A man wanted for murder after a deadly shooting in Fall River, Massachusetts, was arrested in Connecticut on Thursday, authorities said.
Lee George-Maldonado, 28, of Puerto Rico, is accused in the death of 44-year-old Juan Castro, who was shot dead…
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Boston Public Schools announces next steps in plan for closures
Boston Public Schools has proposed consolidating two schools and closing a middle school as part of its next steps to implement a long-term facilities plan that will increase access to high-quality education.
Superintendent Mary Skipper shared a se…
‘We know they’re here’: White sharks are back off Cape Cod, experts say
White sharks are back in the waters of Massachusetts, researchers say, just in time for Memorial Day weekend.
Bites recently spotted on a dead whale near Chatham, on Cape Cod, and a living seal off Plymouth indicate that white sharks — the apex predator commonly referred to as great white sharks — have returned for the summer, according to the New England Aquarium.
“Although we haven’t seen a white shark just yet this season, we know they’re here. With beach weather in the forecast and Memorial Day Weekend approaching, this is a good reminder for people to review shark safety guidelines and be shark smart,” researcher John Chisholm said in a statement.
The sharks have regularly come to the Cape, following the migration of seals, one of their preferred foods. In fact, research published last year found that Cape Cod is one of the world’s white shark hot spots.
MBTA may let riders pay by tapping phones or credit cards by this summer
MBTA officials expect a new fare collection system to launch this summer allowing subway and bus riders to pay by tapping a contactless credit card or mobile wallet on a smartphone, like Apple Pay, instead of the traditional CharlieCards and paper tickets.
The start of contactless payment — a feature in place in other major transit systems, including New York City’s subway — would mark a milestone in a delayed project to modernize fare collection at the T.
“It is going to be state of the art. It’s something that our customers want and they’ll be able to feel,” MBTA Acting Chief Administrative Officer Jeff Cook told a subcommittee Thursday. “It will be something that will be able to be expanded on.”
A timeline presented Thursday calls for the tap-through option to become available in the summer on subway fare gates, buses and above-ground Green Line trolleys. A new CharlieCard plus a mobile app and upgraded fare vending machines are set to launch in spring 2025, and the contactless payment will then expand to commuter rail trains and ferries in spring 2026.
MBTA officials will seek approval Thursday for a change order with Cubic and John Laing, that expedites the project contractor’s launch of the credit- and phone-payment feature while delaying the deadline for the entire project to be completed from August 2025 to June 2027.
The change would also trim $41 million off the total price of the contract, from $967 million to $926 million, Cook said. The updated contract will go before the full MBTA Board of Directors later Thursday morning for approval.
Boston Calling 2024: What to know before you go to the music festival
Get ready for an epic weekend in Boston.
Boston Calling music festival is here. The 3-day, 4-stage, outdoor festival along the Charles River features some of the biggest names in music, including superstar Ed Sheeran, rockers The Killers and rapper Megan Thee Stallion.
Hozier, Phish’s Trey Anastasio, Leon Bridgess and Tyler Childers are also among the acts set to play at the festival at the Harvard Athletic Complex this Memorial Day weekend.
There will be more than 30 local food vendors and a 100-foot Ferris wheel, too, so there’s something for everyone.
Here are some things you should know if you’re planning to attend New England’s biggest music festival.
Where and when is it?
Boston Calling takes place on May 24-26, 2024, at Harvard Athletic Complex with the entrance at 65 North Harvard St, Boston.
How can I get there? What about parking?
There’s lots of ways to get to Boston Calling safely, however, there is no parking available on site.
🚃 Subway: Take the Red Line to the Harvard Square station. From there it’s an easy 10 minute walk to the main entrance..
🚶♀️🚶 Walking: The festival site is a 10-minute walk from Harvard Square, down JFK St. and over the Charles River. The main entrance is located at Gate 1 on North Harvard St.
🚗 Rideshare: You can get dropped close to main entrance, just tell them to head to Harvard Stadium in Allston. At the end of the night, follow signs to the dedicated rideshare pickup lot.
Keep in mind, the festival is located in a busy neighborhood, so organizers ask everyone to be respectful of the area.
Tickets and entry info
🎟 The Festival Box Office is located at the Main Entrance at Harvard Athletic Complex – 65 N. Harvard St, Boston. This is where you can find will call, wristband assistance, wristband replacement, and purchase tickets (if any are available). A government-issued ID is required to verify your order and pick up tickets.
Looking for more info on your Premium ticket? Premium Area Guides are here (GA+, VIP, and Platinum)
💳 Once you activate your wristband, organizers suggest you register for Cashless at Boston Calling presented by Chase – it’s the easy way to purchase festival food, merch, and more with a tap of a wrist.
👜 Official Bag Policy: All bags will be searched before entry. Small clutch purses and fanny packs that are 6” x 9” or smaller do not need to be clear but can have no more than one pocket. All other bags must be fully clear and made up of clear plastic, vinyl, or pvc, and be no larger than 12″ x 6” x 12″ only. Bags will be restricted to small purses, totes and drawstring bags only. Backpacks and bags with multiple pockets are prohibited.
💦 Stay Hydrated: Bring a reusable water bottle to refill at free hydration stations all weekend long.
Hydration packs are allowed and do not need to be clear but must be emptied of all liquid and have no more than two pockets in addition to the one holding the water reservoir.
To speed up entry, leave your bag at home and get familiar with our allowed and prohibited items.
Keep your personal belongings protected and your phone charged by reserving your own locker. You can enjoy all-day access to your locker and cell phone charging stations thanks to Allianz Ticket Protection.
Who is playing?
Superstar Ed Sheeran, rockers The Killers and rapper Megan Thee Stallion all set to play, as is Hozier, Phish’s Trey Anastasio, Leon Bridgess and Tyler Childers.
Check out the full lineup below.
What is the food lineup?
“Come for the killer music, stay for the killer eats,” Boston Calling says.
There will be something for every taste — Blackbird Doughnuts and Sally’s Sandwiches, Chicken & Rice Guys, Roxy’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese, Tasty Burger, El Jefe’s Taqueria and more.
Official festival app and map
Download the official festival app to stay up to date with festival updates and performance notifications.
Click here to download on iOS, or here to download on Google Play.
Before arriving, be sure to check out our Official 2024 Map to get familiar with the festival grounds.
Can I still buy tickets?
Do you still need festival tickets? Limited 1-Day and 3-Day tickets remain (Sunday general admission tickets are sold out). Click here to buy.
Weather forecast
The weather is looking great this weekend, in the high 70s and low 80s with the sun shining.
Questions?
Check out the Help Center for everything you need to know about Boston Calling.
Connect with other concertgoers
Chat with fellow Boston Calling Fans, exchange tips and tricks and plan your weekend together in The Festiverse on Discord.
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New Trader Joe’s opens in Boston’s Back Bay
A new Trader Joe’s opened in Boston’s Back Bay on Thursday morning.
The new store, located at 500 Boylston Street, opened at 9 a.m. following a ceremonial ribbon cutting.
The 11,486-square-foot store is located in Copley Square. Hiring efforts for the new story are still underway and anyone interested in applying can visit traderjoes.com/careers.
Images shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, showed a long line outside the new store ahead of its opening. A large crowd of shoppers were also inside the store.
According to Boston.com, the store is quite a bit larger than other Trader Joe’s stores in the area. It also differs from other local Trader Joe’s stores in that it has a liquor license. The Allston Trader Joe’s is the only other Boston store that sells alcohol.
The Back Bay location is one of 21 Trader Joe’s locations in Massachusetts. The others are located in Acton, Allston, Arlington, Back Bay, Boston’s Seaport, Burlington, Cambridge, Foxborough, Framingham, Hadley, Handover, Hingham, Hyannis, Needham, Peabody, Saugus, Shrewsbury, Somerville and West Newton.
The new Copley Square store is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.
