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Biden FAA nominee doesn’t need waiver, DOT tells Republicans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:11 GMT

President Biden’s nominee to lead the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) doesn’t need a waiver from Congress to be confirmed, the Biden administration told lawmakers Thursday.Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas), the top Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee, has insisted that FAA nominee Phil Washington must secure a waiver due to his retired military status, citing federal law that says the FAA administrator must be a civilian. Republicans would likely vote down the waiver, dooming his nomination.In a letter to Cruz obtained by The Hill, Department of Transportation general counsel John Putnam said that Washington has “engaged in solely civilian pursuits and clearly fits the plain and widely understood meaning of the word” since retiring from the U.S. Army in 2000 after 24 years of service. “No further analysis is required to confirm Mr. Washington’s eligibility,” Putnam wrote. “If Congress had wanted to impose additional restrictions on individuals with prior service in the milita...

Pats safety Devin McCourty retiring after 13 NFL seasons

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:11 GMT

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Devin McCourty has only known one home during his NFL career since being selected by the New England Patriots as a first-round draft pick out of Rutgers in 2010.Three Super Bowl rings and 13 seasons later, he’s walking away from the sport as one of the Patriots’ most decorated and respected players on and off the field.The veteran safety announced his retirement in an Instagram video Friday, calling his career “a great ride.”“It’s always tough to kind of come to the end,” McCourty told his twin brother, Jason, in the video. “This whole offseason has been back and forth for me mentally, probably not even sharing as much of the thoughts that I was just going between from one day to the next day. But ultimately, I think this is the best decision for me, my family, for my career.”McCourty, 35, went into the offseason wavering about his future with the Patriots along with fellow longtime captain Matt Slater. The 37-year-old Slater ultimately made the de...

Snow showers overnight, Nor’easter next week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:11 GMT

7Weather – It was another nice day as a lot of us joined the 50° club. Changes overnight as the center of a weak low pressure system tracks to our south, but tosses some scattered showers our way.Snow and rain showers hold off until late tonight/midnight. Scattered showers linger through tomorrow morning. Temperatures through Worcester County and west will be more supportive of snow. The snow totals will be minimal and confined to non-paved surfaces. Temperatures along the coast and southeast Mass will be marginal. You might see some flurries, but they won’t stick to the surfaces. Scattered snow showers linger Saturday afternoon as the system wraps in moisture while moving east. By then, temperatures will be too far above freezing for anything to stick. We’ll hold on the clouds and temperatures will be stuck in the 30s. It’ll be blustery too with a northeast breeze making it feel chillier throughout the day.Sunday is your better day of the weekend. It’s...

‘The stakes are high’: Advocate calls for investments as MBTA’s issues continue

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:11 GMT

No matter what color the line, the MBTA’s safety issues date back decades. After a ceiling panel fell at the Harvard Station in Cambridge earlier this month, and as MBTA riders voice frustrations over sudden new delays this week, one transit advocate has pointed to prior investments in the T, saying the agency needs to get back to such levels of investment. “The stakes are high,” Jarred Johnson of TransitMatters told 7NEWS this week. “I think we need a sense from Beacon Hill both from the corner office and the legislature that the T is in crisis.” The T’s issues can be deadly. Last April, a 39-year-old man was killed when his arm got stuck in the door of a train departing Broadway station on the Red Line, leading him to be dragged as the train pulled away. In its preliminary report weeks after the incident, the National Transportation Safety Board said a fault in a door control system was to blame.Just under a year later, the man’s family is now suing the MBTA in conn...

Becoming more apparent the Packers are ready for life without Aaron Rodgers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:11 GMT

Ever since the Jets’ visit to Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers earlier this week, there has been silence from all parties involved.That is until Friday afternoon.Of all places, Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy spoke with WBAY-TV, a television station in Green Bay, during a WIAA girl’s basketball state tournament about Rodgers’ future.During the interview, Murphy was asked if there was a scenario where Rodgers could remain with the Packers next season.“Yeah, I mean, unless if things don’t work out the way they would want them,” Murphy said. “Yeah, he is obviously a great player.”On Tuesday, Jets owner Woody Johnson, general manager Joe Douglas, coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett flew out to California to meet with Rodgers, hoping to convince the former four-time MVP to ask to be traded to their team after receiving permission from the Packers.Rodgers has been contemplating his future since the end of th...

Ticker: Online betting begins in Bay State; Belgium bans TikTok from government phones

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:11 GMT

Sports fans raced to their cell phones Friday to begin placing bets as the state allowed online sports wagering just days ahead of tipoff of the NCAA Tournament next week.The start of online sports gambling came a little over a month after the state began allowing people to place wagers in person at the state’s three casinos — Encore Boston Harbor in Boston, Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville, and MGM Springfield in Springfield.Lawmakers estimate that sports betting could generate about $60 million in annual tax revenue and $70 million to $80 million in initial licensing fees, which must be renewed every five years. The law includes a 15% tax on in-person wagering and 20% tax on mobile wagering. People must be 21 or older to bet.Belgium bans TikTok from government phonesBelgium is banning TikTok from government phones over worries about cybersecurity, privacy and misinformation, the country’s prime minister said Friday, mirroring recent action by other authorities in E...

Patriots re-sign LB Raekwon McMillan, per report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:11 GMT

The Patriots and linebacker Raekwon McMillan have reached terms on a new contract Friday that will keep McMillan from hitting unrestricted free agency next week, according to a report from The Boston Globe.McMillan, 27, will enter his third season with the Patriots after originally signing as a free agent in 2020. He missed that season with a torn ACL, then bounced back to post 35 tackles, a QB hit and one fumble recovery in 16 games with one start last season. McMillan’s return adds depth at inside linebacker, where the Pats are expected to lose fellow backup Mack Wilson in free agency.Starters Ja’Whaun Bentley and Jahlani Tavai are both under contract for next season, though Bentley’s deal runs only through 2023.Earlier Friday, the Patriots released punter Jake Bailey, and safety Devin McCourty announced his retirement after 13 NFL seasons.

Chris Perkins: Tua fifth-year extension latest sign Dolphins are poised to win now

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:11 GMT

The signs are all there. The news that the Dolphins will sign quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to his fifth-year contract extension is the latest exciting indication they’re serious about making this Super Bowl run, more serious than they’ve been in years.This is good stuff, Dolphins fans.This isn’t a series of headline-grabbing, one-off transactions.For the first time in a long time, we’re witnessing a legitimate, carefully crafted, well-thought-out championship pursuit. The Dolphins are trying to win now, not two or three years from now, and they have a master plan. That’s becoming more clear with each conjoining move.The Dolphins are positioning themselves financially (they’re releasing injury-slowed cornerback Byron Jones along with other moves), mentally (Tagovailoa’s mind is probably more at ease now that he doesn’t have to listen to Tom Brady rumors), and physically (Tagovailoa is taking jiu-jitsu) to make a Super Bowl run.There’...

Home Showcase: Suburbia never looked so sweet

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:11 GMT

Fewer than a handful of single-family homes are currently for sale in Holliston, so if you have your heart set on this western corner of suburbia, the arrival of 41 Pleasant Street on the market is a welcome sight.Of course, scarcity isn’t the only reason the contemporary Colonial is a great find. Most notably, it’s newer, built in 2018, so not only do you get to skip the hassle of overhauling a major system, but the home is as turnkey as it gets with a stylish-yet-timeless design throughout.Boasting a welcoming, open floor plan perfectly suited for entertaining — or for keeping an eye on everything while whipping up lunch — the main living level opens via sunny sliders to a deck so you can take the party outside when it’s warm. To wit, the home sits on close to half an acre, including a large, flat, and fenced backyard with a brick patio area and tons of room for garden beds and a playset.Nearby Lake Winthrop adds swimming and paddle boarding options for Holliston residents for eve...

Chicago Bears free-agent tracker: Cornerback Josh Blackwell and long snapper Patrick Scales to return

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:11 GMT

In his second offseason with the Chicago Bears, general manager Ryan Poles has plenty of salary-cap space to rework a roster that finished 3-14 in 2022.As the NFL’s new league year approaches, allowing free agents to begin signing with new teams, the Tribune will track all of the Bears’ arrivals and departures and provide insight into what they mean.The free-agency negotiation window will open across the league at 11 a.m. Monday. Unrestricted free agents can finalize deals when the new league year begins at 3 p.m. Wednesday.Here’s the latest.FridayCornerback Josh Blackwell and defensive lineman Andrew Brown are returning, the Bears announced. What it means: The Bears tendered one-year contracts to Blackwell and Brown, who were exclusive-rights free agents.Blackwell, an undrafted rookie out of Duke, was a key special teams player in 2022. He had 23 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He saw time on defense in four games late in the season when injuries d...