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Broward County Public Schools to provide free meals for all students for entire school year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:29 GMT

Broward County Public Schools announced that it will be providing free breakfast and lunch to all students throughout the upcoming 2023-2024 school year.This initiative comes through the implementation of two programs: the Community Eligibility Provision and a new pilot program for Universal Free Lunch.Under the CEP program, BCPS will offer free breakfast and lunch at no cost to all students attending 180 eligible District schools.The program is made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is available in schools where 40% or more of the student population qualifies for various assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Medicaid and Extension of Benefits.Families at these eligible schools will not need to submit an application to participate.For the remaining 47 non-CEP schools, BCPS will introduce the Universal Free Lunch Program Pilot. This program will provide reimbursable lunch meals to all stud...

Trump pleads not guilty to charges that he conspired to overturn 2020 election

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:29 GMT

Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal charges accusing him of orchestrating a criminal conspiracy to try to derail the transfer of power in 2020.Trump faces four felony charges stemming from his monthslong bid to seize a second term despite losing the election to President Joe Biden. The charges, brought by special counsel Jack Smith and approved by a federal grand jury earlier this week, accuse Trump of a wide-ranging plot to spread disinformation about the the election, pressure state officials to undo the results in states that Biden won, undermine the Electoral College and ultimately try to disrupt Congress’ certification of the results on Jan. 6, 2021.Trump arrived at the federal courthouse in Washington Thursday to be processed by authorities ahead of his arraignment on charges that he sought to derail the transfer of presidential power in 2020.Trump was expected to plead not guilty to four felony charges stemming from his months-long bid to seiz...

Scattered storms to end the work week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:29 GMT

It’s been a nice couple of days with comfortable temperatures and low humidity for early August. The humidity and storm chances increase through Friday. We’ll dry out Saturday and set the stage for a nice weekend!Temperatures will stay in the 60s overnight as the dew points come up on a southwest breeze. There’s a chance for an isolated shower overnight. Stepping out tomorrow, it’ll feel a bit more muggy. The increasing humidity will set the stage for the potential for excessive rainfall as a cold front moves through the region tomorrow. Any downpours could cause localized flooding. Use caution near the typical flood-prone areas. There’s an isolated risk for severe weather. The Storm Prediction Center highlights that in yellow (second picture below) for western Mass and into New York State. That’s where there will be more breaks in cloud cover tomorrow to destabilize the atmosphere. Threats include strong damaging wind and hail.Let’s time ou...

Trump arrives at federal courthouse in Washington. Follow live updates

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:29 GMT

Follow along for live updates as Donald Trump is due to appear in federal court Thursday after being indicted by the Justice Department for his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. It’s the third criminal case brought against the former president as he seeks to reclaim the White House. — Here’s a breakdown of the sprawling election indictment— Trump lawyer hints at a First Amendment defense in the Jan. 6 case— Republicans are remaining silent about the latest charges against Trump— The judge assigned to Trump’s case is a tough punisher of Capitol rioters— Here’s where the various cases involving Trump standTrump has arrived at the federal courthouse in Washington to surrender to authorities on charges that he plotted to overturn his 2020 defeat in the presidential election.Trump’s motorcade made its way through D.C.’s crowded streets, using lights and sirens — a journey documented i...

Ticker: Saudis extend oil cuts; Mortgage rates tick higher

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:29 GMT

Saudi Arabia said Thursday it will extend its unilateral production cut of 1 million barrels of oil a day through the end of September in its effort to boost flagging energy prices, a move that could push U.S. gas prices higher.The Saudi reduction, which began in July, comes as the other OPEC+ producers have agreed to extend earlier production cuts through next year.The national average for U.S. gas prices stood at about $3.82 a gallon on Tuesday — about 30 cents higher than a month ago, according to motor club AAA. While today’s prices at the pump remain far lower than they were last year, when energy costs soared worldwide in the months following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, experts say such a jump is unusual.The kingdom announced the extension in a statement on the state-run Saudi Press Agency, quoting an anonymous official in the Energy Ministry. The official added that the cut “can be extended or deepened” if the need arises.Mortgage rates tick higherTh...

Boston College opens training camp better from the top down

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:29 GMT

Boston College opened training camp on Thursday morning at the Fish Field House under a new management structure.Eagles’ fourth-year head coach Jeff Hafley was compelled to make systemic changes to his staff in the aftermath of last season’s 3-9 finish. Hafley replaced the coordinators and coaches that underperformed, elevated several incumbents to greater positions of authority and instituted a power-sharing makeover in the hierarchy.The Eagles’ biggest needs for improvement are on offense. BC finished 13th in the ACC in points per game (17.8) and last in yards per game (310.3). BC managed 3724 yards of offense, broken down to an anemic 759 rushing yards with a respectable 2,965 passing yards compiled by quarterbacks Phil Jurkovec and returning starter Emmett Morehead.Departed All-ACC first team wide receiver Zay Flowers, the most productive pass catcher in program history and a first-round draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens, accounted for 1,077 of those passing yards on 78 catches...

Patriots training camp Day 9: Jack Jones stops practicing, Mac Jones keeps rolling

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:29 GMT

FOXBORO — History would suggest Jack Jones sauntered off the Patriots’ ‘practice field by himself after receiving zero medical attention Thursday because he was ejected.A minute before he left, Jones broke up a pass intended for Kendrick Bourne during an 11-on-11 period. A crowd of players immediately gathered at the spot where they had fallen near the defensive sideline. After standing up, Jones spoke with Jabrill Peppers as they paced the sideline together and walked away from the play.Then, the young corner walked away from everybody, his head down as he ambled down a staircase and back into the stadium. It was the same path dozens of Patriots have taken over two decades under Bill Belichick for fighting, throwing a punch or committing some other cardinal sin of practice.Except 20 minutes later, Jones returned.He strolled back onto the same field and took a knee on the defensive sideline, where director of player personnel Matt Groh dropped to his level. They spoke fo...

Orioles rookie Grayson Rodriguez stacking ‘building blocks’ since rejoining rotation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:29 GMT

In evaluating Grayson Rodriguez’s quartet of starts in the majors since returning to the Orioles’ rotation, both the rookie right-hander himself and his manager compared them with those that came before.“A lot better than the first set,” Rodriguez said.“Much improved over earlier in the year,” Brandon Hyde offered.If one took the 7.35 ERA the 23-year-old posted in his first 10 majors league outings across April and May and arranged those digits in the ideal order, it would result in what Rodriguez has done since rejoining Baltimore last month. He has a 3.57 ERA in four starts, a figure that could be improved upon if not for some troubles late in his outings. That includes Wednesday night’s start against the Toronto Blue Jays, when he was one out from completing the sixth for the second straight start before consecutive full-count walks ended his night. Both runners eventually scored off reliever Shintaro Fujinami.Those final two batters were...

New report from Scarborough food bank paints unsettling picture of food insecurity

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:29 GMT

Food has become so unaffordable in this city that even some employed people are no longer able to buy groceries, according to a new report released by the Feed Scarborough food bank.It’s one of many food banks across the city where demand has skyrocketed. Feed Scarborough, which has five different locations, has seen a 112 per cent increase in visits since last year.The report released by the food bank is digging into why so many Torontonians are struggling.About 28 per cent of the clients are currently employed and almost 65 per cent are students.“Think about it, you’re working 40 hours a week, but you still can’t afford food which is a basic human right,” said Suman Roy, founder of Feed Scarborough.More than half of those employed reported low income as their reason for accessing a food bank.“That says that we have precarious employment [and] that says housing and other expenses are so high that food is somewhere where they compromise.”The...

US Rep. Dan Bishop announces a run for North Carolina attorney general

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:29 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Rep. Dan Bishop, a vocal member of the Freedom Caucus that’s become a foil to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, announced on Thursday that he would run for state attorney general next year rather than seek to remain in Congress.The Republican lawyer revealed his decision in a radio interview in his hometown of Charlotte. Bishop joined Congress in 2019 by narrowly winning a special election, after raising his profile in state politics as a chief sponsor of the controversial 2016 “bathroom bill.” A former county commissioner and state legislator, Bishop said he misses practicing law more regularly, and sees the post as a way to counter an encroaching federal government and to buttress law enforcement during a time of increasing violence.“Over the course of many months we’ve decided this is the right thing for me to do, to come back to North Carolina,” Bishop told WBT radio, referencing his wife. “I think there’s an opportunity to use the inf...