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Eng Taps New Yorkers To Address MBTA Woes

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:39 GMT

Facing a long list of necessary safety, service and reliability improvements, the MBTA will staff up at some of its highest levels. MBTA General Manager Phil Eng on Thursday announced he appointed four new officials who will be responsible for managing the quality of T stations, agency infrastructure, engineering, and capital planning, operations and safety. Like Eng, each of the four new major hires previously worked at transportation agencies in New York. Dennis Varley, a veteran of the Long Island Rail Road, will become the T’s first chief of stations. Sam Zhou, another New Yorker who most recently worked for that state’s Department of Transportation, will take over as the MBTA’s assistant general manager of engineering and capital. Doug Connett, the new chief of infrastructure, joins from a state safety and security consulting firm and also has experience at transit agencies in New York City and Washington, D.C. And Rod Brooks, the MBTA’s new senior advis...

For older adults at risk of cognitive decline, hearing aids may reduce risk by half

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:39 GMT

Susan Barber Lindquist | (TNS) Mayo Clinic News NetworkUsing hearing aids can slow cognitive decline in older adults with hearing loss who are also at risk for memory and thinking problems, according to recent research.A large clinical trial found that for older adults at risk of cognitive issues, using hearing aids for three years cut their rates of cognitive decline in half.While previous research has shown that hearing loss is a risk for developing dementia, the Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders (ACHIEVE) study was the first randomized, controlled clinical trial to assess the effect of intervening with hearing aids. Results from the study were reported at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference and simultaneously published in The Lancet.David Knopman, M.D., a Mayo Clinic neurologist and study co-investigator, says the study shows positive benefits in delaying cognitive decline for people roughly age 75 and older with hearing loss.“Older indi...

Column: Oh, geez. The Chicago White Sox begin their selloff with a flourish — and no one should feel safe.

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:39 GMT

Chicago White Sox general manager Rick Hahn seemed surprised by the question.“Oh, geez,” he said late Wednesday night when asked if the trade of Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López to the Los Angeles Angels for two prospects signaled the start of another rebuild.Hahn assured the reporter there would be plenty of time for “declaring titles” for whatever the game plan turns out to be, and the only thing he was doing now was making moves that “make sense and put us in the best position going forward.”“Oh, geez” is as good an epitaph for the current White Sox rebuild as anything I can think of. It began in 2016 with the trade of Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox and was full steam ahead with the deal that sent Adam Eaton to the Washington Nationals.That deal, which netted three top pitching prospects in Giolito, López and Dane Dunning, turned out to be one of the best moves Hahn has made in his Sox career. Giolito became an All-Star,...

JuJu Smith-Schuster already influencing Patriots’ offense early in training camp

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:39 GMT

FOXBORO — It didn’t take long for new Patriots wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster to become a focal point in the offense.Smith-Schuster didn’t practice in front of reporters this spring — he says he now feels “amazing” after the five-week break between practices — but has been a full participant in the offense through the first two days of training camp.He led all pass-catchers with five targets in Thursday’s practice, catching two of them from quarterback Mac Jones while beating young cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez and Marcus Jones, both of whom were thrust into top roles. Smith-Schuster downplayed the volume of targets Thursday after practice, however.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots’ Bill Belichick agrees with Mac Jones’ assessment of relationship New England Patriots | Bill Belichick won’t address Patriots’ reported contact with Dalvin Cook about visit New England Patriots | Patriots OT Trent Brown: Bill O’Brien help...

Go pro or go to college? Lake Central’s Josh Adamczewski takes decision to deadline after Brewers draft him.

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:39 GMT

There were two roads in front of Josh Adamczewski.Once the 2023 Lake Central graduate gave it some thought, though, there was only one way for him to go.“With the pro route, you go and play baseball for a living, and you get paid to do it,” he said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If I passed that up and it never came around again, I’d beat myself up for the rest of my life.”That’s how Adamczewski, a 6-foot shortstop who was picked in the 15th round of the MLB draft by the Milwaukee Brewers on July 11, finally landed on the decision to choose a professional baseball career over a college career at Ball State. He signed Tuesday — deadline day.Adamczewski landed on draft radars during his final season at Lake Central. He hit .473 and led the regional champion Indians with 56 RBIs, 55 runs scored, 35 walks, nine home runs, six triples and a .632 on-base percentage.Adamczewski’s life became increasingly hectic about a month af...

Recipe: Make lamb kofta, a spicy Middle Eastern meat served inside pita bread

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:39 GMT

Served tucked into pita bread and slathered with a yogurt-based sauce, kofta is a spicy meatloaf-like mixture that is traditionally shaped into logs or patties. Skewered, and grilled, kofta is vibrantly flavored, rich in spices such as cumin, coriander, and allspice. Although the meat used to make them varies, ground lamb is a favorite.Pip Payne, author of “The Slimming Foodie in Minutes: 100 + Quick-Cook Recipes Under 600 Calories” (Aster), likes to make lamb kofta for her children. She forms the meat mixture into balls and bakes them rather than skewering and grilling. She suggests “for a cheeky little addition” that readers stuff each kofta sphere with a 1/2-inch cube of feta cheese placed in the center.Baked Lamb Kofta with Mint and Yogurt SauceYield: 4 servingsINGREDIENTS1 pound plus 2 ounces lean ground lamb (10 percent fat)1 brown onion, grated2 garlic cloves, minced2 teaspoons ground cumin1 teaspoon ground coriander1/2 teaspoon ground allspice1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspo...

Yankees’ Ron Marinaccio searching for consistency, mechanics: ‘It’s been a battle’

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:39 GMT

The Yankees have a few problems to deal with as the trade deadline approaches. Ron Marinaccio isn’t anywhere near the top of the list, but he’s put himself on there with a poor July.The right-handed reliever has a 9.72 ERA this month after allowing nine earned runs and three homers over 10 games and 8.1 innings. Opponents are slashing .353/.488/.706 against him over that span.Marinaccio’s ERA for the season inflated to 4.33 on Tuesday after he surrendered two earned runs and a walk over a third of an inning in a loss to the Mets. Afterward, Aaron Boone said the pitcher’s woes start with his command, as he’s issued nine walks over this stretch. The manager also noted that Marinaccio is “essentially a two-pitch guy” who relies heavily on a fastball-changeup combo. So he’s a little more predictable than pitchers with expanded repertoires.That’s fine when Marinaccio is on point. Lately, however, he’s been “a little off,&#...

Mayo Clinic Minute: Managing migraines in the summer

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:39 GMT

Sonya Goins | (TNS) Mayo Clinic News NetworkSevere weather conditions are enough to give anyone a headache, but temperature fluctuations are even more problematic for migraine sufferers.Dr. Rashmi B. Halker Singh, a Mayo Clinic neurologist, says the weather can trigger some migraine patients.For some people, migraines are debilitating. The intense, throbbing head pain is often so severe that it feels like the head will explode.“When people have migraine, they typically do have pain, typically moderate or severe pain, but they have other symptoms that go along with that,” says Dr. Rashmi Halker Singh.What triggers migraines?A migraine is a neurologic disease that affects people differently. Some migraine sufferers experience sensitivity to light, sound and smells.“It can impact their quality of life. It can impact their day. They typically have attacks which can be unpredictable,” Dr. Halker Singh explains.Extreme weather can affect various changes in the brai...

Love to nap? Here’s more evidence it’s good for your brain

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:39 GMT

Hanna Webster | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS)PITTSBURGH — A study published last month in the journal Sleep Health found that regular napping is linked to larger brain volume and could indicate anti-aging properties of napping.While past research looked at people’s brains and sleep habits and made correlations, this study — with global collaboration including Harvard Medical School — took it one step further in analyzing participants’ genes to locate specific traits associated with napping. The Allegheny Health Network Center for Sleep Medicine thinks it’s a step in the right direction for learning more about sleep and cognition.It is estimated that one in three U.S. adults does not get adequate sleep (an average 7 to 8 hours a night), and that around 18% of Americans have a sleep disorder. Teens need more sleep than adults, to accommodate a developing brain. Chronic poor sleep can decrease immune function and increase risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and other health condition...

Josh Uche would ‘love’ to remain in New England, will the Patriots extend him?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:39 GMT

FOXBORO — Josh Uche understands the game outside the game.Whether he plays in New England past this season, a contract year for the talented 24-year-old pass rusher, is closely tied to his performance on the football field. But not entirely.The Patriots’ ongoing negotiations with his agents will be impacted by several factors: his contract demands, the team’s interest, how pass rushers of his age and caliber are currently being paid across the league, salary cap projections, the opportunity cost of signing Uche to a large contract for the team, potential replacements for him on the roster, how the front office projects he’ll play in upcoming years, what Uche believes he’ll do and which side can best flexSo, with all of that in mind, Uche is choosing to keep a clear head. The business game? His agents can handle that. Football is the only game he wants to play.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Bill Belichick won’t address Patriots’ report...