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5 takeaways from AP’s reporting on Pell Grants for prisoners getting college degrees

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

The Associated Press visited a California prison for a graduation ceremony last month, as dozens of prisoners received college degrees, high school diplomas and vocational certificates earned while they served time.Thousands of prisoners throughout the United States get their college degrees behind bars, most of them paid for by the federal Pell Grant program, which offers the neediest undergraduates tuition aid that they don’t have to repay. That program is about to expand exponentially next month, giving tens of thousands more students behind bars financial aid per year.Here are the key takeaways from the AP’s reporting:HOW DO COLLEGE PROGRAMS BEHIND BARS HELP PRISONS OVERALL?Studies have shown that taking any kind of courses while behind bars results in a 43% less likelihood that a former prisoner will commit more crime and return to prison. Advocates also say college and other rehabilitative programming improve safety in the prisons for staff and the incarcerated populatio...

Today in Sports – Brazil becomes the 1st team to win the World Cup outside its continent

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

June 291906 — Alex Smith shoots a record 295 to beat brother Willie in the U.S. Open. Alex shoots a 295 at Onwentsia Club Ill.1933 — Primo Carnera knocks out Jack Sharkey in the sixth round at the Long Island City Bowl to win the world heavyweight title.1947 — Betty Jameson wins the U.S. Women’s Open by six strokes over amateurs Sally Sessions and Rolly Riley.1952 — Louise Suggs beats Betty Jameson and Marlene Bauer by seven strokes to win the U.S. Women’s Open.1956 — Charles Dumas becomes the first high jumper to clear 7 feet, jumping 7 feet, 5-8 inches in the U.S. Olympic trials at Los Angeles.1957 — Jackie Pung loses the U.S. Women’s Open when she turns in an incorrect scorecard. Betsy Rawls is declared the winner.1958 — Brazil, led by Pele, beats Sweden 5-2 in Stockholm to become the first team to win the World Cup outside its continent. The 17-year-old, coming off a hat-trick in Brazil’s 5-2 semifinal victory over France, scores twice in the final. Pele’s first and memorable go...

Sports on TV for July 3 – 9

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

Adv01(All times Eastern)Schedule subject to change and/or blackoutsMonday, July 3CYCLING8 a.m.USA — UCI: The Tour de France, Stage 3, 115 miles, Amorebieta-Etxano, Spain to Bayonne, France2 a.m. (Tuesday)USA — UCI: The Tour de France, Stage 3, 115 miles, Amorebieta-Etxano, Spain to Bayonne, France (Taped)MLB BASEBALL6 p.m.FS1 — Washington at Cincinnati9:30 p.m.FS1 — LA Angels at San DiegoNBA BASKETBALL6 p.m.ESPN2 — Summer League: TBA8 p.m.ESPN — Summer League: TBA10 p.m.ESPN — Summer League: TBATENNIS6 a.m.ESPN — ATP/WTA: Wimbledon, First Round, London1 p.m.ESPN — ATP/WTA: Wimbledon, First Round, London6 a.m. (Tuesday)ESPN — ATP/WTA: Wimbledon, First Round, London _____Tuesday, July 4CYCLING8 a.m.USA — UCI: The Tour de France, Stage 4, 113 miles, Dax to Nogaro, France2 a.m. (Wednesday)USA — UCI: The Tour de France, Stage 4, 113 miles, Dax to Nogaro, France (Taped)MLB BASEBALL6:30 p.m.TBS — LA Angels at San DiegoSOCCER (MEN’S)6:30 p.m.FS1 — CONCACAF Gold Cup Group Stage: Canada vs. C...

Homestead man arrested for stealing construction tools valued at over $1,800

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

A 24-year-old Homestead resident was taken into custody following allegations of stealing construction tools with a total worth exceeding $1,800.Joseph Shaun Cepeda was apprehended Wednesday and subsequently charged with larceny, according to a press release from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.The investigation was initiated in May by detectives following the reported theft of several valuable items from a construction site in Ocean Reef. The stolen goods included a measuring laser, two flood lights, and a multi-tool.Detectives discovered that Cepeda had allegedly pawned the stolen items at a local shop located in Florida City.Arrest warrants were obtained for Cepeda and on Wednesday, officials successfully apprehended him, and he was subsequently booked into jail.

Starbucks introduces new frozen refreshers for a cool summer treat

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

As summer heats up, Starbucks is bringing a chilly twist to its popular refreshing beverages with the introduction of the new Frozen Lemonade Starbucks Refreshers. These refreshing drinks, now available in stores across the United States and Canada, promise to be a vibrant addition to Starbucks’ range of cold beverages.The Frozen Lemonade Starbucks Refreshers line combines the beloved flavors of Starbucks Refreshers with a tantalizing swirl of strawberry puree and real fruit pieces, offering customers a delightful way to savor the essence of summer.Matt Thornton, senior beverage developer at Starbucks, expressed his enthusiasm for the new addition in a press release. “Since Starbucks Refreshers Beverages joined the menu in 2012, our customers and partners (baristas) have creatively customized their beverages, such as adding coconut milk, lemonade, or blending with ice,” he said. “Inspired by these customer and partner creations, we’re excited to bring t...

9 deaths in 8 days attributed to unprecedented heat in Texas county, medical examiner says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

(CNN) — Nine people have died in the last eight days due to heat-related illnesses in Webb County, Texas, the county medical examiner said.“I come to you with a heavy heart this morning. In the last eight days in our county, we’ve lost nine residents to this heat,” Webb County Medical Examiner Dr. Corinne Stern said at a commissioners court meeting Tuesday.Power use in Texas hit an all-time high Tuesday, the state’s power authority said, and the blistering temperatures that prompted the usage surge will continue to scorch parts of the US Wednesday – putting nearly 90 million people under heat alerts.As customers grappled with triple-digit heat, the Texas Electric Reliability Council said power usage reached 80,828 megawatts at 6 p.m. Tuesday. That surpassed the grid’s previous record of 80,148 megawatts, set on July 20, 2022. The authority expects another record to be set Wednesday afternoon.The state’s power grid is largely cut off from the rest of the country and has seen frequent...

Biden says Putin is losing the war in … Iraq

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

U.S. President Joe Biden slipped up Tuesday, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin is losing the war in Iraq. Putin, of course, is actually carrying out a full-scale invasion in Ukraine — not the Middle Eastern country which the U.S. and its allies invaded in 2003. Answering questions from reporters on Putin, Biden said: “It’s hard to tell but he’s clearly losing the war in Iraq.”“He’s losing the war at home, and he has become a bit of a pariah around the world,” Biden added. “And it’s not just NATO. It’s not just the European Union. It’s Japan. It’s, you know, 40 nations,” referring to the opposition against Putin. Biden’s comments come less than a week after Putin saw Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin lead an aborted rebellion against the Russian military establishment. He approached Moscow with a column of tanks before he stood down and was exiled to Belarus. Biden has a long track record of gaffes and misspeaking. In recent months, he referred to the famous N...

AI will ‘change everything,’ Tony Blair warns world’s politicians

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

LONDON — Artificial intelligence will spark “revolutionary change,” former British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned Wednesday, as he urged politicians around the world not to get caught short by the rapidly-advancing tech.“How you understand, master and harness this technology revolution will define the place of this country and the shape of the world,” said Blair, who was speaking at a Chatham House event in London.Blair — who led the U.K. from 1997 to 2007 and remains influential on the current opposition Labour Party — said he was sometimes asked by people on the center-left, “how can we be ambitious? What’s our mission in this world of turmoil?”“This is your mission,” Blair replied. “This is going to change everything.” The future of politics will not, Blair argued, be about “a little bit more on tax, a little bit less on tax, a little bit more on spending, a little bit less on spending.” Instead, he said: “It’s going to...

Scientists pinpoint gene that protects humans from bird flu

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

BTN3A3 — its name is a mouthful but this gene may be the reason you’ve never contracted bird flu.Researchers from the University of Glasgow have discovered the BTN3A3 gene in humans helps to stop the avian influenza virus from replicating inside human cells, making it more difficult for the disease to spread to other people. The discovery could help health authorities stay one step ahead of the virus and improve efforts to monitor and control the disease. Bird — or avian — flu regularly circulates in wild birds, which can then infect chickens and pose a risk to humans because of close contact with poultry on farms. It’s a cousin to the regular flu, though more deadly to humans. However, it’s rare that it makes the jump to infecting people, and even rarer that it starts to spread.Nevertheless, experts consider bird flu to be a prime candidate for the next pandemic. There have been periodic flare-ups of the disease, such as the 2013 outbreak in China that killed more...

State, city leaders discuss concerns regarding upcoming Sumner Tunnel closure

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

State and city leaders gathered at the MBTA’s Wonderland station in Revere Wednesday to address concerns about a nearly two-month closure of the Sumner Tunnel that is slated to begin next week.The main artery connecting East Boston to the rest of Boston is slated to shut down from July 5 to Aug. 31 to make way for needed repairs. Weekend closures already in place on most weekends for the past year have given drivers a preview of what to expect. On Wednesday, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu was among other officials discussing the closure and mitigation measures set to take effect when the tunnel shuts down to traffic. “Our biggest fear is that people don’t realize this is coming and that they won’t have time to plan before they’re stuck,” Wu said. “We need everyone’s help spreading the word about all of the alternatives that are available,” she later continued.State officials have announced mitigation measures ahead of the Tunnel closure, including plans to run fare-fre...