A man has died after a house fire in East Brookfield, Massachusetts, early Thursday morning.
Emergency crews first responded to the home on West Main Street around 3:35 a.m. after receiving 911 calls that fire was coming through the roof, acco…
Massachusetts
Several Massachusetts Stop & Shop stores closing Thursday
After Thursday, hundreds of Stop & Shop customers will have to find a brand new place to get their groceries. The supermarket chain is closing several stores in Massachusetts.
This will impact a number of communities. Seven stores in all are closing Thursday in Massachusetts, including the following locations:
- 932 North Montello St., Brockton
- 36 New State Highway, Raynham
- 341 Plymouth St., Halifax
- 539-571 Boston Turnpike, Shrewsbury
- 415 Cooley St., Springfield
- 545 Lincoln St. Worcester
- 24 Mattakeesett St., Pembroke
That’s on top of the store on Needham Street in Newton that already closed in August.
Over the summer, the Quincy-based chain announced it would close underperforming stores. It’s part of a broader shift by Stop & Shop’s parent company to focus on improving performance and lowering costs.
Workers at the impacted stores will be offered jobs at other locations.
In a statement, the president of Stop & Shop said, “We remain committed to nourishing our associates, customers and communities.”
In all, 32 stores are shutting down across the Northeaster, including stores in Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Boston hotel workers expected to sign new deal Thursday
Hotel workers in Boston are expected to vote on a new contract on Thursday.
About 765 union workers have been on strike for 24 days. On Tuesday, officials from UNITE HERE Local 26, which represents Hilton hotel workers in Boston, said they had reached a tentative agreement with the company.
The union did not immediately share specific details of the Hilton workers’ agreement.
If all goes as planned and the contract is ratified, employees will go back to work at 4 a.m. Friday.
Union workers at Omni hotels in Boston also reached a deal to end their strike, unanimously ratifying it last Sunday.
Officials investigating crash between SUV and Commuter Rail train in Kingston
Officials are investigating a crash between an SUV and an MBTA Commuter Rail train in Kingston, Massachusetts, on Wednesday night.
The crash happened around 9 p.m. on Summer Street, and video from the scene showed the front of the SUV sustained major front end damage.
It’s unclear if anyone was hurt of what led up to the crash.
New Boston archbishop being installed Thursday
For the first time in more than 20 years, Boston is saying goodbye to the longtime leader of the Catholic community and welcoming in a new archbishop. A fellow New Englander will take over the reins of the Archdiocese of Boston.
A special mass will be held Thursday to officially name the Most Reverend Richard Henning as the newest Archbishop of Boston.
“My job is I belong to them. I belong to the people of the Archdiocese,” Henning said. “I’m yours and you are mine. I want to love you, know you and serve you.”
Henning led a prayer service on Wednesday night at St. Anthony of Padua in Revere, Massachusetts. Over 1,000 people came out to meet the new head of the Boston Archdiocese.
The former bishop of Providence, Rhode Island, was chosen to replace Cardinal Sean O’Malley, who announced his retirement over the summer.
O’Malley was also on hand for Wednesday night’s prayer service. Henning delivered the service in Spanish, recognizing the diverse population in the diocese.
Henning will be formally installed at the 10th bishop and seventh archbishop of Boston. That mass will take place at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston’s South End.
Brush fires still burning across Massachusetts
Rising temperatures are increasing the risk of brush fires all across Massachusetts.
Firefighters on the North Shore continue to work the hot spots there. Wednesday’s rain was not enough to eliminate the elevated fire risk, especially with the warmer than normal forecast
The fires are forcing people in a number of communities to make adjustments.
“My windows have been closed. I have not opened any windows just because of the smell,” one resident said.
“It’s been hectic, worries every night,” another resident said. “You don’t know if it’s gonna reach your house or not. The smoke’s been terrible. You have to keep kids inside.”
Fire crews are bracing for the next couple days, with the potential for 80 degree temperatures and stong winds.
