New England in brief
LINCOLN, R.I.
Bay State man is shot during gun sting
A Massachusetts man was shot in the face while scuffling with a Rhode Island state trooper during a sting operation in a state park. An undercover state trooper posing as a firearms salesman arranged to meet Arjusz Roszkowski, 26, of North Reading at Lincoln Woods State Park in Lincoln yesterday afternoon. Police said Roszkowski gave the trooper money for the guns, but then pulled a loaded 9mm handgun from his waistband after the trooper identified himself. The gun suddenly went off during the skirmish, and Roszkowski was shot in the chin and is being treated at Rhode Island Hospital. The bullet went through the suspect’s throat and out his ear, but authorities say he is expected to recover. The trooper was not injured. (AP)HYANNIS
3 charged in Jewish center vandalism
Three juveniles have been charged with breaking into and vandalizing a Cape Cod Jewish center. Police said that images of Adolf Hitler and anti-Semitic symbols found on the rabbi’s computer were downloaded during the break-in at the Chabad Jewish Center in Hyannis. Witnesses said the center was heavily damaged. Walls were defaced and religious objects were thrown on the floor. The suspects face charges of breaking and entering, larceny of a building, willful injury to a church, and committing property damage for the purpose of intimidation based on religion. The Anti-Defamation League of New England condemned the break-in as a hate crime. (AP)BOSTON
Healey urges lifting of charter schools cap
Kerry Healey, the former lieutenant governor, sent out an e-mail yesterday urging Massachusetts to lift its cap on charter schools. Healey, the Republican 2006 gubernatorial candidate who is director of the Pioneer Institute, said that with President Obama setting aside $4 billion for charter school expansion, Massachusetts should try to get as much of the funding as possible. She asserted that “the Legislature is holding back, afraid of political retribution by the unions.’’ (AP)BOSTON
Everett man charged in four T assaults
Transit Police have arrested an Everett man, charging him with groping four women on the T over the past six months, authorities said. Hugo Hernandez, 22, was apprehended at Sullivan Square station Wednesday, after he identified himself in a photograph from surveillance footage related to one of the alleged assaults on Oct. 19. His arraignment for that case was postponed Thursday, allowing prosecutors to attach charges from three more incidents, two on April 28 and one on Sept. 10. Hernandez faces four charges of indecent assault and battery and pleaded not guilty at his arraignment yesterday in Boston Municipal Court.BARNSTABLE
Resident seeks recount of ballot question
A Barnstable resident is seeking a recount of a narrow vote this week that would change town government. The charter ballot question passed by one vote Tuesday, 2,580 to 2,579. The charter change would reduce the Town Council from 13 to 11 members starting in 2011, and allow voters to choose at-large councilors as well as district councilors. Now, all councilors are elected by district. The ballot question would also increase the School Committee from five to seven members. Town clerk Linda Hutchenrider said Jeffrey Wilkinson is completing the paperwork to begin the recount. He must collect 10 signatures from each of the town’s 13 precincts, including one notarized signature per precinct, by Friday. (AP)FRAMINGHAM
Man accused of setting apartment fire
A homeless man is accused of setting fire to an apartment he had occupied illegally until ordered to leave, authorities said. William Francis Christian, 35, allegedly broke into the two-family Gordon Street home early Thursday and started a fire in the ground-floor unit, according to fire officials and Stefan Hsi, son of the building’s owner. Christian was arrested and charged with arson, breaking and entering, and malicious destruction of property. He pleaded not guilty Thursday at his arraignment at Framingham District Court.
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