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State guidelines on physical and sex education to be updated for first time since 1999

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:05:20 GMT

Massachusetts physical and sex education guidelines are getting an upgrade for the first time in decades after a vote by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Tuesday, Gov. Maura Healey announced. The board voted unanimously Tuesday morning to approve what Healey’s office in a statement described as “an updated comprehensive health and physical education framework.” The updated guidelines address LGBTQ+ health, mental health, dating safety and substance use disorders, marking the first change to the state’s guidelines since 1999.Healey’s office said Tuesday’s vote came after a more than 60-day public comment period in which the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education received well over 5,000 responses through several means. The public comment period, in turn, came years after Healey’s office said the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education began revising the state’s framework alongside educators and health experts back in 2018. “Massachuset...

Powerball ticket worth $1 million sold in Dorchester as jackpot grows

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:05:20 GMT

A local lottery player recently won a $1 million prize on a Powerball ticket bought in Dorchester, the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission announced. The lottery commission said the ticket was sold at Supreme Liquors on Geneva Avenue for the Monday Powerball drawing. The winning numbers in Monday’s drawing were 2, 21, 26, 40 and 42 with 9 as the Powerball number. While someone won the $1 million prize, no one hit the jackpot, setting up an estimated $672 million jackpot in the next Powerball drawing on Wednesday. 

Recipe: Lemon-Kissed Skillet Pancake is a tasty breakfast or brunch treat

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:05:20 GMT

This Lemon-Kissed Skillet Pancake, with its beautifully browned dome, teams the tartness of fresh lemon juice as well as two palate-pleasing sweet components, powdered sugar and warm blueberry syrup.Sometimes called a Dutch baby, this breakfast or brunch treat is much like a popover. It’s a great emergency treat for unexpected guests.Lemon-Kissed Skillet Pancake with Whole Blueberry SyrupYield: 4 small servingsINGREDIENTS1/2 cup all-purpose flour1/2 cup whole milk or 2% milk2 large eggs, lightly beaten1/2 teaspoon minced lemon zest (colored portion of peel)4 tablespoons butter, cut into 4 piecesWhole Blueberry Syrup: 1 cup maple syrup, 1/2 cup fresh blueberries1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice1 tablespoon powdered sugarDIRECTIONS1. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, milk, eggs, and zest. Mix until well combined, but some small lumps should remain.3. Melt butter on medium-high heat in large, ovenproof skillet. I use a sha...

It’s not too soon to plan your winter escape. Here are 5 enticing destinations

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:05:20 GMT

By Sharyn Jackson and Joy Summers, Star TribuneMINNEAPOLIS — If you live in a state with a propensity for chilly temps and snow, your time outdoors may soon be limited. But these warm-weather destinations will help thoughts of snow melt away.BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINASunset over the marsh in Beaufort, South Carolina. (Dreamstime/TNS)WHY: This small southern town in the heart of South Carolina’s lowcountry is set in scenery so breathtaking that movies, including “Forrest Gump” and “The Big Chill,” have been filmed here. Its downtown main street is dotted with art galleries, shops and restaurants just feet from the shoreline, and shushing sweetgrass graces the area with an alluring aroma. History buffs will appreciate the stately, and possibly haunted, antebellum mansions and rich Gullah culture.Situated between Charleston and Savannah, visitors fly into either city — it’s an easy drive to a place where time moves slower.FOOD SCENE: Dining in Beaufort...

Rank the Orioles’ top postseason moments, from the 1966 World Series to the 2014 playoff run

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:05:20 GMT

The Orioles have been creating postseason memories for more than half a century. With the team poised to make more in 2023, here’s a look back at the most magical moments in franchise history.Vote for your favorites in the widget after the story through Sept. 25 and check back Sept. 27 to view the poll results.1966: Moe Drabowsky fans 11 in Dodgers reliefSummoned in the third inning, with the bases loaded and one out, Orioles reliever Moe Drabowsky does the improbable: He holds the Los Angeles Dodgers to one hit for the last 6 2/3 innings in a 5-2 victory in the 1966 World Series opener. En route, the journeyman right-hander, whom the Orioles drafted on the cheap in the offseason, strikes out 11 Dodgers, including six in a row, retiring all six of them swinging.Drabowsky’s effort sets the tempo for the Orioles’ four-game sweep: Los Angeles does not score again in the Series.1966: Jim Palmer comes of age against Sandy KoufaxJim Palmer is 20 years old when he bests D...

How to stay safe on Hawaii’s beaches

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:05:20 GMT

By Scott Laird, TravelPulseBeachgoing is perhaps the most popular activity among tourists in the Aloha State. The Hawaiian archipelago is noted for beaches of all shapes and colors — from the uniform sugar sand of Ka’anapali Beach on Maui to the black or sometimes green sand beaches of the Island of Hawaii to the world-famous high-rise hotel fronted Waikiki on O’ahu.In spite of their diversity, Hawaii beaches have two things in common: they’re all public property (there’s no such thing as a “private beach” here), and they all require vigilance to be enjoyed safely.Read on for more tips on staying safe on Hawaii beaches.Check conditions firstAlthough Hawaii is often promoted as an idyllic paradise, beach conditions aren’t always optimal. SafeBeachDay.com updates conditions at Hawaii beaches so visitors can check warnings before heading out. Upon reaching the beach, many have flags posted indicating hazards. Red flags indicate the conditions are dangerous; two red flags indicate the w...

Highest savings yields are topping inflation. Here’s why that’s important for savers

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:05:20 GMT

Matthew Goldberg | Bankrate.com (TNS)Personal finance fact: Your money loses purchasing power over time, especially if it’s in a savings account that isn’t earning interest.But there’s good news for savers: For the sixth straight month, the top savings yield is outpacing inflation, according to Bankrate data.The current savings rate environment features many top savings account annual percentage yields (APYs) actually outpacing 3.7% inflation. That wasn’t the case a year ago, when inflation was more than two times higher than it is now.Inflation peaked at 9.1% last summer. And you weren’t going to earn 9% on cash back then,“But over time, you want your cash earnings to be in the same zip code as inflation, just so you’re preserving your buying power,” says Greg McBride, CFA, Bankrate chief financial analyst.Here are seven reasons why keeping up with inflation matters.1. A dollar today won’t buy as much as it will in the futurePrices generally increase over time.Money that isn’t keep...

Ask the Pediatrician: What to know about mental health in teen athletes

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:05:20 GMT

By Dr. Drew Watson, American Academy of PediatricsMental illness is an extremely common and important issue among teenagers. Although sports and physical activity have tremendous mental health benefits, young athletes are not exempt from the ongoing mental health crisis.In fact, some potential effects of being a competitive athlete, like perfectionism, external pressures to perform or severe injuries, may increase the risk of mental illness. Improving mental health and well-being can not only help make young athletes feel better, it can even have important benefits for performance and reducing illness and injury risk.The single most important thing parents can do is create a safe environment for your child that promotes ongoing conversations about mental health.Assure your child that they can tell you anything, without judgment. Recognize and communicate to your child that mental health is health. The goal is to normalize conversations about it. Bring up the topic of mental health y...

Mayo Clinic Minute: Surprising sources of added sugar

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:05:20 GMT

By DeeDee Stiepan, Mayo Clinic News NetworkAdded sugar in foods not only adds extra calories, it also can have direct toxic effects, such as tooth decay and even a risk for heart disease. Minimizing the amount of added sugar in your diet is important. However, you may not even realize how much added sugar you consume. That’s because some unsuspecting foods you may think are healthy contain added sugar.In this Mayo Clinic Minute, Dr. Donald Hensrud, a Mayo Clinic physician specializing in nutrition and the editor of “The Mayo Clinic Diet,” explains what to look out for when trying to avoid added sugar.“Anytime food is processed, there are certain things that are added. And it’s often sugar or salt,” says Dr. Hensrud.When trying to identify how much added sugar is in packaged food, look at the nutrition food label. You might be surprised by what you find.“Many things you wouldn’t even suspect — some sauces, some dips, some spreads — ther...

5 credit card scams to watch out for this holiday season

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:05:20 GMT

By Jae Bratton | NerdWalletIn the list of things you want to be doing around the holidays, fending off scam artists has to be at the bottom. And yet, the holidays can be a prime time for scammers hoping to take advantage of the busy season. One fraudulent transaction is easily overlooked in a bank statement full of gift purchases, and there may not be time to dispute suspicious charges when you’re hosting out-of-town guests.Research-based advisory firm Javelin Strategy & Research defines an identity fraud scam as a tactic that a criminal uses to steal someone’s personal information for the purpose of illegal financial gain. Consumers lost $43 billion in 2022 to these scams, according to Javelin’s 2023 Identity Fraud Study.If there’s good news, it’s that there were fewer reported victims of identity fraud in 2022 as compared with 2021, with a 17% decrease in the amount of money lost to scams. The bad news is that scammers have become more sophisticated in their methods and have a...