New marker recalls first Colonial mint

The Bostonian Society unveiled a marker yesterday at Downtown Crossing at the site of the Hull Mint, the first in British North America. The marker went up on the Washington Street side of what is now the Macy's building, said Brian LeMay, executive director of the city's private nonprofit historical society. The mint -- named for John Hull, the silversmith who ran it -- was established in 1652 by the Colonial Legislature. It operated for about 30 years, making a number of silver coins, the best-known being the pine tree shilling, LeMay said.

Philip Warburg, president of the Conservation Law Foundation, will step down at the beginning of 2009 to focus on writing. Warburg was president of the environmental advocacy group for five years, presiding over a range of efforts including promotion of clean energy use and greenhouse gas reduction, expanding public transportation in Boston, and reducing stormwater pollution. "I've been running programs and organizations for almost two decades now, and I am very eager to spend some time doing some reflective writing that steps back from the immediate battles and looks at bigger-picture challenges," Warburg said. The board of directors has appointed an eight-member committee to lead a search for his replacement.

After more than 30 hours, the Coast Guard ended a search yesterday morning for a 57-year-old fishing captain whose boat capsized 115 miles east of Cape Cod. The search for Antonio Mesquita covered more than 280 square miles of ocean and involved two Coast Guard cutters, a Falcon jet, and a helicopter, officials said. The effort was officially suspended at 9:41 a.m. At about midnight Thursday, 8Mesquita rushed into the pilothouse of his foundering fishing vessel and slapped the emergency alarm, alerting his three-man crew to the danger. The crewmen -- Francisco Brito, Joao Matias, and Jorge Talma -- survived. Mesquita, who was last seen inside the pilothouse, apparently did not.

A nasty stomach virus has walloped a South Kingstown elementary school, forcing a quarter of the students to stay home sick. At least 71 children at Wakefield Elementary School fell ill this week with norovirus, which can cause stomach flu and can be caught through contact with infected people or by touching or ingesting contaminated items. Symptoms usually subside within a couple days, though in some cases treatment for dehydration is needed. Officials said the school has finished a cleaning recommended by the Department of Health and that they plan to clean the school again. They are also advising hand-washing to stop the spread of the virus. (AP)

The state's top game warden says the number of deer being hit by cars on the state's roadways is up by 12 percent through the first eight months of the year. Game Warden Colonel Robert Rooks says the numbers indicate one thing: "We have more deer." Shawn Haskell, Vermont deer project leader, estimates that the deer population is up, especially in the western part of the state. Motorists who see a deer cross a road in front of them should beware because it is likely that a second deer will follow the first, said Rooks. (AP)

New Hampshire House Speaker Terie Norelli has competition when Democrats meet today to nominate a speaker for the next two years. Norelli of Portsmouth is seeking reelection. Kris Roberts of Keene is challenging her for the job. Roberts was chairman of the State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs Committee under Norelli, but resigned rather than apologize for actively working against leadership's support for a school funding amendment. Norelli said she felt those opposing the amendment should have let her know before going public. (AP)