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More delays and higher costs? Md. Board of Public Works to consider extending Purple Line contract

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

This content was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.A transit line connecting Prince George’s and Montgomery counties faces more delays and cost overruns.The Maryland Transit Administration Friday announced it has asked the Board of Public Works to approve an extension of a contract with Purple Line Transit Partners. The delay would push the opening back to the spring of 2027 and add more than $148.3 million to the growing price tag.“This schedule change reflects the ongoing challenges and complexities of completing construction in a dense urban environment, the ongoing national workforce and supply chain issues, delays in completion of utility relocation activities, and the unique history of the Purple Line Light Rail Project,” Ray Biggs II, project manager for the transit line, wrote in a statement released Friday. “The project’s history includes two highly u...

Aaron Judge ramps up pregame work; Boone thinks July return is possible

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

DENVER (AP) — New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge took batting practice and ran in the Coors Field outfield Friday as he recovers from a torn ligament in his right big toe. “I kind of wanted to test it here in the Mile High city a little bit,” Judge said before the Yankees played the Colorado Rockies in their first game following the All-Star break. The reigning AL MVP said he’s been fitted with an insole for support. New York manager Aaron Boone said he’s encouraged by Judge’s progress, both running and hitting. He was asked if Judge could return to the lineup in July.“I think there’s a shot,” Boone said. “Now is that going to be, ‘Aaron Boone said he thinks he’ll be back in July?’ That’s not what I said. I was answering a question. I’m not going to put a timeframe on this. He’s doing well. He’ll be ready when he’s ready.”Judge is batting .291 with 19 homers, 40 RBIs and a 1.078 OPS in 49 games. He hasn’t played since injuring his toe when he banged into the righ...

Machado, Tatis, Soto and Sánchez slug homers to power Padres past Phillies 8-3

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Manny Machado, Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis Jr. homered, Yu Darvish struck out nine in six sharp innings and the San Diego Padres defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 8-3 on Friday night in a rematch of last year’s National League Championship Series. Gary Sánchez also went deep for San Diego, which has won six of seven. J.T. Realmuto homered for the Phillies.The matchup was the first between the teams since Game 5 of the NLCS last October, when Bryce Harper’s dramatic, two-run home run in the eighth inning propelled the Phillies to a clinching home victory and a berth in the World Series.Although both clubs appear to have the pieces for another deep playoff run, neither started the season strong. However, both have played better of late. Philadelphia, which is 23-10 since June 3, began play a half-game out of an NL wild-card spot, while San Diego started Friday six games back of a playoff berth.The Padres, though, have found their offense this month and entered pl...

How a DC man went from living in a tent to graduating with his high school diploma

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

Graduate Michael Jeffery addresses the audience on July 14, 2023.(WTOP/Scott Gelman) Graduate Michael Jeffery addresses the audience on July 14, 2023.(WTOP/Scott Gelman) Michael Jeffery was on his mom’s couch in Texas watching the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol when he had a thought.Without a high school diploma, he found it hard to get a job, hard to be a father and difficult to maintain meaningful relationships.So, on a whim, he told his mom he wanted to move to D.C. He booked a ticket soon thereafter and moved to D.C. in pursuit of a new beginning. He came without anywhere to live and without knowing anybody, but was motivated to finish his education.On Friday at the National Press Club, Jeffrey was one of ...

Driver found shot, killed after hitting several parked cars in Montgomery Co.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

A teenage driver who was found shot and killed struck several vehicles in Montgomery County, Maryland, on Thursday night.Montgomery County police said at about 11 p.m. on Thursday, they were called to the Birches Apartments on Heather Hollow Circle in White Oak for the report of a crash.Once they arrived on the scene, police found 17-year-old Tyrone Brown inside a car suffering from a gunshot wound and multiple vehicles that had been hit in the apartment complex’s parking lot.Police said Brown crashed his car into several parked vehicles in the parking lot before coming to a stop. It’s not clear at what point Brown was shot.WTOP’s news partners at 7News report at least 14 vehicles appeared to be damaged.Brown was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to police.Police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County at 1-866-455-8477. Police are offering a reward of up to $10,000 for informati...

A look back on Hancock's time in office ahead of Johnston's inauguration

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- A changing of the guard will happen in Denver on Monday.Mayor-elect Mike Johnston and elected members of the city council will be sworn into office.As new leaders prepare to come in, FOX31 looks back on Mayor Michael Hancock's time in office. FOX31's political analyst weighed in on the highs and lows of Hancock's tenure.Hancock has led the city for 12 years. During that time, Denver has changed."If I were to give him a grade over the last 12 years, I'd give him a B," FOX31 political analyst Andy Boian said.Boian is a Democratic strategist who's worked on national and local campaigns for decades.He has been around to witness City Councilman Hancock turn into three-term Mayor Hancock, the leader of a city that saw a ton of highs and lows during his time in office. Denver mayor-elect joined by 6 new council members "Oftentimes in grade school, you get graded for effort and the academics. Effort I think, you know, was high on his list. He put a lot into this job. And ...

MDFR firefighter based accused in attempted rape of 2 co-workers at North Miami station

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

A Miami-Dade firefighter is locked up and off-duty amid accusations that he crossed the line with two of his co-workers.Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Firefighter Jose Lopez is catching serious legal heat for what he’s accused of doing.It was at an MDFR station in North Miami where it was reported to police that the 49-year-old tried to rape two fellow firefighters.According to a Miami-Dade Police arrest affidavit, “The victim disclosed that the defendant attempted to ‘rape’ her on three separate occasions while she slept in her dorm.”The arrest form states the alleged crimes go back 11 years.A spokesperson for MDPD told 7News that at least one of the victims was afraid to initially report the crimes due to how she might be treated within the firehouse.The arrest form states, “The victim advised that the defendant attacked her at the same location on two additional occasions in the same manner described above. The victim confronted the defendant about the...

The clock is ticking on the Chicago Cubs as Jed Hoyer remains in wait-and-see mode: ‘Ultimately you are what your record is’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

At some point in the next 2 1/2 weeks before the Aug. 1 trade deadline, the Chicago Cubs will commit to a buyer or seller direction with their roster.The front office spent time during the four-day All-Star break discussing the criteria for the yet-to-be-determined parameters of when and what path the Cubs will take as the trade deadline moves closer. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer doesn’t plan to reveal the specifics of what will go into the decision-making process or time frame to see on-field results.However, the Cubs’ performance during this 10-game stretch at Wrigley Field will, in totality, affect whether they add or subtract from the big-league roster.“We’re trying to make decisions in the most educated fashion as possible, not using emotion and not using one day’s loss or one day’s win, and that’s most important thing,” Hoyer said before Friday’s series opener against the Boston Red Sox. “And like I said...

Southern California firefighters battle 3 wildfires amid hot, dry weather

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

MORENO VALLEY, Calif. (AP) — Firefighters in Southern California were battling three separate brush fires that started Friday afternoon amid a blistering heat wave.The fires were all within 40 miles (65 kilometers) of each other in mostly rural areas across Riverside County, southeast of Los Angeles. Nearly 1,000 homes were under evacuation orders, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or property loss, according to officials from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire.Two of the fires had stopped spreading by the evening. The third, though, grew at a “rapid rate” to more than 2 square miles (5 square kilometers) in a matter of hours, Cal Fire said in a social media post. Hundreds of firefighters were dispatched. California is bracing for its hottest weather of the year so far this weekend, and Riverside County is among areas under an excessive heat warning.Already blistering temperatures are forecast to go even higher for Nevada, Ariz...

New Mexico abuse case ends with prison sentences for 2 women accused of chaining children

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

TEXICO, N.M. (AP) — Two women in eastern New Mexico will spend years behind bars after reaching plea agreements in a case accusing them of beating children in their care and chaining them to their beds, prosecutors said. Jayme Kushman, 38, pleaded guilty to five counts of child abuse and was sentenced Thursday to 15 years. Jaime Kay Sena, 30, pleaded no contest to four counts of child abuse and received a six-year sentence earlier this month, prosecutors said.The case stemmed from an investigation that started in 2022 when state child welfare workers received a tip about children locked in cages. New Mexico State Police served search warrants at a Texico home near the Texas border and found six children, ranging in age from 5 to 16, living in unsanitary conditions with the two women.Authorities uncovered three days of security footage showing the children being starved, beaten and chained for long periods of time, District Attorney Quentin Ray said in a statement. Prosecutors played...