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Ruling clears way for Purdue Pharma to settle opioid claims, protects Sacklers from lawsuits

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:22 GMT

By GEOFF MULVIHILL (Associated Press)A federal appeals court cleared the way for the maker of OxyContin to settle thousands of legal claims tied to the opioid epidemic while shielding the wealthy owners of Purdue Pharma, the Sackler family, from future lawsuits.Under the plan approved Tuesday by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York, members of the wealthy Sackler family would give up ownership of Stamford, Connecticut-based Purdue, which would become a new company known as Knoa, with its profits being sent to a fund to prevent and treat addiction.Family members would also contribute $5.5 billion to $6 billion in cash over time, or around half of what the court found to be their collective fortune, much of it held offshore. A chunk of that money — at least $750 million — is to go to individual victims of the opioid crisis and their survivors. Payments are expected to range from about $3,500 to $48,000.Tuesday’s decision also protects members of the Sack...

Charlie Baker’s son Andrew ‘A.J.’ Baker reaches plea deal for drunk driving case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:22 GMT

Former Gov. Charlie Baker’s son, Andrew “A.J.” Baker, has struck a plea deal after he was arrested and charged with drunk driving on Interstate 95 earlier this month.The 29-year-old South Boston resident — who allegedly blew a 0.152, almost double the legal blood alcohol limit of 0.08 — admitted to sufficient facts to warrant a guilty finding in court on Tuesday.The conditions of A.J.’s plea deal include: losing his license for 45 days; mandatory participation in the first-time offender 24D alcohol education program (16 weeks, $250 cost paid by the defendant); $350 in other fees; and the case continued without a finding for a one-year probationary period, ending next May 28.“This is, by far, the most common disposition for first-time offenders,” Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker said in a statement.This plea deal was the outcome in 83% of similar cases involving first-time offenders in Essex County during the past year, which ...

Boston Police make arrest in daylight shooting in Roxbury

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:22 GMT

Police have nabbed one of the two men they say fired a barrage of bullets on Shawmut Avenue just next to Ramsay Park where children were playing.“We’re pleased today to make an arrest and hopefully send a clear message that this activity has no place in our city — and, more importantly, no place in this country, period,” said Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox at the department’s headquarters Tuesday evening.Machyus Battle, 18, was arrested Tuesday in Cambridge and charged with eight firearms charges connected to the broad-daylight shooting last week where video from the scene became viral. Those charges include carrying a firearm without a license and carrying a loaded firearm — both second offenses for Battle.The other shooter, who is the first one seen in the video, Cox said, remains at large.“Multiple rounds of gunfire were reported near the south-end park where that day families were enjoying a spring, summery day. Boston Police, the officers t...

New England Aquarium exhibits to undergo upgrades, becoming ‘more age appropriate,’ officials say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:22 GMT

New England Aquarium visitors will soon get the opportunity to learn a whole lot more about the crustaceans, sea turtles and other aquatic species that reside there.A recipient of $2.4 million in federal community project funding, the aquarium will be using that money to upgrade its 45 exhibits, President and CEO Vikki Spruill said during a Tuesday news conference.“These funds enable us to completely modernize our wayfinding and our displays so that they will be more interactive, more accessible, more age appropriate culturally contextualized for our diverse visiting audience,” Spruill said.Each of the 45 exhibits will receive new signage that will identify the species as well as provide information about their habitats, marine mammal distribution, sea turtle rescue and more, Spruill said. She described the project alongside Congressman Stephen Lynch and state Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, chairman of Ways and Means.The aquarium will be implementing a new QR code system that will allow vis...

Red Sox notebook: For better or worse, team now the only show in town

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:22 GMT

With the Celtics getting eliminated from the playoffs in lackluster fashion on Monday night, all eyes are on the Red Sox.For the next few months, they’re the only show in town.Is Boston’s baseball team feeling some added pressure now?“They had some great seasons,” Alex Cora said of the Bruins and Celtics. “And obviously, at the end, you know, it didn’t work out for their organizations, for the city, but at one point, we knew that it was us, and we just gotta keep playing good baseball.”The manager didn’t exactly offer a ringing endorsement of his team’s current state.“When you look back, we had some, four horrible series the whole season, and they put us in a spot that, you lose all those games, right?” But the overall thing, it’s been, it’s been OK.“Of course, we can get better, but I don’t think it’s that bad, or it’s that great. It’s kind of like, right in the middle,”...

Nevada becomes latest to enhance penalties for election worker intimidation after statewide exodus

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:22 GMT

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Those who harass, intimidate or use force on election workers performing their duties in Nevada could soon face up to four years in prison under a new law signed by the Western swing state’s Republican governor on Tuesday.The law is meant to deter attacks against those in state and local election offices who have faced increased scrutiny for doing their jobs, Democratic Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar said Tuesday. Threats and initimidation of election workers had ramped up significantly in Nevada and across the country amid falsehoods and conspiracy theories about foul play denying former President Donald Trump victory in the 2020 presidential race.Other states have taken similar steps to better protect election officials in recent years, including Maine, Vermont, Washington and New Mexico. The bill, passed unanimously through both chambers of Nevada’s Democratic-controlled Legislature, was a core campaign promise from Aguilar, who cited an exodus of elect...

Colorado tackles eating disorders by limiting use of BMI and diet pill sales to kids

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:22 GMT

DENVER (AP) — In the midst of a surge in eating disorders across the country, Colorado’s acting governor signed bills Tuesday that will create a state program dedicated to addressing the mental illness, limit the use of body mass index in determining treatment and restrict the sale of diet pills to minors. Colorado and several other states tackling the issue are responding to the nearly 30 million Americans — roughly the population of Texas — who will struggle with an eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia, in their lifetime. More than 10,000 people will lose their life to the condition every year, according to data cited by the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. “Eating disorders are serious and have one of the highest mortality rates of any mental illness,” Vincent Atchity, CEO of Mental Health Colorado, said in a statement on the bills. “We will save lives by removing barriers to care and helping those who are struggling (to) find heali...

Dinosaur exhibition temporarily closes in Atlanta after intruders cause expensive damage

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:22 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — A dinosaur exhibition linked to the Jurassic Park movie franchise has temporarily closed its Atlanta location after police say people broke in and caused more than $250,000 in damage.Atlanta police say they responded Monday to a burglary call at the exhibition, which had just opened Friday at Pullman Yards, an event space east of downtown Atlanta.The general manager told police that four people broke in around 9:30 p.m. Surveillance footage showed one person sitting atop of one of the animatronic dinosaurs while “ripping off the skin covering,” according to an incident report obtained by local news outlets.A suspect also stole four custom-made dinosaur shirts valued at $6,000 each, the report said.A security guard took a picture of an intruder at 6:30 a.m. Monday at a restaurant on the property. Atlanta police later identified and arrested 19-year-old Acauan Carvalho Van Deusen, charging him with second-degree burglary. It’s unclear if Van Deusen has a law...

NYPD officer cites ‘courtesy cards,’ used by friends and family of cops, as source of corruption

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:22 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York City police officer is speaking out against the use of “courtesy cards” by friends and relatives of his colleagues on the force, accusing department leaders of maintaining a sprawling system of impunity that lets people with a connection to law enforcement avoid traffic tickets.Though not officially recognized by the NYPD, the laminated cards have long been treated as a perk of the job. The city’s police unions issue them to members, who circulate them among those who want to signal their NYPD connections — often to get out of minor infraction like speeding or failing to wear a seat belt.In a federal lawsuit filed in Manhattan this week, Officer Mathew Bianchi described a practice of selective enforcement with consequences for officers who don’t follow the unwritten policy. Current and retired officers now have access to hundreds of cards, giving them away in exchange for a discount on a meal or a home improvement job, he said.In the Staten Island precinct...

Students, advocates speak out on YCDSB’s decision not to fly Pride flag

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:22 GMT

The York Catholic District School Board voted against flying a Pride flag outside its main office next month because the rainbow banner does not align with the Catholic faith, the board chair said Tuesday, as the move was criticized by some.Chair Frank Alexander said the board will instead focus its attention on making systemic changes that support marginalized students, although he did not detail what those changes might be.“Part of my role and part of the role of the board is to make sure that Christ remains at the centre of who we are (and) that Catholic education remains strong,” Alexander said during a news conference.“The Archbishop of London most recently said that we love that community. We acknowledge them as children of God. However, there are parts of that belief system that really does not align with our faith.”The board’s Gender, Sexuality and Catholic Education Committee had put forward a motion asking for the Progress Pride flag to be flo...