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MSD shooting survivors, victims’ families retrieve belongings, honor lost loved ones on 2nd-day site visit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:09 GMT

On the second day, survivors and families of the victims of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School went inside the building, where everything remains as it was that tragic day.The 1200 building is surrounded by a chain-link fence. It has not been changed, cleaned, or used since the day of the massacre on Feb. 14, 2018. Families and those connected with the building began going inside the building since it reopened for private visits on Wednesday.They decided to make the visit for several reasons — some to retrieve belongings, others to reflect and close this painful chapter as best as possible. It was their first time entering since the Valentine’s Day massacre, and possibly their last, because of a potential demolition in the upcoming months. “To feel, to be there with him. This was the last place that Alex took his breath,” said Max Schachter, who lost his 14-year-old son that day. “I felt Alex there, but I also felt the horror, the terro...

Short sleep negates benefits of exercise for the brain, study says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:09 GMT

(CNN) — One of the most important ways to keep your body healthy is by exercising — it has been shown to help prevent chronic disease, lengthen life, ward off dementia, slow cognitive decline and much more.However, the amount of sleep you get may be just as important — at least when it comes to the benefits of exercise and how well your brain functions as you age.In a new study, researchers discovered people with more frequent, higher-intensity physical activity who slept less than six hours a night on average had faster overall cognitive decline than short sleepers who exercised infrequently.“Our study suggests that getting sufficient sleep may be required for us to get the full cognitive benefits of physical activity,” said lead author Dr. Mikaela Bloomberg, a research fellow at the Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care at University College London.“It shows how important it is to consider sleep and physical activity together when thinking about cognitive health,” she said i...

Here’s what Americans say they need to earn to feel rich, or even just financially secure

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:09 GMT

(CNN) — They are age-old questions: How much do you need to feel financially secure? How much would you need to feel rich?More than 2,500 US adults said they would need to earn, on average, $233,000 a year to feel financially secure and $483,000 annually to feel rich or to attain financial freedom, according to a new survey from Bankrate.Just for comparison’s sake, the median earnings for a full-time, year-round worker in 2021 was $56,473, according to the US Census Bureau.Of course, there is no objective or “right” answer to these questions. What it takes for one person to feel financially comfortable – or like they’re set for life– can depend a lot on their early childhood experiences with money, how much they perceive those around them to have, their current financial situation, the cost of living in their area and, if they’ve thought about it, what is most important to them in life.Plus, a big income isn’t necessarily a guarantee of financial security if you’re living paycheck t...

UK’s energy department overrun with insects

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:09 GMT

LONDON — Four floors of the U.K.’s energy and climate change department were shut to staff Friday in a bid to battle an insect infestation.A message to staff — seen by POLITICO’s London Playbook — confirms that unspecified “insects” were spotted this week on the second, third, fourth and fifth floors of 1 Victoria Street, home to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. The site is also the workplace for some officials from the business and trade department.In an “important update on the steps being taken to manage the situation,” the department’s estates team says it received “a couple of reports from colleagues of insects on 4th floor” earlier this week.But, despite a “deep clean,” followed by a “specialist clean” and the placing of “monitoring devices,” the battle inside 1 Victoria Street continues.The note said “further sightings of insects have been reported in some areas on floors 2, 3,...

France to the EU: Don’t tell us how to run our police force

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:09 GMT

Paris has an answer to Brussels’ concerns over police violence: It’s none of your business.“I’m going to be very clear,” France’s State Secretary for Europe Laurence Boone said in a video clip of a hearing at the French Senate published Friday on Boone’s Twitter account. “It’s not up to [Justice Commissioner] Didier Reynders or the European Commission to take an interest in the way France manages its police force.”In an interview on Belgian radio on Wednesday, Reynders said there was a need to “reflect on [French] policing” given the “striking level of violence” the country has witnessed over the past few years, which culminated in a week of riots after the death of a teenager, Nahel M., who was shot by a police officer during a traffic stop.“We need to examine the very high level of violence, because it sometimes poses a challenge in the behavior of a certain number of police officers — as we&...

Needham residents warned not to use outdoor USPS mailboxes after mail phishing incident

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:09 GMT

Needham police are telling residents not to use outdoor blue US Post Office mailboxes and warning those who used several mailboxes in town to check to make sure their payments went through after a mail phishing incident. Officers responded to the incident at the US Post Office boxes on Great Plain Avenue early Monday morning, where they say suspects were “actively engaging in stealing mail, specifically looking for checks to ‘wash.’” Mail was found scattered outside the mailbox.Police wrote, “We are asking anyone who has placed their mail into those specific boxes to check to see if your payments have made it to their intended destination. If they have not or you think they may be delayed, please place a STOP PAYMENT on your account AND close your account immediately. Please monitor your financial accounts going forward if you did use these boxes.”Residents are being asked to bring their outgoing mail directly into the Post Office during office hours.If...

Somerville residents warned to lock doors, windows after series of break-ins

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:09 GMT

Somerville police are warning residents to lock their doors and windows after a series of bold break-ins near the Cambridge line.The reported break-ins in the area of Beacon Street all occurred between midnight and 6 a.m., police say.Investigators released a photo of a suspect who is being sought in connection with another recent break-in as the investigation continues. It’s unclear if that suspect is connected to the other incidents in the area.Matthew Knight said he and his roommate had to chase a man from their apartment after he climbed through an open window in May. “It’s really scary, the delayed response time because it honestly all made us feel really unsafe,” Knight said.Next door, Logan Tooth said the break-ins have him feeling nervous.“Definitely a little intimidated,” Tooth said. “We’re closing our windows and locking our doors and in the summer, it’s not a fun thing to happen.”Anyone with information about the break-ins is urged to contact Somerville police at 617...

NH man to be arraigned on murder charge in mother’s death

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:09 GMT

A New Hampshire man accused of killing his mother in Hudson on Wednesday night is expected to face a judge on Friday.Grant DeGiacomo, 26, will be arraigned on a second-degree murder charge in connection with the beating death of his mother, Christine DeGiacomo, 57, who was found in a townhouse on Shoal Creek Road around 9:45 p.m. suffering from “traumatic injury,” according to the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office.Officers could be seen collecting evidence from the home, which was marked off with crime scene tape.Neighbors described Christine DeGiacomo as a kind person who loved her kids. News of the violent crime shocked residents of the usually quiet neighborhood.Officials are also expected to announce the results of an autopsy.This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

Biden launches a new push to limit health care costs hoping to show he can save money for families

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:09 GMT

By JOSH BOAK (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday rolled out a new set of initiatives to reduce health care costs: a crackdown on scam insurance plans, new guidance to prevent surprise medical bills and an effort to reduce medical debt tied to credit cards.Biden’s remarks will build on previous initiatives to limit health care costs, with the Department of Health and Human Services releasing new estimates showing 18.7 million older adults and other Medicare beneficiaries will save an estimated $400 per year in prescription drug costs in 2025 because of the president placing a cap on out-of-pocket spending as part of last year’s Inflation Reduction Act.Gearing up for his 2024 reelection campaign as inflation remains a dominant concern for voters, the Democratic president has emphasized his policies to help families manage their expenses, as well as a spate of government incentives to encourage private sector development of electric vehicles, clean energy ...

Battenfeld: Fractured Boston City Council breaks out into open warfare

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:09 GMT

The fractured Boston City Council is breaking out into open warfare as the liberals and conservatives fight for power in the out-of-control institution.At stake is nothing less than the reins of the council, which now has budgetary authority, can pass ordinances and make life difficult for Mayor Michelle Wu.Far-left liberals now have a slight majority edge on the council now but their power could increase with the pending departures of moderates Frank Baker and Michael Flaherty.The latest shot came from President Ed Flynn as he took indirect aim at Councilor Kendra Lara after she crashed her car into a Jamaica Plain house. The Herald has also reported that Lara was driving an unregistered car and a revoked driver’s license.Lara told police she swerved to avoid a car entering the street from the curb and then couldn’t brake in time before she crashed into the house, according to a police report. The driver of the second vehicle disputed that and told police Lara was traveling at a hi...