Senate in Massachusetts passes bill curtailing use of plastics including bags, straws

BOSTON (AP) — The state Senate in Massachusetts has passed a wide-ranging bill curtailing the use of plastics, including barring the purchase of single-use plastic bottles by state agencies. The bill, approved Thursday, also bans carry-out plastic bags at retailers statewide and...

2 men convicted in 2021 armed standoff on Massachusetts highway

BOSTON (AP) — Two men have been convicted for their role in an armed standoff on a busy Massachusetts highway in 2021 that lasted more than eight hours and caused traffic delays during a busy Fourth of July weekend. Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan announced Friday that...

On wealthy Martha's Vineyard, costly housing is forcing workers out and threatening public safety

VINEYARD HAVEN, Mass. (AP) — Sheryl Taylor works as an administrator for Martha's Vineyard Regional High School. Each summer, she has to leave the island or stay with friends because she can't afford the high seasonal rents. How high? The average vacation home rents for $6,500 a...

Editorial Roundup: New England

Portland Press Herald. June 16, 2024. Editorial: Abortion ruling allows Maine to stay the course – for now The Mills administration’s consistent, proactive work on abortion access is still as important On Thursday, in the U.S. Supreme Court’s...

Minivan carrying more than a dozen puppies crashes in Connecticut. Most are OK

WOODSTOCK, Conn. (AP) — A minivan carrying 14 puppies hit a utility pole and rolled over in Connecticut on Thursday morning, injuring several dogs, authorities said. Dogs of several breeds were in crates in the back of the minivan when it crashed at about 6 a.m. in Woodstock, a...

Firewall to deter cyberattacks is blamed for Massachusetts 911 outage

BOSTON (AP) — A firewall designed to prevent cyberattacks and hacking was to blame for the 911 outage that hit Massachusetts this week, state officials said Wednesday. Massachusetts' 911 system was down for about two hours Tuesday, making it impossible for anyone to reach emergency...

In 'Janet Planet,' playwright Annie Baker explores a new dramatic world

NEW YORK (AP) — The Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker has been hailed as one of the preeminent voices of her generation, but the movies have long lingered in her mind and in her work. In her play, “The Flick,” a trio of workers clean up between showings at a...

The 911 system across Massachusetts is restored after going down for hours

BOSTON (AP) — The 911 system across Massachusetts was restored Tuesday after going down for several hours, which made it impossible for anyone to reach emergency services through the call number. The Massachusetts State Police announced around 3:45 p.m. that the system had been...

Massachusetts authorities say emergency 911 service is disrupted statewide

15-year-old girl shot to death hours before her middle school graduation, authorities say

LOWELL, Mass. (AP) — A 21-year-old man has been arrested and charged with fatally shooting a 15-year-old girl hours before she was scheduled to attend her middle school graduation in Massachusetts, authorities said. Not guilty pleas were entered in court Tuesday on behalf of...