Christmas Eve is shaping up to be a difficult time for homeless people who are struggling to find shelter with space to accommodate them. In the Greater Montreal area, temperatures are expected to drop to -20 degrees Celsius on the nights of December 24 and 25. Many homeless people will spend the day trying to find shelter that will accept them. The Canadian Press asked several people who work in shelters how the last few days have been, which have been very cold across Quebec. The situation is worrying, as shelters are turning away several people every day due to lack of capacity. The workers are worried sick about those looking for a place to spend Christmas Eve night. Louise Waridel, deputy general director of “La rue des femmes”, reports that traffic is very high at the moment. Every day, her organization turns away between 20 and 25 women, sometimes exceeding 30 refusals. “It’s a lot,” comments Waridel. “It’s certain that we are concerned all year round to see so many refusals, so many people staying outside, but in times of extreme cold it’s even more worrying because we know that someone staying outside can be fatal.” “It’s always a little more heartbreaking when it’s full and Christmas is coming up,” she continues. Waridel says women often feel anxious about not finding a place to spend the holidays. She emphasizes that the people who are refused are known to the center. “The women who frequent our resources are women we see again from one day to the next, sometimes from one week to the next. They become a bit like family members, so knowing they are on the street is indeed worrying,” she confides. “La rue des femmes” offers meal services, day therapy activities and transitional housing. Maison Jacqueline also has 24 emergency beds and Maison Olga has nine emergency beds. Currently, all emergency beds are full on a daily basis. The situation is similar at CAP St-Barnabé, which has three inclusive emergency shelters that can accommodate 350 people per day in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, in Montreal. According to estimates by Carlens Solol, who works at reception, every day, CAP St-Barnabé has to refuse an emergency bed to around ten people. Lunches and dinners are also served at the centres, and some neighbourhood residents in need come to benefit, he said. Steven Fortin, coordinator at “L’Amour en Action”, located in Montreal North, indicates that the teams do everything in their power to find an emergency bed in another shelter when they are full. “L’Amour en action” has 51 beds and they are all occupied at the moment. “We are full, we are overflowing, we have a waiting list of at least three pages,” says Mr. Fortin, which corresponds to nearly forty people waiting for a bed. The Montreal North organization also has a 30-chair warming shelter that opened in November. With the cold temperatures of the last few days, Fortin said there is often a line of people outside, waiting under a gazebo, waiting for 6 p.m. to arrive so they can enter the warming shelter. Solol confirms that homeless people are not thrown out when a shelter is full. “When people come and ask for a place, when we see that we are full, the workers refer them to other centers,” he explains. He also said he was calling on ÉMMIS (Équipe mobile de médiation et d’intervention sociale) to have workers help move a person from one shelter to another.
The 2024 fall sports season was a triumphant one, featuring countless memorable games and a lot of hardware at the end, and it also included top-notch performances from many familiar names. Every local school produced postseason all-stars and here’s a recap: Football Indi Backman helped Falmouth win its first-ever football state title and was one of several Navigators named to the Class B North all-star team. Anna Chadwick / Morning Sentinel Falmouth, Greely and Portland won long-awaited football state championships this fall and not surprisingly, those squads, along with other local schools, had multiple players honored. In Class A North, Portland placed quarterback Louis Thurston, fullback/H-back Carter Lucca, running back Aidan McGowan, wide receiver Cordell Jones, tight end Brody Viola, linemen Colin Kelly, Anthony Tavares and Riley Wildes and utility Alex Martin on the All-Region offense team. The All-Region defense squad featured Portland linemen Colin Kelly and Anthony Tavares, end Lisandro Rodrigues, linebacker Carter Lucca and backs Cordell Jones, Aidan McGowan and Louis Thurston. Portland’s Anthony Tavares was named Class A North Offensive Lineman of the Year. Portland’s Louis Thurston was chosen the Class A North Player of the Year. Portland’s Ethan Stump was selected Class A North Assistant Coach of the Year. Portland’s Sean Green won the Class A North Coach of the Year honor. Portland’s Aidan McGowan and Riley Wildes qualified for the All-Academic team. In the Class B North “Pine Tree Conference,” Falmouth names were everywhere. The first-team offense included quarterback Tres Walker, running back Indi Backman, wide receiver Logan McVeigh, tight end Eli Bush, center Owen Bombardier and tackle Thomas Gale. The second-team offense featured wide receivers Gio Guerrette, Joey Guerrette and Abram Wintersteen and guard Thomas Willoughby Jr. The Navigators’ defense had a historically stingy campaign and placed tackle Harlem Harrison, end Eli Bush, linebackers Indi Backman and Peter Kearns and backs Gio Guerrette and Logan McVeigh on the first-team. The second-team defense included Falmouth tackle Thomas Gale, backs Matt Grace, Ben Robbins and Luke Roy and utility Joey Guerrette. Special teams first-teamers included Peter Kearns at placekicker and Ben Robbins at returner. Punter Owen Ross made the second-team. Falmouth’s Spencer Emerson was named the Class B North Coach of the Year. In the eight-man, large school division, state champion Greely placed quarterback Andrew Padgett and lineman Nick Lyden on the offense first-team. They were joined by wide receiver/tight end Wyatt Gawtry of Yarmouth. Greely’s Ben Kyles and Yarmouth’s Iggy McGrath were named to the second-team. The defense first-team featured Greely lineman Luke Piper, linebacker Ben McCarron and back Wes Piper. The Class A South, the first-team offense included Scarborough lineman Cole Tomuschat and South Portland lineman Eli Filieo. Second-teamers included Scarborough wide receiver Kingston Griffiths and South Portland running back Connor Gerard, wide receivers Alex Horton and Darius Johnson and center Brady Haynes. On defense, the first-team featured South Portland tackle Josh Cyr and back Easton Healy. Second-teamers included South Portland ends Tristen Sanders and Will Stanley, linebacker Kai Turner and back Matt Berry. Scarborough’s Tyler Holland and South Portland’s Matthew Berry, Addison Blais and Alexander Bunnell-Parker qualified for the All-Academic team. In Class B South, Cheverus’ Matt Baker, Liam Backman, Jack Fenton and Evan Metivier and Deering’s Vincent Cavallaro, Zeke Dewever, Joey Foley, Christian Kanana, Deshawn Lamour and Tavian Lauture all made the All-Conference team. Deering’s Tavian Lauture was named the Class B South Player of the Year. Deering’s DeShawn Lamour was chosen the Class B South Offensive Lineman of the Year. Deering’s Brendan Scully was named the Class B South Coach of the Year. Cheverus’ Jack Fenton and Corbin Richter and Deering’s Jameson Dennis, Khalid Mahamed and Addy Stephane Ntwari all qualified for the All-Academic team. In Class C South, Cape Elizabeth’s Aidan Connolly (flex) and linemen Tucker Clark and Luke Gagne made the first-team offense. Cape Elizabeth’s Brady Inman (flex) and Mason Shur (flex) were named to the second-team offense. Cape Elizabeth’s Tyler Granata (line), Tucker Clark (linebacker) and Eli Halter (back) made the first-team defense. Cape Elizabeth’s Brady Inman was named a first-team special teams selection. In Class D, Freeport lineman Caleb Antl and wide receiver David Ulrickson made the offensive first-team. Freeport quarterback Teddy Peters was named to the offensive second-team. Teddy Peters also made the defensive first-team at back. Daunte Mitchell was a second-teamer on defense at end. Boys’ soccer Bez Mendelsohn helped Greely win the Class B boys’ soccer state title, then was named a league all-star. Derek Davis / Portland Press Herald Greely’s boys’ soccer team won its first Class B title in 11 seasons and placed goalkeeper Landon Dominski, Bez Mendelsohn, Owen Piesik and Mason Rogers on the Western Maine Conference all-star, Class B first-team, along with Cape Elizabeth’s Harry Converse and Tully Haydar and Yarmouth’s Gideon Ahrens, Luis Cardoso and Ian Lawrence. Cape Elizabeth’s Max Hayward and Cam Leonhirth, Freeport’s Dylan Meinert, Greely’s Owen Partridge and Yarmouth’s Zacarias Binda and goalkeeper Will Raymond made the second-team. Greely’s Owen Piesik was named Class B South Player of the Year. The WMC Class C/D all-star first-team featured North Yarmouth Academy’s Jacob Colaluca, Theo Fahlgren and goalkeeper Gavin Thomas and Waynflete’s Lucas Plumb. NYA’s Jackson Bartick and Waynflete’s Jeff Adey and Duncan Isherwood made the second-team. Cape Elizabeth’s Tully Haydar and Atticus Richard and Yarmouth’s Matthew Britton, Mateo Coury, Alec Gagnon, Zachary Lattanzi, Will Raymond and Robert Wolff qualified for the WMC All-Academic team. In the SMAA, the first-team featured back Matt Fallona and forward Cooper Mallar of Class A South champion Scarborough, as well as Falmouth back Griffin Parr and midfielder Sam Yoon and Portland back Ronan Mas and midfielder Baptista Muanda. The second-team included Cheverus midfielder Henry Huntley, Deering back Alberto Lucas-Bayata and midfielder Peter Sargent, Falmouth goalkeeper Caden Berry and back Hayden Davis, Portland forward Paulo Joao, Scarborough back Finn Coburn and midfielder Ibrahim Jabril and South Portland midfielder Ben Morin. Cheverus forward Ange Michel-Liwanga and back Emil Strock, Deering forwards Augusto Daniel and Ethan Fisher, Falmouth midfielder Ali Carter and forwards Evan Mayo and Simon Wissink, Portland midfielder Felisberto Mamuisi, forward David Mawangu and back Silvio Mbayi, Scarborough back Carter Blanche and midfielders Matt Booth and Santana Diaz and South Portland forward Bossay Ditanduka and backs Enoque De Dieu and Oliver Linscott were named honorable mentions. Portland’s Ronan Mas was named SMAA Defender of the Year. The SMAA All-Academic team included Falmouth’s Wyatt Carlson, Jaxon Cameron, Antony Grimes, Jake Hazard, Evan Mayo, Declan O’Brien, Nick Roediger, Dan Stoicov, Forest Stone and Sam Yoon, Scarborough’s Jacob Lavigne and Brayden McDonald and South Portland’s Oliver Linscott, Beckett Mehlhorn and Ben Morin. Cape Elizabeth’s Tully Haydar, Cheverus’ Henry Huntley, Deering’s Ethan Fisher, Falmouth’s Griffin Parr and Sam Yoon, Greely’s Owen Partridge, Owen Piesik and Mason Rogers, Portland’s Paulo Joao and Ronan Mas, Scarborough’s Cooper Mallar, South Portland’s Ben Morin and Yarmouth’s Zacarias Binda played for the South team in the Class A/B Senior All-Star Game. The South won, 3-2, behind goals from Joao and Morin and an assist from Binda. NYA’s Jordan King and Waynflete’s Duncan Isherwood and Lucas Plumb represented the South in the Class C/D Senior All-Star Game. The South lost, 5-1. The Class A South regional all-star team featured Cheverus’ Henry Huntley, Deering’s Ethan Fisher, Falmouth’s Griffin Parr and Sam Yoon, Portland’s Paulo Joao, Ronan Mas and Baptista Muanda, Scarborough’s Cooper Mallar and South Portland’s Ben Morin. The Class B South regional all-star squad included Cape Elizabeth’s Tully Haydar, Greely’s Landon Dominski, Owen Partridge, Owen Piesik and Mason Rogers and Yarmouth’s Gideon Ahrens and Zacarias Binda. The Class C South regional all-star team featured NYA’s Jordan King and Waynflete’s Duncan Isherwood and Lucas Plumb. All-State and All-New England selections will be named on Dec. 8. Girls’ soccer NYA freshman Delphine Daniel was unstoppable this fall, helping the Panthers win a state title and being named the Western Maine Conference’s Class C Player of the Year. Andree Kehn / Sun Journal Greely and NYA won state titles on the girls’ side, while Scarborough almost pulled off a three-peat, so it wasn’t surprising to see local names dominate the SMAA and WMC all-star squads. The WMC Class B first-team featured Avery Bush, Abby Lennox and Molly Partridge of Greely, along with Cape Elizabeth’s CC Duryee and Noelle Mallory, Freeport’s Kenzie Cochran and Karleigh Costello and Yarmouth’s Taylor Oranellas and Eleanor Ting. Cape Elizabeth’s Hailey Gorman, Freeport’s Lucy Riggs and Silvi Strong, Greely’s Emma Silver and Yarmouth’s Keira Cowans made the second-team. Cape Elizabeth’s Noelle Mallory was chosen the WMC Class B South Player of the Year. In WMC Class C/D, the first-team featured NYA’s Delphine Daniel, Ella Giguere, Emily Robbins and Nell Rohde and Waynflete’s Lydia Birknes, Fallon Culley and Aubrey Winch. The second-team included NYA’s Lyla Casey, Natasha Godfrey and goalkeeper Sadie Morgan, along with Waynflete’s Liza Lawson. NYA’s Delphine Daniel was named the WMC Class C/D Player of the Year. Cape Elizabeth’s Heather Campbell, Campbell DeGeorge, Jacqueline Murphy and Elena Rosenberg, Freeport’s Kessa Benner, Celia Cobb, Kenzie Cochran, Lana DiRusso, Eydie Kaplan, Mia Levesque, Claire Nadeau and Lucy Riggs, NYA’s Delia Fontana, Ella Giguere, Emily Robbins, Nell Rohde and Sadie Swenson, Waynflete’s Gianna Barbieri, Lydia Birknes, Fallon Culley, Caileigh Hopkins and Sophia Woodman and Yarmouth’s Macie Barry, Paige Brewer, Julia Brown, Aaliyah Miller, Taylor Oranellas and Eleanor Ting qualified for the WMC All-Academic team. In the SMAA, Cheverus midfielder Finley Brown, Deering forward Elsa Freeman, Portland midfielder Anneliese Collin, Scarborough forward Delia Fravert and back Emma Blanchette and South Portland goalkeeper Maizie Savage were named to the first-team. Cheverus forwards Sophia Monfa and Annie Vigue, midfielder Jillian Foley and back Olivia Vigue, Falmouth midfielder Charlotte Talmadge and back Reese Harder, Portland goalkeeepr Linda Nicholson and Scarborough midfielders Grace Carlista and Maya Taylor and goalkeeper Sophia Rinaldi were second-team selections. Honorable mentions included Cheverus back Addison Jordan, Deering backs Elise Breiting-Brown and Mya Landry and midfielder Violete Blum Levine, Falmouth back Abigail Pausman, forwards Hadley Perry and Mackenzie VerLee and goalkeeper Emory Westburg, Scarborough back Shay Charsky and forward Emmie Flaker and South Portland forward Marina Bassett, midfielder Emma Travis and back Annie Whitmore. Deering’s Elsa Freeman was named the SMAA Forward of the Year. Scarborough’s Emma Blanchette was named SMAA co-Defender of the Year, along with Bailey Hatch of Gorham. South Portland’s Maizie Savage was chosen SMAA Goalkeeper of the Year. Scarborough’s Josie Duncan was named SMAA Rookie of the Year. Falmouth’s Ben Johnson was selected SMAA Coach of the Year. Cheverus’ Sophia Monfa, Deering’s Lyla Ridge, Portland’s Baleria Yugu and South Portland’s Brooke Lawton were chosen for the SMAA All-Citizenship team. The SMAA All-Academic team included Cheverus’ Finley Brown, Jillian Foley, Sophia Monfa, Evelyn Rush and Madelyn Tierney, Deering’s Elsa Freeman, Anika Gin, Violet Blum Levine, Emyr Lo and Mya Landry, Falmouth’s Skylar Bush, Sophia Dowling, Sofia Draeger, Jewel Gamedah, Lauren Hazard, Gwen Long, Madison VerLee and Mackenzie VerLee, Portland’s Jane Flynn, Libby Kane, Rosa Slack and Baleria Yugu, Scarborough’s Caroline Benson, Emma Blanchette, Ava Carpenter, Amelia Caruso, Emerson Flaker, Delia Fravert, Elana Jenkins and Megan Rumelhart and South Portland’s Brooke Lawton. Cape Elizabeth’s Campbell DeGeorge and CC Duryee, Cheverus’ Finley Brown and Annie Vigue, Deering’s Elsa Freeman, Freeport’s Kenzie Cochran, Greely’s Abby Lennox, Molly Partridge and Emma Silver, Portland’s Anneliese Collin, Scarborough’s Delia Fravert and Sophia Rinaldi and Yarmouth’s Taylor Oranellas and Eleanor Ting played for the South team in the Class A/B Senior All-Star Game. The South prevailed, 6-1, behind one goal and two assists from Lennox, a goal and an assist from Partridge and a goal from Freeman. NYA’s Ella Giguere and Emily Robbins and Waynflete’s Fallon Culley represented the South in the Class C/D Senior All-Star Game. Robbins had four assists to lead the South to a 7-2 victory. The Class A South regional all-star team featured Cheverus’ Finley Brown and Annie Vigue, Deering’s Elsa Freeman, Falmouth’s Charlotte Talmadge, Portland’s Anneliese Collin and Scarborough’s Delia Fravert and Sophia Rinaldi. The Class B South regional all-star squad included Cape Elizabeth’s Campbell DeGeorge, CC Duryee and Noelle Mallory, Freeport’s Kenzie Cochran and Silvi Strong, Greely’s Avery Bush, Abby Lennox, Molly Partridge and Emma Silver and Yarmouth’s Taylor Oranellas and Eleanor Ting. The Class C South regional all-star team featured NYA’s Delphine Daniel, Ella Giguere and Emily Robbins and Waynflete’s Fallon Culley. All-State and All-New England selections will be named on Dec. 8. Field hockey Joey Pompeo and her Cheverus teammates soared to another Class A title this fall. Pompeo was named to the all-conference and all-state teams for her efforts. Derek Davis / Portland Press Herald Forecaster Country produced one field hockey state champion, as well as a runner-up, and was well represented in the postseason awards. In the SMAA, repeat Class A state champion Cheverus placed Sydney Brunelle, Lucy Johnson and Joey Pompeo on the first-team, along with Falmouth’s Ani Bush, Allison Sweetser and Brianna Ter Horst, Portland/Deering’s Maya Zager and Scarborough’s Sabrina Ocampo. The second-team included Scarborough’s Laine Niles and South Portland/Westbrook’s Mackenzie Hall and Jane Phillips. Honorable mentions included Cheverus’ Lillian Magda, Falmouth’s Violet Westburg, Portland/Deering’s Emma Walsh, Scarborough’s Ruby Weidner and South Portland/Westbrook’s Chloe Kierstead. The SMAA All-Rookie team featured Cheverus’ Sadie Collins, Falmouth’s Avary Davis, Portland/Deering’s Alexandra Dunn, Scarborough’s Cassie Niles and South Portland/Westbrook’s Vivian Lolar. Cheverus’ Lucy Johnson was chosen the SMAA Player of the Year. Cheverus’ Gabrielle Blais and Lucy Johnson, Falmouth’s Elizabeth Brown, Honorae Montminy, Brianna Ter Horst and Abby Werthmann, Portland’s Erin Bower, Ruby Chase, Josslyn Philbrook, Caitlin Rohde and Lucy Susen and Scarborough’s Hailey French qualified for the SMAA All-Academic team. In the WMC, Sally McGrath, Maya Nasveschuk, Erica O’Connor and Celia Zinman of Class B South champion Yarmouth, along with Lizalyn Boudreau, Liza Flower, Emily Groves and Reed Proscia of Freeport, Maya Tracey of Greely and Emma Bowden, Elara Kluck, Kenlie Nadeau and Samantha Poulin of the Gray-New Gloucester/North Yarmouth Academy co-op squad, made the Division I first-team. Second-teamers included Cape Elizabeth’s Clio Cook-Sharp and Lulu Stoeckelin, Freeport’s Sydney Gelhar and Greely’s Anna Hendry and Anna Mancini. Freeport’s Lizalyn Boudreau was chosen the WMC Division I Player of the Year. In Division II, Waynflete’s Sumeya Hussein and Ava Vander Schaaf made the first-team. Waynflete’s Mya Clark, Chloe Kern and Drew Nelson made the second-team. Freeport’s Sydney Gelhar, NYA’s Emma Bowden and Greta Tod, Waynflete’s Kadija Ali, Lucia Infantine and Chloe Kern and Yarmouth’s Brooke Abbott, Shea Abbott, Harper Featherstone, Robyn Felmly, Madeline Nieter, Zoe Sammon and Chloe Wright qualified for the WMC All-Academic team. Cheverus’ Sydney Brunelle, Lucy Johnson, Lillian Magda and Joey Pompeo, Falmouth’s Allison Sweetser, Freeport’s Lizalyn Boudreau and Emily Groves, Portland/Deering’s Emma Walsh, Scarborough’s Sabrina Ocampo and Yarmouth’s Celia Zinman were named to the All-State team. Last but certainly not least, Cheverus’ Lucy Johnson is a finalist for the Miss Maine Field Hockey award, given to the state’s premier senior player. That award will be announced Dec. 8. Volleyball Scarborough’s Olivia Ingream was a first-team conference all-star this season. Shawn Patrick Ouellette / Portland Press Herald There were no local volleyball champions this season, but it was a memorable season nonetheless, with an abundance of talented players in our midst. In the SMAA, Cheverus’ Bella Cortez, Deering’s Shea Fenton, Falmouth’s Sofie Asbjornsen and Scarborough’s Olivia Ingream were named to the first-team. Cheverus’ Mary Hackleman, Deering’s Blake Gayle, Falmouth’s Olive Clark and Hannah Roche, Scarborough’s Madison Clements and South Portland’s Meron Carlisle and Abigail Thayer made the second-team. Cheverus’ Frida Gray, Deering’s Caroline Chong, Falmouth’s Avery Bakke, Portland’s Asanti Bendasta, Scarborough’s Natalie Moynihan and South Portland’s Elizabeth Arey were named honorable mentions. Cheverus’ Alaina White, Deering’s Nola Delcourt and Shea Fenton, Falmouth’s Sofie Asbjornsen and Hannah Roche, Portland’s Ava Civiello and Katherine Weed, Scarborough’s Allison Canatsey, Olivia Ingream and Evelyn Winslow and South Portland’s Teta Keza, Sydney Knaide, Abigail Thayer and Linnea Whitton qualified for the SMAA All-Academic team. In the WMC, the first-team featured Cape Elizabeth’s Ava Daviault and Amala Rumma, Greely’s Maddie Croteau and Anabella Talley and Yarmouth’s Ella Cameron, Grace Keaney and Alyssa Rousseau. Cape Elizabeth’s Bell Guerin-Brown, Olive Weyrens and Chloe Wilson, Greely’s Ryley Bonner-Combes, Kylie Greco and Maggie Wilder, NYA’s Eleanor Zuiches and Yarmouth’s Laila Brewer and Norah Lushman made the second-team. The WMC All-Academic team included Cape Elizabeth’s Luciana Esch Levanos, Celia Linderoth, Mei Martinez, Molly McKibben, Elsie Maxwell, Viviana Wagner and Olive Weyrens, NYA’s Nizzie Hemphill and Yarmouth’s Laila Brewer and Norah Lushman. Boys’ cross country Deering’s Ellis Wood was one of the state’s elite runners and made both the all-conference and all-state teams. Derek Davis / Portland Press Herald Scarborough’s boys’ cross country team won the Class A state title in dramatic fashion and placed Ethan Keller on the SMAA all-star first-team, along with Deering’s Ellis Wood, Portland’s Aran Johnson and South Portland’s Evan Small. The second-team featured Portland’s Owen Blades, Charlie Jacques, Henry Morrison and Cole Smith and Scarborough’s Atticus Merriam and Baxter Merriam. Cheverus’ Arman Gurcan, Deering’s Peter Rank, Falmouth’s Frederick Brill, Portland’s Liam Alexander, Scarborough’s Nicholas Koziell and South Portland’s Paul Sames were honorable mentions. Portland’s Aran Johnson was named SMAA Runner of the Year. Cheverus’ Cash Kellen, Deering’s Asa Tussing, Falmouth’s Tommaso Bernkopf, Christopher Jaynes, Olin Johnson, Sean Lowery, Elliot Resnick and Luka Topalovic, Portland’s Barrett Chambers, Cedar Conly, Charles Jacques, Aaron Johnson and Henry Morrison, Scarborough’s Samuel Assia, Vincent Caruso, Landen Springer and Ethan Stockwell and South Portland’s Finn Connolly, Sam Stocks and Gus Whited qualified for the SMAA All-Academic team. In the WMC, Owen Dawson, Alex Gilbert, Ian Guzman and Conner Smith of Class B champion Freeport, along with Greely’s William Coull and Tait Harvey and Waynflete’s Pi Crosby, made the first-team. Cape Elizabeth’s Liam Nudd, Freeport’s Mungu Tussing and Yarmouth’s Jackie Chalmers, Jeff Owen and Cam Pernal were named to the second-team. Cape Elizabeth’s Vollie Weiss, Freeport’s Owen Dawson and Conner Smith, NYA’s Leif MacCarthy and Chris Noreika, Waynflete’s Lincoln Clark and Pi Crosby and Yarmouth’s Bryce Arsenault, Chris Irankunda, Henry David Keepes, Jeffrey Owen and Cameron Pernal qualified for the WMC All-Academic team. Deering’s Ellis Wood, Freeport’s Alex Gilbert and Conner Smith, Portland’s Aran Johnson and Scarborough’s Atticus Merriam were named to the Maine Track and Cross Country Coaches’ Association All-State first-team. Greely’s William Coull, Portland’s Charlie Jacques, Scarborough’s Ethan Keller and South Portland’s Evan Small were second-team All-State selections. Girls’ cross country Freeport’s Lucy Huggett made the all-conference and all-state teams. Ben McCanna / Portland Press Herald On the girls’ side, the SMAA first-team included Cheverus’ Allie Schmitt, Falmouth’s Parker Fox and Georgia Moon, Portland’s Samantha Moore and Scarborough’s Laurel Driscoll. Falmouth’s Elle Foley and Maeve Ginevan, Portland’s Maia Endicott and South Portland’s Julia Tompkins made the second-team. Cheverus’ Annabel Kimball, Deering’s Charlotte Pelletier, Falmouth’s Haley Barrett, Portland’s Kate Morrison, Scarborough’s Emma Duest and South Portland’s Audrey LeBlue were honorable mentions. Portland’s Samantha Moore was named SMAA Runner of the Year. The SMAA All-Academic team included Deering’s Maribel Creek and Zabel Kasabian, Falmouth’s Keira Alcock, Haley Barrett, Maisie Clement, Zora DeSilva, Maeve Ginevan, Adriana Rogow and Elise Tardiff, Portland’s Ava Chadbourne, Maia Endicott, Samantha Moore and Scarlett Rocque and Scarborough’s Rowan Driscoll. In the WMC, the first-team included Cape Elizabeth’s Hannah Frothingham, Freeport’s Lilah Hall, Lucy Huggett, Ella Oshetski and Josie Spaulding, Greely’s Rowan Barry, Maine Coast Waldorf’s Soren Stark-Chessa and Yarmouth’s Madeleine Jones. Cape Elizabeth’s Avery Palmore, Greely’s Emma Stein and Sarah Weisz, MCW’s Rahel Delaney, NYA’s Hadley Smith and Waynflete’s Grace Alexander made the second-team. Cape Elizabeth’s Isabelle Reeves, Freeport’s Josie Spaulding, NYA’s Olivia Hamilton, Waynflete’s Evie Field, Skylar Harris, Ava Jenkins and Leah Kramer and Yarmouth’s Chloe Cady, Maya Faulstich, Emaline Hill, Sierra Hunt, Madeleine Jones and Poloma Kitchens qualified for the WMC All-Academic team. Freeport’s Lucy Huggett, MCW’s Soren Stark-Chessa, Portland’s Samantha Moore and Scarborough’s Laurel Driscoll were named to the Maine Track and Cross Country Coaches’ Association All-State first-team. Second-teamers included Cheverus’ Allie Schmitt, Falmouth’s Parker Fox and Georgia Moon, Greely’s Rowan Barry, Waynflete’s Paige Alexander and Yarmouth’s Olivia Wentworth. Golf Yarmouth’s Colby Carnes was named one of the top golfers in the Western Maine Conference. Shawn Patrick Ouellette / Portland Press Herald Scarborough’s golf team won the Class A state golf title back in October, with Marc Twombly sharing the individual crown with Greely’s Joe Hansen. Twombly, along with Cheverus’ Mick Madden and Mathew Paradis, Falmouth’s Anthony Graceffa and Dante Iannetta, Portland’s Lucas Milliken and South Portland’s Evan Campbell, made the SMAA Northern Division all-star team. Cheverus’ Liam Cloutier, Portland’s Adam Paradise and Scarborough’s Keenan Buteau, Nic Harmon and Erik Swenson were named to the second-team. In the SMAA Central Division, Greely’s Joe Hansen made the first-team. Greely’s Brogan Raftice was named to the second-team. Class A champion Carley Iannetta of Falmouth and Greely’s Karinna Beacham made the SMAA girls’ all-star team. The SMAA All-Academic squad included Cheverus’ Aaron Goodman, Christina Lapoint and Andrew Reilly, Falmouth’s Cooper Durepo, Isaac Laliberte, Vincent Mazurenko, Luka Roediger, Maxwell Shapiro and Jack Turgeon, Portland’s Lucas Milliken, Adam Paradise and Ash Saenz, Scarborough’s Camden Zsiga and South Portland’s Evan Campbell and Carmine Soucy. In the WMC, Ryan Savona of conference champion Freeport and Yarmouth’s Colby Carnes were named to the Class B first-team. The Class C first-team included NYA’s Devin Dube, Cam Gardiner, Sawyer Hebert, Cayne Leive and Deagan Nadeau. Cape Elizabeth’s Brady Hanisko and Nate Hanisko, Freeport’s Zoe Blair, Ansel Goode, Mary MacDonald and Sofia Pattershall, NYA’s Cayne Leive and Yarmouth’s Chris Augur and Hugh O’Donnell qualified for the WMC All-Academic team. Comments are not available on this story. Send questions/comments to the editors.
NoneSir Keir Starmer’s housing plans will fall down on him like a ton of bricks unless he fixes mess
NEW YORK (AP) — The man accused of burning a woman to death inside a New York City subway train used a shirt to fan the flames, a prosecutor said Tuesday at his arraignment on murder charges. Sebastian Zapeta, 33, who federal immigration officials said is a Guatemalan citizen who entered the U.S. illegally, was not required to enter a plea and did not speak at the hearing in Brooklyn criminal court. Zapeta, wearing a white jumpsuit over a weathered black hooded sweatshirt, will remain jailed and is due back in court on Friday. His lawyer did not ask for bail. Zapeta is charged with two counts of murder, accusing him of intentionally killing the woman and killing her while committing arson. He is also charged with one count of arson. The top charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez called the attack a “gruesome and senseless act of violence” and said it would be “met with the most serious consequences.” The apparently random attack occurred Sunday morning on an F train that was stopped at the Coney Island station. Police said Tuesday the victim's identification is still pending. Authorities say Zapeta approached the woman, who may have been sleeping in the train, and set her clothing on fire with a lighter. Zapeta then fanned the flames with a shirt, engulfing her in fire, Assistant District Attorney Ari Rottenberg said in court Tuesday. Zapeta then sat on a bench on the subway platform and watched, police said. According to Rottenberg, Zapeta told detectives that he didn’t know what happened but identified himself in images of the attack. Zapeta's lawyer, Ed Friedman, did not speak to reporters after the arraignment. Video on social media appears to show some people looking on from the platform and at least one police officer walking by while the woman is on fire inside the train. NYPD Transit Chief Joseph Gulotta said Sunday that several officers responded to the fire and one stayed to keep the crime scene “the way it’s supposed to be" while the others went to get fire extinguishers and transit workers. “Officers who were on patrol on an upper level of that station smelled and saw smoke and went to investigate. What they saw was a person standing inside the train car fully engulfed in flames,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. They eventually put the fire out, but “unfortunately, it was too late,” Tisch said, and the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Zapeta was taken into custody Sunday afternoon while riding a train on the same subway line after teenagers recognized him from images circulated by the police. A Brooklyn address for Zapeta released by police matches a shelter that provides housing and substance abuse support. The shelter did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Federal immigration officials said Zapeta was deported in 2018 but later reentered the U.S. illegally. The crime deepened a growing sense of unease among some New Yorkers about the safety of the subway system, amplified by graphic video of the attack that ricocheted across social media. Overall, crime is down in the transit system compared to last year. Major felonies declined 6% between January and November compared to the same time period last year, according to data from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. But murders are up, with nine killings this year through November compared to five during the same period last year. Earlier this month, a Manhattan jury acquitted former Marine Daniel Penny in the chokehold death last year of an agitated subway rider. The case became a flashpoint in debates over safety, homelessness and mental illness on the system. Policing the subway is difficult, given the vast network of trains moving between 472 stations. Each stop contains multiple entry points and, in many stations, multiple floors and platforms.
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Authored by Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times, President-elect Donald Trump said on Dec. 24 that he plans to direct the Department of Justice (DOJ) to pursue the death penalty against the worst violent offenders. His remarks came a day after outgoing President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 death row prisoners to life in prison, including several mass murderers and child killers. Trump first criticized Biden’s decision to grant the commutations—in all cases to murder convicts— writing in a post on Truth Social that relatives and friends of the victims are “further devastated” by the move. The president-elect then declared in a separate post his intention to prioritize justice for victims of violent crime and broaden the use of capital punishment. “As soon as I am inaugurated, I will direct the Justice Department to vigorously pursue the death penalty to protect American families and children from violent rapists, murderers, and monsters,” Trump wrote in the post. “We will be a Nation of Law and Order again!” Besides generally signaling a tough-on-crime approach for his administration, Trump’s message suggests he intends to pursue legal reform that would restore the use of the death penalty as a punishment in cases of rape. A 1977 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Coker v. Georgia, however, rendered the death penalty for rape unconstitutional in cases where adult victims survived the assault, further narrowed to include surviving child victims by a ruling in Kennedy v. Louisiana in 2008. This is not the first time Trump has signaled his intention to expand the use of capital punishment and reverse the moratorium on federal executions imposed by Biden. Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump signaled he would undo the moratorium and make more categories of criminals eligible for capital punishment, including child rapists and drug and human traffickers. During Trump’s first term in office, the federal government carried out 13 executions after resuming federal executions in 2020, following a 17-year hiatus. This marked the highest number of federal executions carried out under a single president since the 1950s and reflected Trump’s long-standing pledge to get tough on crime. The Biden administration, by contrast, has prioritized a shift away from the death penalty in favor of life sentences without parole for nearly all crimes. Biden, in a Monday statement explaining his actions, said his commutation decision was driven by a commitment to ending the federal death penalty, which he believes is inconsistent with a just and effective legal system. “These commutations are consistent with the moratorium my Administration has imposed on federal executions, in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder,” Biden said. “Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss. But guided by my conscience and my experience as a public defender, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Vice President, and now President, I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level. “In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted.” Biden’s decision to commute the sentences of convicted killers sparked outrage among many conservatives, while the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) celebrated the move, pointing out that it aligned with calls from more than 130 civil and human rights organizations, faith leaders, exonerees, victims’ family members, and law enforcement officials urging Biden to act on federal death row cases. “President Biden has reaffirmed the power of redemption over retribution and reminds us that state-sanctioned killing does not make us safer,“ Anthony Romero, executive director of the ACLU, said in a statement. ”The ACLU has long advocated against the death penalty and shed light on its fundamental flaws: it is error prone, racially biased, and a drain on public resources.” Critics of the death penalty, including the ACLU, argue that the punishment does not serve as a significant deterrent to violent crime and that the high costs associated with capital trials and prolonged appeals could be better spent on crime prevention and victim support. Supporters of capital punishment argue that it serves as ultimate justice for heinous crimes, provides closure to victims’ families, and that the financial burden of executions is a necessary cost to uphold justice and deter would-be offenders. In his Dec. 23 decision, Biden commuted the sentences of 37 out of 40 death row inmates. The three federal inmates who continue to face execution are 2013 Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev; Dylann Roof, who fatally shot nine people at a church in South Carolina in 2015; and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018.D ear Heloise: I wanted to write in concerning not using rugs and towels at animal shelters. I have to wonder what sort of “shelter” is being offered to dogs and cats where it gets so cold and wet that the cloth can freeze. Not to mention the possibility of the poor animal freezing to death! Are they saying these indoor animals are being kept outside? Or are their facilities not being properly heated and dry? This is shocking to me! I hope they can explain themselves. — Frank F., Ventura, California Frank, the letter was referring to feral cats and other outdoor animals. Shelter cats and dogs usually have a better situation than those that are born wild or mistreated by their owners. In my opinion, no animal should be kept outside in the winter if they have owners with a warm house. Sadly, there are too many abandoned cats and dogs that have no one to look after them, making their existence difficult and their lives short. Straw is the best solution to helping these animals stay warm, provided that there is plenty of straw to snuggle in for warmth inside of some type of enclosure. There are a variety of such houses for animals online, and most aren’t expensive. — Heloise Dear Heloise: I often use paper-towel rolls and toilet-paper rolls to keep artificial flower stems together. I also cut them lengthwise to put on gift-wrapping paper rolls. If the paper roll is too thin to keep a cardboard roll on, then I use a rubber band to secure the roll. Your readers have given me so much I can use. I thank you and thank them, too. — Jackie, Colorado Springs, Colorado Jackie, I like your cardboard roll ideas. Lately, I’ve received several letters stating that readers use the cardboard roll in paper towels and toilet paper to start a fire in their fireplace. Some also use a toilet roll of cardboard to gather a number of loose cords together. Others use a paper-towel roll to wrap tree lights around when putting them into storage. All of these are great ideas, as well. — Heloise Dear Heloise: Our glass pie plates wouldn’t get clean, so my husband had the successful idea to use a ceramic cooktop cleaner! The pie plates are sparkling now! — Connie B., Universal City, Texas Dear Heloise: My mom was never really happy with any gift I gave her. Since she relied on Social Security, money was tight, so I started to give her a goody box. I usually used an empty paper box and filled it with toiletries and products that I knew she used. I also included postage stamps and gift cards for car washes. She would love her goody box and looked forward to it every year. One year, my aunt was visiting from the old country at Christmas, so I made up a smaller box for her. I found out that she loved a certain brand of canned corn, so I included six cans. She was over the moon! It was also easy for me, as I would add things to the box all year long, making it easier on my time and budget. — Liz N., via email Send a money-saving or time-saving hint to Heloise@Heloise.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!
NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart's sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are re-evaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups. The changes announced by the world's biggest retailer on Monday followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The retreat from such programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Trump's incoming deputy chief of policy will be his former adviser Stephen Miller , who leads a group called America First Legal that has aggressively challenged corporate DEI policies. “There has been a lot of reassessment of risk looking at programs that could be deemed to constitute reverse discrimination,” said Allan Schweyer, principal researcher at the Human Capital Center at the Conference Board. “This is another domino to fall and it is a rather large domino,” he added. Among other changes, Walmart said it will no longer give priority treatment to suppliers owned by women or minorities. The company also will not renew a five-year commitment for a racial equity center set up in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd. And it pulled out of a prominent gay rights index . Schweyer said the biggest trigger for companies making such changes is simply a reassessment of their legal risk exposure, which began after U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2023 that ended affirmative action in college admissions. Since then, conservative groups using similar arguments have secured court victories against various diversity programs, especially those that steer contracts to minority or women-owned businesses. Most recently, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty won a victory in a case against the U.S. Department of Transportation over its use of a program that gives priority to minority-owned businesses when it awards contracts. Companies are seeing a big legal risk in continuing with DEI efforts, said Dan Lennington, a deputy counsel at the institute. His organization says it has identified more than 60 programs in the federal government that it considers discriminatory, he said. “We have a legal landscape within the entire federal government, all three branches -- the U.S. Supreme Court, the Congress and the President -- are all now firmly pointed in the direction towards equality of individuals and individualized treatment of all Americans, instead of diversity, equity and inclusion treating people as members of racial groups,” Lennington said. The Trump administration is also likely to take direct aim at DEI initiatives through executive orders and other policies that affect private companies, especially federal contractors. “The impact of the election on DEI policies is huge. It can’t be overstated,” said Jason Schwartz, co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group at law firm Gibson Dunn. With Miller returning to the White House, rolling back DEI initiatives is likely to be a priority, Schwartz said. “Companies are trying to strike the right balance to make clear they’ve got an inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome, and they want to get the best talent, while at the same time trying not to alienate various parts of their employees and customer base who might feel one way or the other. It’s a virtually impossible dilemma,” Schwartz said. A recent survey by Pew Research Center showed that workers are divided on the merits of DEI policies. While still broadly popular, the share of workers who said focusing on workplace diversity was mostly a good thing fell to 52% in the October survey, compared to 56% in a similar survey in February 2023. Rachel Minkin, a research associate at Pew, called it a small but significant shift in short amount of time. There will be more companies pulling back from their DEI policies, but it likely won’t be a retreat across the board, said David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at New York University. “There are vastly more companies that are sticking with DEI," Glasgow said. "The only reason you don’t hear about it is most of them are doing it by stealth. They’re putting their heads down and doing DEI work and hoping not to attract attention.” Glasgow advises organizations to stick to their own core values, because attitudes toward the topic can change quickly in the span of four years. “It’s going to leave them looking a little bit weak if there’s a kind of flip-flopping, depending on whichever direction the political winds are blowing,” he said. One reason DEI programs exist is because without those programs, companies may be vulnerable to lawsuits for traditional discrimination. “Really think carefully about the risks in all directions on this topic,” Glasgow said. Walmart confirmed will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test to improve diversity when it offers supplier contracts. Walmart says its U.S. businesses sourced more than $13 billion in goods and services from diverse suppliers in fiscal year 2024, including businesses owned by minorities, women and veterans. It was unclear how its relationships with such business would change going forward. Organizations that have partnered with Walmart on its diversity initiatives offered a cautious response. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, a non-profit that last year named Walmart one of America's top corporation for women-owned enterprises, said it was still evaluating the impact of Walmart's announcement. Pamela Prince-Eason, the president and CEO of the organization, said she hoped Walmart's need to cater to its diverse customer base will continue to drive contracts to women-owned suppliers even if the company has no explicit dollar goals. “I suspect Walmart will continue to have one of the most inclusive supply chains in the World,” Prince-Eason wrote. “Any retailer's ability to serve the communities they operate in will continue to value understanding their customers, (many of which are women), in order to better provide products and services desired and no one understands customers better than Walmart." Walmart's announcement came after the company spoke directly with conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck, who has been going after corporate DEI policies, calling out individual companies on the social media platform X. Several of those companies have subsequently announced that they are pulling back their initiatives, including Ford , Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s and Tractor Supply . Walmart confirmed to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. The company also will stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark index that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees. A Walmart spokesperson added that some of the changes were already in progress and not as a result of conversations that it had with Starbuck. RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality Program, said companies that “abandon” their commitments workplace inclusion policies “are shirking their responsibility to their employees, consumers, and shareholders.” She said the buying power of LGBTQ customers is powerful and noted that the index will have record participation of more than 1,400 companies in 2025.None