Town lifts its order to boil drinking water

A man convicted of drunken driving six times had his seventh conviction thrown out yesterday by the Massachusetts Appeals Court, based on what the court called an illegal stop and seizure by an off-duty police officer. The court set aside the conviction of Joseph Limone, ruling that evidence found after the stop should have been kept out of his trial. Limone was arrested in Woburn Aug. 4, 2006, after his car struck a vehicle driven by an off-duty Somerville police officer who called Woburn police. Officer David Simonds saw a nip of whiskey in Limone’s lap; and a jury convicted Limone of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and operating a motor vehicle after his license was revoked. Limone’s lawyer said the ruling means Limone will be released from prison, where he has served about half of a six-year sentence. (AP)

Two theological schools, including the nation’s oldest Christian graduate seminary, are joining to form a university to educate people of all religions. Andover Newton Theological School, founded in 1807, and the Unitarian Universalist Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago announced yesterday that they will unite in Newton to form an “interreligious theological university’’ by next year. The schools will keep their identities under the umbrella of the new school. The Rev. Nick Carter, president of Andover Newton, said students can still receive a degree from his school, but they will interact with peers studying other religions at other schools on the same campus. (AP)

Springfield police are perplexed by a rash of car thefts in which just one brand of car has been targeted and just one part has been stolen. Police say more than 20 Honda Accords and Civics from the 1994 to 1997 model years have been stolen since last Thursday, and, in most cases, the only thing missing when the vehicles are recovered is the factory-installed stereo. Members of the auto theft unit say they cannot figure out why only the stereos are being taken. Sergeant John Delaney said police are urging Honda owners to lock their vehicles and invest in antitheft systems. (AP)

Police say they arrested two Connecticut middle school students for threatening to kill a classmate after the principal found an 8-inch knife in one of their lockers. Police in Norwalk say a 12-year-old student at Nathan Hale Middle School and his 13-year-old friend are charged with threatening, carrying a dangerous weapon, and conspiracy. Authorities did not release their names because of juvenile offender laws. Police say the 12-year-old boy was apparently upset about a phone conversation he had with the intended victim last week and brought the knife to school last Wednesday. Officials say the 13-year-old boy held the knife in his locker for his friend. (AP)

Mayor Eddie Perez said yesterday that he plans to submit his resignation Friday, a week after he was convicted on five corruption charges. Perez, a former gang leader who became Hartford’s first Latino mayor, said last week he would step down after being convicted of extortion, accepting a bribe, and other counts. He announced yesterday that his resignation will take effect when he and the City Council agree on a date “to allow for a smooth transition.’’