After a cargo ship crashed into and knocked over a major bridge in Baltimore, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said bridges across the Bay State are regularly inspected and “up to date.”
Massachusetts
Brothers team up to fight food insecurity through Roxbury church
At Roxbury’s historic Twelfth Baptist Church, long lines for free food are formed weekly.
This congregation harmonizes and heals thousands of the food insecure.
“We traditionally may think of what food security may look like. It’s actually your neighbor, your friends, people we interact with every day.”
Winston Bodrick of the Greater Boston Food Bank works with his brother Willie, the senior pastor of Twelfth Baptist, to have meals prepped by staff.
Those meals are bagged up and carted home by those in need.
“I grew up with this guy, and I knew that we grew up in a household that prepared us for this type of work.”
The brothers, born in Atlanta, are sons of a pastor and a public school teacher.
“We saw them give back. We saw them buy meals, we saw buy clothes and support, whether it be their students, whether it be congregates.”
Before the church van delivers the meals to the building, canned goods, pastas, peanut butter and other items are boxed up and loaded up at The Greater Boston Food Bank warehouse.
“We know this is a real issue. And it’s an issue that we as a city can solve and for us that’s rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ, Matthew verse 25, when I was hungry, did you feed me? When I was thirsty, did you give me something to drink? We’re trying to make that real in the lives for people in the city of Boston.”
For the city of Boston and beyond, helping those in need is personal for the Greater Boston Food Bank and the Bodrick brothers.
“Together, with our faith, with our connection and commitment to community, and we will continue to overcome.”
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Bridgewater teacher charged with physically abusing 3 pre-K students
A Massachusetts woman pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges that she physically abused three pre-kindergarten students in her care.
Kathryn A. Rousseau, 56, of Taunton, is charged with three counts of assault and battery on a person with intellectual disabilities, the Plymouth District Attorney’s Office said. She was released on personal recognizance with the conditions that she have no contact with the victims or their families and stays away from the Mitchell Elementary School in Bridgewater.
Prosecutors said a parent of one of the 4-year-old victims contacted Bridgewater police on March 14 after they were informed by an employee at the Mitchell Elementary School they they had filed a report of suspected abuse or neglect with the state Department of Children and Families against Rousseau. That report alleged that Rousseau had left a mark, or cut, on the child’s lip after she grabbed the student’s mouth with her hand.
Police initiated their own investigation, and Rousseau, who has been teaching for 18 years, was placed on administrative leave by the school. The police investigation alleges that Rousseau grabbed the mouth of one additional child in the class, and force fed another, causing them to vomit.
Rousseau, who sent daily updates home to parents about student behavior and progress in class, allegedly told parents that the marks on their children were self inflicted.
Police said the incidents in question were witnessed by other school employees.
As a result of their investigation, which is ongoing, Bridgewater police sought and obtained an arrest warrant, and Rousseau was taken into custody at her home on Tuesday.
Her next scheduled court appearance is on May 14.
Healey calls Baltimore tragedy ‘devastating and heartbreaking,’ says Mass. needs to be proactive on bridge safety
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, who was supposed to be meeting with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Tuesday, called the Baltimore bridge tragedy “absolutely devastating and heartbreaking” and said she will be meeting with maritime and bridge experts to make sure the Commonwealth is following the proper protocols.
During an appearance on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio” on Tuesday, Healey said she was supposed to meet Tuesday morning with Moore, who was in town to be honored with the Edward M. Kennedy Institute Award for Inspired Leadership but had to fly back “in the middle of the night” to attend to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.
“I’ve been in touch with him, I’ve offered him our spport as a state to Maryland and Baltimore. My thoughts are with all of the victims and survivors — all those affected by the tragedy,” she said.
Healey also praised first responders, who continue to search the river for survivors.
The tragedy occurred early Tuesday morning when a container shop lost power and rammed into the bridge, causing it to snap and plunge into the river below. Several vehicle sfll into the water, and rescuers are still searching for survivors.
Healey said Massachusetts continues to regularly inspect its bridges, highlighting that the Tobin Bridge was inspected as recently as a couple of months ago. She also noted that Massachusetts does not have the same level of cargo traffic as the Port of Baltimore.
“We used to, but much of that has changed,” she said.
Still, Healey said Massachusetts “needs to be proactive,” in ensuring the safety of local ports and bridges and explained that after her radio interview she would be meeting with representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the Massachusetts Port Authority and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in the wake of the Baltimore bridge tragedy.
“I want to make sure we’re having the conversation to make sure all of our protocols are where they need to be and we are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of our ports and bridges,” she said.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu also commented on the Baltimore bridge tragedy at an event Tuesday, calling it “unthinkable.” She said she called Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott in the aftermath of the incident to express her support.
“I know they are managing through a lot right now,” Wu said. “We just continue to send our well wishes and prayers that more of the people who have been impacted by this can be healed and can be recovered.”
She added that while Boston has a lot of shipping coming in and out as a coastal city, “it is all subject to pretty stringent regulations to avoid exactly this kind of situation.”
“We are always hoping that we don’t need to deploy the kinds of training and preparation that our first responders are prepared to deploy, but we are always ready for anything, although we continue to work so that we can have policies in place so that we don’t ever have to have that situation happen.”
More on the Baltimore bridge tragedy