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‘I will never forget that’: Yoán Moncada returns to Chicago White Sox after success with Team Cuba in the WBC

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:28:36 GMT

It could have been a short stay for Team Cuba in the World Baseball Classic after dropping the first two games in pool play.“It’s fair to say we had doubts after the start of the tournament at 0-2,” Chicago White Sox third baseman Yoán Moncada said Thursday through an interpreter. “But we kept working and grinding and we were able to advance and go into the semifinals.“We kept working. We never put our heads down.”Cuba strung together three straight victories, with Moncada’s hot hitting leading the way, to reach the semifinals before losing to Team USA. Moncada was back at Camelback Ranch on Thursday.“It was a great experience,” he said of the WBC. “It was one of my goals, and I will never forget that.”Moncada excelled in the event, earning All-Tournament Team honors.“I’m happy for that recognition, especially in a tournament like that with all the superstars,” Moncada said.He slashed .435/.519/...

‘It’s an unbelievable honor’: Dennis Scott inducted into Magic’s Hall of Fame

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:28:36 GMT

One of the pillars of one of the Orlando Magic’s most successful eras had his place cemented in the organization’s history.Former Magic sharpshooter Dennis Scott, who earned the nickname “3-D” because of his prolific 3-point scoring, became the 12th inductee into the organization’s Hall of Fame ahead of Thursday’s home game vs. the Knicks.Scott joined John Gabriel (2022), Brian Hill (’22), Darrell Armstrong (’20), David Steele (’19), Tracy McGrady (’18), Jimmy Hewitt (’17), Penny Hardaway (’17), Rich DeVos (’16), Shaquille O’Neal (’15), Pat Williams (’14) and Nick Anderson (’14) in the Magic’s Hall of Fame.“It’s an unbelievable honor,” Scott said. “Just the fact that you feel appreciated for the work you’ve done. This is special.”Scott, who was a key part of the run to the 1995 NBA Finals, played with the Magic from 1990-97 after being the f...

Boston man sues Dunkin’ over mobile app

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:28:36 GMT

One self-described longtime Dunkin’ fan says he’s encountered something of a coffee irregular — and is suing the local doughnut giant, alleging that the company’s mobile app is ripping him off.Boston resident Martin Kelledy has filed a class-action suit in state and federal courts over his contention, which basically boils down to the claim that the Dunkin’ mobile app sometimes adds upcharges that it doesn’t explain.For instance, he alleged, the company tossed on extra charges for three specific instances he cited: once when he ordered a toasted plain bagel with butter, another a toasted plain bagel with cream cheese and a third when he mixed it up and got himself a toasted everything bagel with cream cheese and a large iced coffee with skim milk and Splenda.Each of those times, he said in the federal suit against Dunks itself and the Suffolk Superior Court suit against area franchisees, the pre-tax amount was higher than the total from his order. For e...

MBTA board is ‘failing riders,’ transit advocate says

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:28:36 GMT

TransitMatters Executive Director Jarred Johnson tore into the MBTA Board of Directors, saying it was failing riders with the “hands-off approach” taken during a time of crisis for the agency.Johnson said during the recorded public comment period of Thursday’s MBTA board meeting that he understands the panel’s job is not easy, “but neither is being a T rider these days.”“This board is failing riders,” Johnson said. “The system is in crisis, but I’m afraid you wouldn’t know that by watching a board meeting.”He said it has been incredibly frustrating to read about elevator and escalator safety experts or staff in charge of hiring subway dispatchers appearing before the board, and learning that board members asked no questions — amid continued service cuts.Johnson also pointed to the public first learning of a federal investigation into the MBTA’s subway system through the media.In the past, Johnson said he defended this current MBTA board, saying that he understood the hours of live p...

Food insecurity on the rise across Massachusetts, no end in sight, providers say

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:28:36 GMT

Food insecurity is quickly on the rise across the state, hitting a level that food providers say mirrors what they saw during the thick of the pandemic.A distribution at the Salvation Army Chelsea Corps Community Center had to shut down more than 2 hours early Thursday after employees and volunteers supplied all 1,200 food boxes they had on hand in less than 4 hours.The crew provided roughly 900 boxes worth five days of food, hygiene supplies and baby formula by noon. After running out of the bigger boxes, 300 families received the remaining smaller boxes, worth just two days of food.The 1,200 families served is what the Chelsea community center averaged daily in 2021, said Jeffrey Bailey, the Salvation Army’s director of social services. He connected the massive demand to inflation.“I’m a big boy, I love eggs, but even I can’t afford to go into the store and get eggs,” Bailey said. “This is no longer supplemental food we are giving. This is what they’re going to live off of for the...

Jacque Vaughn: Ben Simmons limited to individual practice, ‘hasn’t scripted’ with first or second group

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:28:36 GMT

Embattled Nets star Ben Simmons has been limited to individual on-court work in practice as he battles a combination of left knee and back soreness that has sidelined him since the NBA All-Star break.Simmons missed his 15th straight game due to what the team has deemed left knee/back soreness, watching from the sidelines during Brooklyn’s matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.Vaughn said for the first time since Simmons both received a platelet-rich plasma injection and had fluid drained from his knee during the All-Star break that Simmons has only practiced in an individual setting.“It is not with teammates, and so I’ll say that piece of it,” the head coach said ahead of tip-off against the Cavaliers on Thursday. “He hasn’t scripted with our group — first group, second group or anything of that nature.”Considering practice time between the Feb. 9 NBA Trade Deadline — when Vaughn finalized a starting lineup of Spence...

Boston COVID wastewater data keeps dropping, Massachusetts virus cases down 20%

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:28:36 GMT

Boston is continuing to report that COVID wastewater levels are dropping, as state health officials on Thursday reported a 20% decrease in new virus cases and falling hospitalizations.Data from the Boston Public Health Commission’s wastewater surveillance program shows that the number of COVID particles in the wastewater plunged 42% over the past two weeks.Six of the 11 neighborhood testing sites had rates that were below the citywide average of 407 viral RNA copies per milliliter: East Boston, South Boston, Jamaica Plain, Dorchester, Hyde Park, and Roslindale/West Roxbury.The neighborhoods above the virus wastewater average were Allston/Brighton, Charlestown, Back Bay, Mattapan, and Roxbury.Related ArticlesHealth | Gathering for St. Patrick’s Day? Boston health officials recommend wearing a mask as COVID cases go down Health | Maura Healey ending Massachusetts COVID-19 public-health emergency, vaccine mandate in May Health | Il...

Burglar takes Massachusetts State Police-issued rifle from locked cruiser in Malden

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:28:36 GMT

A thief working a Malden parking garage figured out quite a puzzle: how to steal a rifle secured in a mount of a locked State Police cruiser.A State Police spokesman confirmed that a rifle was stolen from one of the force’s cruisers sometime between Wednesday night and Thursday morning and that an investigation into the burglary is ongoing.What the agency will say is that its preliminary investigation indicates that the burglar entered the vehicle by force before stealing a department-issued patrol rifle that was “secured in a mount.”“At this time we have no indication of the rifle being used subsequent to its theft,” MSP spokesman Dave Procopio wrote in a statement.

Man accused of shooting teen in Boston arraigned on federal charges

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:28:36 GMT

The gang member accused of gunning down a Boston teenager in broad daylight now has been indicted in his federal case, advancing those proceedings.Csean “Shizz” Skerritt, 34, faces a federal charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, the grand jury also gave the feds the go-ahead to seize anything he gained from his alleged drug-dealing.This is an incremental change for the federal case against Skerritt, who the G-men already had charged by criminal complaint last month with the same count of dealing the powerful opioid fentanyl.This moves the case along, as the feds need a grand-jury indictment to continue prosecution of any felony charge. He’d been charged by complaint last month, with an FBI agent filing an affidavit saying that Skerritt had sold about 55 grams of the drug to a confidential informant.This case, however, isn’t really why the people of Boston have seen Skerritt’s face on the news va...

MBTA explores low-income fare program, estimates revenue loss

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:28:36 GMT

The MBTA expects to be able to implement a low-income fare program in 12 months, should the $5 million start-up cost included in the governor’s state budget proposal make it through the legislative process.Roughly 60,000 additional riders between the ages of 26-64, with incomes  at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, are expected to become eligible for half-price fares through this program, according to a presentation shared at Thursday’s Board of Directors meeting.“The implementation of a low-income fare program is a significant and complex project with a lot of different moving pieces,” said Steven Povich, MBTA director of fare policy and analytics.Healey, when presenting her state budget earlier this month, characterized means-tested fares as an equity initiative, saying the $5 million investment would provide start-up costs to implement such a program.Those funds would go toward building an online application, hiring additional staff, conducting the standard fare change ...