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Thousands of Starbucks workers are expected to go on a one-day strike

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:18:54 GMT

Thousands of workers at more than 200 U.S. Starbucks stores plan to walk off the job Thursday in what organizers say is the largest strike yet in the two-year-old effort to unionize the company’s stores.The Workers United union chose Starbucks’ annual Red Cup Day to stage the walkout since it’s usually one of the busiest days of the year. Starbucks expects to give away thousands of reusable cups Thursday to customers who order holiday drinks.The union said it was expecting more than 5,000 workers to take part in its “Red Cup Rebellion.” Around 30 stores also staged walkouts on Wednesday.Neha Cremin, a Starbucks barista in Oklahoma City, said she was striking to protest understaffing in stores, especially during promotions like Red Cup Day. Cremin said workers are already overwhelmed filling delivery orders, drive-thru orders, mobile orders and in-store orders; promotions add another layer of stress.“Understaffing hurts workers and also creates an unpleasant experience for cust...

State police investigating crash involving 2 tractor-trailers in Grafton

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:18:54 GMT

State police are investigating a crash involving two tractor-trailers on the Mass. Pike in Grafton early Thursday morning that resulted in serious injuries.Crews are working to remove the two trucks from the eastbound side of the highway. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.No additional information was immediately available.https://twitter.com/MassStatePolice/status/1724990394654499139This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

Wednesday’s high school tournament scoreboard and highlights

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:18:54 GMT

FIELD HOCKEYEmily Layton scored twice as No. 3 Monomoy (17-2-3) rallied to defeat second-seeded Manchester-Essex 2-1 in a Div. 4 state semifinal. The Hornets (17-2-3) took a 1-0 lead into the fourth quarter on a goal by Laila Mears.Bella Difiore scored twice as No. 2 Andover (19-2) blanked No. 3 Wachusett 3-0 in the Div. 1 state semifinals.Rachel Egan scored the lone tally as No. 1 Watertown (21-0) ousted No. 4 Sandwich 1-0 in a Div. 3 state semifinal.BOYS SOCCERIt took 10 rounds of a shootout before No. 3 Wakefield (17-3-2) defeated eighth-seeded Hopkinton 3-2 in a Div. 2 state semifinal. Hopkinton (15-3-4) took a 1-0 lead on goal by Drew Bialobrzeski, but Wakefield evened things up on Darragh Casey’s goal. The Hillers regained the lead as Tim Zahkarov tallied, but the Warriors rallied as Marc Laverdere scored with just under seven minutes left in regulation.Keagan Harder and Adam Prince netted two goals each for Rivers in an 8-2 NEPSAC quarterfinal win against Kingswood Oxford.GIR...

Mazda shows off the 2023 MX-5 Miata nicely

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:18:54 GMT

As the MX-5 Miata has been a fan-favorite for many for years, and previously identified as just the Miata, in 2023 we notice a new MX-5 Miata and one reason that keeps consumers coming back for more; the 6-speed manual transmission! For the long lasting Mazda MX-5, our Grand Touring tester was wrapped in Zircon Sand Metallic with a Black interior that showed out very well. Its recently upgraded body curvatures, sightline improvements and interior aesthetics were just a few reasons, while the under $40K sports car is fun and a good choice for many.Although the seats and interior space were tighter than any corvette I have ever owned, the 2023 Mazda MX-5 Miata was specifically designed for smaller people rather than a full framed person like myself. On the contrary, the Mazda MX-5 Miata is really fun to drive. The 6-speed manual transmission is awesome and very easy to shift and enjoyable on all types of roads. Powering the MX-5 Miata, is the brand famous 2.0L Skyactiv DOHC 4-cylinder...

AP Election Brief | What to expect in Louisiana’s general election

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:18:54 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Louisiana residents may have just elected a new governor, but they’re not done casting ballots.On Saturday, voters will decide runoff elections for secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer and almost two dozen state legislative seats, where Republicans need only defeat the Democratic candidate in one state House district to maintain their supermajority in the chamber.Topping the ballot will be the race to replace Republican Kyle Ardoin as secretary of state. The Republican candidate is Nancy Landry, a former three-term state representative who serves as Ardoin’s chief deputy. The Democratic candidate is Gwen Collins-Greenup, a Baton Rouge-based attorney who ran unsuccessfully for the job against Ardoin in 2018 and 2019. They advanced to Saturday’s runoff after each received 19% of the Oct. 14 primary vote, with Landry edging Collins-Greenup by just shy of a thousand votes. Landry is not related to Republican Gov.-elect Jeff Landry.The winner will inherit the...

Parkland strikes electric vehicle station funding deal with Infrastructure Bank

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:18:54 GMT

TORONTO — More electric vehicle charging stations are on the way as the Canada Infrastructure Bank says it has signed a second funding deal to expand fast-charging options.The federal Crown corporation says it will provide up to $210 million in loans to help Parkland Corp. expand its charging network by upwards of 2,000 fast-charging ports at as many as 400 sites. It’s CIB’s second major funding announcement for charging stations, after it provided a $220 million loan in April to Flo Inc. to help it build more than 2,000 fast-charging ports across Canada by 2027.The charging investments come as the federal government works towards a mandate of full electric vehicle sales by 2035 to reduce road transportation emissions, which make up about 18 per cent of Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions.Ehren Cory, chief executive of the CIB, says the funding will speed up the rollout of fast chargers.He says companies are already expanding charging options, but it’s im...

Potential kingmaker in Dutch coalition talks comes out against anti-Islam firebrand Wilders

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:18:54 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The center-right lawmaker whose new party is riding so high in polls ahead of next week’s Dutch election that he could become a kingmaker in coalition talks said Thursday that he has fundamental differences with anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders, whose party also is polling strongly.With next Wednesday’s vote shaping up as a neck-and-neck race, party leaders are already looking toward what could be protracted negotiations to form the next ruling coalition. The Dutch electoral system and the sheer number of parties involved — 26 at this election — virtually guarantee the need for coalition governments. Pieter Omtzigt, who only formed his New Social Contract party over the summer, is very narrowly behind the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the polls. Wilders’ Freedom Party (PVV) is in fourth place.A center-left bloc of the Labor Party and Green Left, led by former European Uni...

South Africa refers Israel to ICC over Gaza attacks as pressure mounts to cut diplomatic ties

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:18:54 GMT

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa has filed a referral to the International Criminal Court for an investigation into alleged war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said.The move comes as South African lawmakers were expected to debate a motion on Thursday calling for the closure of the Israeli Embassy in South Africa and the cutting of all diplomatic ties with the country until it agrees to a cease-fire.Ramaphosa said his country believes Israel is committing war crimes and genocide in Gaza, where thousands of Palestinians have been killed and hospitals and public infrastructure have been destroyed.“As South Africa we have accordingly, together with many other countries across the world, referred this whole Israeli government action to the International Criminal Court,” Ramaphosa said Wednesday during a state visit to Qatar.“We have put through a referral because we believe that war crimes are being committed there. And of course we do n...

TikTok and Meta challenge Europe’s new rules that crack down on digital giants

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:18:54 GMT

LONDON (AP) — TikTok and Facebook owner Meta are filing legal challenges against new European Union rules designed to counter the dominance of digital giants and make online competition fairer by giving consumers more choice. TikTok said in a blog post Thursday that it’s appealing being classified as an online “gatekeeper” by the Digital Markets Act, arguing that it’s playing the role of a new competitor in social media that is taking on entrenched players. Meta said a day earlier that it disagrees with the 27-nation bloc’s decision to include its Marketplace and Messenger as gateway services under the new rules, adding that it is seeking “clarification on specific points of law.”The Digital Markets Act will take effect by March, with a list of dos and don’ts for big tech companies aimed at giving users more choices and threatening big penalties if they don’t comply. Labeling TikTok a gatekeeper undermines the DMA’s goal by “protecting actua...

Terry Taylor Appreciation: Former AP Sports Writer remembers ‘she was the most everything’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:18:54 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Terry R. Taylor, the first female sports editor at The Associated Press who ran the department from 1992-2013, died Tuesday. She was 71.Retired AP Sports Writer Ben Walker worked with Taylor throughout her tenure. Here’s what he remembers.___She’d come blazing into the office like a comet. Right away, everyone sat up straighter at their desk, fingers poised on keyboards. All of a sudden, it was go time at AP Sports, even before Terry Taylor barked, “What’s cookin’?”And that was on a quiet Tuesday morning when absolutely nothing was happening.She was universally known as TRT — those were her initials, though few knew her middle name was Rosalind — but TNT was more accurate. At 5-foot-nothing and 100 pounds, wow, could she roar. She became a dynamic force in the world of journalism, the first woman sports editor at The Associated Press at a time when women were rare in the press box or such positions of power.I remember the first time she went to Fenway Park in t...