There was a slight decline in the number of Black students in Harvard University’s freshman class, the first admitted since a Supreme Court ruling struck down affirmative action in higher education.
The impact of the ruling is still coming in…
Massachusetts
New England to warm up to the 80s through the weekend
September is shaping up to be the best stretch of weather in all of New England. Warm afternoons, cool nights and all dry for any plans we have through much of next week!
Highs in the 70s Wednesday with a sea breeze, lows tonight in the 40s a…
Steward hospital situation remains ‘volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous,’ official says
Even with hospital sales approved for bankrupt Steward Health Care, state health officials say they are still bracing for a rocky path ahead and working to stay engaged with the communities that lost facilities.
Beyond the closure of Carney Hospital and Nashoba Valley Medical Center, the Healey administration is still entrenched in the eminent domain process to seize St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Brighton — and handling the uncertainty surrounding Norwood Hospital, a Steward facility not involved in the bankruptcy proceedings, Department of Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein said Wednesday.
“I’m sure that there will be additional bumps in the road, even as we move closer and closer toward the resolution of this very difficult situation,” Goldstein said during a Public Health Council meeting, without offering specific examples. “I have confidence in the incredible team that I’ve had the privilege to work with during the many months we’ve been dealing with these issues. But I know that whatever situation may arise, we have the system, the people, the expertise and the determination to manage them.”
Dr. Gregg Meyer, who has led the state’s Incident Command System for Steward, said the ongoing situation “remains VUCA.”
“Volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous,” Meyer said. “It is actually the perfect setting for public health preparedness and emergency preparedness to be put into place to keep things safe.”
Mass. high school forfeits girls’ field hockey game over male player
A Massachusetts high school has decided to forfeit an upcoming girls’ field hockey game because the opposing team has a male player, according to NBC affiliate WJAR.
Dighton-Rehoboth High School is using a new athletic policy to withdraw from the Sept. 17 game against Somerset-Berkely, reports WJAR.
The policy was passed this year by the school committee, which allows players or coaches to opt out of games if there are members of the opposite sex on the opposing team.
This comes after a female Dighton-Rehoboth athlete was injured by a male player from Swampscott in a field hockey game last year, according to WJAR.
State law says boys are allowed to play on girls teams when their high school doesn’t offer the sport for males.
‘”I think it’s incumbent on the state to start looking at the level of interest for males who want to participate in field hockey and provide them with a same-sex opportunity,” Runey told WJAR.
Another field hockey game scheduled in October will also be fortified, Runey said.
Man charged with murder in Lawrence mother’s death to face judge
Charges have been upgraded for the man accused of murdering a Lawrence, Massachusetts, woman, and now he’s set to appear in court Wednesday for those new charges.
Lawrence police say Christian Montero’s physical location matched up with location data from Carol Flaz-Burgos’ cell phone, but this was after she disappeared. That’s when investigators started to connect some concerning dots.
Montero was Flaz-Burgos’ neighbor but beyond that, it’s unclear whether the two had a friendship or relationship.
Montero, 35, allegedly misled investigators about where he was in the time frame of Flaz-Burgos’ disappearance.
Flaz-Burgos was last seen on surveillance camera days earlier while entering Montero’s apartment in the building where she lived with her children and mother, prosecutors previously said in court.
She made “the sign of the cross when she entered,” an assistant Essex County district attorney said, but was never seen exiting.
Prosecutos said that, in two different interviews, he said he drove to a barbershop, parking on Trenton Street, but never went in because he was feeling sick. But city cameras showed he didn’t park on Trenton Street at the time, and data from his cellphone allegedly shows him in Haverhill when he said he was parked in Lawrence.
Flaz-Burgos was found dead in the Kenoza Lake Conservation Area a week ago.
Her family and neighbors had been searching for Flaz-Burgos for days. Even with Montero behind bars right now, they are still looking over their shoulders.
“I don’t feel safe at all. It’s scary because you think you know your neighbor but truly you really don’t know what’s going on within your own building, and to hear all the stories about the cameras and the security here, like what’s the point?” said Darlysha Ortega, victim’s neighbor.
The Essex County district attorney had previously said murder charges were expected in the death of Flaz-Burgos, pending the completion of an autopsy. That autopsy was completed, and Montero, who was previously charged with witness intimidation, has now been charged with murder, authorities said.
He will be arraignment in Lawrence District Court Wednesday afternoon.
Massive fire destroys businesses at Lynnfield strip mall
A massive fire overnight destroyed several businesses in Lynnfield, Massachusetts.
The fire occurred at the Old Town Market complex just off Salem and Summer streets, according to the Lynnfield Fire Department, who said every business had some damage.
It’s uncertain when the initial call came in, but the fire station is about a mile away. The property owner of the Old Town Market complex went there sometime overnight and began banging on the door, authorities said.
Firefighters then followed him to the location, where they saw flames shooting out of the building.
No injuries were reported, but at least two businesses were open at the time, according to fire officials.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
