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Metro rolls out new, higher faregates in attempt to curb gate jumpers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:16 GMT

The new L-shaped polycarbonate gates are higher and stronger than the orange crescents you’re used to seeing. (Courtesy WMATA)Metro will begin to rollout new faregates designed to stop fare evaders who jump over and pull up gate bars.The new L-shaped polycarbonate gates are higher and stronger than the orange crescents you’re used to seeing.The new 55-inch tall doors were installed overnight at the Fort Totten Metro station on the Red Line in Northeast D.C., greeting riders on their commute Tuesday. The fare gates will also be installed at the Pentagon City station.The main goal for the new installations is to deter gate jumpers and other fare evaders.“Over the past several months, our team has been testing different prototypes to get to this final design. We have already seen a reduction in fare evasion and expect the higher gates will be more of a deterrent,” Metro CEO and General Manager Randy Clarke said in a news release.“The bottom line is fare ev...

RTD to vote on lowering fares for all destinations except airport

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:16 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Tuesday, RTD will vote on a new proposal that could reduce fares starting in 2024. If passed, the plan would not only reduce the cost of bus and train rides, but it would also level fares across all destinations, with the exception of the Denver International Airport. RTD could lower fares, offer an $88 monthly pass “Public transportation is a means of garnering access and opportunity,” Debra Johnson, RTD’s general manager and CEO, said in a statement. “The operative word in what we do is ‘public,’ and RTD’s goal is to ensure all people within the region have access to transportation.”Currently, RTD divides fares into zones. The new proposal would do away with that system.If passed, this proposal would lower RTD fares for all locations except the airport. (Credit: RTD)If the proposal passes, a local three-hour pass to travel around Denver and to nearby cities would drop from $3 to $2.75, and the day pass would drop from $6 to $5.50.A three-hour and day pass to DIA ...

Officer who put woman in police car hit by train didn't know it was on the tracks, defense says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:16 GMT

DENVER (AP) — A Colorado police officer accused of putting a handcuffed woman in a parked police car that was hit by a freight train did not know the car was parked on the tracks, the officer's lawyer said in court Monday.While evidence will show Officer Jordan Steinke stood on the railroad tracks during a night traffic stop on Sept. 16, 2022, she did not know that an officer she was assisting had parked his patrol car on the tracks, defense lawyer Mallory Revel said in opening statements in state court in Greeley. The woman inside, Yareni Rios-Gonzalez, suffered extensive injuries, including a traumatic brain injury. Woman in back of police car hit by train files lawsuit The tracks were completely flush with the road, nothing to trip over, and there were no illuminated crossing signs or gates at the railroad crossing in the rural area, just two reflective signs on either side of the tracks, Revel said.Prosecutors will not be able to prove that she acted recklessly by le...

Lionel Messi set to play on the pitch after phenomenal first game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:16 GMT

After a spectacular debut on Friday night, soccer superstar Lionel Messi is poised to make another electrifying appearance on the pitch as he gears up to play in Tuesday night’s highly anticipated match. The Argentine maestro, who signed with Inter Miami recently, is already making waves in Major League Soccer (MLS) with his remarkable skills.Messi, 34, showcased his extraordinary talent during his first game against Cruz Azul, where he made a jaw-dropping entrance in the 54th minute. The crowd erupted in cheers as the legendary forward displayed his sheer brilliance, eventually sealing the victory with a stunning game-winning free kick.Fans and critics alike were left in awe, as Messi’s impact on the match was evident from the moment he stepped onto the field. His presence alone injected a new sense of energy and excitement into the game, solidifying his position as one of the greatest soccer players of all time.The anticipation is palpable as Inter Miami prepares to fa...

Exposure to extreme heat and pollution may double risk of a deadly heart attack, study shows

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:16 GMT

(CNN) — As heat waves and wildfire smoke continue to affect parts of the United States, doctors are warning that people need to watch their heart health — particularly if they live in areas with high pollution levels.The risk of a deadly heart attack may double when people are exposed to extreme heat and high levels of particle pollution, a new study found. The study, published Monday in the journal Circulation, found that extreme cold could also put patients at greater risk for a fatal heart attack.The study looked at more than 202,000 heart attack deaths between 2015 and 2020 in Jiangsu province, China. It found that when temperatures were extremely high or low, or there was a high level of particulate matter pollution, there was a “significantly associated” risk that a person would die from a heart attack.When there was extreme heat combined with high pollution levels, people faced the greatest risk that they would die from a heart attack.Older people and women seemed to be most ...

Zoo Miami animals find relief from scorching heat through special enrichment

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:16 GMT

With record-breaking temperatures scorching Miami, Zoo Miami has taken extensive measures to help its diverse array of animals beat the heat. As the city faces an unprecedented heatwave, the dedicated zoo staff is working tirelessly to ensure the well-being of their animal inhabitants, who hail from tropical and sub-tropical climates.While most of the animals at Zoo Miami are naturally acclimated to hot weather, the recent extreme temperatures have prompted keepers to provide additional enrichment, offering both stimulation and relief to the animals.Among the efforts to keep the animals cool and hydrated, keepers are ensuring that pools are filled for drinking and bathing while providing special cool showers and piles of ice for the animals to chew on and cool off. An example of these special enrichment items is the creation of colorful sloth bear popsicles. Weighing over 50 pounds, these massive popsicles were a collaborative effort between Zoo Miami interns and the Well-Being and ...

EU agriculture officials work on ways to move Ukrainian grain to the world

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:16 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — European Union agriculture ministers met Tuesday to discuss ways of moving grain vital to global food security out of Ukraine after Russia halted a deal that allowed Black Sea exports. At the same time, countries bordering the war-ravaged nation are seeking to protect prices for their farmers.Germany’s agriculture minister, Cem Ozdemir, warned that they must seek to balance those two issues without eroding the 27-nation bloc’s support for Ukraine.If cracks open up in EU unity, “the only one who is happy is Vladimir Putin,” he said of Russia’s leader.The ministers met in Brussels for the first time since Russia pulled the plug last week on the wartime deal that allowed grain to flow from Ukraine to countries in Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia, where hunger is a growing threat and food prices are high.That leaves routes by river, road and rail through Europe as the only ways for Ukraine, a major gl...

‘I’m having so much fun again.’ How Kyle Hendricks is trying to soak it all in, despite a murky Chicago Cubs’ future.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:16 GMT

Kyle Hendricks tends to keep his focus on a day-to-day level.His mantra helps center his attention on what he can control: his methodical five-day routine and each pitch he must execute over the course of a start. Life experiences and age also put things in perspective.There are times Hendricks, 33 and now in his 10th major-league season, tries to take things in and appreciate the moment. That especially was true May 25 at Wrigley Field when Hendricks made his season debut. The uncertainty surrounding Hendricks’ capsular tear in his right shoulder last year ended his season in early July and required nearly 11 months for him to get back into a big-league game.“You start to smell the roses, like they say, just a little bit more,” Hendricks told the Tribune. “I looked around, really soaked it in. You’re just so grateful for what you’re able to do on a day-in and day-out basis. Obviously you’re in the moment and in the competition of doing your...

Mariano puts Massachusetts gun reform bill on hold until fall

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:16 GMT

Top House Democrats will back down from their controversial push to approve a 140-page omnibus gun reform measure before lawmakers break for vacation in August.Less than a week after he convened a series of closed-doors meetings to hear from representatives about the sweeping proposal unveiled June 26, House Speaker Ron Mariano told his chamber Monday evening that the new goal is to bring the measure forward in autumn.“While the House’s commitment to pursuing a comprehensive update remains steadfast, a new legal landscape will be the greatest threat to those efforts. That is why the House believes that we must thoroughly evaluate all of the proposals made in [the legislation] over the Summer, and that House Members must have the chance to continue to speak with their constituents and provide feedback,” Mariano wrote in a message obtained by the News Service. “House leadership will continue to work on the bill until it is ready for debate this Fall.”The ...

Russian antiwar group in Serbia says authorities have rejected activist’s residence permit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:16 GMT

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — A Russian antiwar group in Serbia said Tuesday that authorities have refused to extend the residence permit of one of its activists, a critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.The Russian Democratic Society said one of its founders, Vladimir Volokhonski, had all the necessary documentation but the authorities cited a security risk as the reason for their decision.Serbian police have not commented. A copy of a police document provided by the Russian group said a security assessment of Volokhonski’s case showed unspecified “obstacles” for the extension of his stay.Earlier this month, Serbian police temporarily banned entry to another prominent Russian antiwar activist, Peter Nikitin, who was forced to spend more than a day at the Belgrade airport before he was allowed in.The Balkan nation has maintained friendly relations with Russia and has not joined Western sanctions against Moscow, despite condemning its invasion of Ukraine.The United States recentl...