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Lightning strike suspected as cause of fire at 160-year-old Spencer church

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:21:47 GMT

A fire ripped through a historic church in Spencer Friday, toppling the structure’s steeple and drawing a massive emergency response. “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,” Rev. Dr. Bruce MacLeod of the church said.After hours spent battling the flames, investigators on Friday evening said the fire may have been caused by lightning. “I’m just sad for the parishioners and the generations and generations of people who have put their heart and soul into this church,” said Danielle Debo after witnessing the fire.The Spencer Police Department shared multiple photos of the First Congregational United Church steeple showing heavy smoke around 3 p.m. Firefighters from surrounding communities ultimately joined the response, pouring water on the structure as smoke continued to rise over the area. Community members on scene said the histor...

Pedaling for a purpose: Hundreds take part in 2023 Best Buddies Challenge

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:21:47 GMT

Hundreds of riders pedaled through the rain on Saturday to support Best Buddies during the 2023 Best Buddies Challenge bike ride.Ahead of the ride from Boston to Hyannis Port, which raised more than $3 million, 7NEWS spoke with Best Buddies founder Anthony Shriver.“It’s really an event to sort of kick-start people getting engaged in inclusion and acceptance, involved in social justice, inspiring young people to recognize that the greatest thing they can do is give back,” Shriver said.   Shriver took an idea born in his college dorm room more than 30 years ago and built Best Buddies into a global organization helping people with intellectual and developmental disabilities live full lives.“It’s helping them find jobs, helping them find friends, helping them create leadership opportunities for themselves — good integrated living,” Shriver said. Shriver’s biggest supporter was his mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the founder of the Special Olympics. “I’m re...

Justin Turner’s 3-run double helps Red Sox beat MLB-best Rays in doubleheader opener

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:21:47 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Justin Turner hit a three-run double in Boston’s six-run sixth inning, and the Red Sox beat the major league-best Tampa Bay Rays 8-5 on Saturday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.Alex Verdugo had three hits and two RBIs for the Red Sox, who were swept by the Rays in a four-game series in their first meeting at Tropicana Field in April.“The beauty of putting the ball in play,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “We took our walks, ran the bases well. It was a total team effort.”Yandy Díaz hit a two-run double and Wander Franco had three hits for Tampa Bay (40-19), which lost for the fourth time in six games.Boston shortstop Kiké Hernández made two throwing errors. The first one brought home a run.Trailing 4-1, the Red Sox rallied against Jalen Beeks (2-3). Pablo Reyes hit an RBI single before Turner doubled off the Green Monster through a stiff breeze, making it 5-4.“He got a changeup down in the zone,” Cora said of Turner’s hit. “Tough conditions,...

Red Sox sign OF Rob Refsnyder through 2024, with team option for 2025

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:21:47 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox signed outfielder Rob Refsnyder to a $2 million, one-year contract for the 2024 season, with a club option for 2025, the team announced before Saturday’s day-night doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays.“Lot of ups and downs in this game. I just sit here super humble, super grateful,” he said during a morning press conference. “I’ve had this game almost taken away from me a couple of times just based on performance.”The 2024 contract is for $1.85 million. The 2025 club option year is for $2 million with a $150,000 buyout.In addition, the option could escalate with bonuses based on plate appearances in 2024, which is $25,000 for 250 and an additional $25K for 275 and increases to $50,000 at each level if he reaches 300, 325, 350, 400 and 425 in 2024.If the club picks up his 2025 option, Refsnyder can earn $25,000 in bonuses for plate appearances each time he makes 300, 325, 350, 400, 425 and 450.The 32-year-old Refsnyder signed with the Red Sox...

Vladimir Guerrero Jr’s ninth-inning single gives Blue Jays win over Mets

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:21:47 GMT

The Mets weren’t able to carry over the joy and excitement of Saturday’s Hall of Fame induction after losing its second straight game, 2-1, to the Toronto Blue Jays.Immediately after Blue Jays manager John Schneider was ejected for arguing a strike call, Vladimir Guerrero Jr’s RBI double gave Toronto the go-ahead run that led to a win.Tylor Megill got the start for the Mets and allowed just one run, five hits, five walks and struck out five in 5.1 innings of work. His lone run came in the sixth inning on a Alejandro Kirk infield single that shortstop Francisco Lindor couldn’t handle, scoring Brandon Belt.Megill started the game in some trouble in the first after allowing two singles to George Springer and Bo Bichette. Megill also gave up a walk in the frame but he got out of it unscathed after 18 pitches.Blue Jays starter Jose Berrios also gave up just one run on Saturday. Daniel Vogelbach’s RBI double to center scored Starling Marte to put the Mets up ...

Yankees Notebook: More injuries leave team without natural center fielder

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:21:47 GMT

LOS ANGELES — The Yankees activated three players on Friday for their series opener against the Dodgers, but the game forced two others onto the injured list.Ryan Weber landed on the 15-day IL with a right forearm strain, while a right hip flexor strain put Greg Allen on the 10-day IL. Nick Ramirez and the recently demoted Oswaldo Cabrera replaced the aching duo on the Yankees’ roster on Saturday.Allen hurt himself swinging during his first at-bat on Friday. His hip became more of an issue as the game went on, but he didn’t leave until the eighth inning. Aaron Boone said the outfielder will undergo more tests in New York on Monday.“He’s pretty sore,” the manager said Saturday. “Not moving around great, so it was a clear IL. We’ll get some tests with him on Monday when we get back. No need to get him in the car and go and doing it now. It’s not gonna change anything in the immediate.”Allen had hoped to avoid a major injury, ...

Somerville school closes for remainder of the year, leaving parents uncertain

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:21:47 GMT

Hundreds of Somerville parents are unsure where they’ll be sending their children to school later this week after a piece of concrete “fell onto a stairwell” in a pre-kindergarten-grade 8 school, forcing it to close for the remainder of the academic year.District officials alerted parents and staff Friday that the Winter Hill Community Innovation School would not be reopening as a “small section of concrete fell onto a stairwell inside of the school,” and students would be finishing their years elsewhere, beginning Thursday.The incident happened sometime “this week, outside of operating hours,” according to a Thursday evening letter from Superintendent Jeff Curley, Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and Winter Hill Principal Courtney Gosselin. They did not specify when the ceiling collapsed.Friday marked the first day of the closure.Uma Murugan, president of the school’s parent teacher association, had not, as of Saturday afternoon, received a relocation plan for where her 9-year-...

Revolution battle New York City FC to scoreless draw

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:21:47 GMT

New England Revolution goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic reversed a disturbing trend with his sixth clean sheet of the season.The Revolution (7-3-6) recorded their third straight draw in eight days with a 0-0 tie against New York City FC on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. Petrovic was bombarded with 20 shots and made stellar saves on NYCFC’s five shots on target to secure the point.“He was steady throughout the game with good distribution and it was good to get a clean sheet again,” said Revolution head coach Bruce Arena. “Djordje has been punished by some poor defending in front of him the last couple of games so it was good to see him get a clean sheet.”The Revolution are 0-2-3 over a five-game winless streak and going into Yankee Stadium, they had given up 11 goals in four games. The Revolution needed the kind of turnaround Petrovic provided as they are set to begin a three-game homestand against Inter-Miami on June 10.“Djordje is Djordje, I think he is the best in the league,” s...

Homecoming on film: Award-winning Mariupol documentary screened for 1st time in Ukraine

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:21:47 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The award-winning film “20 Days in Mariupol” made its premiere in Ukraine on Saturday, seen for the first time by some of the Ukrainian medics and first responders who were chronicled in the documentary about how Russian forces bombed and blasted their way into the southeastern port city last year. Repeated standing ovations in a packed Kyiv cinema, mixed with tears and hugs, greeted those Ukrainian civil servants who toiled nearly non-stop in and around a Mariupol hospital that was a centerpiece of the film about the city early on in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. For some, the screening served as an unsettling flashback to their own brush with death in the city — a fate inescapable for untold numbers of other victims of Russia’s invasion, including toddlers, infants and expectant mothers whose final moments were caught on video shown in the film. “It was very hard emotionally because it reminded me of when we were leaving...

What led Capitol Police to stop a youth performance of the ‘Star-Spangled Banner’

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:21:47 GMT

Video of a children’s choir singing the national anthem in the U.S. Capitol, only to be unceremoniously cut off by federal authorities, spread across social media on Friday.Capitol Police say singers from Rushingbrook Children’s Choir from Greenville, South Carolina, were stopped May 26 because of a miscommunication. Musical performances in the hallowed seat of Congress require permission, and police said officers had been unaware that the choir had approval from the House speaker. Capitol Police denied choir leaders’ claims that the performance was stopped because it might be found offensive. Choir director David Rasbach and Micah Rea, a choir leader who helped organize the trip, told The Associated Press that they worked with the offices of Reps. William Timmons, Joe Wilson and Russell Fry, all Republicans from South Carolina, to get permission for the performance. They said they were informed the visit was approved by the office of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.Afte...