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Battle over bags back on Beacon Hill

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:44 GMT

Time’s up for single-use plastics.Or at least that remains the hope of representatives from ten environmental organizations who gathered last  week on Beacon Hill to promote bills that would ban the distribution of plastic shopping bags at retail stores statewide.Sen. Becca Rausch and Rep. Mindy Domb stood with advocates outside the State House last week and said the state should follow the lead of many of cities and towns where single-use plastic bag bans or limitations have already been put into effect.“The fact that we haven’t done it has allowed 156 towns to take the lead,” Domb said. “We have to level the playing field across the state and have every town sort of be the same so that — stores and customers and municipalities — no one’s put at a disadvantage.”Supporters of the legislation imagined a future where Massachusetts leads the country in plastic waste reduction.“The Commonwealth is behind where it should and can...

Under review: Eng exploring delays, overruns on MBTA’s $1B fare system

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:44 GMT

It seems the MBTA’s new General Manager, Phil Eng, is still getting his feet underneath him in his somewhat unenviable role as the person responsible for fixing the state’s perennially problematic mass transit system.The former president of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Long Island Rail Road, who began his job as chief of the state’s beleaguered transportation network in March, was unable to explain why the MBTA hasn’t implemented a tap-and-go fare system used by many modern transportation agencies, despite an already existing but severely over cost five-year-old contract to do just that.As originally planned, the new technology was meant to go live in 2021, but in February the MBTA announced they did not expect to fully implement the nearly $1 billion automated fare collection system until 2024The upgrade, contracted out in 2018 to Boston AFC 2.0 OpCo LLC, a subsidiary of Cubic Transportation Systems, would replace the CharlieCard system installed in 2006 with a conta...

Journalism schools in Ontario adapting to the changing news industry amid layoffs, pressures

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:44 GMT

Journalism schools across Ontario say they are adapting their programs to better reflect changes in the industry, teaching students how to become storytellers not just in traditional newsrooms, but in other fields as well.It’s a shift media educators say will prepare graduates for careers that might have to withstand several shocks — a reality underscored as many journalism students received their diplomas this week while massive layoffs took place at Bell Media.“In the same week we have this joyous occasion of convocation, we have this job massacre at Bell Media, which is significant and not good,” Allan Thompson, journalism program head at Ottawa’s Carleton University, said in an interview.BCE Inc. said on Wednesday that it would be cutting 1,300 positions, closing two foreign bureaus and shutting or selling nine radio stations under the Bell Media banner. A staff memo said Bell Media was “moving to a single newsroom approach across brands,̶...

1 dead, 3 wounded after shots fired during fight inside garage in Austin

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:44 GMT

CHICAGO — One man is dead and three others are injured after shots were fired during a fight inside a garage early Saturday morning in Chicago's Austin neighborhood, according to police.Chicago Police Department officers were called just before 3 a.m. to the shooting in the 5400 block of West Crystal Street. Sheriff: 22 injured,1 dead in shooting at Juneteenth celebration in Willowbrook Township They found a 31-year-old man who was shot multiple times, according to police. He later died.Another man was shot in the ankle and taken to a hospital in good condition. Two other men took themselves to Stroger Hospital, police said. One man is in critical condition and one man is in fair condition.During the investigation, police learned there was a fight inside a garage when a man pulled out a gun, started shooting and left the area, according to police.No one has been arrested yet.The incident is still under investigation by Area Five detectives.

Abbott breaks personal veto record as property tax fight with Senate continues

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:44 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Abbott is closing out the 88th legislative session with a flurry of vetoes as his battle against the Senate and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick over property tax continues. Which bills made it to the governor’s desk? The Texas State Constitution grants the Governor 20 days after the end of a regular legislative session to veto bills passed by Congress. If not vetoed, those bills become laws.As of Sunday night, Abbott has vetoed 74 bills.According to the Texas Legislative Research Library, Abbott's previous personal record for most vetoes came in 2019 with 58 vetoes. But the statewide record is still held by former Gov. Rick Perry, who issued 83 vetoes during the 2001 legislative session. In fact, Perry vetoed 78 bills in a single day during that session.Which bills have been vetoed?Abbott vetoed two bills prior to the legislative session's end: SB 1615, which would have entered Texas into an interstate compact for cosmetology licensure, and HB 279, which he said was ...

Isolated storm threat as intense heat rolls on

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:44 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Happy Father's Day from the First Warning Weather team! Highs on Sunday were record-tying as we reached 106º at Austin's Camp-Mabry tying the previous record from this day in 2011. This also made it the hottest day of the year.HeatThe National Weather Service has extended its heat alerts to 9 p.m. Tuesday. The Excessive Heat Warning is for heat index readings up to 120°. The Heat Advisory for the Hill Country is for heat index readings up to 112°.Heat Alerts extended until Tuesday eveningHigh temperatures should peak Tuesday when we should get close to 106º again with oppressive humidity. A subtle temperature drop and slight humidity drop brings some relief later in the week.Highs this weekStormsIsolated severe storms remain possible this evening with large hail being our primary concern. Most of the area is at a 1 out of 5 severe weather risk as coverage will be limited. Severe weather risk Sunday evening CENTRAL TEXAS RAINFALL TOTALS Another low-end severe weath...

Designated hitter Byron Buxton gets a day off, sort of

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:44 GMT

Designated hitter Byron Buxton was not in the lineup on Sunday for the first time since being reinstated from the injured list last Thursday after dealing with bruised ribs. Buxton entered the game hitless in his last 20 at-bats and was hitting .206.“It’s a little bit of a day off, a little bit of a work day,” said Twins bench coach Jayce Tingler, who filled in for manager Rocco Baldelli at the pregame press gathering. “Coming off the IL he’s played three in a row, and coming back with a day game today we thought it would be a good day to have a little bit of a rest.”Tingler was asked if it can be frustrating from a coaching standpoint trying to find ways to help a player who is capable of doing more.“We’re certainly staying patient,” Tingler said. “It was something like 13 days down without seeing live pitching. I don’t think there is frustration, it’s more patience, knowing that it’s coming. He’s one of the most talented guys in the league.“What’s going to be great is when he gets...

Twins’ offensive struggles continue in 6-4 loss to Tigers

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:44 GMT

As the Twins continue to struggle offensively, manager Rocco Baldelli’s message to his hitters is to focus on what’s ahead. It’s a sound approach, especially when considering how ugly the past three months have been overall.The Twins found themselves in a 6-1 hole to the Detroit Tigers on Sunday afternoon at Target Field, and a late rally wasn’t enough to prevent them from dropping the third of four games against their AL Central rival, losing 6-4 before an announced crowd of 31,221.Once again, the Twins stand at .500 on the season (36-36).“You look at the four-game set: How many times did we make things happen?” Baldelli said. “How many times did we get something going and then push everyone across and maximize our opportunities? We didn’t really do that.“We have to have better at-bats. We have to hit more balls on the barrel. We didn’t have a good enough series offensively to say we should have won these games.”Understandably, the numbers are not pretty. Sunday’s lineup included f...

Driver arrested, accused of killing woman while performing donuts in Long Beach

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:44 GMT

A hit-and-run driver who allegedly struck and killed a woman while performing street stunts in Long Beach was arrested on Saturday.The suspect, Saul Alfas, 20, from Carson, walked into the lobby of Long Beach Police Headquarters and surrendered, authorities said.On Friday night, Alfas was performing donuts at the intersection of Willow Street and Caspian Avenue when he struck an oncoming vehicle.The crash caused the victim's car to lose control and smash into a tree in the center median, police said.The woman was ejected and killed at the scene. At the time, Alfas had driven away without rendering help or calling the authorities.The victim’s identity is being withheld pending an investigation by the L.A. County Coroner's Office.Alfas was booked on one felony count of vehicular manslaughter and one felony count of hit-and-run causing injury or death. He is being held on $50,000 bail.

Father’s Day in conjunction with Athletics relocation hits home with wave of nostalgia

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:44 GMT

OAKLAND — The sun was out, there was a decent-sized crowd and even the specter of the Athletics intention to vacate Oakland for Las Vegas following the 2024 season couldn’t ruin the atmosphere of spending Father’s Day Sunday at the Coliseum.The concourse was filled with fans, hundreds of fathers with their sons and daughters, many wearing A’s Hawaiian shirts as part of a giveaway that helped fuel an attendance figure of 24,326. Many were still around after it was over, with families afforded the opportunity to run the bases.The bottom line is the Athletics lost 3-2 to the Philadelphia Phillies for a series sweep and their fifth straight loss.Yet there are worse ways to spend a summer day.“Beautiful day, big crowd, a lot of energy,” catcher Shea Langeliers said. “That kind of atmosphere is always a lot of fun.”If you didn’t know any better and ignored the signs critical of management in right field and the occasional chants of ...