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Boys volleyball preview: Is Needham’s reign over?

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:48:39 GMT

As the second year of the newer two-division, statewide tournament kicks into gear, there’s a buzz the boys volleyball community hasn’t really felt since before the pandemic cancelled the 2020 season.With some key departures from a historic Needham program, the Div. 1 state title race has broken back open.Rockets head coach Dave Powell isn’t expecting to catch lightning in a bottle like he did over the last two years with a 46-game win streak and two overpowering state title runs, but Needham still stands as the early favorite. Two-time All-Scholastic setter Raymond Weng, All-Scholastic outside hitter Ethan McCarron and premier libero Jonathan Ochalla all return to headline a deep program famous for its exceptional focus.“We’re just kind of cornered on our own performance and keep getting better every day,” Powell said. “It’s just like we’ve been doing. We just try to focus on our own performance. There’s a lot of good teams out there. We haven’t proved anything and neither have the...

After Luis Robert Jr.’s homer ties it, the Chicago White Sox fall 4-3 in 10 innings on a defensive miscue

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:48:39 GMT

The Chicago White Sox hadn’t had a hit since the first inning, with Minnesota Twins pitchers retiring 24 consecutive batters entering the ninth.Luis Robert Jr. put an end to that stretch in dramatic fashion Tuesday at Target Field, hitting a game-tying homer on Jhoan Duran’s first pitch.The homer — and an impressive relay in the bottom of the inning involving Oscar Colás and Romy Gonzalez — sent the game to extra innings.But the Twins scored on a defensive miscue in the bottom of the 10th and beat the Sox 4-3 in front of 16,153.Michael A. Taylor bunted on the first pitch of the 10th, and third baseman Hanser Alberto threw wildly to first. Pinch runner Willi Castro scored from second on the sequence to spoil the Sox’s chance at getting back to .500.“That was a bad, bad throw,” Alberto said. “It was a completely bad throw, right to the runner. I threw a little bit sidearm, and that’s why the ball ran into the runner. It was th...

Girls lacrosse preview: Teams eye return to normal

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:48:39 GMT

For the first time in a few years, the girl’s lacrosse landscape feels settled.The season was cancelled by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, impacted by the pandemic in 2021 and restructured by the switch to a state-wide, four-division format last year.This season brings familiarity with the new system, and the focus shifts towards the typical player and coach turnover that occurs annually. Still, many familiar squads are projected to have long postseason runs.Westwood is the defending Div. 1 state champion, defeating Wellesley 16-1 in the title game. The Wolverines lost significant talent from last season, but some key returning players are seniors Ava Connaughton, Lil Hancock, Kella McGrail and goaltender Riley Harrington.“I think we have a lot of returners who know what it takes to get to the state championship and the amount of work it takes, and then newcomers who are ready and willing and everyone’s trying to find their spot,” Westwood coach Margot Spatola said. “I think wh...

Finley: Auto exec issues warning on EVs future

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:48:39 GMT

The auto industry needs fewer cheerleaders and more skeptics. Like Carlos Tavares.The Stellantis chief executive is running against the tide of automakers and policymakers who are surging blindly toward an electric vehicle future that may not be sustainable.Speaking recently at the Freedom of Mobility Forum, Tavares issued fair warning that both the government and companies seem determined to ignore: There’s not enough raw material to replace the current 1.3 billion gasoline-powered vehicles with an all-electric fleet.“That will need a lot of lithium,” he said. “Not only the lithium may not be enough, but the concentration of the mining of lithium may create other geopolitical issues.”What happens then, when the bans on internal combustion vehicle sales kick in? Seven U.S. states and the European Union have plans to stop selling ICE cars and trucks by 2035.If a long-term, plentiful supply of lithium, as well as the cobalt and nickel also needed for batt...

Belsito: Technology can help reduce maternal mortality rate

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:48:39 GMT

Every mother knows that pregnancy is a full-time job. Expectant mothers make over two dozen trips to their health provider, navigate a maze of health insurance hurdles, make financial plans for their growing family, and prepare as best as they can for a physical, mental and lifestyle change.  While pregnancy is exciting for many, the costs and time commitment it requires can be overwhelming.For some women, mental health challenges can make it even harder. I learned this firsthand. Now, I’m an advocate for maternal mental health during and after pregnancy.The United States has the highest rate of maternal mortality in the industrialized world.  According to a study done by the Commonwealth Fund in 2022, 66% of these deaths are preventable. Women of color are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women.  These statistics are staggering.It doesn’t have to be this way.The United States is home to the most robust health care system in the world, a...

Serve up the fresh flavors of spring with these recipes

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:48:39 GMT

This is the time of year when people can’t wait to shed their heavy winter coats and head outside to look for the many signs of spring.What we want to see is green. After so many months of cold and dreary weather, green grass and blossoming trees are proof positive that the tide is turning and that our yards and gardens are (finally) coming back to life.Spring also brightens up menus with tender, seasonal veggies and fresh flavors.TAG GOES HERESpinach PestoINGREDIENTSFor pasta1 pound spaghetti, or other pasta of choice2 teaspoons kosher saltExtra Parmesan, shaved or shredded, to serveBaby spinach, to serveToasted pine nuts, to serveFor pesto4 tightly packed cups baby spinach leaves1 teaspoon finely minced garlic1/2 cup toasted pine nuts1/2 tightly packed cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt1/4 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon lemon zest3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oilDIRECTIONSMake pesto: Place all ingredients except oil int...

Moore: The left has killed America’s great cities

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:48:39 GMT

Mark down Tuesday, April 4, as the night Chicago died.That’s when we learned that Second City voters narrowly elected Brandon Johnson as their next mayor. This is a city that was flattened during the reign of Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Lightfoot, elected in 2019 after a career as a federal prosecutor who then held several appointed positions in Chicago, shut down the city for more than a year during COVID-19. She also bankrupted small businesses, allowed rioters to burn down whole neighborhoods, presided over the worst crime wave in 50 years and let the schools go to hell.Now, the voters have selected Johnson. Elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners in 2018, Johnson narrowly won the mayoralty of America’s third-most-populous city on April 4 over Paul Vallas, a former Chicago schools CEO and a Democrat who presented himself as a political moderate compared to the far-left Johnson.The incoming mayor may turn out to be a worse mayor than Lightfoot. Johnson’s occu...

Upgrade breakfast with DIY toaster pastries

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:48:39 GMT

Is there any more memorable and cherished taste from childhood than a Pop-Tart?The sugary toaster pastries have been an iconic grab-and-go breakfast food since Kellogg Co. introduced them in the 1960s, probably because they taste more like a dessert than a healthy way to start your day. They’re even more of a guilty pleasure when you make them from scratch.This recipe comes from Pittsburgh-based recipe developer Michelle Lettrich, the voice behind the food blog Brown Eyed Baker. It’s a winner because it’s relatively easy for even non-bakers to follow and the end result is incredibly tasty.The key to a great pastry dough is to start with super chilled ingredients, so be sure to use very cold butter and ice-cold water. Also beware of overworking the dough (that makes it tough) or adding too much filling between the layers.While this recipe calls for a homemade strawberry filling, feel free to get creative with other fillings such as Nutella, cinnamon brown sugar and ...

Dear Abby: Old flames rekindle spark – but 1 is married

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:48:39 GMT

Dear Abby: After being divorced for 18 years, I have reconnected with my high school sweetheart. She got in touch with me, and we started talking and seeing each other. She says she loves me, and to be honest, I love her, too. The problem is, she’s married. She has grown kids and is raising her 8-year-old granddaughter. She says she’s sorry about what happened to us years ago and that she and her husband have had nothing in common for the past 16 years. They sleep in separate rooms and don’t do anything as a family.I know it was wrong to get involved with her because she’s married. I asked her why now and why me. She said it’s because she never stopped loving me and had tried to find me in the past. (I work in construction and have been in different places over the years.) I told her I don’t want to break up her home, but she insisted that she’s not happy. She told me that a few years ago she moved out but returned because of the granddaught...

Sting to make San Diego stop on world tour

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:48:39 GMT

SAN DIEGO — Musical icon Sting is bringing his world tour to San Diego.The 17-time Grammy Award winner will head to San Diego on Oct. 4 as part of his My Songs World Tour.The show will take place at the Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, located on the San Diego State University campus.The San Diego show is among 10 newly-announced shows that will make up the first North American leg of the world tour. More additional cities and dates are expected to be announced soon, according to Live Nation.General sale tickets for the San Diego show and other newly announced dates will go on sale Friday, April 14 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased here. Depeche Mode adds 2nd San Diego show Pre-sale tickets for members of Sting's Fan Club will be available starting on Wednesday, April 12. VIP packages will also be available for purchase here when ticket sales go live.Known for his music as both a solo artist and as lead singer of The Police, fans can expect to hear some of Sting's timeless ...