Latest news with #Tarr
Newsweek
22-07-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Special Needs Puppies With Uncontrollable Shaking Get Second Chance
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A litter of tiny puppies who can't stop shaking have found the perfect home with a rescue center focused on special needs dogs. Shannon Tarr runs the Emotional Rescue in Hastings, Minnesota, which she set up in 2017 to help care for dogs with special needs. In June, she got a very special litter of Chow mix puppies—and after sharing a video of them to her TikTok account, @emotionalrescuedogs, both the pups and her work have gone viral. "They have shaking puppy syndrome," Tarr explained to Newsweek, but added the good news that they "will likely outgrow" the condition. Shaking puppy syndrome, also known as hypomyelination, affects a dog's nervous system, causing nerves and muscles to malfunction. Symptoms can begin as early as two weeks after birth, and tremors can become more violent while eating, but ease while resting, according to a vet-reviewed report from PetMD. While there is no treatment for the syndrome, most puppies recover by around a year old, though may still experience mild hind limb tremors. Tarr told Newsweek: "Their mother was with a breeder, and she had the same condition. When the breeder died, they went to another rescue that transferred them to us." "We treat them like regular puppies—with lots of playtime and socializing!" The litter of puppies with Shaking Puppy Syndrome. The litter of puppies with Shaking Puppy Syndrome. TikTok @emotionalrescuedogs In a video shared to her page on June 8, Tarr showed the gorgeous fluffy puppies running around outside together for their morning feed And while all five puppies appear content, they are shaking non-stop, with one almost lifting its hind legs off the ground as it tries to eat breakfast. They meet some of the other dogs at the shelter, watch the horses grazing out back, and use their voices to bark at everything interesting, while moving and shaking the entire time. The video went viral, with more than 730,000 likes and 9.2 million views, as animal lovers' hearts broke for the litter, one calling it "so, so sad" and another sharing sympathy for the "poor babies." "How do their muscles maintain that movement, that must be exhausting for them," another wrote, as many commenters asked about the condition. One commenter, who identified themselves as a veterinary technician, assured viewers that pups with shaking puppy syndrome "can live a very long, happy, and goofy twerkful life. They will be just fine." The litter meeting the other animals at the rescue. The litter meeting the other animals at the rescue. TikTok @emotionalrescuedogs In Tarr's most recent videos of the puppies, shared on July 20, the litter can be seen playing together in the yard, and their tremors appear to have calmed slightly. Undeterred by their shaking, each of the pups is running, jumping ,and chasing each other while fighting for a chew toy. One puppy is missing from the litter, however, as he was adopted into a loving forever home just days earlier. And now, the rest of the litter are ready to go to new homes, too. In the later videos of the puppies, many comments have changed from shocked and saddened to enjoying the puppies for who they are, with one recent commenter writing: "They always make me smile and laugh. So darn cute, shaky and all." And as another put it: "I love watching all of them. So adorable, and you all get better and stronger every day." Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Politico
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
School cellphone ban calling
DO NOT DISTURB — Massachusetts could become the next state to ban cellphone use during school, a relief for state lawmakers and parents concerned about the effects devices described as 'electronic cocaine' at a recent hearing are having on kids. The state Senate advanced a new version of a state Sen. Julian Cyr's bill that would require schools to ban the use of cellphones and other electronic devices from the first bell in the morning to the last bell letting students out in the afternoon. 'The cellphone is one of the most distracting devices ever created,' Senate President Karen Spilka and state Sen. Jason Lewis, the co-chair of the Education Committee, said in a statement Tuesday. 'Overwhelming evidence shows us that cellphones are major barriers to student growth and achievement in the classroom, and they make it harder for our talented educators to teach.' According to the bill, schools would be required to have a mechanism in place to enforce the ban, but what that looks like would be up to each district. If it passes this session, it would take effect in the 2026-2027 school year. A handful of school districts across the state already limit or ban cellphone use during school hours or on school property. Boston and Brockton began using Yondr pouches — small bags with magnetic locks — last year. Worcester also recently started implementing an updated policy on students' use of devices in schools. There are some caveats: School districts can allow for several exceptions, and they have to offer a way for parents to reach students during the school day. The bill moves Massachusetts closer toward the new norm in the more than two dozen states that have laws on the books restricting cellphone use during the school day. California, New York and Florida have all moved to limit the use of phones in class. And New Hampshire recently approved its own so-called bell-to-bell to ban after pressure from Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte. GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Tips, scoops, got a better metaphor than 'electronic cocaine'? Drop me a line: kgarrity@ TODAY — Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll chairs a Governor's Council meeting at noon at the State House. Sen. Ed Markey hosts a virtual event with Small Business for America's Future on the impact of tariffs on small businesses at 2 p.m. Attorney General Andrea Campbell is on GBH's 'Boston Public Radio' at 1 p.m. EYES ON 2026 SURVEY SAYS ??? — State Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr won't quash (or confirm) speculation he's eyeing his own bid for governor. But in a sign he could be serious about seeking higher office, he did recently commission a poll that looked at 'multiple important elections' and issues, according to a campaign spokesperson. Tarr's campaign declined to share the results of the survey, which state campaign finance records show he paid $19,600 for in June. But the findings 'make me encouraged about Republican leadership in Massachusetts,' Tarr told Playbook last week. — Republicans running for Massachusetts governor attack each other over fundraising by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: 'Mike Kennealy, a Republican running for governor of Massachusetts, accused Brian Shortsleeve, another conservative gubernatorial candidate, of inflating his fundraising numbers in a pair of public announcements over the past two months. Candidates regularly release public statements about their monthly fundraising that feature numbers different from what is found on the public campaign finance database maintained by the state. That is typically a result of delays by candidates' banks in reporting data to regulators.' — Western Massachusetts' most powerful pol endorses Ed Markey's 2026 reelection bid by John L. Micek, MassLive: 'The dean of Massachusetts's Capitol Hill delegation, joined by two dozen state, regional, and local leaders from across Western Massachusetts, has endorsed U.S. Sen. Ed Markey's 2026 reelection bid. The endorsement from U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-1st District, comes as Markey continues to sew up support from key Democratic leaders as he looks to head off any additional primary challengers.' DATELINE BEACON HILL — Cost high to expand background checks for shelter applicants by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News: 'The cost of strengthening security in the state's family emergency shelter system could be significant, and cause delays for applicants seeking temporary housing. A recent report from the state's Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities outlines two options for implementing the background checks through the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) operated by the FBI. The first is for the agency to directly manage the process, which would require purchasing fingerprint scanning equipment, develop protocols, hiring and training extra staff to submit fingerprints directly. The second is to use a third party vendor, like Idemia, the vendor currently under contract for similar work with other state agencies.' — Massachusetts lawmaker's bill would ban ICE agents from wearing masks by Ryan Mancini, MassLive: 'A new bill filed in the Massachusetts Legislature would ban law enforcement, including agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), from wearing masks, but with some exceptions. State Rep. James Hawkins, D-2nd Bristol, introduced the bill in the wake of several ICE detainments in Massachusetts and across the country. In several instances, federal agents were masked or disguised before approaching an individual and placing them in ICE custody.' WHAT'S ON CAMPBELL'S DOCKET — Massachusetts AG Campbell jumps into court fight over ICE tactics in L.A. by John L. Micek, MassLive: 'Arguing that its tactics have 'terrified immigrant and non-immigrant residents alike,' Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea J. Campbell on Tuesday joined a court fight over the Trump administration's immigration sweeps in Los Angeles. On Tuesday, Campbell's office announced that it had joined a coalition of 18 state attorneys general in a friend-of-the-court brief supporting the plaintiffs in a case that seeks to bar U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from engaging in what they describe as 'unconstitutional and unlawful stops of Los Angeles residents during immigration sweeps.'' FROM THE HUB — Wu says White Stadium costs for city will 'likely' exceed $91 million estimate by Emma Platoff, The Boston Globe: 'Boston Mayor Michelle Wu acknowledged Tuesday that the cost to taxpayers for renovating White Stadium will 'likely' exceed the latest official estimate of $91 million, as the cost of materials has risen. 'The last budget estimate at the point where design was finalized was $91 million,' Wu said Tuesday afternoon during an appearance on GBH's 'Boston Public Radio.' 'We will likely be above because different line items have gone up.' Wu did not offer a specific figure for the updated cost, but said 'we should know in a few weeks' as construction projects are put out for bid.' — Boston Councilor pushes for neighboring towns to help pay Mass and Cass costs by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News: 'Boston's neighboring cities and towns should pay into a regional fund to help with costs of the homelessness and addiction crisis around the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard, also known as 'Mass and Cass,' says City Councilor John FitzGerald. … The first-term city councilor who represents most of Dorchester and a portion of the South End said he is filing a hearing order this week to prompt the city to consider the idea of a Regional Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Fund that would require Boston and it's municipal neighbors 'to contribute to a shared fund supporting addiction recovery, housing and public health infrastructure,' according to the proposed hearing order made public Monday.' — Southie pool reopens to public as Boston officials continue push to renovate facilities by Eve Zuckoff, WBUR: 'City officials celebrated the opening of the Condon pool in South Boston on Tuesday after it had been closed for several months for repairs. However, seven of the city's public pools — about one third — remain closed. The city has been in a years-long process to rehabilitate its public pools. Last summer, a third of Boston's city-run pools were closed for repair; the year prior, it was almost half.' THE RACE FOR CITY HALL — School Committee's Amico running for City Council by Caroline Enos, The Salem News: 'School Committee member Joseph Amico is running for an at-Large City Council seat this fall. Amico, 53, has served on the School Committee since 2015. During that time, he has been the committee's vice chair, sits on the finance and education subcommittees and is a member of the building committee for the city's new public safety building going up on Allens Lane.' PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES — Federal funding for I-90 Allston project in jeopardy by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Beacon: 'The massive package of tax and spending cuts President Trump signed into law on July 4 contains a provision that eliminates a federal transportation grant program that set aside $335 million last year for the nearly $2 billion I-90 Allston highway project in Boston. The provision rescinds 'the unobligated balances' of the roughly $3 billion Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant program, which included funding for a project that aims to straighten and lower to ground level the Massachusetts Turnpike as it passes between Boston University and the Charles River. The Massachusetts project, complete with a new MBTA station, would pave the way for Harvard University to construct a new neighborhood on its holdings in the area and help knit together a portion of Boston that had been severed by construction of the turnpike in the 1950s and 1960s.' FROM THE DELEGATION — Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton joins striking trash workers on picket line via Boston 25 News. — Warren wants to give military a 'right to repair' by Christian M. Wade, Gloucester Daily Times: 'Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is leading a rare bipartisan effort in Congress to authorize the military to repair its own weapons and machinery, arguing the 'common sense' move would save taxpayers' money and improve readiness. The Warrior Right to Repair Act of 2025, filed Tuesday by Warren and Sen. Tim Sheehy, a Montana Republican, would require contractors to provide the Department of Defense with access to technical data and materials the military needs to repair and maintain its own equipment.' IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN — How a 'cool block' in one Massachusetts city could provide a template for combatting extreme heat by Ben Tracy, CBS News: 'Chelsea is plagued by what is known as the Urban Heat Island effect, where dense development and a lack of green space can cause some neighborhoods to bake. … Research from the nonprofit Climate Central shows peak temperatures in such urban areas can be 15 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than greener ones. 'We're basically an island of hot stuff,' Bianca Bowman, a climate justice manager with GreenRoots, a local Boston environmental group, said of Chelsea. GreenRoots is experimenting with cooling solutions on a single block in Chelsea that GreenRoots calls the 'cool block.'' FROM THE 413 — Berkshire schools scramble as federal freeze threatens student programs by Greg Sukiennik, The Berkshire Eagle: 'Summer learning programs in Pittsfield and North Adams are still running — for now — despite a sudden freeze of billions in federal education dollars that leaves the future of these after-school and summer services in limbo. The 21st Century Community Learning Center programs in Pittsfield and North Adams — which serve hundreds of at-risk students across both cities — are subject to a $6 billion freeze in federal education funding announced Monday, affecting $106 million allocated to Massachusetts schools.' THE LOCAL ANGLE — Methuen OKs $4.4M to cover insurance shortfall by Teddy Tauscher, The Eagle-Tribune: 'A $4.4 million shortfall in the city's health insurance trust fund is a result of rising medical costs, including from the classification of drugs that include weight loss medications Ozempic and Wegovy, according to Mayor D.J. Beauregard. To cover the gap, the council took the steps Monday needed to approve a $2.9 million transfer from the city's stabilization fund and another combined $1.5 million from last fiscal year.' — Fall River moving some students to new schools as busing costs rise by Emily Scherny, The Herald News: 'Superintendent Tracy Curley has, for months, warned the district of a necessary policy change in line with state mandates that will change the way the district calculates distance between a student's home and school, impacting who is eligible to receive school transportation. At a May 27 City Council Committee on Finance meeting, Curley spoke of curtailing transportation costs despite increases in busing contracts, explaining that the objective of the school administration in re-drafting the policy is to comply with state guidelines for updated distance calculations, while continuing to transport eligible students.' — MassDEP OKs New Bedford trash-transfer station site. Some neighbors 'deeply disappointed' by Frank Mulligan The Standard-Times: 'The state Department of Environmental Protection has given a green light to a proposed solid waste processing facility site opposed by North End neighbors that will now move to the city Board of Health for approval. The facility is proposed by South Coast Renewables, formerly Parallel Products, in an expansion of its operations at 100 Duchaine Boulevard in the New Bedford Business Park. MassDEP has been reviewing the application since early 2023.' — Detained immigrants use 'habeas corpus' petitions to challenge ICE by Kevin G. Andrade, The New Bedford Light. HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Amy Sennett, Brittany Webb, Rachel Dec, Ryan Boehm, Boston Globe alum Wesley Lowery, George-Alexander Attia and MassGOP alum Madeleine Cammarano.
9 News
18-06-2025
- Business
- 9 News
The duped luxury scents flooding the market and treading a fine legal line
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here There's a booming new market shaking up Australia's beauty scene. Copycat scents imitating designer brands are flooding the market, treading a fine legal line and offering a big savings for shoppers. "Our fragrances are $12.99 each, and the high-end fragrances range from $300 up to $1000," Total Beauty Network Chief Executive Tony Retchman said. Companies are selling fragrances "inspired by" some of the biggest names in beauty. (Nine) "You're saving over 80 per cent," Palermo Perfume's Sal Al said. While counterfeit cosmetics are illegal in Australia, that's not what these are. Companies are selling fragrances "inspired by" some of the biggest names in beauty. "They're supposed to smell like the original branded perfume, but they are not the original branded perfume," Intellectual Property Lawyer Hayley Tarr said. "We don't ever say it's an exact copy of the product," Retchman said. Some companies are even choosing to name the perfume they're imitating. A 70ml bottle of luxury fragrance Baccarat Rouge retails for $445. The Dupe Spot has their own inspired fragrance for $35. Popular Black Opium by Yves Saint Laurent will set you back $285 for 90mls, while DB Cosmetics dupe Poppy Noir is $12.99 for 100mls. Copycat scents imitating designer brands are flooding the market, treading a fine legal line and offering a big savings for shoppers. (Nine) Where Chanel's Chance costs $179, Palermo Perfumes sells their dupe for $35. "The companies do need to navigate intellectual property laws very carefully," Tarr said. Especially if they're hinting at the perfume they're imitating. "It may be that the name is similar, it may be that the coloring used is similar, maybe that the bottle shape is similar," Tarr said. And the growth in "dupe" products could shake up the wider market. "Like we've seen in the supermarkets where these own brands have brought the prices down, we might see this crossover into luxury channels where the competition and price disparity is so great they actually have to look at it to meet the market," retailing expert Lisa Asher. There's lots to love about buying designer, from there's the quality and the prestige of the brand name itself. Another drawcard is how long these big-name scents last on the skin but dupe creators claim their formulas last too. CONTACT US
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Move to close background check gap for daycare providers following 25 Investigates report
BOSTON, MA - In response to a recent 25 Investigates report exposing a loophole in the screening process for licensed daycare providers, Republican leaders in the Massachusetts State Senate are drafting a budget amendment aimed at requiring international background checks. The current state regulations do not mandate checks for warrants or criminal convictions occurring outside of the United States. A draft of the proposed amendment, filed by Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr and Assistant Minority Leader Peter Durant, seeks to mandate that the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) 'to the maximum extent feasible, conduct checks on all international criminal databases.' Furthermore, the draft amendment stipulates that 'any licensees shall submit under the pains and penalties of perjury all information submitted to the department.' The legislative action comes after a 25 Investigates report that highlighted the case of Andre Tiago Lucas. Lucas was wanted in Brazil, having been convicted of raping a 13-year-old. Federal immigration authorities tracked him down to Hyannis in October, where he was residing at his wife's licensed home daycare facility. 'The most recent reporting makes me even more concerned. Ted, that we are not doing an appropriate job of monitoring who is in these facilities into which the care for our children is being entrusted,' State Senator Tarr said in an interview with Ted Daniel. 'Clearly we have to do better and we need to expand the background checks and we also need to increase the penalties for providing false information as it's being gathered by the Department of Early Education and Care.' Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, called the situation 'a failure at the state level,' citing both the vetting process of the daycare operator and the fact that Lucas was able to evade authorities while hiding from a prison sentence for a 'heinous crime. Governor Healey previously told 25 Investigates Lucas's wife failed to register him as a household member as required, but even if she had complied with the regulations, his criminal history in Brazil would not have been flagged under the existing screening procedures. EEC follows federal and state laws and regulations regarding background record checks, which does not include screening for immigration status or international criminal history, an agency spokesperson said. The proposed amendment is one of hundreds to be debated before the senate version of the budget is finalized. 'My assumption is that every one of my colleagues wants to make sure that daycare facilities are safe, and wants to make sure that we have appropriate monitoring, appropriate background checks. And I think it's hard to argue with the proposition that those background checks need to be effective and comprehensive as possible,' State Sen. Tarr said. 'My hope is that we'll be able to move forward and make this very simple in many ways, but very powerful change soon. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Liability woes leave snow contractors on slippery ground
BOSTON (SHNS) – Joe Szczechowicz has spent 11 years calling on state lawmakers to address liability issues that snow and ice removal service providers face across Massachusetts. Szczechowicz, the president of SLS Outdoor Living, recalls first contacting Sen. Bruce Tarr and former Rep. Lenny Mirra in 2014 about the issue, and seeing an initial bill filed in the Senate the following year. Snow removal service providers like Szczechowicz, who have been held liable for incidents they say are out of their control, are backing a longtime Tarr bill (S 1370) that would further regulate contracts for snow and ice removal services between providers and their customers. In 2021, when Doug McDuff's company Landscape America had its first 'slip and fall' in 19 years, the issue hit with full force. Several days after McDuff's company finished plowing operations and multiple corresponding property checks, an individual pulled into the property's parking lot with snow still on the roof of their car. 'The sun hit the snow, it melted down the tailgate, formed a puddle behind the vehicle. The individual was moving into this complex, and so at the end of the day, they came out of the apartment, they slipped on the ice that had formed, and fell and then sued our company,' McDuff told lawmakers at a hearing Tuesday. His insurance company settled the claim two years later for $365,000 and subsequently dropped McDuff's business, he said. Even if a company is contracted to begin plowing when there's two inches of snow on the ground, companies are taking a risk by not proactively treating because they're liable for any slip and fall, Brian Paige, owner of Paige Landscape Company, said Tuesday. If they proactively plow the property when there's one inch of snow on the ground to create a safer environment for whoever's there, they might not be paid for that precautionary service, Paige explained. 'We're forced to assume liability while being restricted from plowing or treating services in certain conditions,' Paige said. A representative of the Massachusetts Association of Landscape Professionals and the Snow and Ice Management Association, McDuff said liability factors are causing insurance rates to skyrocket and decreasing the willingness of insurance companies to insure companies like his. 'If a janitor were to come outside and throw a bucket of water with no snow prep present — if it froze and someone slipped, we're going to be held responsible for the issue,' McDuff said. 'What we're looking for is just fair terms in regards to liability and to avoid absorbent insurance costs.' Whenever McDuff would cross out or amend terms based on his attorney's recommendations — like indemnification clauses and hold harmless agreements — contracts were often rescinded and given to another contractor who he said 'was either ignorant to what they were signing, and/or didn't have the correct insurance needs that required contracts.' Those decisions make it difficult for snow and ice removal companies to grow their businesses, especially when they already struggle to retain a workforce, he said. The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development reported the Tarr-sponsored bill out favorably in 2022 and 2024. It stalled in Senate Ways and Means both sessions. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
