Good morning and a warm welcome to your show,
Sunny Mornings in Boston. I'm your host, Melissa,
and it's Thursday, December 18th. You'll be interested
to know. 69 years ago, today, in 1956, the United
Nations admitted Japan to full membership, restoring
Tokyo's standing in the global community after
a difficult postwar recovery. This milestone
marked a major step in reintegration, signaling
international recognition of Japan's sovereignty
and opening avenues for diplomatic collaboration
and economic rebuilding. So now you know. And
now, it's time for the weather report. This morning
it's sunny and it feels like 34 degrees, with
2 mile per hour wind. The sunset will take place
at 413, and it will rise again tomorrow at 707.
It looks like we're in for a sunny day with a
high near 49 and a light south wind around 5.
Tonight, expect patchy fog early with a slight
chance of rain, mostly cloudy skies and a low
of 40, while winds pick up to around 10 with
gusts up to 32. For all you beach runners out
there, The first high tide Thursday will be just
before 10, with a low tide at 415. The nearshore
buoy at Cape Cod Bay reads 44 degrees for the
water temperature. Looking ahead in the weather,
Friday will be cloudy with rain likely and highs
near 59, with a southwest wind of about 15 to
20 miles per hour and gusts as high as 45. producing
up to about one inch of rain. Friday night into
Saturday brings breezy conditions with a chance
of showers early, lows falling to the upper 20s.
Then Saturday will be mostly sunny, with highs
near 40 and lighter west winds gusting into the
mid -20s. Bonjour, food enthusiasts! This podcast
is brought to you by Versailles Café and Pastries
in Encinitas. Nestled on El Camino Real South,
just north of Encinitas Boulevard, this cafe
is a haven for culinary delights. Indulge in
their amazing Eggs Benedict or their gluten -free
crepes. You can grab a panini for lunch or just
breeze on through to get your morning coffee.
They are open every day from 8 to 5. So stop
on by and don't forget to tell them. Sunny mornings
send you. In local news, Boston convenience store
owners are facing federal charges in connection
with a scheme involving more than $7 million
in fraudulent Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program benefits. Solalism, owner of the Solmacho
Store, and Antonio Bontor, owner of the Gizola
Variety Store, are accused of exchanging SNAP
benefits for cash. U .S. Attorney for Massachusetts,
Leah Foley. stated that the businesses operated
from a shared storefront in Mattapan and redeemed
far more SNAP benefits than their inventory supported.
Investigators found financial records lacking
legitimate grocery operations, instead showing
cash transactions used to launder SNAP benefits.
Fully emphasized that these men abused taxpayer
money meant to prevent hunger. Now on to sports.
The Bears are exploring moving out of Chicago
and into Indiana. The team has been in Chicago
for more than 100 years, having moved to the
city in 1921 from Decatur, Illinois. Bears president
Kevin Warren announced the team's latest stadium
plans, stating the need to evaluate opportunities
throughout the wider Chicagoland region, including
northwest Indiana. Warren emphasized that this
is not about leverage and that the team is committed
to Chicago. The Bears face obstacles in their
search for a new stadium, but moving to Indiana
is now Plan C. Houting a team play in a state
outside of its city is rare, but not unprecedented.
Looking at tonight, Sam Darnold was far from
his best when he faced the Seattle Seahawks,
and he knows he must perform better after tossing
four interceptions against the Los Angeles Rams
on November 16th. Darnold's rematch with the
Rams carries significant implications for the
NFC West title, as both teams are tied atop the
division. Darnold stated, we are excited about
this challenge, acknowledging his previous performance.
The Rams defense ranks 13th in the NFL, creating
issues for Darnold while the Seahawks offense
has struggled to score early. Rams coach Sean
McFay remarked, there is no weakness, highlighting
both teams' strengths. If Devonte Adams is out,
the Rams will miss their leading receiver. Kickoff
is at 8 .15 Eastern, tonight on Amazon Prime
Video. In local sports, the Bruins will host
the Edmonton Oilers tonight at 7. This matchup
comes after Morgan GK's impressive two -goal
game helped the Bruins secure a 4 -1 victory
against the Utah Mammoth. Boston boasts a 12
-win and five -loss record at home, and 20 wins
and 14 losses overall. In contrast, Edmonton
holds an 8 -wins, 9 -losses, and 3 -overtime
losses record on the road, with 16 wins, 12 losses,
and 6 -overtime losses overall. This will be
the first meeting between these teams this season.
In top news, yesterday, a United States judge
indicated she would block President Donald Trump's
administration from laying off hundreds of federal
employees, citing a shutdown law. The U .S. District
Judge, Susan Elston, stated that layoffs at four
agencies were likely invalid under a law passed
under recent government shutdown. She intends
to block the U .S. State Department and Education
Department from laying off about 250 and 150
employees respectively. The judge plans to reinstate
roughly 300 employees who lost their jobs during
the shutdown. Elston's ruling has been praised
by unions involved in the case. In business news,
Walmart has maintained its stance on avoiding
near -field communication -based payments, such
as Apple Pay and Google Pay. Other major retailers
have increasingly accepted this technology as
the norm. Walmart offers its own contactless
payment options, which provide key advantages.
The retail giant strategy has confused customers
over the years, as many expect to pay using their
phones. Analysts suggest that while accepting
tap -to -pay does not incur extra fees, upgrading
payment hardware can be costly. Walmart's preference
for its own payment tools allows it to collect
valuable customer data. For now, the company
seems to be doing just fine by bucking the trend.
In crypto movement, Bitcoin is down 1 % to about
$87 ,000. Ethereum is down 4%. to just over $2
,800. And XRP is down 3 % to $1 .85. Moving on
to a more local vibe. In our community spotlight
on health and wellness, we are working with a
national Pilates studio to bring you some free
classes, so listen up. Check out Club Pilates
with several locations in the Boston area. Pilates
presents a comprehensive wellness approach. cultivating
strength, reducing tension, and elevating mental
well -being. Scientific research affirms its
benefits. So now you can check out Club Pilates
for a free class. With locations in Canton, Wellesley,
Hingham, Brookline, and Framingham, just be sure
to tell them Sunny Morning sent you by. And now,
back to the show. Let's talk tech. The TikTok
ban was set for December 16, but it did not happen,
and here is why. President Donald Trump has postponed
the ban on TikTok five times this year. The deadline
was extended after concerns regarding the app's
Chinese ownership. Chinese tech company ByteDance
owns TikTok, and in 2024, President Joe Biden
signed a law requiring its sale due to national
security concerns. The band date was nullified
on September 25th, extending the prohibition
to January 23rd, 2026. Messages from Washington
continue to label TikTok as a privacy threat,
with the band now anticipated for January. And
in entertainment news, the Rolling Stones have
called off plans for a 2026 stadium tour of the
United Kingdom and Europe. A source close to
the band confirms to Variety, following reports
that guitarist Keith Richards was unable to commit
to it. While the band's touring pianist and a
spokesperson mentioned they nearly completed
a new album, Richards, who turns 82, is unable
to handle the rakers of another tour. The band
plans to return to the stage when they are ready.
Well, alrighty folks, it's time for the quote
of the day. And today, our quote comes from the
American historian and author, Henry Steele Comaker.
And he said, And that's a wrap for this morning.
You can check out our Instagram, YouTube, and
TikTok for some captivating aerial videos with
local news and the weather reports. Had an amazing
day, my good friends. We'll see you tomorrow
with another episode of Sunny Mornings in Boston.