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MBTA makes progress on lifting Blue Line speed restrictions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:23 GMT

The MBTA is slowly making progress on lifting speed restrictions on the Blue Line, but has not made much headway on speeding up the rest of the subway system.As of Saturday, 56% of the Blue Line was speed-restricted, representing an improvement over the 77% rate from the previous week. Seventeen slow zones are in place, covering 6.9 miles of track, which amounts to roughly three fewer restricted miles than before, MBTA data show.Despite the progress, the Blue Line still remains the most speed-restricted line, in terms of the percentage of track impacted, a vast difference from February, when there were only two restrictions in place, covering 1,046 feet of track.“MBTA crews have been working throughout the rapid transit system in recent weeks, including four nights of track improvement work this week on the Orange Line north of North Station,” an MBTA spokesperson said.“While the MBTA is pleased to have reduced the percentage of Blue Line track with speed restrictions, the T is also...

Massachusetts households set to receive state-funded SNAP supplements this week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:23 GMT

More than half of a million Massachusetts households are set to receive state-funded supplements for food assistance on Friday, the first of three allotments over the next couple of months.The state benefits, expected to be received by more than 630,000 residents, come after Gov. Maura Healey signed her $388.7 million supplemental budget earlier this week. The second and third allotments are scheduled to be delivered May 2 and June 2.Healey and state food providers are calling the $130 million in benefits an “offramp” from the extra money residents had been receiving during the pandemic via the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.The COVID-era subsidies resulted in an average bump of $151 to a participating household’s normal monthly benefit of $335, according to the state Department of Transitional Assistance.Congress late last year disconnected the SNAP program from other pandemic relief plans, and February was the last month families received the extra federal money...

‘It’s not a race:’ Magic make case for Paolo Banchero to win Rookie of the Year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:23 GMT

Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley isn’t on social media and limits his exposure to external narratives.With that, he said he wasn’t aware that some prominent media members, including former Magic player and 15-year NBA vet JJ Redick, were making arguments that Oklahoma City Thunder wing Jalen Williams was making a push for the Rookie of the Year award.So when this was brought to Mosley’s attention, he was — respectfully — surprised.And had no problem making his case for Magic forward Paolo Banchero, who has been significantly favored to win the award for most of the season.“With all due respect, it’s not a race in my opinion,” Mosley told the Orlando Sentinel ahead of Friday’s 116-109 road win over the Washington Wizards. “[Banchero] has impacted winning. His ability to help us get to the free throw line [is] huge. Our paint touches have been huge. We talked about the tough month he had shooting — his ability to bounc...

Fairhaven officials threaten to cut recently hired firefighters, fire union says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:23 GMT

Fire union leaders across Massachusetts are raising the alarm over what they say is a reluctance from municipal officials to adequately fund their departments, risking the safety of firefighters and the communities they serve.Smoke is building in Fairhaven as the fire union in the small South Coast town claims leaders there are threatening to lay off two recently hired firefighters if an upcoming proposition 2.5 override fails.Residents will be asked to vote on a budget that includes funding for the addition of four firefighters to an understaffed fire department, but union President Kevin Gonsalves told the Herald there’s more behind the request than the community knows.Gonsalves and other union representatives, in a release last week, said town officials agreed in January to the hiring of four additional firefighters, without raising concerns about funding.The four selected candidates have accepted the jobs and are in the process of being onboarded, Gonsalves said. Two of the posi...

Arizona governor must appear in court on pause of executions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:23 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has been ordered to appear in court Thursday in her efforts to halt pending executions.Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Frank Moskowitz said late Friday that Hobbs and Ryan Thornell, the state’s prison director, must show up to explain why the court shouldn’t issue an order against them on the grounds they are violating the constitutional rights of victims entitled to prompt justice.The afternoon court appearance is scheduled the same day convicted murderer Aaron Gunches had been set to die. The Arizona Supreme Court in recent days concluded state law didn’t require Hobbs to proceed with the planned execution, even though it wasn’t officially called off. An email requesting a response from the governor’s office was not immediately answered.At the same time, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel H. Mitchell has asked the court to extend the execution warrant for Gunches by 25 days. Gunches had been set to die by leth...

Arizona man convicted of killing 4 people in Minnesota

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:23 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A man has been convicted of killing four people in Minnesota and then leaving their bodies in an abandoned SUV in a Wisconsin cornfield.Antoine Suggs, 39, of Scottsdale, Arizona, was found guilty Friday of four counts of second-degree murder in the September 2021 deaths of Nitosha Flug-Presley of Stillwater, 30; Jasmine C. Sturm, 30; Matthew Pettus, 26; and Loyace Foreman III, 35, all of St. Paul.He will be sentenced on May 15. Suggs testified that he shot the four in self-defense because he thought they were going to rob him, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported. Prosecutors said his motive remains unclear but that Suggs meant to kill the victims after a night of drinking in St. Paul.Suggs’ father, Darren McWright, who also goes by the last name Osborne, was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to helping his son hide the victims’ bodies.The Associated Press

Police begin identifying victims pulled from waters near Akwesasne

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:23 GMT

Two 28-year-olds and two children who were Canadian citizens were among the eight migrants who lost their lives and were pulled from the St. Lawrence River earlier this week.The Akwesasne Mohawk Police, in an update Saturday evening, said the circumstances surrounding their deaths continue to be investigated.The bodies of five adults and one child were found in a marshy area on Thursday. The bodies of a second child and an adult woman were recovered on Friday. The victims are believed to be of Romanian and Indian descent.Police have identified one of the victims as 28-year-old Florin Iordache. Investigators say he had two Canadian passports in his possession – one for a two-year-old and another for a one-year-old. Both children were among the victims.A second adult victim was also identified: 28-year-old Cristina (Monalisa) Zenaida Iordache.Police say the remaining four adult victims are Indian Nationals whose identities have not yet been confirmed, and next of kin have not yet been...

4 tornadoes touchdown in Northern Illinois, NWS confirms

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:23 GMT

CHICAGO — NWS Chicago has confirmed four tornadoes in Northern Illinois including one in Belvidere where a roof collapse at the Apollo Theater left one person dead. According to the NWS, one was reported west/southwest of Baileyville and one was reported near Caledonia.On Saturday afternoon, the National Weather Service confirmed a third tornado, an EF-1, impacted Machesney Park. The fourth tornado was an EF-1 tornado that went across portions of Ogle, Winnebago and Boone counties. The NWS said wind speeds peaked in Belvidere and caused the roof to collapse. 1 dead, 28 injured after roof collapses at Belvidere theater amid strong storms 57 tornadoes and even more funnel clouds reported across 7 states in the Midwest and South. The National Weather Service said information about the path length and width and a map would be released in the coming days. Possible tornadoes leave extensive damage in Northern Illinois, Northwest Indiana National Weather Service investigators will be l...

Golden Girls fans return to Chicago for second annual convention

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:23 GMT

CHICAGO — Golden Girls fans from around the world are gathering in River North this weekend for the second annual Golden Con.It's complete with guest speakers, performances, cheesecake and all things Golden Girls. Brookfield Zoo welcomes new baby monkeys It's taking place at the Sheraton Downtown.The girls of the popular 1980s sitcom are being honored at the event with more than a thousand people attending. "From as far away as Australia, Mexico, Ireland, anywhere they show the Golden Girls, there's fans," co-creator Zack Hudson said. ‘Golden Girls’ shows little age at inaugural fan convention at Navy Pier Hudson is one of the co-creators along with Brandon Balof."Just to see that it transcends time and is something that's classic," Balof said. From Golden Girls Kitsch to the kitchen, there is something for every fan. "I'm a pop artist and my friend was like 'You really should do the Golden Girls, your art work would care to that and this audience would love your work,'" Zak Bl...

Illinois café rescued from closure after harassment over drag show

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:23 GMT

LAKE IN THE HILLS, Ill. (WGN-TV) — A suburban Illinois bakery that had planned to close its doors after targeted harassment says it will remain open for now.UpRising Bakery and Café in Lake in the Hills says customers have made it clear they want the business to keep going. The bakery's planned closure was due to attacks of vandalism and threats it received in response to a planned family-friendly drag brunch last summer. Member of pro-Nazi group arrested for allegedly firebombing church planning drag event “The doors and windows were destroyed, the glass was shattered, and messages of hate were painted on the building,” UpRising owner Corinna Sac, said in a press release posted to Facebook. Sac explains that the accused perpetrator, 24-year-old Joseph I. Collins, is a member of the Proud Boys.Collins was charged with felony criminal damage to property and felony hate crimes, as reported by Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, VICE, and other outlets. As a result of the damage offi...