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Officials determine Spencer church fire was caused by lightning strike

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:26 GMT

Authorities officially determined a lightening strike was the cause of a massive fire that destroyed a historic church in Spencer on Friday.A spokesperson for the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services told 7NEWS that investigators made the determination after officials with the Spencer Fire Department and Massachusetts State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit reviewed what was left of the First Congregational Church of Spencer.The fire at 207 Main Street went to six alarms at the time, with over 80 firefighters from nearly 18 fire departments called in before it was extinguished, according to the spokesperson.No injuries were reported, but the 160-year-old church was decimated by the blaze, with its steeple collapsing to its side at one point as flames burned through the rest of the house of worship.“For a lot of folks its a death in the family, for folks who have gone through life milestones here from baptisms to weddings to funerals, it’s devastating,R...

Jimmy Butler’s defense was the difference for Heat in Game 2 win

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:26 GMT

Jimmy Butler can guard Jamal Murray after all – and Erik Spoelstra had the guts to call the shot.There were all the reasons in the world to leave Butler guarding anyone but Murray after the Denver Nuggets lead guard torched the Heat for 26 points on 50% shooting in Game 1 of the NBA Finals: Murray was ostensibly too quick, too talented, too much of an offensive threat for the senescent Butler to keep in check.It was untrue: After Murray picked apart Gabe Vincent in Game 1, Spoelstra sicced Butler on the Nuggets guard. It was an immediate game-changer: Murray shot just 7-of-15 from the field for 18 points on the night, with much of that production coming in a furious attempt by Denver to steal the game at the death. It wasn’t enough.Despite a 41-point night from two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, it was the Heat who came away with a 111-108 victory and stole home-court advantage in the Mile-High City in Game 2.And with Butler shooting sub-40 percent (13-of-33 from the field) thro...

Buffalo Bills break ground on new stadium as Gov. Hochul hails unpopular $1.5B project

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:26 GMT

Gov. Hochul joined NFL and upstate officials at a groundbreaking ceremony Monday for the new Buffalo Bills stadium, a polarizing taxpayer-funded project that Gov. Hochul declared would benefit New Yorkers “for decades to come.”Many New Yorkers have gritted their teeth at the gridiron venture, which is expected to cost some $1.5 billion, including $600 million in state funds. Sixty-three percent of New York voters disapproved of the spending deal, compared to 24% in favor, in a Siena survey conducted last spring after the agreement was brokered.But Hochul said the plan — which appears even more unpopular upstate than downstate — would prove a long-term boon to the Buffalo region, driving economic development.“I was not going to be the first governor in the State of New York to lose a team: the Buffalo Bills,” Hochul, a Buffalo native and avid Bills fan, said at the celebratory groundbreaking. The Bills are New York’s only NFL team — the...

Lawyer says ‘nothing was out of bounds’ for reporters seeking scoops on young Prince Harry

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:26 GMT

By BRIAN MELLEY and JILL LAWLESS (Associated Press)LONDON (AP) — A broken thumb, a back injury, dabbling with drugs and dating girls.No event in the life of a young Prince Harry was too trivial or private for the journalists of Mirror Group Newspapers to resist, and the demand for such scoops led to the use of illegal means to dig up dirt, his lawyer said Monday in the opening of his phone hacking lawsuit.“Nothing was sacrosanct or out of bounds and there was no protection from these unlawful information-gathering methods,” attorney David Sherborne said.But a defense lawyer said it would have been foolish to spy on a figure like Harry with such tight security, and he rejected allegations that Mirror Group reporters ever eavesdropped on his phone’s voice messages. “There is simply no evidence capable of supporting the finding that the Duke of Sussex was hacked, let alone on a habitual basis,” attorney Anthony Green said. “Zilch, zero, nil, na...

Living with anxiety? What to know when buying life insurance

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:26 GMT

In the United States, 6.8 million adults struggle with generalized anxiety disorder, according to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America. This means they experience a sense of worry most days, and these feelings can creep into their personal, social and working life.If you’re part of this group, the thought of securing life insurance might feel overwhelming. While an anxiety diagnosis can make it trickier to navigate the buying process, it doesn’t disqualify you from getting coverage.How life insurers view anxietyFrom diabetes to depression, all health conditions are seen to present some degree of risk. An insurer’s job is to answer the question: How risky are you to cover?To calculate risk, companies typically ask about your health and lifestyle as part of the life insurance underwriting process. They then use this information to determine whether you’re eligible for coverage and set your rates.If you’re living with generalized anxiety disorder, you can expect to answe...

Cops use drinking glass DNA to nab lawyer in alleged string of rapes and assault

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:26 GMT

A New Jersey lawyer charged in an alleged series of cold case rapes and assaults that occurred in Boston in 2007 and 2008, was caught after police trailing him were able to obtain a DNA sample from a glass he used at a corporate event, according to prosecutors.Matthew Nilo, 35, pleaded not guilty to charges in the alleged string of assaults this morning during an appearance at Suffolk Superior Court. He can be released if he posts $500,000 cash bail.Nilo is charged with three counts of aggravated rape, two counts of kidnapping, one count of assault — attempted rape and one count of indecent assault and battery. The charges stem from alleged incidents in the Terminal Street area of Charlestown on Aug. 18, 2007; Nov. 22, 2007; Aug. 5, 2008; and Dec. 23, 2008.Nilo’s fiance Laura Griffin was in court to support him Monday.Boston, MA 6/5/23 A woman reported to be Matthew Nilo’s fiancée, Laura Griffin, second from right, attends the proceeding in Suffolk Superior Court. Arrest...

Ice Cube to headline old-school rap concert in San Diego

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:26 GMT

SAN DIEGO — October 13 is going to be a "Good Day" in San Diego when Ice Cube takes the stage for an old-school rap concert.The rap music pioneer, actor and media mogul will headline the Magic 92.5 Throwback Jam at Pechanga Arena on Friday, Oct. 13, it was announced Monday.Joining Ice Cube on stage will be hip hop and rap legends Warren G, Rob Base, Sugar Hill Gang, Lighter Shade of Brown, and Grandmaster Melle Mel and Scorpio of the Furious Five.A special surprise guest will also appear at the show. Their identity will be revealed at a later date.Tickets for the Throwback Jam go on sale Friday, June 9 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased here. Presale tickets will be available on Thursday, June 8 at 10 a.m. with the promo code "ICECUBESD".The price for tickets will range from $45 to $175, according to AXS.Ice Cube, who rose to fame as part of the rap group N.W.A before launching a successful solo career with hits like "It Was a Good Day" and "Check Yo Self," is known as an icon in the W...

Missouri man set for execution on ’emotional roller coaster,’ attorney says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:26 GMT

A man on Missouri’s death row is on “an emotional roller coaster” amid efforts to spare his life with just one day before his scheduled execution, his attorney said.Michael Tisius, 42, is set to die by injection Tuesday evening at the state prison in Bonne Terre for killing two jailers in 2000 in an ill-fated effort to free a man from a county jail. He would be the third Missouri man, and the 12th nationally, put to death in 2023.A clemency request before Republican Gov. Mike Parsons focuses on several issues. Among them: Tisius was just 19 at the time of the killings; he had been neglected as a child; and a juror at his 2010 resentencing may have been illiterate — in violation of Missouri law. It’s unclear when Parson will announce his decision. A message left Monday with his spokeswoman wasn’t immediately returned.The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to halt the execution based on Tisius’ age when the crime occurred. A federal judge last week stayed the exec...

Resident sues after Iowa building collapse kills 3, says city and owners didn’t warn them of danger

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:26 GMT

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — The bodies of three men have been removed from the site of a collapsed six-story apartment building in Davenport, Iowa, about a week after part of the century-old structure tumbled to the ground, the city’s police chief announced Monday. “We don’t have any other information at this time that there are any additional people missing,” Chief Jeff Bladel said.As officials were announcing the recovery of the bodies, the first of what could be numerous lawsuits by residents and their families was filed. Tenant Dayna Feuerbach is accusing the city of Davenport and the building’s current and former owners of knowing of the deteriorating conditions and failing to warn residents of the risk.The lawsuit alleges multiple counts of negligence, seeks unspecified damages and notes that additional suits are likely. “The city had warning after warning,” attorney Jeffrey Goodman said in an interview with The Associated Press. He called it a common trend in major str...

Toronto to get its own ‘Law & Order’ spinoff on Citytv in spring 2024

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:26 GMT

TORONTO — The “Law & Order” franchise is expanding to Canada.Citytv says it has greenlit a one-hour spinoff dubbed “Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent” for spring 2024. It says the crime drama will “showcase original Canadian stories” written and produced by a Canadian team.It’s billed as a psychological thriller that follows an elite squad of detectives who investigate high-profile crime and corruption in the city.The 10 episodes will be produced by Lark Productions and Cameron Pictures Inc., in association with Citytv, with production set for this fall in Toronto. Rogers Sports & Media executive Hayden Mindell says the Citytv parent is thrilled to bring Canadian stories to the long-running franchise.“The timeless appeal of the cases explored in the globally successful ‘Law & Order’ franchise continue to draw in Citytv audiences week after week,” Mindell, senior vice president, television, said Monday in a release.The decade-long “Law & Order: Crim...