BOSTON
The MBTA took down its new website yesterday, less than 24 hours after its debut, because of technical problems and heavy usage. T officials said they plan to get the site back online once the problems are fixed. In the meantime, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will revert to the old site. The $466,000 revamp of the website included detailed maps and route directions, but users complained throughout the day that the web pages were not loading or were slow to respond. Reversion to the old site also means that T riders cannot buy their January monthly passes online and must do so at retail outlets or T stations.
Hospital files infectious disease plan
City health regulators said yesterday that they were pleased with a plan submitted by Children's Hospital Boston to ensure prompt reporting of infectious disease at the medical center. The Boston Public Health Commission had ordered Children's to draft such a plan after the hospital delayed reporting a cluster of whooping cough cases in October. Dr. Anita Barry, the city's director of communicable disease control, said the plan, which includes Internet-based training for medical staff, "could be a model for other institutions."
BOSTON
Governor-elect to review opinions
After 76 meetings across the state attended by 7,180 people, the groups gathering input for Governor-elect Deval Patrick submitted 15 separate draft reports to the new administration yesterday with suggestions on everything from ways to revamp the state website to guarding the Quabbin Reservoir from a terrorist attack. The reports also include more than 5,000 suggestions that people submitted online through Patrick's transition website. "We are attempting to harvest the wisdom of the grass roots," said John Walsh, Patrick's transition manager. Next week, the leaders of the 15 discussion groups will meet with Patrick and Lieutenant Governor-elect Timothy P. Murray to present their findings.
WRENTHAM
S. Attleboro man killed crossing Route 1
A 57-year-old South Attleboro man was killed yesterday when he was struck by a car as he attempted to cross Route 1 in Wrentham, according to State Police. The driver, Anne Davis, 72, of Foxborough, was traveling south on Route 1 when she struck the victim about 5:10 p.m. Davis was then struck from behind by a vehicle. Neither of the drivers were hurt. The victim, whose identity was not released last night, was flown to Boston Medical Center, where he later died. The accident is under investigation by State Police. No charges were being brought against Davis last night. The accident caused significant traffic delays on southbound Route 1 until the scene was cleared about 7:30 p.m.
PORTLAND, Maine
Nonprofit adds lake, land to Baxter Park
The Trust for Public Land, a national conservation group, announced yesterday that the nonprofit has completed the purchase of Katahdin Lake and 4,000 surrounding acres and that all had been added to Baxter State Park. The remote lake has been favored by landscape painters for more than a century for its scenic views of Mount Katahdin, Maine's tallest . A land swap approved by legislators last spring gave the trust until this month to raise the $14 million needed to buy the property and protect it as parkland. The acquisition was opposed by some hunters.
LOWELL
Homicide suspected in death of man, 19
A 19-year-old Lowell man was found dead yesterday, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound, authorities said. The body of Augusto Degree was discovered about 1 p.m. in a second-floor apartment on Central Street. Degree was transported to Lowell General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Middlesex district attorney's office said the death was an apparent homicide.
PROVIDENCE
Other bands used fireworks at nightclub
Video footage released yesterday shows that several rock bands used fireworks displays inside The Station before Great White's pyrotechnics set the club on fire in February 2003, killing 100 people. The clips of other bands that played at The Station were included in evidence released by the attorney general's office, in response to a public records request from the Associated Press, The Providence Journal, and The Boston Globe. (AP)
Correction: Because of a reporting error, an item in New England in Brief in the City & Region section yesterday about the MBTA taking down its new website incorrectly stated that customers cannot buy their January monthly passes on the old website. Riders can buy the passes on the old site as well as at retail outlets and T stations.
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