Good morning and a warm welcome to your show,
Sunny Mornings in Boston. I'm your host, Melissa,
and it's Monday, December 29th. You'll be interested
to know. 180 years ago, today in 1845, Texas
joined the United States through a formal annexation
that brought its republic into the Union after
years of independent nation building. That milestone
expanded American territory, opened new economic
opportunities, and shaped the nation's growth
and political landscape as it absorbed a proud
frontier community. So now you know. And now,
it's time for the weather report. This morning,
light rain is likely, and it feels like 35 degrees,
with 7 mile per hour wind. The sunset will take
place at 4 .19, and it will rise again tomorrow
at 7 .11. It looks like we're in for some rain
and patchy fog early today, with cloudy skies
and a high near 50, accompanied by a gentle south
wind at 7 to 13 mile per hour, gusting up to
23 mile per hour. Tonight, expect a slight chance
of rain showers before 7 p .m., turning partly
cloudy. with a low around 24 and a brisk west
wind at 14 to 20 mile per hour, gusting as high
as 33 mile per hour. For all you beach runners
out there, the first low tide Monday will be
at 1215 with a high tide at 615. The nearshore
gooey at Cape Cod Bay reads 42 degrees for the
water temperature. Looking ahead in the weather,
Tuesday will be partly sunny with a high near
28 and a west wind of 15 to 21 miles per hour,
gusting as high as 36. Wednesday turns mostly
cloudy with highs near 35 and breezy gusts into
the mid -20s. The New Year's Day will be mostly
sunny with a high near 27 and only light west
winds. Bonjour, food enthusiasts! This podcast
is brought to you by Versailles Cafe 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, the Massachusetts Parole
Board is facing backlash after releasing 39 convicted
murderers who recently became eligible for parole
following a January 2024 court ruling. The Supreme
Judicial Court decided that adults convicted
of crimes while under 21 cannot receive life
sentences without parole. Citing scientific evidence
and legal standards, the justices noted that
emerging adults lack fully developed brains and
cannot perform adult responsibilities, like carrying
firearms or buying alcohol. Local district attorneys
have expressed concerns, stating the release
may disregard the suffering of victims' families.
and could impact public safety. The board has
denied parole to 12 inmates and has many more
decisions pending. Now on to sports. The San
Francisco 49ers held on to beat the Chicago Bears
42 to 38 in a thrilling game on Sunday Night
Football. The Bears had a chance to win the game
on the final play from the two -yard line, but
Caleb Williams' throw into the end zone fell
incomplete. Brock Purdy had another massive game,
throwing for 303 yards and accounting for five
total touchdowns, while Christian McCaffrey recorded
181 scrimmage yards and added a touchdown. Williams
was impressive in the loss. throwing for 330
yards and two touchdowns. The 49ers remain in
a wild card spot in the standings, but can claim
the NFC West title and the number one overall
seed in the conference with a win at home against
the Seattle Seahawks next week. Chicago's loss
eliminates it from contention for the number
one seed, locking the Bears into either the number
two or three seed. In local sports, The New England
Patriots are back atop the AFC East for the first
time since 2019, clinching their first divisional
crown since the Tom Brady era with a dominant
42 -10 victory over the Jets. The Patriots, with
a record of 13 wins and 3 losses, secured their
position after the Bills fell to the Eagles,
leaving Buffalo at 11 wins and 5 losses. With
one regular season game remaining against the
Dolphins, the Pats aim for the number one seed
in the AFC while needing the Broncos to lose
to the Chargers. A win would grant New England
home field advantage in the playoffs, along with
a first round bye, crucial for a banged up roster.
In top news, a gastroenterologist says that a
popular food is wreaking havoc on your gut. Maintaining
a healthy gut is crucial for overall health and
avoiding gastrointestinal issues. Experts suggest
limiting highly processed and sugary drinks,
such as soda and energy drinks, as they damage
the gut lining. Pratima Diva MD explains that
this damage can lead to leaky gut, which is linked
to various health complications. Linovacavic
MS adds that such drinks promote harmful gut
bacteria. to protect gut health, limit candy,
baked goods, fruit juice, alcohol, spicy foods,
and excessive caffeine. In business news, the
FBI has deployed additional personnel and investigative
resources to Minnesota to dismantle large -scale
fraud schemes exploiting federal programs, Director
Kash Patel stated on social media. Patel noted
the agency already dismantled a $250 ,000 fraud
scheme that stole federal food aid meant for
vulnerable children during the COVID pandemic,
leading to 78 indictments and 57 convictions.
He believes this is just the tip of a very large
iceberg. Federal prosecutors estimate as much
as $9 billion has been stolen across schemes
linked to the state's Somalia population. Patel
is aware of a daycare center in Minneapolis that
received $4 million, despite reportedly having
no enrolled children. In crypto movement, Bitcoin
is unchanged over the weekend at $89 ,000. Ethereum
is up half a percent to just over $3 ,000. And
XRP is up 1 % to $1 .88. 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. China's rocket
startup, Lanspace, is aiming to become China's
equivalent of SpaceX. Recently, Landspace became
the first Chinese company to conduct a reusable
rocket test, raising eyebrows in the industry.
Despite the failure of the Zhuk -3 rocket test,
the initiative is invigorating China's space
sector, traditionally dominated by state -owned
entities. Landspace's focus on providing a low
-cost launch option is critical to China's plans
for building up 10 ,000 satellite constellations
in upcoming decades. As land space prepares for
another launch, it draws inspiration from SpaceX's
innovative approach to reusability and rapid
iteration. And in entertainment news, Jin's Cameron's
hi -fi three -kill avatar, Fire and Ash, comfortably
topped the domestic box office over the Christmas
stretch. The film added a solid $64 million over
the traditional weekend and $88 million since
Christmas. Avatar Fire and Ash has generated
$217 .7 million in North America and $760 million
worldwide after two weekends. A24's Marty Supreme
debuted with $17 .4 million over the weekend.
and $27 .1 million through the four -day holiday
frame. Disney's Zootopia 2 remains strong, outpacing
newcomers with $20 million over the weekend.
Well, all righty, folks, it's time for the quote
of the day. And today, our quote comes from the
American historian and author, Barbara Touchman.
And she said, Without books, history is silent,
literature dumb, science crippled, thought and
speculation at a standstill. 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.
Have an amazing day, my good friends. We'll see
you tomorrow with another episode of Sunny Mornings
in Boston.