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What concerns teachers highlighted while visiting Prince William Co.’s ombudsman’s office

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:51 GMT

Almost 300 people visited the Prince William County Public Schools ombudsman’s office during the last school year, a 54% increase in cases from the year before, the Virginia school system said.Ombudsman Monique Bookstein gave her annual report to the school board earlier this month, and said that of the 298 visitors in the 2022-23 school year, 233 were school system employees, 55 were parents or guardians and 10 were community members.Over 100 of those people visited the office during the third quarter of the school year, which Bookstein said could be the result of people contemplating a visit during the winter break.Bookstein described her role as working to be a resource for students, parents and school workers who want to voluntarily get help in working through school-related challenges. She told the school board that her job is to listen and provide a confidential path for someone to express a concern, but that she can’t mandate change.“I can’t change wha...

Miami Police searching for liquor thieves

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:51 GMT

Authorities are on the lookout for a duo after a daring tequila heist at Jensen’s Liquors in Miami. In broad daylight Tuesday, a woman managed to swipe four bottles of tequila from the shelves while her accomplice distracted the store manager.The manager, who was momentarily diverted by the accomplice, attempted to intervene but was unsuccessful in preventing the theft. Surveillance footage captures the suspects in action, providing a glimpse into their identities.If you have any information on this crime, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

Chilly Start, Milder Finish

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:51 GMT

After back to back chilly days, we’re shaking off the core of the cold this afternoon as temps moderate back toward seasonable levels. That’ll put the high temps in the mid 40s under a partly to mostly sunny sky. The breeze still kicks around, gusting to 20mph, but at least it’ll feel a bit better outside as temps run 5-10 degrees higher than yesterday. Tomorrow, it’ll be even milder, low to mid 50s. However, morning sun fades behind thickening midday clouds and light showers advance in late afternoon/early evening. That’ll likely dampen the evening commute at times, but I don’t expect much heavy rain. Most locations receive a tenth of an inch or less. Saturday starts the weekend mostly cloudy, but mostly dry, aside from a spot sprinkle. Sunday looks to feature more dry hours than wet, but it’s possible that some afternoon showers start to move in. It’s more likely that we’ll see steadier rain and gusty winds start to develop Sun...

Deer Creating “Silent” Crisis For Mass. Farmers

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:51 GMT

An advocate for southeastern Massachusetts farmers said there is a natural disaster putting them out of business, but unlike the farms that were devastated by flooding this summer, there is no fundraiser or emergency money from the Legislature to help.Susan Murray, executive director of the Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership, told the Joint Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources that farmers in Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth counties are suffering under “a silent environmental crisis,” namely an overpopulation of deer that she said leads to more than $1 million in farm losses each year.“This is a crippling financial loss in an industry with tight margins and on the front line of climate change. Farms are an oasis for deer when surrounding forests are depleted due to overpopulation and drought. Deer eat just about every crop we plant, including vegetables, berries, grapes, cranberries, tree fruit, flowers, and nursery crops,” Murray...

Div. 3 Super Bowl preview: Walpole, Milton meet again for all the marbles

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:51 GMT

Walpole coach Chris Sullivan is quick to say the events of Oct. 13 will have little bearing on what transpires Thursday night when the Timberwolves meet Milton for the Div. 3 state title.The Bay State Conference teams met in the regular season and it was a struggling Walpole team that found its mojo that evening. Noah Mackenzie threw for three touchdowns, two going to Jamal Abdal-Khallaq, who also returned an interception for a score in a 42-23 win.That was the second of eight straight wins for a Walpole team which has averaged more than 40 points a game during that stretch. Sullivan isn’t surprised by that as he felt coming into the season his team had a chance to make noise.“I really thought we had a talented team, we scheduled a scrimmage against Catholic Memorial and added King Philip onto our regular-season schedule,” Sullivan said. “We just made too many mistakes against King Philip (a 31-0 loss) and you can’t do that against a team like that.“The next week, we pla...

Div. 6 Super Bowl preview: Salem, Fairhaven have plenty of firepower

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:51 GMT

One team likes to spread things out and get its playmakers in space. The other is a throwback to the past with an offensive attack Army and Navy would enjoy.On Thursday at Gillette Stadium, Salem and Fairhaven will clash for the Division 6 Super Bowl title in a game that features teams that have defeated opponents by an average of almost three touchdowns per game.Fairhaven (11-1) was the No. 8 seed entering the playoffs and rolled through the first two rounds before surviving a late Hudson rally to earn its spot in Foxboro. Even more important for coach Derek Almeida’s squad was its win over Dartmouth on Thanksgiving morning in a game that saw them kick a last-second field goal to win.“Dartmouth was as good as anyone,” Almeida said. “I’m really proud of a lot of our young kids who stepped up in a big situation in that game.”The Blue Devils’ option based attack comes in averaging 33.8 points per game and is led by running back Justin Marques, who has been a workhorse.“We had a ...

Div. 2 Super Bowl preview: Clash of styles as King Philip and Marshfield meet

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:51 GMT

When the Div. 2 Super Bowl kicks off, it will be a clash of contrasting styles.While King Philip is making its sixth Super Bowl appearance in seven years, Marshfield is in the title game for the first time since 2014 as the Div. 2 standard bearers will face off in the title game on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Gillette Stadium.The game showcases different paths to success. King Philip has achieved an unbeaten record largely on the heels of physicality up front on both sides, discipline, and controlling the clock.Marshfield, meanwhile, holds a prolific no-huddle offense that moves at a faster clip than any in the Bay State. It was on full display when the Rams scored 52 points in a state semifinal win over two-time defending champion Catholic Memorial.“There is no way to simulate how fast Marshfield goes on offense,” King Philip coach Brian Lee said. “It makes you play more vanilla and then they have a lot of speed that puts you in a bind. They really overwhelm you in m...

Here’s the latest on Patriots’ quarterback situation heading into Week 13

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:51 GMT

FOXBORO — A quarterback change could finally be on the horizon 13 weeks into the Patriots’ disappointing 2023 season.Backup Bailey Zappe and undrafted rookie Malik Cunningham were the only quarterbacks to take reps during practice in front of reporters during an open period of practice while Mac Jones, who has started the first 11 weeks of the season, stood by and watched. A source said Zappe took most of the quarterback reps on Wednesday.Head coach Bill Belichick was asked Wednesday morning about the team’s quarterback situation and would not name a starter.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots-Chargers injury report: Keenan Allen, Demario Douglas out for Wednesday practices New England Patriots | Source: Patriots signing new kicker amid field goal woes New England Patriots | Patriots’ Joe Cardona knows how important Army-Navy game is New England Patriots | Source: Bailey Zappe took majority of P...

RBC reports $4.13B Q4 profit, up from $3.88B a year ago, and raises dividend

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:51 GMT

TORONTO — Royal Bank of Canada reported a fourth-quarter profit of $4.13 billion, up from $3.88 billion a year earlier, and raised its dividend.The bank says it will now pay a quarterly dividend of $1.38 per share, up three cents from $1.35.The increased payment to shareholders came as RBC reported its profit amounted to $2.90 per diluted share for the quarter ended Oct. 31, up from $2.74 per diluted share a year earlier.Revenue totalled $13.03 billion in the bank’s most recent quarter, up from $12.57 billion in the same quarter last year, while the bank’s provision for credit losses rose to $720 million, up from $381 million a year earlier.On an adjusted basis, RBC earned $2.78 per diluted share in its latest quarter, unchanged from the same quarter last year.Analysts on average had expected an adjusted profit of $2.62 per share, according to estimates compiled by financial markets data firm Refinitiv.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2023.C...

China says US arms sales to Taiwan are turning the island into a ‘powder keg’

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:51 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — China’s defense ministry said Thursday that the U.S. should stop interfering in both Taiwan and the South China Sea, saying U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are making the situation more dangerous.Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party is “turning Taiwan into a weapons depot and a powder keg,” said Senior Col. Wu Qian, the defense ministry’s top spokesperson.He spoke less than two months ahead of a presidential election in which Taiwan voters will choose between the ruling party, which favors a stronger defense and close ties to the U.S., and opposition parties that advocate improving ties with China as the best way to reduce tensions.“Taiwan’s security depends on the peaceful development of cross-strait relations instead of a few pieces of U.S.-made weapons,” Wu said at a monthly news conference. The 160-kilometer (100-mile) -wide Taiwan Strait runs between Taiwan and China’s east coast.China claims the self-governing island as its territory an...