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Police & Fire
Man Hit, Killed While Crossing Street In Western Mass Man Hit, Killed While Crossing Street In Western Mass
Man Hit, Killed While Crossing Street In Western Mass A 72-year-old Western Massachusetts man was killed Tuesday evening after being hit by a car in Western Massachusetts, authorities said. The man was crossing Route 10 near 412 Main Street in Easthampton when he was struck around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 7, according to the Northwestern District Attorney's Office. The victim was from Easthampton.  Authorities did not release his name.  The driver, a 39-year-old Westfield resident, remained at the scene and is cooperating with investigators, the DA's office said. Easthampton police are reconstructing the crash to determine how it…

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by Josh Lanier
Business
H&R Block Fined $7M For Deceptive 'Free' Filing Ads, Must Reform Tax Services: FTC H&R Block Fined $7M For Deceptive 'Free' Filing Ads, Must Reform Tax Services: FTC
H&R Block Fined $7M For Deceptive 'Free' Filing Ads, Must Reform Tax Services: FTC H&R Block will pay $7 million in federal fines for deceptive practices and must implement sweeping changes to its filing services in time for the 2025 tax season, officials said. H&R Block reached the settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, the agency announced in a news release on Wednesday, Jan. 8. The order requires the company to revamp its services and pay $7 million to compensate its customers. The settlement stemmed from a February 2024 complaint accusing H&R Block of forcing users to contact customer service to downgrade products. The tax filer was also a…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
High-End 'Pawn Shop', Gourmet Dining Set To Dazzle At Newest Mohegan Sun Restaurant High-End 'Pawn Shop', Gourmet Dining Set To Dazzle At Newest Mohegan Sun Restaurant
High-End 'Pawn Shop', Gourmet Dining Set To Dazzle At Newest Mohegan Sun Restaurant A new restaurant with a luxury pawn shop and speakeasy vibes will soon open at Mohegan Sun. Beauty & Essex is set to open next to novelle in the Casino of the Sky on Friday, Feb. 7, Mohegan Sun said in a news release on Wednesday, Jan. 8. The 11,000-square-foot restaurant will be operated by Tao Group Hospitality, which also opened TAO Asian Bistro & Lounge at the Uncasville casino in 2021. Co-created by Chef Chris Santos, Mohegan Sun said Beauty & Essex will offer a unique, eclectic dining experience. "The addition of Beauty & Essex furthers our partnership …

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by Chris Spiker
Obituaries
Teen Killed In Ski Accident At Western Mass Resort Teen Killed In Ski Accident At Western Mass Resort
Teen Killed In Ski Accident At Western Mass Resort A 19-year-old student at an exclusive Massachusetts college was killed this week after suffering a severe head injury while skiing at a resort in the Berkshires. Alex Kemp, of Lincroft, NJ, was skiing at Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort in Hancock on Monday, Jan. 6, when he went off of one of the trails and hit his head after going over an embankment, the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office said. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.  Paramedics performed life-saving measures as they rushed him to Berkshire Medical Center. Doctors later transferred Kemp to…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Longtime NBC Washington Reporter Derrick Ward Dies At 62 Longtime NBC Washington Reporter Derrick Ward Dies At 62
Longtime NBC Washington Reporter Derrick Ward Dies At 62 Veteran NBC Washington reporter Derrick Ward has died at the age of 62 after suffering complications from a recent cardiac arrest, the station confirmed on Wednesday. Ward, a District resident, had been a staple in the community for years, having reported for NBC, as well as local station WTOP after getting his start in upstate New York .  He has been covering his hometown community since 2006. Ward was pronounced dead on Wednesday, Jan. 7 following the complications, his family confirmed in a statement. No further details have been provided. "We'll miss his writing, his reporting, h…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Delta Teams Up With Uber, Ending SkyMiles Rewards Partnership With Lyft Delta Teams Up With Uber, Ending SkyMiles Rewards Partnership With Lyft
Delta Teams Up With Uber, Ending SkyMiles Rewards Partnership With Lyft Delta will enter a new partnership with Uber and allow SkyMiles customers to earn rewards on rides, ending the airline's longtime relationship with Lyft, officials said. Delta Air Lines and Uber announced their new partnership at the CES 2025 trade show in Las Vegas on Tuesday, Jan. 7. SkyMiles members will be able to earn miles for eligible Uber riders and Uber Eats orders in the spring of 2025. The heads of the companies shared their excitement about the venture, saying that about 15 percent of all Uber ride bookings either begin or end at airports. "Delta is thrilled to come together wi…

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by Chris Spiker
Politics
Bill To Deport Unauthorized Immigrants Charged With Minor Crimes Passes House Bill To Deport Unauthorized Immigrants Charged With Minor Crimes Passes House
Bill To Deport Unauthorized Immigrants Charged With Minor Crimes Passes House The House of Representatives passed its first bill of the year on Tuesday, Jan. 7, a border security measure requiring the detention and deportation of unauthorized immigrants charged with theft-related crimes, including shoplifting and burglary. Named the Laken Riley Act in honor of a 22-year-old Georgia college student killed in February, 2024 by a Venezuelan migrant, the legislation received bipartisan support, in a 264-159 vote.  All Republicans and 48 Democrats backed the measure. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) stated that the Senate will consider the bill as early as Fr…

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by Joe Lombardi
Lifestyle
Staggering Number Of Potentially Unsafe Elderly Drivers Still Behind Wheel, Study Warns Staggering Number Of Potentially Unsafe Elderly Drivers Still Behind Wheel, Study Warns
Staggering Number Of Potentially Unsafe Elderly Drivers Still Behind Wheel, Study Warns A new study reveals a staggering number of elderly Americans experiencing cognitive decline continue to drive, raising concerns about road safety nationwide. There are approximately 48 million licensed drivers aged 65 and older in the United States, with around 17 percent of seniors suffering from mild cognitive impairment, according to a StudyFinds.org. This situation presents a considerable challenge in ensuring road safety while also preserving the independence of older adults. According to an analysis conducted by researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, the healthcare …

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by Joe Lombardi
Politics
Trump Eyes US Expansion Of Canada, Greenland, Panama Canal, New 'Gulf Of America' Trump Eyes US Expansion Of Canada, Greenland, Panama Canal, New 'Gulf Of America'
Trump Eyes US Expansion Of Canada, Greenland, Panama Canal, New 'Gulf Of America' President-elect Donald Trump unveiled sweeping plans for US territorial expansion in the Western Hemisphere during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Palm Beach, Florida.  He refused to rule out military action to retake the Panama Canal, proposed the acquisition of Greenland, and suggested economic measures to incorporate Canada into the United States. Leaders in all three countries swiftly condemned the remarks. The remarks came during a news conference on Tuesday, Jan. 7, where Trump covered a wide range of topics, including his plans to reshape American energy pol…

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by Joe Lombardi
Obituaries
Police ID Leominster Teen Killed Near Leominster Market Basket Police ID Leominster Teen Killed Near Leominster Market Basket
Police ID Leominster Teen Killed Near Leominster Market Basket The 13-year-old Massachusetts boy who was hit and killed by a truck near a Market Basket in Worcester County has been identified.  Ezra Millard, of Leominster, was hit near the Sack Boulevard store in Leominster just after 6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 6, the Worcester District Attorney's Office said.  Ezra was a student at Skyview Middle School. The driver of the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado stayed on the scene following the crash and was cooperating with investigators, authorities said. The truck is registered in Maine.  Ezra's father, John Millard, posted shortly after their death …

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by Josh Lanier
Business
These Two Girl Scout Cookie Flavors Will Be Retired In 2025: How You Can Buy Them These Two Girl Scout Cookie Flavors Will Be Retired In 2025: How You Can Buy Them
These Two Girl Scout Cookie Flavors Will Be Retired In 2025: How You Can Buy Them If you love Girl Scout Cookies, 2025 is the last year you can buy two special flavors. The Girl Scouts of the USA said that it will retire its S’mores and Toast-Yay! cookies after this season. The organization made the announcement in a news release on Tuesday, Jan. 7 as it kicks off the 2025 Girl Scout Cookie season. S'mores cookies were introduced in 2017 and are made by Little Brownie Bakers. Just like the campfire classic, the Girl Scout version has a chocolate and marshmallow filling in between two graham sandwich cookies. The Toast-Yay! flavor was introduced in 2021 an…

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by Chris Spiker
Obituaries
Journalist Richard Cohen, Husband To Meredith Vieira, Dies After Half-Century MS Battle Journalist Richard Cohen, Husband To Meredith Vieira, Dies After Half-Century MS Battle
Journalist Richard Cohen, Husband To Meredith Vieira, Dies After Half-Century MS Battle Journalist and author Richard Cohen has died after inspiring countless people through his decades-long battle with MS and cancer. Cohen, the husband of former TODAY anchor Meredith Vieira, died on Tuesday, Dec. 24, TODAY reported. The Plainview, New York, native was 76 years old. A veteran reporter, Cohen lived with multiple sclerosis for more than 50 years and overcame two cancer diagnoses during his life. He was also legally blind. Cohen, who worked for CBS News, was given his MS diagnosis in 1973.  "I was diagnosed when I was 25 years old and essentially told there is no…

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by Chris Spiker