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Colorado joins states suing Meta, claiming social platforms harmful to kids

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:24:00 GMT

Dozens of U.S. states, including Colorado, California and New York, are suing Meta Platforms Inc., alleging it harmed young people’s mental health and contributed to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms.A lawsuit filed by 33 states in federal court in California, claims that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law. In addition, nine attorneys general are filing lawsuits in their respective states, bringing the total number of states taking action to 41 and Washington, D.C.“Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens. Its motive is profit, and in seeking to maximize its financial gains, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its social media platforms,” the complaint says. “It has concealed the ways in whic...

Mother distraught over alleged abuse of 5-year-old son by teacher’s aide at Dania Beach school

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:24:00 GMT

Ahilyn Zamora’s five-year-old son, Jaylin, used to love school, enjoying writing his name and engaging in activities like coloring in books. However, that changed when he confided in his mother about an alarming situation at Collins Elementary in Dania Beach.“He was enjoying writing his name and just doing things in books, coloring. Now he doesn’t even want to pick up a book,” Zamora said.According to Jaylin, a teacher’s aide had been physically disciplining him with a ruler, which left a profound impact on his attitude toward school.“The moment he said the teacher takes me to the cave and hits me, I pulled my phone out,” Zamora said. Zamora said she had the following recorded conversation with her son to gather more information:Zamora: “Did she do it soft? Did she spank you soft?”Jaylin: “No, hard.”Zamora: “Did you cry?”Jaylin: “Yes.”Jaylin told 7News what he experienced, something heartbreaki...

Plan to transform Clevelander Hotel into affordable housing receives criticism due to proposed height

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:24:00 GMT

Owners of the iconic Clevelander Hotel on Monday submitted project plans to turn the famous party destination into affordable housing, but some controversy has surrounded the transformation. “The city, I think, fairly despised the first proposal and ought to despise the second proposal, they’re horrible proposals,” said Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber. The apparent despisable deterrent for Mayor Gelber and many others, is the height that the owners of the Clevelander Hotel and Restaurant want to build it up to.The Montreal-based company who owns the hotel, Jetsa Group, submitted a proposal to build a restaurant and 18-story high housing development, which is shorter than the original 30 story plan.According to Mayor Gelber, the new plan still falls short to keep Ocean Drive’s iconic skyline.“The Clevelander owners, who are foreign owners, who could really care less about our city, who are trying to use a state statute to preempt local control over this plo...

New court documents unsealed in murder case against Lindsay Clancy

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:24:00 GMT

New court documents have been unsealed in the murder case against a Duxbury mother accused of killing her children in their home in January. Prosecutors have said Lindsay Clancy strangled her children with exercise bands while her husband was out picking up dinner. According to previously released court documents, Clancy’s husband then found her injured outside on the ground after investigators said she jumped from a window.Hundreds of pages of newly unsealed documents relate to 11 search warrants in the case against Clancy. Together, the documents provide a glimpse into evidence recovered, including lists of medications in journals as well as blood samples and forensic evidence gathered from roof shingles near the spot where authorities said Clancy jumped out the window. Documents also detail information gathered from searches of phones, iPads and computers. A grand jury last month indicted Clancy, 32, on three counts each of murder and strangulation.Prosecutors...

New details revealed about alleged hazing involving Boston College swim and dive team

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:24:00 GMT

More than a month after officials announced an indefinite suspension for the Boston College swim and dive team, new details have emerged about the hazing allegations that prompted the suspension.Details came to light on Tuesday as part of a motion filed by BC’s legal team. The motion, in turn, came in response to a lawsuit brought by more than half the team which has argued BC’s athletic department prematurely suspended the swim and dive program. “It was a team suspension that was implemented after an investigation was done and after a determination had been made by BC athletics that hazing, in fact, had occurred,” said Daryl Lapp, an attorney for Boston College, during court proceedings.Boston College announced the suspension on Sept. 20.“The University does not—and will not—tolerate hazing in any form,” BC said at the time.New court documents show school administrators found hazing occurred in September. In documents, officials allege that “team members conducted a ‘Frosh’ ev...

GOP couple settle with AG over 2020 campaign finance allegations

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:24:00 GMT

A pair of Massachusetts elected officials say they didn’t break the campaign finance laws but have nevertheless agreed to pay hundreds of thousands to end an inquiry into activities surrounding their 2020 campaigns and donations.Attorney General Andrea Campbell announced she has reached a settlement with the campaigns of Worcester state Sen. Ryan Fattman and his wife, Worcester County Register of Probate Stephanie Fattman, who have agreed to pay almost $200,000 over allegations the senator’s campaign funneled money through the state party that was then used to further his wife’s 2020 campaign.The campaigns of the senate Republican and his wife will pay the “largest amounts ever paid by candidate committees to the Commonwealth to settle campaign finance allegations,” according to the Attorney General’s office.“Enforcing our campaign finance laws, and holding those who violate them accountable, are critical functions of our office,” Campbell said Tuesday along with the settlement anno...

Boston Police captain issued 3-day suspension for handling of protests, fight

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:24:00 GMT

A Boston Police captain has been suspended for three days after an internal investigation found violations connected to his conduct in two protests and the “physical contact” he made with a man who had alleged excessive force.A department investigation determined that Capt. John Danilecki neglected his duty, used poor judgment and failed to complete required police reports for these incidents, but did not use improper force, as alleged in at least one case.“The commissioner has signed off on the findings and the discipline of a three-day suspension has been imposed,” Boston Police spokesperson Mariellen Burns told the Herald in a Tuesday email.The BPD Internal Affairs Division sustained a neglect of duty violation, for failing to complete a required incident report, but dismissed five other counts including a use of non-lethal force violation reported by Dorchester resident David Nave in 2019.Nave said Danilecki grabbed and pulled him down to the ground, and pinned him there with a ...

Boston Cardinal urges parishes to be ‘ready and willing to assist’ as migrant crisis escalates

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:24:00 GMT

Cardinal Sean O’Malley of the Archdiocese of Boston issued a letter Tuesday calling on the Catholic community to help out as the state runs out of room for incoming migrants.“I stress that this is a crisis but is only going to expand,” O’Malley wrote in a letter to pastors and the parishes of the Archdiocese. “I offer this invitation in the spirit of Pope Francis, who has asked us as Catholics to watch the peripheries of society where suffering is located.“In our time migrants and refugees are among the most vulnerable individuals and families in the United States,” he continued. “It is my hope and desire that as a church we respond generously and effectively.”The cardinal’s letter comes a week after Gov. Maura Healey announced that the state would run out of room to shelter migrant families by the end of the month.As of mid-October, the Healey administration said the state was sheltering over 7,000 migrant families. By the...

Boston school bus involved in crash

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:24:00 GMT

A Boston Public Schools bus with children onboard was involved in a multi-vehicle crash Tuesday morning.Massachusetts State Police and Boston EMS responded to the scene on Riverway in Boston at around 7:30 a.m. and cleared the scene two hours later.Details on the crash are sparse, as the MSP says the crash remains under investigation, but authorities say that the bus, a 2023 Ford Econoline, and a 2023 Toyota Camry collided and three parked and unoccupied other vehicles were also involved and damaged.EMS transported a passenger in the Camry, a 51-year-old Brockton woman, to Beth Israel Hospital to be treated for minor injuries. The vehicles driver, a 65-year-old Taunton man, was not injured.The three occupants of the bus — 53-year-old Dorchester woman who was its driver, as well as two students, 15 and 17 — were medically cleared at the scene.The bus and one of the parked vehicles, a Tesla, were towed.

Absenteeism in Massachusetts school districts [+link to your school]

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:24:00 GMT

Across the state, chronic absenteeism is still “staggering,” DESE officials said Tuesday — though some districts have done better than others at keeping kids in class.Statewide, attendance rates averaged out to 92.5% for the 2022-23. The state saw a moderate improvement in chronic absenteeism — missing at least 10% of school days — from the pandemic peak, moving from 28% to 22% in 2022-23, but is still leagues off of pre-pandemic rates. Compared to 2019, chronic absenteeism is up 72%.Students missed an average of 13 days of school in the 2022-23 year.Here’s how a sample of major school districts fared in the 2022-23 school year:More 2022-23 attendance data is available on: profiles.doe.mass.edu/statereport/attendance.aspx