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New Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito says he was sold on Boston from the start

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:03 GMT

Lucas Giolito was in bad need of a reset. He’d endured a turbulent finish to 2023, changing teams twice in a span of two months, and coming off a couple down years he wasn’t sure what to expect as he hit free agency for the first time.But once the Red Sox came calling, he knew he’d found his new home.Giolito was introduced as the newest member of the Red Sox on Wednesday, with the club officially announcing his one-year deal with a player option for 2025. Speaking to reporters, Giolito said the Red Sox were among the first teams he heard from and that right from the start he was sold on coming to Boston.“The Red Sox were honestly one of the first teams to reach out to me and my representation,” Giolito said. “So that obviously meant a lot to me.”Giolito said he had an “amazing” Zoom call with the Red Sox and liked everything he heard from the team’s leadership. He said chief baseball officer Craig Breslow told him they expe...

Trump asks US Supreme Court to overturn Colorado ruling barring him from ballot over Jan. 6 attack

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:03 GMT

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI (Associated Press)DENVER (AP) — Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a ruling barring him from the Colorado ballot, setting up a high-stakes showdown over whether a constitutional provision prohibiting those who “engaged in insurrection” will end his political career.Trump appealed a 4-3 ruling in December by the Colorado Supreme Court that marked the first time in history that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment was used to bar a presidential contender from the ballot. The court found that Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol disqualified him under the clause.The provision has been used so sparingly in American history that the U.S. Supreme Court has never ruled on it.Wednesday’s development came a day after Trump’s legal team filed an appeal against a ruling by Maine’s Democratic Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows, that Trump was ineligible to appear on...

Charges laid after woman struck and killed by garbage truck in St. Clair Village

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:03 GMT

A 40-year-old man is facing charges after the garbage truck he was driving struck and killed a woman in St. Clair Village on December 7, 2023.Police say the driver, who wasn’t named, was charged on Wednesday with careless driving causing bodily harm or death, fail to yield to pedestrian and turning in an unsafe manner.The victim, in her 50s, was walking westbound and crossing Winona Drive at St. Clair Avenue West when she was struck by the garbage truck that was making a right-hand turn onto Winona.She was pronounced dead at the scene.A community advocate told CityNews at the time that the death was preventable.“I am absolutely heartbroken for this woman. She was probably going shopping at No Frills and she was let down today by the City of Toronto,” said Julian Back, who runs a community safety Facebook group.He says the intersection has been problematic for some time – something he has asked the City to address on multiple occasions.“I urged [the city] to close off the condo...

Movie Review: Anthony Hopkins shines in ‘Freud’s Last Session’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:03 GMT

“Freud’s Last Session,” starring Anthony Hopkins as Sigmund Freud, adds to a string of sterling late-chapter performances by the 86-year-old actor. He was the soul of “Armageddon Time,” the reason to see “The Father” and the papal foil to Jonathan Pryce’s Pope Francis in “The Two Popes.” With the exception of James Gray’s more cinematically composed “Armageddon Time,” the movies have offered simple, stagy showcases for Hopkins, a lion in winter.“Freud’s Last Session,” which expands in theaters this weekend, also comes from the stage and, like “The Two Popes,” centers on the tete-a-tete of intellectual opposites. Mark St. Germain’s 2009 two-character play brought together Freud and C.S. Lewis (played by Matthew Goode in the film) for a speculative meeting between the two in 1939 London.An aged Freud, suffering from oral cancer, prepares to receive the Oxford academic at his London home while war with Germany is growing inevitable. The factual jumping off...

Police probing separate shootings in Mississauga, Toronto

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:03 GMT

Police in Toronto and Peel are investigating two separate shootings on Wednesday night.Officers first responded to shots fired in the Battleford Road and Glen Erin Drive area of Mississauga at around 5:00 p.m.A victim was found on scene and was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries.Police are advising the public to avoid the area.There’s no word on suspects.At around 6:30 p.m. Toronto police responsed to a report of shots fired in the Islington Avenue and Bergamot Road area.A man was located nearby with a gunshot wound. He was taken to hospital with serious, but non life-threatening injuries.Police say a suspect fled in a dark coloured SUV. No further details were immediately available.

Chicago firefighter appears in court Wednesday for alleged NYE road rage shooting incident

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:03 GMT

CHICAGO — A Chicago firefighter was released to electronic monitoring on Wednesday after appearing in court in connection to a road rage shooting on New Year's Eve.According to police, 34-year-old Omotayo Kassim is facing several felony charges, including aggravated battery by discharge of a firearm, attempted first-degree murder, and aggravated discharge of a firearm from an occupied vehicle.Police said the charges stem from a shooting that unfolded just before 8 p.m. Sunday in the 1600 block of West Foster Ave., in Andersonville. Judge pushes Madigan corruption trial to October The brother and father of the victim spoke to reports as they left the courthouse."He’s supposed to be trained to protect people, not kill people," the victim's brother is heard telling reporters."This guy attempted murder and he walked. He did. He shot my son in the side in the jaw. He chased my son for over six minutes," the victim's father added.According to court records, both the 35-year-old victim a...

Judge pushes Madigan corruption trial to October

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:03 GMT

CHICAGO -- A federal judge on Wednesday granted a six month delay in former Illinois Speaker of the House Mike Madigan's corruption trial.On Wednesday, U.S. Judge John Robert Blakey gave Mike Madigan’s defense team permission to delay the start date of the former speaker’s trial from April 1 to Oct. 8.Judge Blakey agreed to push the start of the trial back while the U.S. Supreme Court considers “Snyder vs the United States,” a separate case in Indiana, that defense attorneys say could clarify questions about a bribery statue, and according to legal documents, “materially impact nearly every phase of this case.”In reference to delaying the Madigan trial, Judge Blakey said “better to do it right than to do it twice" after making his ruling. 97-year-old author teaching other seniors everyone has a story The former Illinois Speaker of the House is facing a 23 count indictment. Madigan is accused of leading a criminal scheme to make him wealthy and gain more political power, while he s...

Construction underway for downtown heated tent complex to house migrants

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:03 GMT

CHICAGO —  The state of Illinois is working on a new migrant intake center downtown amid a surge of asylum seekers.  As caseworkers process new arrivals, construction has begun on a new heated tent complex to help protect migrants against the elements. Officials say that the newly configured location combines city and state intake operations for quicker coordination when it comes to newly arrived migrants.  Trucks and construction crews were visible Wednesday in the 800 block of S. Des Plaines, where workers unloaded and prepared to erect six heated tents.SEE ALSO: Several Chicago suburbs discuss ongoing issues associated with migrant arrivalsThe new migrant intake center aims to more efficiently connect migrants to services or loved ones already in Chicago or elsewhere, according to a press release Tuesday from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. “We will continue to ensure that they are met with dignity and compassion while we call for increased coordination and funding from ...

Video: Judge attacked in Las Vegas courtroom during sentencing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:03 GMT

Graphic warning: The video above may be disturbing for some viewers.LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- A man attacked a Las Vegas judge in her courtroom Wednesday, forcing her to take cover and injuring a marshal in the process, a video obtained by Nexstar's KLAS reveals.Deobra Redden, 30, a three-time felon, was in Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus’ courtroom for sentencing on a charge of attempted battery with substantial bodily harm, records said. These were the most on-time US airlines, airports of 2023: report Holthus was sitting behind the bench when Redden ran up to her, jumped over the bench and attacked her, the video shows. Several other people then fought with Redden before throwing him to the ground. An alarm also sounded for several minutes alerting others to the incident.Before the attack, Redden's attorney asked Holthus to sentence his client to probation. Holthus then said, "I think it's time he get a taste of something else."Deobra Redden, 30, a three-time felon...

Chris Flexen could earn $1 million in bonuses for innings as part of White Sox contract

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:03 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Chris Flexen could boost his earnings by $1 million to $2.75 million with the Chicago White Sox this year if he pitches 160 or more innings.The 29-year-old right-hander is guaranteed $1.75 million as part of the one-year contract the team announced Saturday.He would earn $250,000 each for 75, 100, 125 and 160 innings. He has reached 160 innings just once in his big league career, pitching 179 2/3 in 2021.Flexen played for Seattle and Colorado last season, going 2-8 with a 6.86 ERA in 102 1/3 innings over 16 starts and 13 relief appearances. He is 27-34 with a 4.95 ERA in 120 major league starts and 40 relief appearances. As other free agency dominos fall, Cody Bellinger return to Cubs becomes more likely Flexen had an $8 million salary last season. He was designated for assignment by Seattle on June 27 and then traded to the New York Mets, who designated him for assignment. Flexen signed a minor league deal with Colorado and was called up from Triple-A Albuquer...