a hospital.

    In Massachusetts, Gov. Maura Healey called ICE’s tactics “dangerous,” while Boston Mayor Michelle Wu called for an end to the “mass deployment of ICE agents into American cities” and urged the federal government to restore accountability.

    More anti-ICE rallies are expected to take place across the Bay State in the coming days.

    Oscar Margain

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  • After Swiss Alps New Year’s Eve bar fire, a look at some of America’s worst nightclub and bar fires

    A blaze at a packed bar in the Swiss Alps during New Year’s Eve celebrations killed about 40 people and injured 115 others, many of them seriously.

    Cellphone video captured harrowing images of the tragedy’s first moments as flames swept across the wooden ceiling of the bar’s basement level, panicking partygoers who rushed to escape. The fire then rose up and engulfed the upper level.

    The cause of the fire remains unknown, but two women told French broadcaster BFMTV they were inside the venue when they saw a waitress, who was being carried on a bartender’s shoulders, holding a lit candle in a bottle that ignited the wooden ceiling. The flames spread rapidly, causing the ceiling to collapse, they said.

    “In a matter of seconds, the entire ceiling was ablaze. Everything was made of wood,” they said.  

    One of the women described a crowd surge as people frantically tried to escape from a basement nightclub up a flight of stairs and through a narrow door, noting that there were “about 200 people trying to get out within 30 seconds through some very narrow steps,” according to a BBC News translation.

    Axel Clavier, a 16-year-old from Paris who survived the blaze, said he hadn’t seen the fire start, but did see waitresses arrive with Champagne bottles with sparklers. 

    He described “total chaos” inside the bar. One of his friends died and “two or three were missing,” he told The Associated Press.  

    In the early stages of the investigation, Valais Canton Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud said it was “totally unknown” how many people were inside the bar when the fire broke out, but said authorities would be looking into its maximum capacity.

    The disaster echoed some past tragedies when deadly bar and nightclub fires broke out in the United States.

    The Station nightclub fire

    The Station nightclub fire scene in West Warwick, Rhode Island, in February 2003. 

    David L Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images


    The Station Nightclub fire took place in February 2003 at a club in West Warwick, Rhode Island. The fatal fire resulted in 100 deaths and over 200 injuries.

    “We went out on a Thursday night to listen to music, drink some beers and have a good time. And a quarter of those people didn’t get to go home — ever,” survivor Linda Saran, who was severely burned in the fire, told CBS News in 2021.

    The blaze ignited when the band Jack Russell’s Great White took the stage, and four large pyrotechnics were set off, sending flames up the walls and rapidly across the soundproofing foam. The nightclub owners had installed foam along the club’s walls and ceilings to combat noise complaints, but the foam was highly flammable, and the club did not have sprinklers installed.

    The exits were also a safety issue. Inspection records showed that three months before the fire, the owners had been cited by the local fire marshal for having a secondary, interior door by the stage that opened inward, which violated regulations. They were told to take it down, but it was still up on the night of the fire.

    Happy Land Social Club fire

    Bronx Fire

    News crews report on an arson fire at the Happy Land social club on March 25, 1990, in the Bronx borough of New York. 

    AP file photo


    In March 1990, a fire at the Happy Land Social Club in the Bronx, New York, killed 87 people and injured dozens more. 

    The cause of the fire was arson. A man, Julio Gonzalez, poured gasoline on the floor of the entryway and ignited it following a fight with his girlfriend. 

    The fire moved so quickly that a few victims still had drinks in their hands while others died hugging or holding hands. 

    The social club didn’t have sprinklers, fire alarms or fire exits. It was operating illegally at the time, as the city had ordered it to close because of the various building and fire code violations.

    In the wake of the blaze, New York City tightened fire safety enforcement and stepped up efforts to shut down illegal clubs. Gonzalez was convicted of murder charges for the many deaths in the blaze.

    Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire

    CocoanutGroveFire.jpg

    Rescue workers are seen outside the Cocoanut Grove club in Boston, Mass., Nov. 28, 1942, after fire tore through the nightclub, killing 492 people.

    AP


    The Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire, the deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history, occurred on November 28, 1942, at the Cocoanut Grove club in Boston, Massachusetts. A total of 490 people died, and hundreds were injured.

    The cause was never officially determined, but the fire started in the basement and spread rapidly through the lounge and up a stairway that acted as a chimney. Many patrons were trapped inside because two exit doors were locked and the single revolving door at the front entrance was jammed with people attempting to flee the blaze.

    The club was filled to more than twice its legal capacity when the fire started. 

    Combustible soundproofing material at the club was blamed for the rapid spread of the fire. The tragedy led to changes in building codes and standards — such as requiring revolving doors to be flanked by outward-opening standard doors — as well as medical treatment for burns.

    “The impacts of Cocoanut Grove are already forever enshrined in the regulations, safety practices, the innovations and knowledge that have already saved countless lives,” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said at a ceremony marking 80 years since the blaze.

    The Associated Press

    contributed to this report.

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  • Man sought after punching and smashing door of MBTA bus

    Investigators are looking for a man who was caught on camera smashing the door of an MBTA bus at a station in Boston.

    The incident happened around 8 p.m. Monday at Forest Hills in Jamaica Plain. Transit police said the man punched the door when he was unable to board the bus, which was stopped at a traffic light.

    Authorities are looking to identify the man.

    Riders were surprised when they saw the video.

    “That’s a pretty strong punch,” one man said. “Imagine if that was somebody’s face.”

    While he understood the frustration of someone trying to get on a bus, he condemned the violent outburst.

    “Sometimes the bus, really, when they see you coming, they don’t really stop for you, so I get that, but at the same time, he should have never done that,” the rider said.

    There were delays after the bus had to be pulled from service, transit police said, adding that the man will face a charge of malicious destruction of property when he is identified.

    Malcolm Johnson

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  • Boylston Street closed after person falls from hotel, Boston police say

    Part of Boston’s Boylston Street was shut down on New Year’s Eve after a person fell to the ground from the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

    The Boston Police Department said the person was “nonviable” after the incident, which is under investigation.

    The major thoroughfare was closed in the area of the hotel.

    No further information was immediately available.

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  • Nowon’s chef Jay Lee on his Korean-American inspired dishes and expanding to Boston

    Nowon combines American staples like cheeseburgers with Korean flavors. As the restaurant group expands to Boston from New York City, “CBS Saturday Morning” catches up with chef and owner Jay Lee to learn more about the inspiring story behind his popular food.

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  • Minnesota Frost ends Boston Fleet’s undefeated streak, 5-2


    Kendall Coyne Schofield scored her league-leading fifth goal of the season and Nicole Hensley made 27 saves and Minnesota Frost beat the undefeated Boston Fleet 5-2 on Friday night.

    Coyne Schofield found the back of the net, poking in a rebound in the first period. Dominique Petrie scored on a tip-in, and the Frost went into the first intermission up 2-0.

    After Fleet goalie Aerin Frankel stopped a breakaway early in the second period, the puck got away from her and Britta Curl-Salemme scored on the rebound.

    Boston swung momentum its way when it scored two goals in 23 seconds in the third from Olivia Mobley and Riley Brengman. With just over a minute, the Fleet pulled Frankel, and the Frost put away two empty net goals to win their first home game of the season.

    Frankel made 25 saves on 28 shots.

    Up next

    The Fleet will travel to Ottawa to face the Charge on Dec. 27.

    The Frost will host the Charge in Chicago on Dec. 21 as part of the league’s Takeover Tour.

    CBS Minnesota

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  • MIT Professor Nuno Loureiro Shot Dead Outside Boston

    Nuno Loureiro, a leading fusion-energy scientist, was fatally shot at his Brookline home as investigators search for clues in a killing that has stunned the MIT community

    A prominent Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor was fatally shot at his Brookline apartment complex this week, prompting shock across the community amid a homicide investigation. Nuno Loureiro, 47, a leading physicist and the director of MIT’s “Plasma Science and Fusion Center,” was shot and killed Monday night at his residence and died Tuesday at a local hospital, according to the Norfolk DA’s Office. No arrests have been made, and authorities have released no information about a possible suspect or motive as the investigation is ongoing.

    Some have questioned if the killing is connected to the December 13th mass shooting at Brown University, as the suspect is still on the loose; officials have stated there is no indication that Loureiro’s murder is connected. Neighbors in the quiet, upscale Brookline neighborhood reported hearing “three loud bangs” Monday night and feared they were gunshots. One resident told reporters they had devastatingly seen Loureiro lying on his back in the building’s entryway moments later. Brookline, which historically records little to no murders in a typical year, has been rattled by the rare act of violence. Students, colleagues, and neighbors gathered outside Loureiro’s home Tuesday night for a candlelight vigil, with many visiting earlier in the day to leave flowers and pay their respects.

    Loureiro, a native of Portugal, joined MIT’s faculty in 2016 and quickly became known as an influential scientist in plasma physics and fusion energy research. He was appointed last year to lead MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, one of the institute’s largest research facilities, which houses hundreds of scientists and engineers focused on advancing clean energy technology. His love for his work at MIT was evident in this 2017 interview. “Professionally I’m completely overwhelmed with what MIT is. You read about it and you talk to people about it, but before you’ve experienced it, I don’t think you quite understand the type of place it is. It’s fascinating to be here, surrounded by so many amazing people. It’s inspirational.”

    Authorities in Brookline are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact police. The investigation continues.

    Lauren Conlin

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  • 115-year-old Boston arena will host final game this weekend

    Boston is losing a major landmark that has stood for 115 years.

    Matthews Arena opened two years before Fenway Park and 18 years before the old Boston Garden.

    “Every time you step on this ice, walk in this building, it’s a privilege,” said Vinny Borgesi, captain of the men’s hockey team at Northeastern University. “There’s so much history behind it.”

    Originally the Boston Arena, the building opened in 1910, quickly becoming the spot for high school and college hockey.

    “I’ve been in and out of that building for 60 years or so, and that’s what made it special on Monday,” said Joe Bertagna, the former Hockey East commissioner who grew up in Arlington, Massachusetts.

    He and others college legends took part in a final skate Monday. Bertagna recalled playing at an exhibition game against Czechoslovakia at the arena while skating for Harvard University.

    “I also lost my last high school game in double overtime to Melrose High, one of our rivals,” he said.

    The Celtics and Bruins started playing in building, and it attracted countless politicians and entertainers, as well.

    Northeastern has owned the aging arena since 1980 and considered whether it should be renovated or replaced.

    “There’s some nostalgia. There’s some sadness,” said Jim Madigan, the school’s athletic director. “But at the same time, we can’t get in the way of progress, and so you look to what the future will bring.”

    A state-of-the art venue is now set to replace the old one. It won’t open until 2028, requiring the school’s teams to play all their games on the road for two years.

    “Yeah, it’s a little bit of difficulty, but I also think that it’s something we can rally around, a little bit of an underdog mentality,” said Dylan Hryckowian, an assistant captain with the men’s hockey team.

    The last game will be Saturday night, when Northeastern’s men’s hockey team takes on rival Boston University.

    Northeastern says demolition will get underway this winter.

    John Moroney

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  • Remember to give thanks to yourself during the holidays and beyond

    NEW YORK (AP) — While reflecting on what we’re thankful for during the holiday season, we often focus on the external: the company of loved ones. The nourishment of a shared meal. The homes in which we gather.

    But how often do we turn the lens of gratitude toward ourselves?

    It’s fairly uncommon, because people generally are more comfortable expressing gratefulness to others. But psychologists say taking the time to thank ourselves for the qualities that carried us through life can be healthy and important, even if doing it feels awkward or arouses fears of appearing egotistical.

    One reason self-gratitude doesn’t come naturally: the human brain evolved to look for problems and dwell on the negative when everyday life required an awareness of immediate dangers, said Kristin Neff, associate professor in the educational psychology department at the University of Texas, Austin.

    Our ancestors who kicked back and relaxed were more likely to be eaten by lions, while the ones who dwelled on where the lions might be tomorrow were more likely to survive, Neff said.

    “It’s not that it’s hard to do, but we have to overcome the natural tendency of the brain to always be looking for problems as a way of staying safe,” she said.

    If people spent five minutes a day looking at themselves with compassion, their days would be different, said Maryanna Klatt, director of the Center for Integrative Health at Ohio State University. She recommended acknowledging our strengths, but also our challenges, which we can view as opportunities that may lead us to a place we never would have discovered.

    In this story, several people approached in parks share what they appreciate about themselves.

    Seeing the positive

    Lorenzo Cruz, 26, grew up in the Dominican Republic, where he recently earned a bachelor’s degree in business before moving to Boston.

    As a child, he experienced not having basic necessities, but as a teenager he moved and had a more comfortable life which enabled him to travel, receive an education and expand his perspective, he said.

    “I’m grateful for the rough childhood I had because that made me appreciate so many different things that I’ve noticed people don’t look at or don’t appreciate enough,” Cruz said. “The way I see life, I’m grateful for that.”

    To express thanks to himself, Cruz gives himself permission “to go for that trip, to binge watch that show, to go have fun at the bar, to eat that pizza at 12 a.m. I think we all tend to judge and put too much pressure on ourselves. Sometimes I just have to give myself a break and thank me for everything.”

    Giving

    As a single mother in her 40s, Ana Anitoaie appreciates the way she manages her family life and gives back to her community through teaching.

    “I’m an immigrant. I came to the United States in 1995, and I’m really grateful for being on-task and following my education, and I have achieved so much by myself. I help my family back in Europe,” said Anitoaie, a secondary school math teacher.

    “Today’s society is not really looking for what we’re grateful for,” Anitoaie said. “I think we should practice that more and we’ll be living in a happier Earth.”

    Taking chances

    Lara Furac, a primary school teacher who lives in Switzerland, is thankful for her courage and caring for others. She was in New York attending a bartending class with the goal of switching careers.

    “I’m very grateful that I’m someone who gives everyone a fair chance, and I’m not scared to open up to people and meet new people,” said Furac, 29. “I always said I’m not scared to make steps in life that are uncomfortable to some, but for me, the most important thing in life is that I can look back one day and be like, yes, I really lived, and I’m grateful that I really tried to do that, even if it’s scary sometimes and if it means something new, but also saying goodbye to something you know. I’m grateful that I’m brave enough to do that.”

    Self-care

    Jose Santiago, a student at Mercy University in New York, recognizes his optimism as an asset. “You know, I don’t see the negative or anything,” the 18 year old said. “I always see the situation as a way to get better. I always see each day as a blessing because someone didn’t get to wake up today.”

    “I express gratitude to myself in sometimes just the way I get ready for the day and the way I approach it,” he said. If he’s in a bad mood, he starts his day “with a nice shower, go through a skin care routine, hair care routine, maybe play a certain song that makes me think of a good memory in my life, back to when I was a child.”

    Determination

    As an actor in New York City, Joe Osheroff, 54, is “grateful for my persistence when it pays off. And by payoff, I mean if I’m able to do things in life, in my career, and outside of my career that are fulfilling and justify all the parts of it that are difficult.”

    To thank himself, Osheroff takes time to slow down and sit in the park, especially with a good cup of coffee. He also searches for small treasures at antique shops, enjoying browsing even if he doesn’t buy anything.

    Taking action

    Souzanne Eng, who retired from the fashion industry, said she always appreciates what the higher powers have given her, “but I never really say to myself, ’You know, a lot of these things, it’s because I put them in action.”

    “I’m grateful that I am kind. I’m grateful that I’m good to people. I am grateful that I am patient,” Eng said. “Grateful that I am able to put in action, to go for it. I’ve always been a goal-oriented person, and I never let things stop me. So I guess I’m grateful for those attributes.”

    Eating right

    Dea Shpati, an accountant, said she doesn’t excel at physical activity, but “I am grateful that I try to take care of my body, especially by nutrition. I’m really grateful that I do that.”

    “I push myself to walk or to run or to exercise, but for the eating part, it comes naturally and for that I’m grateful,” said Shpati, 24.

    “I’m grateful that I want to work. I would hate if I don’t have a job. I’m grateful that I have the desire to do so, to earn for myself and to contribute in the family budget.”

    Self-love

    College friends Emily Milner, 33, and Meagan Hicks, 32, were walking together during a visit in New York.

    “I like to show gratitude to myself by just giving myself thought time, and in that time, I thank my past self for my current life,” said Milner, a marketing professional who lives in Sedalia, Colorado.

    “In a lot of ways we live in a self-deprecating society, and when you care for other people, you don’t have to reflect inwards, because that’s a difficult thing to do,” Milner said. “So people use caring about other people and being grateful for other people as a way to avoid introspection.”

    “It is the greatest form of self-love, giving gratitude to yourself,” Hicks said.

    ___

    Send your wellness questions and story ideas to [email protected]. Follow AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health at https://apnews.com/hub/be-well.

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  • Sharp disagreements over economy threaten Federal Reserve interest rate cut

    WASHINGTON (AP) — What was once seen as a near-certain cut in interest rates next month now looks more like a coin flip as Federal Reserve officials sharply disagree over the economy’s health and whether stubborn inflation or weak hiring represent a bigger threat.

    In several speeches in the past week, some policymakers have registered greater concern over persistent inflation in an echo of the “affordability” concerns that played a large role in elections earlier this month.

    At the same time, another camp is much more concerned about meager hiring and the threat that the “low-hire, low-fire“ job market could worsen into one where layoffs become more widespread.

    The turmoil on the Fed’s 19-member interest-rate setting committee reflects a deeply uncertain economic outlook brought about by multiple factors, including tariffs, artificial intelligence, and changes in immigration and tax policies.

    “It’s reflective of a ton of uncertainty,” said Luke Tilley, chief economist at M&T Bank. “It’s not surprising at all that there’s a wide divergence of opinions.”

    Fewer rate cuts by the Fed could leave borrowing costs for homes and cars elevated. More expensive mortgages and auto loans contribute to the widespread view, according to polls, that the cost of living is too high.

    Some Fed watchers say that an unusually high number of dissents are possible at the December 9-10 meeting, regardless of whether the central bank reduces rates or not. Krishna Guha, an analyst at Evercore ISI, said a decision to cut could lead to as many as four or five dissents, while a decision to keep rates unchanged could produce three.

    Four dissenting votes would be highly unusual, given the Fed’s history of seeking consensus. The last time four officials dissented was in 1992, under then-Chair Alan Greenspan.

    Fed governor Christopher Waller on Monday noted that critics of the Fed often accuse it of “group think,” since many of its decisions are made unanimously.

    “People who are accusing us of this, get ready,” Waller said Monday in remarks in London. “You might see the least group think you’ve seen … in a long time.”

    The differences have been exacerbated by the government shutdown’s interruption of economic data, a particular challenge for a Fed that Chair Jerome Powell has often described as “data dependent.” The government’s last jobs report was for August, and inflation for September.

    September jobs data will finally be published Thursday, and are expected to show a small gain of 50,000 jobs that month and an unchanged unemployment rate at a still-low 4.3%.

    For now, Wall Street investors put the odds of a December rate cut at 50-50, according to CME Fedwatch, down sharply from nearly 94% a month ago. The decline has contributed to the stock market’s drops this week.

    After cutting their key rate in September for the first time this year, Fed policymakers signaled they expected to cut twice more, in October and December.

    But after implementing a second reduction Oct. 29, Powell poured cold water on the prospects of another cut, describing it as “not a foregone conclusion — far from it.”

    And speeches last week by a raft of regional Fed officials pushed the market odds of a December cut even lower. Susan Collins, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, said, “in all of my conversations with contacts across New England, I hear concerns about elevated prices.”

    Collins said that keeping the Fed’s key rate at its current level of about 3.9% would help bring inflation down. The economy “has been holding up quite well” even with interest rates where they are, she added.

    Several other regional presidents voiced similar concerns, including Raphael Bostic of the Atlanta Fed, Alberto Musalem of the St. Louis Fed, and Jeffrey Schmid at the Kansas City Fed. Musalem, Collins, and Schmid are among the 12 officials who vote on policy this year. Schmid dissented in October in favor of keeping rates unchanged.

    “When I talk to contacts in my district, I hear continued concern over the pace of price increases,” Schmid said Friday. “Some of this has to do with the effect of tariffs on input prices, but it is not just tariffs — or even primarily tariffs — that has people worried. I hear concerns about rising health care costs and insurance premiums, and I hear a lot about electricity.”

    On Monday, however, Waller argued that sluggish hiring is a bigger concern, and renewed his call for a rate cut next month.

    “The labor market is still weak and near stall speed,” he said. “Inflation through September continued to show relatively small effects from tariffs and support the hypothesis that tariffs … are not a persistent source of inflation.”

    Waller also dismissed the concern — voiced by Schmid and others — that the Fed should keep rates elevated because inflation has topped the Fed’s 2% target for five years. So far that hasn’t led the public to worry that inflation will stay elevated for an extended period, Waller noted.

    “You can’t just sort of say it’s been above target for five years, so I’m not going to cut,” he added. “You got to give us better answers than that.”

    There could be consensus for an interest rate cut if, say, new data for October and November show the economy shedding jobs, according to Esther George, the former president of the Kansas City Fed.

    It’s also worth noting that many economists had expected multiple dissents in September, but instead only Stephen Miran, a governor appointed that month by President Donald Trump, voted against the rate cut decision, in favor of an even bigger reduction.

    “Registering a dissent is a hard decision, and I think you’re going to find people that are speaking today that wouldn’t follow through with a vote in that direction,” she said. “I think you’re going to find enough consensus, whichever way they go.”

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  • Prediction Markets, Sportsbooks Don’t Jibe, Massachusetts Says

    Posted on: November 13, 2025, 04:28h. 

    Last updated on: November 13, 2025, 04:28h.

    • Sportsbooks in Massachusetts cannot offer prediction market sports contracts in the state
    • DraftKings and FanDuel are launching prediction markets next month

    Following a similar ruling in Nevada, gaming regulators in Massachusetts are telling their licensed sportsbooks to refrain from engaging in prediction markets involving sports contracts.

    prediction markets sports betting Massachusetts
    FanDuel Predicts, a prediction market, is set to launch in December 2025. Gaming regulators in Massachusetts say such online wagering products are prohibited by state law. (Image: FanDuel)

    On Thursday, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) warned the state’s seven sportsbook operators that they cannot partner with prediction markets or offer sports-related event contracts within the commonwealth. The MGC letter comes after several licensed sportsbooks in the Bay State revealed their intentions to enter the prediction market space.

    In the event you offer sports-related event contracts in Massachusetts or direct patrons to such event contracts being offered in Massachusetts, the Commission may take steps up to and including revocation of your license. In addition, to the extent any other regulator takes action against your license due to your operation in the prediction market space, such action may inform decisions related to your suitability in Massachusetts,” MGC Executive Director Dean Serpa wrote.

    Massachusetts sports betting license holders include Bally Bet, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, Fanatics, FanDuel, and Penn Sports.

    Prediction Market Crackdown 

    The Massachusetts gaming regulators agree with the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) that prediction markets offering event contracts on sports outcomes constitute sports gambling.

    “Wagering on sporting events in Massachusetts is strictly governed by M.G.L. c. 23N, which defines ‘sports event’ or ‘sporting event’ as ‘a professional sport or athletic event, collegiate sport or athletic event, a collegiate tournament, motor race event, electronic sports event, or other event authorized by the Commission under [Chapter 23N]…’ As such, wagering on sporting events may only be offered on authorized sports wagering platforms licensed by the Commission,” Serpa explained.

    The MGC notice comes only hours after DraftKings and FanDuel exited Nevada’s sports betting industry to focus on their prediction market efforts. FanDuel’s parent, Flutter Entertainment, surrendered its sports wagering license, while DraftKings folded on its pursuit to enter the state.

    Last month, the NGCB concluded that sports event contracts are wagers. The board, often cited as the “gold standard” of gaming regulation, added that most prediction market contracts violate Nevada’s betting laws.

    The Board considers offering sports event contracts, or certain other event contracts, as constituting wagering activity under NRS 463.0193 and 463.01962. Wagering occurs whether the contract is listed on an exchange regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission or elsewhere,” the NGCB wrote.

    “Examples of event contracts that the Board specifically considers to be wagering subject to its jurisdiction include event contracts based on the outcome or partial outcome of any sporting or athletic event, or other selected events such as the World Series of Poker, the Oscars, Esports, and political elections (“Sports and Other Event Contracts”),” the notice continued. 

    Boston-Based DraftKings

    For DraftKings, the company that calls Massachusetts’ capital city its headquarters, the MGC notice is of utmost concern. Though the state gaming agency said its directive regarding prediction markets only applies to such operations within the commonwealth, the MGC said it reserves the right to address its licensees operating PMs outside the state in the future.

    The letters do not speak to sports-related event contracts offered outside of Massachusetts or event contracts in general, though the Commission reserves the right to address those topics in the future,” the MGC wrote on its website.

    DraftKings is set to debut DraftKings Predicts next month. FanDuel is, too.

    Devin O’Connor

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  • MLB, sportsbooks cap bets on individual pitches in response to pitch-rigging scandal

    Major League Baseball said its authorized gaming operators will cap bets on individual pitches at $200 and exclude them from parlays, a day after two Cleveland Guardians players were indicted and accused of rigging pitches at the behest of gamblers.

    MLB said Monday the limits were agreed to by sportsbook operators representing more than 98% of the U.S. betting market. The league said in a statement that pitch-level bets on outcomes of pitch velocity and of balls and strikes “present heightened integrity risks because they focus on one-off events that can be determined by a single player and can be inconsequential to the outcome of the game.”

    “The risk on these pitch-level markets will be significantly mitigated by this new action targeted at the incentive to engage in misconduct,” the league said. “The creation of a strict bet limit on this type of bet, and the ban on parlaying them, reduces the payout for these markets and the ability to circumvent the new limit.”

    MLB said the agreement included Bally’s, Bet365, BetMGM, Bet99, Betr, Caesars, Circa, DraftKings, 888, FanDuel, Gamewise, Hard Rock Bet, Intralot, Jack Entertainment, Mojo, Northstar Gaming, Oaklawn, Penn, Pointsbet, Potawatomi, Rush Street and Underdog.

    Cleveland pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted Sunday in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn on charges they took bribes from sports bettors to throw certain types of pitches. They were charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery and money laundering conspiracy. The indictment says they helped two unnamed gamblers in the Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 on bets placed on the speed and outcome of certain pitches, including some that landed in the dirt.

    Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgalis, said in a statement that his client was innocent and “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game — not for anyone and not for anything.” A lawyer for Clase, Michael J. Ferrara, said his client “has devoted his life to baseball and doing everything in his power to help his team win. Emmanuel is innocent of all charges and looks forward to clearing his name in court.”

    The U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 ruled the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 was unconstitutional, allowing states to legalize sports betting.

    Ortiz appeared Monday in federal court in Boston. U.S. Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell granted Ortiz his release on the condition he surrender his passport, restrict his travel to the Northeast U.S. and post a $500,000 bond, $50,000 of it secured. Ortiz was ordered to avoid contact with anyone who could be viewed as a victim, witness or co-defendant.

    Last month, more than 30 people, including Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, were arrested in a takedown of two sprawling gambling operations that authorities said rigged poker games backed by Mafia families and leaked inside information about NBA athletes.

    Billups’ attorney, Chris Heywood, issued a statement denying the allegations. Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, said in a statement his client is “not a gambler” and “looks forward to winning this fight.”

    ___

    AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

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  • ‘Goodnight room, goodnight moon’: Boston hotel brings classic book to life

    The Sheraton Boston Hotel is offering guests the chance to spend the night inside a life-sized replica of the beloved “Goodnight Moon” bedroom.The suite is a full-scale replica of the Great Green Room from the beloved 1947 children’s book by Margaret Wise Brown.The whimsical room is perched on the 24th floor of the hotel and has views of the Charles River. It features green walls, red carpet, a glowing LED fireplace and even a working dollhouse.The suite also comes with other custom amenities, including a plush bunny for each child and turndown service complete with milk and cookies served in a keepsake porcelain bowl.

    The Sheraton Boston Hotel is offering guests the chance to spend the night inside a life-sized replica of the beloved “Goodnight Moon” bedroom.

    The suite is a full-scale replica of the Great Green Room from the beloved 1947 children’s book by Margaret Wise Brown.

    The whimsical room is perched on the 24th floor of the hotel and has views of the Charles River. It features green walls, red carpet, a glowing LED fireplace and even a working dollhouse.

    The suite also comes with other custom amenities, including a plush bunny for each child and turndown service complete with milk and cookies served in a keepsake porcelain bowl.

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  • MLB pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz charged with taking bribes to rig pitches for bettors

    NEW YORK (AP) — Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted on charges they took bribes from sports bettors to throw certain types of pitches, including tossing balls in the dirt instead of strikes, to ensure successful bets.

    According to the indictment unsealed Sunday in federal court in Brooklyn, the highly paid hurlers took several thousand dollars in payoffs to help two unnamed gamblers from their native Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 on in-game prop bets on the speed and outcome of certain pitches.

    Clase, the Guardians’ former closer, and Ortiz, a starter, have been on non-disciplinary paid leave since July, when MLB started investigating what it said was unusually high in-game betting activity when they pitched. Some of the games in question were in April, May and June.

    Ortiz, 26, was arrested Sunday by the FBI at Boston Logan International Airport. He is expected to appear in federal court in Boston on Monday. Clase, 27, was not in custody, officials said.

    Ortiz and Clase “betrayed America’s pastime,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said. “Integrity, honesty and fair play are part of the DNA of professional sports. When corruption infiltrates the sport, it brings disgrace not only to the participants but damages the public trust in an institution that is vital and dear to all of us.”

    Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgalis, said in a statement that his client was innocent and “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game — not for anyone and not for anything.”

    Georgalis said Ortiz’s defense team had previously documented for prosecutors that the payments and money transfers between him and individuals in the Dominican Republic were for lawful activities.

    “There is no credible evidence Luis knowingly did anything other than try to win games, with every pitch and in every inning. Luis looks forward to fighting these charges in court,” Georgalis said.

    A lawyer for Clase, Michael J. Ferrara, said his client “has devoted his life to baseball and doing everything in his power to help his team win. Emmanuel is innocent of all charges and looks forward to clearing his name in court.”

    The Major League Baseball Players Association had no comment.

    Unusual betting activity prompted investigation

    MLB said it contacted federal law enforcement when it began investigating unusual betting activity and has fully cooperated with authorities. “We are aware of the indictment and today’s arrest, and our investigation is ongoing,” a league statement said.

    In a statement, the Guardians said: “We are aware of the recent law enforcement action. We will continue to fully cooperate with both law enforcement and Major League Baseball as their investigations continue.”

    Clase and Ortiz are both charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery. The top charges carry a potential punishment of up to 20 years in prison.

    In one example cited in the indictment, Clase allegedly invited a bettor to a game against the Boston Red Sox in April and spoke with him by phone just before taking the mound. Four minutes later, the indictment said, the bettor and his associates won $11,000 on a wager that Clase would toss a certain pitch slower than 97.95 mph (157.63 kph).

    In May, the indictment said, Clase agreed to throw a ball at a certain point in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the batter swung, resulting in a strike, costing the bettors $4,000 in wagers. After the game, which the Guardians won, one of the bettors sent Clase a text message with an image of a man hanging himself with toilet paper, the indictment said. Clase responded with an image of a sad puppy dog face, according to the indictment.

    Clase, a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year, had a $4.5 million salary in 2025, the fourth season of a $20 million, five-year contract. The three-time AL save leader began providing the bettors with information about his pitches in 2023 but didn’t ask for payoffs until this year, prosecutors said.

    The indictment cited specific pitches Clase allegedly rigged — all of them first pitches when he entered to start an inning: a 98.5 mph (158.5 kph) cutter low and inside to the New York Mets’ Starling Marte on May 19, 2023; an 89.4 mph (143.8 kph) slider to Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers that bounced well short of home plate on June 3, 2023; an 89.4 mph (143.8 kph) slider to Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. that bounced on April 12; a 99.1 mph (159.5 kph) cutter in the dirt to Philadelphia’s Max Kepler on May 11; a bounced 89.1 mph (143.4) slider to Milwaukee’s Jake Bauers on May 13; and a bounced 87.5 mph (140.8 kph) slider to Cincinnati’s Santiago Espinal on May 17.

    Prosecutors said Ortiz, who had a $782,600 salary this year, got in on the scheme in June and is accused of rigging pitches in games against the Seattle Mariners and the St. Louis Cardinals.

    Ortiz was cited for bouncing a first-pitch 86.7 mph (139.5 kph) slider to Seattle’s Randy Arozarena starting the second inning on June 15 and bouncing a first-pitch 86.7 mph (139.5 kph) slider to St. Louis’ Pedro Pagés that went to the backstop opening the third inning on June 27.

    Dozens of pro athletes have been charged in gambling sweeps

    The charges are the latest bombshell developments in a federal crackdown on betting in professional sports.

    Last month, more than 30 people, including prominent basketball figures such as Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, were arrested in a gambling sweep that rocked the NBA.

    Sports betting scandals have long been a concern, but a May 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling led to a wave of gambling incidents involving athletes and officials. The ruling struck down a federal ban on sports betting in most states and opened the doors for online sportsbooks to take a prominent space in the sports ecosystem.

    Major League Baseball suspended five players in June 2024, including a lifetime ban for San Diego infielder Tucupita Marcano for allegedly placing 387 baseball bets with a legal sportsbook totaling more than $150,000.

    ___

    This story was first published on Nov. 9. It was updated on Nov. 11 to correct that, according to an indictment, a bettor sent Clase an image of a man hanging himself with toilet paper. Clase didn’t send that image to the bettor.

    ___

    Associated Press reporters Eric Tucker in Washington and Ron Blum in New York contributed to this report.

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  • Man suffers life-threatening injuries in Dorchester shooting

    A man was taken to the hospital after a shooting in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood on Tuesday.

    Boston police confirmed officers responded to a shooting on Bowdoin Avenue around 3:15 p.m. The man’s injuries were described as life-threatening.

    No arrests have been made. An investigation is ongoing.

    This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

    Thea DiGiammerino

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