Thomas launched from the start line with determination, taking a commanding lead in the women’s 200m. She crossed the finish line in 21.83 seconds.

“I was in complete disbelief,” Thomas said. “I know I’ve earned it, I trained so hard for this, but there is no feeling like earning an Olympic gold medal. It’s unreal.”

She earned two medals at the Tokyo Olympics — a bronze in the 200m and a silver for the 4X100m relay — but this is her first gold.

Thomas, who now calls Texas home, started running track and field at Williston Northampton School.

For any young girls looking up to her now, she has some advice.

“Work hard and give back to your community in any way you can, and you will be successful,” Thomas said. “Williston was such a great foundation for me. It was such an amazing community, and it just laid the groundwork for where I am today. So that’s what I would say, just work hard, go after what you want, and give back to the community when you can.”

Thomas is the first American woman to win gold in the 200m since her role model, Allyson Felix, it in London 2012.

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After a day of fishing on the Massachusetts island, Noah Karberg was headed home when his wife called him, asking him to run to Stop & Shop to pick up groceries.

“I was in a fishing shirt and board shorts, so no pockets,” he said Tuesday. “I put my phone and my wallet in the tray on top of the shopping cart. I do my shopping, and buy my groceries, come out to my truck, load most of my groceries onto the tailgate. I take a last couple of bags around to the backseat, come back around to the shopping cart, and there is a gull sitting on the cart, and right in front of me, grabs my wallet, flies off!”

Any good fisherman has stories, but Karberg’s is backed up by cellphone video.

“It was like a gull with an agenda,” he said. “Tossed the cash and went straight for my Amex.”

The video shows the seagull on top of a nearby carwash, picking through his wallet.

“I was thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, this is unreal, I gotta get my wallet back,'” Karberg said. “Started chasing the gull across the parking lot like a crazy person, knowing I looked like an idiot, but I really wanted my wallet back.”

The gull had the gall to fly off though with Karberg’s wallet in its mouth.

Since Sunday, Karberg, who is the airport manager at Nantucket Memorial Airport, has been hearing from people. He has not yet been reunited though with his wallet.

“I have had a lot of people reach out to me, say they were sorry for me, but it was really funny,” he said with a laugh. “It has all been in good fun. The island has a pace in the summer. It can be frantic, people can get burned out, and I think this was a little bit of good fun that everyone had.”

The six-time Super Bowl champions have many weaknesses on their roster. You could make a strong case they have more glaring needs than wide receiver. Left tackle immediately comes to mind. But it’s painfully obvious that this team lacks true difference-makers on offense — players who keep opposing defensive coordinators up at night.

The opportunities to acquire these kinds of stars are rare, so when you have a chance to get one, it’s often foolish not to at least try.

And in Aiyuk’s case, it sounds like the Patriots are giving this pursuit a strong effort. The Patriots, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers are among the teams in the mix for Aiyuk, per multiple reports, although it’s unknown if any of those teams will be able to land the veteran wideout. Aiyuk wants a new contract, and if he’s unwilling to sign long term with a particular team, it’s going to be tough for that franchise to complete a trade.

The Patriots are one of the few teams able to offer Aiyuk the high salary he wants. They still have around $43 million in salary cap space, per OverTheCap, which is the second-most of any team.

In the latest episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast, our Patriots insider Phil Perry explained why New England should use its financial flexibility to surround rookie quarterback Drake Maye with expensive players at important positions, primarily wide receiver and left tackle.

🔊 Patriots Talk: What does Patriots’ hot pursuit of Aiyuk say about team’s direction? | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube

“You have these different tools with which to build your team,” Perry said. “One is that 2025 first-round pick. One is all of this money you’re still able to spend because you’re not paying big dollars to a quarterback, a wide receiver, a tackle. … You don’t really have much money devoted to the edge of your defense or cornerback, either.

“So the most expensive positions in the sport, for the most part, you are not paying an expensive player. You have, even after all of these re-signings, so much money to spend. You could (acquire Aiyuk) and still go after a left tackle in free agency next year. That is feasible.

“This is your time to get wild with the spending because you have a young quarterback — even if he’s not going to play — you have a young QB on a rookie contract. It’s one of the most valuable things in sports, and it’s why they have the flexibility to do something like Aiyuk and more at other positions around Maye. Give him that environment he needs to find out if he’s good or not, to find out how good he can be. And then when it’s time to pay him, then you can make decisions that correlate with how good he is as a player.”

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Not only do the Patriots have the financial flexibility to pursue Aiyuk, acquiring a player of his caliber also could accelerate Maye’s development. This is important because the Patriots did not surround their last first-round quarterback, Mac Jones, with enough high-end talent at the skill positions. New England cannot afford to make that same mistake with Maye, and there are many recent examples of teams giving a young QB a stud veteran wideout and making it work.

“We’ve seen the Bills take their highly-drafted young quarterback (Josh Allen) and see him go up a significant level,” Perry said. “He went up a bit with Cole Beasley, then they added Stefon Diggs to the mix and he became one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

“Tua Tagovailoa, it goes without saying, they surrounded him with great offensive talent and a great offensive coaching staff, and his stats have gone through the roof. A.J. Brown and Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia (is another example).”

There’s no guarantee that Maye and Aiyuk would enjoy the same success as the aforementioned QB/WR duos, but it’s probably worth taking the gamble to find out.

Also in this episode:

• What would Bill Belichick do in this situation?
• Should fans feel encouraged by Pats’ offseason moves?
• What should the QB plan be for the first preseason game?

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The resolution, sponsored by Councilors John FitzGerald and Ed Flynn, urges the city and the Boston Public Health Commission to declare a public health emergency and to “take all possible steps necessary to preserve the operations of Carney Hospital, and ensure that Steward is following all state and local laws.”

Steward last month announced its plans to close the Dorchester hospital and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer by Aug. 31 as part of the company’s bankruptcy proceedings, despite state regulations that require providers to give 120 days’ notice for an essential services closure. A bankruptcy court judge has given his blessing to that plan.

FitzGerald and Flynn’s resolution describes the closure plan as “unconscionable” and warns that losing Carney “will have devastating and cascading negative impacts on Boston residents who are reliant on care from Carney Hospital.”

“With the anticipated widespread negative public health impact that the closure of Carney Hospital will bring to the City of Boston, it is therefore critical for our city and the Boston Public Health Commission to do all that they can, including declaring a public health emergency, in order to ensure that Steward follow state laws, and prevent the catastrophic loss of access to healthcare access for our residents,” the resolution states.

The City Council meets at noon on Wednesday.

The resolution also states the City Council “urges the City of Boston and State Government to be prepared that if there are no bidders for Carney hospital, to seize the property by eminent domain and to continue to operate the facility until a permanent operator is found.”

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said in a radio interview Tuesday that Carney is a “key location” for health care services in Dorchester and other nearby neighborhoods. Many residents have signaled they are more likely to transition to Boston Medical Center instead of other, closer facilities, she said.

“The feeling is that if this closes and there is no health care on site for the foreseeable future, some of our other local hospitals are going to be overwhelmed with a surge in demand and need,” Wu said.

Meanwhile in Ayer on Tuesday night, the Select Board is holding a special meeting to discuss declaring a public health emergency in an effort to save Nashoba, according to the Massachusetts Nurses Association. The agenda also includes a state legislative delegation update about the pending closure.

Thirteen state lawmakers and Boston city councilors also called on the Healey administration last week to reach to out to prospective bidders to purchase the Carney and Nashoba, declare a public health state of emergency to keep the hospitals open, and provide bridge funding to help them stay afloat during negotiations. Sen. Jamie Eldridge, who represents Ayer, read the letter aloud during Monday’s Senate session.

“We believe the requests above are reasonable and will not only ensure that the current quality healthcare is provided to all Massachusetts residents, but that all of the collateral consequences and costs of two community hospitals closing will be avoided,” according to the letter sent to Gov. Maura Healey, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh, and Department of Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein.

Chris Lisinski contributed reporting.

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Team USA earned a decisive 122-87 win over Brazil in the quarterfinals Tuesday. The victory sets up a semifinals matchup versus Nikola Jokic and Serbia at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday. The U.S. defeated Serbia 110-84 in the first group stage game of the tournament last month.

France and Germany will square off in the other semifinals showdown.

The trio of Boston Celtics players on the U.S. roster were reunited Tuesday after Jrue Holiday missed the last group stage matchup. Holiday started against Brazil, while Jayson Tatum and Derrick White came off the bench.

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Tatum played the last eight minutes of the second quarter and helped Team USA end the first half on a 15-0 run. White and Holiday both scored 11 points. They were two of nine American players who scored in double-digits. Tatum finished with six points. Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis led Team USA with 23 points.

The greatest impact the Celtics players made in this game came on defense. White (two), Holiday (two) and Tatum (one) combined for five of Team USA’s seven blocks. Tatum’s block came on his first defensive possession and forced a 24-second shot clock violation. The Americans’ first four blocks of the game were all from C’s players.

Defense was a major factor in the Celtics beating the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals, and these three stars have brought that same intensity to the Olympics.

Here’s a full recap of how the three Celtics players fared against Brazil.

Jayson Tatum

Final stat line: 20 minutes, six points (1-for-5 FG; 0-for-0 3PT; 3-for-4 FT), three rebounds, one assist, one steal, +17 plus-minus

After starting in each of the last two games, Tatum was among the last to see the floor in the quarterfinals. He checked in with 7:58 remaining in the second quarter after every player except Tyrese Haliburton had played.

Tatum played the rest of the quarter and scored four points with one block and one assist in the frame. He provided one of the top highlights of the first half by finishing an alley-oop off an inbound pass from LeBron James with five seconds remaining.

Here’s another look at Tatum’s alley-oop:

Tatum finished with six points, three rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block in 20 minutes. He shot 1-of-5 from the floor but hit three of his four free throw attempts.

Jrue Holiday

Final stat line: 17 minutes, 11 points (4-for-7 FG, 1-for-2 3PT, 0-for-0 FT), three assists, two blocks, +21 plus-minus

Holiday missed the last group stage game versus Puerto Rico with an ankle injury, but he looked totally fine in his return to action against Brazil. The veteran guard was back in the starting lineup and made an immediate impact by making a dunk, dishing out an assist and blocking a shot all in the first three minutes.

Holiday tallied eight points (3-of-5 shooting) with two assists and two blocks in the first half. Team USA outscored Brazil by 25 points when Holiday was on the floor during the first two quarters.

The two-time NBA champ finished with 11 points, three assists and two blocks in 17 minutes. Holiday has scored 10-plus points in two of his three games at the Olympics. The lopsided score allowed Holiday to get a well-deserved rest in the second half.

Derrick White

Final stat line: 18 minutes, 11 points (2-for-6 FG, 1-for-4 3PT, 0-for-0 FT), four rebounds, four assists, two blocks, +5 plus-minus

White was among the first players to come off the bench, entering the game with 2:55 left in the opening quarter. The veteran guard gave a solid all-around performance in the first half by tallying six points, two rebounds, two assists and one block.

His most impressive play came early in the second quarter when he scored a putback layup off a missed 3-pointer by Kevin Durant.

White ended up scoring 11 points — his high in any game at the Olympics — along with four rebounds, four assists and two blocks in 18 minutes. He got a bunch of minutes in the fourth quarter as Team USA stretched its lead to 25-plus points.

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The Department of Public Health said Tuesday that a man in his 40s was exposed to West Nile virus in Hampden County. A horse was diagnosed with EEE, which officials said the animal contracted in Plymouth.

Both viruses were detected in mosquitoes earlier this summer.

West Nile virus usually causes fever and flu-like symptoms, but in rare cases can cause severe illness. There were six human cases in Massachusetts last year.

EEE is rare, but poses a serious threat to infected people of all ages.

The last known human case of EEE in Massachusetts occurred in 2020, when five people were infected and one died. A year earlier, in 2019, there were six deaths among 12 human cases in the Bay State.

There were six human cases of West Nile in Massachusetts last year.

The DPH noted that August and September are months of particular concern for mosquito-borne illnesses in Massachusetts.

“We continue to recommend taking steps to prevent mosquito bites until the first hard frost,” Dr. Catherine Brown, the state epidemiologist, said in a statement shared by the department. “People should use mosquito repellent with an EPA-registered active ingredient, clothing to reduce exposed skin, and consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during the evening or early morning.”

Plymouth, where the horse was infected with EEE, is the third Massachusetts community to be categorized as high risk for that virus this year, joining Carver and Middleborough. The state lists 12 as having moderate EEE risk, including Amesbury, Groveland, Halifax, Haverhill, Kingston, Merrimac, Newburyport, Plymouth, Plympton, Salisbury, Wareham and West Newbury.

The state also noted that mosquito samples in Dedham have tested positive for EEE, and that town is now considered a low risk.

There are moderate risks of West Nile virus in parts of Suffolk County, Middlesex County, Norfolk County, Bristol County, Essex County, Plymouth County, Worcester County and Hampden County.

Officials expect the mosquito population to increase throughout the summer and recommend, among other prevention techniques, avoiding outdoor activities in dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.

The Department of Public Health says people can call its Division of Epidemiology at 617-983-6800 for more information about the mosquito-borne illnesses.

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While Jerod Mayo’s pre-practice press conference was loaded with questions about Brandon Aiyuk and the possibility that the Patriots will add a highly-priced wideout, he did note that the players who are healthy enough to play in Thursday’s game against the Panthers will play.

That includes all four quarterbacks. That includes highly-paid players on new deals. And of course that includes young players vying for new gigs.

In our latest edition of Stock Watch, we have players all across the spectrum represented. Let’s get to the names of note from Day 11…

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Stock Up

Kyle Dugger, safety

Dugger is having one of the best camps of anyone on the Patriots roster. After causing a pick at the goal line by breaking up a pass on Day 10, Dugger followed that up with a sack, a pressure and a pass breakup in coverage on Austin Hooper on Tuesday.

Jaheim Bell, tight end

The lone down moment for Dugger was when he was in coverage on rookie seventh-round pick Jaheim Bell in a 7-on-7 period. Drake Maye floated a fade to the back corner of the end zone that Bell reeled in despite tight coverage from the veteran safety.

Bell has missed time with an undisclosed ailment, but when given an opportunity to make a play, he made one.

Chad Ryland, kicker

Ryland has consistently won the kick-off kicker competitions to finish off camp practices this summer.

He won another matchup with Joey Slye on Tuesday by drilling a 50-yarder to finish off the back-and-forth. Slye missed his opportunity from the same distance after going kick-for-kick with Ryland before that.

Stock Down

Kevin Harris, running back

It’s been hard for the Patriots running game to find much room at the line of scrimmage, which isn’t necessarily a Harris issue. But he fumbled a handoff in the wet weather on Tuesday.

He’ll have an opportunity to make up for it by racking up plenty of carries on Thursday night, one would think.

Atonio Mafi, interior offensive lineman

The Patriots appeared to move Mafi off the center position in recent practices, going instead with a rotation of David Andrews, Nick Leverett and Charles Turner at that spot. But he was back at center briefly on Day 11. Once there was a fumbled snap to Drake Maye, though, he was pulled in favor of Leverett.

It looks like if Mafi is going to make the team, it’ll be as a guard. Snapping the football consistently has been an issue for him as he tries a new position.

Javon Baker, wide receiver

This was a tough inclusion because Baker made one of the most impressive catches of camp when he laid out for a Jacoby Brissett offering and pulled it in as he somersaulted out of bounds. His feet didn’t stay in bounds, though.

He also had a drop later in the practice and he had a target from Maye that was picked off. On the interception, it was unclear whether or not Baker should’ve had the reception — it looked like the pass bounced off his chest plate — or if it had been deflected by A.J. Thomas before being picked by Marcellas Dial.

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The standoff began around 3 p.m. at the state office complex on Pleasant Street, where administrative offices are located in several buildings.

Police were initially tight-lipped about what had occurred, initially saying only that the public should avoid the area due to an “active police incident within a building.” They later said a person was in custody and the situation was resolved.

Tuesday night, state police explained that an escaped inmate, identified as 33-year-old Tad Emerson, had been arrested after about five hours of negotiations.

Emerson, a minimum-security resident of a work program with the New Hampshire Department of Corrections, has been returned to the custody of prison officials.

Police say Emerson is facing charges of being a felon in possession of a deadly weapon and resisting arrest.

Emerson is expected to be arraigned at an unspecified date, police said. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.

But there are plenty of former Celtics in the men’s basketball tournament as well — two of which took center stage in a thrilling upset Tuesday.

Evan Fournier and Guerschon Yabusele both delivered clutch performances for Team France on Tuesday as the hosts secured an 82-73 win over Team Canada, which went 3-0 in group play and was considered a favorite to challenge the Americans for gold.

Here’s a look at how Fournier and Yabusele made their mark against Canada:

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Evan Fournier

Final stat line: 15 points (4-for-8 shooting, 3-for-6 3PT), one rebound, three assists, one block

The veteran guard only played 16 games for the Celtics during the 2020-21 season after coming to Boston in a mid-season trade with the Orlando Magic, and he’s probably better known locally for the big shots he hit against the C’s.

Well, Fournier delivered in the clutch again for Team France on Tuesday by hitting two massive 3-pointers — including a ridiculous heave to beat the shot clock that put the French up 10 with 55 seconds remaining.

Fournier has scored 10-plus points in three straight games for France and is averaging 11.5 points per game in this tournament, third on the team behind only Victor Wembanyama — and Yabusele.

Guerschon Yabusele

Final stat line: 22 points (6-for-9 shooting, 2-for-4 3PT, five rebounds, one assist

Yes, you read that right. The Celtics’ first-round pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, whom Boston waived in July 2019 after he failed to crack the rotation, is the second-leading scorer on a France squad that features Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert, Fournier and Nicolas Batum.

Yabusele was all over the court Tuesday, making 4 of 5 2-pointers and drilling a pair of 3-pointers to finish with a team-high 22 points. He has 35 points in his last two games and has been active on the boards, as well, playing a massive role in France’s success to date.

Yabusele has carved out a successful overseas career since leaving the Celtics in 2019. The 28-year-old has won two Liga ACB championships with Real Madrid over three seasons with the Spanish club, which also won the coveted EuroLeague championship in 2023.

Fournier, Yabusele and Team France now advance to the semifinals, where more former Celtics await on a Team Germany roster that includes Dennis Schroder and Daniel Theis.

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Weather and low cloud ceilings was impacting arriving flights, which were delayed an average of two-and-a-half hours, according to the FAA.

A stalled cold front was causing waves of rain in the Boston area Tuesday. There were also delays and cancellations at New York-area airports.

There were 385 delays and more than 150 cancellations at Logan by 6 p.m., according to FlightAware.

“Jetblue was really friendly but then my flight was canceled abruptly after I got through security. They have my luggage,” Zoe Hildreth, who is from Minneapolis, told NBC10 Boston. She said trying to get home has been a disaster.

She later said the airline had her on hold for over an hour before disconnecting her.

“There were no other options for the next three days so my husband booked me a flight on Delta, so I’m standing on line here, and within seconds after he booked the flight it was delayed four hours and I have a first day of a job tomorrow,” she said. “I don’t think I’m getting home yet!”

The line to rebook flights was snaking through Terminal A.

“I’m going to stay in a hotel tonight, and all the hotels are booked, so prices are jacked up,” said Behrouz Emami of Atlanta. “I think prices are $500 at the Hilton here.”

The delays come days after weekend flight diversions left hundreds of international travelers stranded in Boston and airlines scrambling to get them to their destinations. It also comes as Tropical Storm Debby creeps north, bringing more unsettled weather to the northeast.

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It might be a little too early to rule out the Pittsburgh Steelers as an option, too.

“I feel like we’re getting closer to a resolution; we’re just not there yet,” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo said Tuesday on Inside Training Camp.

“You saw the reports that came out about the Browns and Patriots having the framework of a deal in place with the 49ers. You also heard some talk that the Steelers were out of this one.

“In talking to sources all over this one, I would say that my feeling is nobody is out of this. I don’t know that there’s a lead dog right now. I continue to say it’s extremely fluid — at some point, somebody has to blink here.”

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport was more adamant that the Steelers remain in the mix for Aiyuk.

“My understanding is the Pittsburgh Steelers have had discussions with the 49ers about potentially trading Brandon Aiyuk. They are for sure in it right now,” Rapoport said Tuesday on NFL Network.

“They are one of several teams that the 49ers are speaking with. The Cleveland Browns are one of those teams. The New England Patriots are one of those teams.”

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This situation isn’t just a matter of two teams working out a trade. Aiyuk has a lot of say in where he goes, too, as Rapoport noted.

“There are a couple different parts of this trade,” Rapoport said. “Can the 49ers agree to terms on a deal with either of these teams? I’d say they’re further along with the Browns and Patriots than they are the Steelers, but that is another one that at some point those two sides could come together and get a deal in place.

“And then there’s the contract Aiyuk would want, and that’s why he has had so much power in this situation because he’s not going anywhere unless he gets a contract that he wants that sets him up financially like he desires.”

The Browns were a wild card playoff team in the AFC last season, while the Steelers barely missed the postseason and the Patriots finished at the bottom of the AFC standings. None of those teams has a great quarterback or would give Aiyuk a better chance to win the Super Bowl than the 49ers.

The Patriots have a huge need for a legit No. 1 wideout and also have the second-most salary cap space in the league at just over $43 million. But can they convince Aiyuk that New England is the best place for him? Time will tell.

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Ryan Almeida, 35, of Fairhaven, was arraigned Tuesday on charges of leaving the scene, death resulting, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon with substantial injury. A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf.

Fairhaven police said they responded around 7:11 p.m. Saturday to Main Street in the area of Riverside Cemetery near the Route 195 overpass for reports of a crash involving a moped and a Chevy Silverado pickup truck that were both traveling southbound.

According to police, the pickup truck involved in the crash had left the scene by the time officers arrived.

Officers found a moped driver who was critically injured. The victim was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital, where they were pronounced dead, police said. The moped driver has since been identified by police as 29-year-old Alexis Alvarez, of Brockton.

Prosecutors said in court Tuesday that Almeida had become engaged in a “road rage episode” with Alvarez. Witnesses said the two parties were at different times traveling on the wrong side of the roadway when they ultimately collided, with Almeida’s truck hitting Alvarez’s head, causing “catastrophic injuries.”

Police were able to track the vehicle to Almeida’s driveway. The license plates had been removed, but the vehicle had damage consistent with having struck Alvarez.

Almeida’s attorney said in court Tuesday that his client is a single father of a seventh grade student, is self-employed as a contractor and is not a flight risk.

Bail was set at $25,000. As part of his bail conditions, Almeida cannot drive and has to surrender all firearms. He is scheduled to be back in court on Sept. 24.

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A Louisiana-based chain that focuses on a popular food item continues to expand into the Greater Boston area, with a new one soon opening a few miles north of the city.

According to an article from What Now Boston, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers is planning to open in Saugus, moving into a space on Route 1 between the Lynn Fells Parkway and Main Street exits. Once the new outlet opens (possibly in October or November), it will join others locally in Boston’s Back Bay, by Boston University, in Marlborough, and Methuen, while others are in the works for Downtown Crossing, Medford, and Framingham as well.

The address for the upcoming Raising Cane’s in Saugus is 799 Broadway (Route 1), Saugus, MA, 01906. The website for the chain is at https://www.raisingcanes.com/

[A related post from our sister site (Boston’s Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston’s Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)

The Patriots, along with the Cleveland Browns, have the framework of a deal in place for Aiyuk, per NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco. He also reports it’s now up to Aiyuk to decide whether he wants to sign a new contract with one of those teams.

Maiocco reported that the price for Aiyuk is likely to be a veteran wide receiver plus draft picks. If the 49ers make a deal with the Patriots, the wideout going to San Francisco is expected to be Kendrick Bourne, per Maiocco.

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Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo refused to talk about the Aiyuk trade rumors before Tuesday’s training camp practice at Gillette Stadium. He did answer a question about Bourne, though. Mayo admitted he had a conversation with the 29-year-old wide receiver about the situation.

“Honestly, I did talk to him this morning, and it was a good conversation,” Mayo told reporters. “Once again, I feel like the story is so much further along than anything else. I just wanted to make sure we cleared the air. I do believe in being transparent with the players and really just setting those guys at ease.”

The 49ers cannot afford to take a meaningful step back offensively because their window to win the Super Bowl is right now. Trading Aiyuk without getting a quality veteran wideout in return would be a tough setback to San Francisco’s passing attack.

Bourne played the first four seasons of his career with the 49ers after they signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He left the 49ers to sign with the Patriots as a free agent in 2021. The 49ers coaching staff has plenty of familiarity with Bourne from his time in the Bay Area, so including him in a potential Aiyuk trade would make sense.

Bourne tore his ACL in the Patriots’ Week 8 loss to the Miami Dolphins last October. He tallied 37 receptions for 406 yards and four touchdowns before the injury.

State police said they responded to the service plaza on Interstate 395 North around 11:11 a.m. Monday to investigate a report of a man tampering with an ATM and looking into parked cars.

When troopers responded, they saw a man running across the highway to a black BMW sport utility vehicle with Pennsylvania plates in the southbound service plaza and speed away on I-395 South, state police said.

When troopers tried to stop the BMW, several items were thrown from it and police later recovered a backpack that held around $52,000 in $20 bills, a mobile hotspot and an iPhone.

State police did not chase the car.

They said surveillance footage from around 7:15 a.m. showed at least two people in the same BMW as it was driving by the plaza.

Then two men, possibly the same people in different clothing, were seen entering the northbound Exxon Mobil gas station at different times.

One was wearing a black long-sleeve shirt and tan pants and used an electronic device to remove money from a Citibank ATM, police said.

The other wore a white Nike short-sleeve shirt and tan pants.

Both wore white shoes, black caps a tan waist bag and sunglasses.

State police released the following images.

Anyone who has information should call Detective Patrick O’Brien, of the Eastern District Major Crime Squad, at (860) 896-3233 or email Patrick.J.Obrien@ct.gov.

The storm is expected to linger around Georgia or South Carolina through Thursday, bringing another 1-2 feet of rainfall in the southeast.    

Our rain Tuesday morning was not associated with Debby, but with a stalled cold front. The front is around the South Coast on Tuesday night, and waves of rain return overnight. We get a break from the rain in Boston through late evening as temps stay cooler in the 60s and 70s. Then southwestern New England will see increasing rain chances after 5 p.m., arriving in Boston between 9-11 p.m. Some isolated storms are possible in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and southeastern Massachusetts on Tuesday night. 

Mainly, we experience heavy rain into Wednesday morning, with 1-2 inches of accumulation. 

Thursday will be dry, with highs in the 70s and comfy air. By Friday, the remnants of Debby will enhance our rainfall Friday through Saturday. With that, we may see 2-6 inches of rain. However, we are still uncertain on how strong Debby’s remnants will be by this time and the exact track. We’re looking like 40-50 mph gusts from the south and waves of 5-15 feet off our coast for Saturday.  

Our First Alert days are Friday and Saturday for the windswept, flooding rainfall, with Sunday now trending drier and near 80. 

Stay tuned for updates! 

Jonathan Quintanilla of Waltham is accused in a series of attempted break-ins at homes and cars in the West end neighborhoods of Watertown over the weekend. Watertown police say he was arrested with the help of police in Newton.

Police released surveillance video to the public before announcing the arrest.

Investigators believe Quintanilla may be involved in other break-ins in the area. Anyone who recognizes him or thinks they may have surveillance video of him is asked to contact police.

Watertown police remind residents they can take steps to reduce their risk of burglary, including:

• Always locking your home and car. Consider extra security like deadbolts, alarms, and surveillance cameras
• Keep your property well-lit, including outdoor lighting and motion detectors
• Keep valuables out of site and consider using a safe for important documents or high-value items

Outside of Rafael Devers, the Red Sox don’t boast any immediately recognizable standouts. Jarren Duran just made his first All-Star team, Tyler O’Neill fell off everyone’s radar during some injury-plagued seasons in St. Louis, and Wilyer Abreu is a rookie whose numbers are depressed because he fell down the dugout steps.

But don’t let that lack of star power fool you, because the Red Sox have inexorably built one of the best offenses in baseball, a dynamic group that is punishing opponents not just on the bases, but suddenly with the long ball, too.

Where the starting pitching carried the club for the first two months, it’s now easy to envision the lineup taking the team to the playoffs.

Monday’s 9-5 victory over the Royals provided the latest evidence. The Red Sox weren’t exactly efficient, but they were relentless. They pounded 18 hits, finally breaking through in the sixth, when Duran laced a two-run, left-on-left double down the left field line to break a 2-2 tie.

Romy Gonzalez broke things open an inning later with a two-run homer, and the Red Sox rolled to within a game and a half of the Royals in the race for the final wild card, with two more to play in Kansas City.

“We had a humble approach, to be honest with you,” manager Alex Cora told reporters, including Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe. “We hit the ball all over the place and we ran the bases well. The kids did an amazing job at the bottom of the lineup. We just kept putting pressure on them.”

The numbers since the All-Star break speak for themselves. The Red Sox lead baseball in runs (107), hits (189), batting average (.309), slugging (.555), and OPS (.921). They’re second to the Yankees in homers (30 to 29) and OBP (.367 to .366), and they’re top five in steals, too, with 20 swipes in 22 attempts.

For all the talk about chief baseball officer Craig Breslow failing to upgrade the attack with a better right-handed bat than Danny Jansen, offense is not now a problem, nor does it project to be one.

While it's true that the Red Sox have had their struggles against left-handed starters, it's also true that they just won't face many of them should they make the playoffs. The Mariners and Twins are all right-handed, the Orioles (Cole Irvin) and Guardians (Logan Allen) probably wouldn't start either of their lefties in the postseason, and the Red Sox have hit New York's Nestor Cortes and Carlos Rodón. That leaves Kansas City's Cole Ragans and Houston's Framber Valdez. That's workable.

What's most impressive about the current offense is how it's coming from everywhere.

Devers is pushing a 1.000 OPS for the first time in his career. Duran's exploits keep earning crazy comparisons to Hall of Famers like Kiki Cuyler. Abreu is an emerging force. Dominic Smith is hitting rockets. Even maligned DH Masataka Yoshida has caught fire, raising his average 40 points in a little over a month.

The right-handed reserves, Rob Refsnyder, Gonzalez, and Jansen, have combined to hit .305 with 10 homers in just over 300 at-bats. They might even get slugging first baseman Triston Casas back at some point.

That's an offense that's built to win in October, when the ability to manufacture runs can win a close game. The Red Sox are 13-7 in one-run games, a testament not only to the back of their bullpen, but their propensity for finding a way.

That's a skill that should continue to serve them well as they make their playoff push.

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The rookie quarterback will play in the Patriots’ preseason opener Thursday against the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium, head coach Jerod Mayo confirmed Tuesday.

Maye won’t take the field right away, however; the plan is for veteran Jacoby Brissett to start at quarterback Thursday night, per Mayo, with the rookie coming on in relief.

“When he gets in the game, we’ll talk about that, but he will play,” Mayo said of Maye. “Everyone who is healthy enough to play in the game will play in the game.”

While Mayo didn’t reveal how the reps would be divvied up, he confirmed that all four QBs on the current roster — Brissett, Maye, sixth-round pick Joe Milton and Bailey Zappe — are expected to play against the Panthers.

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New England’s QB strategy for Thursday makes sense based on what we’ve seen through 10 training camp practices. While Brissett and Maye have taken a relatively even amount of reps, Brissett has been the clear starter throughout camp, taking the first snaps of competitive periods and working with the “ones” on offense.

The Patriots have insisted they’ll be methodical in Maye’s development, so it’s no surprise he’ll come off the bench Thursday even with other top rookie QBs like Washington’s Jayden Daniels expected to start in their preseason debuts.

It’s encouraging that Maye is expected to play, though; on the other side, Carolina won’t play Bryce Young in an effort to protect the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. With veteran QB Andy Dalton not practicing due to injury, the Patriots should expect to see plenty of rookie Jack Plummer and fourth-string QB Jake Luton under center for the Panthers.

Kickoff for Patriots-Panthers is set for 7 p.m. ET on Thursday.

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The Coast Guard said the 20-foot vessel had damage to the left side of its bow, or the front part of the boat. All three people who were hurt have been taken to Boston hospitals and were expected to survive.

The incident took place on the southeast side of Long Island. Images from the scene showed first responders’ boats near what remains of the bridge from Quincy.

Boston EMS confirmed having multiple crews at a scene. Three people were seen being pulled from stretchers to ambulances.

“He took quite a hit,” said a woman whose brother owns the boat and was on board. “He’s pretty banged up.”

She says her brother is a frequent fisherman in the area, adding that the weather played a role in the crash.

“It was a little cloudy but the fog rolled in and it was harder to see,” the woman said. “He swerved to avoid something and then boom. It’s nothing short of a miracle that all three men are OK.”

NBC10 Boston has reached out to Massachusetts State Police as well.

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The action could’ve been described as violent at times. At the end of the session, safety A.J. Thomas blew up wide receiver JaQuae Jackson on a pass over the middle. Jackson held on but met with trainers soon after after taking a jarring shot to his midsection.

A practice like that one is useful, of course, to measure play in the trenches. It’s helpful when trying to check in on short-yardage effectiveness for both the offense and defense. And if you want to gauge player toughness quotients, this was the practice for you. 

It wasn’t the most friendly of circumstances for quarterback evaluation, with much of the focus going to the run game, but that’s what we’ll do here anyway in The Drake Maye Report for Day 10. 

The rep report

In 11-on-11 work, Jacoby Brissett took 22 competitive reps. Drake Maye, meanwhile, took 21. (Some of those reps featured only half the defense of line rushing the passer, perhaps in an effort to limit the workloads for some of the big bodies at the line of scrimmage.)

Crunching the numbers

Maye finished his competitive reps going 4-for-7, with four sacks and two snaps that resulted in scrambles.

The sack number there is a glaring one. The Patriots defense worked throughout the practice on games and stunts at the line of scrimmage. Despite seeing those looks many times, the second unit offensive line had difficulty blocking them.

Of the four sacks on the day, three came thanks to stunts on the defensive line. The fourth was credited to Davon Godchaux after he powered through Caedan Wallace, and forced the rookie tackle’s back to bump up against the rookie quarterback. 

Jacoby Brissett went 10-for-13 with an interception. The pick was not Brissett’s fault as he hit his fullback for a would be touchdown in the goal line session. Kyle Dugger popped the ball loose, and Ja’Whaun Bentley intercepted it. Brissett remains the top quarterback in all drills, and he once again took all first-team reps.

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Play of the day

Maye showed off his athleticism early in the practice by scrambling for a touchdown on fourth down, which came after a useful completion on third down to running back JaMycal Hasty. 

His best throw of the day, however, was not completed. He aired one out to K.J. Osborn that looked like it should’ve been caught with Osborn getting a step behind the defense. The wideout appeared to have trouble tracking the ball, though, and slowed down before it arrived. It landed just beyond his reach for an incompletion.

Why he’s ready

In this section of The Drake Maye Report, we’ll highlight the portions of the rookie’s performance that suggest he’s prepared to sit atop the hierarchy of quarterbacks in New England sooner rather than later.

Maye’s ability to get himself out of trouble and pick up yardage with his legs could help him establish himself as a useful quarterback wary in his rookie season.

Quarterback scrambles, in terms of advanced metrics like EPA, are among the most efficient plays in football. His two scrambles on Monday would’ve been two of the best runs of the day in a run-game heavy practice.

Why patience is a virtue

In this section of The Drake Maye Report, we’ll highlight the portions of the rookie’s performance that suggest he’s not quite ready to sit atop the quarterback depth chart.

The Patriots may be forced to wait and see on Maye’s readiness simply because they aren’t getting a great look at how he can operate from the pocket. While the first-unit offensive line has help up well in recent practices, the same can’t be said for the second unit. 

With some injuries at tackle, Maye has had Wallace, undrafted rookie Zuri Henry and the newly-signed (Aug. 2) Kellen Diesch blocking for him on the edge. Plays that end in “sacks” often end with a defender standing flat-footed in Maye’s face as he tries to attempt a throw. One on Monday was deflected by tight end Jacob Warren and picked by A.J. Thomas, but we did not record that as part of the day’s results, just as we don’t record completions made after “sacks.” 

Once those sacks happen, the play is over. And for Maye, too often lately, the play has been over well before it should’ve been because of shoddy protection.

It will Maye hard for him to be deemed “ready” until he has an opportunity to work with starters, thereby giving his coaching staff a better look at what he’s capable of.

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The San Francisco 49ers have negotiated the “framework” of trades with both the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns involving Aiyuk, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco reported Monday night. According to Maiocco, the Patriots and Browns actually have made trade proposals that San Francisco has accepted, and it’s up to Aiyuk to essentially choose where he wants to play.

On its face, this doesn’t seem ideal for the Patriots. Cleveland is a legitimate playoff contender that went 11-6 last season and boasts a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback in Deshaun Watson. New England went 4-13 last season, projects to be one of the worst teams in the league in 2024 and has a QB duo of journeyman veteran Jacoby Brissett and unpolished rookie Drake Maye.

So, why would Aiyuk choose the Patriots over the Browns?

During Monday’s edition of Boston Sports Tonight, Greg Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal pointed out that by demanding a trade from the 49ers — who just reached the Super Bowl for the second time in five years — Aiyuk suggested he’s more interested in maximizing his next contract than winning games.

“I think he’s made it clear with his stance that forcing his way out of San Francisco, which this is close to a Super Bowl — it’s not about winning,” Bedard told co-hosts Michael Felger and John Tomase.

“He is all about the money, wants the contract, doesn’t care where he goes. It’s between the Browns and the Patriots. I mean, we’re not exactly talking dynasties these days.”

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To Bedard’s point, Cleveland’s 11-6 campaign was just its second winning season in the last 16 years. The Browns have reached the playoffs just twice in the last two decades and have a long history of futility.

“I give the Patriots a chance to get (Aiyuk),” Felger added. “Any other team — if it were Kansas City or Buffalo, a true contender, or Miami, a nice place to live — Cleveland? I think the Patriots can compete with Cleveland as a destination.”

In this case, New England’s best asset might be money. Aiyuk, who’s set to make $14.1 million on the final year of his rookie contract, is seeking a lucrative new contract that would make him one of the highest-paid wideouts in the league. And according to Maiocco, both the Patriots and Browns are willing to pay up.

“If he wants to be paid like one of the top receivers in the league, I’m almost certain he would get that kind of money — definitely from the Patriots,” Maiocco said on a recent episode of NBC Sports Bay Area’s 49ers Talk podcast. “I think the Patriots are willing to pay a lot. And I think the Browns are willing to pay more than the 49ers are offering.”

The Patriots currently own the second-most cap space in the NFL at $43.2 million, per OverTheCap, while the Browns have $29.6 million in available cap space. Cleveland could clear cap space by sending wideout Amari Cooper to San Francisco in its trade for Aiyuk, but the same goes for New England, which could include receiver Kendrick Bourne in its deal for Aiyuk.

So, if the Patriots can position themselves to offer Aiyuk more money than the Browns — Bedard suggested a deal that would send Bourne and disgruntled pass-rusher Matthew Judon to San Francisco in addition to a 2025 second-round pick — perhaps that’d be enough to land Aiyuk’s services.

It’s worth debating how much the Patriots should pay for Aiyuk, who racked up a career-high 1,342 receiving yards last season and would be the team’s clear No. 1 receiver but still wouldn’t get them close to playoff contention. If Eliot Wolf and the front office want to acquire a legitimate weapon for Maye and the offense, however, now might be the time to strike.

Check out the video player above or the YouTube video below for more instant reaction to Maiocco’s report on Boston Sports Tonight.

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“You know, it’s bittersweet,” Biles said. “You’ve worked your whole life for moments like this and you almost take it for granted how fast it goes. Last night I definitely had a good cry about it, because I couldn’t believe it was over I called my mom and my sister and I was like, ‘It’s done’. But they were happy tears.”

On the gold medal team with Biles in the team all-around competition was Plano-transplant Hezly Rivera, who at 16 years old was the youngest member of Team USA.

“She made it here so fast! She is so strong. She’s a great competitor. I was super excited to have her on the team with us. She is like our little baby Hezly! To just be able to guide her through this process, I don’t believe this will be her last Olympics,” Biles said.

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She also talked about why it is so important for her to be open about her mental health.

“For me, it’s about being relatable. It takes vulnerability. It takes some strength and some courage. Through therapy, I found that’s where I find my strength. If it can help a little girl out there or even a little boy or a grown person, then that’s what I’m going to do,” Biles said.

She said what she is doing now is paving the way for the future.

“I really do this to inspire the younger generation. That’s exactly why we’re doing it. Finding joy and making sure that they have an easier ride than we are. If we can give any tips, pointers, helpers. That’s what I want to do. Hopefully, they’ll be in the crowd at the Gold Over America Tour,” Biles said.

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The Gold Over America Tour will represent the best of the best. Biles will be joined by Olympic medalists Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Fred Richard, Brody Malone, Paul Juda, Stephen Nedoroscik, and Joscelyn Roberson.

They will bring their talents from the world stage to the GOAT stage in a high-flying pop concert-style spectacle. Other cast members joining them on tour include Katelyn Ohashi, Peng-Peng Lee, Mélanie Johanna De Jesus Dos Santos, Casimir Schmidt, and more to be named.

The GOAT tour will make a stop in Fort Worth on October 20.

Great whites have about 300 teeth, and this one probably showed off more than we needed to see.

The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, the region’s leading white shark research nonprofit organization, was able to get up close and personal with the shark thanks to some incredible underwater video.

The shark swam right over to the underwater camera, showing off its toothy smile.

Researchers said the shark was one of dozens of great whites that were feasting off a whale carcass about six miles off the coast just a few weeks ago.

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New legislation is being touted as a $5 billion investment in tackling the commonwealth’s housing issue. It’s called the Affordable Homes Act, and it’s the largest housing bill in Massachusetts history.

The hope is it will both increase housing production and improve the affordability of existing housing.

It includes $2 billion to accelerate the development of affordable units and mixed income multifamily housing.

There are also zoning reforms as part of the bill – like allowing so-called “accessory dwelling units,” or additions on single family homes – that the governor’s office says could create 10,000 new units.

And there are tax credits intended to “spur housing production.”

With Massachusetts continuing to be one of the most expensive states in the country to buy a home or rent an apartment, state lawmakers say this bill is crucial in improving the housing crisis here.

Beyond that, state officials predict Massachusetts will need to build upwards of 200-thousand new homes by 2030 to keep up with demand.

Gov. Maura Healey signed the bill into law at a ceremony in Newton.

“We committed to housing as our top priority,” she said. “We recognized that we entered office short a couple hundred thousand housing units statewide, housing across a range of income levels, and we said that this is something that is going to hold us back as a state.”

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And it’s not just for a day. Or two. It’s most of this week. And it resonates deep into next week. Granted, the humidity may increase by the weekend, but hot temperatures never really get back in the conversation.

So, our focus shifts back to the rain. Two waves move in Tuesday: one early, and one overnight. The second wave is heaviest, with possible flooding in southern Connecticut and Rhode Island. This seems to be consistent with our guidance.

With a break expected after Wednesday morning, we’ll get a chance to catch our breath as the remnants of Debby move in our direction.

Obviously with a tropical system, lots could happen. We’re focused on the downpours, however. Heavy rain bands could move into New England as early as Friday afternoon, carrying into the weekend.

At this point, the axis of heaviest rain seems to set up in New York and parts of Northern New England. This likely will change with the slightest shift in the storm’s track, so we’ll watch its every move in the days to come.

Despite the gray, cool weather, summer’s far from over. Enjoy the break.

Maine State Police said the crash occurred in the area of mile marker 22 in Wells around 2:20 a.m. The driver of the tractor-trailer was reportedly traveling south in the rain when he lost control of his vehicle, went off the roadway to the left and became intertwined with the guardrail, causing the truck to become disabled.

The tractor-trailer blocked the two passing lanes southbound and two of the passing lanes northbound.

The driver of the truck, 73-year-old Larry Beaugeard, of Dunbarton, New Hampshire, was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

The tractor-trailer was mostly empty, however, some plumbing supplies that were on board became strewn across the northbound lanes. A tow service was on scene assessing the situation early Tuesday morning. Drivers are urged to avoid the area if possible.

All lanes reopened shortly after 6:30 a.m.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, according to police.

State police were assisted at the scene by the Maine Turnpike Authority, Wells police and Kennebunk fire.

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She crossed the finish line with a comfortable lead over women’s 100m winner Julien Alfred, of St. Lucia, and teammate Brittany Brown.

This is a breaking news update. Read an earlier version of this story below.

Tuesday in Paris, runner Gabby Thomas will push for a gold medal.

Thomas, who grew up in Northampton, Massachusetts, and graduated from Harvard University, earned two medals in Tokyo — silver in the 4x100m relay and bronze in the women’s 200m.

She posted the fastest time Monday in the 200m semifinal, and she’s a favorite for the gold in Tuesday’s final.

“I feel really good, I feel confident, in control,” she said after the semifinal. “I feel confident that it’ll all come together tomorrow, so I’m excited.”

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While the market has many concerned, experts are urging patience.

“I think you’ve got a case where the market has been on a significant run for the last 18 months or so without any major eruption, and you’ve hit a rough patch with some of the economic data recently,” said Chuck Zodda, chief investment officer at Armstrong Advisory Group.

Zodda says Wall Street is likely reacting to a number of factors, including a worse-than-expected jobs report in the U.S. and a slowdown in the housing market.

Fear of a recession is creeping in, but it’s far from clear whether we’re headed in that direction.

“It certainly is a possibility, I would say that the chance of a recession right now is higher than at any point in the last couple of years, but it still is something that’s just a chance,” he said.

Stock markets worldwide took a hit Monday, and personal portfolios were roundly impacted.

“I would say hold tight,” said Kimberly Zimmerman Rand, a personal finance expert from Dragonfly Financial Solutions. “These things tend to happen, and just stay the course and ride it out. But If you think you’re going to need the money in less than five years, the stock market is not the place to be.”

NBC Sports Bay Area’s 49ers insider Matt Maiocco reported Monday night, citing a league source, that the San Francisco 49ers “have negotiated the framework of trades that would send wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to the Cleveland Browns or the New England Patriots.”

Maiocco also reports that “now it’s up to Aiyuk to determine if he will accept the contract terms from either of those franchises.”

What would the Patriots and Browns likely need to give up to acquire Aiyuk? A veteran wide receiver and draft picks, per Maiocco.

If the 49ers make the trade with the Patriots, Kendrick Bourne is expected to be the wideout going to San Francisco, Maiocco reports. Bourne played the first four seasons of his NFL career with the 49ers before leaving to sign with the Patriots as a free agent in 2021, so San Francisco knows him pretty well.

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Aiyuk is in the final year of his rookie contract and looking for a new deal that would make him among the highest-paid wide receivers in the league. The Patriots still have just over $43 million in salary cap space, per OverTheCap, which is the second-most of any team. They also have a huge need for a wideout of Aiyuk’s caliber.

Aiyuk tallied 75 receptions for a career-high 1,342 yards, along with seven touchdowns, in 16 games for the 49ers last season.

The Browns went 11-6 in 2023 and made the playoffs as one of the AFC’s three wild card teams. Franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson played just six games due to injury, while star running back Nick Chubb played just two games because of a torn ACL. Cleveland, if healthy, offers Aiyuk a better chance to win than New England.

The Patriots are a rebuilding team coming off a 4-13 campaign. They drafted North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye with the No. 3 overall pick and also signed veteran QB Jacoby Brissett in free agency.

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The Springfield Police Department said in a Facebook post Sunday that Felix Rivera of Chicopee was recently reported missing.

According to police, Rivera’s family last heard from him when he was discharged from Springfield’s Baystate Medical Center in October.

While he was living in Chicopee at the time, police say Rivera may be in Puerto Rico.

Authorities did not give a physical description of Rivera or reveal his age, but they released a photo.

Anyone with information is asked to call 413-787-6360 or 413-787-6300.

“It’s a shock when all of sudden you see it and there’s a picture of them and they’re dressed in their uniform and there’s our shoes on their feet, it’s fabulous,” said Mike Rancourt, owner of Rancourt and Company.

The Lewiston-based company was asked to create a shoe for all 592 American athletes for the opening and closing ceremonies.

Rancourt leads the company that has been in his family for generations.

“At some point, every person in the company had touched the shoes, one way or another, to finish it, bag it, to clean it, whatever it may be,” Rancourt said. “Every person was involved.”

Polo Ralph Lauren came calling in 2023 and asked Rancourt to come up with a white buck suede design for this year’s Olympics. All of the shoes are handmade in the Lewiston factory.

Rancourt said from start to finish, one pair of shoes could be done in about two days.

This isn’t the first time Rancourt has made footwear for Team USA athletes. They also wore them in Rio, in Tokyo and in Beijing for the Winter Games.

“People around us, people that don’t even know us, coming up and having a conversation with me,” Rancourt said. “Most of it relates to how proud they are to live in a community that produce the Olympic shoes.”

But this year has even more meaning. The mass shooting that happened not far from the factory just 10 months ago shook this community. Eighteen people died and dozens of others were injured in the October 2023 rampage.

“They’ve been saddened by it, and they struggle with it, when it comes to thinking in terms of what it means for our community and families,” Rancourt said.

He said he wants people to know that resiliency is what Lewiston is all about.

“I know that this is something, producing the Olympic shoes is something that will bring the whole community some satisfaction, that Lewiston will continue, it’s resilient, it will be there,” Rancourt said.

That feeling has been felt on the factory floor.

“Most definitely,” said Brian Pare, a shoemaker. “A lot of pride. Not many people know how to do this anymore.”

“In the back of my mind, it represents Lewiston and the good things about Lewiston,” Rancourt said. “And there’s a lot of good things about Lewiston. But this particular event is really a great view of how Lewiston people come together and create this product and enjoy what we do.”

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Epicore Biosystems in Cambridge is no stranger to woring with athletes, partnering with Gatorade on a wearable patch that monitors hydration.

The company is modifying that technology to detect illicit substances.

Epicore is working with the United States Anti-Doping Agency to develop a new way to test athletes for performance-enhancing drugs.

“We’re able to now have miniaturized devices that you could wear remotely and not be in the laboratory setting,” said Roozbeh Ghaffari, CEO and cofounder of Epicore Biosystems.

“We’re using discovery patches to collect sweat from athletes,” said cofounder AJ Aranyosi.

“What we found is that sweat could be a much more effective, comfortable, and less invasive biofluid target than the existing approaches that we have with blood and urine,” Ghaffari explained.

Doping has long been a problem at the Olympic Games. In 1988, Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson, who tested positive for an anabolic steroid, had his gold medal taken away and given to American Carl Lewis. One of Team USA’s biggest track stars, Marion Jones, lost all five of her medals from the 2000 Sydney Games after lying about using performance-enhancing drugs. And most recently, Russian athletes were banned from competing under their country’s flag after the discovery of a state-sponsored doping scheme during the 2014 Sochi Games.

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Those are just three of many examples that led to increased anti-doping testing.

While the patches can tell if an athlete is cheating, they can also be beneficial to their training.

“What we’re able to do is collect small quantities of sweat — while measuring other biomarkers, such as your skin temperature, your motion, your activity — and we’re able to look at all of that data and determine whether or not you need to rehydrate,” Ghaffari said. “We can even tell whether or not you’re physically starting to feel fatigue.”

Epicore says its technology can also be used by everyday people who work in hot climates, and that the patches can help workers better understand their hydration needs while on the job.

Faulkner picked up cycling as a hobby while living in New York in 2017. She didn’t go pro until a few years ago. In fact, Faulkner didn’t even qualify for the Olympics until Team USA needed a replacement.

Now, she’s the first American to win a road race medal in 40 years — finishing 58 seconds ahead of one of the greatest female cyclists of all time.

The 31-year-old was a rower throughout high school at Phillips Academy and college at Harvard University.

“Any challenge — no matter how scary or daunting — was like, that was her jam,” former Phillips Academy crew coach Kathryn Green said. “It was obvious she was destined to do great things in cycling — just like in rowing.”

Faulkner was in the first boat all four years at Phillips Academy in Andover — a rare feat for a freshman, according to Green.

Another former rower at Harvard remembers her as the strongest and fastest person on the team.

“When she first joined the team, I was definitely a bit starstruck,” former Harvard rowing teammate Julia Baumel said. “One minute, she’d be on the rowing machine, putting up an insane time, and the next, she’d be smiling and laughing and congratulating anyone who got a personal best.”

Paul Murphy, Faulkner’s former swim coach at Phillips Academy, just returned from wishing her luck in Paris.

“She seemed really just happy and ready to go, and talking about how much she loved her sport and her team and the training, and you know, I knew she was a great athlete,” Murphy said. “Tears are, like, running down my face because it’s just this hugely emotional experience, where this person you know, this incredible human being, is out there doing great things.”

Faulkner’s Olympic campaign isn’t over. She’ll be back on track Tuesday for the team pursuit.

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They still have one of the best rosters in the league. But the window to compete for the Lombardi Trophy isn’t always a long one. San Francisco has to take advantage of this moment.

It’s important to keep this in mind during the Brandon Aiyuk saga. The star wideout wants a new contract as he enters the final year of his rookie deal. The 49ers have already committed a lot of salary to other players, especially on offense.

If the two sides can’t work out an extension, a trade could be the most logical route. But the 49ers cannot afford to weaken their roster too much, so if they move Aiyuk, getting a player in return who can help them in the upcoming season would be a huge plus.

So, where do things stand with Aiyuk right now?

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NBC Sports Bay Area’s 49ers insider Matt Maiocco joined NBC Sports Boston’s Arbella Early Edition on Monday with the latest update.

“What I would say is the most likely scenario, and the scenario the 49ers would like to play out, would be the Cleveland Browns, because the Browns have somebody that they can offer in return for Brandon Aiyuk, in addition to draft picks, that could step in and help the 49ers get to where they want to get, which is the Super Bowl,” Maiocco said.

“The Cleveland wide receiver I’m referring to is Amari Cooper. When you look at the other teams that might be in the mix, the Patriots, who would they have to offer? The name that I’ve been hearing is Kendrick Bourne. Now, how’s Kendrick’s knee? How is he coming along? The 49ers know him. But is he at the level of Brandon Aiyuk? Of course not. 

“So they would have to give the 49ers more compensation as far as draft picks than what Cleveland gives the 49ers. And then another team I’m hearing is the Pittsburgh Steelers. What do they have? Not much. So that would almost have to be all draft picks.

“So I think it’s still a very fluid situation for the 49ers and Aiyuk. Throughout this offseason, I’ve been saying there’s no way the 49ers trade Aiyuk because of where they are in their Super Bowl window. They have to do everything to not weaken the team. They can’t take a step back. But now, just the way things are playing out, I think it is very much on the table that Brandon Aiyuk is traded within, I don’t know, a very short period of time, I believe.”

Another important part of this situation is that Aiyuk needs to figure out what he wants.

“Ultimately, what’s he going to do? What is he going to value?” Maiocco said. “The opportunity to potentially win a Super Bowl this year with a team that he knows very well, the 49ers, where he’s certainly not the only playmaker on that team? Or is it to be paid among the top wide receivers in the league and be the No. 1 guy on offense? So it’s really up to him.”

The Cleveland Browns have a chance to be competitive in the AFC. The Steelers have some good pieces but also plenty of uncertainty at quarterback. The Patriots are very much a rebuilding team with their own issues at quarterback.

What kind of fit would Aiyuk be in New England if the Patriots and 49ers were able to work out a deal?

“I think he’s a good fit anywhere,” Maiocco said. “He’s a good route runner. He has good hands, he’s improved every year he’s been in the league. The question with him is he’s been, in a lot of ways, maybe the No. 4 guy that teams have game-planned against since he’s been with the 49ers.

“How would he be as the person who’s the focal point of an offense where teams are trying to take him away? I think he would be just fine.”

The Patriots could absolutely use a highly skilled and physical wideout such as Aiyuk. He’s much, much better than any wide receiver currently on their depth chart. Aiyuk set a career high with 1,342 receiving yards last season, along with 75 receptions and seven touchdowns.

Acquiring a player of his caliber would be a huge upgrade to the Patriots offense and finally give them a high-end skill position player that opposing defenses need to be aware of at all times.

The Texas-based company filed for bankruptcy in May and last week announced the closure of Carney Hospital in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer.

“I’ve been a patient for 53 years,” said Carney Hospital patient Rob Burke. “If they ask me ‘you want to keep your doctor?’ yeah good, how about my hospital?”

Burke and other patients joined health care workers at Carney Hospital in a protest Monday morning in front of the building.

“I’ve already been told that I do not have a job as of August 31,” said Carney Hospital emergency room psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner Becky Read.

Steward Health Care is closing the two hospitals by the end of the month and is slated to sell their remaining six in Massachusetts.

“I think it’s asinine that they want to close the hospital there’s no other hospital around here so they need to keep it open,” said Carney Hospital Personal Care Attendant Stephanie Dawson.

Dawson has been Peggy Phisher’s caretaker for the past decade. Phisher is a senior patient with special needs. She wished to send a message for the company’s CEO Ralph de la Torre.

“If she sees him she wants to give him a piece of her mind,” said Dawson interpreting for Phisher.

De la Torre has been accused by elected officials of profiting from failing hospitals and dodging a state law that requires a 120-day advance notice of a closure.

“We should be instituting 120-day closure and have a public hearing which is required by law,” said First Suffolk District State Senator Nick Collins who was at the Monday morning protest.

The closure of both hospitals would impact roughly 1,250 employees.

“They could sell this property, allow either the state or bidder to come in and keep this hospital which serves an incredibly vulnerable and marginalized population alive,” said Carney Hospital ER nurse practitioner Stephen Wood.

In an effort to avoid a closure, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is urging the governor and mayors to declare a health emergency, draw from the state’s $8 billion “rainy day” fund, and as a last resort, seize the hospitals through eminent domain.

“[We’re] looking to make sure we’re pulling together the whole landscape of health care providers across different city boundaries so that we can just have every resource on the table,” said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.

Steward Health Care has not responded to requests by NBC10 Boston to explain why it won’t sell the hospitals instead of closing them.

Insight Health, another health care group, confirmed Tuesday that they submitted a bid to buy all eight Steward Hospitals, but no deal was reached.

“Insight Health System submitted a bid to acquire all eight hospitals currently operated by Steward Health System in Massachusetts. As a clinician-led organization, Insight Health System believes in providing equitable access to healthcare services for all, and we deeply understand how damaging the closure of healthcare facilities can be to local communities. We have proven experience in transforming distressed healthcare facilities into financially stable pillars of community health services with patient care that is second to none – something we have done in Southside, Chicago; Flint, Michigan; and stand ready and able to do here in Massachusetts,” wrote Atif Bawahab, chief strategy officer at Insight Health System, when asked for comment.

Ayer’s Select Board is having a meeting over this issue on Tuesday, and the Boston City Council is expected to address it on Wednesday.

The Steward Health Care CEO has been subpoenaed by the US Senate and is expected to testify on September 12.

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Following a mandated day off Sunday (teams are limited from practicing more than three days in a row) the pads were back on and the Patriots were full contact — tackling to the ground in some portions of practice.

Jerod Mayo’s first camp has so far been more physically taxing than the ones Bill Belichick ran the past two seasons (at least). Where’s that going to lead? Dunno. But the player-empowering Mayo clearly isn’t giving his team a free ride physically.

So he leads my Stock Watch.

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Editor’s Note: Patriots Insider Phil Perry also contributed to Monday’s Stock Watch. His contributions are noted after Curran’s for each section.

Stock Up (Curran)

Jerod Mayo, head coach

It’s been a good week for Mayo in terms of setting a tone and dealing with adversity. Along with the aforementioned grueling practices, the team’s trending up on offense in terms of efficiency and production. The pre-snap penalties, the slowness at the line of scrimmage, the steady image of the defense winning snap after snap? It’s all gone away for the most part. It’s not clockwork and most every running play looks like 30 people crowding into a subway as the doors close. But there are wins.

Additionally, Mayo negotiated the hard spot the Matthew Judon contract impasse put him in, getting Judon to leave practice when he wasn’t taking part, having a day cooling off period and then getting Judon back onto the field. That’s no small feat in 2024’s NFL for coach or player. Mayo also had to deal with the news of Christian Barmore’s medical situation and the awkwardness of Davon Godchaux getting a deal while Judon was still pissed off. The next checkpoint is a big one: first preseason game on Thursday.

Kayshon Boutte, wide receiver

Know what? In two years of watching Kayshon Boutte, he’s never failed to impress me. He’s out there, practice after practice. He runs precise routes, catches virtually everything that hits his hands and has some of the best body control I’ve seen on a Patriots receiver in a long time. DeMario Douglas is shiftier and faster. Ja’Lynn Polk seems a little more sudden. Kendrick Bourne’s got better length and experience. Javon Baker’s probably going to be more dangerous downfield. But Boutte is just stunningly consistent.

On Monday, he did what he does most every practice: Plucked passes. The highlight was a red zone snare of a throw from Joe Milton that had a vapor trail attached in 1-on-1s. In a heavy day for the running game, I felt it worth singling out Boutte’s consistency and production because when it comes down to it, it’s probably him vs. Tyquan Thornton for the final receiver spot on the roster.

Run defense

There’s a whole lot of nothing going on at the line of scrimmage for the Patriots running backs. If you like the Patriots, you’re hoping that’s because the collection of front-seven defenders are gumming things up so badly there’s nowhere to go. You’re really hoping it ISN’T because the offensive line remains leaky. It’s probably a bit of both.

Stock Up (Perry)

Davon Godchaux, defensive tackle

The veteran defensive tackle had two run stuffs, including a rep where he beat a Mike Onwenu block to tackle Antonio Gibson. The Patriots defense was very good Monday against the run, and Godchaux was right there in the middle for a number of stuffs.

Godchaux also powered Caedan Wallace back and into Drake Maye’s lap — Wallace’s back actually bumped into Maye — in an 11-on-11 period.

Anfernee Jennings, linebacker

Tight ends couldn’t block Jennings in the one-on-one period. He bullied Mitchell Wilcox and then proved to be too strong for Austin Hooper.

Jennings is more run-stuffer than pass-rusher, but if he’s aligned against a tight end, he should be expected to win that battle more often than not. And he did Monday.

Ja’Whaun Bentley, linebacker

Yet another stout run-game player who showed up on Monday, Bentley also had a couple of impressive plays against the pass.

He picked off a Jacoby Brissett offering on the goal line after Kyle Dugger deflected the football into the air. He also tipped a Brissett pass at the line of scrimmage for an incompletion late in the workout.

Stock Down (Curran)

Christian Gonzalez, cornerback

No crisis, but the Patriots’ best corner was beaten for a touchdown in the red zone by Tyquan Thornton on a dart from Jacoby Brissett. That play came in the midst of several running plays and Gonzalez seemed to be caught peeking on play-action.

It brought to mind this quote from Mayo last week when asked who will be depth behind Gonzalez at corner:

“Once again, those guys have to earn a role on this team. And it’s not really just defense. You want your corners to be able to play special teams as well, so the battles will continue. Even with Gonzo, he has to go out here each and every day and push it. I always tell these guys that success is rented and not owned, and the rent is due every day, and that applies to Gonzo as well.”

Dell Pettus, safety

The stoutly-built, 5-foot-11, 200-pound undrafted rookie from Troy has had a string of good practices. But when he jumped on the back of an already-secured Hunter Henry during a full-contact rep and drove him to the ground, I had to deduct points.

Obviously, there was a green light for physicality. But not on a guy who’s wrapped up. Not on one of the team’s most important offensive players. Made no sense. Oddly, there was no response from anyone on the offense. Maybe it was all fair game, no harm done. If so, they might want to revisit that.

Stock Down (Perry)

Keion White, defensive end

The second-year pass-rusher was defeated twice in one-on-one reps by Mike Onwenu, once hitting the turf after taking a jarring punch from the big-money right guard. He also was sealed by guard Michael Jordan for a nice Gibson run earlier in the session.

But it wasn’t all bad for White, who has had a strong camp overall. He had a nice pass-rush rep later in the practice, sacking Joe Milton off a game with Matthew Judon. He also pancaked Jahlani Tavai at the goal line when inserted as a fullback for the offense.

“We haven’t talked about it yet,” White said, “but I for sure will give him [expletive] about it.”

Zuri Henry, offensive tackle

The undrafted offensive tackle out of UTEP has been taking reps with the second team lately because players at that position have become unavailable. With Chukwuma Okorafor out on Monday, that meant Calvin Anderson played right tackle (opposite left tackle Vederian Lowe) and opened up a spot for Henry on the second team.

Henry was on the scene for a Kevin Harris stuffed run, and later found himself with the third offensive line unit. At one point, he seemed to let Armon Watts into the backfield, which led to a Bailey Zappe sack. He also was in the area for White’s sack of Milton.

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Some even refer to Paris 2024 as the “TikTok Olympics” for the sheer amount of social media moments and personalities that have burst onto our phones’ screens leading up to and during the Games. After all, many athletes went into this year’s Olympics already having a dedicated social media fanbase, and brought their followers along for more laid-back POV than what you’d catch on network coverage.

“You have a body of athletes that is almost entirely Gen Z,” Director of the University of Rhode Island’s Sports Media and Communications program Molly Yanity said. “They are all very connected. They are overwhelmingly on TikTok… They’re really letting us into their world.“

For Yanity, the first Olympian that came to mind who is capitalizing on their social media brand is Maher, the rugby star who just scored a bronze medal last week. Maher is a Vermont native, and played rugby for Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, before heading to Tokyo for Team U.S.A. in 2021, and becoming an Olympic medalist in Paris in 2024.

Maher has over two million followers on TikTok, where she shows off her sense of humor, interacts with fellow Olympians and even takes on the limitations of the BMI scale.

“She’s really done this, with with kind of a just grassroots, ‘here’s my phone and my TikTok app’ and just just really going about it and making her own brand,” Yanity said, recalling Maher’s viral clip of the cardboard beds in Tokyo during the last summer Games. “The sport [women’s rugby] has kind of caught up with Ilona in a little bit of a way, in terms of popularity.”

Another standout star of this year’s Games is men’s gymnastics star Stephen Nedoroscik, whose medal-winning pommel horse routine, humble spirit and glasses have earned him the nickname “Clark Kent.”

The Worcester native’s gone viral, too, for openly discussing his eye condition and not letting it hold him back from achieving his dreams.

His teammate, and fellow Massachusetts native, Fred Richard, is another social media star, who goes by the username frederickflips on TikTok. You guessed it, Richard wows his hundreds of thousands of followers performing his otherworldly flips, but also gives an inside look to his training and experience.

“With the reel format, we are getting to see what they’re doing when they’re doing it, who they’re doing it with,” Yanity said. “And that gives us a peek into their lives that, that we don’t otherwise have.”

Yanity said the ability for athletes to build their social media brand gives them more power and autonomy to earn a broader range of sponsorship deals. The social media buzz surrounding the athletes is also likely driving more traditional ratings to the Olympics, Yanity believes.

“They know what to share and what not to share in a way that gets them those those eyeballs from fans, therefore the attention of sponsors,” Yanity said. “

NBC has enjoyed strong ratings for the Paris 2024 Games, reporting numbers far beyond the COVID-mangled Tokyo games, and a bigger opening ceremony audience than Rio 2016.

Theories range as to what’s driving the viewership numbers, with everything from social media, athlete storylines, a smaller time zone difference to Snoop Dogg’s presence being floated as driving factors.

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Mayor Michelle Wu announced the launch of the Boston E-Bikes Incentive on Monday, a program that will offer eligible residents a voucher toward the purchase of an e-bike and the safety equipment that goes along with it.

According to Wu, the program is meant to be a way to shift to more sustainable forms of transportation and also close the gap on historic inequities in transportation access.

“Boston is a city always on the move, and we want to ensure that all of our residents have transportation options that are convenient, affordable, and sustainable for their individual needs,” Wu said in a media statement. “This e-bike voucher program will help reduce emissions and expand transportation options for traditionally vulnerable residents.”

The program will offer 1,000 vouchers ranging from $800 to $2,400 toward the purchase of an e-bike. Recipients will also receive $150 toward bicycle safety equipment.

To qualify, you must be a Boston resident over 18 years old and fit the following criteria:

• income-eligible adult (at or below 40% AMI)
• a senior over 60 years of age
• an adult with a chronic or permanent disability

The e-bike purchased will also need to meet certain criteria – it must have a safety-certified rechargeable battery and a pedal assist that provides a more effortless riding experience. Certain cargo e-bikes, which offer more storage and passenger-carrying options, will also be eligible. The program will also allow the purchase of handcycle wheelchair attachments and adaptive e-bikes that can be modified for specific needs.

Applications opened Monday for adults with permanent disabilities interested in powered handcycle wheelchair attachments or adaptive e-bikes and will be open through September 5. Applications for other eligible groups open on August 12 and run through August 24.

The city will also host free “Try an E-Bike” and bike shop showcase events in August to help residents decide what bike is a good fit for them.

The program is funded with $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds

Learn more at boston.gov/ebikes.

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The Red Sox couldn’t sign Xander Bogaerts long-term for fear he’d block Mayer. They couldn’t spend in any of the last three offseasons because why invest before Mayer triggers the homegrown renaissance? God bless these 2024 overachievers, but with all due respect to Jarren Duran, Tanner Houck, and Ceddanne Rafaela, the real fun starts when Mayer leads the next generation to Boston.

To that operating philosophy, may I offer a three-word rebuttal: Bobby Witt Jr.

The Red Sox open a three-game series with the Royals and their franchise shortstop on Monday in the biggest matchup between Boston and Kansas City since Tom Brady vs. Patrick Mahomes. The Royals lead the Red Sox by 2.5 games in the race for the final wild card, and they wouldn’t even be in the conversation without Witt.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, Witt took his lumps over his first two seasons and now he’s taking his vengeance. He’s far and away the best all-around player in the American League, if not MLB, and the MVP race looks like a collision course between Witt and Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.

Witt is what a franchise shortstop looks like, with one 30-30 season already under his belt and a potential batting title on the horizon. Just six weeks after his 24th birthday, he’s hitting a league-leading .344 with 20 homers, 25 steals, and a .980 OPS.

His skills are breathtaking. There are 10-minute YouTube videos devoted to his “God mode” defensive plays, and he’s appointment television in clutch situations. Only a week ago, the Royals appeared headed for a certain loss to the White Sox before Witt’s go-ahead grand slam in the eighth. They have that team-of-destiny feel, and their shortstop powers the engine.

What this has to do with Mayer is simple – he’s almost assuredly not going to be Witt, and that’s OK. We’re talking about a generational talent. But it highlights the warped thinking that has left the Red Sox able to envision salvation solely via the farm system.

That’s not just risky, it does talented players like Mayer a disservice.

Mayer shouldn’t have to play savior. It should be enough that he’s a really talented player, and maybe even an All-Star. But by refusing to invest in the big league roster until the prospects arrive, the Red Sox have created a dynamic where if Mayer’s as good as, say, Duran, that will be considered a failure, which is crazy, because we’ve been conditioned to expect the next Witt.

That’s almost certainly not going to happen.

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For one, Witt is more athletic. He stole 49 bases last year in the big leagues, whereas Mayer has stolen 46 bases over four years in the minors. Witt also possesses more raw power. In his only full minor league season, he smashed 33 homers in just 124 games. Mayer didn’t hit his 33rd minor league homer until May.

Witt has also proven more durable, on pace for his third straight season of at least 150 games, whereas Mayer is on the injured list for a hip injury after a bad shoulder cut last season short.

None of this means Mayer won’t eventually be the real deal. Respected analyst Keith Law of The Athletic just named Mayer his No. 2 overall prospect, and prior to this latest injury, Mayer had been catching fire. But even the best-case projections tend more towards a well-rounded star than an unstoppable force. Mayer is a plus defender at short with the potential to hit .300 and maybe grow into more power.

His floor of everyday big leaguer is really high; what’s less clear is the height of his ceiling or the likelihood that he reaches it, the kind of sentence no one ever wrote about Witt.

And it’s not like Witt dominated from Day 1. Two years into his career, he was only a .265 hitter. Though he finished seventh in last year’s MVP voting, the real leap has come in Year 3. It took him about 1,000 at-bats to adjust to big-league pitching.

Will the Red Sox exhibit similar patience once Mayer gets the call?

None of this means Mayer won’t be a very good big leaguer. But pay close attention for the next three nights when Witt steps into the box or dives for a ball in the hole. That’s a franchise shortstop, and baseball might only be blessed with one or two of them at a time.

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Celtics stars Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White are all playing for the United States men’s basketball team in France. Team USA is on a quest for its fifth consecutive gold medal.

Another Boston sports legend made his way to Paris this week.

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Former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is there as a fan, along with his daughter Vivian. The two of them attended the final day of gymnastics events Monday, where American stars Simone Biles (silver) and Jordan Chiles (bronze) both won medals.

Brady also stopped by the Team USA house to meet up with some members of the basketball team, including the three Celtics.

They all posed for one iconic photo:

Brady chose the perfect caption — The Town is a favorite movie of Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla.

There’s a total of 11 championship rings in this photo. Brady won seven Super Bowl titles, Holiday has two NBA championships and both Tatum and White have one.

Tatum, Holiday and White will be back on the court Tuesday when Team USA plays Brazil in their quarterfinal matchup. The United States needs three more victories to claim the gold medal. Holiday and Tatum both won gold at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. White is hoping to win his first Olympic gold.

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And few players in Major League Baseball this season have been more versatile than Boston Red Sox rookie Ceddanne Rafaela.

Rafaela has played several different positions in 2024, primarily at shortstop and center field. In fact, he is the first player in more than 120 years to play 60-plus games at both shortstop and center field in the same season.

Rafaela is batting .257 with 13 home runs, 57 RBIs and a .286 on-base percentage as a rookie this season. And, as noted in the tweet above, he ranks No. 1 or No. 2 among rookies in many statistical categories.

He plays with the kind of speed and flair that has made the Red Sox fun to watch and competitive. Boston begins a crucial three-game road series against the Kansas City Royals on Monday night. The Royals lead the Red Sox by 2.5 games for the third and final wild card spot in the American League.

Making the playoffs for the first time since 2021 would obviously be a great outcome for the Red Sox. But you could argue that, at least to this point, the season has already been a success because of the positive development many of the franchise’s young players have made.

Rafaela is near the top of that list, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he closed out the 2024 campaign with a very strong case for the AL Rookie of the Year Award.

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A whale was spotted breaching in the Boston Harbor on Monday.

Meghan Verdaguer said she was walking up the Deer Island hill when she spotted the marine mammal in the harbor. She captured video as it breached the water. Her video, captured from some distance, give some perspective on the size of the animal as it popped up between boats on the water.

There have been other recent whale sightings up and down the New England coast, including an incredible encounter in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, when a breaching whale capsized a boat. Both the whale and the startled boaters were unharmed – a neighboring pair of fishermen caught it all on camera and rescued the men from the water.

In Plymouth, Massachusetts, five humpbacks were seen bubble feeding up close. And last week a whale was spotted in the harbor near Boston’s Logan Airport.

So, Judon had plenty to answer for when he returned to the podium Monday on the fields outside Gillette Stadium.

The first question: What exactly happened last Monday, when Judon showed up to practice in street clothes, had a back-and-forth with head coach Jerod Mayo, left practice, came back to have another conversation with Wolf and Groh, then left practice for good?

“We had a conversation,” Judon said. “I didn’t want to be a distraction to the team, so I went inside. I wasn’t participating in those drills that day, so I went inside. Then I got a message, so I came back and talked to the GM, — our GMs (Wolf and Groh) — then I went back inside.

“Sorry I’m animated; I talk with my hands. I’m gonna start talking like this and not be so animated.”

As for his absence from last Tuesday’s practice — Judon wasn’t even at the team’s facility that day, according to our Phil Perry — Judon replied vaguely that he “had something going on with me.”

Judon was back at practice Thursday after an off-day Wednesday, and Mayo insisted the two had a “healthy” conversation. Judon seemed to agree with his head coach’s assessment.

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“I feel like that’s every conversation, regardless of the emotions involved,” Judon said. “You try to get to an understanding, and I think just because we don’t agree doesn’t mean we don’t understand each other’s side.”

It’s clear that Judon and the Patriots still don’t agree on what he’s worth, however. The soon-to-be-32-year-old is set to make $6.5 million in base salary this season on the final year of his contract reiterated he believes he should earn more despite missing 13 games last season due to a torn biceps.

“We have a market,” Judon said. “It’s set by the highest guy, then everybody falls in line until the next person is up to break that contract. Coming from the season I had, I was injured mostly all season, so that’s not really where my market is. But like I said, I don’t think it’s ($)6.5 (million).”

Judon and the Patriots had contract talks prior to camp and still have a desire to work out a deal, per Perry. Judon claimed last week that he sent his own contract demands to the team in writing but played coy Monday when asked what those demands were.

“It’s in my Notes (app),” Judon said. “I don’t remember it off the top of my head. … It’s in my Notes, though. If I had my phone, I’d show y’all, but I don’t.”

The good news for the Patriots is that Judon is back on the field after last week’s turbulence. But Judon made it known that he’s still unhappy with his current situation, and that his attendance is more predicated on avoiding fines.

“I gotta play,” Judon said. “I didn’t say nothing about practice. I gotta go out there and play. I gotta play the game, I gotta do what I’m contracted and obligated to do so I don’t lose no money.”

The Patriots will play their first preseason game this Thursday against the Carolina Panthers, and the regular season is just over a month away. Until then, Judon is doing his best to separate his on-field duties from his off-field drama.

“I told y’all, there’s football, and then there’s the football business. They’re two different things,” Judon said. “I love football, I love my teammates. I don’t like the business of football.”

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No arrests directly connected to the shooting of the woman, identified Monday as 24-year-old Zharia Wilcox-Ellis, on Friday night have yet been announced, but Waltham police and the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office said Monday that the investigation remained active.

Wilcox-Ellis’ partner, Melanie Williams, was in court Monday afternoon to face the charge she was arrested on, assault and battery on a household or family member, authorities said. The 30-year-old lives at the apartment building, the Wright Apartments on Second Avenue, near where Wilcox-Ellis was found shot.

Williams was seen on video hitting Wilcox-Ellis outside the building during a fight shortly before the shooting, authorities said. The alleged assailant and victim were formerly partners, prosecutors said in court.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.

A not guilty plea was entered on Williams’ behalf in court on Monday.

“The video clearly captures this defendant strike Ms. Wilcox in the head and you can see Ms. Wilcox respond,” a prosecutor said in Waltham District Court, adding that Wilcox-Ellis was already visibly bleeding before being struck and that, afterward, the people on the video walk off-camera.

Investigators asked that anyone who saw anything unusual near the apartment building late Friday call police at 781-314-3550.

There was a heavy police presence well into the day Saturday outside the Wright Apartments.

People living in the area said it was the last place they would expect to see gun violence.

“This incident is just crazy,” said Deedee Vestal whose boyfriend lives in the neighborhood. “What frame of mind is that person in to do this to someone? Take somebody’s life like that? What are you thinking? What are you thinking? Like… it’s just… I can’t. I can’t wrap my mind around it. I just can’t. I just think it’s awful.”

Vestal says investigators were asking residents coming and going from the building if they know anything or saw anything. She says there are a lot of stories going around but mostly a lot of unanswered questions.

“There’s families living in this building you know what I mean? So they’re all like kind of freaked out,” she said.

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This unit tied for last place with 13.9 points scored per game in 2023. But after making lots of changes to both the roster and coaching staff on that side of the ball, there are some reasons for optimism that progress will be made.

There are fewer question marks on defense. Last year’s group played really well. The margin for error was super slim given the offense’s struggles, but the defense put the Patriots in a position to win a bunch of games (eight losses by one score)

If the Patriots are going to beat their win total from last season (they went 4-13), the defense will need to carry them again. For that to happen, Christian Gonzalez has to step up and become a legitimate shutdown cornerback.

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The 2023 first-round pick had his rookie campaign cut short due to injury and played in just four games. But he did show flashes of impressive play, so much so that teammate Jonathan Jones recently compared the University of Oregon product to Patriots great Stephon Gilmore.

Gilmore likes a lot of what he sees in Gonzalez’s on-field abilities and quiet personality.

“It’s (Gonzalez’s) demeanor and how he carries himself on the field — he doesn’t say much but he’s a team player,” Gilmore recently told ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “One thing I know he can do is really cover man to man and shut guys down. That’s one thing I definitely like about him.

“Obviously, I watched him when he got drafted, I knew the Patriots needed a corner, and I was happy they got him. I texted (cornerbacks coach) Mike Pellegrino and said, ‘He’s going to be good.'”

Gilmore also added: “I tell him all the time, ‘I wish I would have known what I know now in Year 5 or 4.’ But if I can teach a guy like him, in his second year, the sky is the limit for him. I see a lot of myself in him. The thing about playing corner is the mind game. If you get the mind right, I think he has all the ability to be whatever he wants to be.”

Gonzalez tallied 17 tackles, one sack, three pass deflections and one interception in four games as a rookie. He did a good job defending upper-tier wideouts such as Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Garrett Wilson and DeVonta Smith.

Many of the best Patriots teams in recent memory featured a dominant cornerback — someone who could take away the opposing team’s best threat in the passing attack. Ty Law, Asante Samuel, Stephon Gilmore and Darrelle Revis are just a few examples.

Gonzalez has a ways to go before joining that group, but there’s no doubt he has the talent to be a top player at his position. Staying healthy will be key.

But make no mistake: The upcoming three weeks for the Red Sox is a crucial period for their playoff chances.

This difficult stretch in the schedule begins Monday night with a pivotal three-game series versus the Royals in Kansas City. The Royals lead the Red Sox by 2.5 games in the race for the third and final wild card playoff spot in the American League.

After the Royals series, the Red Sox return to Fenway Park for three games against the Houston Astros. The Astros are just 2.5 games behind the Red Sox in the wild card chase and only a game behind the Seattle Mariners in the American League West race.

After three games with the Texas Rangers, the Red Sox go back on the road for four games against the American League East-leading Baltimore Orioles and three more at the Astros.

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In total, that’s three games versus the Royals, four against the Orioles and six versus the Astros — all very good teams with something significant to play for.

This upcoming stretch is one reason why the Red Sox have the 10th-toughest remaining schedule in the majors, per Tankathon. Boston’s remaining opponents have a combined .508 win percentage.

August has been a tough month for the Red Sox in recent years. Reversing this trend will be crucial to their hopes of advancing to the postseason.

Here's a look at where the Red Sox sit in the wild card standings, plus their odds of reaching the playoffs as calculated by Fangraphs, entering Monday's action:

What's the key to the Red Sox not only surviving this stretch but actually making up ground on the teams ahead of them in the standings?

Pitching.

The Red Sox rank second-worst in the AL in ERA, hits allowed and batting average against since the All-Star break last month. They also rank 11th among AL teams in strikeouts and have allowed the fifth-most walks during that span.

The Red Sox' offense should continue to produce. The lineup is very deep and has few weaknesses. Pitching is likely what will make or break this team's chances of reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2021. And Red Sox pitchers will face plenty of quality hitters over the next three weeks.

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The Golden State Warriors star took time on his podcast, The Draymond Green Show, on Saturday to discuss Tatum shockingly not seeing the floor in Team USA’s group-play win over Serbia last Sunday and didn’t hold back on Kerr and the American coaching staff.

“You don’t not play Jayson Tatum,” Green said. “That man just won an NBA championship, cover of NBA 2K, cover of Sports Illustrated, just signed the biggest contract in NBA history, oh and by the way, your reward is sit down and don’t play in the first Olympic game.”

Green, who was on Team USA’s squad 2020 Tokyo Olympics, noted that Tatum played an integral role in that group winning gold, and that many expected Tatum to take the torch from Kevin Durant as a team leader. So, even though Tatum wasn’t at his best during Team USA’s exhibition games leading up to the 2024 Olympics, Green still believes Kerr made a mistake by benching Tatum against Serbia, which has had a ripple effect on his roster decisions since.

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“Not playing (Tatum) was wrong,” Green added. “We all know it was wrong. He should’ve played. He didn’t. But he should have. So, it was wrong, and we know that.

“What I don’t like about it is, now to me it feels like a, ‘Covering my tracks, proving a point’ type of thing to where, oh now Joel (Embiid) is out of the lineup (Wednesday against South Sudan). And then Jrue (Holiday) didn’t play (Saturday against Puerto Rico).

“… From the outside looking in, it comes off as, ‘We made a mistake as a coaching staff.'”

Kerr admitted he “felt like an idiot” not playing Tatum against Serbia but added he went with the lineup combinations that made sense, noting that players would have to make sacrifices on such a talent-laden roster.

We certainly don’t expect Kerr to deploy a 12-man rotation every game, so there could be more DNPs in the knockout rounds. Still, it’s a bit puzzling that Tatum — a versatile two-way wing who can guard multiple positions on defense and create mismatches on offense — would be the odd man out.

Tatum has started the last two games for Team USA and recorded a double-double against Puerto Rico on Saturday, so his benching might be water under the bridge. But as Green rightly pointed out, Kerr put an unnecessary spotlight on his roster decisions by not playing Tatum of the gate.

Team USA’s next game is a quarterfinal matchup with Brazil on Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET.

Severe thunderstorm warnings were in effect in parts of Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine Monday, but have since expired. For a full list of severe weather alerts, click here.

Meanwhile, Debby made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane around 7 a.m. Monday along the Florida Big Bend, almost one year after Idalia made landfall there as a Category 3 (Aug. 30, 2023). Rainfall totals have exceeded a foot in some areas around Tampa Bay and Sarasota, Florida, with lots of flooding ongoing. Spin up tornadoes are also a concern, as well as more heavy rain and storm surge from Florida to the Carolinas. 

The storm is expected to slowly head into Georgia or South Carolina and stall or meander around there through the end of the week.  

Severe thunderstorms possible in Massachusetts

On Monday, a cold front slowly sinks southeast across northern New England and will bring scattered severe storms, with lightning and heavy rainfall. The rain should stay north of the Mass. Pike through Monday night. 

Any severe storm could produce damaging wind or hail. The rain threat is most concerning, though, with 0.5-1.5 inches of rain possible. Southern New England remains mostly dry, hot and muggy with highs in the low 90s. And the sky remains hazy with wildfire smoke. Once again this creates poorer air quality until Tuesday. 

The cold front seems to sink offshore to our south, but it’s close enough that we keep some showers around Tuesday and into Wednesday. Highs cool to the 70s, with lowering humidity through midweek. 

Thursday will be dry, with highs in the low 80s and comfy air. 

When will Debby impact Massachusetts?

By Friday, Debby should start to move into the mid-Atlantic, and will at least enhance our rainfall Friday through Sunday. With that, we may see 2-6 inches of rain. However, we are still uncertain on how strong Debby’s remnants will be by this time and the exact track. Stay tuned!

Big Lots indicates on its website it will close locations in Ashland, Dennis, Northampton, Seekonk and West Springfield. Those are among what’s widely reported as nearly 300 store closures across the country, coming as the Ohio-based company’s sales have fallen.

More on this story from Boston Business Journal