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MBTA chief safety officer to resign Aug. 30, New York consultant will lead department during search

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:24 GMT

The MBTA’s chief safety officer, Ron Ester, is resigning at the end of the month.Ester, who was tapped to lead the critical department three years ago, is credited with improving safety in the T system during a tumultuous time at the agency.MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said Ester was instrumental in implementing recommendations, policies and practices that stemmed from a 2019 Safety Review Panel report, which was commissioned by the T, and last year’s federal investigation into the region’s beleaguered subway system.“I am grateful for Ron’s service to the MBTA,” Eng said in a Tuesday letter to employees. “He has made a real difference in the safety of our system and he will be missed.”Ester’s resignation is effective Aug. 30. He chose to leave the agency, MBTA spokesperson Joe Pesaturo said.“I am proud of the work that we have done to make our system safer during my tenure, despite the many challenges that we have faced,” Ester said in a statement. “The MBTA has been underinvest...

Orioles rookie Grayson Rodriguez produces his best MLB start in 4-1 win over Padres: ‘I feel more like myself’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:24 GMT

With Grayson Rodriguez’s elite stuff, it’s often said he throws gas. On Monday night, he showed he has plenty left in the tank.The 23-year-old Orioles right-hander posted the best start of his major league career to open a series with the San Diego Padres, allowing a run over a career-high seven innings in a 4-1 victory to continue a run of excellence since rejoining Baltimore’s rotation last month. A dramatic ninth inning saw former Orioles star Manny Machado come up representing the tying run, but Baltimore closer Félix Bautista got him to ground into a double play to end the game.After consistent struggles in Rodriguez’s first 10 outings prompted the Orioles (74-45) to send their top pitching prospect back to the minors, he has returned with a 3.03 ERA over six starts. He’s pitched into the sixth inning in each after doing so only once while posting a 7.35 ERA in his first big league opportunity.“I feel more like myself,” Rodriguez s...

Russia unleashes a country-wide missile barrage on Ukraine as Putin addresses security conference

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:24 GMT

By ILLIA NOVIKOV and DASHA LITVINOVA (Associated Press)KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces unleashed missiles across Ukraine early on Tuesday, killing and wounding civilians and damaging infrastructure. The barrage came just hours before top Russian military officials and their counterparts from allied countries in Asia, the Middle East and Africa gathered outside Moscow for a security conference.Missiles struck cities from the east to west of Ukraine, including far behind front lines where Ukraine is fighting deeply entrenched Russian forces to regain territory occupied by Moscow almost 18 months into the war. Russia has built heavily fortified defenses along the more than 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line where Ukraine has only made incremental gains since launching a counteroffensive in early June. “Deliberate large-scale attacks on civilians. Solely for the sake of killing and psychological pressure,” presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said on X, former...

What sparks US wildfires: Power lines, burning trash and lightning

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:24 GMT

By Brian K. Sullivan, Bloomberg NewsThe fast-moving fire that ripped through Maui’s historic town of Lahaina killed more than 90 people, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. The cause of the blaze is still under investigation, but power equipment in the area is coming under increasing scrutiny.Charred remains of a burned neighbourhood is seen in the aftermath of a wildfire, in Lahaina, western Maui, Hawaii on August 14, 2023. The death toll in Hawaii’s wildfires rose to 99 and could double over the next 10 days, the state’s governor said August 14, as emergency personnel painstakingly scoured the incinerated landscape for more human remains. Last week’s inferno on the island of Maui is already the deadliest US wildfire in a century, with only a quarter of the ruins of the devastated town of Lahaina searched for victims so far. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images)Across the nation, wildfires are growing in intensity and frequency as climate c...

Portion of Mass Pike in Framingham reopens after jackknifed truck caused lengthy backups

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:24 GMT

A portion of the Mass Pike in Framingham that closed down for more than an hour and half Tuesday has reopened to all traffic.A tractor trailer that became jackknifed in the area of mile-marker 112 closed down all eastbound lanes on the busy thoroughfare around 11 a.m., according to the state Department of Transportation. But the road reopened just before 12:45 p.m.Officials did not say whether the incident, which is under investigation, caused any injuries. The crash led to lengthy backups on both sides of the road.

What is crypto lending and how does it work?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:24 GMT

By Hanneh Bareham, Bankrate.comCrypto lending is similar to a traditional lending model in that users can borrow and lend cryptocurrencies in exchange for a fee or interest. However, these loans use digital currency as collateral, similar to a securities-based loan.The basic principle works like a mortgage loan or auto loan — you pledge your crypto assets to obtain the loan and pay it off over time. You can get this type of loan through a crypto exchange or crypto lending platform. While it’s seen a huge spike in interest in recent years, crypto lending comes with its own set of risks and is highly volatile, especially in the short term.How crypto lending worksCrypto lending allows you to borrow money — either cash or cryptocurrency — for a fee, typically between 5 percent to 10 percent. It’s essentially a secured personal loan.While you retain ownership of the crypto you’ve used as collateral, you lose some rights, such as the ability to trade it or use it to make transactions. Als...

Students blocked from campus when COVID hit want money back. Some are getting refunds

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:24 GMT

By Elaine S. Povich, Stateline.orgThousands of college students will get hundreds of dollars in compensation as colleges and universities move this summer to settle multimillion-dollar lawsuits stemming from canceled classes and activities during COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns.While some of the class-action suits against the colleges and universities are still in litigation, and still others dismissed, several major cases have been settled in recent weeks.The settlements mean students who were charged tuition and fees but weren’t able to use in-person services during the pandemic shutdowns will receive some compensation, though they won’t be refunded for all the on-campus amenities they lost.The amounts depend on the total settlement figure, minus legal fees and other court expenses. Each case has a different timeline.Most recently, the University of Delaware agreed in June to set up a $6.3 million fund to partially reimburse tuition and fees that the students paid for classes, housing...

Hawaiian electric’s future in doubt after $1 billion meltdown

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:24 GMT

By Mark Chediak, Bloomberg NewsHawaiian Electric Industries Co., which supplies roughly 95% of the state’s residents with power, traces its roots back to 1891, just a decade after King Kalakaua met Thomas Edison to see the incandescent light bulb. Now, the utility is facing what’s shaping up to be the biggest-ever test over its future.In just one day, relentless selling wiped more than a $1 billion from the company’s value as the stock plunged by a third in its biggest loss on record. Investors are dumping shares amid increasing scrutiny over power equipment as the possible source of the deadly Maui wildfire.Analysts are starting to raise questions over whether Hawaiian Electric, one of the smallest publicly traded U.S. utilities, will be able to withstand the pressure if it does end up being at fault.In an aerial view, homes and businesses are seen that were destroyed by a wildfire on August 11, 2023 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)To be clear: no official cause o...

Massachusetts medical school latest to fall victim to MOVEit hack, officials say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:24 GMT

More than 134,000 people previously or currently enrolled in at least four state programs may have had personal information leaked as part of a security breach involving third-party software used by a medical school in Worcester.Officials at the UMass Chan Medical School learned about the “security incident” on June 1, making them the latest government-related institution to confirm it had fallen victim to a hack that has affected millions of people and scores of agencies around the world.School officials “immediately fixed the vulnerability” and said the breach involved a file-transfer software program called MOVEit.“No UMass Chan or state systems were compromised in this incident. Impacted individuals have been sent notice by mail and will be contacted by phone, text, and e-mail where possible,” the Executive Office of Health and Human Services said in a statement.The Healey administration said it started sending letters to affected individuals on Monday and encouraged those who r...

California's heat wave could trigger a Flex Alert: Here's what to know

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:24 GMT

SAN DIEGO (KSWB) -- As another anticipated heat wave is expected to set in across the west, California's grid operator could issue its first Flex Alert of the year this week, calling on residents to voluntarily reduce electricity use during certain hours.In a bulletin released Sunday, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) indicated that they could trigger the alert, which is the entity's lowest level emergency warning, in anticipation of high temperatures to prevent additional stress on energy supplies."Widespread heat waves can cause energy supply shortages, as resources arestretched thin across multiple states," the bulletin read. "As part of an interconnected Western grid, (CAISO) is preparing for tight conditions and taking coordinated steps with its neighbors to ensure adequate power supply during this week’s hot weather." Researchers have identified a new pack of endangered gray wolves in California Resources are currently expected to be sufficient to meet the C...