Happy Monday. Just a heads up: The Green Line's C branch is still closed between Kenmore and Cleveland Circle this week. Now, let's get to the news: Partido party: We're just one month away from the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and in Chelsea, city officials are drumming up excitement with the city's first-ever "Fiesta de Fútbol." The event series, funded through a $175,000 grant from the state, features soccer tournaments, a family-friendly "Field Day" and numerous Spanish-broadcast World Cup watch parties in Chelsea Square. - Kicking off: Chelsea was among 25 communities in Massachusetts to receive funding to host World Cup watch parties and other events. The city's programming began earlier this month with a teen soccer tournament, which will be followed by a 16-team adult soccer tournament on May 23. And on June 6 — five days before the World Cup begins — they'll also hold a "Field Day," where parents can register their children to play youth soccer.
- The goal: Organizers hope the activations will serve as a celebration of the residents' culture — two-thirds of those who live in the city identify as Latino or Hispanic, according to census data — and encourage more people to join local soccer programs. Charlie Giuffrida, Chelsea's director of athletic infrastructure and sports tourism, told WBUR's Dan Guzman this just the start of a larger push to grow girls' soccer and youth soccer as a whole. He hopes the soccer series can become an annual event. "This is not a one and done," Giuffrida said.
- The deets: The World Cup watch parties begin June 11 and take place outdoors along Broadway in Chelsea Square. City officials say it's the state's only public watch party with a Spanish-only broadcast. There will also be local food vendors and live music. The official screening schedule should be shared later this month, but the events are expected to draw a crowd, so officials urge visitors to plan to take public transportation, since parking in the area is limited.
- Zoom out: Chelsea Square isn't the only place around Greater Boston where you can get in on the World Cup excitement. Click here for our guide to local watch parties, fan fests, soccer bars and more.
Looking up: Things are turning around at Clark University in Worcester. Last year, the school laid off 30% of its faculty in a major restructuring effort amid declining student enrollment and financial pressures. But WBUR's Suevon Lee reports the school now says the number of students interested in attending this fall is up 35% — from 525 last year to 625 this year. And the school attributes the rise to their new recruitment strategy. - What's changed: Last year, Clark announced it would streamline the courses it offered, eliminating lower-enrolled majors and centering its academic focus around four disciplines: climate and global change; science and health; social and urban issues; and arts, media and design. While the number of applications to the school was consistent with previous years, there was an increase in student commitment, Suevon reports.
- The secret? Building relationships. Lukman Arsalan, the school's dean of undergraduate admissions, told Suevon that Clark's admission staff prioritized direct engagement with students and their families. That included spending more time talking to families outside of Massachusetts, in places like the West Coast and the South. They even showed off some of their classes, in-person. "I was able to bring some of those faculty members who offer some of the first year intensive classes with me," Arsalan said. "So, it was a cool show-and-tell on the road."
Mifepristone in court: After issuing a pause that restored telehealth patients' access to the abortion medication mifepristone for one week, the U.S. Supreme Court has until 5 p.m. today to decide what's next for the drug. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito could choose to extend the stay or allow it to expire (halting mifepristone access to telehealth patients nationwide) while the legal proceedings unfold. - Regardless of what's decided, Gov. Maura Healey insists the drug will be available in Massachusetts, WBUR's Deborah Becker reports. "We're gonna do everything in Massachusetts to protect and ensure that women get access to the healthcare that they need, in court, including abortion access, including access to mifepristone," Healey said at a press conference Friday.
P.S. — There are T-minus 18 days until The WBUR Festival begins! Check out our full lineup of speakers here, and flip through the schedule to discover pop-ups like musical performances, FOUND vintage market, local bites, and a bookstore and WBUR merch store. |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.