New hearing ordered on state oil spill law

BOSTON
A federal appeals court has overturned a ruling that tossed out key provisions of a state law aimed at preventing oil spills, a move environmentalists hailed as a victory in efforts to beef up protection of its waterways and coastline. The state Legislature passed the Oil Spill Prevention Act in 2004 after a barge struck a rocky ledge at the mouth of Buzzards Bay and spilled 98,000 gallons of oil. The spill polluted more than 90 miles of shoreline along southeastern Massachusetts and closed nearly 100 thousand acres of shellfish beds. Last year, US District Judge Joseph Tauro threw out the law's main provisions, saying it was preempted by federal law. But on Thursday, the First US Circuit Court of Appeals said Tauro had acted prematurely and ordered the case sent back to the lower court to hear evidence. (AP)

Police identified the suspect in the slaying of a Dorchester man Thursday afternoon. Patrick Mayhew, 20, also of Dorchester, is wanted in the shooting death of Joseph Smith, 39. Police found Smith suffering from gunshot wounds on Nottingham Street; he was later pronounced dead at Boston Medical Center. A police spokesman said they are still investigating whether Mayhew knew Smith.

Governor Deval Patrick is distributing more than $500,000 in donations left over from his inaugural celebration in January to charities across the state. The funds are being distributed in grants of $2,500 to nonprofit groups that "further the inaugural's civic engagement objective and exemplify excellence in their field," Patrick campaign officials said yesterday. More than 1,500 groups applied for the money. Eligible organizations had to have an operating budget of less than $3 million. The inaugural committee raised $2 million, mostly from corporations and law firms, to cover the cost of the five-day celebration. (AP)

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health said yesterday that it has awarded more than $2.7 million in contracts to expand residential recovery and substance abuse programs statewide, adding 165 places in 10 programs. Of the programs to receive funding, Boston Homeless Services Reentry Program and the Hector Reyes House of Worcester will add 30 beds and 25 beds, respectively.

HAVERHILL

A woman who police said was behind the wheel of a car when it hit and killed a mother from Danville, N.H., at a car wash has been charged in connection with the crash. Marie Pigaga of Plaistow, N.H., 46, was charged yesterday with motor vehicle homicide by reckless operation, speeding, and lane violations. Police said her car jumped a curb in Haverhill Monday, careened into a car wash parking lot, and struck 43-year-old Robin Young, who was drying off her vehicle. Young's 10-year-old daughter was in the car and was not hurt. (AP)

MONTPELIER

The federal government has denied federal recognition to the Abenaki Indians of Vermont, saying the group doesn't meet federal criteria, state Attorney General William Sorrell said yesterday. Echoing a proposed finding issued 1 1/2 years ago, the US Bureau of Indian Affairs issued a final determination yesterday saying the St. Francis-Sokoki Band of the Abenaki Nation of Vermont doesn't meet criteria required to prove it is an Indian tribe. "It's disappointing, but it wasn't unexpected," said Abenaki historian Fred Wiseman, a professor at Johnson State College. (AP)

BERLIN, N.H.

A former prep school teacher convicted of possessing hundreds of child-pornography images left prison yesterday after serving 11 years. David Cobb, 71, left the state prison in Berlin around 7:30 a.m., corrections spokesman Jeff Lyons said. Because he completed his sentence, Cobb was not required to tell corrections officials where he was going. "It's my understanding he's going to be out of state," Lyons said. Cobb became infamous as the "Pumpkin Man," because of a mask he wore while soliciting children. He has five days under state law to register as a convicted sex offender if he lives in New Hampshire, Lyons said. Cobb taught English at Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., for three decades until his arrest in August 1995 in Farmington. (AP)