MIAMI (AP) — Donald Trump became the first former president to face a judge on federal charges as he pleaded not guilty in a Miami courtroom Tuesday to dozens of felony counts accusing him of hoarding classified documents and refusing government demands to give them back.

The history-making court date, centered on charges that Trump mishandled government secrets that as commander-in-chief he was entrusted to protect, kickstarts a legal process that will unfold at the height of the 2024 presidential campaign and carry profound consequences not only for his political future but also for his own personal liberty.

Trump approached his arraignment with characteristic bravado, posting social media broadsides against the prosecution from inside his motorcade en route to the courthouse and insisting — as he has through years of legal woes — that he has done nothing wrong and was being persecuted for political purposes. But inside the courtroom, he sat silently, scowling and arms crossed, as a lawyer entered a not guilty plea on his behalf in a brief arraignment that ended without him having to surrender his passport or otherwise restrict his travel.

The arraignment, though largely procedural in nature, was the latest in an unprecedented reckoning this year for Trump, who faces charges in New York arising from hush money payments during his 2016 presidential campaign as well as ongoing investigations in Washington and Atlanta into efforts to undo the results of the 2020 race.

Always in campaign mode, he swiftly pivoted from the solemn courtroom to a festive restaurant, stopping on his way out of Miami at Versailles, an iconic Cuban spot in the city’s Little Havana neighborhood where supporters serenaded Trump, who turns 77 on Wednesday, with “Happy Birthday.” The back-to-back events highlight the tension for Trump in the months ahead as he balances the pageantry of campaigning with courtroom stops accompanying his status as a twice-indicted criminal defendant.

Yet the gravity of the moment was unmistakable.

Until last week, no former president had ever been charged by the Justice Department, let alone accused of mishandling top-secret information. The indictment unsealed last week charged Trump with 37 felony counts — many under the Espionage Act — that accuse him of illegally storing classified documents in his bedroom, bathroom, shower and other locations at Mar-a-Lago and trying to hide them from the Justice Department as investigators demanded them back. The charges carry a yearslong prison sentence in the event of a conviction.

Trump has relied on a familiar playbook of painting himself as a victim of political persecution. He attacked the Justice Department special counsel who filed the case as “a Trump hater,” pledging to remain in the race and scheduling a speech and fundraiser for Tuesday night at his Bedminster, New Jersey, club.

But Attorney General Merrick Garland, an appointee of President Joe Biden, sought to insulate the department from political attacks by handing ownership of the case last November to a special counsel, Jack Smith, who on Friday declared, “We have one set of laws in this country, and they apply to everyone.”

Smith attended Tuesday’s arraignment, sitting in the front row behind his team of prosecutors.

The court appearance unfolded against the backdrop of potential protests, with some high-profile backers using barbed rhetoric to voice support. Though city officials said they prepared for possible unrest, there were few signs of significant disruption.

Trump didn’t say a word during the court appearance, other than to occasionally turn and whisper to his attorneys who were seated on either side of him. He fiddled with a pen and clasped his hands on the table in front of him as the lawyers and the judge debated the conditions of his release.

While he was not required to surrender a passport — prosecutors said he was not considered a flight risk — the magistrate judge presiding over the arraignment directed Trump to not discuss the case with certain witnesses. That includes Walt Nauta, his valet who was indicted last week on charges that he moved boxes of documents at Trump’s direction and misled the FBI about it.

Nauta did not enter a plea Tuesday because he did not have a local lawyer with him.

Trump attorney Todd Blanche objected to the idea of imposing restrictions on the former president’s contact with possible witnesses, noting they include many people close to Trump, including staff and members of his protection detail.

“Many of the people he interacts with on a daily basis — including the men and women who protect him — are potential witnesses in this case,” Blanche said.

Trump, who has repeatedly insisted that he did nothing wrong, showed no emotion as he was led by law enforcement out of the courtroom through a side door.

Even for a man whose presidency and post-White House life have been defined by criminal investigations, the documents probe had long stood out both because of the volume of evidence that prosecutors had seemed to amass and the severity of the allegations.

A federal grand jury in Washington had heard testimony for months, but the Justice Department filed the case in Florida, where Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort is located and where many of the alleged acts of obstruction occurred.

Though Trump appeared Tuesday before a federal magistrate, the case has been assigned to a District Court judge he appointed, Aileen Cannon, who ruled in his favor last year in a dispute over whether an outside special master could be appointed to review the seized classified documents. A federal appeals panel ultimately overturned her ruling.

It’s unclear what defenses Trump is likely to invoke as the case moves forward. Two of his lead lawyers announced their resignation the morning after his indictment, and the notes and recollections of another attorney, M. Evan Corcoran, are cited repeatedly throughout the 49-page charging document, suggesting prosecutors envision him as a potential key witness.

In the indictment the Justice Department unsealed Friday most of the charges — 31 or the 37 felony counts — against Trump relate to the willful retention of national defense information. Other charges include conspiracy to commit obstruction and false statements.

The indictment Friday accuses Trump of illegally retaining national security documents that he took with him from the White House to Mar-a-Lago after leaving office in January 2021. The documents he stored, prosecutors say, included material on nuclear programs, defense and weapons capabilities of the U.S. and foreign governments and a Pentagon “attack plan,” prosecutors say. He is accused of showing off some to people who didn’t have security clearances to view them.

Beyond that, according to the indictment, he repeatedly sought to obstruct government efforts to recover the documents, including by directing Nauta to move boxes and also suggesting to his own lawyer that he hide or destroy documents sought by a Justice Department subpoena.

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Tucker reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in New York and Terry Spencer, Kate Brumback, Curt Anderson and Joshua Goodman in Miami, contributed to this report.

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More on Donald Trump-related investigations: https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump

Pastore fired rounds of 68 and 66 to reach 10-under at TPC Boston in Norton. In second place was amateur John Broderick. Broderick, playing out of Dedham Country & Polo Club, has been consistent, carding rounds of 68 and 68.

One shot back of Broderick in a four-way tie for third place at 7-under were Kyle Gallo of Berlin, Conn. (70-67), Brad Adamonis of Ponte Vedra, Fla. (68-69), Mike Van Sickle of Wexford, Pa. (71-66) and Nicholas Pandelena of Atkinson, N.H. (68-69).

The inaugural event was won in 1905 when the legendary Donald Ross was the winner at Vesper Country Club in Tyngsboro.

The condition of these cars was described as “unacceptable” by one MBTA manager in a June 7 email to CRRC MA representatives, obtained by the Herald.

A separate email goes into more detail, stating that paint repairs had not been completed. Cars were submitted for inspection with “parts sanded down to bare metal.” Multiple connectors were also seen hanging on the underframes.

“It’s been 4.5 years and over 90 cars since CRRC started producing MBTA vehicles out of Springfield,” said Rick Staples, MBTA technical project manager, in a letter to Michael Wilson, CRRC MA production manager.

“It is clear that the condition of these cars is unacceptable for inspection request, yet CRRC requested the inspection. Why does this type of process failure continue to happen?”

Jacob Finch, a mechanical engineer who is working as an integrated member of the MBTA project team for this contract, per his LinkedIn page, wrote in a separate June 7 email that the two-car train set, married pair 47, had “quite a few issues that we should not be finding on final inspections.”

The unfinished paint jobs should have been caught from a production checklist employees are presumably using, Finch said, and the multiple connectors that were hanging indicated that “clearly nobody looked at that, or somebody did unauthorized work.”

The condition of this so-called married pair had been used as a benchmark of sorts for the MBTA, in terms of whether CRRC production is “getting the cars to acceptable condition prior to final inspection,” Finch wrote.

“By my analysis, MP49 was the worst condition car since MP27 (10-plus married pairs ago, February 2022), and MP47 is on track to be worse than MP49,” Finch wrote. “I would say CRRC is failing this test.”

Staples, in his letter, tasked CRRC with providing an explanation as to why it thought these particular train cars were ready for inspection, information on who checked the condition of the cars prior to the inspection request, and what corrective action will be taken to “ensure this clear failure in CRRC’s quality process does not continue.”

A spokesperson for CRRC MA did not respond to a request for comment.

The two letters are the latest example of the T’s dissatisfaction with its Chinese contractor, the low bidder in what eventually became a roughly $870.5 million agreement for 152 new Orange Line cars and 252 Red Line cars. The initial contract, awarded in 2014, was for $565.18 million.

“The emails demonstrate the MBTA’s ongoing commitment to hold the contractor accountable for the quality of its work,” T spokesperson Joe Pesaturo said. “The concerns raised in the emails were addressed before the cars were shipped.

“These cars are highly complex pieces of equipment, and the MBTA is paying close attention to every detail and communicating with the contractor that we will not accept cars that do not meet the highest standards in quality and performance.”

To date, 90 new Orange Line cars and 12 Red Line cars have been delivered. However, only 88 new Orange cars have been “conditionally accepted,” Pesaturo said.

Delivery of new cars was halted in July 2022 for seven months to address manufacturing-related issues identified by the MBTA, and only just resumed this past February.

New cars that have been delivered have been taken out of service several times, including for a battery explosion and braking and wiring failures.

At a virtual community meeting on summer service changes Monday night, MBTA  officials said the availability of new cars has impacted subway frequency on the Orange Line, where old cars have all been replaced.

Melissa Dullea, senior director of service planning, said service on the Orange Line has been “dominated by vehicle availability.” This differs from the other subway lines like the Red, which is most impacted by speed restrictions, she said.

Improved Orange Line frequency this summer will depend on the delivery of new train cars, Dullea said. The tentative plan is to increase the number of daily trains from 10 to 11 this summer, and possibly to 12 in the fall, she said.

“We’re still waiting to hear that, so that’s not confirmed,” Dullea said.

A published summer schedule for the Orange Line, however, shows decreased weekday frequency, with trains arriving every 10-12 minutes starting July 2. Today, peak trains are scheduled to arrive every 7-10 minutes and off-peak trains are supposed to come every 8-12 minutes.

Adrian Black of Taunton, appeared in Falmouth District Court Tuesday on charges of murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Prosecutors say that he stabbed Milteer Hendricks, 19, of Falmouth, on Saturday at the Gosnold Grove Apartments in Falmouth.

Falmouth Police officers responded to the East Falmouth Highway apartment complex at around 4:45 p.m. and found Hendricks bleeding from stab wounds. He was transported to Falmouth Hospital and then flown to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston where he was pronounced deceased the next morning.

A probable cause hearing has been scheduled for Aug. 16.

BPD looking for armed robbery suspect

The Boston Police Department is looking for the public’s help in locating a suspect for an armed robbery that occurred Friday in the 200-block of Columbia Road in Dorchester, which appears to be the address of a barber shop.

The department released images of the man and described him as taller than 6 feet, of stocky build and tattooed on his left hand. At the time of the alleged crime, he was wearing a black “Just Do It” hooded sweatshirt, a black facemask, black pants and Nike Air basketball shoes. They say he fled in a sedan with a Florida license plate.

Authorities say not to approach the suspect if you see him, but to call 911 immediately. The department asks that if you have any information regarding the suspect or incident to call detectives at 617-343-4275 or submit an anonymous tip via the CrimeStoppers tip line at 1-800-494-TIPS (8477) or by texting the word “TIP” to CRIME (27463).

Children burned at Longmeadow playground

Someone poured pool-cleaner acid on three of the slides at Bliss Park Playground on Sunday morning, which caused “burn-like” injuries to at least two children and local authorities want your help in tracking the culprit down.

“I let the kids go play. I didn’t notice that there was liquid to collect at the bottom of the slide. I just assumed it was rainwater,” Ashley Thielen, the mother of the two injured children, told Western Mass News in Springfield. “I didn’t really think much of it, and then, my baby, who is one, just started crying. That was when I knew this liquid that they were around wasn’t water.”

The Fire Department on Tuesday said that “all hazardous materials have been cleaned up and removed” from the park but that “the playground area will remain fenced off out of an abundance of caution.”

The investigation determined that the park’s pump room in the basement of the pool building had been broken into in what the Fire Department determined must have been “a great deal of effort,” as the perpetrator had climbed two fences, ripped the cover off a ventilation shaft and got in through there. Authorities believe whoever did it was probably also injured by the acid.

Longmeadow authorities ask that if anyone has any information to contact the local police department tip line at 413-565-4199.

Embrace Boston is hosting an inaugural Juneteenth concert that starts at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday on the Boston Common, where the nonprofit oversees its memorial honoring Martin Luther King Jr., and his wife, Coretta Scott King.

The 1.5-hour concert features the Embrace Choir and other city groups, setting “the celebratory tone for us as we honor the national holiday and historical importance of Juneteenth.”

The federal holiday commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.

On Thursday, Embrace Boston is offering panels, keynotes, dancing and music centered around racial equity, healing, wellbeing, and joy at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, with registration beginning at 10 a.m.

Embrace Boston’s three-day celebration concludes Friday, culminating in a block party at Roxbury Community College. Grammy-nominated producer Just Blaze is headline the event, commemorating 50 years of hip hop.

The music-filled weekend continues Saturday, when the Boston Landmarks Orchestra hosts a free concert at the Salvation Army’s Kroc Community Center in Dorchester at 4 p.m. The show includes pieces from Scott Joplin, William Grant Still, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson and more.

Remembering those who endured slavery and seized freedom on Cambridge’s Brattle Street before the American Revolution will be the focus of a Sunday afternoon outdoor community gathering put on by the National Park Service at Longfellow House-Washington’s Headquarters.

The event, beginning at 4 p.m., will feature music, poetry, speeches and a screening of Descendant, an award-winning film that highlights the descendants of the survivors from the Clotida, the last-known slave ship to arrive in the U.S.

On Juneteenth, Monday, the Boston Juneteenth Committee is hosting its 13th annual Emancipation observance at the National Center of Afro American Artists, at 4 p.m. That follows a 12 p.m. flag-raising at the Dillaway-Thomas House on Roxbury Street and 1 p.m. parade to the NCAAA.

The Congregational Library & Archives celebrates the holiday by holding a three-day exhibition of the Sacred Ally Quilt Ministry at its Boston location, 14 Beacon St. The exhibit includes nearly a dozen quilts memorializing the final words of George Floyd.

The clinic is a refuge from the streets and an oasis of faith for those struggling. It’s also a place where women have access to a doctor, a nurse practitioner, a registered nurse and a therapist. The women can also come to take a shower, get fresh clothes and snacks and take a nap.

And a makeover Tuesday.

“This morning, a student engaged in a physical assault of a staff member which multiple students
witnessed,” Interim Head of School Stephanie Sibley began the letter. “The staff member sustained injuries as a result of the incident.”

Boston Police confirmed officers responded to a report of a disturbed person at the Dorchester school at 11:52 a.m., and a Boston EMS spokesperson said they responded to the school “with no associated transports” Tuesday morning.

A BPS spokesperson said the staff member was injured after attempting to deescalate an altercation between two students.

Both school staff and BPS safety services “quickly assisted with de-escalating the incident,” Sibley said. The staff member was taken to the school nurse before being transported to the hospital.

Sibley said the student will face disciplinary action “in accordance with the BPS Code of Conduct,” which states that a student may be suspended for “assault and battery on any person.”

The student may also face disciplinary action from law enforcement, Sibley said, and BPS Safety Services is assisting Boston Police with a follow up on the investigation.

“We are sharing this important update with you as part of our commitment to open communication and transparency,” Sibley wrote. “Please know the safety and security of all students and staff is one of our most important priorities.”

The assault follows a high-profile incident at the Henderson School in March in which several students were hospitalized after consuming edibles and the indictment of a female student in August 2022 for an assault on the Henderson principal and staff member the year prior.

Healey said the new bank will compete for private sector dollars and federal funds available under the Inflation Reduction Act to finance building retrofits that help the state meet “long-term climate objectives” and new construction of decarbonized buildings.”

At an event inside the State House, Healey said the bank is the first of its kind in the nation because of its focus on affordable housing. Residents in the affordable housing market bear a disproportionate burden in energy costs and climate impacts, Healey said.

“The climate bank is the financial engine for cutting emissions and improving health equity and financial security in our communities,” Healey said. “It’s going to unlock and advance a wide range of rebuilding and renovation projects. And it’s going to do that by investing in affordable homes all across the state.”

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said more than 70% of emissions in the city come from buildings, many of them historic but much older homes that are in need of energy retrofits.

“This bank, therefore, will play a crucial role in decreasing the overall cost of living in Boston, decarbonizing affordable housing, sharing the social and economic benefits of the green economy with more of our communities and advancing environmental justice for our EJ communities, those who are in greatest need of services,” she said.

Healey said funding from the new bank will head to developers and other organizations “very, very soon.”

The bank will “accelerate” building decarbonization projects by lending directly to building owners and “by attracting and de-risking lending and investment by private lenders through innovative finance products,” Healey said in a statement.

“Over time, the bank will diversify investments to include other decarbonization measures that benefit communities,” the administration said in a statement.

And to boil down the point of the bank, Healey likened its purpose to Hamburger Helper.

“It really enhances everything and it leverages what we’re able to do,” she said.

A large presence of local, state and federal authorities have responded to the area of Quincy Avenue and Libby Street, on the Brockton Hospital campus.

Brockton and Massachusetts State Police received a call around noon of a man “trapped by a Bobcat skid steer loader,” Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz told reporters at about 3:45 p.m.

Authorities said the man, identified as Roger Porter of East Sandwich, was pronounced dead on scene.

Cruz made clear Porter was not driving the construction vehicle when the accident took place, but rather, the 63-year-old was “leveling out gravel as it was being put into a pit.”

WCVB reported earlier Tuesday afternoon its news helicopter had flown over Brockton Hospital, finding a Bobcat construction vehicle had fallen over into a hole next to the facility’s foundation.

Massachusetts State Police confirmed a piece of construction equipment had struck the victim, resulting in his death.

The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner arrived at the hospital around 3:15 p.m. Authorities have alerted the victim’s family, according to a statement from Signature Healthcare, which runs Brockton Hospital.

“It is with most profound sadness that we are reporting a fatal injury that occurred on the campus of Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital today around noon,” Signature’s statement reads. “A construction contractor was working onsite at Brockton Hospital when an accident occurred, killing the worker.”

LMA Services Company, LLC is receiving an inspection from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration following the accident.

Brockton Hospital has been closed since early February following a 10-alarm transformer fire which drew the largest emergency response in city history. That incident displaced 176 patients, with 138 being taken for treatment at nearby health facilities.

Officials had hoped the hospital would reopen by mid May, a best case scenario. However, the main facility remains shuttered, while Signature Healthcare’s outlying centers are open for care.

Tuesday’s accident comes days after a construction worker was seriously injured at Norwood Hospital, which is being rebuilt in the wake of a flash flood that permanently shut down the 215-bed facility in June 2020.

The worker in that incident reportedly fell from the top of the second floor, according to Norwood Fire Department.

This comes after a high-profile drone shark study out of California — finding that juvenile white sharks were close to people on 97% of the days surveyed, and no one was bitten during the 2-year drone study.

Along the Cape, scientists last summer started to use drones in a pilot study.

“When water conditions are clear and nice, this is an incredible tool to study sharks and their activities off of our beaches,” Atlantic White Shark Conservancy staff scientist Megan Winton said during the conservancy’s media day on Tuesday.

“One thing we want to do is get an idea of how they’re using the nearshore waters right off our beaches with these direct observations,” Winton added of the great whites.

This summer, the researchers will be trying to figure out how effective drones are at spotting sharks along the Cape.

Many people have proposed using drones as a shark surveillance technology at local beaches, but the concern is that sharks could disappear from sight when the Cape waters turn murky.

“Sometimes the water is clear, and it looks like the Caribbean… and sometimes it looks like chocolate milk,” Winton said. “So nobody knows how that technology would perform in our waters.”

Australian officials have used drones for spotting sharks off public beaches.

“Under ideal conditions, it would be great for that, but we don’t know how well it will perform here,” Winton added.

In the California 2-year drone study, the juvenile sharks came very close to people, but simply moved around them or ignored them completely.

The juvenile sharks were often spotted within 50 yards of where the waves break, putting surfers and stand-up paddle boarders in the closest proximity to sharks. Some sharks were seen as close as 2 yards from the wave break.

Winton noted that the juvenile sharks from that study are much smaller than the average great white along the Cape. The juveniles along California feed on fish, and are not targeting seals like the Cape sharks.

“It’s a similar situation in that there are a lot of white sharks close to the beach there, but it’s a different life stage, so it’s also very different,” Winton said.

“Here in the summer and fall, there is likely a white shark somewhere around in the area when densities are highest,” she said.

Cape sharks hunt for seals in shallow water close to shore, and that has led to some shark bites on humans in the last decade. In 2018, a 26-year-old man was killed by a shark at a Wellfleet beach.

There have been no reported Cape shark bites on humans since that fatal incident.

“From what we see, people appear to have changed their behavior in a lot of ways,” Winton said. “People tend to stay closer to the shoreline it seems.”

Local researchers have tagged more than 300 sharks, and they have identified more than 600 individual sharks that have visited the Cape. During the summer, lifeguards are notified when tagged sharks get close to the beach, and the lifeguards get people out of the water.

State Sen. Jamie Eldridge said he wants to scrap the voter-passed tax cap law known as Chapter 62F because it creates a layer of unpredictability with state spending. The law required state officials to send nearly $3 billion back to taxpayers in 2022, which threw last year’s tax relief talks out the window.

“I don’t think it really serves sound public policy,” Eldridge told the Herald. “I didn’t hear from anyone about ‘this made a big difference in my life to get this tax rebate.’ So I do think that it’s important to have this discussion to repeal it and make sure that we’re not worried about it being triggered in the future.”

Eldridge filed the repeal amendment to Senate Democrats’ $586 million tax relief plan they released last week. Senate President Karen Spilka said the bill looks to boost several housing-related initiatives and centers “equity while chipping away at the headwinds that threaten our competitiveness.”

Whether to address Chapter 62F in the tax relief bill could take time to negotiate when lawmakers from the House and Senate eventually sit down to hammer out a final tax relief bill.

House leadership proposed rewriting the law so any excess revenue is returned as equal payments to residents regardless of how much they paid to the state. That change drew legal scrutiny from a technology-focused business group.

House Speaker Ronald Mariano said in April the adjustment allows everyone to share in the success of the state’s economy.

“We felt after watching the way the checks were made out and sent out, I think (Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, Rep. Mark Cusack and I) sort of agreed pretty early on that there are fairer ways to do this,” he said, referring to the House chairs of the budget-writing and revenue committees.

Eldridge said the Baker administration’s erroneous use of $2.5 billion in federal funds to pay pandemic-era unemployment benefits could put the state in a precarious financial situation that could only get worse if the tax cap law is triggered again.

“I feel, at the end of the day, is it a sound tax policy, sound public policy to have a tax rebate trigger?” he said. “I think it’s quite unusual and I think it makes the commonwealth weaker.”

Among the other amendments filed to the bill ahead of the Thursday debate are Republican-led efforts to reduce the short-term capital gains tax and increase the estate tax exemption.

The House and Healey support cutting the short-term capital gains tax from 12% to 5%, which could become another sticking point during inter-branch negotiations.

The Senate opted not to include the reduction in their plan and Spilka said the chamber “pulled together a consensus bill.”

“This is what the senators wanted,” she said outside of her office on Monday. “The balance of the bill focuses on individuals and working families, low to moderate, middle income, support and help. There are some things for folks, whether it be the EITC, the rental assistance, the senior circuit breaker, child dependent care, that’s where the bulk of the relief was desired.”

Healey did not say whether she would sign a bill that does not include a cut to the short-term capital gains tax, offering only that she was “heartened” by both the House and Senate proposals.

“We’ll just see what comes out of conference committee but obviously, the team and I, the lieutenant governor and I are here and ready to work and collaborate on this and other issues,” she told reporters on Monday.

Voters approved 62F in 1986 after tax-cutting champions, including the late Barbara Anderson, pushed for breaks for taxpayers.

Four killer whales were recently spotted south of Nantucket, a rare pod sighting in southern New England waters, while an orca was also seen swimming near dolphins off of Provincetown.

New England Aquarium scientists spotted the four killer whales swimming together as the research team flew aerial surveys 40 miles south of Nantucket on Sunday.

Meanwhile, fishermen saw the orca swimming next to the dolphins off the northern tip of Cape Cod.

It’s “always unusual to see killer whales in New England waters,” said Orla O’Brien, an associate research scientist who leads the aerial survey team for the New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life.

Katherine McKenna, an assistant research scientist, first spotted the four killer whales.

“Initially I could just see two splashes ahead of the plane,” McKenna said. “As we circled the area, two whales surfaced too quickly to tell what they were. On the third surfacing, we got a nice look and could see the tell-tale coloration before the large dorsal fins broke the surface.”

The four killer whales were among nearly 150 whales and dolphins that the team spotted during the seven-hour flight — including 23 fin whales, five minke whales, 62 bottlenose dolphins, and 20 humpback whales bubble feeding.

“Seeing them swim in formation was just unreal,” O’Brien said of the orca pod. “We believe the sighting to be two males and two females, but that hasn’t been confirmed.

“I think seeing killer whales is particularly special for us because it unlocks that childhood part of you that wanted to be a marine biologist,” O’Brien added.

The species’ population is very small in western North Atlantic waters. The only killer whale seen regularly in North Atlantic waters is “Old Thom,” a large male orca who is known to swim alone, sometimes alongside dolphins, in the Gulf of Maine and the Bay of Fundy. He was last spotted in Massachusetts waters in May 2022 off of Cape Cod.

A large orca that was swimming next to dolphins was recently captured on video by Simon Sez Sportfishing.

“Special day today seeing an Orca Whale in our waters off P-town,” Simon Sez posted on Instagram. “Never know what you’ll see, this made up for a tuna-less day today.”

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The scene outside the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Miami was part Donald Trump campaign rally and part reality TV show featuring celebrity faces and anti-Trump protesters, blistering heat and humidity, and a crowd that included people who’d traveled long distances for a day in South Florida.

There was even — emblematic of Miami — a vendor outside the courthouse selling tubs of sliced fruit for $10.

All were gathered Tuesday because of the historic event inside, the first court appearance for the former president facing federal charges alleging he hoarded classified documents detailing sensitive military secrets and schemed to thwart government efforts to get them back.

The major legal development of the day, as expected, was Trump’s not guilty plea to each of the 37 counts in the federal indictment.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day was the crowd, which was smaller than the 5,000 to 50,000 that Miami officials said a day earlier they were prepared for. At least 1,000 people gathered at the courthouse, along with hundreds of reporters, photojournalists and TV personalities.

And despite the passions and the heat — and some occasional shouting between Trump friends and foes — there wasn’t any violence, even though several reporters peppered Miami’s mayor and police chief on Monday with ‘what-if’ questions about worst-case scenarios.

26 hours in Miami-Dade

Just before he finished the momentous 26-hour trip to Miami-Dade County, Trump’s motorcade took him to a post-court campaign stop at Versailles, the iconic restaurant in Little Havana.

Just before 5 p.m. Trump’s red, white and blue Boeing 757, emblazoned with his name in gold, took off from Miami International Airport headed to New Jersey, for a scheduled campaign fundraiser and speech at his golf club in Bedminster.

He describes his Mar-a-Lago resort and club in Palm Beach — where the indictment alleges Trump intentionally retained hundreds of classified documents that he took with him from the White House — as his home, but typically doesn’t spend the hot summer season there.

He spent the night at Trump National Doral, his Miami-Dade golf club after arriving at MIA about 3 p.m. Monday.

As a former president, Trump traveled on the ground in a motorcade, with police blocking traffic, including on busy expressways, to expedite his movements. From the SUV on his way to court, Trump told his social media followers that he was “ON MY WAY TO COURTHOUSE. WITCH HUNT!!! MAGA.”

Back in the SUV after court, he posted again on his Truth Social platform: “Thank you Miami. Such a warm welcome on such a SAD DAY for our Country!”

Both posts were unusual in their brevity and lack of attacks on political enemies.

Supporters

Rose Rodriguez, 58, said her parents came to the U.S. from Cuba, and she believes if Trump doesn’t win the 2024 election, communism will come to the U.S. “I know what communism is,” she said.

Rodriguez said she attended Tuesday’s gathering — it wasn’t her first pro-Trump event — to prove he has a support system.

“He’s a man for the people,” she said.

As Trump arrived at the courthouse, supporters cheered, chanting “Trump” and “USA! USA! USA!”

Some Trump supporters expressed their displeasure with President Joe Biden by chanting “No more Biden!” and “Let’s Go Brandon.” That’s a phrase popular among Republicans that directs an obscenity toward the president.

Luimar Zibetti Garza, 60, a longtime Floridian who says she’s homeless, set up on a sidewalk outside the federal courthouse. She had an umbrella with a sign that said, “Homeless 4 Trump.” “I came out to support Trump because I know he’s being railroaded,” Garza said.

Traveling long distance

Some of the people who showed up outside the federal courthouse traveled a long way.

Katie Taylor, 76, traveled from Virginia, stopping in Sanford, N.C., to pick up Gloria Eck.

Eck said the indictment is “just proof to me how corrupt” the Department of Justice is. “If people don’t stand up we’re going to lose our country.”

She said she wasn’t concerned about an unattended item with wires that prompted police to temporarily clear an area near the courthouse. “We can’t be worried (about it). They want to push us out.”

Taylor said she was “not a protester,” instead describing herself  as “a supporter of President Trump.”

Several dozen Trump supporters boarded Miami-bound buses at an Orlando Walmart.

Miriam J. Ramirez, president of the Puerto Rico Republican Assembly, said she and others in the Puerto Rican community are sticking with the former president. “We feel safe, like a daddy who’s taking care of us.”

As they boarded the buses in Orlando, Danette Chialtas offered a different assessment. “Get on the bus, you traitors!” she said. “Your dictator is being arraigned today for espionage. Traitors!”

Opponents

Xavier Presley, 67, of Miami, is a regular fixture at any Trump rally. Despite the heat, he wore his typical outfit Tuesday afternoon outside of the courthouse: a suit jacket that has expletives and Trump’s name written in marker on it.

Presley, who stood alone underneath a palm tree with many neon colored signs with an obscenity and Trump’s name, said he typically attends the rallies alone to avoid any trouble with Trump supporters.

Presley said he’s long been an activist. But he stops short of calling himself political. “Because you can never win,” he said. “You have no winner in politics. Because they all are crooks.”

Even Trump supporters laugh, he said. “They do laugh. A lot of Trump people today, I was surprised, a lot of Trump people took pictures with my signs.”

Disagreements generally were mild. When Trump opponents shouted “Trump’s a dick,” some of his supporters responded with shouts of “We love Trump” then sang “God Bless America.”

Versailles

After court, Trump made a brief stop at Versailles, the iconic Miami restaurant in Little Havana.

Versailles is a must-do photo op for Republican candidates campaigning in Miami and gave Trump a chance to visit with supporters in the Cuban American community, where he developed a loyal following during his presidency.

People cheered and news video showed people laying hands on him in prayer.

“Food for everyone!” Trump declared as he worked the dining room shaking hands. Supporters sang “Happy Birthday” to Trump, who turns 77 on Wednesday.

Trump smiled and gave a thumbs-up sign to people taking pictures. “We have a country that is in decline like never before. We can’t let it happen,” he said.

Domenic Santana, a native New Yorker who now lives in Miami, wore an outfit with prison stripes and held a “lock him up” sign, designed for maximum media attention. He wore the same outfit and carried the same sign on Monday. “Trump is a rat who graduated from the school of rats and wound up in the White House. The New Yorkers know. He should have been locked up a long, long time ago,” Santana said.

Few incidents

Later in the day, a man jumped in front of a vehicle in Trump’s motorcade as it was leaving the courthouse, and was quickly pulled away by law enforcement officers and later taken away by several Miami Police officers.

In the morning, police moved people away from an area near the courthouse after an unattended object was spotted. The suspicious item turned out to be a flat-screen television with wires coming out. It had a statement expressing intense displeasure for what the writer called “the Communist media.”

The area was reopened after it was determined there was no threat.

.⁦@aronberg⁩ providing legal analysis for ⁦@MSNBC⁩ live coverage of Trump federal court day. https://t.co/rIX3qtQvsA pic.twitter.com/pT42cHTvH7

— Anthony Man (@browardpolitics) June 13, 2023

Few newsmakers

Few newsmakers actually appeared outside the courthouse to make news.

Alina Habba, an attorney for Trump, appeared to assert the indictment was not justified, repeating many of the assertions Trump and his supporters have made since the charges came out last week.

“The people in charge of this country do not love America. They hate Donald Trump. What we are witnessing today is a blatant and unapologetic weaponization of the criminal justice system,” she said. “The decision to pursue charges against President Trump while turning a blind eye to others is emblematic of the corruption that we have here.”

Laura Loomer, the internet provocateur and two-time unsuccessful candidate for Congress, led “We want Trump!” outside the courthouse. Kari Lake, the unsuccessful 2022 Republican candidate for Arizona governor, Trump supporter and 2020 election denier, was also present.

Doing business

Miami’s entrepreneurial spirit was on display.

Aldrena Oliveras, 52, of Miami, set up a tent selling tubs of fruit: pineapple, cranberry, kiwi, apples, watermelon, pears, mango. She said the political event was different from her usual days selling on Miami Beach or in Little Havana.

Business, not politics, was on her mind. And it was booming. She said her $500 in sales was much more than usual.

A water vendor invoked the crowd’s interest as he sold from a water cooler. “It’s hot to be a Trump supporter! Get some ice cold water!”

Ronald Solomon, president of the MAGA Mall, was selling $20 hats ($25 for a cowboy hat) and $10 flags. His biggest sellers: the classic, red “Make America Great Again,” “Trump 2024” with an embroidered American flag, and “God, Guns and Trump.”

He said he sold about $4,000 of hats on Tuesday.

Sun Sentinel staff photographers Joe Cavaretta and Mike Stocker and Orlando Sentinel staff writer Skyler Swisher contributed to this report, which contains information from The Associated Press.

Anthony Man can be reached at aman@sunsentinel.com, on Twitter @browardpolitics and on Post.news/@browardpolitics

Police and firefighters responded to Bliss Park in Longmeadow Sunday morning for a report of a suspicious substance on the playground equipment, the fire department posted on social media. At about the same time, firefighters and emergency medical technicians went to a nearby home for a report of two children with burns who had just left the park.

“I let the kids go play. I didn’t notice that there was liquid to collect at the bottom of the slide. I just assumed it was rainwater,” their mother, Ashley Thielen, told Western Mass News in Springfield. “I didn’t really think much of it, and then, my baby, who is one, just started crying. That was when I knew this liquid that they were around wasn’t water.”

The acid left mostly superficial blisters and swelling on her children’s skin, Thielen said, but it could have been much worse.

“The bottom of the slide, where it was, there was a good amount of it collected there,” she said. “I was surprised he didn’t start splashing in it.”

Authorities determined that someone broke into a storage room where chemicals are kept at the park’s swimming pool and stole some muriatic acid. The acid, which can be used for cleaning or for maintaining a pool’s pH balance, was then poured on three slides, authorities said.

Evidence was gathered and sent to the state crime lab for forensic analysis.

No one has been charged, but authorities said the suspect or suspects may have also been injured.

“We suspect that the perpetrators may have suffered acid burns to their hands or arms and their clothing may have indications of being degraded from contact with the acid,” said the statement issued by the fire department in Longmeadow, a city adjacent to Springfield in western Massachusetts.

“If you know of someone with new burns to their hands or arms or may have had burned clothing, please also notify Longmeadow police.” they said.

The playground has been cleaned of hazardous materials but remains fenced off.

Supporters of the new study commissioned by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation say it helps reveal the broader consequences of health inequities and provides motivation for public and private sector leaders to help rectify the disparities. The research also looks to the future of the state’s population, where communities of color are driving growth but are also the ones who are the most heavily impacted by health inequities.

As the next generation rises, the report said, these groups will represent nearly half of the state’s population compared to the less than one-third share they represent today.

“Massachusetts faces a choice to ‘pay now or pay greater later,’ as demonstrated by this report, which highlights the unacceptable cost being paid by communities of color and ultimately borne by businesses and the commonwealth,” the advocacy organization Health Equity Compact said in a statement included with the report.

The authors of the report said it is a “first of its kind” to quantify in economic terms the cost of health inequities for individuals and families, health care providers, employers, public and private sector payers, and the overall Massachusetts economy.

The economic burden associated with health inequities experienced by communities of color in Massachusetts totals nearly $6 billion but could grow to $11.2 billion by 2050 if no action is taken, the report said.

The time to shift from “awareness of the problem to action on solutions” is now after analysis made clear the “staggering economic toll” of health disparities, said Audrey Shelto, president and CEO of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation.

“Our commonwealth led the way in expanding health insurance coverage and improving access, and we have a shared responsibility to act similarly to achieve health equity and eliminate health disparities,” Shelto said in a statement.

Populations of color in the state are disproportionately affected by housing instability, food insecurity, environmental toxins and stressors, and higher rates of poverty as a result of longstanding systemic racism in social and economic structures, policies, and practices, the report said.

That has led to less access to health coverage and care and differences in the quality of care received, researchers wrote in the study.

Differences in delivery of care also stem back to “mistrust in the health care system due to historical and systemic racism and experiences of continued lack of respect and breaches of trust reported by many,” the report said.

Researchers found Black and Hispanic/Latino residents report poorer health and mental health statuses than White residents; pregnancy-associated mortality and severe maternal morbidity are higher for Black residents; and higher rates of diabetes and asthma are reported among Black and Hispanic/Latino residents.

Higher rates of disease and disability in a population require more healthcare services to treat those conditions, which means higher healthcare spending, researchers said.

“By computing the gap between health care spending under the current health status for Massachusetts adults and health care spending if populations of color achieved the health equity target health status, we estimated that avoidable health care spending due to health inequities is $1.5 billion each year, or about 2 percent of total Massachusetts annual health spending,” the report said.

Working-age adults who are less healthy tend to work fewer hours, take more sick days, and be less productive on the job, the report said. The analysis compared the productivity of working-age populations of color with their current health status to the same group if they were fully healthy.

“We estimated that health inequities experienced by populations of color today cost Massachusetts $1.4 billion each year in lost labor productivity across industries,” the report said.

The analysis also compared the current mortality rates by race and ethnicity at each with the “health equity targets” for mortality at each age.

“We found that health inequities are estimated to lead to premature death for Massachusetts residents of all ages,” the report said.

The SJC announced Monday that Cypher, who turned 64 in February, will retire from the court on Jan. 12, 2024 after a nearly seven-year tenure. A court spokesperson said Cypher “wants to devote her time to teaching and research.”

Cypher will take a position at Boston College Law School for the spring 2024 semester as a Huber Distinguished Visiting Professor of Law. She said in a statement that she is “looking forward to pursuing my love of teaching.”

Her departure will come several years before Cypher turns 70, the mandatory retirement age for Massachusetts judges, and creates the first vacancy on the SJC since Healey was elected in November.

Healey’s predecessor, former Gov. Charlie Baker, saw the entire court turn over during his two terms and appointed all seven current members.

“On behalf of the people of Massachusetts, I’d like to offer our deep gratitude to Justice Cypher for her decades of service to our state and wish her the very best in her well-earned retirement,” Healey said. “Our administration is committed to appointing a distinguished Supreme Court Justice who will uphold justice, equality and the rule of the law.”

A 1986 Suffolk University Law School graduate, Cypher began her legal career as an associate at the Boston law firm of Grayer, Brown and Dilday and then spent nearly two decades in the Bristol County district attorney’s office as an assistant DA and then chief of the appellate division.

She joined the judiciary in 2000, after Gov. Paul Cellucci appointed her as an appeals court justice and she won approval from the Governor’s Council. Baker picked her in 2017 for a spot on the high court, and again the elected council confirmed her to a new role.

“Justice Cypher has brought her keen knowledge of the law and the constitution to the appellate courts for over two decades, serving on the Supreme Judicial Court for the past six years,” said SJC Chief Justice Kimberly Budd. “She has been an exceptional friend and colleague and an active role model to the many people who count her as a mentor. We are deeply grateful for her service to the people of the Commonwealth.”

Healey has not nominated any judges six months into her four-year term, and several openings loom on the Superior Court.

Matthew Nilo, 35, of New Jersey, has been linked to a series of sexual assaults that occurred over a decade ago on Terminal Street in Charlestown, Suffolk County prosecutors allege.

On Monday, Nilo was reportedly posting bail after he was arraigned last week on three counts of aggravated rape, two counts of kidnapping, one count of assault with intent to rape, and one count of indecent assault and battery. Bail had been set at $500,000.

His attorney, Joseph Cataldo, on Monday evening said, “The posting of bail is in process and my client will be released soon.”

One of Nilo’s alleged victims showed up to Monday’s bail review hearing at Suffolk Superior Court, telling reporters that she was “upset” Nilo could post bail and walk free.

“I’ve waited so long to have my day in court with him,” the alleged victim told reporters.

“The fact that now he’s able to just go back to his life and walk around for a year, and he could get away,” she added. “And he could do it to somebody else. It’s just sad.”

During last week’s arraignment, Clerk Magistrate Edward Curley set bail at $500,000, and also ordered Nilo to wear a GPS tracker if released, surrender his passport, have no contact with the victims, and stay 1,000 feet away from Terminal Street in Charlestown unless accompanied by his attorney.

Last year, Boston Police revisited the investigation into the four Terminal Street assaults from 15 years ago. They used forensic investigative genetic genealogy, searching publicly accessible DNA databases to narrow the pool of potential suspects.

These efforts came to focus on Nilo as a person of interest, and he was placed under surveillance early this year while living in New Jersey and working at a New York City law firm.

Then FBI agents followed Nilo to a corporate event, where they obtained his utensils and drinking glasses from the event.

From one of the glasses, the Boston Police Crime Lab obtained a male DNA profile, which was found to match the suspect profile from the three Terminal Street rapes, police said.

Nilo’s attorney said he will go after the police for their DNA collection process, citing the Fourth Amendment.

“It does appear the government obtained DNA evidence from my client without a search warrant,” Cataldo said. “The constitutionality of that action will certainly and most vigorously be challenged in court.”

The lawyer added that Nilo “maintains his innocence.”

Researchers at Mass Eye and Ear looked at the loss of olfactory and gustatory senses and estimated that about 25% of Americans who had COVID-19 reported only partial or no recovery of taste or smell.

“We wanted to quantify the national impact of smell disorders resulting from COVID,” said Neil Bhattacharyya, professor of Otolaryngology at Mass Eye and Ear.

“With this data we can understand, in big numbers, how many people lost their sense of smell or taste due to COVID infection and how many people never fully recovered those senses,” Bhattacharyya added.

The researchers examined data from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a CDC branch, which includes survey data from 29,696 adults.

In the NHIS data, COVID patients were asked about the severity of their symptoms, any loss of taste or smell, and their recovery of those senses.

The research team reported that about 60% of surveyed participants infected with COVID experienced loss of smell and about 58% experienced loss of taste.

The study found that around 72% of patients fully recovered their sense of smell, but 24% only had a partial recovery, and more than 3% had no recovery.

Similarly, of those who experienced a loss of taste due to COVID, about 76% fully recovered the sense, while 20% only partially recovered, and more than 2% did not recover at all.

The researchers estimated that almost 28 million Americans had been potentially left with a decreased sense of smell after a COVID infection.

Bhattacharyya said one of the motivations for the study was his patient who lost 50 pounds due to COVID-related smell loss.

“The patient wasn’t eating and became very sick and very depressed because of the loss of smell,” Bhattacharyya said. “When you hear about COVID-related smell loss, you think most people get it back and are fine. But there is a substantial number of people who don’t recover it.”

“The value of this study is that we are highlighting a group of people who have been a bit neglected,” Bhattacharyya added. “Losing your sense of smell or taste isn’t as benign as you may think. It can lead to decreased eating for pleasure and, in more extreme cases, it can lead to depression and weight loss.”

The study also found that there’s a correlation between COVID symptom severity and loss of smell or taste. As symptom severity increased, the percentage of patients with smell or taste loss also went up.

Moreover, the likelihood of smell and taste sensory recovery dropped with more severe COVID symptoms.

U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin in Boston said in an order Monday that the injunction he ordered last month will take effect 21 days after he issues a final judgment imposing terms on the airlines. It’s not clear when that will be.

The airlines had faced a deadline next weekend, just 30 days after the judge’s May 19 decision in favor of the U.S. Justice Department, which sued to break up the deal.

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said last month that his Texas-based airline will appeal the May ruling. New York-based JetBlue has not indicated whether it will appeal.

Wall Street hits 13-month high

Wall Street climbed Monday ahead of a big week for central banks around the world, vaulting the S&P 500 to its highest level in more than a year.

The benchmark index rose 40.07 points, or 0.9%, to 4,338.93 and its highest close since April 2022. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 189.55, or 0.6%, to 34,066.33, while the Nasdaq composite rallied 202.78, or 1.5%, to 13,461.92.

The U.S. stock market has been cruising on hopes the economy may avoid a recession and the Federal Reserve may soon take it easier on its hikes to interest rates. Traders are betting the Fed will hold rates steady at its next meeting, which concludes on Wednesday. That would be the first time it hasn’t hiked rates at a meeting in more than a year.

Investors see high-growth stocks as some of the biggest beneficiaries of lower rates, and they led the market Monday. Tech stocks alone accounted for more than half the S&P 500’s gain, powered by gains of at least 1.5% for both Microsoft and Apple.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian troops have retaken seven villages spanning 90 square kilometers (35 square miles) from Russian forces in the past week, the deputy defense minister said Monday as the early stages of Kyiv’s counteroffensive notched small successes.

Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar wrote on the Telegram app that the Ukrainian flag was again flying over the village of Storozhov, in the eastern Donetsk province, and that her troops had also retaken three other nearby small villages and three in neighboring Zaporizhzhia province.

“The battles are tough, but our movement is there, and that is very important,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.” He added that rainy weather is challenging his troops, and that he’s discussed with his military commanders “which points of the front we need to strengthen and what actions we can take to break more Russian positions.”

On Sunday, Ukrainian officials said their troops took the Donestk villages of Blahodatne, Makarivka and Neskuchne — south of the town of Velyka Novosilka. Maliar reported Monday that the Zaporizhzhia province settlements of Lobkove, Levadne and Novodrivka were also now back under Ukrainian control.

Russian officials did not confirm Ukraine’s gains, which were impossible to verify and could be reversed in the to-and-fro of war. The gains amounted to only small bits of territory and underscored the difficulty of the battle ahead for Ukrainian forces, who will have to fight meter by meter to regain the roughly one-fifth of their country under Russian occupation.

Recent fighting on the western edge of the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line has been complicated by a dam breach that sent floodwaters into a part of the Dnieper River separating the two sides.

Western analysts and military officials have cautioned that an effort to rid Ukraine of entrenched and powerfully armed Russian troops could take years, and the success of the Ukrainian counteroffensive is far from certain. French President Emmanuel Macron said in Paris that the Ukrainian counteroffensive began several days ago and “is set to be deployed over several weeks, if not months.”

Vladimir Rogov, an official with the Moscow-appointed administration of the Zaporizhzhia region at the western end of the front line, said “heavy battles” were raging in the area Monday involving Russian artillery, mortars and air power.

The villages are part of an area where the Russian front lines jut out into territory held by Ukraine. While just a few kilometers (more than 1 mile) deep, the protrusion has recently become one of several epicenters of intense fighting along the front line that cuts across southern and eastern Ukraine.

Despite their small size, the capture of the villages involved an incursion into the first line of Russian defenses and could allow Ukrainian forces to try a deeper thrust into occupied areas.

Russian forces control far less Ukrainian land than they did before a blistering Ukrainian counteroffensive last year that retook the northern city of Kharkiv and southern city of Kherson, among other places.

On Saturday, Zelenskyy said “counteroffensive, defensive actions are taking place” without specifying whether it was the all-out counteroffensive that has long been expected after a vast infusion of Western firepower and air defense systems into Ukraine. A day earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin asserted that the counteroffensive had started and Ukrainian forces were taking “significant losses.”

Ukrainian forces have focused on the Zaporizhzhia region and an area near the devastated Donetsk city of Bakhmut, among other locations.

Russian authorities have said their troops are largely holding their ground.

But Semyon Pegov, a prominent Russian military blogger who goes by the nickname WarGonzo, acknowledged Russian troops had withdrawn from Blahodatne, Neskuchne and Makarivka, and said Ukrainian forces were trying to push forward along the banks of the Mokri Yaly River on Monday.

Alexandet Kots, military correspondent for Russian daily Komsomolskaya Pravda, said Ukrainian forces were attempting to advance, despite heavy losses, toward the town of Staromlinovka, which sits on a strategic highway leading to the port city of Mariupol. Russian forces captured the city over a year ago, after Ukrainian forces held out for several months in a grueling and desperate defense.

Separately Monday, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said least four civilians were killed and 16 others wounded by Russian shelling over the last 24 hours.

In Donetsk, Russian shelling hit nine towns and villages and left one civilian dead and two others wounded. Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko posted images of apartment buildings and a cultural center damaged by Russian strikes in the town of Avdiivka.

In Kharkiv, to the north, Russian forces pummeled several settlements with artillery, mortar and rocket fire, wounding at least three people, regional state administration chief Oleh Synehubov wrote on Telegram.

The reported Ukrainian advance came as authorities on both sides of the front line pressed on with rescue and relocation efforts for civilians in the Kherson region driven from their homes by flooding from the breach of the Kakhovka dam last week.

With many homes and shops submerged in polluted river water, the U.N. and other aid groups say access to fresh drinking water is crucial and that water-borne diseases pose a big risk. Thousands of people have been evacuated, though some remain.

Kherson Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin said Monday that water levels have been receding. They now average about 3 meters (nearly 10 feet) higher than normal — down from about 5 meters at the peak level last week. More than 32 towns and villages remain flooded, he said, and Russian forces have continued shelling inundated areas held by Ukraine on the river’s western bank.

On Sunday, Prokudin said three people were killed when Moscow’s troops opened fire on a boat evacuating people from Russian-occupied areas toward Ukrainian-held ones.

___

Associated Press writers Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Yuras Karmanau in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this report.

___

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Roughly 30 passengers were aboard when the derailment occurred around 1:40 p.m. Monday, and were able to safely exit the westbound train. There were no injuries, T spokesperson Joe Pesaturo said.

Buses replaced B branch service between Kenmore and Washington Street while T personnel worked to re-rail the trolley car. Eng said the alternative service would continue through rush hour, and possibly into the evening, should crews decide to do more extensive track repairs.

“Our rail track team is out here assessing any rail repairs that need to be done, and right now we believe what contributed to it was the track condition,” Eng told reporters late Monday afternoon. “Preliminarily, the distance between the rails was not where it should have been so we’re assessing how that happened.”

Eng said the center truck, or center wheels of a two-car set on the trolley came off the tracks. He said the derailment is still being investigated, to determine if anything beyond poor track conditions was a contributing factor.

The safety failure was reported to both T oversight agencies, the Department of Public Utilities and the Federal Transit Administration.

“Obviously we have a lot of work to do,” Eng said. “The one thing that I will say is we did have a speed restriction in place here. That’s why it was so low-speed. That’s why no one was injured. And that just shows we have a lot more to do.”

The derailment comes ahead of track rehabilitation work that was already planned for the area this summer, Eng said.

One of the T’s “on-call contractors” will complete track repairs over the course of 12 days on the B branch of the Green Line, from Babcock Street to Packard’s Corner stations, Pesaturo said.

“We have a lot of competing priorities as far as where we need to tackle,” Eng said. “This is one of those that we’re going to look to accelerate.”

To that end, spot repairs may continue Tuesday or Wednesday, Eng said.

Riders encountered delays following the derailment on Monday. The Route 57 bus was temporarily free between Kenmore and Washington, for those seeking an alternative.

The T initially communicated the incident as a “disabled train near Packard’s Corner” on social media, but later tweeted that the delays were caused by a trolley that had, in fact, derailed.

“There are simply no provisions of release that would guarantee the safety of the victims here or the broader public,” argued Assistant District Attorney Erin Murphy at Lazare’s arraignment in Roxbury District Court on Monday morning.

Lazare, 23, pleaded not guilty to nine charges for the alleged robbery and shooting Friday, including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and armed robbery, and one charge of armed and masked robbery for another alleged robbery Wednesday.

Lazare was held Monday pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for June 23.

On Wednesday, a man matching Lazare’s description was captured on film allegedly robbing a delivery driver delivering two pizzas to 44 Cedric Street in Roxbury, the prosecution said.

During the search for the unidentified suspect, a police officer investigating the incident was revisiting the scene alone — a “not surprising” show of initiative for the officer, noted BPD spokesperson Sgt. Det. John Boyle on Monday — when he came across a man matching the suspect’s description pointing a gun at another delivery driver, according to a BPD arrest report.

The suspect allegedly fired multiple shots at the officer, striking him in the foot and rear, and ran into a building, Murphy recounted. This led to a pursuit to a nearby rooftop, she continued, where the man leapt or fell into an alleyway, reportedly broke his foot and was apprehended.

The suspect, identified as John Lazare, was taken to the hospital following the pursuit and reportedly wheelchair-bound at the arraignment. Several other officers were also injured in the pursuit, Murphy said.

Police fired no shots during the Friday incident, Boyle stated.

The injured officer, who joined the force in 2017, has reportedly been released from the hospital and is expected to recover. His name has not been made public.

Police Commissioner Michael Cox said the injured officer “did everything he could to honor the sanctity of life and make sure that this person was also captured.”

“Any shooting of a police officer is of immense concern to all of us in law enforcement and society,” said Suffolk DA Kevin Hayden. “The fact that this officer once worked as an investigator in our office makes it hit particularly close to home.”

The defense objected to the judge holding Lazare under the protective order, arguing the danger to witnesses did not match the precedent for the order.

There was a massive turnout of Boston police officers packing the courtroom Monday, with over 60 officers in attendance.

“The show of support was fantastic from the rank and file officers that are here to support one of our own that was obviously involved in gunfire and shot the other night,” said Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association President Larry Calderone at the courthouse. “It’s a blessing that he made it out of there alive.”

Lazare was granted permission to remain out of sight during the arraignment proceedings, the judge said, “due to reasons discussed in sidebar having to do with identification.”

The 23-year-old Brockton man had two previous warrants for his arrest from Salem in 2020 and Quincy in 2022, the police report stated, on charges of identity fraud, larceny over $1,200, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and others.

Schools in Arlington were delayed by an hour after the bear made several appearances in the Boston suburb.

Then at around 2 p.m., the bear was seen exploring a Lexington farm.

” **Update** The most recent sighting of the bear was at Wilson’s Farm in Lexington,” Arlington Police tweeted, along with a photo of the bear.

Update**
Here’s a video of the bear at Wilson’s Farm! pic.twitter.com/V0PJripsPU

— Arlington MA, Police Department (@ArlingtonMAPD) June 12, 2023

Lexington Police confirmed that the bear was seen in the area of Pleasant Street, adding that the department was working with Massachusetts Environmental Police to locate the bear.

“There are no reports of the bear showing aggressive behavior, but we are asking residents to be aware of their surroundings,” police said in a statement. “If you are with your pet outside, ensure it is kept under control. It also is recommended that any outdoor food sources are brought inside if possible, such as bird food.”

The mere presence of a bear in a populated area is not a public safety threat, and the bear will leave the area on its own, according to state wildlife officials. Oftentimes, a bear will climb a tree to avoid people.

“If you happen to see the bear, leave it alone, and please report the sighting to the Lexington Police Department at 781-862-1212,” police said.

The black bear was first spotted on Monday in the area in the area of Scituate Street at Spring, according to Arlington Police.

The wandering bruin was then seen in the area of Paul Revere Road and Park Avenue.

Monday’s sighting comes after a bear caused a stir in Newton on Sunday.

Newton police on Sunday shared video of a black bear in that community after it made an appearance in Newton Highlands near Cold Spring Park.

Environmental police, in a statement to the Herald on Sunday, said that no aggressive behavior had been observed related to the Newton sighting.

“If a bear is seen in town, leave the animal alone and keep pets leashed,” a spokesperson for the  Environmental Police said in the statement. “A gathering of people not only stresses the animal, but adds the risk of having a bear chased out into traffic or into a group of bystanders. In most situations, if left alone, bears will return to forested areas on their own.”

With the black bear population’s range expanding east toward the most densely populated Bay State communities, bear sightings are increasing — especially during these peak months for bear activity.

May, June, and July are peak months for bear activity and reported conflicts with bears in Massachusetts. This is because 1-year-old cubs are leaving their mothers for the first time, and are finding new territories. June is also the peak of the bear mating season, leading to lots of activity and movement tied to mating.

The rear porches of 571 Cummins Highway collapsed following the heavy fire.

Firefighters responded to the blaze at around 7:10 p.m. A second alarm was immediately ordered with the black smoke filling the neighborhood.

“An aggressive interior and exterior attack, helped to prevent the fire from spreading to the surrounding buildings,” Boston Fire tweeted.

The fire department at around 7:30 p.m. reported that the heavy fire was knocked down, and that the rear porches had collapsed.

“I like the bands and the music,” said 10-year-old Charlestown native Jessie Grey thoughtfully, standing with her family and clutching a flag at her second Bunker Hill Parade. “And the candy.”

The parade, held annually in Charlestown since the 1800s, kicked off at 12:30 p.m. at the intersection of Vine and Bunker Hill Streets and wound around to Winthrop Street by the Charlestown Militia Training Field.

The day celebrates the Battle Bunker Hill, also known as the Battle of Breed’s Hill, during the Revolutionary War, a key point — though a loss — for the American troops. The parade “traces its roots to the earliest commemorations of the 1775 battle and celebrations of the Charlestown community after the town was rebuilt,” according to the National Parks Service.

On Sunday, a wide array of organizations and people marched along in the historic celebration, from political figures like Mayor Michelle Wu, to many marching bands and historical groups, to a Santa Sleigh and array of clowns.

Locals and families cheered from the sidelines along the route, camped in lawn chairs and decked out in red, white and blue. Several toddlers wore ear protection as shots from historical rifles cracked through the air and brass bands rumbled by.

“We’re proud of our history here,” said Sam Davis, a Charlestown resident. … “You can see how much people care.”

The smoke from the wildfires dissipated across Massachusetts by the weekend, and it doesn’t appear that the poor air quality will return this week.

“It’s not looking like it will be similar to last week,” Bill Leatham, meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Boston office, told the Herald on Sunday.

He noted the major change in the wind pattern, which is why the smoke won’t come back to the Bay State, at least for the week ahead.

Meanwhile, temps for much of the week should be seasonable in the upper 70s and around 80 degrees, and the weather pattern is expected to turn unsettled again with the risk of showers each day.

“It should feel like summer this week,” Leatham said. “While it will be warmer, there will be an increased risk for thunderstorms through the week.”

Temps on Monday should approach 80 degrees, and a good portion of the day could be dry. Then, some moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to arrive Monday night. Rainfall amounts of 0.75 to 1.5 inches across southern New England are predicted.

“The best shot for widespread rain this week will be later Monday into Tuesday morning,” Leatham said.

After the rain overnight, it should be drier Tuesday afternoon with temps in the 70s, followed by another round of rain and potentially severe thunderstorms on Wednesday.

“There is still plenty of time for the forecast to change, but Wednesday will be a day to watch closely as we head into the new week,” the National Weather Service’s forecast discussion reads. “Hazards would be limited to damaging wind gusts and small hail as low-level wind shear would not be strong enough to support a substantial tornado threat.”

As this system exits, Thursday should be similar to Tuesday with clearing skies and seasonable temps in the upper 70s.

The wet to dry pattern looks to continue late in the week into the weekend, with possible rainfall on Friday followed by a drier day on Saturday.

The Barnstable Police Department patrol officer at around 1:41 p.m. tried to pull over the motorcyclist for a traffic violation on Route 28, near Garden Lane in Hyannis.

The motorcyclist didn’t stop for the officer and fled north onto Bearses Way, police said. Moments later, the motorcyclist crashed into a vehicle on Bearses Way near Enterprise Road.

The motorcyclist was transported to Cape Cod Hospital by a Hyannis Fire Department ambulance, where he was pronounced dead.

The operator of the vehicle struck by the fleeing motorcycle sustained minor injuries in the accident.

The crash is being investigated by the Cape Cod Regional Law Enforcement Council Crash Reconstruction Team.

Every year from June 1 to Aug. 31, wild turkey reports from the public help MassWildlife biologists determine the population’s reproductive success.

Wildlife officials are looking for wild turkey reports from all regions of Massachusetts — from the most rural communities to more densely-populated areas like Boston and Brookline, where turkeys are now spotted on a regular basis.

“As we’ve seen over the past couple of decades, turkeys are becoming more and more common in suburban areas and now in urban settings,” MassWildlife Turkey Project Leader Dave Scarpitti told the Herald, noting that the turkeys are finding food in these areas.

People can report sightings of hens (female turkeys), poults (newly-hatched turkeys), jakes (juvenile males), and toms (adult males). The state’s survey asks for the sighting date, location and number of turkeys.

“It goes a long way to helping us keep our finger on the pulse of the population and the success of their reproduction,” Scarpitti said.

“We want to get a better idea of what that reproduction looks like for the fall season,” he added. “If there are significant declines in the population, we would want to adjust our harvest regulations.”

The state’s wild turkey population has jumped exponentially since the 1970s when MassWildlife biologists trapped 37 turkeys in New York and released them in the Berkshires. The new flock grew, and by the fall of 1978, the estimated population was about 1,000 birds.

As more birds moved in from neighboring states, turkeys soon ranged throughout most parts of western Massachusetts. Then the wild turkeys continued to expand their range into central, northeastern and southeastern areas of the state — and today, the wild turkey population is estimated at between 30,000 and 35,000 birds.

MassWildlife officials warn people to never deliberately feed wild turkeys, which will attract them to their property and keep them around. Turkeys can survive very well on natural foods, and do not need handouts from people.

Also, if people come across aggressive turkeys, they should not hesitate to scare or threaten a bold turkey with loud noises, spraying water from a hose or swatting with a broom. A dog on a leash is also an effective deterrent.

For more information on the state’s annual wild turkey survey and to report sightings, visit www.mass.gov/info-details/summer-wild-turkey-survey.

The alleged victim reported that he was walking along Soldiers Field Road between 3 and 4 a.m. on Sunday when a male driver pulled up and asked for directions.

The pedestrian told the driver that he couldn’t provide directions and continued walking.

“The vehicle followed him for a short period of time before the driver stopped, exited the vehicle, approached the victim on foot, and physically and sexually assaulted him,” a spokesperson for Massachusetts State Police said in a statement. “The victim fought back and eventually the suspect returned to his vehicle and drove away.”

The suspect is described as a male, about 6 feet tall, with a Middle Eastern accent.

The suspect’s vehicle may be a gray Honda CRV sport utility vehicle.

The investigation by the State Police Detective Unit for Suffolk County and State Police Troop H is ongoing.

The State Police spokesperson said, “As a general rule, members of the public are urged to be aware of their surroundings at all times wherever their location, and call 911 to report anything or anyone suspicious.”

With the black bear population’s range expanding east toward the most densely populated Bay State communities, bear sightings are increasing — especially during these peak months for bear activity.

Newton joined the bear sighting list on Sunday at around 8:26 a.m., when Massachusetts Environmental Police were alerted to the black bear. The city received reports of the bear running through Newton Highlands near Cold Spring Park.

“Our officers are watching its location,” Newton Police wrote on social media. “The Environmental Police have been notified.

“Please do not approach any wildlife and keep a safe distance,” police added.

The City of Newton Mayor’s Office shared a photo of the bear.

“Newton Police are watching its location,” Mayor Ruthanne Fuller’s office added. “Please do not approach the bear.”

Environmental Police responded to the area, and monitored the bear’s movements until the animal entered the woods at around 10:45 a.m.

“No aggression has been reported or observed,” the state agency reported.

May, June, and July are peak months for bear activity and reported conflicts with bears in Massachusetts. This is because 1-year-old cubs are leaving their mothers for the first time, and are finding new territories. June is also the peak of the bear mating season, leading to lots of activity and movement tied to mating.

Also, bears are searching for food at a time of year when natural foods like berries are still not available for them.

“If a bear is seen in town, leave the animal alone and keep pets leashed,” a spokesperson for Massachusetts Environmental Police said in a statement. “A gathering of people not only stresses the animal, but adds the risk of having a bear chased out into traffic or into a group of bystanders. In most situations, if left alone, bears will return to forested areas on their own.”

In the mid-1970s, the Massachusetts black bear population was estimated at under 100 individuals.

Today, there are at least 4,500 black bears in the Bay State, and their range is expanding eastward, according to state wildlife officials.

MassWildlife has been receiving an increasing number of public inquiries about what to do if they see a bear. The state wildlife officials urge residents to take a few precautionary measures to avoid negative encounters with bears, including: removing bird feeders, securing trash, and protecting chickens with electric fencing.

On Sunday, Newton Police told residents that if they saw the bear, people could contact the non-emergency line at 617-796-2123.

If a bear is in a very populated area, the state told people to contact the Environmental Police Radio Room at 1-800-632-8075 or the nearest MassWildlife District Office to report the sighting and get advice.