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There is light at the end of the tunnel, MBTA’s General Manager says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:49 GMT

Despite recent revelations that the state’s beleaguered transit system will require about $24.5 billion in investment before it’s in “state of good repair,” and ahead of a year’s worth of sporadic closures, the MBTA’s general manager nevertheless remains optimistic about the future.The hefty price tag required to bring the agency up to standard does not reflect money that will need to be raised immediately, GM Phil Eng explained, but does reflect the cost of providing a rebuilt and modernized transit agency. It will all pay off in the end, he said.“I wouldn’t have taken this role if I didn’t believe there is light at the end of the tunnel,” Eng told WCVB. “I am fully confident that we can, not only rebuild our workforce, which has been a big effort, but we can rebuild our infrastructure and we can rebuild it in meaningful ways.”Last week, the MBTA’s board of directors released a capital needs analysis and found that fixing the problems plaguing the T would cost $10...

Padres single-game tickets available for limited time during holiday presale

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:49 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Holiday presale tickets for the San Diego Padres 2024 season will become available this week.For a limited time, the MLB team will be giving baseball enthusiasts their first opportunity to snag single-game tickets. "Fans will be able to give the gift of the Padres this holiday season," the Padres stated in a news release announcing the holiday sale. CSI San Diego: What it takes to be a criminalist in America’s Finest City Beginning Tuesday, Nov. 21 and lasting through Monday, Dec. 4, tickets for Padres home games in 2024 will be available for purchase through this offer with the exception of Opening Day.This means fans can lock in seats to see the team compete against National League West rivals like the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado Rockies, and Arizona Diamondbacks. The deal also includes Interleague opponents like the New York Yankees, Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, and Chicago W...

Senegal opposition party sponsoring new candidate Faye after court blocks jailed leader Sonko’s bid

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:49 GMT

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The party of jailed opposition leader Ousmane Sonko said Sunday it was sponsoring another candidate for the February presidential election, just days after Senegal’s Supreme Court effectively blocked Sonko’s own bid.Election authorities have refused to provide Sonko with the sponsorship papers that need to be submitted by early December. On Sunday, the YouTube channel of Sonko’s Pastef party said it now would sponsor the party’s No. 2 politician, Bassirou Diomaye Faye.In making the announcement, the party said Faye “is the candidate that Pastef will sponsor,” but specified that Sonko’s candidacy has been maintained.“Sponsoring the candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye in no way implies an abdication of the candidacy of President Ousmane Sonko,” the party said in a communique released Sunday. “Everyone knows him well enough to know that to his last breath, he will fight without compromise. To sponsor the candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye is...

Survivors of suicide come together in day of remembrance

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:49 GMT

CHICAGO — It was inside of a house of worship Saturday, that faith to continue life through loss was found.Every year, the International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day seeks to console those who've lost a loved one to suicide."It’s a certain type of grief that is unique when you lose someone to suicide," said Angela Cummings, executive director of the Illinois chapter of the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention. "It really affects so many people in the community."Even though she runs the organization, Cummings said she is not excluded from dealing with the pain of losing someone to suicide."I lost my grandfather to suicide about 30 years ago," Cummings said. "Then my husband lost our very dear friend to suicide about 13 years ago and they were very different type of people, and very different types of events, but the grief is the same." More from Sean: Howard Brown Health workers begin 2-day strike Four gatherings took place at churches across the City of Chicago Saturday...

South Side bakery setting up for Thanksgiving with unique pies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:49 GMT

CHICAGO — An acclaimed chef is settling into her new South Side bakery and serving up all kinds of pies and nostalgic treats for the holidays."My dad was a fanatic of any and everything in a crust so I created the bakery to honor his love of pies and his belief people deserve second chances," Owner and Chef Maya-Camille Broussard from the Justice of the Pies said.Maya-Camille Broussard started justice of the pies in 2014 in memory of her late father, Steve, a criminal defense attorney."We're a social mission impact bakery and our goal is to positively impact the lives of those around us," Broussard said. After working out of a food incubator, she purchased this building and opened her own physical location in September near 87th and Blackstone. "This building was my mom’s childhood dentist office so it is very much a part of my family’s history," she said. Before she became an entrepreneur and a James Beard Award finalist, she worked as an art teacher at a school just a couple of bl...

Stevenson students help peers in Africa learn how to use technology

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:49 GMT

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. — Nikhil Uchil is a senior at Adlai E. Stevenson High School, and he is among a dozen students at Stevenson working with the Angaza Center to provide "peer-to-peer" training for students in rural Africa."I’ll join a meeting at 7 a.m. before school and we’ll have these presentations that will teach the students how to use technology, Google Slides, Google Docs," Uchil said. "We also have lessons on safe use of technology — how to write an email, how to write a resume."Michael Odongo, co-founder and president of the Angaza Center, said the non-profit was born in 2022 after he received old tech devices from a school district looking for somewhere to donate them."I donated them to a school in Kenya," Odongo said. "I grew up there and after the donation, the school came back to me and said, 'okay Michael, this is great, but how do we use these things?'" Angaza Center to minimize digital divide globally Now the center is working to share critical digital skills and re...

Mystery illness sickens dogs in several US states. Here's what you need to know

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:49 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — An unusual respiratory illness has sickened dogs in several states, and veterinarians are trying to determine what's making the animals ill while encouraging owners to take basic precautions.Oregon, Colorado and New Hampshire are among the states that have seen cases of the illness, which has caused lasting respiratory disease and pneumonia and does not respond to antibiotics. Symptoms of respiratory illness in dogs include coughing, sneezing, nasal or eye discharge and lethargy. Some cases of the pneumonia can progress quickly, making dogs very sick within 24 to 36 hours. Do dogs need to wear jackets during the winter? The Oregon Department of Agriculture has documented more than 200 cases of the disease since mid-August. It has encouraged pet owners to contact their vet if their dog is sick and told state veterinarians to report cases as soon as possible.According to the department, the reported cases have fallen into three categories: chronic tracheobron...

As median income rises in ATX, you may be surprised who qualifies for housing help

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:49 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — As the Austin-area median family income (MFI) goes up year-over-year, people may not realize they qualify for home ownership assistance. Austin Habitat for Humanity is working to spread the word. An analysis from Habitat shows Austin-area median income limits have jumped nearly 40% over the past few years, increasing roughly 10% year-over-year. Habitat says that jump is historic and means people Habitat couldn't serve before now qualify. “We’ve always played an important safety net role, but now we’re playing that role for different types of earners… folks in the medical system and even some tech workers, who didn’t fit our historical mold, now qualify for Habitat homes," CEO Michele Anderson said.Do you qualify? Habitat for Humanity provides homes under $250,000 through its New Home Construction Program. Austinites who make 60-80% of regional MFI qualify for assistance. For a single person, that would be between roughly $49,000 and $65,000. For a family of...

A few morning storms Monday before a warm afternoon

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:49 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Showers are done, but drizzle is very persistent up and down I-35 as we continue into the evening. We have areas of fog to deal with too making for a damp rest of your Sunday. NWS Austin to start issuing ‘Ice Storm Warnings’ Temperatures won't move much out of the mid 60s to wrap up the day with lows tonight staying there as well. Overnight fog should become more widespread with areas of dense fog possible into Monday morning.Tonight's forecastOn Monday we'll see temperatures rising early with a few morning showers and storms. The best chances for rain on Monday will come near and east of I-35 during the first half of the day.A few showers and storms are possible Monday morning NEW BLOG: NOAA updates December, winter forecasts Late in the morning and Monday afternoon the sun comes out and temperatures spike in the upper 70s to near 80 ahead of a cold front that drops through Monday evening. Temperatures Monday night drop quickly as the wind picks up from the nor...

Liberty Hill volleyball ends season as 5A runner-up

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:49 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Liberty Hill Panthers were swept by Lucas Lovejoy in the Class 5A volleyball state championship match Saturday at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland.Set scores were 25-18, 25-23, 25-19 in favor of the Leopards, who were led by Gentry Barker's 17 kills and 11 digs. She was named the match's most valuable player. Texas high school football playoff scores for Friday, Nov. 17 Annie Witt notched nine kills and 11 digs for the Panthers while Gigi Mason and Kealy Dirner each had five kills. The Panthers hit .167 with 34 kills for the match and the Leopards hit .246 with 50 kills. Carson Glenn and Ana Hight each had 14 assists for the Panthers and Brooklyn Escobar had 11 digs.Liberty Hill ended the season 46-9 and defeated the 2022 5A champs Colleyville Heritage in the semifinals Friday.