This is WBZ, Boston's news radio, redefining local.
News sixty three degrees in Boston at four o'clock. Good afternoon. I'm Ben Parker. Here's what's happening. It's official Governor more Hilly signing a new wide ranging gun reform law. The Governor's signing an emergency preamble. It will allow many of the law's provisions to go into effect immediately instead of later this month. Opponents of the bill had been pushing to suspend the law before it took place, hoping to repeal the law with a ballot measure in twenty twenty six.
In a statement, that governor says, this gun's safety law bans ghost guns, strengthens the Extreme Risk Protection Order statute to keep guns onto the hands of people who are a danger to themselves or others, and invests in violence prevention programs. A group known as the Civil Rights Coalition criticized the governor's decision and alleged an immediate start to some of the restrictions, especially on so called long guns,
could put guns shop out of business. President Biden gets a bird's eye view and a ground level view in the Carolinas today. He's surveying the damage from Helene. The storm brought dozens of deaths, widespread flooding, and damage, and now the federal government is stepping up and stepping in.
The President is immediately deploying one thousand active duty troops to assist with the response and recovery efforts. They'll help deliver food, water, and other critical supplies two communities impacted by the hurricane. The additional manpower will assist FEMA and other federal agencies reach the hardested areas as fast as possible. Stacy Lynn, CBS News Washington.
There's some new data that suggests drug overdose deaths are going down in Boston. The Boston Public Health Commission says the number of residents who died of opioid overdoses from January to April this year was down thirty three percent compared to the same time last year. Though the data is only preliminary and represents four months of the year,
city leaders are feeling encouraged by this report. Mayor Michelle wou sang in a statement, the new data shows the city is on the right track when it comes to tackling the opioid crisis. Boston is celebrating funds to transform downtown affordable housing of the BBC's Madison Rogers with the TAPS residence of the Maywa Village in Chinatown, got a surprise visit today meant a big announcement.
When I told her, Madame Mayor, that I was here delivering money to you to fix the building, she got really chatty.
Acting us HUD Secretary Adrian Todman came by with a three point two eight million dollar check in tow.
It's not an announcement unless it's a big and.
It's not just Boston. This is part of a new two hundred and seventy nine million dollar nationwide investment making repairs with an eye on climate resilience. Here's Mayor wu. Study after study has shown the unique impact that residents here have born for decades in generations with greater pollution causing greater health risks. This funding hopes to bring a breath of fresh air in Chinatown. I'm Madison Rogers, WBZ Boston's News Radio Brian Walls.
We'll be back in court later this year after a brief court appear this afternoon. Both sides. We're meeting to discuss evidence in the case. Walsh's facing murder chargers in connection with the death of his wife Anna. During the hearing in Denham, his lawyer says they need more time to go over evidence that was just given to them by the prosecution. Both sides agreed to circle back at a hearing on December second. Tonight, we'll have partly to
mostly cloudy skies depending on where you are. Fifty five in the city, we'll be in the upper forties, though in many of the cool suburbs, times of clouds and sun. Tomorrow a lot like today, although there'll probably be a little more sunshine than clouds. Tomorrow, temperatures within a few degrees of seventy, partly cloudy with a few areas of fog tomorrow night. That fog will hang in Friday morning,
eventually burning off, bringing us partly sunny skies. A warm or afternoon too on Friday, as we make a race into the upper seventies, and then on Saturday a little cooler back to seventy for the high. We'll have a couple of showers early. Otherwise, the mix of sun and clouds Right now sixty three degrees in Boston, but not in school on local school district says no phones in the classroom has paid instant dividends.
It's been more than a month since classes started at Framingham High and like many other schools in the state, they're cracking down on cell phone use.
Students cannot have their phones with them. They have to be either placed in a holder on the back of the door, on the wall, or shut off in their bags on the wall.
We decided to check in and see how that policy is actually working out.
It's made a huge difference with attention and focus and engagement framing and.
Principal Mark Albright says he's seen an enormous change in the six weeks since enforcement was stepped up, to the extent that some classes are running way ahead of schedule.
A couple of my Spanish teachers shared that content wise, they're more than two weeks ahead of where they were last year.
Other teachers told me the kids are more focused on work, which lets them open up the playbook on lesson plans. But all Bright says it's not all about shredding the curriculum.
I think that there's some comfort in understanding that I don't always have to have it in my hand.
He's seeing personal growth in the kids too, Kyle Shaffle w Busy, Boston's news.
Radio, and Brockton a student has checked out at the hospital after or in outlet short circuits at the high school. In a statement, the Brockton Schools say it happened while the student was plugging in a lamp. No damage to the building. The day went on as normal. More bang for no Bucks. Blue Bikes celebrating a milestone in Greater Boston. As we hear from wbz's j will a.
Twenty five million rides since its inception in twenty eleven, Blue Bikes is offering twenty five dollars worth of rides today for free. That's enough for an hour's long ride around town, an alternative to the car, to the shuttle bus whatever. The code to use on the app is blue Cross twenty five AM. That's blue Cross twenty five am all one word. The code only works for today, but once redeemed, riders can pedal to their heart's desire
or when the cash runs out. Also, randomly across more than five hundred stations, Blue Bikes is handing out gift cards to lucky riders. J Willett, WBZ Boston's News Radio.
Day two of a dock worker's strike impacting ports across the East and Gulf Coasts, even here in Boston. Striking dock workers want a big rays and a guarantee they're jobs won't be replaced with automation. The White House wants both sides to get working on a deal.
President Biden said the port workers and the shipping company should sit at the table and get this strike resolved.
Remember, we negotiated a similar strike on the West Coast before and they worked it out.
It's time they won't even talk, so let's get that done.
The President said, the last thing the country needs right now is another quote man made disaster, and said the White House is already hearing about supply chain issues because of the East Coast and Gulf Coast port strike. Karen Travers, ABC News Washington