Panel on gay youths falls to veto spat

Governor Mitt Romney issued an executive order yesterday abolishing the longstanding Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth after lawmakers overrode his veto of a bill creating a new commission out of the reach of the governor's office. A spokesman for Romney said there was no need for two panels focused on the needs of gay and lesbian youth. Romney angered many gay-rights activists this year when he considered abolishing the 14-year-old commission, the first of its kind in the nation, after a press release announcing a youth gay pride march was issued without the administration's blessing. Instead of killing the commission Romney ordered it to refocus on its core mission of suicide prevention. The bill approved by lawmakers would create a new commission not directly appointed by the governor. (AP)

The suspect in Thursday's bank robbery and high-speed chase was ordered held on $750,000 cash bail at his arraignment yesterday. Trent J. Miller , 41, of Randolph is charged with robbing the Sovereign Bank branch in Brighton Center, according to the Suffolk district attorney's office. Miller was arrested in Canton. Authorities found him with a wig, clothing that matched witness descriptions, a large amount of cash covered in red dye, and a black semiautomatic pellet gun.

A Framingham physical therapist pleaded guilty in federal court earlier this week to defrauding Medicare of at least $55,000 in billed healthcare she provided incompletely or not at all. Ho Ling Lai , 38 , pleaded guilty to one count of healthcare fraud, according to US Attorney Michael J. Sullivan . During the plea hearing, the prosecution said there is evidence that would have proved Lai worked as a physical therapist for three visiting nurses associations and billed multiple patients for visits scheduled at the same time. She will be sentenced Nov. 27.

A 62-year-old Weymouth woman was arraigned in Stoughton District Court yesterday on drug charges, including intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana. David Traub, a spokesman for the Norfolk district attorney's office, said Margarita Ruane was also charged with possession of heroin, possession of OxyContin, and a subsequent offense to distribute cocaine. Ruane allegedly sold drugs to undercover police officers on two other occasions before being arrested Thursday. Through a family petition, Ruane will enter a substance abuse program for the next 30 days at MCI Framingham. Upon completion, she will be held on $10,000 bond. She is due back in court Aug. 18.

A Sudbury man was sentenced to six months' probation yesterday after pleading guilty to one count of possession of child pornography under a plea bargain, the Middlesex district attorney's office said. Robert Shoemaker, 51, a former Little League coach, was accused of sending child pornography to an undercover officer whom he believed was a 14-year-old male. Robert Shoemaker, 51, a former Little League coach, originally faced a charge of distribution of child pornography.

A Superior Court judge has prevented more than 100 people who say they were molested by priests from having to tell lawyers about the abuse they say they endured. Judge John Agostini ruled Thursday that the alleged victims will not have to be deposed in a legal fight between the Catholic Diocese of Springfield and its eight insurance carriers until all other depositions in the case are completed. (AP)

The president of the University of Vermont, Dan Fogel, was moved to intensive care yesterday after the acute pancreatitis he was hospitalized for earlier in the week took a turn for the worse, officials said. University spokesman Enrique Corredera said Fogel's family had asked that details of his condition not be released. Corredera said the university had cleared Fogel's schedule for the next several weeks. ``It's obviously unfortunate that his response to the treatment does not appear to be going as smoothly as we had hoped," Corredera said. Fogel, 58, was hospitalized Monday after he became ill in his office. (AP)