This is WBZ, Boston's news radio, redefining local news.
Sixteen degrees feels like nineteen in Boston. Right now at eleven o'clock, I'm Kyle Brain and here's what's happening. Mayor Wu providing a major update on the White Stadium renovation efforts. They've officially signed a shared usage agreement with the Boston Unity Soccer Partners.
I am thrilled to share that, as of this morning, the City of Boston has signed a lease with Boston Unity Soccer Partners to open up the largest investment into BPS Athletics and White Stadium since it opened in nineteen forty nine.
Mayor Wu also adding that this will make the stadium an anchor for youth sports in Boston. Renovation costs for the stadium have nearly doubled since the original projection of fifty million. President Biden commutes the sentences of almost every federal prisoner on death row. Thirty seven men will now serve life without the chance of parole. CBS's At O'Keefe has more.
In a statement this morning about the commutations, the President says he condemns these murderers and quote grieves for the victims of their despicable acts. He added, He's quote more than more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level in good conscience. He adds, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted. His announcement comes just four weeks before President elect Trump is said to take office now.
Among those three prisoners that were non granted clemency is Boston Marathon bomber Joharsar Naiev. For now, he still faces the death penalty, but that could change. A federal appeals court launched an investigation earlier this year to see if two jurors in his trials should have been disqualified for bias.
The other two people to not have their sentences commuted were Dylan Roof, who killed nine black churchgoers in a racist attack in South Carolina back in twenty fifteen, and Robert Bowers, who killed eleven people at the Tree Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. A second arrangement for the suspect in the killing of a healthcare ceo in Manhattan. ABC's Dave Packer has more from New York.
Luigi Mangioti fled not guilty today to New York charges including murder and terrorism for allegedly killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson earlier this month. This after Mangioni was charged last week on federal murder and terrorism charges. The Manhattan District Attorney saying his office has primary jurisdiction and will try their case before the federal case. If convicted, Mangioni faces life without parole and state court or even the
death penalty if the federal case proceeds. Dave Packer, ABC News New York.
Braintree police are telling people to avoid Forbes Road due to a three alarm fire at the Hyatt Hotel that's right across the street from Braintree Plaza, which is packed with last minute holiday shoppers. Crews are reportedly still working on containment. There's no word on any injuries or what caused the fire. Coming up, local officials celebrating a milestone for the MBTA. Now, it's time for the four day
wbc ACI weather forecast for meteorologist Joe Lundberg. It's gonna be a mix of sunshine and clouds today with a high of around twenty seven. Gonna be very cold, it's gonna be mainly cloudly on the cape, with some light snow and flurries lingering throughout the day. Tonight it will be turning cloudy with a bit of snow late lows between nineteen and twenty three early, but then the temperatures
will slowly rise. On Christmas Eve morning, we should get a period of snow that will accumulate about a coating of about an inch. That could lead to some slow and slippery travel. Now it won't be so cold in the afternoon though, with the clouds breaking. We'll get the high up to thirty four, near forty if you're on the Capoury Islands. And on Christmas Day, of course, we'll
be partly sunny with a high of thirty four. We'll have a little bit more clouds on Boxing Day, and then looking ahead we'll get some more sunshine and will be dry on Friday, highs getting into the upper thirties. Right now, it is sixteen degrees in Boston. The Tea is back up to speed in Greater Boston. Wbzs Hyle Shaffle has the details.
No slow zones remain on the tracks after an intense year of shutdowns and quarterback by MBTA, General manager of phil Aangs Christmas Miracle.
For the first time in twenty years, slow zones are removed from the tea.
At a Victory Lap news conference at North Station, Governor more Heey ticked off the ways riders are better off now than last year.
Collectively, riders are saving about two point four million minutes every weekday.
That breaks down to savings of up to an hour when riding the Red Line end to end in twenty one minutes on the Orange. The governor also said that meant the state economy is saving around a million dollars daily. Phil Ang was asked what's next.
Redline has some of the oldest trained cars, probably in the US.
We are focused on.
Delivering the Red line Orange Line signal upgrades by early twenty six before the World Cup.
Kyle Shaffield WBZ, Boston's news radio.
A geothermal energy pilot program in Framingham could be getting an expansion thanks to a federal grant. The program currently services properties on a loop formed by Normandy Road, Conquered Street, Lindberg Road, Berkshire Road, and Rose Kennedy Lane. The Metro West Daily News says Heat, a local clean energy nonprofit, has landed a seven point eight million dollar grant and is partnering with the City of Framingham, ever Source and
a third party to support the program's expansion westward. The project came online in early September and uses a series of buried pipes and heat conveying fluid to circulate heat between the ground and the buildings. A holiday drone show in Orlando, Florida, is under investigation after several of the drones collided in mid air and crashed to the ground, seriously injuring a young boy. Here's ABC's Rhiannon Alley.
The yearly drone show, attracting twenty five thousand spectators, was a permitted FAA event. The City of Orlando says this was the second year working with the vendor operating the drones, the drone company sky Elements, saying in a statement it wants to extend its sincere hope for a full and speedy recovery to those impacted. We are diligently working with the FAA and City of Orlando officials to determine the cause and our commit added to establishing a clear picture of what transpired.
The boys mother says a drone hit him in the chest, requiring him to get open heart surgery. You are now in the loop for news updates throughout the day. Listen to WBZ News Radio on the iHeartRadio app. I'm Kyle Bray, WBZ, Boston's news radio