You got a fast [Red Line] car

Also: Ballot barriers in Mass; port strike hits Boston [❤️ Donate]( [View in Browser](   October 1, 2024  ⛅ Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66 and fog this morning. Good Morning Boston, October is already off to [a spooky start](. Let's get to the news: - Phil speed ahead: It's not often people are excited for a Monday morning commute. But yesterday was the exception for riders who take the Red Line from Quincy and Braintree. After enduring [months of stubborn speed restrictions]( and [over three weeks of shuttle buses]( the MBTA greeted riders returning to the Braintree branch with the fastest commutes the line has seen in years. According to [data]( tracked by Transit Matters, trips on the nine-mile stretch from JFK/UMass to Braintree haven't been this fast since 2022. "After 24 days, we did what we promised," MBTA General Manager Phil Eng told WBUR's Andrea Perdomo-Hernandez in an interview. - T officials say yesterday was the first time in at least a decade that there were no Red Line slow zones south of JFK/UMass. During [the 24-day diversion]( crews lifted three dozen speed restrictions on the Braintree branch - plus one on the Ashmont branch. "If they come back, we're going to tackle them quickly and properly," Eng told Andrea. He noted the number of Braintree branch speed restrictions had increased from 22 last November. "It shows you just the rate of deterioration over time, if you don't address things," Eng said. - Inbound: Before the diversion, the typical trip from Braintree to JFK/UMass took between 33 and 36 minutes, according to Transit Matters. On Monday, the median time was around 21 minutes. (It was actually even faster - around 17 minutes - until signal problems struck and caused delays in the afternoon.) - Outbound: In the other direction, trips were also down to 21 minutes - a 10-minute improvement over the prior median. - What's next: Eng hopes to turn what was perhaps the T's most notoriously bogged down branch into its fastest by [increasing max train speeds from 40 mph to 50 mph](. "The track, I can tell you right now, can handle 50," he said. "It's really a matter of just reviewing the equipment [and] getting our employees qualified." - The big picture: [Read more here about how MBTA service has gotten noticeably better]( during Eng's 18 months in charge. - Not shipping up to Boston: A strike by dockworkers is officially underway, bringing business to a halt at 14 U.S. ports along the East and Gulf Coasts, including South Boston's Conley Terminal. The union for longshore workers is calling for higher wages and protections against automation from ocean carriers and port operators. But [as NPR reports]( the two sides appear far apart on a deal. - Zoom out: More than $2 billion worth of goods - over half of all cargo containers coming into the U.S. - typically flow through these ports daily, from cars to clothing to food. While some cargo has been diverted to the West Coast, many goods will have to sit on ships offshore until the strike is over. - Zoom in: Local business leaders worry about the supply chain impacts during the crucial fourth quarter and holiday season. "For each day of a strike or disruption, it could take three to five days additional to recover from that day of disruption," Jon Hurst, the president of the Massachusetts Retailers Association, told WBUR's Zeninjor Enwemeka. Hurst added it could lead to higher prices or product shortages for consumers. - Not so fast: Gov. Maura Healey has [stepped in to block construction of a controversial machine gun range]( at Joint Base Cape Cod. Though Healey said she's committed to supporting the Massachusetts National Guard's training needs, her office sided with local officials and environmental groups who expressed concerns about [the range's potential impact on the area's water supply.]( - It's a major setback for the project. Congress had approved $10 million for the National Guard to build the range. But without state approval by the end of last month, those funds now expire. - Prison problems: A 34-year-old person being held at the Massachusetts Treatment Center in Bridgewater is [dead after an apparent fight]( at the facility Sunday morning. - Meanwhile: Prosecutors are [charging three prisoners in connection with an attack last month on corrections officers]( at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center, which remains on lockdown. P.S.- We'll have live coverage of the one-and-probably-only vice presidential debate tonight. Turn your radio dial to 90.9 to listen or live stream the debate on our website starting at 9 p.m. (In the meantime, [check out this story]( on the history of the past 11 running mate debates and why this one may have unusually high stakes.) Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters The Rundown [19 Mass. cities and towns offer multilingual ballots, but some voters still need assistance]( In the state's 2022 midterm election, the eligible voter turnout rates for Asian and Hispanic voters was just about half that of white voters. Advocates say the low turnout rate was partly due to language barriers. [Read more.]( [19 Mass. cities and towns offer multilingual ballots, but some voters still need assistance]( In the state's 2022 midterm election, the eligible voter turnout rates for Asian and Hispanic voters was just about half that of white voters. Advocates say the low turnout rate was partly due to language barriers. [Read more.]( [Two major student loan grace periods are set to expire this week. Here's what to know]( Two federal programs that helped federal student loan borrowers ease back into payments are ending. It will have the biggest impact on borrowers with defaulted loans or borrowers who miss payments moving forward. [Read more.]( [Two major student loan grace periods are set to expire this week. Here's what to know]( Two federal programs that helped federal student loan borrowers ease back into payments are ending. It will have the biggest impact on borrowers with defaulted loans or borrowers who miss payments moving forward. [Read more.]( [Israel begins ground offensive in Lebanon]( The Israeli military pressed its ground incursion into southern Lebanon on Tuesday, calling the operations "limited incursions" that are targeting Hezbollah militants. [Read more.]( [Israel begins ground offensive in Lebanon]( The Israeli military pressed its ground incursion into southern Lebanon on Tuesday, calling the operations "limited incursions" that are targeting Hezbollah militants. [Read more.]( [Steward CEO fights contempt charges]( Departing Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre is fighting a criminal contempt of Congress charge against him for refusing to testify about the failure of his company. [Read more.]( [Steward CEO fights contempt charges]( Departing Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre is fighting a criminal contempt of Congress charge against him for refusing to testify about the failure of his company. [Read more.]( [A tiny town just got slammed by Helene. It could massively disrupt the tech industry]( Spruce Pine is a major global supplier of high-purity quartz. It's an essential ingredient for microchips and solar panels. [Read more.]( [A tiny town just got slammed by Helene. It could massively disrupt the tech industry]( Spruce Pine is a major global supplier of high-purity quartz. It's an essential ingredient for microchips and solar panels. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Today is former President Jimmy Carter's 100th birthday. The longest-living person to serve as president, Carter is in hospice care, but "still emotionally active" and "paying attention to the world," according to family members. Here's [a look at some of the notable events from his life and presidency in photos](. - What's up with those drones buzzing above Somerville? [They're part of a UMass project]( to study how car drivers and bicyclists behave around different types of bicycle infrastructure. - Bolstered by good weather, the Big E fair in West Springfield set [both overall and daily attendance records]( during its 17-day run. - Is there a sudden synth void in your life after [that "Industry" season finale?]( Consider [this music video from Boston's own FifteenØeight]( one of our favorite local entries to this year's NPR Tiny Desk Contest. What We're Reading 📚 - CommonWealth Beacon names new top editor ([Boston Business Journal]( - Oasis tour announcement does not include Boston date, despite rumors ([CBS News]( - Eliza Dushku's Bold New Journey ([Boston Magazine](   Tell Me Something Good [How a Mass. man grows pumpkins that weight over 2,000 pounds for New England fairs]( Giant pumpkin grower Steve Connolly joins Radio Boston to discuss how he got into growing massive produce and what he's learned along the way. [Read more.]( [How a Mass. man grows pumpkins that weight over 2,000 pounds for New England fairs]( Giant pumpkin grower Steve Connolly joins Radio Boston to discuss how he got into growing massive produce and what he's learned along the way. [Read more.]( Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: If the Celtics win another championship this year, they'll have [this preseason training regimen to thank](. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 🔎 Explore [WBUR's Field Guide]( stories, events and more. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.](   [Donate](   # # Want to change how you receive these emails? Stop getting this newsletter by [updating your preferences](.   I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. Unsubscribe from all WBUR editorial newsletters [here](.   Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here](. 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