Local News Updates

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January 31, 2008

Taunton police officer injured in crash

By Khristopher Flack, Globe Correspondent

A veteran Taunton police offer was taken to the hospital this morning with a large gash in his head and broken ribs after being hit by a car while working a detail, police said.

David DeOliveira, 40, was on assignment with Taunton Municipal Light Plant workers while they trimmed tree branches from telephone wires. Police said one of the utility workers used the officer's radio to contact authorities.

Lieutenant Joe Coelho visited DeOliveira, a 10-year member of the force, in the hospital, where he was listed in good condition. Coelho said the injured officer was "a little groggy" but in good spirits considering the accident.

Accident reconstruction crews are still investigating and police have not yet decided to press charges. The driver, Taunton resident Roxanne Morin, who knows DeOliveira, blamed the accident on a coughing fit she had while driving, Coelho said.

There is no timetable for DeOliveira's return to the force, Coelho said.

Posted by mfinucane at 11:11 PM | Comments (0)

Boston police warn women of predator on downtown streets

By Globe Staff

Boston police are stepping up patrols and warning women to be vigilant in the Faneuil Hall and Theater District areas after connecting two sexual assaults that began when women accepted rides in those areas, police said in a statement yesterday.

Both incidents occurred in the early morning hours. In both cases, the women were taken to Charlestown, where they were assaulted. Police will also be increasing patrols in that area. Police said DNA evidence appears to link the two cases.

In the first incident, on Aug. 8, a woman accepted a ride from the Stuart Street area. In a Nov. 22 incident, the woman was in the State Street area. In conjunction with Mayor Thomas Menino's office, police have scheduled a meeting with bar and nightclub owners to urge vigilance by managers and employees.

Posted by mfinucane at 10:53 PM | Comments (0)

New chief homicide prosecutor named by DA

By Megan Woolhouse, Globe Staff

Edmond J. Zabin has been named Suffolk County's new chief homicide prosecutor, responsible for reviewing every suspicious death in Boston, Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop, Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said this afternoon.

Zabin replaces David Meier, who held the job 12 years and is leaving the job to go into private practice.

Conley said Zabin, a career prosecutor who has worked at the Suffolk County District Attorney's office for 15 years, "has a tremendous work ethic."

"Eddie is somewhat of an understated guy," Conley said in a phone interview. "He's not a screamer or a yeller or theatrical, but he really pursues the truth with persistence."

A graduate of Colby College and Northeastern University law school, Zabin recently directed the investigation that led to an indictment in the murder of Revere Police Officer Daniel Talbot.

As chief prosecutor, he will oversee more than a dozen homicide prosecutors and handle as many as a dozen of his own, Conley said.

Posted by mfinucane at 9:06 PM | Comments (0)

Berklee in discussions to open Spanish campus

By Globe Staff

Berklee College of Music is in discussions with the government of Valencia, Spain, to open a sister campus in the coastal city on the Mediterranean.

The school would focus on contemporary music and music technology and would build on the college's international scope and reputation, officials said. Discussions began last May and could wrap up by year's end, Larry Monroe, Berklee's vice president for international programs, said today.

Valencia officials have already set aside land for the school, which would feature Berklee in its name. The cost of the project is undetermined, and the school would not open until 2010 at the earliest.

Berklee students and professors would enjoy an open exchange between the two campuses, Monroe said. "This is quite a grandious proposal," Monroe said. "Nothing of this size and scope devoted to contemporary music has been ever been built."

Berklee College of Music, founded in 1945, is the world's largest independent music college and the top institution for the study of contemporary music. The school, with 3,800 students and a faculty of 460, is located in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood.

Posted by rgreene at 6:12 PM | Comments (0)

Lawrence officials investigate blaze, worry others may follow

By Russell Contreras, Globe Staff

LAWRENCE -- A fire in a five-unit building that is set to foreclose next week remains under investigation, Lawrence Fire Chief Peter Takvorian said today.

The three-alarm blaze, which started Wednesday night, temporarily displaced 14 people from the Union Street building. Takvorian said the families were scheduled to return today since firefighters were able to contain the fire to the unoccupied rear-end of the building.

The building has four apartments -- two of which are vacant -- and a church on the first floor, said Takvorian.

"Investigators are interviewing people right now," Takvorian said. "The fire seems to have started in a vacant bedroom." No one was hurt in the blaze, Takvorian said.

The fire Wednesday followed last week's massive fire that destroyed 14 buildings in South Lawrence and left nearly 200 people homeless.

That fire, which came as the city struggles with a wave of foreclosures, sparked fears that the city is returning to the "flaming era" of the early 1990s, when the city saw more than 100 arsons of buildings annually because of its many abandoned buildings.

City officials estimate that the city now has around 255 abandoned buildings.

After last week's blaze, Mayor Michael J. Sullivan announced the formation of the Fire Protection Foreclosure Task Force. Sullivan said the task force will inventory foreclosed properties, identifying the owners and categorizing the conditions of each property.

Posted by mfinucane at 5:44 PM | Comments (0)

Pickup truck crashes into college student at Lowell bus stop

Kate Augusto and Matt Collette, Globe Correspondents

A 20-year-old student from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell was seriously injured when she was hit by a pickup truck this morning as she sat on a bench waiting for a university shuttle bus at the intersection of Riverside Street and University Avenue in Lowell, police said.

Rachel Carnes of Haverhill was hit at around 9:45 a.m. by a Dodge Ram pickup truck driven by Jeffery Hoban, 30, of Dracut.

Carnes suffered severe head injuries and was rushed to Lowell General Hospital, then flown to Boston Medical Center, where she is in serious condition, police said. As of late afternoon, she was still in surgery.

State police are assisting Lowell police in an investigation of the crash.

Hoban was treated and released from Saints Memorial Hospital in Lowell. Police are investigating whether a medical condition caused him to drive off the road, but said they would not rule out the possibility that he would be charged with a crime.

"At this time, our thoughts and prayers are with the student and her family in hopes she will recover from her injuries," said Patricia McCafferty, a spokeswoman for the university.

Posted by mfinucane at 5:30 PM | Comments (0)

Sex offender raped six year old boy in New Bedford library, police say

(Sex Offender Registry Board)

By Globe Staff

A New Bedford sex offender is in custody after he allegedly raped a 6-year-old boy while both were inside the city's public library Wednesday evening, police said.

The suspect was identified by police as Corey Saunders, 26, who is listed on the state's sex offender website as a Level 3 offender, or someone officials concluded was a high risk to reoffend.

The state Sex Offender Registry Board records show Saunders was convicted in 2001 of rape of a child with force and indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years old.

Saunders now faces eerily similar charges for Wednesday's assault. Police said he is now charged with rape of a child by force, enticing a child and indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years old.

Police were to discuss the incident at an afternoon press conference.

Posted by jellement at 2:20 PM | Comments (0)

Guns, drugs, and ammunition seized in Dorchester raid

By Globe Staff

Boston Police discovered a small arsenal when they raided a Dorchester apartment and arrested a 36-year-old man on gun and drug possession charges.

Police searched the Adams Street home – located around the corner from Area C-11 on Gibson Street – with the help of a search warrant on Wednesday.

Police found three firearms: a Glock 9mm handgun, a Smith and Wesson .45-caliber handgun, and a Cobray 9mm firearm with an obliterated serial number. Police also recovered 161 rounds of various types of ammunition, a large capacity magazine loaded with 30 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and two bullet resistant vests.

Police also found $600 in cash, 58 grams of cocaine, some marijuana and a digital scale. They also found a safe, which had held some of the guns, drugs, and cash that police reported finding inside the apartment.

Police arrested Bobby Jackson and charged him with multiple counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and trafficking in a Class B drug, the cocaine. Jackson was scheduled to be arraigned today in Dorchester Municipal Court.

Posted by jellement at 12:53 PM | Comments (0)

MBTA bus crashes after driver suffers medical emergency

By Globe Staff

An MBTA driver suffered a medical emergency behind the wheel in Revere this morning, lost control of his bus, and crashed, according to a transit spokesman.

Three people included the 43-year-old driver were rushed to the hospital. The Route 119 bus was on Malden Street at 8 a.m. when it veered onto Washington Avenue, according to MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo.

The bus hit a parked car, three utility poles, a hydrant, a fire box, a tree, and a sign for St. Mary’s church. It skidded across a lawn before coming to a rest against a guard rail, Pesaturo said.

The driver was dazed and disoriented when an ambulance arrived and took him to Massachusetts General Hospital. It was not immediately clear what type of medical emergency was suffered by the driver, who has been driving an MBTA bus for 22 years.

The two passengers on the bus were taken to Whidden Memorial Hospital in Everett after reporting neck and back pain, Pesaturo said.

A transit police accident reconstruction unit is investigating the crash.

Posted by aryan at 10:13 AM | Comments (0)

Marlborough kindergartner chokes to death on school bus

By Lisa Kocian, Globe Staff

MARLBOROUGH -- City officials today identified the student who died after choking while riding a school bus home as 5-year-old Darnell Cobb.

"It's a parent's worst nightmare,'' said Fire Chief David Adams, whose paramedics responded to the bus and tried to save the child Wednesday around 3:30 p.m. The child was rushed to Marlborough Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His mother and a younger sibling had been rushed to the hospital in a police cruiser, officials said.

Mayor Nancy Stevens told reporters this morning she was confident that responding emergency officials did what they could for Cobb. "I have the utmost confidence that our paramedics did everything they could,'' she said while describing the child's death as a "horrible accident.''

City officials said the bus driver was alerted to the trouble by a child sitting next to Cobb. The driver immediately pulled over and radioed in that a medical emergency was underway, officials said. Paramedics from the central fire station on Maple Street responded to the bus, which had stopped a few hundred yards away, officials said.

Stevens said she spoke with the bus driver. "Obviously the bus driver is very broken up,'' she said. Officials said the bus was carrying 20 children, from kindergarten through third grade who attend the Francis J. Kane elementary school, at the time of the 3:30 p.m. incident. Grief counselors are at the Kane school today.

Officials declined to say what Cobb choked on except to describe it as a foreign object. An autopsy is to be done within a few days and should provide more details on the item, officials said.

The bus was operated by First Student Inc., a Cincinnati-based company that transports 4 million students across the country each day.

“The driver followed all the correct procedures that he was trained to do,” said Nicole Maddock, a First Student spokeswoman. “He pulled over, he called for an ambulance service, and secured the bus for medical personnel.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the student who died,” Maddock said.

Posted by aryan at 8:41 AM | Comments (0)

January 30, 2008

Workers jump to safety after North Reading scaffolding collapse

By Sarah Gantz, Globe Correspondent

Several construction workers were forced to jump to safety when high winds collapsed a portion of a scaffolding at a North Reading building site, fire officials said.

Firefighters responded shortly before 2 p.m. today to the Route 28 site of a future Walgreens, where scaffolding had fallen about 20 feet onto a construction trailer, said Fire Capt. Donald Cooke.

No injuries were reported. Vision Builders, the project's Framingham-based contractor, will have to completely remove and rebuild the scaffolding, which could cost thousands of dollars, Cooke said.

There was no apparent damage to the concrete base of the building, Cooke said. Local building inspectors and Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials are investigating the incident.

Posted by mfinucane at 11:14 PM | Comments (0)

Catholics criticize risque health club ad

By Elizabeth Ratto, Globe Correspondent

An advertisement appearing in Boston magazine this month that depicts a group of nuns sketching a naked male model is spurring outrage among some area Catholics.

Terry Donilon, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Boston, called the Equinox Fitness Club ad "disrespectful and degrading" to women who have committed themselves to serving the church and their communities.

"It's offensive," Donilon said. "I hope they make the decision not to run it again and perhaps offer an apology to the religious community."

A spokesperson for Boston magazine didn't return a message seeking comment tonight.

The ad, which is part of the club's "Happily Ever" series, features four young nuns. The muscular model is facing them, his back to the camera.

Equinox spokeswoman Joanna R. Roffo said in a statement that "the ads capture the energy and artistry of the well-conditioned body in a thought-provoking fashion, blending fantasy and impact."

A spokesperson for Fallon Worldwide, the Minneapolis-based ad agency that developed the campaign, didn't immediately return messages seeking comment.

But Fallon's website calls the campaign a series of provocative images designed to make people ask themselves what the fairytale ending to their fitness goals may be, and to give them visual motivation to achieve those goals.

The Boston Equinox Fitness Club is located on Dartmouth Street in Back Bay, with other locations in and around metropolitan areas in New York, Florida, and California, as well as Chicago and Washington D.C.

C.J. Doyle, executive director of the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts, said he also was hoping for the ad's discontinuation and an apology.

Posted by mfinucane at 9:09 PM | Comments (0)

Arizona man sentenced in drug smuggling case

By Sarah Gantz, Globe Correspondent

A 42-year-old Arizona man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in New Hampshire to five years in prison and four years of supervised release for involvement in a marijuana distribution ring.

Jesus Arturo Castro, of Phoenix, pleaded guilty in October to conspiring to deliver marijuana from Arizona to New England between 2004 and 2007, the New Hampshire US Attorney's office said.

US Drug Enforcement Administration authorities seized 220 pounds of marijuana in 2006 as part of an investigation into the drug ring.

The investigation resulted in a second seizure of 140 pounds of marijuana and Castro's arrest in April 2007, federal prosecutors said in a statement.

Posted by mfinucane at 9:05 PM | Comments (0)

Authorities ID suspect in Chelsea strip club slaying

By Globe Staff

The suspect in a fatal shooting last week inside an infamous Chelsea strip club is a 19-year-old from East Boston who was convicted as a juvenile of shooting at three teenagers, the Suffolk district attorney announced today.

Investigators are seeking the assistance of the public in finding Jesse “Fat Jesse” Camacho, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said in a statement.

Camacho is accused of opening fire during a fight inside King Arthur's Lounge early Friday morning. The shooting killed Jeff Santiago, 28, and sent 25 to 50 patrons and employees diving to the floor.

Conley said in a statement that he had authrorized a warrant for Camacho's arrest "based on significant and credible evidence gathered during an extremely active investigation into Mr. Santiago's death."

Camacho pleaded guilty in Boston Juvenile Court in January 2006 to three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm. He admitted to pulling the trigger in a drive-by shooting on Everett Avenue in Chelsea on Jan. 6, 2005. Camacho used a handgun to shoot at three teenagers, none of whom was hit.

Judge Leslie E. Harris ordered Camacho committed to the custody of the Department of Youth Services until his 18th birthday, which was May 7, 2006.

During Friday’s shooting at King Arthur's Lounge, a 29-year-old Everett man was also wounded in the upper thigh, and a 41-year-old Charlestown man was hit in the calf.

The bar was the scene of a brawl on July 23, 1982, that began with an argument between Alfred J. Mattuchio and off-duty Everett police officer John McLeod. The officer left the lounge, then returned with several other police officers, armed with nightsticks, baseball bats, and tire irons, according to news reports. They attacked a dozen patrons and employees, and Vincent J. Bordonaro was beaten to death.

Four Everett officers were indicted in the death. One was acquitted; McLeod and another former officer are serving life sentences for second-degree murder; and the fourth was released after serving several years for manslaughter, according to newspaper accounts.

Posted by aryan at 5:36 PM | Comments (0)

Mass. truck driver wins $10 million on scratch ticket

Matt Collette, Globe Correspondent

Daniel Snay, a truck driver from Uxbridge, won $10 million in a scratch-off game in the Massachusetts lottery, which means he will receive an annual check for $500,000 for the next 20 years. But the windfall is not going to stop the 57-year-old from doing what he loves: hauling boats up and down the East Coast.

“I'm going to keep driving," Shay said in a press release issued by the lottery.

He plans to invest his winnings and help his children pay for their education, including his oldest, who is about to start law school.

Snay is the fourth person to win $10 million in Billion Dollar Blockbuster game. The odds of winning one of the 10 top prizes is one in 6.5 million, according to the lottery.

Snay bought the $20 ticket in Hopedale at a Cumberland Falls, which will receive a $50,000 commission for selling a winning ticket.

Posted by aryan at 3:44 PM | Comments (0)

2,100 automated calls wrongly tell Medford parents their children skipped school

By Kate Augusto, Globe Correspondent

School children may have had to do some explaining today in Medford after 2,100 automated phone calls were mistakenly made to parents saying the students missed class.

The blast of automated phone calls was accidentally sent at about 11 a.m. to parents of students of all ages. The system, which the school district has used for two years, alerts parents of their children’s attendance, emergencies, and other situations.

"It's an excellent system, this was just a sequencing error," said Roy Belson, the superintendent of schools. "We're working on correcting any possibilities of that happening again."

This was the first time the system sent out a phony batch of calls, Belson said. The exact number of parents that received a phone call could not immediately be determined because some families were called more than once.

After the initial blast, schools officials sent a second call that notified parents of the mistake. That didn’t necessarily help.

A first-grader's parent who called the Globe but would not give her name described mild chaos at schools. "It was quite a scene," the woman said. "There were parents who didn't speak English who didn't understand."

Posted by aryan at 2:33 PM | Comments (0)

Are you a Blizzard of '78 baby?

The Blizzard of ’78 left millions of New Englanders trapped in their homes for up to five days. Widespread power outages led to candles, unavoidable romance, and -- nine months later -- a bevy of blizzard babies.

As the Globe prepares for its 30th anniversary coverage of the storm, we want to hear from people born in November 1978 who can thank the blizzard for their birthday.

Please e-mail howe@globe.com

Posted by aryan at 12:54 PM | Comments (0)

Judge rejects guilty plea in fatal liposuction case

(George Rizer/Globe Staff)

A trial for Luiz Carlos Ribeiro is slated to start April 3.

By John R. Ellement and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

CAMBRIDGE -- A judge rejected a guilty plea today by a Brazilian doctor accused of involuntary manslaughter in the death of a 24-year-old woman after an illegal liposuction procedure in a Framingham basement.

After listening to the doctor describe the woman’s death, Middlesex Superior Court Judge Wendie Gershengorn said she did not believe that prosecutors had proved that he had been reckless enough to support the guilty plea. Instead, Gershengorn ordered a trial for Luiz Carlos Ribeiro, which is slated to start April 3.

When asked by the judge whether Ribeiro thought he was guilty of involuntary manslaughter, he said through a translator that he believed she would have died anywhere in the world the procedure had been performed. The operation only required local anesthetic, and the equipment that Ribeiro had on hand for the surgery included an autoclave to sterilize surgical tools, an oxygen meter, and adrenaline.

“I would never kill,” Ribeiro said. “Her death was so sudden. I had no chance to do anything.”

The judge said she understood why Ribeiro would want to plead guilty and put the case behind him. She said, however, that the story he told shows that he does not believe he committed involuntary manslaughter.

“I can’t accept this plea,” Gershengorn said.

Middlesex District Attorney Gerald T. Leone defended the case.

"We allege that Luiz Carlos Ribeiro recklessly put the life of Fabiola DePaula in great danger by performing this illegal procedure without the proper equipment, medications, or safeguards - ultimately resulting in her tragic death.,” Leone said in a statement. “The fact that this defendant could not accept the facts as alleged today means that we will now proceed to trial. We are confident that we have a strong case against the defendant and intend to prove that case in court."

Ribeiro was a doctor in his native Brazil but does not have a medical license in the United States. His wife, Ana Maria Miranda Ribeiro, 50, pleaded guilty in September to one count of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of distributing a class A substance.

The death brought to light the growing underground of illegal medical procedures quietly being performed in the immigrant community.

DePaula received illegal narcotics during the procedure and died at MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham. An autopsy showed that DePaula died from intraoperative complications from a liposuction procedure.

Ana Maria Miranda Ribeiro pleaded guilty five months after her lawyers attempted to have charges against her dismissed, saying she did not assist in the surgery and was not in the room when the operation was performed.

DePaula had undergone plastic surgery on her nose by Ribeiro a few days before the liposuction and had paid a total of $3,300 for the two procedures, prosecutors alleged.

Posted by aryan at 11:37 AM | Comments (0)

Police arrest suspected serial bank robber

By Globe Staff

A man suspected of robbing nine banks is expected to face charges in court today or Thursday after his arrest at his home in Jamaica Plain.

Angel Robles is scheduled to be arraigned in Roxbury District Court. The 33-year-old was arrested at 1:45 p.m. Tuesday at his Bournedale Road home after extensive surveillance by Boston police and the FBI.

Robles has only been charged with one robbery, which occurred on Jan. 4 at a Bank of America on Brookline Avenue in Roxbury.

Investigators suspect that he is responsible for at least eight other bank robberies from November to January. The robberies include banks in Watertown, Brighton, Roslindale, Jamaica Plain, and Brookline.

Posted by aryan at 9:46 AM | Comments (0)

Two killed in Cape crash

By Globe Staff

Two people were killed this morning when a car veered out of control in Bourne and rolled over, State Police said.

"It appears that they were not wearing seat belts," said Trooper Thomas Murphy.

The 1997 Honda Civic was heading south on Route 28 when the driver lost control at 7:18 a.m. and went off the road into the median. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger was rushed to a Falmouth Hospital with serious injuries and later died, State Police said.

Police did not release the gender, names, or ages of the victims. The crash remains under investigation.

Posted by aryan at 9:35 AM | Comments (0)

January 29, 2008

Questions raised in death of US official in Pakistan

By Megan Woolhouse, Globe Staff

United States officials tonight are attempting to transport the body of diplomat Keith Ryan from Islamabad to the U.S. for an autopsy, amid unconfirmed -- and contradictory -- news media reports in Pakistan that he died in a murder rather than a suicide.

"I'm a little bit confused and upset," said Bob Ryan, Keith's father, and a sports columnist for the Globe. "I want to make sure the plane takes off with the body."

At least one news organization has reported that doctors at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences planned to perform their own autopsy. But Ryan has been assured by US officials, including Representative Edward Markey of Massachusetts and a ranking official with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, that his son's body would be flown out of Pakistan before an autopsy was performed.

Keith Ryan, a Hingham native who was an attache for the US ICE based in Islamabad, had been living in Pakistan since December 2006. The US State Department has said previously that Ryan apparently took his own life and was found Monday in his Islamabad residence. The US Embassy in Pakistan said there was no appearance of "foul play."

State Department spokeswoman Joanne Moore said today that the death remained under investigation.

Dawn, the most widely circulated English-language Pakistani newspaper, reported anonymous hospital and police sources saying today that the embassy stopped Pakistani authorities from conducting a postmortem after the body was shifted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences. Doctors there were allowed to carry out an external examination of the body only, the report said.

The News, a major daily published by the Jang Group of newspapers based in Karachi, quoted anonymous officials at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences today who characterized the death as a murder. A story posted on the newspaper's website said Ryan had an entry wound from a bullet in the back of his neck but no exit wound. The anonymous source also said there was "no visible blackening of the entry wound," indicating that the fatal shot was fired from a distance of more than four feet.

While one news organization reported that no bullet was found, another reported that a bullet was lodged in Ryan's skull. Both reports contradict information that was given by US officials to the Ryan family.

Ryan said Markey had interceded on his behalf and had received assurances from Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff that his son's body would be flown out of Pakistan to be autopsied by U.S. doctors.

Keith Ryan left a wife of 12 years and eight-year-old triplets.

"You never think in your life you'll be caught up in anything like this," his father, Bob Ryan said. "It's just so frustrating."

Posted by mfinucane at 9:00 PM | Comments (0)

Former Lawrence official to plead guilty to falsifying war record

By Jonathan Saltzman, Globe Staff

James F. Stokes, who resigned recently from the Lawrence School Committee after authorities arrested him for allegedly forging a Marine Corps discharge document, plans to plead guilty on Feb. 12 to two misdemeanor charges, according to the US attorney's office in Boston.

Stokes, who for years told people in Lawrence that he had been a Marine who had served in Vietnam in the 1960s, will plead guilty to presenting a forged discharge document to the city’s office of veterans services in November 2006, according to prosecutors.

He will also plead guilty to falsely claiming verbally in October 2007 to have been awarded a Purple Heart, said Assistant US Attorney Brian T. Kelly.

Stokes, 63, faces a maximum of one year in prison on each charge when he is sentenced by US Magistrate Judge Joyce L. Alexander in Boston. He appeared in court today for a hearing where Kelly disclosed Stokes's plans to change his plea to guilty.

He resigned from the School Committee, to which he had been elected in November, on Jan. 11. That was two days after federal agents and local police swooped in on a doughnut shop in Lawrence and arrested him.

Posted by mfinucane at 5:58 PM | Comments (0)

Elderly landlord recalls fighting off tenant armed with frying pan

By John R. Ellement, Globe staff

An elderly landlord today said he thought his life was going to end when an angry tenant smashed him in the head with a frying pan and then started to choke him with his bare hands.

"I’m going to die,’’ Arthur L. Wallace recalled saying to himself as the vicious attack unfolded in the kitchen of the Marlborough apartment building the 79-year-old Wallace owns on Broad street.

“He had the pan and he hit me on the head,'' he said as he recounted the Sunday night attack. "I went down to the floor and he jumped on me and he started to choke me to death.’’

The struggle awoke another tenant who ran into the room. The attacker, identified by Marlborough police as 46-year-old Edward J. Ablazey, Jr., jumped off Wallace and began wrestling with the other tenant, police said.

The tenant escaped and shouted for police, who arrived and found a panting Ablazey wearing blood stained clothing. He was arrested, police said.

Ablazey has pleaded not guilty to numerous charges in Marlborough District Court and is currently being held pending a dangerousness hearing set for Friday.

Wallace, who said he was covered with blood, was rushed to UMass Medical Center where he was treated for numerous lacerations to his head and shoulders. He was given stitches, ordered to stop driving while he heals and was at his home in Natick recovering today when interviewed.

Wallace said he is a retired school psychologist from the Newton schools who has run his apartment building as a “sober house’’ with the hopes of helping recovering alcoholics or substance abusers get back on their feet.

He considered Ablazey yet another person he could help, but said they ran afoul of each other and have been bickering for weeks.

Last Friday, Wallace said he testified against Ablazey in court and criminal charges were issued against Ablazey for breaking into a coin operated clothes washer in the building. This Friday, Wallace was to be in civil court seeking Ablazey's eviction for non payment of rent.

In the meantime, Ablazey has gone to city authorities complaining about substandard conditions in the building, according to Wallace.

Wallace said he is sore and his face is bruised. "I know how it feels like for a football player after a game,'' he said.

Posted by jellement at 4:33 PM | Comments (0)

Man charged with threatening a chemical attack on federal building in Springfield

By Jonathan Saltzman, Globe Staff

An Agawam man who was being held on a federal firearms charge mailed letters to the prosecutor and a newspaper threatening to attack a federal building in Springfield with a weapon of mass destruction, according to a nine-count indictment unsealed this week.

Federal authorities investigated the threats that Michael A. Crooker made while in custody in July 2004 and found a quantity of the toxin ricin, which had been processed for use as a biological weapon, said the indictment. They also found he had the toxins ricin and abrin in their natural forms in castor beans and rosary peas, respectively.

The indictment unsealed in federal court in Springfield on Monday did not specify the amounts of the toxins, their location, or how dangerous they were, and a spokeswoman for US Attorney Michael J. Sullivan declined to elaborate.

Crooker is serving a sentence of nearly 22 years in federal prison as a result of his conviction in July 2006 for transporting a firearm in interstate commerce as a convicted felon. He allegedly mailed an air rifle and sound muffler that authorities said could be used as an illegal silencer to an Ohio man.

If convicted of the latest charges, he could be imprisoned for life.

Crooker, now 53, was arrested on June 23, 2004, in his car with a pipe-shaped bomb containing potassium perchlorate and aluminum powder, Assistant US Attorney Kevin O'Regan said in court shortly afterward. Investigators found similar devices in Crooker's apartment, which prompted authorities to evacuate about 50 residents in two apartment houses.

Posted by aryan at 3:51 PM | Comments (0)

Kerry: N.Y. won't have a Super Tuesday/Super Bowl Parade issue

By Globe Staff

The prospect of a Patriots Super Bowl victory parade through downtown Boston during next Tuesday’s presidential primaries has one Bay State politician cracking jokes.

Senator John F. Kerry, a supporter of Barack Obama, packed five one-liners into a six-sentence statement when asked what impact the parade could have on the primaries.

“The really good news is that New York voters don’t have this problem because there is no chance of a Giants victory parade,” Kerry said.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino, a Hillary Clinton supporter, told the Globe yesterday that if the Patriots win the Super Bowl, there would be no choice but to hold a victory parade Tuesday. The players would not be able to get back from Phoenix early enough for a Monday parade. And a number of Patriots have to travel to Hawaii on Wednesday for the Feb. 10 Pro Bowl.

Governor Deval Patrick, another Obama supporter, declined today to discuss the impact that a parade could have on the primaries when asked today by a reporter at a press conference. Patrick said he had discussed the issue with Menino, but he did not say whether he thought a throng of Patriots fans would help or hurt Obama’s chances to win Massachusetts.

The parade idea raised concerns by Secretary of State William Galvin. The state could see a record voter turnout on Tuesday, much like many other primary states in this energized political year, but Galvin feared that a parade would deter some voters, possibly creating a traffic mess and distracting people from going to polling places.

Kerry agreed with the traffic issues, but in a good-humored way:

“Yes, this could cause the worst gridlock since back when the Republicans controlled Congress.”

Two other one-liners in Kerry's statement:

“On February 5th we can all be like Mitt Romney and have it both ways.”

“I just hope this can be worked out, because Senator Obama being elected president is an historic first, while the Patriots Super Bowl victory parade is an annual event.”

Posted by dbeard at 3:08 PM | Comments (0)

DeNucci says MBTA boosted costs by $55 million

By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

State Auditor Joseph DeNucci today faulted the MBTA for a series of complex financial maneuvers designed to save the cash-strapped agency money – maneuvers that he said drove up borrowing costs by $55 million.

In an audit released today, DeNucci’s office said that between 2000 and 2005, the T tapped into the capital markets to buy and sell some of its debt in 12 transactions worth $1.63 billion. But some of the deals failed to meet expectations and in one instance, the T had to pay $25 million to terminate the contract. He said the T had to borrow more money to pay off the new expense.

"It appears the MBTA was willing to accept short-term cash for long-term debt,” DeNucci said in a statement, “and then paid millions of dollars in termination fees when the interest rates changed and became unfavorable to the authority.”

MBTA deputy general manager and chief financial officer Jonathan Davis disputed DeNucci's critical conclusions. When expenses, revenue, and interest rates of investments are calculated in a different fashion, he said, the T actually boosted revenue by $2 million because it got out of a increasingly expensive investment vehicle quickly.

"We were able to issue new debt at lower cost than the old debt,'' Davis said. “Even with the termination payments, we have a net savings.''

Davis said the T continues to make investments of the type faulted by DeNucci. He stressed the T did not invest in the type of securities that the board controlling the finances of the city of Springfield did recently, an investment that cost that city $13 million.

The T began investing in markets after the state stopped directly funding the agency in 1999. Now, the T raises its annual budget of some $1.4 billion from fares, advertising, 20 percent share of state sales tax revenue, and assessments on member cities and towns. It currently has $5.1 billion in debt.

Posted by jellement at 2:31 PM | Comments (0)

MBTA employee accused of on-time guarantee scam

By Globe Staff

An MBTA employee has been charged with larceny after police allege he falsified $465 worth of refunds in a scheme that took advantage of the transit system’s on-time guarantee.

Adam Lodge is accused of issuing bogus refunds to Tawanna Oliver, who allegedly redeemed the tickets for cash at the commuter rail sales windows. The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority’s on-time guarantee offers riders a refund if service is delayed more than 30 minutes.

Lodge is a 23-year-old from Dorchester who had worked for the MBTA’s Revenue Audit Department for six months. He and Oliver, also 23 and from Dorchester, are scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday in Boston Municipal Court.

"It is always disappointing when someone abuses the public trust, but we also want to assure the public that when that trust is abused, the violator will end up in court," acting Transit Police Chief Paul MacMillan said in a statement.

Transit officials allege that Lodge issued bogus refunds for $15.50 -- the value of a round-trip commuter rail ticket from Zone 8, which is the maximum fare that can be redeemed under the on-time guarantee. Another MBTA employee became suspicious of Oliver and notified her supervisor, according to transit officials.

A check revealed that Oliver was not on a list of people who had applied for a refund. Transit police were then able to work backward and uncover previous transactions. Oliver was identified from her driver’s license, which she presented in order to cash in the refund tickets, transit officials said.

“Not only do we ask our customers to say something if they see something, we ask it of our employees as well,” MacMillan said. “This employee was alert to a potential problem and should be commended.”

Posted by aryan at 1:36 PM | Comments (0)

Patrick to promote plan for education czar at State House hearing

By Globe Staff

Governor Deval Patrick will testify before a legislative committee today to promote a plan to revive the position of education secretary as part of an effort to create a seamless system from pre-K through college.

The education secretary would oversee a new Executive Office of Education that would coordinate policies across early childhood education, elementary and secondary schools, and colleges. The position has been controversial in Massachusetts and has been twice abolished by the Legislature in recent decades because it created conflict and confusion over who oversaw education in the Commonwealth.

Patrick’s bill would give the education secretary narrowly tailored powers over hiring, long-range plans, and budgets. The secretary, for example, would approve the hiring of the commissioners of the boards of early education, elementary and secondary education, and higher education.

The plans, if passed by the Legislature, would not take effect until March. Patrick's plans also call for expanding the three education boards by two members each to encompass more diverse perspectives, he said.

The legislation would also give Patrick the authority to appoint the chairperson of the University of Massachusetts board, and make the education secretary a voting member of that board. Currently, the board's members vote on the chairperson. In December, Stephen P. Tocco, an appointee of Governor Mitt Romney, stepped down as chairman under pressure from Patrick.

Posted by aryan at 9:26 AM | Comments (0)

January 28, 2008

One dead in Andover highway crash

By Jillian Jorgensen, Globe Staff

State police are investigating a three-car crash on Interstate 495 this morning in which a New Hampshire man was killed.

Lawrence Belodeau of Pelham, N.H. was a passenger in one of the cars when the accident happened at about 7:25 a.m. in the northbound lanes in Andover.

The 57-year-old Belodeau was taken to Lawrence General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, state police said in a statement. The three drivers involved sustained minor injuries.

Posted by mfinucane at 9:28 PM | Comments (0)

Cape and Islands dig out from near blizzard

(AP PHOTO/WEATHER UNDERGROUND)

A satellite image taken today at 12:15 a.m. shows the offshore storm that dumped up to a foot of snow on Cape Cod.

By Beth Daley and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

HYANNIS -- Hundreds of Nantucket-bound travelers were stranded on Cape Cod for a second day Monday, after a northeaster that missed Greater Boston walloped parts of the region with an estimated foot of snow and gusty winds.

Ferries to the island remained at their dock Monday because of dangerous seas, though flights resumed after Barnstable Airport reopened around 4:30 p.m.

"You just have to make the best of it," said Kathy Molloy of Nantucket who was returning home to the island with her 9-year-old daughter Kelli, who had performed in a precision skating competition in Virginia over the weekend. Kelli's team rushed to make a 2:45 p.m. ferry to Nantucket Sunday, only to have the boat turn back to Hyannis after two hours of pitching seas that made Kelli and many other passengers sick. The captain felt it was too dangerous to attempt docking on the island.

"It's fine," Molloy said Monday morning at the Hyannis Courtyard by Marriot. "We don't have malls on Nantucket, so you know where we are going today," she said.

Sunday's near-blizzard packed wind gusts that reached almost 60 miles per hour on Nantucket and 52 miles per hour in Provincetown, according to the National Weather Service. Snowfall totals were hard to measure because of drifts and high winds that continued through most of Monday.

Most schools on the Cape were canceled. At the height of the storm, up to 3,000 people lost power, according to NStar spokeswoman Caroline Allen. Almost all of the scattered outages were restored by early Monday morning, Allen said.

In Chatham, the fierce storm carried a house off its foundation on North Beach and delivered it, with many windows still intact, to another beach a mile away. Two more houses on the spit of land will be dismantled this week, said Chatham Harbormaster Stuart Smith, which would bring the total to seven houses lost since a northeaster punched a hole in Nauset Beach in April. Five more houses remain extremely vulnerable, he said.

"The erosion is just occurring so much faster than anyone thought," Smith said, adding that cottage owners were trying to take down the buildings before the sea does.

No major traffic accidents were reported, but travel remained difficult through last evening on secondary roads, as crews spread sand and battled shifting snowdrifts. Cape Cod Canal officials said the canal remained open during the storm and reported no shipping problems.

"The concern now is blowing and drifting," said Bill Simpson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Taunton.

As conditions returned to near normal Monday night for Cape Codders, the burden continued for the weekend skiers, school athletic teams, and other groups that were trying to get to Nantucket. By 5 p.m., the wait for stand-by vehicles was estimated to be 24 hours at the Nantucket ferry's Hyannis terminal, with 80 cars and six trucks in line, The Steamship Authority's website said. Officials at the entrance to the terminal said it could take two days more to get an unreserved vehicle over because there were so many cars waiting.

The wait for the Martha's Vineyard ferry out of Woods Hole was only about an hour, but mechanical issues canceled three Vineyard boats Monday, adding to the storm's aftermath.

In Hyannis hotels, weary chaperones asked throngs of antsy students to call parents weighing options: Another night in a hotel? A $50 plane ride if the runway opens? Some were holding out hope that ferry service would resume Monday night.

"We came from Nantucket basically for a night in a hotel," said Kendra Lockley, who was at the Hyannis Courtyard by Marriott with members of the Girl Scout Troop 1777.

But when parents heard about the storm Sunday, they told the girls to forget their class and head home. They went to the mall.

"It's just part of living on the island," Molloy said.

Posted by aryan at 9:19 PM | Comments (0)

Crime on T hits 10-year low

Matt Collette, Globe Correspondent

Crime on the T decreased in 2007 to a 10-year low, as violence dropped 18.5 percent from the year before, according to a report released today by transit police.

Serious crime fell 10 percent from 2006, with robbery dropping 20 percent, according to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. The likelihood of a passenger being a victim of a crime while riding the transit system is now less than 1 in 400,000, said acting Transit Police Chief Paul MacMillian.

Authorities credit a number of initiatives for the decrease in crime, including visible uniformed patrols and the "See Something, Say Something" campaign that encourages riders to report suspicious behavior.

"No matter how insignificant they feel it is, they should let us know,” MacMillian said in a statement. “It's better to err on the side of caution."

The expansion of the closed circuit television system has also helped transit police investigate crimes and identify suspects.

Posted by aryan at 12:40 PM | Comments (0)

Son’s pipe caused Newton fire that killed grandmother, 85

(Mark Wilson/Globe Staff)

Dorothy "Dottie" Beatrice died Friday after a fire ripped through her longtime family home on Ashmont Avenue.

By Globe Staff

The fire that killed the 85-year-old matriarch of a large Newton family was inadvertently caused by her son, who left a smoldering pipe in the pocket of a jacket hung in a living room closet, according to a release today from the State Fire Marshal.

The fire Friday on Ashmont Avenue was allowed to spread undetected by a lack of smoke detectors, according to investigators, who found only one battery-operated smoke alarm in the basement of the duplex.

“While working smoke alarms cannot guarantee escape, they can provide the one thing you don’t have in a fire -- time,” said Fire Chief Joseph LaCroix in a statement.

The blaze killed Dorothy “Dottie” Beatrice and seriously burned two firefighters, who ran up a burning stairway to try to save her. The family has been a fixture on Ashmont Avenue for decades, occupying two large buildings that allowed Dottie Beatrice to live next door to 15 grandchildren.

While the fire marshal’s release did not mention John Beatrice by name, it said the most probable cause of the fire was improper use of smoking materials, citing an ember from a pipe. After the fire, Jeffrey Beatrice said his brother, John, told him that a spark had somehow ignited his jacket. John Beatrice, 61, has been blind since birth and lived with his mother.

"The improper use and disposal of smoking materials has been the leading cause of fatal fires since World War II," State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan said in a statement.

Posted by aryan at 11:33 AM | Comments (0)

Spinouts slow traffic on I-495

By Globe Staff

Slick winter weather has caused about a half-dozen spinouts and other minor accidents this morning on Interstate 495 near the Interstate 93, State Police said.

The crashes in the Andover area have slowed traffic in both directions. On northbound
I-495, the two right lanes are closed and traffic is back up to Exit 38 in Tewksbury.

For more information, check the Globe’s traffic page.

Posted by aryan at 8:34 AM | Comments (0)

Romney to attend funeral of Mormon church president

By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla -- Mitt Romney, who rarely talks on the campaign trail about his Mormon faith, said today that he plans to attend the funeral of Gordon B. Hinckley, the church president who died yesterday at age 97 in Salt Lake City.

At a press conference called in part to discuss Hinckley's death, Romney recalled that he met with Hinckley three or four times to discuss planning for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and once before Romney decided to run for president.

Making an opening statement, Romney recalled Hinckley as a leader who oversaw a remarkable period of church expansion.

"We will miss him as a family, respect him as a man of great character and courage, but particularly his humility and ability to touch the lives of each individual is something for which he will long be noted," Romney told reporters outside a Texaco station.

He added that Hinckley’s "effort to reach out across the world and to faraway lands and to build temples for our church is something which will also give him a legacy that will last many, many years, indeed. And we will miss his leadership."

Romney said he did know Hinckley personally until he took over the leadership of the Winter Olympics, and the two met to discuss the use of church assets, such as property next to the ski jump facility. Some of his requests were approved, others were denied, Romney said. He recalled one particular request to Hinckley to turn a church parking lot into a 10,000-seat Olympics medals plaza.

"I was impressed by his knowledge of the details," Romney said. "He said, ‘Aren't the sewer pipes too close to the surface on that lot for them to be able to level it?‘ He literally was aware of…the sewer system for the lot well enough to recognize that was an issue."

Romney did not mention meeting with Hinckley to discuss his run for the presidency, until a reporter asked him about it.

"Yes, I was in Salt Lake and had the chance to go by him and see him and told him that our family was going to be thinking about running for president," Romney said. "And he smiled and said, ‘It would be a great experience if you won, and a great experience if you lost.’"

He said he was not particularly close to Hinckley.

"Like millions of other members of my faith, I didn't get to know President Hinckley on a very personal one-to-one basis," Romney said. "Instead, I knew him as a member of my church and saw him as a leader of great capacity, of great ability to reach out and touch a large number of people with a very personal and human connection."

Romney’s religion has been a sensitive issue in the campaign because many evangelical Christians, who are influential in Republican primaries, consider the faith heretical. Romney delivered a major speech in Texas in December intended to quell some of those concerns and explain his view of America's history of religious tolerance.

Posted by aryan at 8:16 AM | Comments (0)

January 26, 2008

Woman dies in Wellesley blaze

By Sarah Gantz, Globe Correspondent

A 55-year-old Wellesley woman who was legally blind and had limited mobility died in a two-alarm blaze last night at her home, fire officials said.

The fire started at about 7:42 p.m. in the family room at the back of the first floor of a house on Halsey Avenue, said Fire Chief Kevin Rooney. A space heater in that room caused the blaze, he said.

The woman's husband and her teenage daughter were away from the house when the fire broke out. They returned to find the home in flames and tried unsuccessfully to rescue the woman, who used a wheelchair, Rooney said. The daughter was taken to the hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. Officials didn't release the identity of the victims of the fire.

Maria Picculi, 68, who lives on the street, said she was acquainted with the family and she was "really sorry that that happened to them."

"I came home and saw the fire engine. They told me they couldn't find the mother and the girl was in the ambulance. I was shocked, really shocked," she said.

More than 20 firefighters battled the blaze, which was quickly controlled. The building was heavily damaged by fire in the rear and by smoke throughout, officials said.

Firefighters from Weston and Newton assisted the Wellesley firefighters.

Posted by mfinucane at 1:26 AM | Comments (0)

January 25, 2008

Fire forces hotel guests out of their rooms

By Globe Staff

Scores of hotel guests were evacuated from their rooms after a fire at a Cambridge hotel tonight.

Lucy Slosser, a spokeswoman for the Boston Marriott Cambridge, says the fire on the third floor, which was reported at about 9:30 p.m., was quickly extinguished. The hotel was fully and safely evacuated and no injuries were reported.

She said about 150 guests waited outside but were later allowed by the fire department to wait in the lobby. After checking the hotel, firefighters gave an "all clear" allowing people back into their rooms by about midnight.

Posted by mfinucane at 11:29 PM | Comments (0)

South Boston elementary school to close

By Jillian Jorgensen, Globe Correspondent

St. Mary Elementary School in South Boston will close at the end of the academic year due to decreased enrollment and increased costs, the Archdiocese of Boston announced today.

The school has seen a 45 percent decline in enrollment since 2003. Enrollment dropped from 148 students a year ago to 105 this year, a statement released by the archdiocese said.

School personnel expected that no more than 85 students would have enrolled for the next academic year, making the school financially impossible to operate, the statement said.

Every student enrolled in the school is guaranteed a seat in one of the neighboring Catholic elementary schools, which include Gate of Heaven Elementary School, St. Brigid Elementary School and the new Pope John Paul II Catholic Academy.

The 10 teachers at the St. Mary Elementary School will be placed on a priority list for openings at other Catholic schools, the statement said. There are 15 other staff members at St. Mary Elementary School, including secretaries, janitors and school aides.

Teachers were notified of the closure today and parents were notified tonight.The school will close June 30.

Posted by mfinucane at 7:39 PM | Comments (0)

Trooper's 'shoe leather' detective work credited in hit and run arrest

An image captured by the surveillance camera moments before the accident.

By Megan Woolhouse, Globe Staff

A 27-year-old former Winthrop woman is to be arraigned Monday in Suffolk Superior Court in the hit and run death of a man a little more than a year ago on Ocean Avenue in Revere.

Milena Henao faces charges in the death of 61-year-old George Azaria on Dec. 31, 2006.

Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley says Henao was arrested last week in New York City. The arrest was the product of dogged "shoe leather" detective work by State Trooper Joel Balducci, he said.

Police started the investigation with little more than grainy images from a city of Revere surveillance camera.

"Where high technology left our questions unanswered, Trooper Balducci dug in and kept searching," Conley said in a statement.

Posted by mfinucane at 6:39 PM | Comments (0)

Layoffs postponed at Salem schools

By Erin Ailworth, Globe Staff

Layoffs at Salem's financially troubled public schools were postponed today hours before they were to go into effect as state and local officials put the final touches on emergency legislation to allow the city to borrow up to $1 million.

School officials announced the layoffs were delayed on loudspeakers at some schools. About 45 of the 60 or so layoffs were due to take effect today, and the rest next week.

"We don't know what the long-term solution will be. We're ready to authorize $500,000 to $1 million in borrowing as an immediate fix," said state Sen. Steven C. Panagiotakos. a Lowell Democrat. The Legislature is expected to take up the bill next week.

The development marks a dramatic turnaround since the layoffs were announced three weeks ago.

Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll said she was was told the state would be willing to pass the legislation after hearing of the outpouring of private donations from the Salem community.

Posted by mfinucane at 5:52 PM | Comments (0)

Coast Guard: Excessive ice sank New Bedford fishing boat

(Handout photo/Bob Lessard)

By Globe Staff

A fishing boat with four crew members most likely sank in Nantucket Sound last year because excessive ice added so much weight it caused the ship to capsize, according to a report released today by the Coast Guard.

The Lady of Grace sank 12 miles south of Hyannis during a winter gale on Jan. 26, 2007, when 6- to 9-foot seas blanketed the ship with frozen spray. The demise of the 75-foot, New Bedford-based dragger is documented in a 46-page report that recommends five changes to Coast Guard regulations concerning ice and stability.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of the fishermen who died," Captain Raymond Perry, commander of Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England, said in a statement. "While these experienced New Bedford fishermen lost their lives, we hope that their legacy and the lessons learned from the investigation will help keep similar tragedies from happening."

The ice that caked on the lines and superstructure of the Lady of Grace added so much weight it changed the ship’s center of gravity and left it susceptible to the rough seas.

In the last 15 years, 194 commercial fishing vessels have capsized or sank in the Northeast. The Lady of Grace was only the second that was lost because of ice, according to the Coast Guard.

Posted by aryan at 3:17 PM | Comments (0)

Trial of Whitey Bulger’s former FBI handler postponed in Florida

(Globe file photo/2003)

By Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff

A Florida judge granted a request today by former FBI agent John J. Connolly Jr. to postpone his Miami murder trial, setting a new trial date of June 23.

Connolly, 67, sought a delay of his state murder trial, which had been slated to start in March, after the judge who had been presiding over his case since his 2005 indictment recused herself earlier this month.

During a hearing this morning, Judge Stanford Blake, who was assigned to the case Thursday and is the administrative judge of the criminal division of Florida's 11th Circuit Court in Miami, agreed to postpone the trial for three months.

Connolly, who retired from the FBI in 1990, is accused of plotting with longtime informants James "Whitey'' Bulger and Stephen "The Rifleman'' Flemmi to kill Boston financier John B. Callahan in 1982. Prosecutors allege the gangsters orchestrated Callahan's murder in Miami after Connolly warned them that the FBI planned to question Callahan, who could implicate them in another slaying.

Connolly, who is already serving a 10-year prison term for his 2002 federal racketeering conviction, could face life in prison if convicted of the Florida slaying.

Miami-Dade State Attorney Michael Von Zamft estimated today that the trial could take two months.

Posted by aryan at 12:41 PM | Comments (0)

Elderly woman killed, 2 firefighters injured in Newton blaze

(Mark Wilson/Globe Staff)

Dorothy "Dottie" Beatrice died this morning after a fire ripped through her longtime family home on Ashmont Avenue.

By John R. Ellement and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

NEWTON -- Two firefighters suffered severe burns early this morning when they ran through flames and smoke to try to save an elderly woman who had collapsed on the second floor of a family duplex.

The firefighters were able to pull 85-year-old Dorothy "Dottie" Beatrice out of a rear window, but she went into cardiac arrest and died at a local hospital, said Chief Joseph LaCroix of the Newton Fire Department.

Lieutenant Doug Quinn and Firefighter Mark O’Hare lost their helmets as they ran up the flaming stairwell in an attempt to save Beatrice. Quinn suffered second- and third-degree burns on his arms, neck, and ears and was rushed to the burn unit at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Firefighter Mark O’Hare sustained similar burns but was not as badly injured. He is expected to be released from the hospital today, LaCroix said.

The family has been a fixture on Ashmont Avenue for decades, occupying two large buildings that neighbors call the Beatrice compound. That allowed Dottie Beatrice to live with in an arm’s reach of 15 grandchildren.

Jeff Beatrice, who lived in the house next door with his 11 children, said this morning that some of the firefighters knew his mother from growing up in the neighborhood.

“Everybody felt like she was their mother when they were around her,” Jeff Beatrice said. He described Dottie Beatrice as a dynamic 85-year-old woman who drove her own car and was constantly on the go.

“She seemed to be young at heart,” said a neighbor, Melissa Angelucci.

Flames billowed out of a shattered picture window when firefighters arrived at the duplex on Ashmont Avenue at 4:30 a.m. after a neighbor called 911. John Beatrice, a blind man in his 50s, met Quinn and the front steps and told him that his mother was trapped inside.

“The fire was advancing, and he knew he couldn’t wait for the hose,” LaCroix said.

Quinn and O’Hare found Dottie Beatrice unconscious on a second floor landing. The flames were so intense they could not go back down the stairs and ran to the back of the building, LaCroix said.

The fire started in a front room on the first floor and remains under investigation.

“Right now it really looks accidental -- there are no red flags that say it was arson -- but the cause has not yet been determined," LaCroix said.

Posted by aryan at 11:17 AM | Comments (0)

January 24, 2008

Stranger tried to lure Dennis boy into car

By Khristopher Flack, Globe Correspondent

Dennis police are searching for two men who allegedly attempted to lure a seventh-grader into their car Tuesday afternoon near a bus stop in East Dennis, authorities said.

The student told police he was walking home from the bus stop after school when a dark four-door sedan pulled alongside him.

A man in the passenger seat asked the boy to come into the car to show him the cell phone the boy was carrying.

When the boy kept walking, police said, the car drove away toward Route 6A. Police have completed a composite sketch of the passenger and are urging anyone with information to contact them immediately.

Posted by mfinucane at 10:38 PM | Comments (0)

Salem school officials restore 15 jobs

By Erin Ailworth, Globe Staff

Salem school officials announced today that they will be able to restore 15 classroom jobs slated to be cut in a round of mid-year layoffs resulting from a multimillion-dollar deficit.

A slew of recent donations from the community and other funds allowed officials to keep the positions, which include elementary school classroom positions, as well as several posts at Collins Middle School and Salem High. The number of jobs restored was up from a previous estimate of 10.

"We have a long way to go," Superintendent William J. Cameron Jr. said in a telephone interview. "There are still a lot of people whose jobs are not being restored at this time, but we are hopeful that we can realize more funds and restore more positions."

About 60 other people are still laid off as the district scrambles to balance its books after the discovery of a $4.7 million deficit.

Posted by mfinucane at 9:29 PM | Comments (0)

Police seek help in finding Tuttle Street slayer

By Jillian Jorgensen, Globe Correspondent

Boston police are looking for witnesses to a Jan. 17 slaying in the Savin Hill section of Dorchester, officials said.

Daniel Yakovleff, 20, of Roxbury was found stabbed to death around 6:10 a.m at 56 Tuttle Street, police said. They are looking for anyone who saw Yakovleff in the area of Tuttle Street or in the South End during the late hours of Jan. 16 through the time of his death the next morning.

They are especially looking for anybody who may know who Yakovleff was with during those hours or what kind of transportation he used.

Anyone with information about the slaying can call the Homicide Unit at 617-343-4470, or call anonymously at 1-800-494-TIPS (8477), or text the word "tip" to CRIME (27463).

Posted by mfinucane at 6:50 PM | Comments (0)

Mistrial declared in case of Brockton woman who allegedly killed her parents

By Emily Sweeney, Globe Staff

A Plymouth Superior Court judge declared a mistrial today in the case of a Brockton woman accused of setting a fire that killed her parents in April 2003.

Frances Y. Choy, 22, has been in custody at MCI-Framingham since 2003, facing charges of arson and two counts of murder.

The jurors in Judge Charles M. Grabau's courtoom deliberated for three days and said they were deadlocked today.

Posted by mfinucane at 6:45 PM | Comments (0)

Safe stolen from South End eatery

By Matt Collette, Globe Correspondent

A safe was stolen from an Italian restaurant in the South End early this morning after a burglar forced open a rear door, police said.

Officers responded at 5:12 a.m. to an alarm at Sage Restaurant on Washington Street. Police found an open gate leading to the alley behind the restaurant. The building's rear door had been forced open and the locks were damaged, police said.

The owner of the restaurant told police that the safe had been mounted on the floor. It was not immediately clear whether the safe was specifically targeted. Police did not say how much money was inside.

Another safe was stolen from the restaurant two years ago when it was under different ownership.

Posted by aryan at 4:18 PM | Comments (0)

Blizzard of '78 memories?

(Globe file photo)

Five days after the Blizzard of '78, cars were still abandoned on Route 128 near the Dedham/Westwood town line. As we prepare our 30th anniversary coverage of the storm, we want to hear from you.

We want your stories of the kindness of strangers, friendships or romances that you struck up during the storm and its aftermath. How would Boston fare today if a Blizzard of '78 hit again?

Please e-mail your thoughts to howe@globe.com

Posted by aryan at 2:18 PM | Comments (0)

Man fatally shot at Chelsea lounge with history of violence

(George Rizer/Globe Staff)

By John R. Ellement and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

A man was shot to death and two other people were wounded when a gunman opened fire overnight in Chelsea at King Arthur's Lounge, the strip club that was the site of a fatal brawl in 1982 that involved several off-duty Everett police officers.

Chelsea Police Chief Brian A. Kyes said that the shooting occurred at 12:30 a.m. after a physical altercation inside the lounge on Beacham Street. As shots rang out, 25 to 50 patrons inside the club dove to the floor for cover.

"The gunman fled the scene,” Kyes said. “We are interviewing many witnesses."

The victim, who was shot in the torso, has been identified as 28-year-old Jeff Santiago, according to the office of Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley. Police said that he lived in Everett. A 29-year-old Everett man was wounded in the upper thigh, and a 41-year-old Charlestown man was shot in the calf. Both men are expected to survive, Kyes said.

“Once again, I am extremely pleased and satisfied at the level or cooperation and coordination that continues to exist between the State Police assigned to District Attorney Daniel Conley’s Office and the Chelsea Police Department that is absolutely essential investigating serious crimes such as those that took place last night,” Kyes said in a statement. “I am confident through our collaborative investigative efforts we will be thorough in bringing this case to a successful resolution.”

The shooting comes as King Arthur’s was preparing to transfer its liquor license at what was supposed to be a routine hearing Tuesday. The lounge’s longtime owner, Arthur Guttadauro, died recently, and his estate is trying to transfer the license to his son.

Chelsea City Manager Jay Ash said today that he has urged the licensing board to push back the transfer hearing until police are able to give a detailed account of management’s role in the investigation. Ash said that employees have helped investigators and that their continued cooperation could be a factor in whether the license is transferred.

The brawl on July 23, 1982 began with an argument in the motel's lounge between Alfred J. Mattuchio and an off-duty Everett police officer, John McLeod. The officer left the lounge, then returned with several police officers, allegedly armed with nightsticks, baseball bats, and tire irons.

They reportedly entered a room in King Arthur's Motel and attacked a dozen patrons and employees. Vincent J. Bordonaro was beaten to death.

Four Everett officers were indicted for murder. One was acquitted; two are serving life sentences for second-degree murder; a fourth was released after serving several years for manslaughter, according to newspaper accounts.

Posted by aryan at 2:11 PM | Comments (0)

Broken radar delays planes at Logan

By Noah Bierman, Globe Staff

Planes in and out of Logan International Airport and others in the region were delayed by about an hour last night after air traffic control computer broke down.

Jim Peters, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said that air traffic controllers were able to use a backup system without comprising safety. The malfunction delayed 265 flights between 6 p.m. and 6:45 p.m., he said.

Peters could not immediately identify the specific cause of the breakdown, but he said it appeared to be related to computer software. The malfunction happened at a regional air traffic control center in Nashua, N.H.

Posted by aryan at 12:45 PM | Comments (0)

Another break-in at Romney campaign headquarters

(Evan Richman/Globe Staff/file photo)

Mitt Romney's campaign headquarters at 585 Commercial Street was burglarized early this morning for the second time since September.

By Andrew Ryan and John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

The burglary and two arrests at Mitt Romney's North End campaign headquarters this morning do not appear to be the work of covert political operatives trying to thwart Romney’s presidential bid.

Police arrived at the building on Commercial Street at 1 a.m. and stopped a blue Toyota Camry leaving a parking lot. When the suspects opened the car doors, two open bottles of Budweiser tumbled to the ground, according a police report. Inside the car, officers found two crowbars and a single Macintosh laptop commuter that had allegedly been stolen from an office at the campaign headquarters.

“We have no evidence to suggest that this was politically motivated,” Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said. “It has all the earmarks of a third rate burglary attempt. The suspects never even made it out of the parking lot.”

One of the men who was arrested -- Michael J. Sauer, 30 -- identified himself as a political independent on his voter registration, public records show. The second suspect, Daniel J. Bradley, 28, is not registered to vote in Massachusetts, records show. Bradley has six outstanding warrants for crimes that include possession of narcotics and breaking and entering, police said.

The men, who both live in Cambridge, were arraigned this morning in Boston Municipal Court. Wearing hooded sweatshirts, both men tried to shield their faces from the crush of reporters that covered the hearing. They were charged with breaking and entering with the intent to commit a felony and possession of burglar tools.

It was the second burglary at the building since September, when thieves stole seven laptop computers and their docking stations and a 37-inch plasma television, the personal property of Spencer Zwick, the candidate's finance manager and close personal adviser. At the time, the campaign also said the break-in was not connected to Romney's presidential bid.

It does not appear that the two break-ins are connected, police said.

This morning a security guard monitoring surveillance cameras at the campaign headquarters called 911 at 12:53 a.m. He told police he saw two men stealing a computer in a rear office of the building at 585 Commercial St., according to a police report. Police found pry marks on windows in the side and rear of the building.

Eric Fehrnstrom, a Romney spokesman, praised what he called the rapid response of Boston police.

Posted by aryan at 10:36 AM | Comments (0)

January 23, 2008

Woman dies in Rockland fire

By Megan Woolhouse, Globe Staff, and Elizabeth Ratto, Globe Correspondent

A 42-year-old woman died after smoke and fire ravaged her Rockland home shortly before 4:30 p.m. today.

Firefighters found Kerrin M. Kelly-Nelson on the second floor of her single-family home at 248 Centre Avenue.

She was transported in "very serious" condition to Brockton Hospital where she later died. A Plymouth County district attorney's spokeswoman said an autopsy will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death; an investigation is also ongoing to determine the cause and origin of the fire.

Three firefighters were also treated and released from South Shore Hospital after they encountered a large burst of flames as they tried to fight the fire in the kitchen. The explosion may be been caused by a propane tank, Fire Chief J. Michael Sammon said. The fire department had the flames under control within 30 minutes.

Posted by mfinucane at 11:45 PM | Comments (0)

Dorchester man indicted in shopowner's slaying

By Elizabeth Ratto, Globe Correspondent

An 18-year-old man was indicted today on four charges, including first-degree murder, in the killing of a shopowner in Dorchester late last year, the Suffolk district attorney's office said.

Gary Johnson of Dorchester also faces an armed robbery charge and gun charges in the shooting death of Mumin Manavoglu, 45, of Brockton on Nov. 1, 2007.

Johnson allegedly walked in the victim's Norfolk Street restaurant, Stalex Pizza, at about 9:30 a.m. and robbed Manavoglu of $60 at gunpoint.

Manavoglu followed Johnson out of the shop, chasing him. Johnson allegedly turned and shot, striking the victim once in the head.

Johnson was arrested by Boston Police not far from the scene. His indictment moves the case into Superior Court. He will be arraigned there within the next two weeks, prosecutors said.

Posted by mfinucane at 8:43 PM | Comments (0)

Bank robber ties up four employees at Somerville bank

By Elizabeth Ratto, Globe Correspondent

A lone gunman succeeded in overpowering four employees at the East Cambridge Savings Bank on Highland Avenue this evening, tying them up and getting away with an undetermined amount of money, Somerville police said.

Police responded at about 5:50 p.m. to a robbery report at the bank and learned that a masked gunman had entered at closing time and ordered the employees in the bank into the basement, where they were tied up.

No one was injured but the suspect escaped with the money and one of the employee's cars, a gray, 2007 Infiniti G35 coupe, with the license plate number 21MC99.

Authorities are asking that anyone with information about the car. or who may have been in the vicinity of the bank today and observed anything suspicious, contact Somerville Police or the FBI Robbery Task Force.

Posted by mfinucane at 8:21 PM | Comments (0)

Law enforcement officials release Whitey Bulger audio

By Shelley Murphy and Martin Finucane, Globe Staff

You've seen his picture many times. The man in the sunglasses wearing the baseball cap. Conferring with his "associates." Glaring from mug shots. But you've never heard the voice.

Now you can. The FBI has released audio recordings of fugitive South Boston gangster James "Whitey" Bulger, hoping that someone somewhere will recognize his voice -- and provide the clue that finally results in his capture.

The recordings were taken before Bulger fled 13 years ago, but the task force that's looking for him said in a statement that it believes the recordings "depict the unique sound of Bulger's voice, and may be recognizable by anyone who may have come in contact with him."

The task force, which includes the FBI, state police, and state corrections officers, said it believed that "international exposure of the recordings will be beneficial to the fugitive investigation."

But a former Bulger associate, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, was skeptical about whether the voice recording could help in the manhunt.

"He doesn't have a distinctive voice like Orson Welles or James Earl Jones," said the former associate. "If he sounded like Daffy Duck, maybe they'd have a better chance of catching him."

The recordings taken by the FBI were released to all media outlets today. Authorities reminded the public that a $1 million reward is being offered for any information leading directly to Bulger's arrest.

Bulger, a longtime FBI informant, fled days before a warrant was issued on Jan. 4, 1995 for his arrest on federal racketeering and extortion charges. After he went on the lam, investigators uncovered hidden graves containing the bodies of some of his alleged victims. He is now charged with 19 murders.

The last confirmed sighting of Bulger was in September 2002, when he was spotted strolling down a street near Piccadilly Circus in London, the FBI has said. Investigators are looking into a possible sighting in Sicily last year and they've said they are focusing on Europe in their hunt for the 78-year-old fugitive.

Tips may be directed to 1-800-CALL-FBI or http//www.fbi.gov/tips.

Posted by mfinucane at 5:07 PM | Comments (0)

House passes bill restricting cellphone use in cars

By Noah Bierman, Globe Staff

The state House of Representatives passed a bill today that would ban drivers from text messaging and using hand-held phones by a vote of 107 to 47.

The measure, which still faces a vote in the Senate, would fine violators $100 to $500. The use of hands-free technology would be allowed, so drivers could still talk on cellphones as long as they had earpieces. About a dozen bills were filed on the issue last year, but they failed to gain traction on Beacon Hill.

Melissa Martin of Southbridge watched today's vote and began to cry when her lawmakers discussed her 17-year-old daughter, Amanda, who was killed in October in Charlton when her car went off the road and hit a tree as she drove to school. Police believe text messaging may have been to blame for the accident because she received a message at 7:22 a.m., three minutes before the crash.

“I’m happy it is going to the next level,” Melissa Martin said.

The legislation would also ban drivers from using pagers, PDAs, and laptops. It would not affect audio equipment or Global Positioning Systems, and would not apply to public safety officials or civilians responding to emergencies.

Under current law, Massachusetts police can hand out tickets for distractions that impede driving, such as having unwieldy items hanging from a rear-view mirror or eating while trying to drive, but the law allows the use of cellphones as long one hand remains on the wheel.
In addition to fines, the legislation would suspend the license of drivers under age 18. They would lose their license for 60 days for the first offense; 180 days for the second; and a year for the third.

California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Washington, and the District of Columbia have banned drivers from using hand-held cellphones, although hands-free devices are allowed.

Posted by aryan at 4:12 PM | Comments (0)

$458m Big Dig settlement exempts firms from criminal charges in tunnel collapse

By Globe Staff

State and federal authorities announced a settlement of $458.2 million with the firms that designed and managed the Big Dig to avoid criminal charges and civil liability stemming from leaks, the fatal ceiling collapse, and other flaws that have plagued the project.

Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff, the consortium that oversaw the Big Dig design and construction, will pay $407 million, and 24 other companies will pay about $51 million, US Attorney Michael Sullivan said this afternoon at a press conference.

"Massachusetts Highway and the citizens of Massachusetts entrusted Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff to act as their eyes and ears on the Central Artery Project," Sullivan said. "They grossly failed to meet their obligations and responsibilities to the citizens of Massachusetts and the United States."

Approximately $415 million of the settlement money will be placed in a special trust fund and used to pay for future Big Dig costs and repairs. The settlement allows authorities to seek additional damages from Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff in the event of a major failure in the project in the future causes more than $50 million in damage.

The agreement, which the Globe first reported in today’s paper, will allow Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff to avoid state criminal charges in the Interstate 90 connector tunnel collapse that killed Milena Del Valle. She died on July 10, 2006, after concrete panels weighing 26 tons fell and partially crushed the car she and her husband were riding to Logan Airport.

A lawsuit filed by the family of Del Valle against Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff and other companies is still pending. Brad Henry, one of the lawyers who represents the Del Valle family, told the Globe Tuesday that Bechtel's payment "certainly seems to be a substantial admission of liability.”

State Attorney General Martha Coakley said at the press conference that when she spoke to the Del Valle family this morning they were wanted to make sure that this settlement would make the Big Dig safer.

“We believe and we and hope that we have accomplished something and that no other family will have to go through what the family of Milena Del Valle went through,” Coakley said.

Only one of more than a dozen defendants has settled with the family. In December, Powers Fasteners Inc. of Brewster, N.Y., agreed to pay the family $6 million. Powers, which provided the epoxy blamed in the collapse, is also the only company facing criminal charges after the attorney general's office charged it with one count of involuntary manslaughter in August. If convicted, Powers faces a fine of $1,000. The company, which pleaded not guilty, has denied responsibility for the fatal accident.

Because the maximum penalty for manslaughter is only $1,000, Coakley decided to seek a financial settlement from Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff rather than prosecute, though she held open the possibility of criminal charges if settlement talks broke down, legal sources have previously said.

Posted by aryan at 2:47 PM | Comments (0)

Fire tears through Chelsea apartment house

(George Rizer/Globe Staff)

By Matt Collette, Globe Correspondent

A two-alarm fire tore through a Chelsea apartment house this morning and displaced six people.

No one was seriously injured in the blaze, which broke out at about 5 a.m. Fire crews from Chelsea, Everett, Boston, and Winthrop arrived at the two-family home on Lambert Avenue after a resident called 911.

The fire is believed to have started in the basement, authorities said, and heavily damaged the first floor apartment. The second floor apartment sustained smoke and water damage.

Crews stayed on the scene until about 8:30 a.m. One firefighter was injured after slipping on ice, but stayed on the scene until the fire was extinguished. He was taken to the hospital for x-rays but is "doing fine," said Acting Deputy Chief Edward Doherty of the Chelsea Fire Department.

"With these weather conditions, the streets just automatically turned to ice," Doherty said, noting that all the water the firefighters used to extinguish the flames quickly froze in the frigid temperatures.

It was the second fire in Chelsea this past week. The cause remains under investigation.

Posted by aryan at 1:46 PM | Comments (0)

Patrick’s $28.2 billion budget increases spending, relies on some speculative revenue

By Matt Viser and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

Governor Deval Patrick today unveiled a $28.2 billion budget that boosts spending on education, parks, and public safety but has come under fire because it relies in part on proposals that have not been approved by the Legislature.

"We can afford to do what we are proposing," Patrick said today in a statement. "We can't afford not to. We have seen what the cost of inaction looks like -- failing schools, broken roads, violence on streets corners -- and we must not settle for it any longer."

The spending proposal includes $124 million that administration says could be generated from the sale of casino licenses and $297 million from the closing of so-called corporate tax loopholes. The administration says it plans to close a projected $1.3 billion deficit through an emphasis on greater efficiency and "careful approaches to generating additional revenues."

The budget also draws on $370 million from the state’s reserve fund, which is half of what the government used this fiscal year. Budget observers say it can be dangerous to rely on any reserves for a one-time fix without addressing long term problems.

Other proposals in the budget include:

- Doubling for the second year in a row the amount spent on extended school day programs, to $26 million.

- Spending $15 million more to fund an additional 892 prekindergarten classrooms and $8 million to help 440 of the state's half-day kindergarten classrooms expand to a full day.

- Spending another $2 million on tutoring students with low MCAS test scores, $4.5 million on helping underperforming schools, and $1.5 million more for the Metco program.

- Spending $15 million for water and sewer rate relief for MWRA communities.

- Increasing funding for new Municipal Police Grants by $4 million, which would double funding for the program that seeks to putting additional police officers on the street.

- Increasing funding for the Chief Medical Examiner's Office and the State Police Crime Lab by $4 million to help reduce a backlog in DNA testing and improve operations.

- $1.5 million in new funding for the Office of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, which works with community development organizations to provide grants and technical assistance for businesses with fewer than 20 employees.

Posted by aryan at 1:17 PM | Comments (0)

Man accused of raping unconscious woman in nightclub bathroom

By John R. Ellement and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

A 21-year-old man has been charged with aggravated rape after prosecutors allege he raped an unconscious woman in a bathroom at the popular nightclub FELT Boston.

Nicholas Chiaraluce denied the allegation after his arraignment this morning in Boston Municipal Court, telling reporters that he tried to help the 21-year-old woman.

“I did everything I could to make sure she was OK,” Chiaraluce said. “I was trying to do the right thing, and I ended up getting charged.”

The Woburn resident was arrested by Boston police early Saturday morning at FELT, which is near Downtown Crossing.

According to the Suffolk district attorney’s office, at least one witness saw Chiaraluce rape the woman in the second floor men’s bathroom. Police spoke with a friend of Chiaraluce, who told investigators that he saw the victim with her pants around her knees in the second-floor men’s room, prosecutors said. Chiaraluce asked his friend to help dress the woman, but he refused, prosecutors said.

Through a public relations firm, Regan Communications, the club’s owners said they acted properly after learning that a woman was in the men’s room and that she “appeared extremely ill.’’ The statement said managers called 911 and then directed responding police to Chiaraluce, who was standing outside the nightclub. The club said it continues to cooperate with law enforcement.

Daniel Pokaski, chairman of the Boston Licensing Board, said the agency will review the nightclub’s actions, including whether the woman was overserved. He called the allegations that a woman was raped in a bathroom of a licensed premise in Boston unprecedented. "Has sex ever happened in a nightclub in Boston before? I'm sure it has,'' he said. "But rape of an unconscious woman, no, not that I am aware of.''

He said the club was the subject of a hearing on Tuesday due to an “overaggressive bouncer who beat the crap out of a kid’’ last December. He said the board will vote on Thursday what sanctions the company will face for that incident.

Chiaraluce told police that he did not know the victim but had bought her a drink, prosecutors said. Investigators saw what appeared to be either blood or vomit on his pants, which they seized along with a pair of women’s underwear found in the bathroom.

“The facts of this case are simply appalling,” Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said in a statement.

The victim, a Boston resident, was taken to a local hospital. Club employees have been cooperative with investigators, Conley said.

Defense attorney Joan Fund called the charge outrageous, saying that there was no evidence in the police report she saw to support a charge of aggravated rape. “There is no indicia that this was anything this gentlemen was trying to hide or was afraid of,” said Fund, who declined to elaborate.

After his arrest, Chiaraluce was released on $30,000 bail, which was posted by his father, Alfred Chiaraluce.

“He’s a good kid,” said Alfred Chiaraluce, who accompanied his son to court. “He did nothing wrong. He was Mr. Nice Guy, he wanted to help, and he’s being wrongly charged.”

Alfred Chiaraluce declined to go into detail, saying only that police arrested the wrong person and that his son “went for help.” He questioned the woman’s actions, saying, "he didn't carry her in there.''

Chiaraluce is scheduled to return to court March 5 for a probable cause hearing.

Posted by aryan at 11:30 AM | Comments (0)

January 22, 2008

Sources: Big Dig settlement near

By Andrea Estes and Sean P. Murphy, Globe Staff

The attorney general's office is set to announce a settlement over Big Dig defects that would garner the state more than $400 million, most of it from Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff, the consortium that oversaw the design and construction of the massive public works project, according to two sources who have been briefed on the negotiations.

Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff will pay nearly $400 million and several other companies that designed various pieces of the Big Dig, will be responsible for about $50 million, the sources said. The announcement could come as soon as tomorrow.

The payments will generally release the companies from any further liability and will free Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff from any potential criminal charges in the July 2006 Interstate 90 tunnel ceiling collapse that killed a Jamaica Plain woman.

Under the terms of the settlement, which both the attorney general and the United States attorney have approved, authorities could seek additional damages from Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff only in the event of a catastrophe -- that is, an incident that causes more than $50 million in damage. In that case, before Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff had to pay, an arbitrator would have to determine the company was to blame.

Also, under the agreement, Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff, which has government contracts around the country, would not be prohibited from getting future government contracts.

The money will go into a special trust fund that will be used to pay for Big Dig costs and repairs in the future. As a condition for approving the settlement, federal transportation authorities and the Justice Department sought assurances that the money would not go into the state's general fund, one of the sources said.

Milena Del Valle, 38, died July 10, 2006, after concrete panels weighing 26 tons fell from the Interstate 90 connector tunnel ceiling, smashing the car she and her husband were riding to Logan Airport. The death stunned the region and touched off multiple criminal and civil investigations. It also caused a political uproar, ultimately forcing the resignation of Massachusetts Turnpike Authority chairman Matthew J. Amorello.

Posted by mfinucane at 7:18 PM | Comments (0)

Man accused of killing girlfriend held without bail

By John C. Drake, Globe Staff

A Lowell judge denied bail today for a 28-year-old man charged with killing his live-in girlfriend and dumping her body in a Dracut dumpster.

Salinda Sun is accused of shooting Shannon Meara, 24, in the head and disposing of her body with the help of Eric Anderson, a 28-year-old who shared an apartment with the couple on Westford Street in Lowell. Anderson was charged as an accessory after the fact and was held on $100,000 cash bail.

"We allege that this is another unfortunate example of domestic violence, this time between a boyfriend and his girlfriend," Middlesex District Attorney Gerard T. Leone Jr. said in a written statement.

The body of Shannon Meara was found Sunday morning in a dumpster on Skyline Drive in Dracut. A resident was taking out her trash, saw the body, and called police. Meara was identified after police found a tattoo of her first name on her body.

Prosecutors said that Anderson and Sun were seen on Wal-Mart surveillance video purchasing cleaning supplies after the woman's death. A Chevrolet Tahoe seized from the apartment had been wiped clean, but State Police investigators uncovered traces of blood in the vehicle, according to police.

Dozens of Meara's relatives sat in Lowell District Court today during the arraignment. One woman held up a photo of the victim. They declined to speak to a reporter.

Posted by aryan at 4:47 PM | Comments (0)

Fire inspector: Lawrence nightclub called "extreme hazard" in 2007

By John R. Ellement and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

The former Lawrence nightclub where an inferno started Monday was described in a 2007 letter from the city’s fire prevention officer as an "extreme hazard to public safety" that was "a three-story bonfire just waiting for an ignition source."

The letter, written by Fire Captain William Lannon, described a structurally unsound building littered with propane tanks and kerosene cans from heaters that were not supposed to be used at the construction site. Firefighter responded to a report of smoke in the building on Jan. 25, 2007, and found workers burning scrap wood in a 55-gallon drum to keep warm.

"There are numerous life safety hazards throughout this building, and any fire in this building would literally race throughout this structure because of the lack of any type of walls, floor, and ceiling coverings," Lannon wrote in the letter to the Lawrence Inspectional Services Department. "This building is essentially a three-story bonfire just waiting for an ignition source."

Despite warnings of inspectors, a worker at the site was using a propane-fueled heater as recently as Friday, said Peter Blanchette, a city inspector who visited the Market Street building. The worker was using the heater on scaffolding outside the building and was told to turn it off, Blanchette said.

The owner of the building, Geraldo Torres, said in an interview today that he had complied with all orders by the city and repeatedly went to the Fire Department to ask how to make the building fire-safe. Torres said that he had been installing a sprinkler system. The work was nearly complete, but the system had not yet been connected to the city’s water supply, he said. When asked about the use of heaters, Torres said he was at the site Saturday and saw a single heater being used to dry stucco on the exterior of the building.

The cause of Monday's fire has not yet been determined. The blaze damaged 15 buildings on nine properties and left 150 people homeless. The Millennium nightclub had been closed for several years before new owners began renovations with plans to reopen as a restaurant. Torres said he suspects that someone lit the fire to keep him from opening the business.

Inspectors visited the building Friday to check support beams that had been added during the construction. The beams passed inspection, said building inspector Greg Arvanitis. The entire structure was not inspected, Arvanitis said.

The inside of the building was cool Friday, and it did not appear that heaters were being used indoors, the inspectors said.

When firefighters visited the building last year, it had been gutted to the studs. The interior of the building was in roughly the same condition Friday, the inspectors said.

Torres said he had spent the last year trying to get permits to complete the project.

Posted by aryan at 3:47 PM | Comments (0)

Search continues for cause of Lawrence fire

By John R. Ellement and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

LAWRENCE -- Fire investigators chipped through thick layers of ice today as they combed charred debris searching for the cause of a wind-driven inferno Monday that destroyed most of a city block.

A melted steel scaffolding stood over a gaping hole in the ground, marking the spot of the Millenium nightclub, where the fire started at 2:30 a.m. The club was under renovation and was empty, leading investigators to suspect arson.

On Friday a city building inspector visited the club to check some support beams that had been added during the construction. The building had been gutted to the studs, according the building inspector, Greg Arvanitis.

"Everything passed inspection," Arvanitis said today in an interview. Arvanitis did not perform a full inspection or check the wiring, he said.

The blaze damaged or destroyed nine properties, which included 15 buildings on three streets, and left 150 people homeless. The Millenium nightclub had been closed for several years before new owners began substantial renovations a few months ago with plans to reopen as an Italian or Mexican-themed restaurant. The owner, Geraldo Torres of Methuen, told the Eagle-Tribune that he and his wife had not purchased insurance to cover losses from a fire.

Mayor Michael J. Sullivan said today that he hopes the area is rebuilt as fast as possible so that Lawrence doesn’t regain its reputation as the "Arson Capital of America." In the last five years, there has been $1 billion worth of private investments made in the city, Sullivan said, and he wants that progress to continue.

"If we don't handle it right, it's a hit on the image of Lawrence," Sullivan said.

The Red Cross set up a shelter for those displaced by the fire in the gymnasium at the South Lawrence East School. A briefing was held this morning at City Hall to outline relief efforts for fire victims. Information can also be found on the city’s website.

Robert Hughes lived at 378 Market Street and is one of those searching for a new home. He was glad no one was killed in the fire, but didn’t know what he and his family were going to do.

"We're just working with everybody, and we'll see what happens," Hughes said.

The Lawrence City Council is expected to consider a proposal tonight to pay for emergency services by raising water fees and property taxes by an annual average of $200 per household. If the measure is rejected, Sullivan has vowed to close one or two of the city's six fire stations and lay off as many as 20 firefighters.

Posted by aryan at 1:29 PM | Comments (0)

Body found in New Bedford Harbor

By Globe Staff

The body of an apparent drowning victim was pulled this morning from New Bedford Harbor and divers are searching the chilly water for a second man who has been missing for eight hours, according to police and the Coast Guard.

Police responded at 3:40 a.m. to a pier near Eastern Fisheries for a report of a man in the water, according to Captain Joseph Cordeiro of the New Bedford Police Department. Police recovered one body and continue to search for the man who is missing.

Police did not release the name or the age of the victim because his relatives had not yet been notified, Cordeiro said. The medical examiner will determine his cause of death.

It was not immediately clear how the two men got in the water. The search for the second man includes New Bedford police divers, State Police, and the Bristol County district attorney’s office.

Posted by aryan at 11:45 AM | Comments (0)

January 21, 2008

Fire leaves Lawrence residents out in the cold

By Russell Contreras, Globe Staff

LAWRENCE -- In the South Lawrence neighborhood, it's not unusual for Luis Taveras to be awakened at night by booming reggaeton from passing cars or from police sirens racing to a scene or, on some occasions, an orphan gunshot.

But early Monday morning, it was Taveras' landlord screaming to get his girlfriend and two children and run.

It was a fire this time.

As a blaze jumped from a nightclub to nearby homes, residents in South Lawrence were pushed out of an early morning sleep by knocks on doors from firefighters, police and neighbors, yelling at them to get out. From a confused daze to standing out in the freezing predawn, dozens of residents found themselves outside in robes and slippers, watching their apartments collapse from an angry blaze that charred away clothes, furniture, family photos and everything else left inside.

A sleepy Taveras, 29, thought Judgement Day had come. "Everything was just burning," said Taveras, who escaped from his Springfield Street apartment with girlfriend Jannette Ayala, 19, and their two toddlers. "I felt like it was the end of the world."

When Ayala went to grab her two children from their room, she saw the blaze from their window. She grabbed them without bothering to put their shoes on. They all managed to get out by walking out of the front door.

James Lambe, 40, said he was also asleep when police came knocking on his door. When he woke, the fire was already in his bathroom.

"(They) got me out before the whole building was engulfed," said Lambe, who lived alone in an apartment on Parker Street. "I grabbed my jacket, my wallet, my cell phone and ran."

He immediately found himself at the Haffner's Car Wash across the street. Lambe said the fire was so hot that tops of cars had steam coming off of them. But he and the other residents shivered from the 20 degree temperatures.

"I felt like a meat popsicle," said Lambe.

By dawn, buses and family arrived to take away the now homeless families to temporary shelters. Around 2:30 p.m., Taveras, Ayala and their children were resting at a temporary shelter housed at South Lawrence East School.

Jamie Devlin, interim executive director of the Red Cross Merrimack Valley chapter, said so far 54 people had registered to seek assistance but expected that number to double or triple in the next day or two. "Potentially, we can see around 150 people who need help," said Devlin.

He said Red Cross workers would be speaking with those affected by the fire and determine who needed vouchers for food and clothing.

Lawrence Superintendent Wilfredo T. Laboy said school officials have identified about half a dozen students whose families lost homes in fire. He said the students are zoned to attend the Wetherbee School.

The district will provide bus service for students who are in a shelter, Laboy said.

Devlin said the Merrimack Valley Red Cross has been busy in the last two months due to a number of recent fires in the area. "I wouldn't say we feel overwhelmed," said Devlin. "We're being tested, certainly. But that's what we're around for."

By noon Monday, donations of clothes and money started pouring in to the Red Cross to help victims. The New Balance Foundation, for example, announced Monday it was donating $25,000 cq to the Red Cross for relief efforts and $10,000 in clothes and shoes for victims.

Just after 3 p.m. Monday, Lambe arrived to the South Lawrence East School to register for Red Cross assistance. Before filling out the required paperwork, Lambe realized he lost something important -- his eye glasses. "Oh no," said Lambe. "I really lost everything."

Asked what he intended to do now, Lambe took a deep breath and said, "I'm going to start rebuilding my life by looking for some subsidized housing." Lambe said he is disabled and doesn't currently work.

Taveras, who works in construction, said he too won't be working in the near future. His girlfriend is pregnant and the doctor said she can't lift anything heavy.

"Right now, it's like we don't got nothing," said Taveras. "Even though the Red Cross help us with shirts and...but it don't feel the same, as having your own things that you work hard for."

Taveras then took a long pause, and said, "I'm hanging in there with my girl."

Russell Contreras can be reached at rcontreras@globe.com

Posted by rgreene at 8:09 PM | Comments (0)

Red Cross Seeks Donations After Lawrence Blaze

The local chapter of the Red Cross says it has seeking donations for scores of people left homeless in a blaze this morning in Lawrence.

Jamie Devlin of the Red Cross Merrimack Valley chapter asked people interested in donating to call the chapter at 978-372-6871. Online donations can be made through redcross.org.

Posted by dbeard at 9:01 AM | Comments (0)

150 left homeless from Lawrence fire

By Scott Allen and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

LAWRENCE – A fire in an abandoned nightclub early this morning erupted into an inferno that spread to at least 15 buildings in a dense neighborhood of homes and businesses.

No deaths or serious injuries have been reported, but the blaze tore through part of a city block and burned with such ferocity that the flames could literally be heard roaring. White smoke could be seen rising for at least 10 miles.

As many as 380 people were evacuated, said Lawrence Mayor Michael J. Sullivan. He said the included both those left homeless and people from neighboring homes whose power had been cut as a precaution. Twenty-six apartments were destroyed or damaged by the blaze, authorities said.

The fire near the corner of Market and Parker streets was first reported at 2:30 a.m., not far from the Lawrence commuter rail station. It appears to have begun in the Millennium nightclub, which was under renovation.

"The fact that the fire began in a vacant building does raise red flags for us," said State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan. "We are treating this as a suspicious fire."

The nightclub had utilities and the walls were bare, which allowed the flames to spread quickly, Coan said.

The fire has been contained but burned so hot through the morning that steel building frames turned white. Just before midday, ladder trucks were still pouring water down on smoldering triple deckers and orange flames continued to leap from the crater that had once been a building.

The structures that burned included 26 apartments in at least 10 residential buildings and two businesses, fire officials said. Lawrence Police Chief John Romero said one person was treated for minor smoke inhalation. By early afternoon, 54 people were at the Red Cross crisis center in a Lawrence school, most of them expected to stay the night. Red Cross officials estimated that another 100 people lost their homes but planned to stay with family or friends.

Efforts to quell the fire have been hampered by temperatures hovering near 12 degrees and 10-mile-an-hour winds. Several streets were closed most of the morning, including Route 114. Firefighters from at least 13 cities and towns responded.

Deputy Chief Paul J. Parisi of Salem, N.H. said that frigid temperatures and strong winds made it hard to pump water, sending spray from hoses back at firefighters. "That is part of fighting fires in New England," Parisi said with icicles dangling from his helmet.

Lawrence Fire Chief Peter Takvorian said that he believes it is the largest fire in the city since the blaze in December 1995 that destroyed Malden Mills.

Posted by aryan at 8:52 AM | Comments (0)

January 19, 2008

Police sweep through city to stem violence

By Kathy McCabe, Globe Staff

A massive sweep across Boston by multiple law enforcement agencies netted at least 67 arrests on gang and drug related charges in a 24-hour period starting late Friday night, police said.

The sweep followed a week of deadly violence in Boston, during which four people were shot to death, bringing the homicide total to eight this year, quadruple the amount last year at this time, police said.

"The goal of the operation is to send a clear message to criminals that gun violence will not be tolerated in our community," said Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis, reading from a statement during a late afternoon press conference at Boston Police headquarters today. "The round-up is focused on known gang members, many of whom are active gang members."

The sweep, conducted with the state police, FBI and US Marshals, also netted four firearms, including a shot gun, and various illegal drugs, including marijuana, cocaine and heroine, police said. The individuals were arrested on outstanding warrants and ranged in age from 17 to 54.
They were charged with a range of crimes, including smoking in public, failure to attend jury duty, armed robbery, and illegal firearm possession, police said.

Authorites launched the sweep just hours after a 23-year-old male was shot to death Friday while eating at a Jamaican restaurant on Harvard Street in Dorchester.

The spree of murders started late Tuesday when 16-year-old Carlos Sierra of Dorchester was shot to death on Strathcona Road.

The next day, 23-year-old Darrius Jones of Dorchester, was shot and killed in a livery car in Roslindale after leaving the funeral of another recent murder victim. Two others were wounded in that attack.

Early Thursday, Roderick Carter, 24, of Dorchester died after being shot in the Franklin Field housing development.

On the same day, a man described as being white and in his 30s, was found stabbed to death in a three-family residence on Tuttle Street in Dorchester.

The spate of violence came during a week when Mayor Thomas M. Menino used his State of the City address to applaud police for helping curb crime. Last year, the city had a marked decline in homicides and shootings.

The sweep was expected to continue into last night, with extra police patrols targeting high crime areas, Davis said.

He said Boston police are "laser focused" on ridding the city of firearm violence. "We will not allow these cowards to derail our mission to reduce violence," he added.

Elaine Driscoll, a police department spokeswoman, declined to say how many additional officers would be combing Boston neighborhoods.

"We have targeted the major hot spots," Driscoll said in a brief interview after the press conference.

One neighborhood slated for extra patrols is Harvard Street in Dorchester, where a small memorial to the latest victim was placed outside The Right Taste Restaurant, where the shooting occurred Friday just after 7:35 p.m.

Police, who did not release the name of the latest victim, believe his death was gang related, Driscoll said.

The victim was seated at the counter with a friend, who was not injured, but whom police believe also was targeted, she said.

"The individual targeted both of them," she said. She added that police are pursuing leads into the shooting.

In Dorchester today, the restaurant owner expressed dismay at the crime. "They shot him through the glass," said Karen Sheppard, who has owned the tiny take-out restaurant for two years. "They [police] need to do something. It’s the young kids. They don’t seem to fear anything."

Sheppard said the victim was a regular customer. He was seated with a friend at the counter, eating curried shrimp, when bullets shattered the restaurant’s large glass windows and doors.
"He was a good kid," said Sheppard, who reopened her restaurant about 1 p.m. today, after new windows were put in. "He came here a lot. He never bothered anyone, that I know of."

Shaniqua Leonard, 17, said she is bothered by the violence in her Harvard Street neighborhood.
"Look at 2007 and all the killings," said Leonard, a high school junior who stopped into The Right Taste today for a beef patty sandwich. "The year 2008 just started. You go to a wake and you hear, 'My boy died.'... This is crazy."

Friends and family who made a memorial for the latest victim outside the restaurant declined to comment today afternoon. They lit candles, left teddy bears and sympathy cards around a telephone pole.

They scrawled condolence messages on two white T-shirts taped to the pole. "RIP . . . TY. I Love You Always, Jazzmen!" read one message, while another simply said, "You will be missed."

Kathy McCabe can be reached at kmccabe@globe.com

Posted by gwitherspoon at 6:45 PM | Comments (0)

Kids given taste of military life

Kyle Linatopi, 11, of Lynn, tries out goggles and
a helmet, gear his dad, David, might be wearing in Iraq.
(John Tlumacki)

By Anna Badkhen, Globe Staff

READING -- Sporting a Kevlar helmet, gray military fatigues, and some camouflage face paint, Kyle Linatopi, 11, slumped in a plastic chair under a batch of red, white, and blue balloons, swallowed the last piece of pepperoni pizza, and announced, to no one in particular:

"My back hurts."

No surprise there. It's not every Saturday that Linatopi, of Lynn, spends the morning doing push-ups, sit-ups, and lifting a 40-pound backpack, replicating the load that his stepfather, Massachusetts National Guard Staff Sergeant David Hrubes, had to carry when he deployed to Iraq last summer.

But today, Linatopi and about 30 other children whose relatives are serving in Iraq with the 972d Military Police Company gathered in a large gym at the company's base at Camp Curtis Guild to see what their loved ones go through when they enlist in the National Guard.

"It's a hard time for [the children], so anything to keep their minds off of it -- but at the same time on it in a good way -- is great," said Gina Ventullo of Salem, N.H., who helped organize the event.

With at least six months until the end of the company’s deployment, soldiers’ families are constantly looking for activities to keep the children entertained, said Ventullo, who has five children and whose husband, Robert, is serving in Iraq.

"Get them through this deployment is what they need," she said.

Today, guard members covered the children’s faces in military-issue camouflage paint and handed out goody bags filled with toy binoculars, plastic canteens, stickers, and military-themed temporary tattoos. On a couple of mats on the floor, two soldiers helped the children take turns doing push-ups and sit-ups. Some children vigorously explored one Humvee, climbing in through the doors and crawling out of the hatch, and another Humvee, painted red, white, and blue, with the movie "Transformers" playing on a monitor set into the vehicle’s open hatch.

At a table laden with military ready-to-eat meals, a grandfather explained to a 2-year-old girl: "When your dad’s in the desert and he needs something to eat, he opens one of those."

But Rebecca Reese, 12, of Chelmsford, stepdaughter of deployed Master Sergeant Chris Pugh, made a face when Sergeant David Lewis offered her a spoonful of beef stew from a brown plastic bag.

"What is it?" Reese said, backing away from the table in mock horror. She and her friend, Lexie Hebert, 12, of Lowell, wore smears of dark green face paint under their eyes.

Having their faces covered "felt a little weird," explained Hebert, whose cousin, Sergeant Kevin Gerard, is deployed.

Next to them, Mikhaela Gillman, 10, whose father, Sergeant Brian Gillman of Fitchburg, is in Iraq, was trying to lift the 40-pound backpack off the floor, with little success. She went over to the mats and did another set of sit-ups instead -- her third of the morning.

"She just keeps coming back for more," Private Christopher Egan said in disbelief.

"That’s what happens when your mommy and daddy are both soldiers," joked Gillman’s mother, Gina, who served in Iraq in 2003 and 2004.

Some children chose quieter activities. Tyler Carmody, 5, enjoyed decorating a large yellow ribbon made from cardboard. "Dad, I love you. Tyler C.," wrote the boy, before coloring the ribbon blue.

"Six months done, six months to go," said his mother, Alyssa. "We’re praying for daddy and can’t wait to play with him again."

With "every single toy that I have," elaborated Tyler, who wore around his neck a dog tag his father, Specialist Jason Carmody of Saugus, gave him before he left. The dog tag read: "Tyler J. Carmody, US Army Son. Thinking of you. Love you. Dad."

A few paces away, children wrote letters to their deployed relatives and dropped them into a brightly painted mailbox. Kyle Linatopi wrote one pretty much as soon as he set foot at Camp Curtis Guild. "I wrote that 'Hi, dad, I did 28 push-ups; sit-ups not so good. I need to work on my sit-ups. We miss you.'"

Posted by gwitherspoon at 5:18 PM | Comments (0)

Man guilty in 2005 slaying

By John M. Guilfoil, Globe Correspondent

PROVIDENCE -- A Cranston, R.I. man was convicted Friday of first-degree murder in a 2005 killing in Providence.

After a two week trial, Tracey Barros, 28, also was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, carrying a pistol without a license, and discharging a firearm while committing a crime of violence.

Barros shot Deivy Felipe five times on Althea Street over an unpaid debt, authorities said.
Prosecutors hailed the conviction of who they called "a dangerous career criminal."

Posted by gwitherspoon at 2:36 PM | Comments (0)

Police investigating suspected pipe bombs

By John M. Guilfoil, Globe Correspondent

MARLBOROUGH -- Authorities in Marlborough spent Friday dealing with an apparent bomb scare at a home on Hemenway Street Extension.

A homeowner doing work on his home found what appeared to be a pipe bomb and called police, who then found additional smaller devices resembling pipe bombs near the first item.

Marlborough police, the state police bomb squad, and a federal Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agent are investigating the items and trying to determine how they got there. There was no word today on whether the items were actual bombs.

Posted by gwitherspoon at 2:32 PM | Comments (0)

Three stabbed, two arrested in Gardner

By John M. Guilfoil, Globe Correspondent

GARDNER -- Police have arrested two men in a triple stabbing late Friday night.

Police received a call about 11:30 p.m. about a large fight on Oriole Street. They found three men stabbed and another injured.

The victims were rushed to area hospitals, police said, but the seriousness of their injuries was unknown today. One of the victims was arrested along with another man and charged in the fight.

They are being held at Gardner Police Station. The incident remains under investigation.

Posted by gwitherspoon at 2:27 PM | Comments (0)

January 18, 2008

Death of woman, children on I-495 ruled murder-suicide

(Courtesy photo)

Kaleigh and Shane Lambert were killed when their aunt took them into traffic.

By Globe Staff

In an unusual twist to a heartbreaking case, the Middlesex district attorney's office announced today that a woman and two children who were struck by cars on Interstate 495 in Lowell a week ago were not killed by accident. It was a case of murder and suicide instead.

The woman killed the two children -- her niece and nephew -- and herself by walking into the highway traffic with them. Mental illness was to blame, prosecutors said.

Marcelle Thibault, 39, picked up Kaleigh Lambert, 5, and Shane Lambert, 4, the children of her twin sister, last Friday. She was taking them from their home in Brentwood, N.H. to a "pirate and princess" weekend at her house in Bellingham.

At about 9 p.m., Thibault stopped her car on the grass off the right side of Interstate 495 northbound in Lowell. She and the two children exited the vehicle.

After removing her clothes and the clothes of the two children, Thibault took the children in her arms and brought them into the highway where all three were struck by two cars, prosecutors said.

"This is now about grief and recovery, moving forward," District Attorney Gerry Leone said, offering his condolences to the family.

Leone said no drugs or alcohol were involved. He blamed Thibault's mental illness for what she did and said it was impossible to determine any motive.

"It is far too complicated, too complex a dynamic and illness for us to be able to make any real determinations about what exactly the cause was or what exactly was in her mind," he said.

Paul Young, a spokesman for the Lambert family and friend from St. Michael's Parish in Exeter, N.H., did not know the details of Thibault's illness, but called it a "brief, isolated incident in her life" within the past year.

"She appeared to be fully recovered from that, and there was no indication of a relapse," Young said.

"I never saw any signs of problems," said the Rev. David Mullen, pastor of St. Brendan's Church in Bellingham, where Thibault was a frequent volunteer. Mullen described her as "very positive and very generous."

District Attorney Leone said Ken and Danielle Lambert, whom he described as loving parents, would not have allowed their children to go with their aunt if they were not certain they would be safe.

"There are not many other scenarios I can think of that are as tragic as this one," he said. "It is beyond belief, it is unimaginable, it is unspeakable, and it was a horrible tragedy."

Young, the family spokesman, said Kaleigh and Shane were typical youngsters. The only children of Ken and Danielle Lambert, the kids were described by Young as full of energy and well-behaved.

A statement from the Lambert and Thibault families released by prosecutors said it was "a time of terrible tragedy" for the families.

"We love, Marci, Kaleigh, and Shane and we miss them very much. We ask everyone to join us in prayer for their souls, and to help us get through this most difficult period of our lives."

The drivers of the vehicles involved in the crashes, Jennifer Jolly, 47, of Lowell, and James Scammon, 43, of Portsmouth, N.H., were not injured. They could not immediately be reached. A person who answered a number listed to Jolly said it was a wrong number, and a man answering a phone listed to Scammon hung up.

Authorities said there would be no charges filed against them.

------

Associated Press Writers Jay Lindsay, Melissa Trujillo and Mark Pratt contributed to this report.

Posted by mfinucane at 6:14 PM | Comments (0)

Challenge filed to abortion clinic buffer zones

By Globe Staff

Antiabortion activists have filed a federal court challenge to a new state law that expanded the buffer zone surrounding abortion clinics, saying that the 35-foot zone violates their free speech and other rights.

The law is "an unconstitutional regulation designed and intended to ban virtually all citizens from engaging in fundamental rights and liberties on significant portions of public sidewalks, and streets" adjacent to abortion clinics, the lawsuit filed Wednesday said.

Antiabortion activists station themselves outside abortion clinics. They say their goal is to offer advice to women considering abortions. Abortion-rights proponents say they go too far, harassing people.

"Our perspective is: we're talking about lives at stake," said Bill Cotter, president of Operation Rescue: Boston. Several people active in the group are among the plaintiffs in the case.

A spokesman for the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts defended the new law.

"This law strikes the appropriate balance between free speech and the right to access health services free from violence, harassment, and intimidation," said Angus McQuilken, vice president of public affairs for the group.

The old law, enacted in 2000, said that, within an 18-foot radius of a clinic entrance, protesters must stay at least six feet away from patients unless the individual consents to a closer encounter. The new law bars protesters from coming closer than 35 feet from the entrance.

"We just feel that in this case, the Legislature's gone too far," said Philip D. Moran, the Salem attorney representing the five plaintiffs in the case.

Posted by mfinucane at 5:44 PM | Comments (0)

Lottery winner violated probation, but will keep his million

By Globe Staff

A convicted bank robber who won a $1 million lottery prize violated his probation when he bought his winning scratch ticket, but that won't keep him from collecting the money, his attorney said today.

A Barnstable Superior Court judge found Timothy Elliott, 55, of Bourne had violated terms of his probation that barred him from gambling. He was ordered to retroactively pay monthly probation supervision fees of $65, said his attorney, J. Drew Segadelli.

Coria Holland, a spokeswoman for the state probation commissioner, said the judge also ordered Elliott to comply with treatment ordered by the state Department of Mental Health. She said the issue of Elliott's winnings wasn't discussed at the hearing today before Judge Richard Connon.

Segadelli said there had never been any official effort by anyone to strip Elliott of his winnings. He said there were no grounds for such an action.

Elliott was placed on probation for five years after pleading guilty in October 2006 to unarmed bank robbery. He bought the winning ticket in November 2007, Segadelli said.

“He is happy to now go on with his life ... and hopefully become a productive member of society,” Segadelli said.

Posted by mfinucane at 4:10 PM | Comments (0)

'Most eligible bachelor' acquitted in attempted rape case

By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

A former state prosecutor was acquitted of attempted rape and other charges today after a trial that featured graphic testimony from the victim -- and a defense that sought to raise questions about her credibility.

Gary Zerola, 36, who was once picked by People magazine as one of the nation's most eligible bachelors, faced a variety of charges for allegedly attacking the woman, who was 19 at the time, at his apartment in the early morning hours of Aug. 18, 2006.

The woman, now 20, testified in graphic detail about her struggle with Zerola in the apartment, saying that, at one point, Zerola forced her into his bedroom, slamming her head into a door frame.

Zerola testified in his own defense and adamantly insisted he did not assault the woman as she had claimed, said Paul Zerola, his brother and an attorney.

"Gary was honest, sincere,'' Paul Zerola said of the testimony and the acquittal."He's elated....He's excited to go on with his life.''

The trial was in Suffolk Superior Court, but Zerola was tried by a Middlesex County prosecutor because of his ties to the Suffolk district attorney's office.

Zerola is still facing rape and other charges in a Feb. 28, 2004, incident involving a different 19-year-old woman. And he was arrested in October on charges that he drugged and sexually assaulted a third woman in Miami Beach.

Paul Zerola would not address the pending cases in Massachusetts and Florida in detail, but said, "Those are also false accusations and we intend on proving that in a court of law.''

In a statement following the acquittal, Middlesex District Attorney Gerard T. Leone Jr. said his office respects the jury's decision.

"We were confident in the case we put before the jury, but we must respect their decision today and we thank them for their service to the Commonwealth,'' Leone said, adding that his office would not speak further because there is a rape case pending against Zerola.

Zerola worked as a prosecutor in Suffolk County in the 1990s.

Posted by mfinucane at 1:33 PM | Comments (0)

Renowned sculptor chosen for Marciano statue

(United Press International file photo)

Marciano celebrates a victory.

By Milton Valencia, Globe Staff

A renowned sculptor based in Mexico City has been chosen to create the statue of legendary boxer Rocky Marciano that will be erected in Brockton, Marciano's hometown.

Mario Rendon, head of the Instituto Universitario de Bellas Artes, the art institute at the University of Colima, Mexico, has already begun drafting a sketch of the statue, and is expected to begin designing it in the next few months, said Tito Gonzalez, a spokesman for the World Boxing Council. He said it will take a year to complete the statue, and he hopes it will be in Brockton by early 2009.

Mendon has sculpted the statue of former world middleweight champion Carlos Monzon in Argentina. He has also sculpted a statue of a boxer in Mexico City similar to the statues of unknown soldiers in the United States, Gonzalez said.

"He has a lot of experience," he said.

The decision by the WBC, an international boxing organization, to build the statue in Brockton renewed a sense of pride for the City of Champions. At first, the WBC considered building the statue in Boston, but the plan met strong opposition from Brocktonians who said any statue of Marciano should be built in his hometown.

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino even sided with Brockton, and the WBC eventually agreed to build the statue in Brockton.

Mayor James E. Harrington said he will form a committee to recommend a location for the statue. Locations under consideration include the plaza outside City Hall, as well as outside Campanelli Stadium.

Marciano, known as the "Brockton Blockbuster," was raised in a working-class family in the city. He had 43 knockouts as he went undefeated in 49 professional fights. He was the world champion from when he knocked out Jersey Joe Walcott in Philadelphia in September 1952 to April 1956, when he retired. He died Aug. 31, 1969.

Posted by mfinucane at 12:41 PM | Comments (0)

Firefighters battle three-alarm blaze in Chelsea

(George Rizer/Globe Staff)

Firefighters backed down the aerial ladder after ventilating the roof.

By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

A 45-year-old man who was stopping this morning in Chelsea to get some good Latin food is being credited with rushing into a burning building to warn the residents.

Shawn Kraft, a retired call firefighter from Groton, was driving through the area at about 10 a.m. looking for a bite to eat when he smelled smoke from two attached triple-deckers at the corner of Chestnut and Williams streets.

He was able to warn five people in the two buildings. After that, he warned people in a building next door. Several firefighters received minor injuries but no residents were seriously injured.

"I didn't do anything. I just did what I was trained to do. It's what we (firefighters) do every day," Kraft said.

Fifteen people are searching for shelter after the three-alarm fire. The cause is under investigation, said Fire Chief Chuck Fothergill. He estimated the damage at $400,000.

The inbound lanes of the Meridian Street bridge were closed because of the fire.

Posted by mfinucane at 12:30 PM | Comments (0)

Predawn drug sweep nets 21 people on the Cape

By Globe Staff

Police and sheriff's deputies staged a predawn drug sweep today on Cape Cod, arresting 21 people in Falmouth, Mashpee, Barnstable, and other communities.

Substantial amounts of money and illegal drugs were discovered during the raids, which happened at 6 a.m., Falmouth police said in a statement.

Police said those arrested faced a variety of charges, including possession and distribution of heroin, cocaine, and marijuana.

Police said the investigation was conducted with the help of the Cape Cod Drug Task Force; the State Police; police from Mashpee, Barnstable, and Bourne; and the Barnstable County sheriff's department.

Posted by mfinucane at 11:46 AM | Comments (0)

Senator Kennedy hails Amtrak contract settlement

By Peter Howe, Globe Staff

Amtrak and the passenger railroad's union have reached a contract settlement, averting a strike that could have crippled rail transportation in Boston, Senator Edward M. Kennedy said this morning.

Details weren't immediately available. Amtrak employees have been working without a contract for eight years.

"The settlement that's been achieved is an extraordinary achievement that will benefit all the members of the Amtrak community -- the employees, the company, the passengers, and the entire country," Kennedy said in a prepared statement.

Amtrak employees could have gone on strike Jan. 30, a move that would have snarled MBTA commuter rail trains that operate into Amtrak-operated South Station.

Posted by mfinucane at 11:08 AM | Comments (0)

Brookline teacher allegedly duct-taped student's mouth

By Globe Staff

A Brookline teacher is no longer on the job after he allegedly duct-taped a student's mouth shut early this month.

Christopher Huggins, who taught seventh- and eighth-grade science, allegedly taped the seventh-grade student's mouth shut on Jan. 2.

School Superintendent Bill Lupini declined to say whether Huggins had been fired. But he said the school had placed him on administrative leave after hearing of the alleged incident, had conducted an investigation, and had held an administrative hearing on Wednesday.

As of Wednesday, he said, "Mr. Huggins is no longer an employee of the Brookline schools."

Lupini said he wouldn't talk about the details of the investigation, including why Huggins allegedly acted the way he did.

"I think we were able to confirm that this indeed did happen and get to some of the reasons behind it," he said. But he added, "I can't come up with a reasonable explanation to taping a student's mouth with duct tape."

Posted by mfinucane at 10:39 AM | Comments (0)

North Shore rail bridge may have been knocked out of alignment

(AP Photo)

Crews working on the bridge after it was struck by the barge in late December.

By Globe Staff

A commuter rail bridge connecting Beverly and Salem may have been knocked out of alignment when it was hit by a barge last month, and that may have caused two subsequent failures in the bridge's gearbox, a spokesman for the commuter railroad said this morning.

Scott Farmelant, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad, said that assessment came from an engineering expert and the makers of the gearbox who examined the bridge yesterday.

The swing-type drawbridge, which carries commuters on the Newburyport-Rockport line over the Danvers River, was out of commission yesterday for about seven hours after it opened and could not be locked back in place. It was the third time in recent weeks that the bridge had experienced problems. The bridge had gearbox problems on Jan. 2; it was hit by the barge on Dec. 21.

The Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad runs the commuter trains for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Officials have said the bridge will not be opened for boats -- allowing uninterrupted train service -- until permanent repairs have been made.

"Everyone involved is equally as frustrated as the customers that these problems continue to persist," said Farmelant.

Farmelant noted that even before the problems, the MBCR and MBTA staff had recommended an overhaul of the bridge, which was built in 1886 and partially rebuilt in 1985. The overhaul could cost $4.8 million.

Posted by mfinucane at 9:31 AM | Comments (0)

January 17, 2008

Acton police identify victims in fatal crash

By Globe Staff

Acton police have identified the two young men who died in a car crash yesterday in that town.

Efren Najera, 18, of Acton was the driver, while Juan Casimiro, 23, of Maynard was the passenger in the car, said Lieutenant Thomas Rogers.

The two men were killed when their car slammed into a stone wall, flew into the air, and hit a utility pole that snapped in half and fell on them, police said.

The accident happened at about 1 p.m. on Parker Street.

Posted by mfinucane at 4:31 PM | Comments (0)

Service restored on North Shore commuter rail line

By Globe Staff

A North Shore commuter rail bridge reopened to trains this afternoon after a malfunction that disrupted service for more than seven hours.

At about 7:15 a.m., after the bridge had been opened to allow a tug and lobster boat to pass through the channel, the operator was unable to get it back into the closed position, said Joe Pesaturo, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. It was the third time the bridge between Beverly and Salem has had problems in recent weeks.

Pesaturo said the bridge's gearbox failed. The gearbox manufacturer was summoned and identified the problem and repair work is expected to begin tomorrow, he said.

Officials were able to make a temporary fix and lock the bridge back into place at 2:30 p.m. The bridge will remain locked in place to allow for uninterrupted train service until permanent repairs are finished. Pesaturo had no estimate on when that would be.

The MBTA offered replacement bus service during the seven hours the bridge couldn't be used.

The bridge carries trains on the Newburyport-Rockport line over the Danvers River. About 16,000 people ride that section of the line each day.

Train service was disrupted early this month because of a mechanical failure. Last month, service was disrupted when a barge rammed into the bridge.

Pesaturo said the MBTA had brought in a well-known, experienced engineering company to determine what led to the last two failures and develop recommendations for a long-term solution.

Posted by mfinucane at 3:40 PM | Comments (0)

Ohio school official picked as new state education commissioner

(AP Photo)

Mitchell Dan Chester at his recent interview.

By Tracy Jan, Globe Staff

The state Board of Education has picked Mitchell Dan Chester, a top school official in the state of Ohio, as the new state education commissioner.

Chester, 55, who holds the post of senior associate state superintendent in Ohio, beat out two other finalists: Karla Brooks Baehr, 59, superintendent of Lowell public schools, and Richard Laine, 43, education director of the Wallace Foundation in New York.

Chester's "national presence was a strong factor, but at the same time, he had the local experience that's very important to people in the field," said Paul Reville, chairman of the board. The nine members of the board voted unanimously for Chester at a special meeting convened today to discuss the appointment.

State officials have said the appointment is critical as the board grapples with how to overhaul failing schools, increase graduation rates, and prepare students for college.

During public interviews last week, Chester, who has also been a state education official in Connecticut, highlighted charter schools, saying that they have not lived up to their promises of innovation. Troubled public schools, he said, could learn from both successful charter schools and regular public schools.

He called for extending the year in underperforming, high-poverty schools and attracting top-notch teachers to these schools by paying them more. The state also needs to close the discrepancies in what it currently takes to graduate from high school and what is necessary for college success, he said.

Posted by mfinucane at 2:24 PM | Comments (0)

Ten teacher jobs saved in Salem; officials hope to save more

By Erin Ailworth, Globe Staff

At least 10 Salem public school teaching jobs "definitely" will be saved, following a flood of donations totaling more than $180,000, Mayor Kim Driscoll announced today.

In recent days, the district has laid off more than two dozen teachers as well as a larger number of paraprofessionals, clerks, librarians, and other staff, in an effort to close a $4.7 million midyear budget deficit.

The donations came from a variety of sources, including individuals, businesses and community groups.

"We are not stopping there," Driscoll said during a news conference at a local bank. She said city workers also would be asked to take a one- to two-day furlough, in an effort to help the city save an additional $200,000. That would save approximately 10 more teaching positions.

The School Department is also going to work with union officials to offer early retirement incentives in hopes of shedding some employees and thus saving more money.

School and city officials first began fearing layoffs late last year, when the city's auditing firm, Powers & Sullivan, discovered a deficit in the school budget that they blamed in part on former school business manager Bruce Guy.

Guy, who has not returned Globe requests for an interview, left his job at the end of September, following the school board's decision not to renew his three-year contract.

Posted by mfinucane at 2:20 PM | Comments (0)

Residents tell of heating hardships at Senate hearing

(David L. Ryan/Globe Staff)

US Senator Edward M. Kennedy talks about home heating costs at the hearing.

By John Drake, Globe Staff

Residents struggling to pay home heating bills told their stories today to a field hearing of a US Senate committee presided over by Senator Edward M. Kennedy.

Margaret Gilliam, 70, of Dorchester, said at the hearing of the Senate's Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee that she has been keeping the thermostat in her home at 62 degrees to stretch her heating oil supply.

Her last shipment of heating oil was paid for by Action for Boston Community Development Inc., the antipoverty agency at whose offices Kennedy held the hearing.

Gilliam said she is expecting to run out of oil within a week. "Where do I go after next week?" she asked.

Kennedy said a spike in oil prices, which are up 47 percent since last year, has arrived as many families also are dealing with increased mortgage payments. He called the financial pressures a "perfect storm of adversity" for families. "People are hurting who are playing by the rules every day," he said.

Beth Ann Strollo, president of the Massachusetts Association for Community Action, said residents have employed sometimes dangerous solutions to keep their homes warm this winter, including plugging in space heaters, opening their oven doors, and filling their oil tanks with oil they have carried in gas cans. Others are using credit cards to pay monthly utility bills with no prospect of being able to pay off those credit cards.

The Bush administration released $450 million in emergency fuel assistance yesterday. Kennedy called that amount "too little too late."

Posted by mfinucane at 1:55 PM | Comments (0)

'Harry Potter' creator J.K. Rowling to speak at Harvard

(AP Photo)

The creator of Harry signed a book in New Orleans in October.

By Linda K. Wertheimer, Globe Staff

Harvard University loves to brag that its freshman dining hall is the spitting image of the gothic-style Great Hall in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Today, the school is boasting about another Harry Potter-related coup: J.K. Rowling, author of the best-selling novels, will be the main speaker at this June's commencement.

Rowling stands out as one of the few popular culture stars that Harvard has invited to speak at its commencement during the last 50 years. Politicians, business leaders, and foreign dignitaries are the usual invitees. John Lithgow, an actor and author who is a Harvard alum, was an exception when he gave the graduation speech in 2005.

"Harvard isn't exactly Hogwarts, but I'm sure that her visit with us next June will be a moment of magic for J.K. Rowling's many admirers across the University," Harvard President Drew Faust said in a statement today.

Rowling's seven Harry Potter novels were written as children's books but became favorites among adults as well. The British-born author will be speaking in friendly territory: last summer, Harvard Square was transformed into Hogwarts Square to usher in the seventh and final installment of Rowling's Potter books, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."

Bill Gates, the chairman of Microsoft Corp., was last year's commencement speaker. Past speakers include Kofi Annan, the United Nations secretary-general; Alan Greenspan, chairman of the Federal Reserve; Madeleine Albright, a US secretary of state; and Albert Gore Jr. when he was vice president. John F. Kennedy , then a US Senator, spoke at the 1956 graduation.

Posted by mfinucane at 1:48 PM | Comments (0)

Rockland man faces child porn charges

By Jonathan Saltzman, Globe Staff

A Rockland man faces federal charges for allegedly e-mailing child pornography five times in 2006, according to US authorities and Foxborough police.

Douglas S. Carruthers, 43, was arrested Friday by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and local police at the Gaard Motel in Foxborough. He had been indicted Jan. 9 by a federal grand jury.

He had been staying at the motel for an unspecified amount of time, said Foxborough Police Chief Edward O'Leary.

Carruthers was charged with e-mailing child pornography five times between March and June 2006 and with possession of child pornography, according to the indictment.

O'Leary said a Foxborough detective working on the case has been in touch with Swiss police and that investigators there are also looking into the matter. The chief released no further details.

Carruthers was released Wednesday to the custody of his mother in Linn Creek, Mo., where he is to be confined to her home and will be monitored with an electronic bracelet.

Posted by mfinucane at 12:23 PM | Comments (0)

SJC: courts can issue abuse prevention orders against out-of-staters

By Globe Staff

In what one lawyer described as a victory for battered women, the state's highest court has ruled that a Massachusetts court can issue a domestic abuse prevention order against someone who lives outside of the state.

The Supreme Judicial Court ruled in the case of a woman who returned to Massachusetts and sought an order protecting her from her domestic partner, a man who was living in Florida.

The court, in the case Caplan v. Donovan, said that allowing the court to issue such an order furthers the Commonwealth's "important public policy goal" of protecting people from devastating family violence.

It said that requiring the woman to return to Florida to get an abuse prevention order or requiring her to wait for her alleged abuser to follow her to Massachusetts and commit a new abuse were "unpalatable choices."

The court, in an opinion written by Judge Margot Botsford, noted that other jurisdictions had made similar rulings.

The ruling is good news for battered women, said Claire Laporte, an attorney who represented Jane Doe Inc. and the Domestic Violence Council, organizations that filed a friend of the court brief in the case.

"It gives the Massachusetts court the ability to issue a restraining order in a situation where a victim has fled from another state. The Massachusetts court can create a zone of protection around that person," she said.

Posted by mfinucane at 10:53 AM | Comments (0)

Police investigate Savin Hill death

(George Rizer/Globe Staff)

The scene on Tuttle Street this morning.

By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

Boston police are investigating the death of a man this morning in the city's Dorchester section.

A man in his 30s was found dead with a single stab wound in the third-floor apartment of a triple-decker on Tuttle Street in the Savin Hill neighborhood, police said.

Homicide detectives are looking into the incident, which was reported at about 6 a.m.

Posted by mfinucane at 9:12 AM | Comments (0)

Woman with baby crashes car after fleeing state trooper

(George Rizer/Globe Staff)

Police survey the scene of the 4 a.m. crash on Route 24.

By Globe Staff

A woman with a baby in a car seat fled after a state trooper stopped her car early this morning in Brockton. The woman's car and the trooper's cruiser crashed on the highway, but nobody was seriously injured.

Lisa M. Allsopp, 31, of Plymouth, who was not injured, faces a number of charges, including operating to endanger and child endangerment, after the crash on Route 24 near the Brockton-Avon line, police said.

The baby did not appear to have been injured but was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton for observation. Trooper Brian Galvin was taken to the same hospital for treatment of minor injuries, police said.

Sergeant Robert Bousquet, a State Police spokesman, said Galvin stopped Allsopp in Brockton for failing to stop for a red light at about 4 a.m. today. She fled onto Route 24 southbound, with Galvin pursuing her.

Allsopp’s car went out of control and both her car and the cruiser went off the left shoulder and collided with the Jersey barrier, Bousquet said. Allsopp is to be arraigned today in Brockton District Court.

Posted by mfinucane at 8:20 AM | Comments (0)

January 16, 2008

One killed, three wounded in spasm of violence in Boston

(John Tlumacki/Globe Staff)

Police Commissioner Ed Davis conferred with other officials at the scene of the shooting in Roslindale.

By Maria Cramer and John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

At least one man was killed and three were wounded in two separate shootings in Boston this afternoon.

Three men were shot, one fatally, about 1:30 p.m. in the city's Roslindale section. Minutes earlier, another man had been shot in the city's Dorchester section.

Police said they didn't know yet whether there was any connection between the shootings.

In the Roslindale incident, police responded to a report of a shooting at Poplar Street and Metropolitan Avenue. Witnesses said a gunman had fired into a livery car carrying three young men and a driver. Rescuers found the bullet-riddled car on Beech Street near Washington Street.

One of the three passengers was killed and the other two were wounded, one of them critically, police said.

“The driver is safe,” Police Superintendent Bruce Holloway said. “He is uninjured.”

The earlier shooting was reported at about 1:15 p.m. on Topliff Street near Geneva Avenue. The victim was shot in the stomach and was in critical condition, police said.

Police have not made any arrests and are combing the scenes for witnesses and forensic evidence.

The Roslindale slaying was the fifth slaying of the year in the city. The fourth happened last night when Carlos Sierra, 16, was shot in Dorchester.

Posted by mbello at 4:43 PM | Comments (0)

Applications surge at colleges that scrapped early decision

By Linda K. Wertheimer, Globe Staff


In their first year without early admissions programs, Harvard, Princeton, and the University of Virginia received a record number of applications, a sign that their push to open up the competition for spots to more students may be working, admissions officials said.

Harvard, which said today that it has received 27,278 applications, reported the most dramatic jump -- a 19 percent increase, or 4,323 more applicants, compared with last year. Princeton, with 20,118 applicants, had a 6.2 percent increase, and the University of Virginia, with 18,900 applicants, had a 4.5 percent increase.

In fall 2006, with Harvard leading the way, the three highly selective schools announced their decision to scrap decades-old policies of allowing students to apply by November and get early acceptance before their regular January deadline. The switch to just one Jan. 1 deadline for the three schools went into effect with this year's applicants.

In making the change, the universities said they wanted to make admissions less stressful and more fair by eliminating the pressure to make a decision about a particular college so early. They also hoped to attract a more diverse group of applicants; the majority of the students in their early applicant pools tended to come from more affluent backgrounds.

"We are thrilled to see the response," said William R. Fitzsimmons, Harvard's dean of admissions and financial aid. "There were people who projected that we might have really hurt ourselves, that perhaps we'd see many fewer applications. Until you go out and do something like this, you simply don't know."

But Fitzsimmons and Princeton and Virginia admissions officers cautioned that they could not make final conclusions about the effect of eliminating early admissions policies, a move that they hope other schools will make. The number of applicants has been rising at many colleges around the nation because of an increase in the high school-age population, and Harvard this year also announced a new initiative that offered more financial aid to middle- and higher-income families. The universities also cannot analyze the economic diversity of their applicants until after February, when students apply for financial aid.

They need more than one year's data to figure out the full effect, said Janet Lavin Rappelye, Princeton's dean of admission.

"In three to five years, we'll be able to look back to see whether this works for us," Rappelye said. "The question will be, 'Are we admitting a more diverse pool of applicants, and are they coming?' "

Posted by rgreene at 3:33 PM | Comments (0)

House will take a further look at cellphone driving ban

By Globe Staff

A ban on driving while talking on the cellphone or texting made it to the floor of the Massachusetts House today, but not to a final vote.

With 16 amendments proposed, lawmakers gave the bill preliminary approval, but postponed further action, saying they wanted to take a closer look at the bill.

The bill, which was approved yesterday by the Legislature's Joint Committee on Transportation, would fine drivers who use the devices $100 for the first offense, $250 for the second, and $500 for subsequent offenses. Drivers under 18 also could face license suspension.

The legislation would also ban drivers from using pagers, PDAs, and laptops. Hands-free technology would still be allowed, so drivers could talk on cellphones if they used earpieces.

During the House session, questions were raised whether the bill should allow people to dial their phones before talking on them in the hands-free mode.

California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Washington, and the District of Columbia have banned drivers from using hand-held cellphones, although hands-free devices are allowed.

The push for the bill comes after reports of fatal accidents in Taunton and Southbridge involving drivers sending or receiving text messages.

Posted by mfinucane at 3:21 PM | Comments (0)

Family says slain teen was shot 13 times

(Family photo)

Carlos Sierra was gunned down on a Dorchester street last night.

By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

A 16-year-old boy shot to death in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood last night was identified by his family today as Carlos Sierra.

In an interview in their apartment, Sierra's relatives said the teen was an eighth-grader at the James M. Curley Elementary School in Jamaica Plain. They said doctors had told them that the teenager was shot 13 times.

Sierra was shot on Strathcona Road shortly after 10:30 p.m. He was rushed to Boston Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Sierra's older sister, Jacqueline Gonzalez, said the teenager had no enemies that she knew of. "He never had any problems with anybody,'' said the 19-year-old as her mother, Marisol Rodriguez, wept nearby. "He would only go to school and come home -- and go to school.''

Gonzalez said her brother left the family apartment Tuesday night with her 23-year-old boyfriend to buy a pack of cigarettes. As the two returned to the apartment building, a grey sedan drove by and someone in the car opened fire.

Gonzalez said her brother was shorter than her boyfriend and it was clear to the family that the shooter deliberately targeted Sierra. "The aim was to him, nobody else,'' she said, adding she did not know why someone apparently decided kill her brother.

Boston police said no arrests have been made.

Sierra is the fourth murder victim of the year in Boston. Joseph Clarke, 23, was fatally shot on a Dorchester street on Jan. 6. Darrion Carrington, 18, was shot at a Chinese restaurant in Dorchester on Jan. 7. Tyrone Hicks, 20, was shot on a Dorchester street on Sunday.

John R. Ellement can be reached at ellement@globe.com.

Posted by mfinucane at 12:57 PM | Comments (0)

AG's office finds child labor violations at 31 mall stores

By Globe Staff

The state attorney general's office announced today that it has issued citations for holiday season child labor violations to stores at malls throughout the state.

The office said it found a total of 177 violations at 31 stores, including stores employing minors without work permits and past the latest permissible hour of work.

A number of the violations occurred at Hollister Co. stores at malls in Hyannis and Burlington. The Hollister stores are owned by Abercrombie & Fitch.

Tom Lennox, a spokesman for Abercrombie and Fitch, didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment.

State child labor laws limit the occupations in which minors may be employed, as well as the hours they can work. The law also requires employers to ensure that minors have work permits and that minors' work schedules are posted in the workplace, the attorney general's office said in a statement.

New provisions in the laws enacted last year bar 16- and 17-year-olds from working past 10 p.m. on school nights. They also cannot work past 8 p.m. without adult supervision, the attorney general's office said.

Attorney General Martha Coakley pledged to continue enforcing the child labor laws, saying they "are essential to protecting the health and safety of our teen workers and the people of the Commonwealth."

Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, said that the stores may not have kept up to date on the changes in child labor laws.

"I think some of them maybe just dropped the ball, did not get the word on some of the updates to the law. And now they're forewarned and educated," he said.

Posted by mfinucane at 11:58 AM | Comments (0)

Last day to register for the Feb. 5 presidential primary

By Globe Staff

With interest in the presidential campaign running high, people have been flocking to city and town halls to register to vote in the Feb. 5 primary.

"There's excitement. At this stage, it's a competitive contest on both sides," said secretary of state's spokesman Brian McNiff.

But if you haven't registered yet, you'd better move fast. Today is the last day to register. You have until 8 tonight to sign up.

Three primaries are actually taking place. The Democratic and Republican primaries -- and the Green-Rainbow primary, McNiff said. It's also the last day you can change your party affiliation.

In some areas, people will also vote Feb. 5 in primaries to pick nominees for seats in the state House of Representatives.

For more information on how to register, go to the secretary of state's website.

Posted by mfinucane at 10:47 AM | Comments (0)

State bald eagle count underway

(AP Photo/Jason Hunt, Coeur d'Alene Press)

A bald eagle was captured in full flight earlier this month in Idaho.

By Globe Staff

Dozens of people are fanning out today across the Bay State looking for bald eagles as part of a national midwinter survey.

A total of about 60 people, including state and federal workers and volunteers, will be looking for the national bird, which has made a comeback after being nearly wiped out by environmental contamination, said Tom French, assistant director of the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

French said the search for the bald eagles will include a helicopter survey of the Quabbin Reservoir and Connecticut River. Ground teams will also look for the birds on the Merrimack River and the Assawompset Pond Complex in the Lakeville area.

The state has been participating in the count for nearly three decades. In 1979, during the first count, only seven bald eagles were sighted. Last year, the survey found 61 birds across the state.

The bald eagle was taken off the endangered species list last year. French said the reason for the return of bald eagles was a 1972 ban on the pesticide DDT. Scientists say that DDT caused the birds' eggshells to thin and crack when an adult bird tried to incubate them.

"Once we were able to clear the environment of high levels of DDT, it set the stage for a pretty dramatic recovery," French said.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service says the bald eagle population has recovered from an all-time low of 417 nesting pairs in 1963 to an estimated high of 9,789 breeding pairs.

Federal and state wildlife agencies will work together to monitor eagles for at least five years, the agency's website says.

Posted by mfinucane at 8:34 AM | Comments (0)

Without picketing, firefighters confront mayor

By Donovan Slack, Globe Staff

The Boston firefighters union backed off a threat to picket Mayor Thomas M. Menino’s State of the City speech Tuesday night, but the political feud between the union and the mayor continued to escalate.

The mayor used his annual address to say he was astounded by the union’s aggressive negotiating positions on key contract issues.

He cited the union’s unwillingness to accept random drug and alcohol testing, as well as its opposition to eliminating what he called “unethical personnel practices,” without winning a pay raise in return.

“These union leaders do not seem to realize what everyone in this city knows, that it is not right to ask for pay raises as a reward for putting a stop to these abuses of the public trust,” Menino said.

The mayor’s remarks drew applause, but some public officials in the audience refrained from responding.

The union, while canceling plans to picket the mayor’s speech at the Strand Theatre in Dorchester, held a press conference at which its leaders leveled charges at Menino’s administration.

The union said the city was “engaged in a plot” to interfere with a department’s investigation of the death of two firefighters in August.

“The city is trying to manipulate the independent report, thus revictimizing the families who have had to endure a horribly tragic event,” said Edward Kelly, president of Boston Firefighters Local 718.

Firefighters Paul Cahill and Warren Payne were killed in the fire Aug. 29 at a West Roxbury restaurant. Autopsy results showed that Cahill had a blood-alcohol content of 0.27, more than three times the legal limit to drive in Massachusetts, and that Payne had traces of cocaine in his system, said public officials who spoke to the Globe last year.

Kelly said the report, as it stands, gives no indication that Cahill and Payne were impaired by drugs or alcohol when they fought the fire.

He said he was concerned that the Menino administration would try to “conjure up” some claims of impairment. He cited draft changes the city’s legal department submitted to the Board of Inquiry.

The firefighters have been working without a contract for 18 months.

Tuesday’s exchange was the most public to date since the feud between City Hall and the union erupted last fall after the autopsy results became public.

Other concessions sought by the administration include tightening sick and injured leave and disability pension policies, which have skyrocketed in recent years.

On Monday, the state Department of Labor Relations agreed to begin a mediation process that if unsuccessful, could land the contract dispute in binding arbitration.

But the absence of pickets took some of the drama out of the fight.

Bill Gaylord and three other firefighters showed up at the mayor’s speech because they did not get word that the picketing had been canceled.

Gaylord said he wanted to know why city officials and the union did not iron out a new contract.

“It kills morale,” said Gaylord, a 23-year veteran firefighter.

The mayor also used Tuesday night’s speech to address school busing. Menino said he plans to redraw bus zones to save $10 million annually.

Megan Woolhouse of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Donovan Slack can be reached at dslack@globe.com.

Posted by gwitherspoon at 12:08 AM | Comments (0)

January 15, 2008

Boston police say North End suspect also struck last summer

By John R. Ellement, Globe staff

Boston police said today that a man who sexually assaulted a woman on Monday in the North End probably attacked another woman last summer.

Police initially said today they thought Monday's attack was an isolated event. But further investigation led them to link Monday's incident to one that took place on July 13, 2007, in roughly the same part of the North End.

"We want people to take this seriously," said Officer James Kenneally, a department spokesman. Investigators "feel there is a connection" between the two attacks.

Investigators noted that there were similarities in the descriptions of the attackers, a similar approach was used in both cases, and the incidents took place near one another, Kenneally said.

Police cadets today handed out leaflets near where the assault took place. The incident happened shortly before 8 a.m. Monday on Charter Street, at a time when the snowstorm was at its most intense.

EVERYSCAPE A view of Charter Street from Hanover Street

The woman told police she was walking along when a man grabbed her and sexually assaulted her. She fought him off and he ran away. The 2007 victim was attacked in the same general area, police said.

The suspect in Monday's assault was described by police as a Caucasian male, about 6 feet tall, with short hair and a medium build. He was between 25 and 30 years old and wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and black pants.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sexual assault unit at 617-343-4400, or call or send a text message to the Crime Stoppers tip line, 1-800 494-TIPS.

"Even the smallest detail could help us solve this particular incident," Kenneally said.

In response to the attack, the Boston Police Department issued these personal safety tips:

• Always be aware of your surroundings, especially at night. When parking, walking or returning to your car, remain in well-lit and populated areas.
• Wear sneakers or shoes that allow for added mobility.
• Be watchful and aware. Keep your head up. Make quick eye
  contact with those around you and be observant of passing vehicles.
  Don't become distracted by the use of cell phones or headphones.
• Avoid walking alone late at night. Walk with friends and
  people you know.
• Keep a whistle within reach. If you feel threatened, use it
  to signal residents that you need assistance. Yelling "Fire!" "Help!"
  and/or "Rape!" are other ways of drawing attention and alerting
  people that you need help.
• Hold your car keys in your hand to use as a weapon against an
  attacker.
• Carry a cell phone.
• Call ahead to your destination to alert them that you're on
  your way. Make sure that you're expected at a certain time, so people
  will know to look for you in the event you fail to arrive at the
  designated time.
• Walk with confidence. Be assertive - don't let anyone violate
  your space. Trust your instincts. Know this: anyone at anytime can be
  a victim of crime. Don't assume, "IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN TO ME."
• If an unarmed attacker confronts you, believe in your ability
  to scare, distract, or even incapacitate the attacker enough to
  escape.
• If you think that someone is following you, switch direction
  or cross the street. Walk toward an open store, restaurant or
  residence.
  

Posted by jellement at 6:50 PM | Comments (0)

Coyote captured on city street

(Andrew Cunningham/Tufts University)

Tufts veterinarian Flo Tseng was assisted by students in examining the coyote at the university's Grafton facility. He was in good condition.

By Globe Staff

Boston's North End had an unusual visitor in a fur coat yesterday: a coyote.

The wild animal, which may have wandered into the city after being disoriented by the snowstorm, was captured at about 6 p.m. by city animal control officers on North Washington Street near the bridge that leads into Charlestown, said Alan Borgal, director of law enforcement for the Animal Rescue League.

Borgal said the animal also appeared to have been injured, perhaps hit by a car, on its foray into the city. The animal was taken by the league to the wildlife clinic at the Tufts veterinary school in Grafton for treatment.

Borgal said coyotes have been spotted in various neighborhoods of the city before. But this sighting was unusual because the coyote, a young adult that weighed about 32 pounds, was far from any wooded area where it might be able to make its home.

"That North End area -- there's really no place for a coyote," he said.

Tufts spokesman Tom Keppeler said the young male coyote was healthy, and veterinarians hoped that the animal could soon be returned to the wild.

Posted by mfinucane at 5:39 PM | Comments (0)

Lynn toddler injured by falling TV

By Matt Collette, Globe Correspondent

A three-year-old girl is in serious condition at Massachusetts General Hospital after a television fell on her at her home in Lynn, police said.

Rescuers raced to the child's home on Lincoln Street at about 9:30 a.m. after receiving a call from the child's mother. They found the child unconscious, having difficulty breathing.

The incident is being investigated by local and state police detectives. Lynn Police Lieutenant Dave Brown said it appeared to be an accident.

Posted by mfinucane at 5:11 PM | Comments (0)

Union: Menino trying to 'manipulate' report on firefighter deaths

By Globe Staff

The head of the Boston firefighters' union charged today that the city administration is trying to alter an independent report on the deaths of two firefighters in late August.

"The City is trying to manipulate the independent report, thus re-victimizing the families who have had to endure a horribly tragic event," Edward Kelly, president of Boston Firefighters Local 718, said in a statement.

Dot Joyce, a spokeswoman for Mayor Thomas M. Menino, said the city legal department had simply reviewed the report to make sure it was "a sound legal document."

"That's standard procedure for any report coming through the city," she said, denying that any significant changes had been suggested.

Firefighters Paul Cahill and Warren Payne were killed in the Aug. 29 fire. Autopsy results showed that Cahill had a blood-alcohol content of 0.27, more than three times the legal limit to drive in Massachusetts, and that Payne had traces of cocaine in his system, according to two government officials who described the results to the Globe.

Menino has been pressing for random drug and alcohol testing of firefighters in negotiations with their union. The firefighters have been working without a contract for 18 months.

Kelly said the independent report, as it currently stands, gives no indication that there were any signs that Cahill and Payne were impaired by drugs or alcohol when they fought the fire. He said he was concerned that the Menino administration would try to "conjure up" some.

If the report found the firefighters were impaired, it could boost Menino's case for drug and alcohol testing.

Joyce, the mayor's spokeswoman, said earlier today that the city is pushing in contract talks for needed changes.

"The negotiation is about, and has been about, random drug and alcohol testing for our firefighters and stopping the abuses within the fire department. Any other conversations the firefighters want to have are only red herrings to divert people from the real issues of public safety and public trust," she said.

Posted by mfinucane at 5:10 PM | Comments (0)

Plans announced for King statue in Boston

(Yoon S. Byun/Globe Staff)

Martin Luther King III spoke today at a church while Mayor Thomas M. Menino looked on.

By David Abel, Globe Staff

Mayor Thomas M. Menino, with Martin Luther King III at his side, announced this morning that the city will build a statue commemorating King's parents, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King.

"This is a tremendously special honor to have this statue in a city where my father was educated and met my mother, and where the romance began," King said before addressing a packed Twelfth Baptist Church in Roxbury, where his father once preached.

Menino said a committee will choose an artist and explore potential locations for the statue. He said the city plans to raise money from private donors. He did not say when it would be unveiled.

The Kings were both educated in Boston in the early 1950s. Martin Luther King Jr. was a doctoral student at Boston University. Coretta Scott King studied voice and violin at the New England Conservatory.

King, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, fought for civil rights and has been credited with helping to end legalized racial segregation in the United States. He was assasinated in 1968.

Posted by mfinucane at 2:56 PM | Comments (0)

Three companies settle with EPA over oil storage claims

By Globe Staff

Three New England companies will pay penalties to resolve allegations that they violated federal regulations on the storage of oil, the US Environmental Protection Agency said today.

Mantrose-Haueser Co. Inc., of Attleborough, will pay $34,000. Rice Oil Co., of Greenfield, will pay $157,500. And Irving Oil Co., with US operations based in Portsmouth, N.H., will pay $55,000.

The agency said the settlements were part of an ongoing EPA effort to prevent oil spills.

"Oil spills can do significant damage to the environment," Robert Varney, regional administrator of EPA's New England office, said in a statement. "Facilities that store and distribute oil have a responsibility to carefully follow established procedures to minimize risks of oil spills."

Posted by mfinucane at 1:25 PM | Comments (0)

Milton Academy house damaged

(George Rizer/Globe Staff)

Firefighters used a ladder truck to attack the blaze.

By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

A three-alarm fire in Milton today damaged a house on the Milton Academy campus, but fire department officials said there were no injuries.

The blaze broke out at about 8:30 a.m. Fire Chief Malcolm Larson said heavy smoke was showing from the second and third floors when firefighters arrived. His department received help from Boston and Canton in fighting the fire.

The cause of the fire on Voses Lane is under investigation. It may have started in the second-floor chimney, Larson said.

The house was empty when firefighters arrived. No one was injured, Larson said.

A Milton Academy spokeswoman said the house was a single-family faculty residence.

Posted by mfinucane at 9:43 AM | Comments (0)

January 14, 2008

An uneventful journey home for commuters

(George Rizer/Globe Staff)

Snow didn't deter this hardy person from walking a dog during the predawn hours on Boston Common.

By Globe Staff

For those who braved the snow today to go to work, the reward was a smooth commute home.

The traffic monitors at SmartRoute Systems Inc. in Cambridge said it was the easiest Monday-night commute they had seen in months. Aside from an exit ramp on Route 2 in Arlington closed for repair work and a slow patch on Interstate 95 in Wellesley, SmartRoute said there were virtually no problems on the homebound commute.

"When no one goes to work, no one has to go home," joked Jeff Larson, general manager of the company. "The conditions are good, traffic volume is extremely light, and that translates to very little traffic."

Residents began to dig out this afternoon after a brief but powerful coastal storm that had covered the Bay State this morning with a blanket of wet, heavy snow. The northeaster, which was the first snowstorm of the new year, caused numerous spinouts on the roads, delayed flights at Logan International Airport, and disrupted MBTA service.

Officials asked people to stay home, if they could. And many apparently were happy to extend their weekend. Traffic during the morning rush hour was reported to be light.

Lieutenant Eric Anderson, a State Police spokesman, said that while a number of spinouts had been reported, there were no serious injuries.

Charlie Foley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the storm had dumped 6.8 inches on Boston and 6.2 inches on Worcester. The western part of the state saw higher totals, with the town of Leverett, for example, tallying 12 inches.

More wintry weather may be on the way. The weather service has predicted that another storm could bring snow or rain to the state Thursday night or Friday.

About 28,000 people were without power this afternoon, down from 45,000 at the height of the storm, said Peter Judge, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority said service was returning to normal after numerous disruptions this morning to trolley, bus, and commuter rail lines. The Mattapan high-speed trolley line was shut down after a tree fell on overhead power wires. It reopened but then closed again when another tree fell on the tracks shortly before 5 p.m., the MBTA said.

The Boston school system was among hundreds that canceled classes, bringing joy to children but forcing working parents to scramble to make child care arrangements.

At Logan International Airport, many flights were delayed or canceled. Spokesman Phil Orlandella suggested that people check with their airlines before they leave for the airport.

In downtown Boston, streets seemed quieter than usual. Officials said it appeared many people had decided to telecommute rather than brave the elements. A mayor's spokeswoman said that non-essential employees were told they didn't have to come to work today. Virtually all business at the State House also came to a halt.

The storm comes just a few days after a brief, spring-like interlude when temperatures soared into the 60s.

Officials were concerned that the afternoon commute would be a replay of the nightmare that happened during a snowstorm almost exactly a month ago when people were stuck in traffic jams for hours. But the problems didn't materialize this time.

Posted by mfinucane at 7:25 PM | Comments (0)

Coakley hails MySpace agreement

By Jonathan Saltzman, Globe Staff

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley today hailed an agreement between 49 US state attorneys general and the popular social networking site MySpace as a "huge step" toward protecting children who venture onto the Internet.

Under an agreement signed by the attorneys general and the company, MySpace has approved a broad set of guidelines aimed at shielding children from sexual predators who use the site as well as from inappropriate material.

"This is an additional tool to keep kids safe online," she said.

MySpace, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. and the most popular social networking site, has pledged to take several steps to ensure children's safety, including allowing parents to send in their children's e-mail addresses so that MySpace can prevent them from creating a profile on the site.

"This agreement also has to include the education of parents and kids about the dangers of social networking sites," Coakley said in a news conference. "We are in a brave new world on this. And we're not going to go backwards."

Posted by mfinucane at 2:47 PM | Comments (0)

Out in the snow for a reason

(David Kamerman / Globe Staff)

L.Z. Nunn was one of those people who actually enjoyed this morning's snow. She went out for a morning ski in Lowell's Francis Gate Park.

By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

They seem like free spirits usually. Whizzing around the downtown area on their bikes. But bicycle messenger Jennifer Dunn, 26, of Boston said today was a day she wished she had a regular desk job where she could stay inside and keep warm.

She couldn't get traction in the wet snow. "I’ve been doing a lot of walking today, actually," she said, standing next to her battered bicycle in Post Office Square in Boston's quieter-than-usual financial district.

Dunn was one of the people who didn't stay hunkered down at home during the storm that dumped wet, heavy snow on the Bay State this morning.

Nathan Silva, 38, of Boston was another. He was one of the army of maintenance people shoveling and squeegeeing sidewalks for downtown office buildings.

He shrugged his shoulders when asked about the storm. He's been on the job for four years and it's nothing new.

"When you've got just snow it's easy, but when it's rain and snow it's more work," he said of the wet stuff he was shoveling.

Meanwhile, over at Castle Island, Edward J. Sullivan was taking his daily walk despite the storm, enjoying his lunch break from his job as a custom metal fabricator in Roxbury.

Sullivan said he walks in all kinds of weather. Today he had donned ski goggles and extra warm clothing.

"If you are dressed warm, you can be out here and it's like a 70-degree day," he said.

He said he enjoyed walking in bad weather because "no one's out here. It's like you own the place."

Posted by mfinucane at 1:28 PM | Comments (0)

Boston officer arraigned on armed robbery charges

(Pool photo)

By Maria Cramer, Globe Staff

A 44-year-old Boston police veteran pleaded not guilty today at his arraignment on robbery and assault charges.

Michael T. Jones allegedly used his service weapon to rob a Roslindale gas station on Friday and attempted to rob another man after leaving the store.

He faces charges of armed robbery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Jones was arraigned today in his hospital room at Faulkner Hospital by West Roxbury District Judge Kathleen Coffey, who ordered him held on $50,000 cash bail. Jones was being treated for heart palpitations, his attorney, Ken Anderson, said.

Anderson said that "diminished capacity" might have been a factor in the case. He said his client may have been intoxicated and may have stopped taking his medication.

He also noted that his client had recently moved into his parents’ house in Dorchester to take care of his father, who has leukemia.

Jones's family said this weekend they were surprised and saddened by news of his arrest.

Posted by mfinucane at 12:40 PM | Comments (0)

Federal report favorable on wind farm

By Beth Daley, Globe Staff

A proposed wind farm in Nantucket Sound would have little lasting impact on wildlife, navigation and tourism, a long-awaited review by the federal government concludes.

The draft environmental review by the Minerals Management Service, the lead federal permitting agency for the project, is the main remaining hurdle the wind farm developer has to overcome to build the nation’s first offshore wind park.

"Most of the impacts are minor or negligible," Rodney Cluck, the project manager of the wind farm for the Minerals Management Service, said in a telephone interview this morning. While some effects, such as those upon sea ducks that could be displaced, were declared "moderate" in the nearly 2,000 page draft environmental impact statement, Cluck said "we feel we can mitigate most of those."

Environmentalists immediately celebrated, saying the draft review concludes what many of them have consistently said in the seven years since the wind farm was first proposed by Cape Wind Associates: Its environmental benefits -- clean energy that can meet the equivalent of three-quarters of Cape Cod's power needs -- will far outweigh any detriments.

Cape Wind Associates will comment on the report at an afternoon news conference, and a spokeswoman for the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound, the lead opposition group to the project, said it would comment this afternoon as well, after reading the document.

Many of the Alliance's key claims that the wind project would threaten boat navigation, fish, birds and tourism were not sustained by the federal review. The agency looked at the entire impact of the project, from its construction to future decommissioning.

"They have done an adequate and thorough job of reviewing the potential environmental impacts with regard to avian life," said Jack Clarke, director of public policy & government relations for Massachusetts Audubon. His group last year called for more study of the impact on birds and Clarke said the federal agency’s report appears to satisfy those concerns.

The saga of the wind farm -- which has weathered multiple political efforts to kill it -- is far from over, however. The Minerals Management Service will allow public comment on the draft report through March 20 and hold a series of public hearings that month. A final environmental review is not expected until November. Then, the agency will determine lease payments Cape Wind would have to pay for use of submerged public lands, and make a final decision whether to approve or reject the project.

Cape Wind also still has to receive more than half a dozen state and local permits. The Cape Cod Commission, a regulatory agency, recently rejected a request to run two transmission lines from the project to the regional power grid in Yarmouth. Cape Wind subsequently asked the state’s Energy Facilities Siting Board to overrule that decision and consolidate seven other local and state permits into one decision. The Siting Board will hold hearings on the Cape Wind's proposal in April.

It is also expected that opponents would file lawsuits seeking to stop the project should it win final approval.

Posted by kweintraub at 12:21 PM | Comments (0)

State Police identify victim in Route 128 crash

By Globe Staff

State Police have identified the man who was killed on Route 128 near Route 20 yesterday as 44-year-old Robert Turcotte of Holliston.

Police say Turcotte was heading south at about 5:50 p.m. when he stopped his sport utility vehicle in the breakdown lane.

While standing near the white fog line separating the breakdown lane and the right travel lane, he was struck by a tractor-trailer driven by James Glovacki, 55, of Greenfield, State Police said.

The crash is still under investigation. The right two lanes of Route 128 southbound were closed for about three hours after the accident.

Posted by mfinucane at 11:16 AM | Comments (0)

List of College, University Closings

Most colleges and universities in Greater Boston have canceled or delayed classes today, including Northeastern, Tufts, Bridgewater State, Framingham State, and Brandeis.
Here's a partial list::

Babson
Bentley
Berklee College of Music
Boston College (opening three hours late)
Brandeis
Bridgewater State
Bryant
Bunker Hill Community
Cambridge
Curry
Dean
Emmanuel
Endicott
Emerson
Fitchburg State
Framingham State
Franklin Pierce
Gordon
Harvard's Kennedy School of Government
Hebrew
Hellenic
Lesley
Mass. Bay Community
Mass. School of Law
Mass. College of Art
Massasoit Community
Merrimack
Middlesex Community
Monserrat College of Art
New England Convservatory
New England School of Law (no day classes)
North Shore Community
Northeastern
Northern Essex Community
Olin
Pine Manor
Quincy
Regis
Roxbury Community
Salem State (day classes)
Simmons
Stonehill
Suffolk
Tufts
UMass-Lowell
University of New Hampshire
Wentworth Institute of Technology (no day classes)
Wheelock
Worcester State

For more closings, go to http://wbztv.com/schoolclosings or http://www.thebostonchannel.com/closings/index.html

Posted by dbeard at 8:28 AM

January 13, 2008

Many schools close under threat of storm

By Globe.com Staff

Most large public school districts in eastern Massachusetts followed Boston's lead and announced school closings for Monday.

In addition, the state's Department of Conservation and Recretation closed its ice rinks and announced emergency parking rules after midnight on roadways it maintains. And the U.S. District Court in Boston canceled jury duty on Monday.

By 10:30 p.m., more than 230 school and college closings had been reported. They included these public school districts:

Abington
Amesbury
Andover
Ashland
Athol-Royalston Regional
Auburn
Blackstone-Millville
Boston
Boxford
Bridgewater-Raynham Regional
Brookline
Cambridge
Chelsea
Dedham
Douglas
Dover
Dover-Sherborn Regional
East Bridgewater
Everett
Framingham
Groton-Dunstable
Halifax
Hanover
Haverhill
Holbrook
Kingston
Lawrence
Lincoln-Sudbury Regional
Lincoln
Lowell
Lynn
Malden
Marlborough
Marshfield
Maynard
Medfield
Medford
Medway
Melrose
Methuen
Middleton
Millis
Natick
Needham
Newburyport
Newton
North Andover
Plympton
Reading
Revere
Rockland
Sherborn
Silver Lake Regional
Somerville
Sudbury
Taunton
Topsfield
Tyngsborough
Uxbridge
Walpole
Wayland
Wellesley
West Bridgewater
Weston
Westwood
Whitman-Hanson Regional
Wilmington
Winthrop

For more closings, go to http://wbztv.com/schoolclosings or http://www.thebostonchannel.com/closings/index.html#L

Posted by gwitherspoon at 9:54 PM | Comments (0)

January 11, 2008

Salem schools in turmoil as layoffs begin

By Erin Ailworth, Globe Staff

Twenty-nine teachers were laid off and five had their hours reduced today as the Salem schools tried to address a $4.7 million budget deficit. And more cuts are expected Monday.

School officials have been struggling to close the budget gap since it was first discovered late last year. Officials say it was caused, at least in part, by questionable bookkeeping by the district's former business manager.

Much of the gap already has been covered by the City Council, by renegotiation of contracts and other cost-saving measures, but a shortfall of about $1.2 million remains and is expected to be covered by cutting jobs.

The cuts are also expected to affect paraprofessionals, custodians, administrators, clerical staff and others. In all, more than 100 of the district's 750 jobs are to be affected.

"You’re trying to pay your mortgage and you're trying to pay your rent and your car payment. … It’s devastating," said Joyce Harrington, president of the Salem Teachers Union.

Posted by mfinucane at 7:41 PM | Comments (0)

Three men convicted in trial that explored charity's ties to terrorists

By Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff

A federal jury today convicted three former leaders of a defunct Boston-based charity of lying to win tax-exempt status for the charity and then using the nonprofit to promote jihad and support Muslim militants overseas.

In the first criminal trial in US District Court in Boston that explored a US charity's ties to terrorist groups, Emadeddin Muntasser, 43, of Braintree, who owns Logan Furniture Company; Muhamed Mubayyid, 42, of Shrewsbury; and Samir Al-Monla, 50, of Brookline were found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States and of a scheme to conceal the true origins of the charity, Massachusetts Care International Inc., which operated from 1993 to 2003 and collected $1.7 million in donations.

"This prosecution serves notice that we will not tolerate the use of charities as a means of promoting terrorism," said Kenneth L. Wainstein, assistant US attorney general for national security in a statement released after the convictions. He called the verdict a milestone in the government's efforts "against those who conceal their support for extremist causes behind the veil of humanitarianism."

The three men were not charged with financing terrorist groups, but rather with failing to tell the Internal Revenue Service that some of the group's tax-exempt donations were used to publish a pro-jihad newsletter and other writings supporting Muslim militant activities overseas. An FBI agent testified that in the early to mid-1990s, Care International sent more than $130,000 to Makhtab al Khidamat, an organization considered a precursor to Al Qaeda that funneled money to mujahideen fighters in Bosnia.

Posted by mfinucane at 6:43 PM | Comments (0)

Former Harvard grad student pleads guilty in stabbing death

(AP Pool Photo)

Pring-Wilson testifying in November at his second trial.

By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

Former Harvard University graduate student Alexander Pring-Wilson pleaded guilty today to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to two years and one day in prison for stabbing to death a young man on a Cambridge street in 2003.

Middlesex Superior Court Judge Christopher Muse called Pring-Wilson's crime "stupid and avoidable," but he said, "The time has come to let go. The resolution ... is fair and just."

Pring-Wilson admitted to stabbing Michael Colono, 18, in a fight on a dark street during the early morning hours of April 12, 2003, but he contended he acted in self-defense after being attacked by Colono and Colono's cousin, Samuel Rodriguez.

In sentencing Pring-Wilson, Muse gave him credit for 290 days he has already served in jail. Pring-Wilson, who arrived in the courtroom with his girlfriend, mother, and stepfather, was led away by court officers at the end of the hearing to begin completing his sentence.

Colono's older sister, Desmarias, said during a victim impact statement that she wasn't satisfied with the sentence.

"It's not fair, and it's all Alexander Pring-Wilson's fault, the man who thinks he's God," she said.

The case attracted widespread attention because it involved two men from different worlds in a deadly chance encounter. Colono was a hotel cook and a young father who lived in the area, while Pring-Wilson, who is from Colorado Springs, Colo., was studying for a master's degree in Russian and Eurasian studies.

Pring-Wilson was walking home from a nightclub where he had been partying with friends when he and Colono exchanged words. Pring-Wilson said he pulled a knife to defend himself, but prosecutors said he deliberately killed Colono.

The plea deal came as Pring-Wilson faced a third trial in Colono's death.

Pring-Wilson, 29, was originally charged with first-degree murder, but a jury in 2004 convicted him of the lesser count of manslaughter and he was sentenced to six to eight years in prison.

His conviction was tossed out when the state’s highest court ruled that jurors should have learned about Colono’s criminal background.

A second trial ended with a hung jury last month. Middlesex District Attorney Gerard T. Leone Jr. had vowed to try Pring-Wilson a third time.

Posted by mfinucane at 3:19 PM | Comments (0)

Wareham teen killed in early AM crash

By Milton J. Valencia, Globe Staff

WAREHAM -- A 15-year-old Wareham girl was killed early today when the car she was driving at a high rate of speed failed to make a turn, went airborne, and crashed into a parked car, police said.

The girl, Samantha Callow, a sophomore at Wareham High School, was ejected from the car. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said Callow was driving without her headlights on. A police officer put on his lights and attempted to stop her car at about 3:10 a.m. on High Street. He began to follow her and then came upon the wreckage.

Police said the officer wasn't chasing the car when the crash happened.

The car came to rest at 16 Cedar St., police said in a statement.

It was unclear today whose car the girl was driving. The accident remains under investigation.

Posted by mfinucane at 12:42 PM | Comments (0)

Hearing recesses in Cape Cod jury bias probe

By Jonathan Saltzman, Globe Staff

A judge who is probing whether racism played a role in a Cape Cod jury's murder verdict finished questioning the 12 jurors today about their deliberations.

Barnstable Superior Court Judge Gary A. Nickerson is holding an extraordinary hearing to determine if something was amiss when jurors convicted Christopher McCowen, a black trash collector, of the 2002 rape and murder of Christa Worthington, a white fashion writer who lived on his route in Truro.

On the first day of the hearing yesterday, jurors hurled allegations of racism and inappropriate behavior. A picture emerged of a jury riven by racially tainted strife.

Nickerson finished questioning the five remaining jurors today. A week from today, the hearing will resume when two expert witnesses will testify on the role race can play in jury deliberations.

Nickerson acknowledged to jurors, some of whom had come from out of state, that he had inconvenienced them and said he had appreciated their service.

But he said, “I do not, in any way, apologize for this inconvenience. What is at stake is enormously important to all involved. ... The issues at stake are literally enormous."

Worthington, 46, was found stabbed to death in January 2002 with her 2-year-old daughter clutching her body, smeared with blood but unhurt. McCowen was convicted in 2006 and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Posted by mfinucane at 11:54 AM | Comments (0)

Dorchester man found guilty of wife's murder

By Globe Staff

A Dorchester man was convicted today of first-degree murder for stabbing his wife to death inside their apartment.

Nile J. Reavis, 42, attacked his wife, Sandra, in the bedroom of their Armandine Street home early in the morning of Nov. 2, 2006. Sandra Reavis, 39, had gone into the bedroom to avoid arguing with her husband, Suffolk County prosecutors said in a statement.

Reavis is to be sentenced Monday in Suffolk Superior Court. He faces a mandatory term of life in prison without parole.

Reavis attacked his wife with a knife, and when she rose up to defend herself, he attacked her with his fists, prosecutors said. Family members inside the apartment broke up the fight. The mother of four children was rushed to Boston Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

Nile Reavis showed up at the same hospital about five hours later with apparent self-inflicted injuries.

His trial began Tuesday, and the jury began deliberations Thursday afternoon. Jurors returned their verdict this morning.

Posted by jellement at 11:30 AM | Comments (0)

Dye pack explodes, loot floats in streets after robbery

By Matthew Collette, Globe Correspondent

A robber had an unpleasant surprise after robbing a South Boston bank this morning when a dye pack in the stolen money exploded, leaving his loot floating in the rain-soaked streets.

The man entered the Sovereign Bank at 474 West Broadway at about 9 a.m. and passed a note to the teller, police said. The teller handed over the money with the dye pack attached.

After the explosion, the suspect fled the scene in a silver Toyota Camry. Police said they are searching for the suspect.

Posted by mfinucane at 11:30 AM | Comments (0)

Patrick touts municipal relief proposals at gathering of local officials

By Matt Viser, Globe Staff

He feels their pain. Governor Deval Patrick told city and town officials today that he understands that they are experiencing tight fiscal times. And he offered a solution: his municipal relief legislation.

Speaking at the annual meeting of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, which represents the state's 351 cities and towns, he offered some of his harshest criticism yet of the Legislature as he urged local officials to lobby their state representatives to act on his bill.

"So far not one of the revenue options has been heard for a vote in the Legislature. Not one!" he said, shouting into the microphone. "That is not acceptable. It ought not be acceptable to you, and you have to show up and make that point!"

Patrick's Municipal Partnership Act includes proposals that would allow communities to raise more revenues through, among other things, meals taxes and telecommunications taxes.

Patrick also took a swipe at the administration of former governor Mitt Romney, who trimmed state aid to cities and towns in order to close a state budget gap.

"Our budget will not be balanced on your backs," he told the crowd gathered at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. "The strategy of the previous administration of shifting state fiscal hardships to cities and towns is no solution. That time is over, it's over. And it's not coming back."

A report issued yesterday by a state budget watchdog group found that city and town governments, who have slashed programs and services or raised taxes in recent years because of tight finances, are likely to face even greater challenges over the next several years.

"The finances are being relentlessly squeezed year by year," said Michael Widmer, president of the business-backed Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation.

Patrick also defended his proposal to license three resort casinos in Massachusetts, saying it would help revitalize the state economy by supporting a new industry.

He reiterated his arguments that expanded gambling would not change the character of the state; that Massachusetts residents spend $900 million to $1.1 billion at Connecticut casinos; and that "for well over 90 percent it is harmless entertainment."

Posted by mfinucane at 11:01 AM | Comments (0)

Drivers cautioned to be careful during downpours

(George Rizer/Globe Staff0

The puddle was gigantic this morning on Talbot Avenue in Dorchester as Kerry Deal and her children, Simon and Helena Strauss, waded their way to the Lee School.

By Globe Staff

State Police are cautioning people to drive carefully today as the rain comes pelting down, obscuring windshields and collecting in large puddles on some roads.

"Certainly, everyone should take their time and leave a little early so they're not in a rush so they can drive a little more cautiously," said Lieutenant Eric Anderson, a State Police spokesman.

Hitting a big puddle can lead to a car hydroplaning and make it difficult to maneuver, he said.

The National Weather Service warned this morning of isolated thunderstorms and gusty winds and that road flooding may be caused today by poor drainage, snowmelt, and rainfall.

Alan Dunham, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said that a first wave of showers and thunderstorms will abate soon, but that another wave will hit later this afternoon.

He said that one-half to one inch of rain may fall by the end of the day in eastern Massachusetts.

Posted by mfinucane at 10:36 AM | Comments (0)

'Mrs. Doubtfire' robs Somerset bank

(Somerset Police photo)

After sighing and seeming impatient while waiting in line, the robber stepped to the teller window to demand money.

By Globe Staff

He looked like a younger version of Mrs. Doubtfire. That's how Somerset Police Chief Joseph Ferreira describes the man who earlier this week tried the unusual tactic of dressing up as a woman to rob a bank.

The robber walked into the Citizens Union Bank located on a plaza on Route 6 in Somerset at about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. He was wearing a long, tan trenchcoat with a belt, a skullcap with a multi-colored kerchief, and a large amount of facial makeup, Ferreira said.

The over-the-top disguise reminded him of the 1993 movie "Mrs. Doubtfire" in which Robin Williams played a divorced dad who disguised himself as a housekeeper so he could get closer to his kid.

The robber told a teller he had a gun and would use it unless the teller gave him some money. The teller gave him a small amount, and the robber ran to the getaway car, a dark-colored convertible driven by a young woman wearing sunglasses with a brown pony tail.

Police are doing a thorough investigation, Ferreira said.

Posted by mfinucane at 9:23 AM | Comments (0)

Arrest made in Boston's first homicide of 2008

By Globe Staff

A 23-year-old Dorchester man is in custody, charged with committing the first murder in Boston this year, the Jan. 6 shooting of Joseph N. Clarke in Dorchester.

Clarke was shot nine days before his 24th birthday. His body was found near the intersection of Norton and Bowdoin streets shortly before 2 a.m. He had been shot in the head, police said. About an hour before he was murdered, Clarke had telephoned his mother and wished her a happy birthday, relatives told the Globe.

Police and Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley's office identified the suspect as Rayon Gillespie and said he surrendered last night after learning police had obtained an arrest warrant for him.

Police did not say what they believe to be the motive for the shooting. Gillespie is to be arraigned today in Dorchester Municipal Court.

Posted by jellement at 9:18 AM | Comments (0)

Police urge caution on pellet guns after Holden incident

By Globe Staff

Holden police are warning people to be careful with pellet guns after an incident in their town last night in which a young man was wounded in the head with one.

Police say they were called to a home in the Jefferson neighborhood and found a 23-year-old man with a serious head wound. He was transported to UMass Memorial Medical Center.

An initial investigation found that a friend of the victim, a 21-year-old, was holding a .177-caliber air rifle when it discharged striking the victim in the back of the head.

The shooting appeared to be accidental, but it is still under investigation, police said.

Both men are members of the US military, and the accident happened despite their extensive firearms training, police noted.

"We encourage all to be cognizant of the dangers involved with these weapons," police said in a statement.

Posted by mfinucane at 8:47 AM | Comments (0)

January 10, 2008

Firefighters may picket mayor's speech

By Donovan Slack, Globe Staff

The Boston Firefighters Union has applied for a permit to picket Mayor Thomas M. Menino's state of the city address on Tuesday.

Local 718 has been working without a contract since July 2006. Negotiations broke down last year after the city refused to give firefighters a 21 percent raise over four years in exchange for allowing random drug and alcohol testing and other concessions.

The firefighters union has been under intense scrutiny since two firefighters died in a West Roxbury restaurant fire last August. Autopsy reports indicated one had a blood alcohol content of .27, and the other had traces of cocaine in his system.

Union officials said they had not decided whether to stage a picket on Tuesday, but they were "looking very closely" at the idea.

"There’s a strong probability that there will be a firefighter presence at the state of the city," said Edward Kelly, local 718 president.

If the firefighters follow through with picketing the mayor's speech, it will be the first time in years that Menino has had a public face-off with the union. In 2001, firefighters picketing his state of the city address yelled threateningly at the mayor's wife. Menino later met union demands in a similar contract dispute.

Tonight, city officials confirmed the union applied for a permit for an "informational picket" of his speech, scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m., at the strand theater, in Dorchester.

City officials would not say whether they planned to issue the permit, and it was unclear how long the application process would take.

"We'll treat their application like any other application," said Dot Joyce, spokeswoman for Menino.

Posted by gwitherspoon at 11:51 PM | Comments (0)

Foundation report: city and town finances 'relentlessly squeezed'

By Globe Staff

City and town governments, who have found themselves slashing programs and services or raising taxes in recent years because of tight finances, are likely to face even greater challenges over the next several years, a report by a government watchdog group said today.

"The finances are being relentlessly squeezed year by year," said Michael Widmer, president of the business-backed Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation.

The foundation's 37th annual analysis of local revenues and spending found that fiscal 2007 saw a brief reprieve for municipalities with state aid to them growing by 8.1 percent. But the report saw storm clouds ahead.

The 2007 growth largely came from an increase in lottery aid, the report said, and there is "growing evidence that the lottery has matured to the point that it can no longer provide dependable increases" in revenue.

The report also said that municipal finances are being stressed by other factors, including escalating healthcare costs, a weak economy, and an increasing reluctance among voters to approve tax increases.

If solutions aren't found, the report warned, "there will be an acceleration of the cuts in programs and services that have already impacted a large number of communities."

Posted by mfinucane at 5:18 PM | Comments (0)

Coast Guard says LNG shipments are 'safe and secure'

(Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff)

An LNG tanker heads under the Tobin Bridge on its way to the Everett facility.

By John C. Drake, Globe Staff

The Coast Guard captain in charge of the port of Boston said federal authorities are well-equipped to secure liquefied natural gas shipments into the region and respond in case of a terrorist attack.

"Here in the port of Boston, we have safe and secure transits," said Captain Gail Kulisch. "We can do that because we have a very robust safety and security plan with many partners contributing to that for each and every transit."

Kulisch commented a day after the Government Accountability Office questioned the Coast Guard’s readiness to protect some ports.

Kulisch said the Coast Guard secured 22 billion gallons of petroleum passing through the port of Boston in 2007, including highly hazardous LNG making its way to Everett.

US Representative Edward J. Markey, who had requested the report from the government watchdog agency, said LNG and oil tankers are "serious targets" for terrorists.

The Distrigas facility in Everett is the nation's only urban LNG importation terminal.

In its report, the GAO stated that some ports don’t have the resources to meet the Coast Guard’s own security standards for escorts and boardings.

Kulisch said that was not the case in Boston.

“In the port of Boston, we exceed safety and security requirements,” she said in a news conference at the Coast Guard station in Boston.

Posted by mfinucane at 4:52 PM | Comments (0)

DeNucci calls for more funding for disabled protection agency

By Globe Staff

The state agency that investigates allegations that disabled people are being abused doesn’t have enough staff, the state auditor said today.

State Auditor Joe DeNucci said that the understaffing at the Disabled Persons Protection Commission, along with the commission’s increasing caseload, has hampered its ability to investigate cases.

Investigations are not being completed in a timely manner, putting disabled people “at risk of further abuse,” DeNucci warned.

“The commission needs additional financial resources,” DeNucci said in a statement.

An audit by DeNucci discovered that the commission was unable to complete investigations on 653 cases, or 77 percent of its caseload, during the mandated 30-day time limit in fiscal 2007.

DeNucci’s audit pointed to an increase in the number of hotline calls made to the commission -- and the resulting investigations that have to be made.

Emil Deriggi, deputy executive director of the commission, said, "Obviously, we agree with the findings of the auditor's report. I think the report speaks for itself."

"We certainly also realize that the Legislature and governor's office have a limited amount of funds themselves and they spread them around as best they can," he said.

Posted by mfinucane at 4:11 PM | Comments (0)

Organizers plan 'no pants' event Saturday for the MBTA

(Courtesy improveverywhere.com)

Participants in a previous prank.

By Martin Finucane, Globe Staff

Knobby knees. Hairy legs. You can see plenty on the beach. You may also see them Saturday on the subway in Boston.

Some riders may be participating that afternoon in "No Pants 2K8," an event in which people will ride the trains in their underwear.

Organizer Adam Sablich said it's a "large-scale improv event," and that 400 to 500 people have expressed interest in participating through Internet social networking sights.

He said it's a spinoff of an event that's been happening in New York City for a half-dozen years.

The New York events have been organized by Improv Everywhere, a group that says on its website that its "pranks" are intended to "bring excitement to otherwise unexciting locales."

"We're out to prove that a prank doesn't have to involve humiliation or embarrassment; it can simply be about making someone laugh, smile, or stop to notice the world around them," the organization said.

Sablich, 25, of Haverhill, said nobody would do anything illegal and that participants could wear coats over their boxers or underwear.

"It's supposed to be something out of the ordinary that will get an interesting reaction. The whole idea is to give people a story to tell. ... The idea is not to inconvenience. It's not to offend. It's not to cause a ruckus. It's absolutely to give people something to talk about," he said.

The event will last from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sablich said he's definitely going to participate.

"I'm organizing it, so I'd better be there," he said.

Paul MacMillan, chief of the MBTA Transit Police, said just wearing underwear isn't illegal.

He said he didn’t expect to add any staff for the event, but said officers already on duty may ride with the pranksters "just to ensure their safety and to make sure that it stays orderly."

"We don't have a problem with this as long as the participants pay their fare and ride in an orderly fashion and don't do anything inappropriate or illegal," he said.

He said some arrests were made in New York during one of the events, but that ride, which was unannounced, had caught police off guard.

"We don't anticipate any problems whatsoever," he said.

Posted by mfinucane at 3:44 PM | Comments (0)

Jury hears 911 tape in 'most eligible bachelor' attempted rape case

By David Abel, Globe Staff

The young woman who has accused former prosecutor Gary Zerola of attempted rape could be heard screaming on a 911 tape played today during Zerola’s trial in Suffolk Superior Court.

The woman's words were not distinguishable on the tape, which lasted for only a few seconds. The cellphone call came from Zerola's apartment, where the assault allegedly took place in 2006.

The 20-year-old woman testified that she had rejected Zerola's advances, struggling with him and trying unsuccessfully to escape his apartment. She said she told him, "I will not have sex with you. I will not have sex with you. I will not hook up with you."

She also testified that, at one point, Zerola forced her into his bedroom, slamming her head into a door frame.

"He put his hand on my head and pushed it into the door frame. It hurt," she said.

Zerola, 36, who was once picked by People magazine as one of the nation's most eligible bachelors, is facing a variety of charges for allegedly attacking the woman, who was 19 at the time, at his apartment in the early morning hours of Aug. 18, 2006.

She began testifying Wednesday and continued today. Defense attorney Janice Bassil, in opening statements yesterday, questioned her credibility.

Bassil began her cross-examination this afternoon, seeking to cast doubt on the woman's credibility by questioning her about her use of fake IDs to enter nightclubs.

Zerola is also facing rape and other charges in a Feb. 28, 2004, incident involving a different 19-year-old woman. And he was arrested in October on charges that he drugged and sexually assaulted a third woman in Miami Beach.

Posted by mfinucane at 1:57 PM | Comments (0)

An extraordinary hearing probes role of race in Cape murder trial

(Jennifer Longley for The Boston Globe)

Christopher McCowen arriving at the courthouse this morning.

By Jonathan Saltzman, Globe Staff

A member of a Cape Cod jury that convicted a black trash collector of murder in 2006 testified today in an unusual court hearing that her fellow jurors had made racially insensitive remarks during the trial.

Roshena Bohanna, who is black, said she had heard the remarks, both directly and indirectly, before jury deliberations, during deliberations, and even when the jury was sequestered at a hotel.

She said that she had gotten into such a heated confrontation with a white juror over one remark that the jury foreman had to call for a break in the deliberations.

Barnstable Superior Court Judge Gary A. Nickerson has called jurors back into court to probe whether the remarks allegedly made during more than a week of deliberations tainted the verdict against Christopher M. McCowen, who was convicted of murdering fashion writer Christa Worthington at her Truro home.

"This is an extraordinarily unusual situation, when a court makes inquiry of jurors after the delivery of a verdict," the judge told the jurors at the outset of the hearing this morning. But he said the need for the hearing had become apparent after Bohanna and two other jurors signed affidavits alleging that the remarks were made.

McCowen was convicted in November 2006 of raping and killing Worthington, who was white. Her secluded Truro house was located on his trash-hauling route.

Worthington, who had lived in Paris and New York before moving to the beach town, was found stabbed to death in January 2002, with her 2-year-old daughter, Ava, clutching her body, smeared in blood but unhurt.

McCowen, who is serving a life sentence in prison with no possibility of parole, is attending the hearing. The judge allowed his handcuffs to be removed so he could assist his attorney with court papers. His legs remained shackled.

The hearing is expected to last two days.

Posted by mfinucane at 11:40 AM | Comments (0)

Activists say water systems will need $8b upgrade

By Globe Staff

The systems that pipe fresh drinking water into people's homes across the state are aging and in need of major upgrades in coming years, activists say.

Clean Water Action says that by 2022 the state should invest $8 billion into its drinking water infrastructure as the "dawn of the replacement era" hits the state.

"Our water systems and the components that they're made of are, in fact, wearing out," said Becky Smith, a spokesman for the group.

The activists held a news conference this morning. Among those attending were several lawmakers.

"I think it's essential that we move ahead to replace some of those systems," said Sen. Pam Resor, an Acton Democrat, who supports formation of a 15-member commission to study how to finance the improvements.

"They're infrastructure needs and they've been neglected by many administrations and it's time we do something about it because the pipes, the water mains, and the storage tanks are at their life's end," said Rep. Frank Smizik, a Brookline Democrat, who chairs the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.

Posted by mfinucane at 9:03 AM | Comments (0)

January 9, 2008

Appeals court backs conscientious objector

By Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff

A federal appeals court today ruled in favor of an anesthesiologist who sought a discharge from the Army as a conscientious objector two years ago, after the Army paid $184,000 for her to attend Tufts University School of Medicine.

In a 2-1 vote, the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit upheld a judge who halted the Army's effort to force Dr. Mary Hanna, 31, of Somerville, to report for active duty in October 2006, ruling that an Army review board's decision to deny her request for conscientious objector status "was without a basis in fact."

The court's majority opinion cited testimony from priests, superior officers and an Army investigator assigned to the case, who each concluded that Hanna, a devout Coptic Orthodox Christian, "sincerely opposed participation in war because of her religious beliefs."

In his dissent, Michael Boudin, chief judge of the First Circuit, said the case presented "a close call," but US District Judge Nancy Gertner should have deferred to the Army review board, which found the timing of Hanna's claim suspicious and concluded her statements "ack passion and sincerity."

Hanna, an Army Reserve captain, had committed to serve four years of active duty and another four in the reserve after becoming a doctor. But, in 2005, as she was nearing the end of her anesthesiology residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Hanna told the Army that a revitalization of her religious beliefs prevented her from fulfilling her commitment to the Army. She offered to repay the money the Army spent on her medical training, plus interest.

Posted by gwitherspoon at 6:32 PM | Comments (0)

Suffolk opens new dorm in Downtown Crossing

By Globe Staff

The revitalization of Boston’s Downtown Crossing area today passed another milestone as Suffolk University opened a residence hall on West Street.

"Suffolk is going to be a great asset," said Mary Ann Ponti, a board member on the Downtown Crossing Association.

The building will house 274 undergraduate students in apartments and suites, and will feature a coffee shop and restaurant on the street level, the university said in a statement.

Downtown Crossing has struggled for years, and the retail district suffered big blows last year with the closure of Filene's Basement and the Filene's Department store. Demolition of the Filene's complex starts this month, meaning the heart of the district will become a construction zone for the next two years.

Ponti, who lives on Washington Street in the district, said things are looking up, however, with repairs to sidewalks, streets, and lighting, and stepped-up policing.

"Everything has been coming along, slowly but surely," she said.

Posted by mfinucane at 5:38 PM | Comments (0)

Local 'Jeopardy!' whiz finally falls

(Photo courtesy of "Jeopardy!" Productions)

By Jillian Jorgensen, Globe Correspondent

Don't call Dan Pawson a loser.

He lost on "Jeopardy" tonight, but he's walking away with $170,902 and a spot in the show's Hall of Fame.

He was on his game tonight, ahead of the pack until the very last minute.

Then came the "Final Jeopardy" clue: "First mentioned in a letter by Clement IV in 1265, this item worn by the pope features an image of St. Peter in a boat." Pawson answered his miter. The correct answer, provided by Kristen Welsh, who was then in second place, was the pope's ring.

Welsh, from Geneva, N.Y., doubled her score, while Pawson plummeted from from first to third place.

Thus ended the Allston legislative aide's "Jeopardy!" winning streak last night in his 10th appearance on the show (on WSBK-TV).

He is the fourth biggest money winner on the quiz show, excluding tournament wins, ranking behind Ken Jennings, who earned $2,520,700 over a record-setting 74 days, David Madden, who earned $430,400 and Tom Walsh, who edged out Pawson with $184,900.

Pawson said he plans to spend the money "probably in this order: car, loans, house fund, Vegas."

Even after the loss, Pawson, 26, a legislative director for Senator Bruce Tarr, Republican of Gloucester, has reason to be cheerful: his wife, Andrea, is due to deliver their first baby this week. And, he no longer has to keep secret how long his streak lasted.

"It's kinda nice to be able to be honest with people," he said.

Pawson may also have a shot to win more money: he could appear on the show's Tournament of Champions, held in Las Vegas, next year.

Reached at work last night, he said he wasn't hurt by the loss. "It's hard to have any regrets about what happened since it went so well," Pawson said. "I've been watching the show for 20 years and so to be part of Jeopardy history is just fantastic. It feels really good."

Posted by mfinucane at 5:04 PM | Comments (0)

Prosecutor: 'most eligible bachelor' assaulted woman

(AP pool photo)

Gary Zerola at the trial Tuesday.

By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

A Boston man once picked by People magazine as one of the city's most eligible bachelors was described today by a prosecutor as a relentless predator who would stop at nothing to get a 19-year-old woman to have sex with him.

But the attorney for Gary Zerola said that the alleged victim was a liar and that Zerola, 36, was a “sap’’ whom she had manipulated.

“She couldn’t tell the truth if her life depended on it, much less Gary Zerola’s life. … She lies when she needs to," Janice Bassil said in her opening statement in Zerola's Suffolk Superior Court trial.

Zerola, a lawyer and former Suffolk prosecutor, met the woman in July 2006 at a Boston nightclub. They spent an evening together and then parted ways, exchanging text messages and phone calls until Aug. 17, 2006, when they agreed to meet to go shopping.

What became a 12-hour date included Zerola buying a $450 leopard print Dolce & Gabbana dress for the woman and stops at several nightclubs and restaurants. It ended with a disputed series of events inside Zerola’s Commercial Street apartment in the early morning hours of Aug. 18.

Prosecutor Suzanne M. Kontz said Zerola and the woman struggled in the apartment, and she summoned help from Boston police on her cellphone. "He made the decision to use force and tried to take sex from her, and here we are," she told the jury.

Zerola faces charges that include assault with intent to rape, kidnapping, indecent assault and battery, intimidation of a witness, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, said the Middlesex district attorney's office, which is trying the case because of Zerola's former work as a Suffolk prosecutor.

Zerola also faces rape and other charges for a Feb. 28, 2004, episode involving a different 19-year-old acquaintance. And he was arrested in October on charges that he drugged and sexually assaulted a third woman while in Miami Beach.

Posted by jellement at 2:38 PM | Comments (0)

Archdiocese's fund drive continues rebound

By Globe Staff

The Archdiocese of Boston raised $14.5 million in its 2007 Catholic Appeal fund drive, surpassing its $14 million goal and bringing it closer to levels it achieved before the clergy sexual abuse crisis.

In 2000, the fund drive raised $17.2 million, but the intake plunged to $8.8 million in 2002, at the height of the abuse crisis.

In an effort to rebuild the archdiocese, Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley has been increasing the goal by $1 million each year since his arrival in Boston in 2003.

Last year, the drive raised $13.8 million.

"The success of this year's appeal serves as yet another reminder of the deep faith and charity that exists within the people of this archdiocese," O'Malley said in a statement.

Posted by mfinucane at 1:05 PM | Comments (0)

Lawrence official arrested on charge of faking military record

(George Rizer/Globe Staff)

Stokes talks to reporters after the hearing this morning.

By Jonathan Saltzman, Globe Staff

A Lawrence school committee member who is facing a charge that he faked his military record said today after an appearance in federal court that he plans to continue serving on the board.

"My thought is, I want to get back to Lawrence and I want to get back on the School Committee tomorrow night," Jim Stokes told reporters outside the courthouse.

Stokes, who was elected to the board this fall and sworn in Monday, was arrested this morning by FBI agents at a doughnut shop in Lawrence.

The charge of forging military discharge papers carries a maximum penalty of a year in prison and a $100,000 fine. US Magistrate Judge Joyce London Alexander released him on $10,000 unsecured bond.

Stokes had touted his 20 years of service in the Marine Corps as he ran for office this fall. But the military had no record of his service, city officials have said.

Stokes declined to comment on whether the charge was true, referring questions to a court-appointed public defender.

But he said he was confident he could be a role model for children in Lawrence, saying he had been involved in Toys for Tots, helped the elderly, and helped build a Marine Corps memorial in the city.

Asked whether he was concerned about possibly going to prison, he said, "Everybody's worried. ... I'm just leaving it up to the courts. Let them decide."

A criminal background check conducted when Stokes volunteered to play Santa Claus in a holiday celebration at City Hall also uncovered that Stokes had served two short jail sentences in 1964 and 1986, for larceny and forgery.

Stokes had run for a number of Lawrence offices. He notched his first victory in November, when he beat incumbent Greg Morris for a district seat.

Posted by mfinucane at 12:33 PM | Comments (0)

Chelsea man shot in parking dispute

By Globe Staff

A Chelsea man was shot in the stomach during a parking dispute early today on Exeter Street, police said.

The dispute broke out about 3:45 a.m. when one driver parked his car too close to another car.

"One car was touching another car," said Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes. "A man started screaming and yelling about it. Anther person came out of a nearby home. An argument broke out; there was a physical altercation. Then, at some point, shots were fired."

Kyes said Edgar Iraola, 35, was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police are searching for a suspect.

Posted by mfinucane at 11:52 AM | Comments (0)

January 8, 2008

Baby, it's warm outside: mercury rises to record heights

(Joanne Rathe/Globe Staff)

Dwayne Scruton, 21, of Westford; Matt Mireault, 19, of Lowell; and Ben Sandessa, 20, of Westford, felt the warmth today on the bike ramp at Hadley Park in Lowell.

By Emma Stickgold and Matthew Collette, Globe Correspondents

Bay State residents headed outside today to bask in the record-high temperatures, a welcome relief from last week's bitter cold.

The temperature crested at 67 degrees in Boston at 2:15 p.m., said National Weather Service meteorologist Bill Simpson. That's 3 degrees higher than the old record for the day of 64, set in 1930.

It's also 50 degrees higher than the high temperatures a week ago.

Worcester also set a record, edging up to 61 degrees at 12:20 p.m., breaking the old record of 58 set back in 1930.

Soaking in the warmth, hikers are taking to the trails, and surfers are out in droves today along the Cape Cod National Seashore.

"We have more hikers than usual yesterday and today -- people are coming out and maybe doing a morning hike before work, or taking time in the afternoon to take a hike. It's not very windy either, which is nice," said chief ranger Steve Prokop.

The warmth has also brought people out on Revere Beach. "We are getting slammed," said Kelly's Roast Beef shift supervisor Tammy Fogerty. "I heard it was quiet yesterday, but we've been busy today since 10:30 this morning. We have a bunch of people surrounding us."

Chuck Holmes, the golf director at the Cape Cod Country Club in Falmouth, said that 150 to 200 people are teeing off today.

Holmes said that the golf course is open as long as there isn't frost on the ground, but the crowd today is much bigger than normal.

"I think everybody took the day off. It's like a weekend, man," he said.

The all-time record high for January is 72, which was recorded on Jan. 26, 1950, said Simpson. A prolonged southwest flow has brought warm air up from the Gulf of Mexico.

The bad news? The warm weather won’t last. Simpson said temperatures are going to drop to the mid-50s tomorrow and gradually head downward from there.

Posted by mfinucane at 4:35 PM | Comments (0)

A Russian invasion in Gloucester

(Phil Brown photo)

A slaty-backed gull at Niles Pond in Gloucester in late December. The last sighting was about five days ago.

By Martin Finucane, Globe Staff

The Massachusetts birdwatching community is all atwitter after the recent sighting of several slaty-backed gulls in the state, birds that normally make their homes thousands of miles away in Siberia and Japan.

"It's always a thrill to find a bird that rare," said David Sibley, a Concord bird expert who spotted the bird at Jodrey Fish Pier in Gloucester on Dec. 23. "There’s something really special about that feeling of discovery."

Sibley saw the bird at about noon that day, narrowly beating out another bird expert, Wayne Petersen, who sighted one on Coast Guard Beach in Eastham an hour later. Later, others sighted another slaty-backed gull in Gloucester, bringing the grand total to three.

Sibley said the slaty-backed gull can be distinguished from the gulls normally seen around Massachusetts by its dark gray back, the brown streaking on its head, an extra splash of white on its wingtips, its pink legs, and its slightly different head and wing shape.

The bird normally makes its home in northeastern Asia and it can also be found in western Alaska. But it started to pop up in the lower 48 states about 20 years ago, Petersen said. It has now been sighted as far south and east as Florida.

Petersen said it's not clear why the gulls are being sighted in more places. One reason could be that birdwatchers are simply using better binoculars and better able to identify them.

But he also said it's possible that the birds are looking for elbow room. Gulls, in general, are a successful bird and their populations have been on the rise, he said.

For slaty-backed gulls, "it seems there is a subtle but increasing tendency to show up in places way away from where they should be. It could be we’re sort of on the front end of a trend," Petersen said.

"This could be the beginning of the invasion of the slaty-backed gull," said Sibley.

Posted by mfinucane at 12:36 PM | Comments (0)

Victim's mother thanks killer for admitting guilt, but cannot forgive him

By John R. Ellement, Globe staff

The mother of a 17-year-old honor student who was mistakenly murdered in a 1995 drug-related shooting thanked the man who killed her son for admitting his guilt.

But Anna Worrell, speaking in Suffolk Superior Court today, said she could not find it in her heart to forgive John Tibbs of Roxbury for murdering her only son, Tennyson Drakes.

"I am glad that you admitted you were the one. I thank you for that,'' said Worrell, who flew up from Barbados to see her son's killer sent to prison. "But I can't tell you, I can't sit here, and tell you that I forgive you. God hasn't brought me that far.''

Worrell's sister, Boston public school teacher Maureen Worrell, with whom Drakes was then living, told Tibbs she will pray for him and that God has instructed her to forgive him.

Drakes, an honor student at Dorchester High School who had been admitted to Wentworth Institute of Technology, was with friends on Nelson Street on Aug. 11, 1995 when a motorcycle drove up with two men on board. The passenger started shooting, killing Drakes and wounding three others.

The survivors identified Marlon Passley, with whom they had been feuding, as the shooter. Passley was eventually convicted of first-degree murder and faced life imprisonment without parole.

But in 1999, state and federal investigators convinced a drug dealer, Eddie Mills, to testify against his friends and Tibbs was charged in 2001. Passley’s conviction has since been erased.

Mills testified last fall that Tibbs shot Drakes, but the jury at the trial deadlocked. As a new trial was about to start this week, Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley's office and Tibbs's attorney,John H. Cunha, negotiated a plea deal. The deal was approved today by Superior Court Judge Peter M. Lauriat.

Tibbs, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter, was sentenced to nine to 10 years in state prison for Drakes's killing and the wounding of the three others. The state time will be served concurrently with a 27-year federal sentence he is now serving for an unrelated Boston homicide. Tibbs is getting credit for seven years already served and will have a pending drug possession case dismissed.

In court today, Tibbs stared as the women as they delivered their victim impact statements, but he did not speak and did not show any obvious emotions during the half-hour proceeding. He was led away in handcuffs

Tibbs is not expected to be paroled until 2020.

Posted by jellement at 9:44 AM | Comments (0)

With the year still young, a second homicide in Boston

By Globe Staff

An 18-year-old man was shot to death in the lobby of a Chinese restaurant in Dorchester late last night.

Shots rang out in the lobby of the Canton House about 11.40 p.m. last night. The man was hit multiple times. Police said he was rushed to Boston Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Police are investigating. No arrests have been made in the case.

It was the second homicide of the year in Boston. A man in his 20s was shot early Sunday morning on Bowdoin Street in Dorchester.

Posted by mfinucane at 9:18 AM | Comments (0)

January 7, 2008

Aide still in "Jeopardy"

By Jillian Jorgensen, Globe Correspondent

"Is there no stopping Dan Pawson?" Alex Trebek, host of "Jeopardy!" asked in the middle of tonight's episode.

No one could stop the Allston resident, and he won his eighth game, adding $25,000 to his winnings and bringing his total cash prize to $151,301.

The big win followed a small one: on Friday, Pawson won just $200.

"That felt pretty good," Pawson said about tonight's win. "It felt like, ah, there we go."

Pawson, a 26-year-old legislative director for Republican state Senator Bruce Tarr of Gloucester, boosted his score significantly by winning two Daily Double questions in categories he had studied: Shakespeare and world capitals.

According to the Hall of Fame section on Jeopardy's Web site, Pawson's winnings have surpassed the fourth-highest total in the show's history, $149,200, won by Brian Weikle in 2003. Only two contestants have won more than $200,000 on the show, according to the Web site.

Pawson, a 2006 law school graduate, plans to spend the money paying off student loans and starting his family. His wife is expecting their first child this week. Though he had to use more vacation days than he planned while filming the show, Pawson said he can afford to take some unpaid days off to be with his family when the baby arrives, thanks to his prize money.

Though he could not reveal how long his streak would last, Pawson said that while he was competing, he never thought about exceeding Ken Jennings’ 74-day winning streak, the longest in "Jeopardy!" history.

"I never entertained any thoughts about going as far as Ken did," Pawson said. "I'm not insane, but I was ambitious."

Posted by gwitherspoon at 9:45 PM | Comments (0)

AG announces record Medicaid fraud recovery

By Globe Staff

The state attorney general's office recovered $26.7 million in settlements and judgments in Medicaid fraud cases last year, the highest amount in three decades.

"Our office has been very successful in its aggressive pursuit of those who steal from the taxpayers of Massachusetts by defrauding the state's Medicaid program," Attorney General Martha Coakley said in a statement.

The previous high was $19.4 million in 2005, said attorney general's spokesman Harry Pierre.

Medicaid is a joint federal-state program that provides health insurance for low-income people. The fraud cases typically involve companies that bill the program for services never rendered or medications never dispensed.

The attorney general's Medicaid Fraud Division was formed as the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in 1978. Money recovered by the unit is returned to the Medicaid program.

Posted by mfinucane at 4:35 PM | Comments (0)

Freshman rep Tsongas to travel to Iraq, Afghanistan

(Adam Hunger for The Boston Globe)

Tsongas during the first debate in late September.

By Martin Finucane, Globe Staff

US Representative Niki Tsongas, who pledged during her special election campaign this fall to try to get American troops out of Iraq, will get a firsthand look at the conditions in that strife-torn country this week.

Tsongas, who won a special election in October for the Fifth Congressional District seat, will travel to Iraq and to Afghanistan. She will leave Tuesday and return Jan. 16 from her trip, which will also include stops in Greece and Turkey.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, Tsongas will meet with troops as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation. She also will meet with military commanders and national leaders.

"No matter how many stories we read in the paper ... there's nothing like seeing those places firsthand and hearing firsthand from those who are experiencing this very grave situation," she said in a conference call with reporters today.

She acknowledged that President Bush's troop surge has improved security in the country, but said the Iraqi government had failed to craft a political solution.

She said she was hoping her trip would give her "a better understanding of why that hasn't taken place."

Tsongas is a member of the military personnel subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee.

Tsongas, 61, beat Republican Jim Ogonowski in the Oct. 16 election, claiming the seat held by her late husband, Paul Tsongas, who went on to become US senator and a presidential candidate.

During the campaign, Tsongas desribed the election as a referendum on Bush and the Iraq war. She supported a timetable to begin troop withdrawal.

One of her television ads told voters, "One vote can help end this war: Yours."

She said today that she still supported a timetable, believing it could spur the Iraqi government to make necessary political progress.

Posted by mfinucane at 2:19 PM | Comments (0)

Authorities seeking public's help after N. Andover homicide

By Globe Staff

A 47-year-old man was shot to death this morning in front of his home on Union Street in North Andover.

Alfredo Torres was shot at about 7 a.m., the Essex County district attorney's office said in a statement.

Torres was taken to Lawrence General Hospital, then transferred by helicopter to the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 9:18 a.m., prosecutors said.

The shooting was not considered a random act, prosecutors said. But no further details were immediately available.

Authorities said that anyone with information about the homicide should call North Andover detectives at 978-688-6500.

Posted by mfinucane at 12:48 PM | Comments (0)

Man admits to slaying for which another man was convicted

By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

A miscarriage of justice was corrected in a Boston courtroom today when John Tibbs admitted he shot and killed Tennyson Drakes and wounded three others, a 1995 shooting that sent another man to state prison.

Marlon Passley was identified by survivors as the triggerman, was convicted of first-degree murder, and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1996. His family insisted he was in Wellesley watching a relative graduate.

Four years later, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley's chief homicide prosecutor, David Meier, learned from a drug dealer that Tibbs was the actual shooter, and had Passley's conviction erased.

In Suffolk Superior Court today, Tibbs was about to go on trial for the second time -- a Suffolk Superior Court jury deadlocked in the first-degree murder case last year -- when he agreed to plead to the lesser charge of manslaughter, said John H. Cunha, his attorney.

Cunha said that under the plea agreement, Tibbs will be sentenced to nine to 10 years in state prison, dating back to 2001 when he was first charged with shooting Drakes. The manslaughter sentence will be served concurrently with a 27-year federal sentence Tibbs is already serving, he said.

Cunha also said prosecutors have agreed to drop drug possession charges filed against Tibbs.

Conley said the resolution of the case was a "historic accomplishment."

"We've achieved justice today, but we also, finally, righted a wrong more than a decade later," Conley said in a statement. "Marlon Passley was arrested, tried, and convicted. His conviction was affirmed and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for a crime he did not commit. That we were able to exonerate him and build a successful case against the real shooter is unprecedented in Massachusetts."

Tibbs is to be sentenced by Suffolk Superior Court Judge Peter Lauriat on Tuesday.

Posted by jellement at 12:20 PM | Comments (0)

Man arrested with loaded Glock at Logan Airport

By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

A Norwell man heading to Florida was arrested by State Police at Logan International Airport Sunday evening carrying a loaded 9mm Glock pistol, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

The weapon was discovered by TSA workers as the man tried to make his way to the JetBlue gates for a flight to Fort Lauderdale around 5 p.m., said TSA spokeswoman Ann Davis. She said the weapon was found in the man's carry-on luggage by TSA screeners. He was traveling alone.

"In today's security environment, it is beyond stupid to think that you can pass through a security checkpoint with a loaded gun,'' she said.

State Police identified the man as Louis Tasiopoulos, 46. Police said he was charged with carrying a concealed weapon into a secured area.

His attorney, Anthony J. Rossi, said today that Tasiopoulos had hastily packed for the trip and forgot he still had his handgun in his briefcase. "He forgot to take the gun out,'' Rossi said. "This is somebody trying to get on a plane in a hurry and he totally forgot about it.''

Rossi said his client is licensed to carry a firearm and routinely carries it with him. He said Tasiopoulos is a businessman with investments in several Boston bars and restaurants and that he has no prior criminal record.

"He never intended to bring the gun on the plane,'' Rossi said.

Tasiopoulos is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in East Boston Municipal Court.

Posted by jellement at 11:33 AM | Comments (0)

State education board interviews finalists for commissioner

(Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

Lowell's Baehr, one of the three finalists, answered questions at a news conference last year.

By Tracy Jan, Globe Staff

Looking for a leader who will improve Massachusetts schools, the state Board of Education and two advisory committees are interviewing candidates today for the job of education commissioner.

The interviews, which are being held in public, will stretch into the afternoon today at the Omni Parker House hotel in downtown Boston.

The state Board of Education late last month named a Massachusetts superintendent, an Ohio education department official, and the education director of a national foundation as finalists.

Paul Reville, chairman of the board, noted that it had been receiving letters and phone calls about candidates, some in support and some in opposition.

"We won't respond to organized campaigns for or against any particular candidate. Our job is to find the person that fits the needs of this board," he said.

The board will publicly discuss which candidate to choose at a Jan. 17 meeting.

Karla Brooks Baehr, the superintendent of Lowell public schools and former Wellesley superintendent; Mitchell Dan Chester, senior associate state superintendent in Ohio; and Richard Laine, education director of the Wallace Foundation in New York, were chosen from a pool of eight semifinalists.

The new commissioner will be appointed as the board debates how to overhaul failing schools, boost graduation rates, and prepare graduates to succeed in college. The commissioner will also be responsible for carrying out Governor Deval Patrick's yet-to-be released education reform plans.

"These interviews are the culmination of a very public, inclusive process of considering our three excellent, highly distinctive candidates," Board of Education Chairman Paul Reville said Friday in a statement. "We are confident that this exhaustive process will yield an exceptional new leader for Massachusetts' public school system."

Posted by mfinucane at 9:14 AM | Comments (0)

January 5, 2008

Model rocket fired near plane approaching Logan

By Danielle Capalbo, Globe Correspondent

The pilot of an airplane carrying passengers to Logan Airport reported today that a model rocket appeared to have been fired toward his craft, a Federal Aviation Administration official said.

The pilot of AirWisconsin flight 180A saw what appeared to be a spark or firework in front of the plane around 12:26 p.m., after the jet had descended to 500 feet and was preparing to land, said FAA spokeswoman Holly Baker.

The model rocket did not actually hit the aircraft, and the plane landed safely, Baker said.

Trooper Eric Benson, a state police spokesman, said the plane was flying over the Winthrop-Revere area at the time and the rocket was believed to have been fired from the Belle Isle Marsh. The salt marsh is about a half-mile northeast of two of the airport's runways.

Benson said state police were investigating.

Posted by mfinucane at 6:40 PM | Comments (0)

At a musician's funeral, memories and arpeggios

(John Tlumacki/Globe Staff)

Bluesman James Montgomery told a story about Willie Robinson at the funeral.

By Anna Badkhen, Globe Staff

Weepin' Willie Robinson, known as the elder statesman of the blues in Boston, was celebrated today in a funeral attended by more than 250 family members, friends, and fans.

Jazz piano arpeggios spilled from the fingertips of onetime Robinson band member David Maxwell and streamed through the packed pews of the Central Congregation Church in Jamaica Plain.

Willie L. Robinson, 81, died in a fire sparked by a cigarette last Sunday, when he lit up in his bed at the Mount Pleasant rest home in Jamaica Plain.

His funeral was a tribute to the bluesman’s life – first as a sharecropper in Georgia, then as an Army veteran, emcee and doorman in the blues clubs of Trenton, N.J., and, finally, as a legendary blues singer in Boston.

One of Robinson’s 10 children, Ray Robinson, cried openly by the side of his father’s casket, awed by the number of people who had come to the funeral to pay their respects.

"It touches me and my family deeply to see all of you," he said. His chin shook, and a female relative handed him a tissue.

"I needed my father often," he continued. His voice trailed off. "Thank you, thank you for caring for him."

Posted by mfinucane at 5:43 PM | Comments (0)

Cambridge police probe shooting

By John M. Guilfoil, Globe Correspondent

Cambridge police are investigating the shooting early today of a 20-year-old man in his Cherry Street home.

The victim, who was not identified by police, was at a party at his house. An unknown assailant entered the party sometime between 3 and 4 a.m. A fight broke out and the victim was shot in the back, said Frank Pasquarello, the Cambridge police spokesman.

The victim's injury was not life-threatening. Police said they are looking for a man in a white car who fled the scene shortly after the shooting.

Posted by mfinucane at 4:14 PM | Comments (0)

Hillary volunteers displaced in Nashua fire

By John M. Guilfoil, Globe Corrrespondent

One firefighter was injured, and dozens of Hillary Clinton volunteers were forced to relocate, after a three-alarm fire at a hotel and restaurant in Nashua, N.H. this morning.

The blaze broke out around 10 a.m. at the 99 Restaurant and the adjacent Best Western Granite Inn on Saint Laurent Street, said Police Sergeant Brooke Lemoine.

Deputy Fire Chief Daniel Cronin told The Associated Press that firefighters contained the fire to three rooms on the first and second floors of the hotel but there was extensive smoke and water damage to nearly three dozen other rooms.

Lemoine said the fire apparently started in a lower-level supply room at the hotel. The cause was being investigated, but it did not appear to be suspicious, he said.

Posted by mfinucane at 4:10 PM | Comments (0)

Four-alarm fire rips through Hyde Park building

(John Tlumacki/Globe Staff)

Workers cleaned up debris after the fire today.

By Michael Naughton, Globe Staff

Eight businesses were destroyed or severely damaged and about 20 people were displaced when a four-alarm fire ripped through a Hyde Park building early this morning.

The fire, which broke out at about 3:40 a.m. in a three-story building at River Street and Fairmount Avenue, destroyed a hair salon and damaged other businesses that lined the building's first floor.

The only person injured was a firefighter who was treated and released for cuts, fire officials said.

Residents from the second and third floors of the building were able to escape after being awakened by the screams of people outside and alarms in the building, they said.

Javier Diaz, the owner of Rincon Caribeno Restaurant, had just purchased another restaurant in the building, Murphy's Country Kitchen. Both restaurants were heavily damaged, said Diaz.

"We'll rebuild," said Diaz, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic. "We have to hope for the best and work harder. We have a good business. What can you do, but just do it again?"

Officials said they had yet to determine a cause for the fire, whcih caused $1.5 million in damage. They would not say whether they considered the fire to be suspicious.

The American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay is helping five families displaced by the fire.

Posted by mfinucane at 1:51 PM | Comments (0)

January 4, 2008

Commissioner: Someone tampered with Boston drug evidence

By Maria Cramer, Globe Staff

A sweeping, 14-month investigation into evidence tampering at the Boston Police Department central drug depository has revealed that someone either improperly removed or tampered with drugs confiscated in nearly 1,000 cases, Commissioner Edward F. Davis said today.

The drugs taken included cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and OxyContin, said Davis, who said that most likely the culprit was an officer because only police are allowed into the depository.

The FBI, prosecutors from Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley's office, and Boston police have launched a criminal investigation to determine who stole the drugs. And the revelation that at least one officer may have stolen drugs has sparked Davis to launch audits of all department units.

"We're really going to shake the place out and make sure that every department is up to national standards," Davis said.

The 12 officers who worked at the depository were removed last October, after police launched the investigation.

The audit examined 110,000 pieces of drug evidence from more than 74,000 cases between 1990 and 2006. Police officials had planned to audit only a small portion of the evidence in storage, but conducted a more thorough examination after they learned that someone had tampered with drugs after the audit was announced.

"It's an unprecedented step to do a complete inventory of drug evidence," Davis said. "I don't know anybody else in the Commonwealth who has done that."

Posted by mfinucane at 4:35 PM | Comments (0)

Murders mar the start of the new year in Brockton, New Bedford

By Globe Staff

It didn't take long for 2008 to be marred by a homicide. In Brockton, a teenager allegedly stabbed a man less than an hour after midnight on New Year's Day.

Emmanuel Okoro, 15, of Brockton surrendered today at Brockton police headquarters. He's facing a murder charge in the stabbing death of 19-year-old Markeen Starks, also of Brockton.

Starks was found lying on Skinner Street when police responded to a report of a stabbing at about 12:43 a.m. New Year's Day. He was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Okoro was to be arraigned this afternoon in Brockton District Court. State and local police have been investigating the case.

The new year also had a tragic start in New Bedford. Authorities there are investigating the shooting death of 15-year-old Edwin Medina. He was shot in the stomach at a party at about 3 a.m. New Year's Day.

Posted by mfinucane at 4:07 PM | Comments (0)

Increase in homeless families seen in Boston

By David Abel

The number of homeless families in Boston has increased for the third straight year, the mayor's office said today in a statement.

In last month’s annual census of the city’s homeless population, city officials counted 3,084 people in homeless families, a 17 percent rise over 2006.

While the number of homeless individuals -- those without families in tow -- declined by nearly 5 percent, the city’s overall homeless population rose to 6,091 people, or 4 percent more than in 2006.

In the last 15 years, the city's homeless population has increased by nearly 57 percent.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino said more state and federal funding is needed to help homeless families.

The federal government should "recognize the growing crisis in family homelessness" and provide more funding, Menino said in a statement.

Jim Greene, director of the city's Emergency Shelter Commission, said the "housing picture for low-income families continues to be bleak without greater federal and state aid."

Menino was one of hundreds who participated in the 28th Annual City of Boston Homeless Census on Dec. 18.

Posted by mfinucane at 3:02 PM | Comments (0)

FBI official: Bulger hunt is focusing on Europe

By Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff

As South Boston crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger marks his 13th anniversary on the run, investigators suspect he could be hiding in Europe because of a possible sighting in Italy last year, a key FBI official said.

"We're going to continue our focus on Europe," said Special Agent Richard Teahan, supervisor of the multi-agency Bulger Fugitive Task Force, which is conducting the international manhunt for the 78-year-old Bulger.

Teahan said the task force has chased hundreds of leads since September when the FBI posted a video clip on its website of a couple resembling Bulger and his girlfriend, Catherine Greig, and sought the public's help in identifying and locating them.

The video, shot by a vacationing federal Drug Enforcement Administration agent, shows the couple strolling through the Sicilian resort of Taormina in April.

Despite a media blitz in Europe and efforts by the Italian police, who have detained and fingerprinted a number of elderly Americans who have been mistaken for Bulger, Teahan said investigators have not identified the couple in the video.

Though many of Bulger's closest former associates, including his ex-girlfriend, say they don't believe the couple spotted in Sicily were Bulger and Greig, Teahan said, "We're really not focused on opinions, we're focused on the identification of this couple.''

Teahan said there are "enough similarities'' between Bulger and Greig and the couple spotted in Sicily to compel investigators to try to find them.

A warrant was issued for Bulger's arrest on racketeering and extortion charges on Jan. 4, 1995. He has never been caught. Since then, he's been outed as a longtime FBI informant and charged with 19 murders. He's one of the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" fugitives, and a $1 million reward has been offered for information leading directly to his capture.

In the past year, Teahan said, the hunt for Bulger has also taken the task force to Madrid, London, and Belfast.

And while the focus has primarily been overseas, Teahan said investigators have also chased leads in Chicago, Florida, and other parts of the United States.

"We get so many lookalikes, it's unbelievable,'' Teahan said. "It's a regular occurrence for us based on the fact he resembles everybody."

Posted by mfinucane at 1:52 PM | Comments (0)

High court upholds religious discrimination ruling against MBTA

By Globe Staff

The state's highest court has ruled that the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority discriminated against a man who wanted to work as a part-time bus driver but said his religious beliefs prohibited him from working on his Sabbath.

The Supreme Judicial Court, upholding a judgment of the Superior Court, said the MBTA failed to prove that it would be an "undue hardship" to get other drivers to swap shifts with David Marquez, a Seventh-Day Adventist who couldn't work from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.

State antidiscrimination law "clearly contemplates that employers will help employees shuffle shifts to allow observance of their Sabbath," the court observed in an opinion written by Justice Robert Cordy.

The MBTA notified Marquez in early September 1997 that it couldn't grant his request not to work on Friday nights and it thus could not offer him a job.

Marquez filed a discrimination complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. He won his case there and in Superior Court.

Marquez was awarded $50,000 for emotional distress, $53,550 in attorney's fees, and the job, if he still wanted it.

"The decision has given us guidance on how to proceed in the future on any requests for religious accommodation and obviously we'll abide by the court's decision," said Daniel Grabauskas, the MBTA general manager.

Marquez, 43, of Somerville said he now works for Massachusetts General Hospital as a security officer and doesn’t want the bus driving job anymore.

Interviewed Friday afternoon by cell phone as he drove home to begin celebrate the Sabbath, Marquez said, “I’m happy it’s over with. It’s a David and Goliath story. ... You can’t discriminate against anybody’s religious faith, no matter what it is.”

He said he looked forward to receiving the award in the case, but he would contribute 10 percent to his church. “It’s a New Year’s gift from my God,” he said.

Posted by mfinucane at 12:11 PM | Comments (0)

Homes sought for 600 chickens and ducks

(MSPCA photo)

Pictured are some of the ducks in need of a new home.

By Globe Staff

New homes are being sought for more than 600 chickens and ducks after they were rescued from a Mendon farm where they were kept in unhealthy conditions, an animal welfare agency said.

The owner voluntarily surrendered the animals to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in November. He is to be arraigned next week in Milford District Court on 10 counts of animal cruelty, the MSPCA said.

The animals are currently being housed at Nevins Farm, an MSPCA facility in Methuen. It costs the nonprofit $500 a week to feed and provide the fowl with wood chip accommodations. Staff costs are additional.

Posted by mfinucane at 10:06 AM | Comments (0)

After bitter cold, Bay State to get a taste of spring

By Globe Staff

Sick and tired of the bitter cold? Warmth is on the way. The National Weather Service predicts that temperatures will rise steadily through next Tuesday, when it will reach the 50s.

The cold will linger this morning, with temperatures of minus 5 in the interior of the state to 15 degrees. But the temperatures will then move upward, beginning with a high of about 33 today, the weather service predicts.

"Everyone's thinking this winter's so bad. By next Tuesday they're going to forget all about the past two days," said Bill Simpson, a meteorologist at the weather service's Taunton office.

Simpson said Tuesday looks like it will be the warmest day, but the temperature will likely continue in the 40s -- five to 10 degrees above normal -- at least until next Friday.

Forecasters at AccuWeather.com say the East is heading for a "spring-like thaw" next week.

"January is going to end up being an above-normal month in New England, despite a couple of cold days here early. It's going to stay more than likely significantly warmer than normal for the rest of the month," Ken Reeves, a senior meteorologist at the commercial forecasting company said.

Reeves said the period of relatively high temperatures would end in mid-February or early March. A chilly spring might follow.

Federal climate prediction experts also predicted above-average temperatures this winter for much of the country, including most of New England.

Posted by mfinucane at 8:37 AM | Comments (0)

January 3, 2008

State House aide narrowly wins another game of Jeopardy

Jeopardy host Alex Trebek and contestant Dan Pawson

By Jillian Jorgensen, Globe Correspondent

Dan Pawson took a chance.

He counted on his opponent being unable to answer the final question last night on his sixth televised game of “Jeopardy.”

Ahead by $800 as he entered the round, Pawson bet $799. Had his closest opponent answered correctly, Pawson would have lost. If neither of them knew the answer, Pawson would have won.

Sure enough, none of the three contestants could pose the question for the final clue: "He was the 118th man to fly across the Atlantic Ocean." (The answer: Charles Lindbergh.)

Pawson won the game, took his cash prize total to $126,101 and ensured a spot on tomorrow night's episode.

"The advantage of being in first going into Final Jeopardy is that you control your fate, and I gave that up," Pawson said. "It worked out, so I guess it was a good risk."

Pawson, an Allston resident and legislative director for state Senator Bruce Tarr, Republican of Gloucester, said the money will go toward paying off his student loans and starting his family. The 26-year-old law school graduate and his wife are expecting their first child any day.

"We're starting a house down-payment fund," Pawson said tonight after the show aired. "And keeping some money around for unexpected baby costs."

He was not allowed to say if his six-game win streak would continue on tomorrow night's show, which also is scheduled to air at 7:30 p.m. on WSBK-TV (Channel 38).

Tonight, he played an experienced opponent: Jason Thweatt, who coaches an academic competition team at Virginia Tech.

"It's not easy to go up against those college quiz bowl coaches. It's somebody whose job it is to write and read trivia," Pawson said.

Posted by gwitherspoon at 9:20 PM | Comments (0)

League of Women Voters hopes to boost presidential primary turnout

By Globe Staff

The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts is urging people to vote in next month’s primary elections, saying that they could play a role in determining who gets nominated for president.

Diane Jeffery, president of the group, noted that it’s the first time since 1928 that there is neither an incumbent president nor vice president seeking the nomination.

“Massachusetts voters will make a difference” on Feb. 5, when they cast ballots, along with voters in 21 other states, she said in a statement.

The league announced today it is launching a campaign to increase voter participation, awareness, and education by providing comprehensive, nonpartisan information to voters.

Secretary of State William Galvin, who appeared with league officials at a State House news conference today, reminded voters that Jan. 16 is the last day to register to vote in the primary or to change party registration.

Posted by mfinucane at 3:57 PM | Comments (0)

Thirteen years on the lam, Bulger remains elusive

(Still from the FBI video)

The man who the FBI believes may be Bulger gave the camera a hard stare this spring in Sicily.

By Globe Staff

Thirteen years ago Friday, a federal warrant was secretly issued for the arrest of alleged South Boston crime boss James J. "Whitey" Bulger. The next day, State Police and federal agents tried to grab him -- but he was gone. And he has never been caught since.

"Although we are disappointed at the end of each day that he has not been apprehended, we are confident that Mr. Bulger will one day be captured," state and federal law enforcement officials who continue to search for Bulger said in a statement today. "Let's hope that the 13th anniversary of his disappearance will indeed prove to be an unlucky number for Mr. Bulger."

The multi-agency Bulger Fugitive Task Force exhausted every lead and lookalike sighting across the world in 2007, seeking both Bulger and his companion, Catherine Greig, the officials said.

A possible sighting in April in Sicily has not been confirmed, but "it has instilled renewed optimism that Mr. Bulger and Ms. Greig will be apprehended," said the officials, who included US Attorney Michael Sullivan and the heads of the State Police and local FBI office.

The officials reminded the public that there is a $1 million reward for information leading directly to Bulger's arrest.

"A single piece of information could turn a worldwide fugitive into a high profile inmate and a tipster into a millionaire," the officials said.

Bulger, a longtime FBI informant, was warned to flee by his former handler, retired FBI agent John J. Connolly Jr., shortly before his federal racketeering indictment.

Since he fled, a number of Bulger's former associates have cooperated against him, leading to the discovery of hidden graves and charges that Bulger murdered 19 people, including two women.

Bulger and Theresa Stanley, a woman he'd lived with for 30 years in South Boston, were staying at a hotel in the French Quarter of New Orleans from Dec. 26, 1994, through Jan. 2, 1995.

The couple were driving back to Boston when Bulger learned of the warrant issued Jan. 4, 1995, for his arrest and decided to go underground.

Stanley urged Bulger to take her home after several weeks. After dropping her off in Hingham, Bulger picked up Greig, a woman he had been seeing behind Stanley's back for years, and disappeared.

The last confirmed sighting of the gangster was in London's Piccadilly Circus in September 2002, the FBI has said.

Posted by mfinucane at 3:13 PM | Comments (0)

Dorchester rapist to spend at least 30 years in prison

(Pool photo)

Moses during opening statements in mid-December.

By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

A Dorchester man will spend at least 30 years in prison for raping two teenagers and a woman in Dorchester between July and September 2002.

Moonie Moses, 35, was convicted of a number of charges, including rape of a child with force, aggravated rape, and kidnapping.

Suffolk Superior Court Judge Margaret Hinkle today sentenced him to two consecutive life sentences and other terms to be served concurrently. The sentence means that Moses won't be eligible for parole for at least 30 years, she said.

Moses, who represented himself in the trial, sobbed in a five-minute speech to the court, insisting on his innocence and predicting he would not live long if sentenced to prison.

"On my way to heaven, I will tell everybody I know that I did not commit these crimes," he said.

But as she sentenced Moses, Hinkle said, "This is not a case where there is a significant question in my mind whether the defendant committed the crimes for which he stands convicted."

Moses' representation of himself had created an unusual spectacle during the trial: the defendant cross-examining his victims.

Rosa J. Gonzalez, 18, who was 13 when she was kidnapped and raped by Moses, attended the sentencing hearing. She said she was pleased with the sentence and considered Moses "a pathological liar" for his continued claims of innocence.

She said that when she took the witness stand during the trial and faced Moses she had to struggle to control her emotions. "I wanted to lash out at him," she said. "I wanted to strangle him with my own hands."

She said she had not let the attack keep her from living her life. She noted that today she celebrated the first birthday of one of her daughters. Her other daughter is 3.

Posted by mfinucane at 12:16 PM | Comments (0)

State Senate to broadcast live on the Internet

By Globe Staff

You can find a million things on video on the Internet. But one thing that hasn't been available is live video of the Massachusetts Senate.

That all changed yesterday, when Senate President Therese Murray, a Plymouth Democrat, announced that formal Senate sessions will be broadcast live on the Web.

"We are elected to represent the people of the Commonwealth and they should be able to have greater access to the legislative process," Murray said yesterday in a statement. "Webcasting our sessions will give them that access."

The House has already made its sessions available. People will also be able to look at past sessions.

The webcasts can be accessed through the Legislature's site at mass.gov/legis/ or through www.masslegislature.tv.

Posted by mfinucane at 9:55 AM | Comments (0)

New Bedford teen dies after being shot at New Year's party

By Globe Staff

A New Bedford teenager stayed up late to celebrate the beginning of the new year. Then the party turned deadly: Edwin Medina, 15, was shot in the stomach and later died of his wounds.

The shooting happened at a party on County Street in New Bedford at about 3 a.m. on Tuesday, New Year's Day, prosecutors said.

Medina was rushed to St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford, then transported to Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, where he died late Wednesday, the Bristol County district attorney's office said in a statement.

The case is being investigated as a homicide by local and state police and the district attorney's office.

Posted by mfinucane at 8:46 AM | Comments (0)

Forecasters warn of bitter cold

By Globe Staff

Better bundle up. The arctic chill has come to Massachusetts.

The National Weather Service is warning of hazardous weather, saying that bitterly cold wind chills of zero through minus 10 will persist through the early morning.

Temperatures like that can cause frostbite if skin is exposed too long.

The coldest town in the state last night may have been the western Massachusetts town of Worthington, where it was minus 8. In Springfield, it was one below. And in Worcester, it was zero, says National Weather Service meteorologist Bill Simpson.

In Boston, the temperature dropped to 7. Other low temperatures around the area included 4 in Bedford, 6 in Taunton, and 4 in Beverly.

Today in Boston, the temperature is expected to rise to about 14 this afternoon, but the wind chill will make it feel like it’s zero, Simpson said.

Alicia Ianiere, a spokeswoman for the Pine Street Inn homeless shelter in Boston, said that the shelter, which normally sends out a single van during the day to reach out to the homeless on the streets, will send out a second van today.

The vans' outreach workers try to get to know the homeless and encourage them to either go to a homeless shelter or stay with a family member.

"We really are conveying to them the dangers of this extreme cold," she said.

The good news is that tomorrow there will be a warmup. The high tomorrow is expected to be up around the freezing mark. From there for the next several days, temperatures will rise, reaching the relatively balmy 50s on Monday.

"Today is the worst of it," Simpson said.

Posted by mfinucane at 8:30 AM | Comments (0)

January 2, 2008

Defendant arraigned in Barnstable parking lot explosion

By Globe Staff

An 18-year-old man arrested in connection with an explosion Tuesday in a Shaw’s supermarket parking lot in Barnstable was released on $2,500 bail after being arraigned today in district court.

Andrew J. Spalt of Barnstable pleaded not guilty to possessing an explosive device during his arraignment before Barnstable District Judge Joan Lynch. A pretrial hearing was set for Feb. 11.

Spalt’s attorney, Edward Lynch of Barnstable, said, “This is an 18-year-old kid who made some foolish choices. ... There wasn’t any intent to destroy anything or hurt someone.”

He said he believed the charges should ultimately be reduced to either disturbing the peace or disorderly conduct.

Police said someone reported an explosion at the parking lot at about 6:15 p.m. Tuesday. The first officer who arrived at the scene found pieces of a plastic soda bottle littering the lot and another intact bottle that appeared to be suspicious. The latter bottle was detonated by the State Police Bomb Squad.

Spalt approached the officers, admitting to filling the bottles with chemicals and placing them in the parking lot, police said in a statement.

Michael Trudeau, first assistant district attorney for the Cape and Islands, said the bottles contained a collection of household cleaning fluids. He said the bomb was set off in an unused area of the parking lot and no injuries or property damage resulted.

Posted by mfinucane at 4:37 PM | Comments (0)

Space heater seen as cause of deadly Dorchester fire

(Zizi family photos)

Rebecca Zizi, 9, and Rooben Zizi, 11, the two children who died in the Dorchester fire last weekend.

By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

Investigators have determined that a space heater was the cause of the fire in Boston's Dorchester section last weekend that killed two children, Boston fire officials said today.

Fire investigators traced the origin of the fire to a bedroom where the children were sleeping. They examined the burn pattern and eliminated all other sources of ignition, settling on the space heater as the cause, Fire Chief Kevin McCurtain said.

Rebecca Zizi, 9, and her brother, Rooben, 11, died in the blaze at 44 Bellevue St., which broke out at around midnight Friday.

Family members have said the space heater wasn't being used when the fire occurred. But MacCurtain said that's what the evidence showed.

"We wouldn't make this determination lightly," he said. "There's no blame for the family. This was an accidental fire."

He said the space heater was in a bedroom where three mattresses were on the floor and four kids were sleeping. The fire began when some bedding caught fire, MacCurtain said.

MacCurtain, who was joined at a news conference by Mayor Thomas M. Menino and a representative of the National Fire Protection Association, urged residents to be careful using space heaters, particularly this week when the temperature is expected to drop into the single digits.

They said space heaters should not be used when people are asleep and must be kept at least 3 feet away from flammable materials, such as papers and bedding.

Two other families, living on the second and third floors of the building, escaped the fire.

Posted by mfinucane at 3:53 PM | Comments (0)

Marshfield man allegedly dragged police officer

By Globe Staff

A 23-year-old Marshfield man failed to appear in court today to face charges that he dragged an MBTA Transit Police officer 30 feet with his car earlier this week.

Pat Tauro, 23, is facing charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and operating under the influence after the incident Monday. He failed to appear in Boston Municipal Court, said Transit Police Lieutenant Sal Venturelli.

Police said that officers were called to the Boston Bruins Pro Shop at North Station at about 10:20 a.m. for a report of a man causing a commotion. When police responded, employees told them the man had left the shop and gotten into a car outside the building.

Police approached the car to ask about the incident in the store, but Tauro allegedly put the car in reverse and began driving away. Officers ordered Tauro to stop and exit the car, which he did.

But after a moment, Tauro allegedly ran back to his car. Officers Derek LoPilato and Ida Candreva tried to grab him, but Tauro managed to get into the driver's seat, put the car in reverse, and sped away with the driver's door open and LoPilato still holding on.

The car was on the ramp to the parking lot atop the North Station garage, where MBTA employees and others park.

Tauro allegedly found the way down the ramp blocked by a delivery van. After LoPilato freed himself, Tauro sped forward into the lot, where the officers were able to arrest him. LoPilato was treated for minor injuries at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Posted by mfinucane at 1:10 PM | Comments (0)

MBTA : Commuter rail bridge reopens on North Shore

By Globe Staff

MBTA officials say that service on the Newburyport/Rockport commuter rail line, which was disrupted this morning by a mechanical failure in a bridge, has been restored.

MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo says the problem was reported at about 5 a.m. today at the bridge connecting Beverly and Salem. He said the bridge was unable to lock into the closed position, so trains couldn't travel over it.

Pesaturo said shortly before noon that the problem had been fixed and the bridge had been reopened to train service.

Pesaturo said it's unclear whether today's problem was connected to the late December incident in which a barge rammed into the bridge, forcing it to be closed for repairs.

Posted by mfinucane at 1:07 PM | Comments (0)

State House aide is a 'Jeopardy!' whiz

(Photo courtesy Jeopardy! Productions Inc.)

Dan Pawson says he developed a knack for hitting the buzzer right after "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek (left) finished reading the question.

By Martin Finucane, Globe Staff

Which legislative aide at the State House has racked up $109,100 in a winning streak on the "Jeopardy!" TV game show?

Dan Pawson. (Or, as they would say on "Jeopardy!," "Who is Dan Pawson?")

Pawson, a 2006 University of Chicago Law School graduate, works as legislative director for Senator Bruce Tarr, Republican of Gloucester.

A resident of Boston's Allston section, he is married, and he and his wife are expecting in a few days.

He filmed the show in September and October. It's just airing now. He’s not allowed to talk about whether his winning ways continue in tomorrow night's show, which airs at 7:30 p.m. on WSBK-TV (Channel 38).

What's his secret?

He said he developed a knack for swiftly hitting the buzzer just after host Alex Trebek finished his questions, a talent Trebek commented on at the beginning of tonight’s show, when Pawson faced former Bay State resident Katy Halpern, now a stay-at-home mom of two in Dublin, CA.

A Chicago native, Halpern majored in English at Wellesley College, graduated in 1999 and lived in Charlestown for two years, working as a magazine editor.

Reached at home tonight, the 29-year-old said Pawson "was definitely tough competition. He ran away with it. He was absolutely lightning fast on the buzzer ... and he just has a really good broad base of knowledge, so I’m not surprised he’s doing well."

Pawson said it helps to be lucky. "A lot of it’s just pure dumb luck, having things you know about come up."

One key question Tuesday night had to do with the Italian patriot Giuseppe Garibaldi, Pawson said. He knew the answer because he grew up in Staten Island, N.Y., which happens to be the home of a museum dedicated to Garibaldi. Tonight, Pawson dominated a category on American history, a favorite topic of his, and answered a Daily Double question about one of his favorite authors.

"I like Jonathan Swift, and I got a nice Jonathan Swift Daily Double, so that was fun," he said after the show aired.

Pawson admitted he was "reckless" for incorrectly guessing the answer to a question about physics, which cost him $2,000.

He advised would-be "‘Jeopardy!" contestants to prepare by reading up on topics that always come up on the show, such as American history and Shakespeare.

"And play a lot of video games, that helps with the buzzer," he added.

Globe Correspondent Jillian Jorgensen contributed to this article.

Posted by mfinucane at 11:59 AM | Comments (0)

Remains recovered at Gloucester fire scene

By Globe Staff

Human remains have been found after a painstaking search in the rubble left by a mid-December fire in Gloucester. But Fire Chief Barry McKay says it's too early to say officially whether the remains belong to Robert Taylor, the 70-year-old handyman who is believed to have died in the fire.

McKay says the medical examiner's office is still trying to identify the remains.

"Obviously, he has to be extremely careful. He wants to make sure that the identification is 100 percent," the chief said.

The search for remains in what was left of the Lorraine Apartments had to be postponed several times due to bad weather and the holidays. Search dogs at one point found remains but they turned out to be animal remains.

The apartments and a synagogue were reduced by the Dec. 14 fire to 20-foot-tall mounds of wood, pipe, metal, and other charred debris.

McKay said witnesses have provided evidence that Taylor was in the burning building, but "in this day and age, you want to be absolutely certain" before making an announcement.

Twenty-seven people lived at the apartments. Government agencies have made financial assistance available for residents displaced by the fire.

The Small Business Administration is providing low-interest loans for tenants and businesses. Disaster relief officials will be available on the second floor of the Cape Ann Savings Bank in Gloucester from today to Jan. 10. Call (978) 283-0246 for more information.

The Gloucester Fund has been accepting donations and says it will distribute $70,000 among tenants of the apartments.

Posted by mfinucane at 11:03 AM | Comments (0)

Turnpike warns against Fast Lane abuse

By Globe Staff

Massachusetts Turnpike Authority officials are warning people not to try to cheat the Fast Lane toll collection system, in the wake of a complaint filed against a limousine company that allegedly used personal, rather than commercial, transponders so it could save money on tolls.

The case "should be viewed as a warning to all Fast Lane patrons that abuse of the system will not be tolerated," Alan LeBovidge, the Turnpike Authority executive director, said in a statement.

Attorney General Martha Coakley's office announced this morning that it had reached a $65,000 settlement with A&M Limousine Service Co. Inc. of East Boston of allegations that the company used personal Fast Lane transponders in the Sumner and Ted Williams tunnels to avoid paying commercial tolls.

The attorney general's office alleged that the company's use of personal transponders allowed it to pay 40 cents for trips through the tunnels -- the discount rate for residents of East Boston, South Boston, and the North End -- rather than the commercial vehicle rate of $4.50.

The company allegedly evaded more than $32,000 in tunnel fares from March 1 to Sept. 1. It has denied all allegations of wrongdoing, the attorney general's office said.

"Abuse of the MTA's resident discount program to essentially steal from the Commonwealth is unacceptable and will not be tolerated," Coakley said in a statement.

The Turnpike Authority used new video technology that allows it to match the transponder signals to pictures of cars going through the Fast Lane toll booths, officials said.

A&M didn't immediately return a telephone message seeking comment this morning.

Posted by mfinucane at 9:51 AM | Comments (0)

Pregnant Billerica woman struck by snowplow

By Kate Augusto, Globe Correspondent

A 27-year-old pregnant Billerica woman was injured when she was struck by a snowplow last night on Nashua Road in Billerica. The driver of the snowplow has been cited for operating with a suspended license.

Tauryn Morris was walking north on the side of the road with an acquaintance at about 10 p.m. when she was hit by the plow blade, Billerica police said.

Morris was taken to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Her injuries were not life-threatening, police said.

Police said the snowplow driver, Dana Harrison, 40, of Billerica, was cited at the scene for driving with a suspended license. The investigation is continuing.

Posted by mfinucane at 9:38 AM | Comments (0)

January 1, 2008

Woman from Orange slain in Tennessee

By Maria Cramer, Globe Staff

Bruce Clark, Jr. last spoke to his mother on Christmas Day, when she called him while visiting her oldest son and his wife in Dickson County, Tennessee.

The conversation was brief. They wished each other a Merry Christmas, and Clark promised to visit her when she returned home to Orange, Mass. next week.

Yesterday, Dickson County police said Gail Clark, 66, and her 38-year-old daughter-in-law, Mary Clark, were found shot to death in Mary Clark's modular home just outside of White Bluff, a town of 2,900.

"This is definitely a tragic thing to happen," said Bruce Clark in a telephone interview Tuesday from his home in Salem, N.H. “I’m taking it pretty strong. Everyone else is weakened by it. Maybe I’ll just break down later. It hasn’t sunk in yet.”

Police have charged Mary Clark’s 15 and 16-year-old foster children with the slayings, according to WSMV-TV, a Nashville station. The suspects were not named in the news report.

Earlier in the day, police had said they were interviewing the teenagers.

"They are very cooperative and assisting in the investigation," Dickson Sheriff’s Detective John Patterson said, according to the Associated Press.

Police said there was no sign of forced entry or sign of a struggle and that one of the victims may have been sleeping when she was shot.

Mary Clark’s son, who does not live in the home, also was being questioned, according to the Associated Press.

Bruce Clark said he does not know what happened.

He said his mother and his father, also named Bruce, have been married about 50 years and have been living in Orange for about 30.

Gail Clark, who was fond of knitting and crocheting, had five children, 22 grandchildren, and several great grandchildren, Bruce Clark said.

He described his sister-in-law, who had a daughter with his brother Bill, as a kind woman who moved to Tennessee from New Hampshire with her family about two years ago. Police said Mary Clark's husband and daughter were not home during the shooting.

"She was very nice, taking in strangers, you know," Bruce Clark said of his sister-in-law. "A very nice lady."

The elder Bruce Clark said he was too upset to comment.

"We’re getting the family together, and we’re grieving," he said in a brief telephone interview. "We’re still trying to put it all together with the strength of the family. This has been a very, very bad day."

The killings rattled residents of White Bluff, a quiet community about 25 miles west of Nashville.

"We don’t hardly ever lock our doors or take the keys out of the vehicle," Councilman James Martin said in a telephone interview. "It’s always been a safe place, and hopefully it will continue to be that way."

Posted by gwitherspoon at 11:27 PM | Comments (0)

Second victim found in South Boston condo blaze

By Scott Allen, Globe staff

Boston fire officials confirmed the death of a second person in the seven-alarm blaze that tore through a historic condominium building on New Year's Eve, leaving 18 families homeless.

Fire chief Kevin MacCurtain did not identify the second victim, a woman who lived on the first floor of the former Eaton Hotel where the fire began. But neighbors in the tightknit community said the woman is Arvette Clancy,46, wife of Peter Clancy, the 47-year-old man who died of cardiac arrest last night as emergency crews attempted to rescue him.

"This is a tragic incident. We've lost two people," said MacCurtain in a press briefing outside the badly damaged former hotel where homerun king Babe Ruth lived for a time when he played for the Boston Red Sox. MacCurtain estimated damage to the five-story brick building at $5 million.

MacCurtain said that fire personnel have found no other victims in the building, but the top floor of the building remains too unstable to search thoroughly. Two residents of the floor are not yet accounted for, but fire officials said they apparently went away for the holiday.

Residents of the building, located at 309 Emerson Street, described a scene of chaos on New Year's Eve as what first seemed like a false alarm quickly turned into a massive fire reaching the top floor, forcing everyone to flee. Third floor resident Susan Skahan said smoke was billowing from the first floor condominium unit where the Clancys lived, and another neighbor pounded on the door to get the family's attention without success.

A 15-year-old daughter who lived with the Clancys was out for New Year's Eve festivities and, by mid-day, friends had located the girl, confirming that she is safe.

MacCurtain said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Posted by mbello at 1:00 PM | Comments (0)

L Street Brownies take cool dip in Southie

By Peter Schworm, Globe staff

A horn blared, and a half-naked horde of all shapes and sizes sprinted through the brisk morning air. With a collective whoop, they dove across their watery finish line - a bone-chilling Boston Harbor.

It was a mad dash into 39 degree waters that those who watched safely from the shore called half-mad, but which devoted polar-bear plungers insisted was the perfect way to ring in the New Year.

About 500 hardy souls shook off the champagne cobwebs yesterday morning for the L Street Brownies traditional New Year's Day swim, and twice that many cheered them on. The oldest polar bear groups in the country, the South Boston stalwarts have braved the wintry waters each year since 1904, and the popular spectacle has inspired countless others to do the same.

"The Brownies are synonymous with Boston, and on New Year's, everyone's a Brownie," said Jack Dever, Brownies president. A quick dip in the ice-cold drink was refreshing, he said, good for body and mind.

"It strengthens the immune system, lowers the blood pressure," he said. "It releases your endorphins. It's a feel-good thing."

It was the debut Brownies plunge for Shoshanna Ehrlich, a 51-year-old from Brookline. Her first go-round, she ran into the Atlantic, then ran out just as quick. But she regrouped, summoned her nerve, then dove in head first.

"It's really, really, really cold," she said back on shore, sipping coffee from a mug in a bathrobe as though she were sitting at her kitchen table. "But it was worth it. I really wanted to actually swim. I think I took about three strokes."

Her friend, Sarah Leinbach, 70, who watched the proceedings bundled in a winter coat, hat, gloves and scarf, made a New Year's resolution to give it a go next year.

"OK, I'll do it," she said, a bit halfheartedly.

Posted by mbello at 12:33 PM | Comments (0)