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News forty nine degrees in Boston at four o'clock. Good afternoon, I'm Ben Parker. Here's what's happening. We've seen fire and now we're going to see some rain finally. As much of the state is in critical drought and dealing with brush fires, there is a little bit of relief and a.
Lot of people are very excited across southern New England and especially also the northeast as well. The dowsing of rain is going to be developing over the next twenty four to thirty six hours, with the possibility of for more showers early on Saturday morning as well.
That is WBZTV meteorologist Jason Michael as the teachers strikes dragon in Gloucester Marvel headed Beverley. Some progress in negotiations in Gloucester. Wvc's Brook McCarthy with the update.
The Union of Glocester Educators and Mayor Greg Virga are back at the bargaining table to try and get teachers off the picket lines and back in the classroom. Union president Rachel Salvo Rex says progress made, but they still haven't come to an agreement. On pay for para professionals.
There will not be a settlement where para professionals continue to make poverty wages.
Rachel says para professionals in Gloucester makes significantly less than surrounding communities, and they're not leaving them behind in these negotiations and works with us to reach a fair deal today so that we can all be back in the classroom tomorrow. The mayor says he wants to talk with them about the issues impacting students, families and educators. The Glossary Union has been racking up tens of thousands of dollars in fines because these strikes are illegal in Massachusetts.
Burke McCarthy WBC Boston's News radio.
Negotiations are also continuing in Beverly and Marblehead. Their unions have also been racking up fines. There's been another major American policy shift regarding weapons for Ukraine as it continues to battle Russia.
The US says it will let Ukraine use American supplied anti personnel land mines against Russian forces. Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin says Russia ground troops are leading battlefield movements instead of those more protected and armored carriers. The policy shift is aimed at helping Ukraine push back.
They have a need for things that can help slow down that effort on the part of the Russians.
It's the Biden administration's second major policy change this week, after the president's decision to let Ukraine strike targets on Russian soil with US made missiles Sagur Magani.
Washington House Speaker Mike Johnson says people in the Capitol and House office buildings will only be able to use bathrooms that correspond with their biological sex. This comes after South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy May said she would introduce a resolution to banned transgender women from using the women's bathroom in response to the election of transgender rep. Sarah mcbrod. Johnson says the new policy will go into effect when the new slate of Congress members take office.
Women deserve women's only spaces, and we're not anti anyone, we're pro in wam.
McBride says she will follow the new policy and respond she's not here to fight about bathrooms. She's here to fight for Delawareans and bring down costs facing families. Today is Transgender Day of remembrance vigils and other events are being held to draw attention to transgender people who've lost their lives due to violence in the past year. The Transgender Day of Remembrance started by activists in Boston after the nineteen ninety eight murder of Rita Hester, who was
killed in her apartment in Alstin. We've got some rain on the way. We're gonna have to wait just a few more hours longer, increasing cloudiness tonight, breezy conditions, temperatures mainly in the forties, and then here we go. As we head into tomorrow morning, we will have winds picking up and we'll have that rain moving in. It'll move in a little heavier as we move through the morning, so probably late morning on is when the heaviest of the activity will take place around here. Fifty for the
high temperature tomorrow. Again, those winds whipping around too, so some of that rain could fall sideways. Evening of rain tomorrow, then a couple of showers linger Temperatures in the mid forties on Friday, mostly cloudy, breezy, couple of showers lingering fifty two, and then still the chance of a shower or two at least early on Saturday, temperatures in the low fifties. Right now, we're at forty nine degrees see
in Boston. Former Massachusetts First Lady Lauren Baker is behind a holiday effort to provide gifts for thousands of children involved with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families.
Wbz's Carl Stephens has the story.
Lauren Baker got involved with the Wonderfund as a volunteer and a board member when her husband, Charlie Baker was governor. Now she's CEO of the private nonprofit that has a deep commitment to children involved with the state, a commitment that has an intense focus right now during the holiday season.
The Wonderfund tries to make sure that every single one of those fifty thousand children engaged with DCF get a holiday gift chosen specifically for them.
Social workers at DCF collect toy wish lists from thousands of children, and that information is put on the Wonderfund website, where donors can choose how they want to bring a piece of Christmas into the lives of children who've had it pretty rough. From Swampskat Carl Stevens WBG, Boston's News.
Radio, they're not on target.
At Target, the retailer of port it lower than expected quarterly earnings and it could signal some trouble for some retailer.
It could be choppy waters this holiday shopping season. Last week, Walmart reported profits up eight percent in the third quarter, but a different story today. For Target, it saw a minimal sales increase of three tenths of a percent. Target CEO said customers are still dealing with inflation, but some analysts think that other big retailers like Costco and Amazon may be better positioned.
That is ABC's Brian Clark.
It's mentioned in many songs, from Noah Kahn's talking about Sticks to Frank Sinatra talking about being.
Under the moon Lie in Vermont.
Vermont is also being mentioned as one of the best Christmas getaways around country. Livings Out with a list of the thirty one most magical Christmas towns in the United States, would stock Vermont getting top recognition. In New England, it's fourth overall. It's called a Christmas card worthy village and it's surrounding hamlets shine with New England charm. Stockbridge, Massachusetts is in seventh place. Essex, Connecticut is knife and although there are many towns there. Cape Cod as a whole
came intenth on this list. You are now in the loop for news updates throughout the day. Listen to WBZ News Radio on the iHeartRadio app. I'm Ben Parker, WBZ, Boston's news radio