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Tag: Massachusetts

  • Local food pantries see surge in donations, new clients over SNAP snafu

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    Beverly Bootstraps and The Salem Pantry have seen a surge in donations and people seeking help over the weekend in anticipation of SNAP payments ending Nov. 1 amid the ongoing government shutdown.

    Some of the pressure on local food pantries could ease after Monday, when the Trump administration announced it would pay out about half of regular SNAP benefits this month after two federal judges ruled the administration’s prior decision to stop all SNAP payments was unlawful.


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    By Caroline Enos | Staff Writer

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  • Poll: Markey primary challengers face tough fight

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    BOSTON — Democratic Sen. Ed Markey holds a “significant” lead over his primary rivals, according to a new poll, which suggests challengers will face a difficult fight to unseat the three-term incumbent.

    The University of Massachusetts at Amherst/WCVB TV poll, released Sunday, showed Markey with a 20-point lead over Congressman Seth Moulton and former teacher Alex Rikleen in a Democratic primary match-up. The poll of 800 likely voters found 51% supported Markey, compared to 28% for Moulton and 6% for Rikleen. About 13% said they were undecided.


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    By Christian M. Wade | Statehouse Reporter

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  • Court rulings protect millions’ SNAP benefits amid shutdown

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    BOSTON, Massachusetts: Two federal judges ruled on October 31 that President Donald Trump’s administration cannot halt food assistance for millions of Americans during the ongoing government shutdown. They ordered the government to rely on existing contingency funds to keep benefits flowing.

    The rulings, issued in federal courts in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, came in response to separate lawsuits challenging the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s plan that stopped Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on November 1. SNAP, also known as food stamps, helps low-income households afford groceries. For weeks, Democrats and Republicans in Congress have blamed each other for the shutdown, which has put SNAP payments at risk.

    It remains uncertain whether the decisions guarantee that benefits will be issued. Both judges asked the administration to update them on November 3 on how it will follow the orders.

    Trump posted on social media that the federal government may lack legal authority to distribute SNAP funds during a shutdown. He said administration lawyers are asking courts for guidance on how to restore payments quickly. “If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding,” he wrote.

    SNAP benefits go to households earning less than 130 percent of the federal poverty level. In many states, that currently means about US$1,632 per month for a single person or $2,215 for two people. While the federal government funds the program, states handle daily operations and distribute monthly payments.

    According to the USDA, it costs between $8.5 and $9 billion per month to fully fund SNAP for the roughly 42 million Americans who rely on it. The administration has argued that the agency has no authority to spend that money during the shutdown, which began on October 1, until Congress approves new funding.

    However, U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Providence said the administration’s refusal to use $5.25 billion in available contingency funds was arbitrary and would cause real harm to families worried about access to food. He ordered that those funds be distributed as soon as possible and said the agency should also consider tapping a separate account that holds about $23 billion if needed.

    Minutes earlier, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston reached a similar conclusion. Her ruling came in a case brought by 25 Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C. She said the suspension of benefits was based on a mistaken belief that the contingency funds could not legally be used during a shutdown.

    The USDA had previously stated that contingency money could keep benefits going if Congress failed to pass a budget. But last week, the agency changed its position and warned that “the well has run dry,” triggering the legal challenges.

    Despite administration claims that the payment systems might struggle or that partial benefits would be too difficult to distribute, both judges stressed that the government has the authority and responsibility to fully fund SNAP during the shutdown.

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  • The Feds Foul Play Around Cannabis

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    The Feds foul play around cannabis exposes misinformation, fear tactics, and how Washington ignores 88% of Americans

    While nearly 88% of Americans support some form of legal cannabis, the old guard in Washington continues to misrepresent the will of the people. This isn’t a quiet disagreement over policy — it’s a stubborn act of defiance by a political class clinging to outdated narratives, using fear and misinformation to stall progress. The Feds foul play around cannabis includes misleading federal ad campaigns to state-level repeal efforts and congressional inaction, the message from the establishment is clear: even overwhelming public consensus won’t shake their prohibitionist reflex.

    RELATED: Zohram Mamdani And NYC’s Legal Marijuana

    The federal government’s recent “Make America Fentanyl Free” initiative sounds like a noble effort — until you look closer. The campaign warns Americans fentanyl-laced cannabis is contributing to a spike in overdose deaths, echoing rhetoric found on official websites like Get Smart About Drugs, a DEA-linked platform.

    But credible health experts and toxicologists have called this claim a myth. Studies and verified cases show virtually no evidence of widespread fentanyl-contaminated marijuana. The CDC’s own overdose data reveal more than 100,000 overdose deaths annually are overwhelmingly tied to synthetic opioids, not cannabis. By folding marijuana into the fentanyl crisis narrative, the campaign blurs science and fear — conflating a regulated, state-legal product with the nation’s deadliest illicit drugs.

    In Massachusetts, prohibitionists are running a petition drive critics say tricks voters into repealing the state’s adult-use cannabis law — one which passed in 2016 with 53.6% support. The so-called Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts has been accused of presenting the petition as a measure to “protect youth” and “prevent fentanyl exposure,” when in reality it would end the state’s $1.6-billion legal cannabis market.

    Industry advocates and civil-rights leaders argue this fear-based language mirrors the federal fentanyl narrative — a coordinated effort to weaponize overdose panic against legitimate regulation and equity programs have taken years to build.

    At the center of the federal gridlock is House Speaker Mike Johnson, a staunch opponent of cannabis reform who has consistently voted against legalization and banking protections. Johnson has blocked the SAFE Banking Act — a bipartisan bill allowing legal cannabis businesses access banking services — from reaching a floor vote, despite majority support in both chambers. He’s also refused to advance measures like the MORE Act and the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act, effectively freezing all momentum toward federal reform.

    Johnson’s leadership ensures even modest, widely supported reforms remain in limbo. His record earns him an “F” rating from cannabis policy groups and makes him one of the most significant obstacles to aligning federal law with public opinion.

    RELATED: Marijuana Use And Guy’s Member

    When the federal government claims “drug overdoses are due to fentanyl-laced marijuana,” and state actors use similar rhetoric to roll back legalization, it’s more than misinformation — it’s policy manipulation. The consequences are profound:

    • Public confusion: Americans are told cannabis is linked to deadly fentanyl overdoses, though data show otherwise.
    • Policy paralysis: Federal leaders block reform while invoking the specter of addiction and moral decline.
    • Economic harm: Legal markets — and the jobs, tax revenue, and social-equity progress they bring — are jeopardized by political gamesmanship.

    With almost nine in ten Americans favoring legalization — and over half living in states where cannabis is legal — continued federal obstruction is untenable. The real crisis isn’t cannabis; it’s an outdated federal narrative refusing to evolve with science or society.

    Until Washington stops peddling fear and starts listening to its citizens, the gulf between federal prohibition and public reality will only grow wider. It’s time to replace misinformation with evidence, prohibition with regulation, and political posturing with policy actually serving the American people.

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    Terry Hacienda

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  • Trump Administration to Use Emergency Funds to Pay Partial Food Aid Benefits

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    (Reuters) -The Trump administration said it plans on Monday to partially fund food aid for millions of Americans after two judges ruled it must use contingency funds to pay for the benefits in November during the government shutdown.

    (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Chris Reese)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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    Reuters

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  • Markey holds sizeable early lead over Moulton in Senate race

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    U.S. Sen. Edward Markey holds a 19-point lead over U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton in the race for the Massachusetts Senate seat Markey holds, but the polling numbers tighten up with U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley in the race.

    University of Massachusetts Amherst/WCVB polling results released Monday show Markey as the choice of 44%, with Moulton at 25% and former teacher Alex Rikleen at 5%. Of those polled, 25% were unsure.

    With “leaners” included in the results, Markey leads Moulton 51% to 28%.

    Markey, Moulton and Rikleen are already running for Senate. Pressley has not indicated her 2026 plans, but the survey showed how she stacks up right now if she were in the Senate race.

    With Pressley in the contest, Markey’s lead over Moulton shrinks to 7 points, 31% to 24%, with Pressley at 20%. The poll’s margin of error for the Democratic primary questions is plus or minus 6.1%.

    The dominant word attached to Markey, 79, in a word cloud put together by pollsters was “old,” followed by “good,” “experienced” and “liberal.” The largest word in Moulton’s word cloud was “unknown,” a reflection of the challenge inherent in developing a connection with voters who live outside the 6th Congressional District that the Salem Democrat represents. Other dominant words in his cloud were “unsure” and “good.”

    Pollsters also tested out a six-candidate open race field without Markey. In that hypothetical, Moulton led with 26%, followed by Pressley at 23%, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu at 17%, former U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III at 9%, U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss at 5% and Rikleen at 3%.

    The poll was conducted by YouGov and involved interviews with 800 adults from Massachusetts, 416 of whom were likely Democratic primary voters. The sampling frame was a politically representative “modeled frame” of Massachusetts adults, the pollsters said.

    The questions about Democratic primary and potential primary candidates were asked only of Democrats and “pure independents” who indicated that they would participate in the Sept. 1, 2026 primary election.

    The poll also queried respondents on election reforms that have failed to make it through the Legislature which has resisted the push to open up registration and voting opportunities in the days leading up to an election.

    Sixty-five percent said they support allowing people to register to vote and cast their ballot on Election Day, with 17% opposed. Asked about allowing people to register to vote and cast their ballot during the early voting period, 71% said they supported that change and 12% opposed it.

    Thirty-seven percent supported allowing people currently serving a prison sentence to vote, with 41% against. Asked about requiring all voters to show government-issued photo identification to vote, 61% supported that idea with 21% against it.

    Survey takers also weighed in on approval of disapproval of the way that Markey and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren are doing their jobs.

    Markey’s approval/disapproval split was 54-28, compared to 54-31 in the same poll conducted in October 2024. Warren’s split was 57-35, compared to 53-38 in the poll a year ago.

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    Michael P. Norton

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  • How to reuse your pumpkins after Halloween

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    Halloween was a few days ago, but don’t throw out those pumpkins. There are lots ways to reuse your pumpkins or jack-o’-lanterns now that the trick-or-treating is done. 

    What You Need To Know

    • There are several ways to recycle your pumpkins

    • Leftover pumpkins can make tasty dishes

    • Pumpkin scraps are also an excellent fertilizer for your garden.

    Turn pumpkins into food

    If you didn’t carve the pumpkins yet, consider using it for food. You can scoop out the guts of the pumpkin and turn it into a puree.

    To make a puree, you need to cut up the pumpkin and roast the halves. After they’ve roasted, scoop out the flesh and blend it to turn into a puree.

    The puree could then be used to make pies, soups and sauces.

    (Pexels)

    You can also the roast the pumpkin seeds too after taking out the guts and rinsing them. One cup of pumpkin seeds is equivalent to approximately 12 grams of protein. 

    Pumpkin for animals

    Leftover pumpkins can also become bird feeders.

    You just have to cut off the top third of the pumpkin, empty the cavity, fill it with bird seeds and hang it in the yard for the birds.

    Check with your local zoo. Some will take donated pumpkin scraps and use them as feed for animals. Polar bears enjoy them as a snack.

    Composting pumpkins

    Pumpkins are also good for composting. You can use the pumpkin scraps to help fertilize your garden.

    You can even make it a game for kids to smash leftover pumpkins and use it as compost.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Spectrum News Staff, Meteorologist Keith Bryant

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  • How to reuse your pumpkins after Halloween

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    Halloween was a few days ago, but don’t throw out those pumpkins. There are lots ways to reuse your pumpkins or jack-o’-lanterns now that the trick-or-treating is done. 

    What You Need To Know

    • There are several ways to recycle your pumpkins

    • Leftover pumpkins can make tasty dishes

    • Pumpkin scraps are also an excellent fertilizer for your garden.

    Turn pumpkins into food

    If you didn’t carve the pumpkins yet, consider using it for food. You can scoop out the guts of the pumpkin and turn it into a puree.

    To make a puree, you need to cut up the pumpkin and roast the halves. After they’ve roasted, scoop out the flesh and blend it to turn into a puree.

    The puree could then be used to make pies, soups and sauces.

    (Pexels)

    You can also the roast the pumpkin seeds too after taking out the guts and rinsing them. One cup of pumpkin seeds is equivalent to approximately 12 grams of protein. 

    Pumpkin for animals

    Leftover pumpkins can also become bird feeders.

    You just have to cut off the top third of the pumpkin, empty the cavity, fill it with bird seeds and hang it in the yard for the birds.

    Check with your local zoo. Some will take donated pumpkin scraps and use them as feed for animals. Polar bears enjoy them as a snack.

    Composting pumpkins

    Pumpkins are also good for composting. You can use the pumpkin scraps to help fertilize your garden.

    You can even make it a game for kids to smash leftover pumpkins and use it as compost.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Spectrum News Staff, Meteorologist Keith Bryant

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  • Arrest log

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    The following arrests were made recently by local police departments. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Massachusetts’ privacy law prevents police from releasing information involving domestic and sexual violence arrests with the goal to protect the alleged victims.

    LOWELL

    • Michael James, 52, homeless; trespassing after notice, warrant (failure to appear for trespassing), possession of Class A drug.

    • Melanie Listro, 38, homeless; warrants (operation of motor vehicle with suspended registration, failure to appear for larceny under $1,200).

    • Kristen Butler, 25, 205 Farrwood Drive, Haverhill; trespassing after notice, warrants (failure to appear for shoplifting, assault and battery on police officer, and trespassing).

    • Christopher Guthrie, 38, 108 Chapel St., Apt. 2, Lowell; trespassing.

    • Chanda Moon, 42, 61 Avenue A, Lowell; trespassing after notice.

    • Victor Mercado, 43, 17 Auburn St., Lowell; warrant (possession of Class A drug, failure to appear for shoplifting by asportation).

    • Daniel Faria, 42, homeless; disturbing peace, trespassing, resisting arrest, warrants (breaking and entering building at nighttime for felony, failure to appear for shoplifting by asportation).

    • Thomas Rocha, 21, 270 Lawrence St., Apt. 5, Lowell; operating motor vehicle after license suspension, unregistered motor vehicle.

    • Antonio Santiago, 45, 32 Willie St., Lowell; warrant (larceny over $1,200), possession of Class A drug.

    • Devante Degree, 33, 305 Nesmith St., Apt. 1, Lowell; operating motor vehicle after license suspension.

    • Brian Bristol, 30, 160 Middlesex St., Boston; operating motor vehicle after license suspension, operating uninsured motor vehicle.

    • Edwin Lavallee, 41, no fixed address; warrant (failure to appear for operation of motor vehicle with suspended license).

    • Vannak Chea, 39, homeless; warrant (failure to appear for malicious damage to motor vehicle).

    • Jacquelyn Sanchez, 40, 50 Chestnut St., Apt. 1, Lowell; warrant (assault and battery).

    • Keishla Soto, 35, 256 Market St., Apt. 120, Lowell; operating motor vehicle after license suspension, operating uninsured motor vehicle, unregistered motor vehicle.

    • Keimy Ortiz, 36, homeless; trespassing after notice, warrant (failure to appear for larceny under $1,200).

    • Christopher Michaud, 52, homeless; trespassing after notice.

    • Somrathony Soeng, 36, 49 Plante Circle, Chicopee; trespassing after notice.

    • Sterling Peltier, 49, 49 Oak St., Apt. A, Lowell; trespassing after notice.

    NASHUA, N.H.

    • Kenneth Gurski, 70, no fixed address; criminal trespass.

    • Christopher Albert Rosati, 33, no fixed address; criminal trespass.

    • Rafael Diaz III, 42, 19 Nichol Lane, Apt. 14, Nashua; simple arrest, resisting arrest/detention.

    • Jeiner Lopera Rendon, 28, 33 Whitney St., Apt. 2, Nashua; indecent exposure/sex act in presence of a child under 16, three counts of sexual assault.

    • Brianna Largy, 29, 12 Baker St., Apt. C, Hudson, N.H.; three counts of simple assault, criminal mischief.

    • Katrina Theodore, 39, no fixed address; out of town warrant.

    • Shanaya Scott, 39, no fixed address; out of town warrant, criminal mischief, resisting arrest/detention.

    • Chad Silver, 42, no fixed address; second-degree assault (domestic violence), criminal threatening against person.

    • Tiffany Campbell, 41, no fixed address; criminal trespass, theft by unauthorized taking ($0-$1,000).

    • Dawin Jeniel Fontanez Rosado, 19, 167 W. Hollis St., Nashua; operation of motor vehicle without valid license.

    • Deborah Conway, 61, 170 Concord St., Apt. 9-5, Nashua; two counts of resisting arrest/detention, misuse of 911 system.

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  • Investigation underway into suspected intentional explosion at Harvard University medical campus

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    Overnight explosion at Harvard University’s medical campus believed to be intentional, police say

    Updated: 12:56 PM PDT Nov 1, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    The Harvard University Police Department is investigating what it is calling an intentional explosion inside a building on the medical campus early Saturday morning.Police say the explosion occurred around 2:48 a.m. on the fourth floor of the Goldenson Building at 220 Longwood Ave.There were no reports of any injuries.A responding officer saw two people fleeing the scene and tried stopping them, but was unsuccessful, according to police.Investigators from the Boston Fire Department Arson Unit made an initial assessment that the explosion appeared to be intentional.Boston police officers conducted a sweep of the building to check for additional devices.The Harvard University Police Department is actively investigating the incident, as well as the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. No further information was immediately available.

    The Harvard University Police Department is investigating what it is calling an intentional explosion inside a building on the medical campus early Saturday morning.

    Police say the explosion occurred around 2:48 a.m. on the fourth floor of the Goldenson Building at 220 Longwood Ave.

    There were no reports of any injuries.

    A responding officer saw two people fleeing the scene and tried stopping them, but was unsuccessful, according to police.

    Investigators from the Boston Fire Department Arson Unit made an initial assessment that the explosion appeared to be intentional.

    Boston police officers conducted a sweep of the building to check for additional devices.

    The Harvard University Police Department is actively investigating the incident, as well as the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.

    No further information was immediately available.

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  • Police/Fire: Car fire on Washington Street extinguished

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    Gloucester Police and Fire crews responded to a vehicle fire around 3:20 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, in the area of 91 Washington St.

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  • Woman arrested after alleged violent outburst at Tewksbury Market Basket

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    TEWKSBURY — A Tewksbury woman is facing a slew of charges after allegedly unleashing chaos at the Market Basket on Main Street by assaulting employees and police officers before vandalizing her holding cell.

    According to the Tewksbury Police, 54-year-old Kristin Hartman drove drunk to the store on Tuesday, allegedly shoving staff, ramming a shopping cart into an employee, and hitting and kicking officers during her arrest. Once in custody, police said Hartman intentionally vomited on the cell floor and attempted to clog the toilet using her prison-issued shoes and a roll of toilet paper.

    Hartman was arraigned on Wednesday in Lowell District Court before Judge John Coffey on two counts of assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, operating under the influence of alcohol, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon — identified as a shod foot and a shopping cart — vandalizing property, and assault and battery.

    Hartman was released on her own recognizance with the condition she stay away from the Tewksbury Market Basket, have no contact with the victims in the case, and abstain from alcohol.

    According to court documents, Hartman has not been assigned an attorney. A call placed to the phone number listed in court records was answered by a woman who, when asked if she was Hartman, responded by asking who was calling. After The Sun identified itself, the call abruptly ended.

    Police said in an incident report that officers responded to the Market Basket at 1900 Main St. shortly before noon after receiving reports of a woman — later identified as Hartman —  yelling and swearing at staff. While approaching Hartman inside the store, police said they witnessed a 36-year-old Market Basket employee push her to the ground. Hartman got back up and was shouting, drawing the attention of nearby shoppers.

    Officers escorted Hartman outside where she said she had been assaulted by a store employee. Police said in their report that she smelled strongly of alcohol, describing “a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from her breath while interacting with her in the open air.” They also said they observed her eyes were glassy and bloodshot, and her speech was slurred.

    The 36-year-old Market Basket employee told police that Hartman had hurled derogatory insults at her “for no apparent reason.” Police said the employee added that Hartman “pushed her first and she defended herself and pushed Kristin back.” A witness later corroborated the employee’s account, according to the report, stating that Hartman was yelling in the employee’s face before shoving her.

    A store manager also told police that earlier in the incident, Hartman, who showed several signs of intoxication, had allegedly shoved her shopping cart into another employee in one of the aisles and was yelling at him for no apparent reason.

    Neither employee was injured during the incident.

    During the chaos, police said they learned that Hartman also yelled numerous profanities at an 86-year-old employee.

    While officers were still gathering information inside the store, Hartman’s alleged disturbance continued outside.

    According to the report, she was shouting expletives at police while on the sidewalk, telling one officer, “I hope you die.” Police said Hartman then got into the officer’s face and swung her arm, striking him on the left arm while yelling, “Don’t touch me (expletive),” despite the officer stating he had not made physical contact with her prior to that moment.

    As a result of the alleged assault, police said they instructed Hartman to place her hands behind her back, but she resisted, attempting to pull away as a crowd of onlookers gathered in the busy parking lot. While officers were placing her into a cruiser, Hartman allegedly kicked an officer in the leg with what police described as a hiking boot. During this struggle, police said she also threatened to kill an officer’s family.

    The disruption continued at the police station, where Hartman allegedly caused issues during booking. Police said she “was screaming for no legitimate purpose, was yelling obscenities and required multiple different officers to be present,” according to the police report.

    While in her holding cell, police said that Hartman told an officer, “If you keep me in here, I’m going to puke all over your floor,” followed by, “Enjoy cleaning it up.”

    Police said Hartman placed her prison-issued footwear and a roll of toilet paper into the toilet and attempted to flush the items. She also allegedly induced vomiting by placing her fingers down her throat.

    Officers took photos of the aftermath and noted in their report that the cell was littered with a roll of wet toilet paper on the floor, several empty water bottles, two vomit-soaked blankets, and vomit spread across the floor.

    As part of the investigation, surveillance footage reviewed by police showed Hartman driving to a nearby liquor store shortly before the incident at the grocery store. According to a store manager interviewed by police, she purchased a bottle of Tito’s vodka and returned to her vehicle. Police said the footage captured Hartman “slightly staggering” as she walked to and from the store, before driving to Market Basket.

    Hartman is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial hearing on Nov. 21.

    Follow Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.

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    Aaron Curtis

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  • 2 killed, 2 injured in overnight crash in New Bedford

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    Two people are dead, and two others are hurt following an overnight crash along Route 140 in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

    State police say troopers responded around 2 a.m. Saturday to the single-car crash on the southbound side of the highway at Mile Marker 2.1 and arrived to find a significantly-damaged Honda Civic off the road with four occupants.

    One person was declared dead on scene, police said. The other three were taken to a local hospital, where a second person died from their injuries. There was no immediate update on the condition of the two who were hurt.

    Traffic was able to pass in the breakdown lane while detectives conducted an on-scene investigation, police said. The road reopened to normal traffic shortly after 5 a.m.

    The victims names are not being released at this time, pending notification of families, according to state police, who offered their condolences to the victims’ loved ones.

    Police haven’t said what they believe caused the deadly crash. An investigation remains ongoing.

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    Kaitlin McKinley Becker

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  • Boston family reunites after being stranded in Jamaica during Hurricane Melissa

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    A Boston family reunited Friday after three members were stranded for days in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa.

    A long-awaited hug, filled with tears of relief, came at Logan Airport Friday after days of uncertainty. Three family members were stranded in Jamaica after the island was hit by the Category 5 storm.

    It was the strongest ever to hit the island.

    “It’s great,” Melisa Pérez said after returning to Boston. “We just made it.”

    The storm caused significant damage after making landfall in Jamaica and has weakened as it continues to make its way through the Caribbean.

    They were there to celebrate Wanda Brandao’s 50th birthday. It turned into the most terrifying experience for her, her sister and her niece.

    “My birthday was yesterday,” Brandao said. “Another life.”

    “We were going into this hurricane blindsided, not knowing if it was going to go on top of us, to the left, to the right,” said Leilani Pérez. “The unknown was really scary.”

    They recounted the moments of terror before the impact of the storm, when they had to hunker down at their hotel with hundreds of other people.

    “Like 600 people,” Brandao said. “No AC, and you’re just looking at people, you’re looking at the little kids.”

    People in Massachusetts with loved ones in Jamaica said they briefly lost contact as the storm raged.

    When the hurricane started to land, water started getting into the building, and I remember her Facetiming me, and she was going into panic mode, and I was going into panic mode,” said Henry Pérez, who was in the U.S.

    The family was determined to get everyone back home, booking three flights and even a private jet to Boston.

    “I feel relieved,” Henry Pérez said. “I’m nervous, anxious, I just want to hug my girls and my sister in-law.”

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    Jennifer Sanguano

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  • Police/Fire

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    In news taken from the logs of Cape Ann’s police and fire departments:

    Manchester-by-the-Sea


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  • Police/Fire

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    In news taken from the logs of Cape Ann’s police and fire departments:

    Gloucester


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  • Judges order Trump administration to use contingency funds for SNAP payments

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    Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that President Donald Trump’s administration must continue to fund SNAP, the nation’s biggest food aid program, using contingency funds during the government shutdown.

    The rulings came a day before the U.S. Department of Agriculture planned to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program because it said it could no longer keep funding it due to the shutdown.

    The program serves about 1 in 8 Americans and is a major piece of the nation’s social safety net. Word in October that it would be a Nov. 1 casualty of the shutdown sent states, food banks and SNAP recipients scrambling to figure out how to secure food. Some states said they would spend their own funds to keep versions of the program going.

    The program costs around $8 billion per month nationally.

    Trump suggested on social media Friday that the government would comply with court rulings to pay for food aid during the government shutdown, but said more clarity is needed first.

    “Even if we get immediate guidance, it will unfortunately be delayed while States get the money out,” the president said.

    Federal funds for the program are expected to be frozen starting Saturday.

    “If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding,” Trump said.

    He sought to blame Democrats for the delay and urged SNAP recipients to call Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

    More than 41 million Americans are waiting to see what will happen, with funding for SNAP benefits set to run out, and emergency funds tied up in the courts — all with no end in sight to the government shutdown.

    Democratic state attorneys general or governors from 25 states, as well as the District of Columbia, challenged the plan to pause the program, contending that the administration has a legal obligation to keep it running in their jurisdictions.

    The administration said it wasn’t allowed to use a contingency fund with about $5 billion in it for the program, which reversed a USDA plan from before the shutdown that said money would be tapped to keep SNAP running. The Democratic officials argued that not only could that money be used, it must be. They also said a separate fund with around $23 billion is available for the cause.

    A federal judge in Rhode Island ruled from a bench that the program must be funded using at least the contingency funds – and asked for an update on progress by Monday.

    A Massachusetts-based judge also gave the administration until Monday to say whether it would partially pay for the benefits for November with contingency money or fund them fully with additional funds.

    It wasn’t immediately clear how quickly the debit cards that beneficiaries use to buy groceries could be reloaded after the ruling. That process often takes one to two weeks.

    Read the full Massachusetts order below:

    The rulings are likely to face appeals.

    In a hearing in Boston Thursday on a legal challenge filed by the Democratic officials from 25 states, one federal judge seemed skeptical of the administration’s argument that SNAP benefits could be halted.

    U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani told lawyers that if the government can’t afford to cover the cost, there’s a process to follow rather than simply suspending all benefits. “The steps involve finding an equitable way of reducing benefits,” said Talwani, who was nominated to the court by former President Barack Obama.

    Talwani seemed to be leaning toward requiring the government to put billions of dollars in emergency funds toward SNAP. That, she said, is her interpretation of what Congress intended when an agency’s funding runs out.

    “If you don’t have money, you tighten your belt,” she said in court. “You are not going to make everyone drop dead because it’s a political game someplace.”

    Government lawyers say a contingency fund containing some $5 billion cannot legally be used to maintain SNAP, a program that costs about $8 billion a month. The states say it must be used for that purpose and point to more money available in a second federal account with around $23 billion.

    Talwani said her ruling would apply nationwide, not just in the states that are part of the challenge. That could defy the intentions of the U.S. Supreme Court, which has limited the use of nationwide injunctions, though it hasn’t prohibited them.

    Meanwhile, states, food banks and recipients have been bracing for an abrupt shift in how low-income people can get groceries.

    The majority of states have announced more or expedited funding for food banks or novel ways to load at least some benefits onto the debit cards used in the program.

    Advocates and beneficiaries say halting the food aid would force people to choose between buying groceries and paying other bills.

    At a Washington news conference Friday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, whose department runs SNAP, said the contingency funds in question would not cover the cost of SNAP for long. Speaking at a press conference with House Speaker Mike Johnson at the Capitol, she blamed Democrats for conducting a “disgusting dereliction of duty” by refusing to end their Senate filibuster as they hold out for an extension of health care funds.

    A push this week to continue SNAP funding during the shutdown failed in Congress.

    To qualify for SNAP in 2025, a family of four’s net income after certain expenses can’t exceed the federal poverty line, which is about $31,000 per year. Last year, SNAP provided assistance to 41 million people, nearly two-thirds of whom were families with children, according to the lawsuit.

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    Michael Casey and Kimberlee Kruesi | The Associated Press

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  • As we “fall back” this weekend, the time change debate continues

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    It’s that time of the year again, when we “fall back” one hour, ending daylight saving time and returning to standard time and thus igniting the semi-annual debate.

    Do we proceed with the current standards and switch the clocks biannually in 48 of the 50 states? Or do we establish one standard and end this shifting of time? 

    19 states say yes, end the shifting and establish permanent daylight saving time. Federal law says no, and thus the debate continues. 

    Why we change the clocks

    The United States began the concept of daylight saving time in 1918, during World War I, to save fuel. The thought was that by advancing one hour ahead, coal-fired energy would assist the war effort rather than that hour at home.

    Standard time returned following the war and continued until World War II. After World War II, some states and even cities kept daylight saving time, creating various time zones within regions. Frustrated with no uniform time, the public pushed Congress to pass the Uniform Time Act in 1966.

    This established the time frame for daylight saving time would begin the last Sunday in April and end the last Sunday in October.

    In 1987, it extended to include the first Sunday in April and end on the last Sunday in October.

    Part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the modern daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.

    This current time shift began in 2007, but this practice, according to millions of Americans, is outdated. 

    Not every state changes the clocks

    The law passed by Congress in 1966 allows states to opt out of observing daylight saving and stay in standard time year-round but not the other way around. Two states, Arizona and Hawaii, along with multiple U.S. territories have done so and thus stay in standard time the full year. 

    Hawaii doesn’t take part because of its location. With not much variation throughout the year between sunrise and sunset, it made little sense to switch the clocks. 

    Only the Navajo Nation in Arizona observes daylight saving time. The rest of the state exempted itself in 1968. 

    They cited the heat as their reason for opting out, adding that if they switched the clocks ahead one hour, the sun would not set until 9 p.m. in the summer, limiting nighttime activities.

    President Trump’s feelings on time change

    Even President Trump sees it from both sides of the debate.

    “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our nation,” he wrote on his social media back on Dec. 13, 2024. 

    However, his Truth Social post in April boasted something completely different.

    A hearing convened in April by the Senate Commerce Committee was debating this issue. Trump’s endorsement might help settle the debate for lawmakers. 

    Sunshine Protection Act and its opponents

    On March 15, 2022, the U.S. Senate voted unanimously in favor of the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent, meaning Americans would no longer have to change their clocks twice a year to account for the time change. 

    While the Senate passed the bill, three and a half years later it remains stalled in the House and has not been signed into law by President Trump.

    Not everyone agrees with eliminating standard time.

    Earlier this week, Republican Sen. Tom Cotton was on hand to thwart a bipartisan effort on the chamber floor to pass a bill establishing permanent daylight saving time. 

    “If permanent Daylight Savings Time becomes the law of the land, it will again make winter a dark and dismal time for millions of Americans,” said Cotton in his objection to a request by Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) to advance the bill by unanimous consent.

    Adding, “For many Arkansans, permanent daylight savings time would mean the sun wouldn’t rise until after 8:00 or even 8:30 a.m. during the dead of winter,” Emphasizing, “The darkness of permanent savings time would be especially harmful for school children and working Americans.”

    Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) called for the Senate to pass the bill this week, citing states’ rights as a major reason for his support for the so-called “Sunshine Protection Act.” 

    “It allows the people of each state to choose what best fits their needs and the needs of their families,” said Scott. “The American people are sick and tired of changing their clocks twice a year. It’s confusing, unnecessary and completely outdated.”

    Cotton strengthened his argument by bringing up the “abject failure” of the last time Congress enacted permanent daylight saving time in 1974, pledging to always oppose legislation that would do just that.

     

    Vote in Live Poll: Cancel daylight saving time or stay on it permanently?

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Stacy Lynn

    Source link

  • As we “fall back” this weekend, the time change debate continues

    [ad_1]

    It’s that time of the year again, when we “fall back” one hour, ending daylight saving time and returning to standard time and thus igniting the semi-annual debate.

    Do we proceed with the current standards and switch the clocks biannually in 48 of the 50 states? Or do we establish one standard and end this shifting of time? 

    19 states say yes, end the shifting and establish permanent daylight saving time. Federal law says no, and thus the debate continues. 

    Why we change the clocks

    The United States began the concept of daylight saving time in 1918, during World War I, to save fuel. The thought was that by advancing one hour ahead, coal-fired energy would assist the war effort rather than that hour at home.

    Standard time returned following the war and continued until World War II. After World War II, some states and even cities kept daylight saving time, creating various time zones within regions. Frustrated with no uniform time, the public pushed Congress to pass the Uniform Time Act in 1966.

    This established the time frame for daylight saving time would begin the last Sunday in April and end the last Sunday in October.

    In 1987, it extended to include the first Sunday in April and end on the last Sunday in October.

    Part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the modern daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.

    This current time shift began in 2007, but this practice, according to millions of Americans, is outdated. 

    Not every state changes the clocks

    The law passed by Congress in 1966 allows states to opt out of observing daylight saving and stay in standard time year-round but not the other way around. Two states, Arizona and Hawaii, along with multiple U.S. territories have done so and thus stay in standard time the full year. 

    Hawaii doesn’t take part because of its location. With not much variation throughout the year between sunrise and sunset, it made little sense to switch the clocks. 

    Only the Navajo Nation in Arizona observes daylight saving time. The rest of the state exempted itself in 1968. 

    They cited the heat as their reason for opting out, adding that if they switched the clocks ahead one hour, the sun would not set until 9 p.m. in the summer, limiting nighttime activities.

    President Trump’s feelings on time change

    Even President Trump sees it from both sides of the debate.

    “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our nation,” he wrote on his social media back on Dec. 13, 2024. 

    However, his Truth Social post in April boasted something completely different.

    A hearing convened in April by the Senate Commerce Committee was debating this issue. Trump’s endorsement might help settle the debate for lawmakers. 

    Sunshine Protection Act and its opponents

    On March 15, 2022, the U.S. Senate voted unanimously in favor of the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent, meaning Americans would no longer have to change their clocks twice a year to account for the time change. 

    While the Senate passed the bill, three and a half years later it remains stalled in the House and has not been signed into law by President Trump.

    Not everyone agrees with eliminating standard time.

    Earlier this week, Republican Sen. Tom Cotton was on hand to thwart a bipartisan effort on the chamber floor to pass a bill establishing permanent daylight saving time. 

    “If permanent Daylight Savings Time becomes the law of the land, it will again make winter a dark and dismal time for millions of Americans,” said Cotton in his objection to a request by Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) to advance the bill by unanimous consent.

    Adding, “For many Arkansans, permanent daylight savings time would mean the sun wouldn’t rise until after 8:00 or even 8:30 a.m. during the dead of winter,” Emphasizing, “The darkness of permanent savings time would be especially harmful for school children and working Americans.”

    Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) called for the Senate to pass the bill this week, citing states’ rights as a major reason for his support for the so-called “Sunshine Protection Act.” 

    “It allows the people of each state to choose what best fits their needs and the needs of their families,” said Scott. “The American people are sick and tired of changing their clocks twice a year. It’s confusing, unnecessary and completely outdated.”

    Cotton strengthened his argument by bringing up the “abject failure” of the last time Congress enacted permanent daylight saving time in 1974, pledging to always oppose legislation that would do just that.

     

    Vote in Live Poll: Cancel daylight saving time or stay on it permanently?

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    [ad_2]

    Meteorologist Stacy Lynn

    Source link

  • As we “fall back” this weekend, the time change debate continues

    [ad_1]

    It’s that time of the year again, when we “fall back” one hour, ending daylight saving time and returning to standard time and thus igniting the semi-annual debate.

    Do we proceed with the current standards and switch the clocks biannually in 48 of the 50 states? Or do we establish one standard and end this shifting of time? 

    19 states say yes, end the shifting and establish permanent daylight saving time. Federal law says no, and thus the debate continues. 

    Why we change the clocks

    The United States began the concept of daylight saving time in 1918, during World War I, to save fuel. The thought was that by advancing one hour ahead, coal-fired energy would assist the war effort rather than that hour at home.

    Standard time returned following the war and continued until World War II. After World War II, some states and even cities kept daylight saving time, creating various time zones within regions. Frustrated with no uniform time, the public pushed Congress to pass the Uniform Time Act in 1966.

    This established the time frame for daylight saving time would begin the last Sunday in April and end the last Sunday in October.

    In 1987, it extended to include the first Sunday in April and end on the last Sunday in October.

    Part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the modern daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.

    This current time shift began in 2007, but this practice, according to millions of Americans, is outdated. 

    Not every state changes the clocks

    The law passed by Congress in 1966 allows states to opt out of observing daylight saving and stay in standard time year-round but not the other way around. Two states, Arizona and Hawaii, along with multiple U.S. territories have done so and thus stay in standard time the full year. 

    Hawaii doesn’t take part because of its location. With not much variation throughout the year between sunrise and sunset, it made little sense to switch the clocks. 

    Only the Navajo Nation in Arizona observes daylight saving time. The rest of the state exempted itself in 1968. 

    They cited the heat as their reason for opting out, adding that if they switched the clocks ahead one hour, the sun would not set until 9 p.m. in the summer, limiting nighttime activities.

    President Trump’s feelings on time change

    Even President Trump sees it from both sides of the debate.

    “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our nation,” he wrote on his social media back on Dec. 13, 2024. 

    However, his Truth Social post in April boasted something completely different.

    A hearing convened in April by the Senate Commerce Committee was debating this issue. Trump’s endorsement might help settle the debate for lawmakers. 

    Sunshine Protection Act and its opponents

    On March 15, 2022, the U.S. Senate voted unanimously in favor of the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent, meaning Americans would no longer have to change their clocks twice a year to account for the time change. 

    While the Senate passed the bill, three and a half years later it remains stalled in the House and has not been signed into law by President Trump.

    Not everyone agrees with eliminating standard time.

    Earlier this week, Republican Sen. Tom Cotton was on hand to thwart a bipartisan effort on the chamber floor to pass a bill establishing permanent daylight saving time. 

    “If permanent Daylight Savings Time becomes the law of the land, it will again make winter a dark and dismal time for millions of Americans,” said Cotton in his objection to a request by Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) to advance the bill by unanimous consent.

    Adding, “For many Arkansans, permanent daylight savings time would mean the sun wouldn’t rise until after 8:00 or even 8:30 a.m. during the dead of winter,” Emphasizing, “The darkness of permanent savings time would be especially harmful for school children and working Americans.”

    Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) called for the Senate to pass the bill this week, citing states’ rights as a major reason for his support for the so-called “Sunshine Protection Act.” 

    “It allows the people of each state to choose what best fits their needs and the needs of their families,” said Scott. “The American people are sick and tired of changing their clocks twice a year. It’s confusing, unnecessary and completely outdated.”

    Cotton strengthened his argument by bringing up the “abject failure” of the last time Congress enacted permanent daylight saving time in 1974, pledging to always oppose legislation that would do just that.

     

    Vote in Live Poll: Cancel daylight saving time or stay on it permanently?

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    [ad_2]

    Meteorologist Stacy Lynn

    Source link