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‘Embarrassing’ Red Line safety breakdown in Ashmont Tunnel, emails say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:33 GMT

MBTA safety officials were not immediately notified of a decision to shut down a work site Saturday inside the Red Line’s Ashmont Tunnel because of air quality concerns, a situation that one employee described as “embarrassing,” according to internal emails obtained by the Herald.The work stoppage at the Ashmont Tunnel comes only days into a two-week partial shutdown of the Red Line for crews to make track repairs to eliminate slow zones. But a string of Sunday emails sent between MTBA safety officials shows the project is already running into potential communication issues.In one email, MBTA Safety Engineering Deputy Director John Murray said he attends two update calls every day that require him to raise and report any issues or concerns the agency’s safety department may have with the Red Line project.He said he learned of the Ashmont Tunnel situation on a 7 a.m. call Sunday, according to the email.“There was an incident last night in the Ashmont Tunnel where a decision was made ...

Patriots sign OL Conor McDermott to practice squad

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:33 GMT

The Patriots bolstered their offensive line depth by signing Conor McDermott to the practice squad, the team announced Tuesday.Originally a sixth-round pick by New England in the 2017 NFL Draft, the seven-year veteran spent training camp with the Patriots this summer before being placed on injured reserve on Aug. 29. McDermott was later released from injured reserve with an injury settlement after the final roster cuts.McDermott was spotted at Patriots practice Tuesday afternoon wearing No. 75.A former UCLA standout, the 30-year-old McDermott has played 49 career NFL games with 12 starts, including two at right guard, two at left tackle, seven at right tackle and one at tackle-eligible tight end. He was waived out of training camp as a rookie and subsequently played parts of three seasons with the Buffalo Bills (2017-19) and New York Jets (2019-22) before signing with New England again last fall off the Jets practice squad. He played six games with the Patriots last fall from Novemb...

Baltimore medical waste incinerator to pay one of largest environmental fines in Maryland history

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:33 GMT

Christine Condon | Baltimore SunA medical waste incineration company has agreed to pay one of the largest fines in an environmental criminal case in Maryland’s history after state investigators found that its South Baltimore facility was inadequately burning contaminated refuse from hospitals and other medical facilities, state officials said Tuesday.In a guilty plea signed this August, Curtis Bay Energy agreed to pay the state a $1 million penalty, in addition to $750,000 for environmental projects for the surrounding community, to be distributed to local organizations by the Chesapeake Bay Trust.The company, which came under new ownership in 2021 — following Maryland’s investigation — owns medical waste incinerators along the East Coast. At issue was its facility in Hawkins Point neighborhood, an industrial area that includes a city landfill, located across Curtis Creek from the residential neighborhoods of Curtis Bay.It pleaded guilty to 40 counts in violation of its refuse dispo...

Jim Jordan loses first bid for Speaker on House floor; vote pushed to Wednesday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:33 GMT

NEXSTAR (The Hill) — Rep. Jim Jordan and his allies took Tuesday afternoon to regroup after a vote in the House earlier in the day had 20 Republicans come out against his bid to become Speaker.Jordan (R-Ohio) secured 200 of the necessary 217 votes, while Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) got the full backing of Democratic members, with 212 votes. Holdouts could blunt Jordan’s momentum as House braces for Speaker floor vote The House has been in recess since the vote ended, just before 2 p.m., and a second vote is now expected at 11 a.m. Wednesday.Jordan had gained some major momentum, picking up endorsements from key players who had initially said they would not vote for him. But during Tuesday’s midday vote, 20 Republicans cast votes for other members.See live updates below from The Hill.

Exonerated man looked forward to college after prison. A deputy killed him during a traffic stop

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:33 GMT

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Leonard Cure tried to make up for the 16 years he lost imprisoned in Florida after being wrongfully convicted of armed robbery in 2004. Since being freed three years ago, he gave inspirational talks to high school students, worked a security job and, at age 53, was considering college after buying a home.Then a Georgia sheriff’s deputy pulled Cure over Monday along Interstate 95, just north of the Florida line. Authorities say Cure had been speeding at more than 90 mph (145 kph), and faced arrest for reckless driving. Instead of going to jail, he ended up dead.The Black man was compliant until he was told he was under arrest, according to a Georgia Bureau of Investigation statement. Citing preliminary information, the GBI said the deputy tased Cure after he didn’t obey the officer’s commands, Cure assaulted the deputy, and the deputy then used the Taser a second time, along with a baton, before pulling out his gun and shooting him.Video recorde...

What’s changed – and what hasn’t – a year after Mississippi capital’s water crisis?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:33 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Water is flowing again to nearly all of Mississippi’s capital city. It’s a stark contrast from a year ago, when Jackson’s 150,000 residents could never be sure what, if anything, would flow from their taps when they needed a drink, a shower or to flush the toilet. The majority-Black city also faced occasional warnings that their water could be contaminated and needed to be boiled, and people had to wait in line to get fresh water. The turnaround has been shepherded by Ted Henifin, a seasoned utility manager appointed last year as interim head of the long-troubled water system. He’s faced pushback from some residents over lingering water quality concerns, legal hurdles to his plan to ensure low income people don’t pay more for water, and has expanded his purview to include fixing the sewer system.In an interview with The Associated Press last week, he offered an insider’s look at the latest chapter in a saga that blends elements of racial disparity, crumbl...

House fire reported in Hawthorn Woods

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:33 GMT

CHICAGO -- Emergency crews are working to contain a house fire in Hawthorn Woods Tuesday evening.According to reports, a house fire broke out on the 10 block of Robin Crest Road in Hawthorn Woods on Tuesday. Emergency crews respond to home explosion in DeKalb County SkyCam9 was over the scene just before 4:30 p.m. to find the house completely engulfed in flames.No further information has been provided at this time.Stay with WGN-TV as this story develops.

Opinion: Loss to Vikings, Justin Fields injury return Bears to regularly scheduled programming

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:33 GMT

“Here's the thing: Life is an endless series of train-wrecks with only brief, commercial-like breaks of happiness. This had been the ultimate commercial break, which meant it was time to return to our regularly scheduled program.” Last Week: The time is now to trade Justin Fields When it rains, it pours, and in a season where it’s rained pain and poured misery for fans of the Chicago Bears for nearly six straight weeks, there’s no better place to look for a momentary respite from the gloom and doom than the slapstick, nihilistic ramblings of one of the world’s most recognizable anti-heroes — Deadpool.The quote from the 2016 blockbuster action film suits the Bears season thus far almost to a T.The backstory to Deadpool, aka Wade Wilson, is rife with pain and misery — living life as a mercenary, constantly around death and destruction, all the while dealing with an ongoing battle with cancer.While death, destruction and cancer haven’t been in the literal cards for the Bears, the tea...

3 Cubs' Days in October: What the 2003 Cubs' collapse means now

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:33 GMT

CHICAGO — There is one game, and specifically one inning, that Cubs fans associate with arguably the darkest and most painful moment in the history of Wrigley Field. Yet it's really an experience of three days for Cubs' fans that tell the tale the story of arguably the most epic collapse in the team's rough pre-2016 history. Up 3-1 in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series against the Marlins, the Cubs dropped Game 5 in Miami Gardens then suffered defeat in Games 6 & 7 at Wrigley Field. It denied them a shot to end a then 58-year pennant and 95-year World Series drought, with the last two contests adding to the jinxed history of the franchise that permeated until the 2016 title.But now that "Curse of the Billy Goat" has been exercised, how is this moment viewed on its 20th anniversary? That's something WGN News Now is reflecting on after not just the anniversary of Game 6, known dubiously as the "Steve Bartman Game," but also the following game along with the afte...

'A breaking point': Republicans still attempting to elect new Speaker of the House

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:33 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) -- After ousting Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House, Republicans are attempting to elect a new speaker.However, it has been a rocky process. Jim Jordan, the Republican nominee for Speaker of the House, did not get enough votes on the first ballot to clench the speakership, receiving fewer votes than Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries.Democrats, such as California's Pete Aguilar, slammed Republicans for removing McCarthy as Speaker of the House with no clear plan for how to replace him."We are here because this hallowed chamber has been led to a breaking point by two dangerous forces extremism and partisanship," he said.Democrats also said it isn't their job to bail out Republicans, especially because Republicans can't agree on supporting their nominee."This is a Republican caucus problem, caused by the Republican caucus," said Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.).Republicans expected a difficult process with more than one round of voting, but many in the party said ...