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FTA orders MBTA to take emergency action to protect crews from ‘unsafe conditions’ on the tracks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:51:28 GMT

The Federal Transit Administration has ordered the MBTA to take emergency action to protect crews from ‘unsafe conditions’ on the tracks after a worker was hurt and there were several close calls.Federal regulators say they are deeply concerned with how the MBTA handles workers who are repairing the tracks. As a result, those T workers are going to have to follow a whole new policy. Starting Thursday, the MBTA is banned from allowing crews on the tracks unless they provide the FDA with daily paperwork detailing their plans. The FDA also warned that it will conduct surprise inspections to make sure all rules are being followed. The MBTA had five close calls between trains and workers in the past five weeks alone, the FTA said. There were three near misses between March 13 and 24, another on April 7, and another on April 14. On April 13, the FDA says a worker was seriously injured in an area while working in an area where crews did not have permission to be working. “...

‘This really hurts me’: Owner devastated after Boston police officer shoots 2 dogs, kills 1 following attack on another officer 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:51:28 GMT

A Boston police officer shot two dogs, killing one and injuring the other after the animals attacked another officer on Wednesday, according to authorities.7NEWS later spoke with the owner of the dog who was killed, who said he was devastated by the incident. “I’ve had him since he was six weeks [old],” the man said. “This really hurts me.”The man said police were arresting his brother on Wednesday afternoon. He also said his family tried to warn officers about the dogs.“We kept telling them ‘There’s dogs in the house,’” the man said, adding that the dogs were in a locked bathroom. The man said they told police “Don’t go in the house and if you do go in the house, please don’t open that bathroom door. They don’t know you.’”The Boston Police Department said the officers were at a property on Michigan Avenue to arrest a person known to have multiple arrest warrants. Police said the two dogs attacked an officer after police placed the suspect in custody, leading to a sec...

Milder Afternoon

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:51:28 GMT

Clouds and chilly breezes prevailed yesterday as highs struggled to climb out of the low to mid 50s. Today, we’ll add more sunshine, turn down the wind a bit, and have temps run 10-12 degrees higher than yesterday for many. That’ll place highs in the low to mid 60s. Late afternoon sea breezes do kick in, cooling coastal temps back into the 50s there. Heading to Fenway? Plan on temps near 60. Tomorrow, we’ll be dry again, although temps will be chillier near the coast, near 50. Meantime inland, it’ll be fairly mild again with the number running 65-70 west of 495. Saturday looks dry with mostly cloudy skies and temps running in the low 50s at the coast, low 60s inland. Sunday, temps will be similar, but we’ll track wet weather as showers move in from west to east. Rain is steady at times in the morning, through the early afternoon. It’ll be beneficial though, as many towns and cities pick up 0.50-0.75″ of water.

Suspect arrested in connection with Quincy home invasion to appear in court

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:51:28 GMT

A suspect arrested in connection with a violent home invasion in Quincy over the weekend is set to appear in court on Thursday, officials say. Quincy police say Michael Campbell was taken into custody without incident in Boston on Wednesday. He is now facing several charges including armed assault to murder. Investigators tracked Campbell down after the alleged home invasion on Granite Street on Sunday night. One resident living in the house previously spoke with 7NEWS, saying a man armed with a gun knocked on their door, asked for someone who does not live at the house and then entered the home. The resident said the man at one point tried to zip-tie the people inside. The resident said those inside the house were later able to fight the intruder off and call police. Police say they responded around 8:30 p.m. after receiving reports that gunshots were fired and multiple people were stabbed.Upon arrival, police said officers located four people, three of whom wer...

2 dead as severe storms, tornadoes move through central US

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:51:28 GMT

COLE, Okla. (AP) — Strong storms including tornadoes, winds and hail moved through parts of the central U.S., killing at least two people, causing injuries, destroying homes and leaving thousands without power.The National Weather Service began issuing tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings Wednesday evening in Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa, with forecasters warning people to find shelter.Central Oklahoma saw multiple tornadoes, including one that raced through the communities of Shawnee and Cole on Wednesday night.Authorities said at least two people were killed in the small town of Cole in McClain County, about 25 miles (41 kilometers) south of Oklahoma City. There also were injuries ranging from cuts and bruises to some requiring hospitalization, although the numbers weren’t immediately clear as hundreds of people fanned out in search operations.Power lines also were torn down, trees toppled and homes and other buildings badly damaged or destroyed. Oklahoma Baptist University...

Dorchester man accused of stabbing boyfriend 29 times then jumping out of 12th story window arraigned for murder

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:51:28 GMT

The man police pulled in from a 12th-story window of a Roxbury apartment building — where he dangled from a handle caught on his underwear — has been arraigned for the murder of his boyfriend, who was found stabbed to death inside that apartment.Michael Perry, 37, of Dorchester, appeared in Suffolk Superior Court Wednesday and was charged with the murder of Jose Aponte, 43, his boyfriend. Perry was first charged Dec. 14 in Boston Municipal Court but the case was kicked up to the Superior Court following an indictment returned on March 8.Perry was brought in from jail and appeared wearing a light blue button-up shirt, an upgrade from the Tyvek-type suit he wore during his initial appearance in BMC.Perry pleaded not guilty to the charge. Clerk Magistrate Ed Curley ordered Perry held without bail.“You know what happened,” Perry allegedly screamed at police officers who asked him what had occurred when they found Aponte’s “dead and bloody” body just inside the door of his Roxbury apartm...

Former Ravens running back Willis McGahee sheds light on NFL disability lawsuit: ‘It’s a sham process’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:51:28 GMT

Former Ravens running back Willis McGahee suffered more than 40 injuries in his 10-year career in the NFL. He was twice knocked unconscious, including against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2009 AFC championship game, and hospitalized before being diagnosed with a concussion.Now 41 and a decade removed from his last game, McGahee says he feels like a 70-year-old man and that it’s a struggle to get out of bed because of those injuries he suffered in a career that spanned 151 regular season and postseason games, 8,882 rushing yards and more than a dozen surgeries. He also says he has difficulty playing with his 2-year-old son, Maximus, and that his physician told him he has arthritis in his joints similar to that of an 80-year-old.McGahee doesn’t blame the league, he says, because injuries are part of the game. But he is furious over having been denied disability benefits five times by the NFL, which is why he is one of 10 players suing the league as part of a class-action...

Battenfeld: Ron DeSantis 2024 campaign looks over before it’s even started

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:51:28 GMT

Ron DeSantis can’t even beat Mickey Mouse. How is he possibly going to beat Donald Trump?In the battle between Disney and DeSantis in Florida, Mickey wins.And as the Florida GOP governor takes on the Magic Kingdom, his hopes of a White House run – at least a successful one – look over.DeSantis has peaked. And he hasn’t even announced yet.Once touted as the conservative alternative to Trump, DeSantis is seeing his political dream collapsing.Heavy-hitting donors are balking. Florida pols are backing The Donald. Insiders say that because of his lateness getting in the race he has no organization in early primary states like New Hampshire and South Carolina.Trump – thanks to the arrow in his back from the grandstanding Manhattan DA – is actually expanding his lead and his campaign coffers.The conservative Florida governor best known for booting migrants to Martha’s Vineyard and waging war on Mickey Mouse can’t get traction and in fact has seen his support collapse over the last few mont...

ASK IRA: Is there a path to healing for Heat after Wednesday whiplash in Milwaukee?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:51:28 GMT

Q: Ira, how do you recover from that? Milwaukee could ask Erik Spoelstra which player he wants them to sit and they still can win. – Gregory.A: Can’t argue, at least not after a thrashing like that, with the Bucks thriving in the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo. There is an argument that could be made about Milwaukee having a superior roster to the Heat’s even with Giannis subtracted from the equation. Put it this way, the Bucks were without Giannis and they simply turned to Bobby Portis and his double-double; the Heat were without Tyler Herro, and they turned to Duncan Robinson. Giannis doesn’t have to do all the heavy lifting for the Bucks to win. Jimmy Butler has no other choice for the Heat. If Giannis returns for Saturday’s Game 3, this well could be over with the Heat’s return to Milwaukee for Game 5. The Heat need to get more alongside Jimmy next season. What Giannis has likely makes him jealous.Q: Ira, games like this happen. The home tea...

Do the Ravens trade down? They will face this draft-altering question with the No. 22 pick.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:51:28 GMT

The Ravens had six picks in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft. They currently have five for the seven rounds of the 2023 draft.General manager Eric DeCosta has long said there’s a natural ebb and flow to pick totals. Some years, the Ravens want a big pile because of roster needs or the depth of the talent pool. Others, they’re content to take a smaller swing.Even so, this is shaping up as an extreme case for a team that has always viewed the draft as its prime avenue for roster building. If the Ravens stand pat and don’t add a pick, this five-player draft class would be their smallest since 1999. This at a time when they need all the frugal additions they can find given the $32.4 million nonexclusive franchise tag on quarterback Lamar Jackson, not to mention the $15 million they just handed to wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.Which leads to an obvious question: As the No. 22 overall pick draws near, will DeCosta look to trade down?He did not dismiss the possibil...