State gets $60.3m to curb homelessness
Massachusetts received $60.3 million in federal grants yesterday to curb homelessness, part of $1.4 billion being distributed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This year's round of grants to the Bay State represent a $5.9 million increase from last year's $54.4 million given to fund permanent housing and transitional programs for the homeless. The money also will help fund the construction and maintenance of emergency shelters, but the focus this year is on finding permanent housing. Massachusetts ranked seventh for the most funding across the country, said Joe Finn, executive director of Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance.
WOBURN
Police identify victim of Route 128 crash
State Police identified the man killed in Monday night's accident on Route 128 as Douglas Rodriguez, 38, of Cumberland, R.I. Rodriguez was ejected from the Ryder van he was driving when his vehicle hit a guard rail about 9 p.m. Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene. His 71-year-old passenger, identified by police as Lawrence Semia, was seriously injured.
New England
Storm causes blood supply shortage
The weekend blizzard has caused a critical shortage in the region's blood supply, Red Cross officials say. With travel still difficult, many people have canceled appointments to give blood, and many blood drives have been canceled. Making matters worse, the Northeast Division of the Red Cross has been unable to receive support from the Red Cross National System because shipments from other parts of the nation are either not available or delayed because of the weather. More snow is expected in the Boston area this week. All blood types are needed, but with less than half-a-day's supply left, there is an urgent need for types O-negative and B-negative, the Red Cross said. At least 2,000 units of blood are needed every day just to meet basic needs in New England. (AP)
BOSTON
Democrats push committee restructuring
Beacon Hill Democrats yesterday proposed the first major overhaul of the Legislature's committee structure since 1967, aiming to place greater emphasis on education, healthcare, human services, and economic development. The plan would reduce the number of committees from 39 to 37. But because there would be seven new joint committees, each of which has both a House and a Senate chairman, the number of lawmakers receiving bonus pay for heading a committee will increase by at least five, costing the state more than $120,000. The plan would divide the current Education, Arts and Humanities Committee into three panels focused on K-12 education; higher education; and tourism, arts, and cultural development. The current Health Care Committee would be divided into Health Care Financing, Public Health, and Mental Health and Substance Abuse. The plan would give the Senate president pro tempore an extra $7,500 and create a new post, House speaker pro tempore, which would also receive a stipend.
Team from MGH to aid tsunami victims
A team of healthcare workers from Massachusetts General Hospital is leaving today to join the tsunami relief effort in Sri Lanka. A group of 25 nurses, 14 doctors, 2 social workers, and 1 nutritionist left this morning for Baltimore and will join the US Navy Ship Mercy on Friday in Sri Lanka. The Mercy, which is equipped with 1,000 beds and 275 military medical personnel, will function as an intensive care unit and operating room. The volunteer doctors and nurses will serve for four weeks before being replaced by another team from MGH and will probably treat survivors with crushing injuries, burns, amputations, malnutrition, and infectious disease, according to MGH spokeswoman Donita Boddie.
WOBURN
Bail is set at $2,500 in fatal accident
Sean Dyer, 18, of Woburn was arraigned in Woburn District Court yesterday on charges in the Friday night crash that killed Cassandra Donovan. a 17-year-old Woburn High School senior. Dyer, who was driving when the car crashed into a telephone pole, was charged with motor vehicle homicide under the influence of liquor, operating recklessly, speeding, and marked lane violations, police said. Bail was set at $2,500, with the conditions that he not drive, check into probation two times per week, not commit any crimes, and not drink any alcohol, officials said. Dyer has denied that he was drinking alcohol before the accident.
