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Volleyball notebook: Acton-Boxboro likes taste of winning

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:10 GMT

After the entire 2020 season was cancelled and restrictions smothered the ensuing campaign, the MIAA called an audible for the final year of the state tournament’s sectional format by allowing any team to opt into the 2021 playoffs – regardless of record. Weymouth (0-13), Methuen (0-10), Arlington (0-11) and Acton-Boxboro (0-10) each chose to participate after laboring through winless regular seasons, and all four persevered to win their first game of the year in the tournament’s preliminary round.It’s a cool, never-give-up accomplishment those schools share. But as three of those teams faltered against top-five seeds in the next round, battle-tested Acton-Boxboro wasn’t done. It won again.“We were down, but the (Dual County League) teams we were playing were just incredibly hard,” said eighth-year Revolution head coach Darren Gwin. “That team really stayed committed to the process, and we really quantified our success differently because in a lot of those matches, going into ...

Orioles promote pitching prospect DL Hall to serve as 27th man in Detroit doubleheader: ‘We’re trying to win games’

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:10 GMT

Left-handed pitching prospect DL Hall didn’t break camp with the Orioles because they wanted him to continue to work as a starter. His first appearance with Baltimore this year could come out of the bullpen, where he thrived down the stretch last season.The Orioles added Hall as their 27th man for Saturday’s doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers. Hall, 24, is the No. 2 pitching prospect in the organization behind right-hander Grayson Rodriguez, who is scheduled to start the second game of the twin bill. With Dean Kremer pitching the opener, Hall will provide length out of the bullpen on a day the Orioles’ pitching staff will need to cover two games’ worth of innings.“You bring up DL Hall as your 27th man, that’s a good feeling,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “The way I’m gonna use him today, I’m not really sure. I think we’ll kind of let the games play out a little bit. But he’s stretched out as a starter. He clo...

Showdown at SatanCon: White nationalist group Patriot Front joins protest of Satanic gathering in Boston

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:10 GMT

UPDATE: The white nationalist group The Patriot Front has joined in the protest, hundreds strong, against the ongoing SatanCon 2023 taking place at a hotel on Copley Square.Already staged at the Marriott Copley Place hotel where the event is held were 100 to 200 largely Christian protesters who made their opposition to the Satanic gathering with flags bearing statements like “Satan has NO rights!”The sold-out event, put on by the Salem-based The Satanic Temple, has run since yesterday and is scheduled to continue through Sunday.A Herald photographer is tracking members of the Patriot Front as they cross Copley Place and head toward the Marriott.Last July 2, some 100 members of the Patriot Front marched through downtown Boston, an incident that led to at least one violent confrontation.The first indication of the march that day came over emergency radio communications  at around 12:30 p.m. as members of the group offloaded a number of shields and flags from a rental truck...

Baseball/softball notebook: Middleboro out to close the deal

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:10 GMT

Behind the the return of eight of nine starters from a year ago, Middleboro is again a premier contender in Div. 3 as it enters the first week in May at 8-0.Middleboro fell in the 2022 state championship, sparking the determined start.“We have done a good job this year, coming off last year, realizing that yes we have had a great start but we have not won anything yet,” Middleboro coach Dan Sylvia said. “Our goal is to win the state championship. We’ve gotten close, but each season is new and fresh.”Over the last three years, the Sachems have been one of the top programs in Eastern Mass. In 2021, Middleboro started 19-0 before bowing out in the Div. 1 South Sectional Final. Last year came up short to Greater New Bedford. Now Sylvia is hoping all the pieces are finally in place.“These girls started in middle school when I took over six years ago,” Sylvia said. “They got two years under their belt with a coach who I trusted at the middle...

Fewer cruise lines expected to make port calls to San Diego

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:10 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- The embarcadero is often packed with tourists and customers ready to enjoy the San Diego scene.“Always something else, something else to see in San Diego,” says tourist Thomas Gallagher.But what you may not see are as many cruise ships off the port of San Diego next year. New app allows nurses to pick up open shifts at short-staffed hospitals Norwegian Cruise Line is not scheduling cruises out of San Diego for the 2023 to 2024 season.“We have a lot of people from those cruise ships when they come and stop by here,” says shop worker Suhaib Ahmadi. “They come and visit our shop and they start shopping here, so if they don’t stop by here we will have fewer sales, fewer business and we will lose a lot of customers.”Norwegian is setting sail for Asia instead. Other lines expect fewer San Diego cruise calls as well. The Port of San Diego says Disney Cruise Line is shifting to Australia and Princess Cruises is also shifting to Asia as cruising opens back up there.“When Asia...

Spain is 1st Black woman to lead South Carolina Democrats

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:10 GMT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Christale Spain, a longtime party operative, was elected Saturday as chair of South Carolina’s Democratic Party, becoming the first Black woman to lead the organization in what will be the Democrats’ leadoff presidential voting state in 2024.Spain was elected during the party’s convention Saturday in Columbia. She takes over in a wave of changes across state Democratic parties for 2024. With her election, and thanks to the party’s recent revamp of its primary schedule, four of the five states in which Democrats will vote first next year — Georgia, Michigan, Nevada and South Carolina — now have Black women chairing their state parties.Putting states with more diversity at the top of the voting calendar was a priority for President Joe Biden, who recently moved on his own reelection bid and pushed to move South Carolina — a state where he won big in 2020 — to the top of the nominating calendar.Black women are major drivers of the Democrati...

Life-size sculpture of euthanized walrus unveiled in Norway

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:10 GMT

HELSINKI (AP) — A walrus that became a global celebrity last year after it was seen frolicking and basking in a Oslo fjord before it was euthanized by the authorities has been honored with a bronze sculpture in Norway.The life-size sculpture by Norwegian artist Astri Tonoian was unveiled Saturday at the Oslo marina not far from the place where the actual 600-kilogram (1,300-pound) mammal was seen resting and relaxing during the summer of 2022. The walrus, named Freya, quickly become a popular attraction among Oslo residents but Norwegian authorities later made a decision to euthanize it — causing public outrage — because they said people hadn’t followed recommendations to keep a safe distance away from the massive animal.Norwegian news agency NTB said a crowdfunding campaign was kicked off last fall to finance the sculpture. The private initiative managed to gather about 270,000 Norwegian kroner ($25,000) by October, NTB said. The Associated Press

Jill Biden uses workout to honor military kids’ sacrifices

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:10 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jill Biden welcomed military families to the White House lawn Saturday for a workout complete with jumping jacks and push-ups to highlight the sacrifices children make when their parents decide to serve. “Sharing a workout might seem like a small thing,” the first lady, who was joined by Veteran Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough, said to the crowd. “But when it comes to honoring our military, and veteran families, caregivers and survivors, it’s often the little things that make a difference.”The event was the latest in a series hosted by the first lady as part of Joining Forces, her White House initiative to support military and veteran families, caregivers and survivors. Also this month, she opened a temporary art exhibit at the White House to help educate visitors about the lives of military children. The display of 10 mini “suitcases” designed by military and veteran children reflects their lives of frequent moves. Some of the cases are adorned with depict...

Pope in Hungary meets with Ukrainian refugees, Russian envoy

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:10 GMT

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Pope Francis plunged into both sides of Russia’s war with Ukraine on Saturday, greeting some of the 2.5 million Ukrainian refugees who have fled across the border to Hungary during a public prayer service and then meeting privately with an envoy of the Russian Orthodox Church that has strongly supported the war.Francis maintained the Vatican’s tradition of diplomatic neutrality during his second day in Budapest, where he’s on a weekend visit to minister to Hungary’s Catholic faithful.Starting the day, he thanked Hungarians for welcoming Ukrainian refugees and urged them to help anyone in need. He called for a culture of charity in a country where the prime minister has justified firm anti-immigration policies with fears that migration threatens Europe’s Christian culture.Speaking in the white-brick St. Elizabeth’s church, named for a princess who renounced her wealth to care for the poor, Francis recalled that the Gospel instruc...

Crowds, high prices and the 'White Lotus' effect: Worst places to travel this summer

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:10 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Summer vacation is supposed to be about rest and relaxation. But in reality, it sometimes ends up being about overpriced tourist traps, crowded streets or delayed flights. How can you avoid that fate? We asked Clint Henderson, frequent traveler and managing editor at The Points Guy, for some guidance. First off, make sure you pick the right location to jet off to. If you're looking for peace and tranquility, there are some destinations you may want to avoid in 2023. "The 'White Lotus' effect is real," Henderson said, referring to the popular HBO series that portrays luxury travel in Hawaii and Sicily, Italy. "Pretty much anytime you put a location in a film or a popular TV series, it's going to become really popular," he explained. "In fact, it's tough to even get a hotel room sometimes now in Sicily." It's not just Sicily — The Points Guy is seeing huge demand for pretty much all European destination this year, Henderson said. Some spots have made moves to restrict...