PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Over the next week and a half, millions of Americans will be hitting the road for the Fourth of July.

AAA predicts that nearly 71 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home.

“With summer vacations in full swing and the flexibility of remote work, more Americans are taking extended trips around Independence Day,” AAA Travel Senior Vice President Paula Twidale said.

Gas prices are slightly lower, with regular currently averaging $3.44 per gallon, compared to $3.53 at this time last year.

See the best times to travel, and more, at wpri.com. 

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The McKee administration on Friday picked Aetna Bridge Co. to demolish the westbound Washington Bridge, choosing the company over a rival bidder that had also sought the job.

Aetna estimated the cost of the demolition job at $45.8 million, which is significantly higher than the R.I. Department of Transportation’s prior estimate. The other bidder was Manafort Brothers Inc., which bid $43.8 million.

RIDOT spokesperson Liz Pettengill said the agency had budgeted $31 million to cover the construction portion of the demolition project, including $3 million of incentives if the work is finished early.

Learn more at wpri.com.

FALL RIVER — Now that it's looking like the $294 million Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School project could cost Fall River taxpayers approximately $6.5 million annually for their major portion to pay back the construction bond, a proposed ballot question could give voters a choice on how those payments would be made. 

The proposed ballot question is before the City Council who sent the matter this week for debate to the full-member Committee on Finance to decide whether to request the Secretary of State to place it on the November ballot. 

The proposed question asks whether the city should pay the annual bond payments through a debt exclusion.

Mayor Paul Coogan said the proposed ballot question would not hamper the Diman project, nor change the city’s obligation to fund Fall River's portion of its students to attend the vocational school.

Read more from Jo C. Goode at heraldnews.com.

There will be no verdict this week in the trial of a Mansfield woman accused of killing her Boston police officer boyfriend, 46-year-old Braintree native John O'Keefe, with her SUV outside a Canton home in January 2022.

A few hours after the jury reported that they were deadlocked in the murder trial of Karen Read, Judge Beverly Cannone sent them home for the weekend. Deliberations will resume on Monday.

Earlier on Friday afternoon, after reading a note from the jury and hearing from lawyers on both sides, Cannone ordered the jurors to continue deliberating.

"A case that has been .... it's been a long case," said Cannone said. "This note arrived with less than three hours of deliberation ... I am not prepared to say there was due and through deliberations."

The jury continued deliberations until 4:15 p.m. Friday and then were dismissed for the weekend.

Cannone told the jury to use the weekend to clear their heads, to not think about or do additional research on the case. Jury deliberations will continue starting at 9 a.m. Monday.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

Massachusetts is reaching an agreement with ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft over allegations they violated state wage and hour laws. 

The agreement requires that drivers be paid a minimum of 32-dollars and 50-cents an hour and be provided with a suite of benefits and job protections. 

Uber and Lyft will also pay 175-million-dollars to the state, most of which will be distributed to current and former drivers. 

Governor Maura Healy says the lawsuit was always about fairness for drivers, and the settlement will make sure they receive a fair wage.

Today is day four of jury deliberations at the Karen Read murder trial in Dedham. 

Jurors deliberated for a few hours on Tuesday and full days Wednesday and yesterday without reaching a verdict. 

Read is accused of killing her Boston cop boyfriend John O'Keefe by backing into him with her SUV and leaving him in a snowstorm. 

The defense says O'Keefe was killed inside the Canton home where Read dropped him off, and she's being framed by corrupt law enforcement.

WPRI) — The National Weather Service (NWS) will once again be surveying storm damage on Friday, but this time in Seekonk and Rehoboth.

The NWS confirmed that an EF-1 tornado touched down at 11:23 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Breakneck Hill Road in Lincoln. It had a maximum width of about 100 yards and winds of up to 100 mph.

It traveled more than four miles through Cumberland before it lifted around 11:30 p.m. near Cushman Road in North Attleboro.

Bryce Williams, a meteorologist with NWS, told 12 News that when surveying an area they first look at the radar data to see what kind of wind rotation took place, then they look at how the trees fell.

If the trees are laying in the same direction, Williams said it often tells the crew they are looking at straight-line wind damage, like from a microburst. But, if the trees are laid in all different directions or in a circular pattern, that often signifies a tornado.

Williams said the NWS got dozens of damage reports, and while the events may surprise some, they are not out of the norm.

See more at heraldnews.com.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Two Massachusetts men are in federal custody after they were allegedly involved in a murder-for-hire conspiracy.

Elijah Melton, 26, of Taunton, and Kareem Pires, 25 of Wareham, are accused of trying to pay someone to kill a witness in a drug case against Melton, as well as two federal prosecutors, U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha announced Thursday.

Cunha said the case dates back to when Melton was arrested on fentanyl distribution charges in December 2023. A cooperating witness told federal investigators that Melton had offered to pay him $75,000 to murder someone believed to be cooperating with the drug case, but he refused the money.

Read more at wpri.com.

Authorities on Tuesday recovered a missing child from Fall River, Massachusetts, in Etowah County, Alabama and arrested his mother, according to a news release from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA).

Genezza Packett, 22, and her 1-year-son were in a vehicle that was stopped about 10:15 a.m. on Interstate 59 near Attalla, Alabama.

According to the release, ALEA received a law enforcement bulletin about the case from the Fall River Police Department on June 21.

The bulletin indicated that Packett's aunt had custody of the child, and Packett was visiting him. She told her aunt she was taking him to Dunkin' Donuts, but they never returned.

Authorities surmised they were traveling toward Mississippi. ALEA's Fusion Center, which aggregates information from federal, state and local government, private sector entities and the intelligence community, relayed that information to state troopers, who ultimately located and stopped the vehicle.

Packett faces pending criminal charges in Fall River.

Read news at heraldnews.com.

NEWPORT, R.I. (WPRI) — The 2024 U.S. Senior Open is giving local golf fans an experience that doesn’t come around often.

The best senior players will be in Newport this weekend to play in the second-oldest major on the senior tour calendar.

This major championship will feature a field of 156 of the world’s best professional and amateur senior golfers.

Where and when is it being played?

At Newport Country Club from Thursday, June 27, through Sunday, June 30. The first and second rounds tee off at 7 a.m. Thursday at holes 1 and 10, with the last groups scheduled to start at 2:36 p.m.

Read more at wpri.com.

There will be a meeting Saturday at 10 a.m. at the high school library to discuss the Tiverton School budget, including the possibility of closing Fort Barton Elementary School to balance the budget. 

Superintendent Peter Sanchioni confirmed this week that 33 layoff notices have been sent to staff this spring. He said he hopes that some of the personnel are recalled, pending the results of Saturday’s School Committee meeting. 

In March, Sanchioni held a budget forum with the public and said – at that time – that there was a budget gap of close to $5 million. 

The School Committee asked for a 4% increase from this school year’s budget request from the town but the Town Council agreed to a 2% increase, in line with what other town departments are getting for fiscal 2025, which begins July 1.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

FALL RIVER — A prominent city priest currently on leave pending a Diocese of Fall River investigation into “sexual misconduct” has also been accused of sexual assault by at least one other person, and there may be others, an attorney for the alleged victim said. 

Attorney Mitchell Garabedian, who has represented multiple victims of clergy sexual abuse, claimed that in 2013 the Rev. Jay Mello sexually abused a 28-year-old man. 

"He trusted Father Mello, and Father Mello took advantage of him sexually,” said Garabedian via teleconference at a press conference held outside the headquarters of the Diocese of Fall River on Highland Avenue. “There was no consent in this sexual relationship. It was a violent incident ... and my client fled.” 

Read more at heraldnews.com.

Homeless and migrant families will arrive in Norfolk, Massachusetts, this week at the former Bay State Correctional Facility.

It’s unclear when people will arrive, but according to state officials, the overflow shelter can house up to 450 people.

The state says it has a temporary permit to operate the former correctional facility for six months and that could be renewed for another six months, but it will not go beyond 12 months.

Read more at wpri.com.

The hydrangeas are in full bloom and gardeners across New England are rejoicing.

You've almost certainly heard the name before, especially if you live remotely in the vicinity of a garden. Hydrangeas are the colorful round flowers that are often the mainstay of many gardeners' floral arsenal.

Coming in a variety of colors including blue, green, pink, purple, red and white, the popular perennials are particularly vivid this summer.

"This year is going to be a fantastic hydrangea year," said C.L. Fornari, a Cape Cod gardening expert.

Plants form flower buds for the next year in mid to late summer, so rain throughout the year is essential. Regular rain throughout last summer and fall, followed by a mild winter "has produced an astounding amount of hydrangeas because the buds made it all through the year," said Fornari, founder of the Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

The annual Feast of Santo Christo Parish will be back June 29 and 30 to nourish your body and soul.

Portuguese food and live music will be showcased throughout the weekend in the church’s parking lot on Columbia Street, and religious processions will be taking to the streets on both days.

On Saturday, a solemn Mass will be celebrated at 6 p.m., presided by the Most Rev. Cristiano Barbosa, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston, and concelebrated by the Very Rev. Jeffrey Cabral, Pastor of Santo Christo Parish, and other priests.

After the Mass, the Grand Procession of Promises will take place along Canal, Ferry, Mulberry, William, and Grant Streets, before returning to the church for closing prayers.

Starting at 8:30 p.m. there will be an arraial a? portuguesa, a Portuguese-style street celebration, with food booths and live entertainment provided by Tony Borges and the Euro band.

On Sunday, there will be an English Mass at 9:30 a.m., and Portuguese Mass at 11 a.m.

The Solemn Procession will start at 4 p.m., with the participation of clergy members, ministries of the parish, civil dignitaries, business leaders and representatives from cultural, civic, and sporting organizations.

Learn more at heraldnews.com.

A new report indicates that Boston has the fourth worst traffic in the U.S., and the eighth worst in the world. 

The report from global transportation data company INRIX indicates that the average Boston driver lost 88 hours in traffic in 2023.  That represents an increase of 14 percent from 2022 levels. 

The report indicates that New York City has the world's worst traffic, followed by Mexico City, London, Paris and Chicago.

Hundreds of pink clad supporters of Karen Read are expected outside the courthouse in Dedham today as deliberations continue in her trial. 

An estimated 250 people were near the court yesterday as closing arguments were delivered in the controversial murder trial. 

Read is accused of killing her Boston cop boyfriend John O'Keefe by backing into him with her SUV while drunk in 2022 and leaving him in the snow. 

Read claims she dropped O'Keefe off at the home of another Boston cop where he was killed, and that she's being framed by corrupt law enforcement officers.  

The International Tennis Hall of Fame will undergo a multimillion-dollar museum transformation project.

Officials say the renovations on the historic property in Newport will allow fans to have a more interactive and modern experience with new features and spaces to celebrate legends and support the sport's growth.

This will be the first museum renovation the Hall of Fame has undertaken since 2015.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island is one step closer to demolishing the westbound Washington Bridge.

Companies looking to win the estimated $40.5 million contract for the demolition job had to submit their bids by noon Monday, and a state portal shows two firms did so: Aetna Bridge Co. and Manafort Brothers Inc.

Aetna had already been working on the reconstruction of the bridge as part of a joint venture with another firm, Barletta Heavy Division, before that project was abruptly halted due to structural problems with the span discovered last December.

No further details about the two companies’ bids are available yet, including whether their cost projections are in line with the R.I. Department of Transportation’s $40.5 million estimate.

RIDOT is seeking to move quickly on the demolition effort. The agency plans to award a tentative contract to one of the companies by Friday, with the project expected to start as soon as next month.

The westbound bridge is supposed to be fully demolished by next March. The eastbound bridge, a separate and newer structure, is currently carrying traffic in both directions.

From wpri.com.

BOSTON ? Taking a proactive step in light of an anticipated Supreme Court ruling in two cases involving emergency abortion care, Massachusetts Gov. Maura T. Healey Monday issued an executive order that she said established the state as a "beacon" for reproductive rights.

Flanked by representatives from the health care industry, insurance providers, legislators, state health-related agencies and advocates, Healey said that women in Massachusetts and those traveling to the state will “always have access to emergency life-saving care,” including abortion care.

In essence, the order puts the state’s insurance industry, emergency medical providers, health care providers and state agencies on notice that such emergency medical treatment is available on demand.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

FALL RIVER — The city’s new director of Veterans’ Services, Talos “Doc” Farris, knows firsthand how the horrors of battle can affect servicemembers mentally and physically. 

Farris knows, because after serving 15 years as a Navy hospital corpsman — on the battlefield for a good portion of his service with the Marine Corps in Iraq — the 44-year-old Atlanta native found himself fighting his own personal demons.

He got out of the military in 2013 after seeing the toll of war and tending to the dead and dying on the desert battlefield. Farris, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, said he isolated himself from his family and “pulled away from society,” at one point finding himself homeless down south.

Faris is taking over for former veterans’ agent Michelle Hamilton, who left for a similar job in another community. 

His appointment is on Tuesday’s City Council agenda.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

DEDHAM − Prosecutors say Karen Read was drunk and angry when she purposely hit her Boston police officer boyfriend, 46-year-old Braintree native John O'Keefe, with her SUV outside a Canton home in January 2022.

But defense attorneys for Read say she was framed for O'Keefe's death.

The two sides are scheduled to make their closing arguments Tuesday in the trial of Read, who was charged with second-degree murder after O'Keefe's body was found in the driveway outside the Canton home of a fellow Boston police officer on Jan. 29, 2022.

The case has drawn national attention as her defense claims it was a cover-up by law enforcement and that others involved framed Read for O'Keefe's death.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

NEWPORT, R.I. (WPRI) — The search picked back up Monday morning in Newport for the swimmer who went missing off the coast of Ocean Drive.

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) said a man in his 20s went into the water around 5 p.m. Sunday in the 12 O’Clock High area.

The popular spot — located off Ocean Avenue on the north end of the Brenton Point shoreline near Castle Hill Inn — is a rocky area where people tend to jump off the rocks into the water.

Locals describe the area as being very dangerous if you are not familiar with the landscape.

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) — After being canceled for the first time in 31 years following a threat over overflow sewage into the New Bedford Harbor due to recent heavy rainfall, organizers say the annual Buzzards Bay Swim will not be rescheduled.

Representatives with the Buzzards Bay Coalition say they did not have time to test the bacteria levels in the water before the swim, and that canceling the event was the best way to ensure the health and safety of those involved.

“To have bacteria contamination from a sewer overflow be the reason why the swimmers could not celebrate their accomplishments was really disappointing,” said Korrin Petersen, Vice President of Clean Water Advocacy of the Buzzards Bay Coalition.

Over three hundred swimmers worked to raise $200,000 for the annual open water swim that starts in New Bedford and ends in Fairhaven.

Read more at wpri.com.

DARTMOUTH, Mass. (WPRI) — Dartmouth Police said they are investigating a stabbing that happened outside the Dartmouth Mall on Sunday afternoon.

Authorities responded to the scene at the mall’s parking lot around 2:50 p.m., where police said they saw a person who had non-life-threatening stab wounds.

The victim, a minor, was brought to a nearby hospital.

Police said they also have the suspect, also a minor, in custody.

FALL RIVER — The Diocese of Fall River announced Friday it has launched an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct by the Rev. Jay Mello, pastor of St. Michael’s Church on Essex Street and St. Joseph’s Church on North Main Street. 

Mello is also pastor of St. Michael’s School, a pre-kindergarten to Grade 8 Catholic school on Essex Street, and serves on the School Committee for the Greater Fall River Vocational School District. He serves as chaplain for the Fall River Police Department. 

According to a letter written by Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha to members of his parishes, parents of students at the school and local clergy, “It is important to note that there are no allegations of inappropriate conduct with minors.”  

Da Cunha added that Mello has denied the allegations.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

 Monday marks two years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which unraveled the constitutional right to an abortion. 

In an interview with ABC's "This Week," Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren warned about the impact a second Trump presidency would have on reproductive rights.  She claimed GOP lawmakers will try to restrict access to abortion, contraception, and in vitro fertilization in every single state. 

Warren added Democrats will try and add protections to all three if they win both chambers of Congress and the White House in November.

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) — The Buzzards Bay Swim has been canceled due to the threat of sewer overflowing into the New Bedford Harbor, organizers announced Friday night.

The annual open water swim, which starts in New Bedford and ends in Fairhaven, had been scheduled for Saturday morning.

The Buzzards Bay Coalition opted to cancel the swim due to the risk of sewer overflow, which would result in poor water quality and unsafe swimming conditions.

Read more at wpri.com.

A Barnstable Superior Court jury found Mark Hession, the former Cape Cod priest accused of rape, not guilty Friday on two counts of rape alleged to have occurred between 2005 and 2008.

The jury deadlocked, however, on one count of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, alleged to have taken place in 2002.

Judge Mark C. Gildea declared a mistrial on the charge of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, saying the jury was “hopelessly deadlocked.” A status hearing on the indictment will be held Aug. 19 in Barnstable Superior Court.

Outside the courthouse following the verdict, Hession and his defense team, attorneys Frank C. Corso and Paolo G. Corso, and said they had no comment on the verdict.

“We believed in our case,” said Cape and Islands District Attorney Rob Galibois following the verdict. “I want to recognize the victim’s courage to come into court to testify, and we respect the jurors’ verdict.”

Following closing statements made by the defense and prosecution June 14, court was adjourned over the weekend without the jury reaching a verdict. They were then instructed by Gildea to return to court Monday morning at 10:30 a.m. to continue deliberations.

In total, the jury deliberated for five days.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

FALL RIVER — The owner of the sports bar, Mickey Doyle’s, received a hefty liquor license suspension by the Fall River Board of Licensing on Tuesday in connection to a shooting on June 4 that left a 33-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his leg. 

Mickey Doyle’s owner Brian Andree did not attend Tuesday’s hearing, but that didn’t stop the board from ordering the establishment shuttered effective immediately and remain closed until the end of December. 

Police responded to calls of multiple gunshots around 12:30 a.m. at the strip mall where Mickey Doyle’s is located.

According to a presentation to the board by Fall River Police Sgt. David Gouveia, the victim was fleeing from a vehicle where the occupants were shooting at him.  

When police arrived, the victim and the suspect vehicle were gone, but officers found multiple spent shell casings, bullets lodged in the walls of adjoining businesses and a trail of blood from America Street to the rear door of the bar.

Read more from Jo C. Goode at heraldnews.com.

A bill imposing a ban on single-use plastic shopping bags statewide is headed to the House,  The "Act to Reduce Plastics" was passed by the Senate. 

The bill also requires stores to charge a dime for paper bags with half the fee going to environmental protection efforts. 

One-hundred-60 communities in Massachusetts already ban single-use plastic bags.

The Massachusetts unemployment rate is up a tenth of a point for May to three-percent. 

However, over the year, the Office of Labor and Workforce Development noted the seasonally adjusted jobless rate was down three-tenths of a percent. 

The national unemployment rate last month was four-percent.

A recent SmartAsset study reveals what a family of four needs to earn to cover necessities in each US state.

A family of four needs to earn at least 106-thousand dollars a year to cover their necessities in most U.S. states according to Smart Asset data. 

The findings are based on estimated costs for things like housing, taxes, and child care. 

The most expensive state is Massachusetts, where you'll need 150-thousand dollars a year for a family of four; while 88-thousand is what you'll need in Mississippi, which least expensive state. 

Meanwhile, basic expenses in all states exceeds what most U.S. households typically earn, estimated to be roughly 78-thousand dollars a year.

The defense will likely begin their case later today in the Karen Read murder trial in Dedham Superior Court. 

Read defense attorney David Yannetti says they expect to finish their case by next Wednesday, with jury deliberations possible by the end of the week. 

Read is accused of hitting her Boston cop boyfriend with her SUV in 2022 and leaving him to die in a snowstorm. 

Read claims she was framed by corrupt cops, and O'Keefe was killed after she dropped him off at another cop's Canton home.

The free ride from SRTA isn't over yet. 

Last year, thanks to a grant from the Department of Transportation, the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority made its fixed route and on-demand service free at the point-of-service from Jan. 1 to June 30. 

That Try Transit program has been extended until Aug. 31.  

That means you don't need any passes or cards or cash when taking the bus — just hop on and off. The program is designed to tempt new customers who normally drive to save gas by commuting, shopping, doing errands and getting around the region via bus, and to give a financial break to people who already rely on public transportation.

Read more from Dan Medeiros at heraldnews.com.

Thrillist referred to it as the "Taj Mahal of bounce houses."

Time Out stated, "If you think this is your run-of-the-mill bouncy castle, you are sadly mistaken."

And now, The Big Bounce America - known as "the world's biggest bounce house" - is coming to Seekonk, Massachusetts in June.

But if you miss the June date, don't worry - it will be in Wrentham, Massachusetts from July 5-7.

And if you think you've ever seen a huge bouncy house, think again, because The Big Bounce America is like no other.

It will be in Seekonk from June 22-30, running from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. on the days in question.

Learn more at heraldnews.com.

FALL RIVER — The city is gearing up to install a mural inside a major, hazardous street intersection — on the pavement itself — and has posted a survey seeking ideas for a subject. 

It’s not only a way to enliven the intersection of South Main Street and Bradford Avenue. It’s also a chance to gauge if people think driving and walking through there is safe.

Last year, the city and the Fall River Arts and Culture Coalition won a $25,000 grant from the Bloomberg Philanthropies to create the mural.

Fall River was one of 25 communities in North America given money as part of its Asphalt Art Initiative last year. The program’s goal is to beautify public space and improve street and pedestrian safety.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

Miss Fall River Lily Jeswald will be competing for the Miss Massachusetts 2024 title on Friday, June 21.

Jeswald, 24, who was Miss Taunton 2023, will be vying for the crown at the 2024 Miss Massachusetts Scholarship Competition at The Hanover Theatre, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester.

And she will be doing so as part of a special cause, one that she’s been an advocate for since her childhood:

“I would be honored to become the first Miss Massachusetts with type one diabetes who not only promotes her community service initiative, but lives it every second of every day,” Jeswald said in an email to The Herald News.

Her community service initiative is “Type 1 Diabetes and Me: Generation Z.”

Read more at heraldnews.com.

The prosecution could rest its case as early as today in the murder trial of Karen Read. 

The financial advisor is accused by prosecutors of hitting her Boston cop boyfriend John O'Keefe with her SUV in Canton and leaving him to die in a snowstorm. 

Read argues that she dropped O'Keefe off at the home of another Boston cop that night in 2022, and that he was killed there and dumped on the lawn. 

The defense is expected to begin its case on Monday, and claim Read is being framed by corrupt law enforcement officers.

An investigation is underway after a man was shot in Fall River Wednesday night.

Police said the victim, a 21-year-old man, was shot in the leg near the playground on Wamsutta Street.

The man was brought to the hospital and is expected to survive, according to police.

No arrests have been made.

See more at wpri.com.

One male has died as a result of a boating incident on the Taunton River Wednesday morning, according to Fall River Police Department spokesperson Moses Pereira.

At approximately 6:40 a,m. FRPD received a report of two individuals in distress in the Taunton River.  The Harbormaster's Assistant responded along with several police, fire and EMS units and the Massachusetts Environmental Police.

According to the police press release, "the two brothers had gone fishing in the Taunton River when their propeller got caught in a rope. While attempting to free the propeller, the vessel began taking on water. At some point, both men ended up in the water. One of the men was able to take hold of a flotation device, while the other was unable to stay afloat.

First responders were able to remove him from the water and he was subsequently transported to Saint Anne's Hospital where died from his injuries. 

The matter remains under investigation by the Major Crimes Division and the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit.

From heraldnews.com.

Today is Juneteenth, the federal holiday recognizing the end of slavery in the U.S. in 1865. 

Banks, courts, post offices and most schools will be closed today in Massachusetts, along with state and local government offices and libraries. 

A celebration of the day is being held today in Brookline, where a Juneteenth block party is being held.  Events are also planned at the Museum of Fine Arts and Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston to mark the holiday.

Three defense experts were questioned outside of the jury in the Karen Read trial in Dedham Superior Court. 

The prosecution wants to stop the witnesses from testifying for the defense over alleged disclosure rule violations. 

One is a crash reconstruction expert hired by the FBI who would testify that John O'Keefe's injuries could not be caused by Read's SUV as alleged by prosecutors. 

Another expert is a retired emergency room doctor who said in court that injuries to O'Keefe's arm were likely caused by a large dog. 

The judge will rule on the matters tomorrow.

BOSTON (WPRI) — The heat isn’t going to keep Celtics fans away from Boston on Friday.

Mayor Michelle Wu announced that a rolling rally to celebrate the Celtics’ 18th NBA Championship will be held at 11 a.m. Friday.

“We are so proud of the Celtics players on and off the basketball court and are ecstatic to host a celebration for banner number 18,” Wu said. “While we know how to host a parade in the city of champions, we are reminding everyone to celebrate responsibly.”

During the parade, the Celtics players will celebrate on Boston’s famous duck boats — a tradition for the city’s championship teams.

“What stands out most about this group is their dedication to being team players and winning as a collective group,” Celtics President Rich Gotham said. “They achieved a historic feat through hard work and dedication, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to celebrate with the most incredible fans in the world.”

The parade will start in front of TD Garden on Causeway Street, pass by City Hall Plaza and the Boston Common on Tremont Street and end on Boylston Street by the Hynes Convention Center.

From wpri.com.

(WPRI) — Massachusetts’ 911 service has been restored after an outage affected communities across the state Tuesday afternoon, according to a state representative.

A public safety alert was sent out around 2:30 p.m. warning people of the statewide service outage.

A representative from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security confirmed at that time that the State 911 Department was aware of the disruption and investigating the cause.

See more at wpri.com.

Westporters may be proud of their town, but the town has never hosted a Pride celebration until now.  

Keith and Jessie Dias, owners of local curio shop and alternative healing center The Cat and Raven, are marking June as LGBTQ Pride Month by organizing the town’s first Pride festival on Sunday, June 23, from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. 

“As town residents, business owners and proud members of the LGBTQ community, Keith and I felt it was time to let our town’s pride shine,” said Jessie Dias in a statement.

Where is Westport’s Pride festival going to be held? 

It will be held rain or shine at Westport Holy Ghost Club, 171 Sodom Road.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

BOSTON — Former mayor Jasiel Correia II is not giving up on his bid for early release from his six-year prison sentence, doubling down in a response to prosecutors' opposition and continuing to argue that he’s the victim of ineffective assistance of counsel by his defense attorney, Kevin Reddington. 

Correia filed a motion for reduction in his sentence in May, accusing Reddington, a high-profile Massachusetts defense attorney, of several alleged wrong-doings.

Federal prosecutors responded strongly in their motion in opposition to Correia’s claims, saying the former mayor “was and remains unrepentant of his crimes.” 

Reddington has denied Correia’s allegations, calling the convicted Fall River mayor "a liar."

Correia, 32, remains in a federal prison in Kentucky. A jury convicted him after an 18-day trial in May 2021 for defrauding investors of hundreds of thousands of dollars in an app company he founded called SnoOwl before he was elected mayor, and for extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from marijuana business owners as mayor for the right to do business in Fall River. 

WIth a heat wave gripping much of the nation this week, experts are warning people who take certain medications to be careful.  

Those include medicines for high blood pressure, allergies and mental health.  Diuretics, which help the body produce more urine, can lead to dehydration in extreme heat.  

Beta blockers can impede the body's ability to regulate temperature, while certain antipsychotics can affect the ability to produce sweat.

The U.S. surgeon general has called on Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms similar to those now mandatory on cigarette boxes.

In a Monday opinion piece in the The New York Times, Dr. Vivek Murthy said that social media is a contributing factor in the mental health crisis among young people.

“It is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents. A surgeon general’s warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe,” Murthy said. “Evidence from tobacco studies show that warning labels can increase awareness and change behavior.”

Read more at wpri.com.

The three newborn residents of the Buttonwood Park Zoo are already expected to build great things.

Zoo officials announced the arrival of three American beavers, a.k.a. kits, born on May 16. The kits' parents are 8-year-old female Wicket and 6-year-old male Justin, according to the zoo's press release.

The three kits "have already begun exploring their outdoor habitat," zoo officials wrote in the release. "Beaver kits are born with their eyes open, their teeth fully erupted and capable of swimming — with one of them testing their skills at only fourteen days old!"

According to the release, Dr. Emmy Budas, veterinarian for the zoo, examined all three kits on May 31, and determined all were in "good health and at healthy weights."

"The sex of each kit will be determined at a later date, as it will require an x-ray," the release reads.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

The Boston Celtics again stand alone among NBA champions.

Jayson Tatum had 31 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds as the Celtics topped the Dallas Mavericks 106-88 on Monday night to win the franchise’s 18th championship, breaking a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most in league history.

Boston earned its latest title on the 16th anniversary of hoisting its last Larry O’Brien Trophy in 2008. It marks the 13th championship won this century by one of the city’s Big 4 professional sports franchises.

See more at wpri.com.

FALL RIVER — Like its home diocese, the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption is weathered but still standing. 

And it’s being held together largely through efforts by the Catholic faithful. 

The granite edifice has stood at Second and Summer streets for nearly 170 years, the mother church of the diocese, and in recent years has been undergoing extensive renovations. Though the building is a relic of a more splendid past, time has not been kind to it.  

The annual Lumen Christi gala, scheduled for Tuesday at White’s of Westport, aims to raise funds for the building’s repair and maintenance.

“The parish is the people, not the structure,” said parishioner and historian Richard Grace. “But it is a beautiful church in a historic style. It’s part of Fall River’s cultural history as an architectural piece and deserves to be preserved — and that’s what this campaign is all about.” 

Rad more from Dan Medeiros at heraldnews.com.

NARRAGANSETT, R.I. (WPRI) — Seven people, including one juvenile, are facing multiple charges after a large fight broke out at the Block Island Ferry dock in Narragansett, according to police.

Officers were called to the scene around 8:15 p.m. Saturday for a report of 20-30 people fighting.

The first officer that arrived at the scene immediately called for backup, according to police.

See more at wpri.com.

AMHERST — Lila Alvarez had two immediate thoughts after waking up before Sunday's Division 4 softball state championship game.

First, the Case pitcher wished her dad, Randy Alvarez, a Happy Father's Day and then mentally prepared herself for the task at hand against No. 2 seed Tyngsboro.

In the end, it was mission accomplished for the talented freshman.

"I knew our team was ready today and was going to perform well," Alvarez said with a smile after pitching a near-perfect gem in a 1-0 shutout win over the Tigers at Sortino Field on the campus of UMass-Amherst. "I don't know what to say. It feels great honestly."

It is the first time in school history that Case (23-1) has gone back-to-back since doing it in 1995-96. The Cardinals captured their sixth state title and move into sole possession of fourth place with Massachusetts titles — behind Turner Falls (20), Taunton (9) and Bishop Fenwick (8).

Read more from Steven Sanchez at heraldnews.com.

Fourth of July will be here before you know it.

As America celebrates its Declaration of Independence from Great Britain, with cookouts, beach days, and, of course, fireworks, there are going to be plentiful celebrations around the SouthCoast.

Communities from around the SouthCoast are offering a plethora of events and activities, for however you and your family and friends would like to celebrate Independence Day.

There will be parades and fireworks, as well as some other ways to mark the Fourth of July, like road races, a carnival, and even a car race and a horse show.

Check out the schedule at heraldnews.com.

The dates for the annual sales tax holiday weekend in Massachusetts are now set. 

The Legislature passed a resolution this week for August 10th and 11th. 

During that weekend consumers will be able to buy most items with a price tag under 25-hundred-dollars free of the state's six-and-a-quarter percent sales tax.  The tax must still be paid on items including motor vehicles, meals, liquor, tobacco and marijuana products.    

A woman is facing charges for allegedly attacking an MBTA bus driver in Boston. It happened near Nubian Square in Roxbury late yesterday afternoon. 

Transit police said the 23-year-old suspect was apparently unhappy with where passengers were dropped off. 

A photo of the incident was posted on X by Transit police.

SWANSEA — Sandcastle enthusiasts, this is your time to shine.

The Town of Swansea is seeking participants for the second annual Sandcastle Festival.

Hosted by the Board of Selectmen, the Sandcastle Festival will be held on Sunday, June 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Swansea Town Beach, 560 Ocean Grove Ave.

This event is weather permitting.

Community members of all ages are encouraged to register.

Find out to register at heraldnews.com.

Following closing statements made by the defense and prosecution Friday in the trial of Mark Hession, the former Cape Cod priest accused of rape, court was adjourned without the jury reaching a verdict.

The jury was instructed by Barnstable Superior Court Judge Mark C. Gildea to return to court Monday morning at 10:30 a.m. to continue deliberations. 

Hession, who served as the parish priest of Our Lady of Victory in Centerville from 2000 to 2014, faces two counts of rape alleged to have occurred between 2005 and 2008, and one count of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 alleged to have taken place in 2002. He pleaded not guilty to all charges since his January 2021 indictment.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

Governor Maura Healey says she's disgusted by recent testimony in the Karen Read trial in Dedham Superior Court. 

Healey says comments made by state trooper Michael Proctor about Read were disparaging and objectifying.  She says the obscene and insulting comments made by Proctor and revealed in court are terrible, and harm the dignity and integrity of State Police and all law enforcement. 

Proctor was the lead investigator into the death of Boston police officer John O'Keefe, who was Read's boyfriend and was found dead on the lawn of another cop.

FALL RIVER — Former Fall River city councilor, prominent restauranteur and businessman Alfredo Alves was beloved and well respected in the community before he died in 2019, known as a great friend, benefactor and leader who loved his city and politics. 

Alves was also known for his soft spot and generosity when it came to the students at the John J. Doran Community School and the Columbia Street neighborhood. 

And on Wednesday, the School Department formally dedicated a new playground on the Doran school grounds named the Alfredo P. Alves playground, with a new plaque honoring the Fall River philanthropist. 

The plaque aptly reads: “Mr. Alves was passionate about Doran School and the Columbia Street neighborhood. He donated thousands of dollars to the Doran School and did so quietly and without fanfare. Mr. Alves above all, loved his community, his family, and the Doran Students with his smiles, time and support. He believed it was simply the right thing to do.” 

Read more at heraldnews.com.

FALL RIVER — The Lumen Christi Cathedral Gala in the Diocese of Fall River is back for a second year, this time taking on extra special significance.

The annual event will not only shines a light on the ongoing restoration of the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption — built in 1852 and serving as the diocese’s Mother Church since 1904 — but also serve as a gathering to celebrate the diocese's 120th anniversary.

The Lumen Christi Cathedral Gala is slated for Tuesday, June 18, at 6 p.m. at White’s of Westport, 66 State Road, Westport.

According to a press release from the diocese, the event will "celebrate the priests, parishes, and parishioners who have enlivened the Catholic faith over those many years in southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket."

Read more at heraldnews.com.

FALL RIVER — Those who've been waiting for South Coast Rail will have to continue waiting almost another year before they can ride the rails. 

At a public meeting hosted by the MBTA at Bristol Community College on Thursday afternoon, General Manager Phillip Eng unveiled a revised timetable for South Coast Rail service to finally accept passengers: May 2025. 

The latest delay pushes departure times far beyond the MBTA’s initially promised start date of late 2023. 

The MBTA also revealed the ticket cost to the public, but would not say what the daily train schedule would look like and would not guarantee weekend service. 

Eng said he felt compelled to meet publicly with residents in Fall River and New Bedford after “it became apparent that the schedule does not match what we had publicly advertised.” 

Two meetings were hastily announced mid-afternoon on Wednesday, one at Bristol's Fall River campus and another immediately afterward at the Whaling Museum in New Bedford.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey says the state plans to enforce a rule that limits the time for most families in the emergency shelter system to nine months. 

That means some could be displaced from the  shelters as soon as the end of September. Affected families will get 90 day notices to leave next month. 

Some will be given the chance to apply for a 90 day extension. 

 A recent aerial survey by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration spotted 161 whales, comprised of seven species south of Martha's Vineyard and southeast of Nantucket.

The team reported 93 sei whales, two orca, 36 humpbacks, 21 fin whales along with minke, sperm, and North Atlantic right whales.

NOAA says while there were 161 sightings, the whales and their plane were constantly moving, so it's possible that some whales were counted more than once.

To see where the whales were spotted visit whalemap.org.

Even as most Massachusetts communities saw a decline in opioid-related overdose deaths for the first time in two decades, rates for Black men and reported deaths in the state’s most rural stretches increased.

The state Department of Public Health released the overdose numbers for 2023 Wednesday, with a 10% decline in overall deaths from 2022 to 2023. The biggest decrease in deaths was seen among white men; the rate declined 16%.

“This is a snapshot in time,” said Dr. Robbie Goldstein, commissioner of the state’s Department of Public Health, which released the report. The trend has continued through the first quarter of the new year, with 507 deaths reported so far, down from 557 during the same three months in 2023.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

DARTMOUTH — The Case softball team advance to their third consecutive state finals.

But not before there was a little controversy sprinkled in during Wednesday's Division 4 Final Four contest at UMass-Dartmouth.

With no outs in the bottom of the fifth, Cardinals sophomore Madilyn Botelho laid down a bunt on an 1-0 count with a runner on first. Advanced Math and Science catcher Sophia Hammel scooped up the loose ball but fired wildly to first, allowing runners to move to second and third.

"When I bunted it, I guess they thought my bat hit the bunt," said Botelho after defending state champion Case blanked the Eagles, 2-0 in the Division 4 Final Four contest at UMass-Dartmouth. "But it did not. I've always been taught that when you bunt the ball you always put the bat right behind the ball. It's harder for the catcher to get the ball."

Read moe from Steven Sanchez at heraldnews.com.

FALL RIVER — The city will submit an amended zoning plan to the state to comply with the MBTA Communities Law, as a designated commuter rail community.

“We have to provide a zoning district where we have the ability to create 6,662 units,” said city engineer Daniel Aguiar. “Now that doesn’t mean a single one has to be built. We just have to provide a zoning area that allows for that many units. They can be existing units.” 

Aguiar has been working on this upgraded zoning project for months. In May 2023, he received a status of interim compliance from the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. 

Fall River and the state’s 174 other MBTA communities have until Dec. 31 to have their zoning plans approved by the state. 

Read more from Jo C. Goode at heraldnews.com.

Seventeen young women are competing in the upcoming Miss Massachusetts’ Teen Pageant and will share their talents and their community service goals.

One of the 17 will take over from reigning Miss Massachusetts’ Teen 2023 Emma Gibney of New Bedford.

The eight local contestants in this year's pageant are from Fall River, New Bedford, Marion, Fairhaven and Acushnet. 

The 24th annual Miss Massachusetts’ Teen Pageant will be held this Sunday, June 16, at 5 p.m. at B.M.C. Durfee High School, 460 Elsbree St. in Fall River. 

The contestants are vying for scholarship money and the opportunity to represent Massachusetts at the Miss America’s Teen Pageant in Orlando, Florida, in January 2025.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

Players, coaches and fans alike are gearing up for the start of the Cape Cod Baseball League season. 

Opening Day is Saturday evening with a full slate of five games. 

The two-time defending champion Bourne Braves will open the season hosting the Orleans Firebirds at 6:00.  The Braves are looking to become only the third team in league history to three-peat. 

There are a couple of changes this year as the season has been reduced from 44 to 40 games and the first round of the playoffs is getting pulled back from a three-game series to a single game.

FOXBORO, Mass. (WPRI) — The New England Patriots will pay tribute on Wednesday to an already legendary figure in team history: Tom Brady.

Brady will be enshrined in the team’s Hall of Fame at 7 p.m. For the first time, the ceremony will be held right on the field at Gillette Stadium, in front of a sellout crowd.

Normally, players have to wait four years before they can be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame, but owner Robert Kraft announced last summer that the team would be making an exception for Brady.

They scheduled the event for 6/12 to commemorate the number of Super Bowls that Brady won in New England, plus his jersey number, which will be retired.

See more at wpri.com.

FALL RIVER — It’s been a long journey in the short life of six-month old Sophie Marie going from a Mississippi dog shelter to a comfort pup in training with the Fall River Fire Department. 

Now Sophie Marie and her handler, firefighter Patrick Duddy, are hitting the ground running in the city fire department’s pilot program to bring comfort and companionship to first responders, children and people in crisis who just need a little puppy love. 

Sophie Marie has been on duty at Globe/Kosior Fire Station on Globe Street for just a few weeks, but she’s already been making the rounds. Recently, after students finished their MCAS testing at the William S. Green Elementary School, Sophie Marie spent four hours visiting with students.

Read more from Jo C. Goode at heraldnews.com.

BOSTON — Nurse Ellen MacInnis has worked at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center for 26 years. She saw private equity rescue St. E's and other Bay State charity hospitals, only to later take "so many resources" from them.

On Tuesday, June 11, in a park outside the Brighton hospital, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., announced she's filing a bill called the Corporate Crimes Against Health Care Act. The proposed law is a response to the bankruptcy and alleged mismanagement of Steward Health Care. Steward, with help from the private equity firm Cerberus, grew from a handful of Catholic hospitals in Massachusetts to a sprawling nationwide network.

Warren's bill focuses on the private equity business model. Its defenders say private equity serves a crucial role of taking under-performing assets and returning them to productive use. Warren said that approach should have no place in health care.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

TAUNTON, Mass. (WPRI) — An investigation is underway after an 11-year-old was hit by a car in Taunton Monday night.

Police said the child was hit by the oncoming vehicle while crossing Whittenton Street.

The child was seriously injured and flown to Hasbro Children’s Hospital, according to police.

The driver is cooperating with the investigation, though it’s unclear if charges will be filed.

See more at wpri.com.

WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — Three passengers were injured after a deer jumped through the windshield of a RIPTA bus in Warwick Monday afternoon.

.

Warwick Police Captain Charles Boisseau said the deer ran out onto Warwick Avenue from Sachem Avenue and straight into the bus.

Boisseau said of the six passengers on the bus, two were brought to the hospital with injuries caused by the shattered windshield. He added that a third passenger went to the hospital on their own, and the other three were not injured.

The deer succumbed to its injuries on the bus, according to Boisseau.

See more at wpri.com.

Three Democratic senators are urging the Department of Justice's U.S. Trustee Program to appoint an independent fiduciary to run Steward Health Care and monitor the company's bankruptcy proceedings.

Massachusetts senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey and Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, who chairs the Senate Banking Committee, said Monday, June 3, that they wrote to Tara Twomey, the director of the U.S. Trustee Program, asking for the appointment of a Chapter 11 trustee to run Steward in place of its current management "as quickly as possible" and to monitor the hospital chain's bankruptcy proceedings "to protect patients and local communities."

Steward owns hospitals in Massachusetts and across the country — including Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton, Morton in Taunton and Saint Anne's in Fall River.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

SOMERSET — It's a treasure map to the Holt family. And Peter Holt, along with his daughter Kayleigh, are bringing it to life.

A couple of months back, Bob Holt, Peter's brother, was rummaging through his late father's World War II keepsakes. Much of the stuff was familiar to him. But one item, never before noticed, blew the brothers' minds.

It was a hand-drawn map/timeline, fashioned long ago by Army Cpl. Roy Holt, showing 39 landmarks from his tour of duty in the WWII's European Theater. The map references six countries on his military timeline, seven if you count his departure from New York City.

A heavy machine gunner with the famed First Division's 18^th Battalion, Holt, a lifelong Fall River resident, fought in the Battle of the Bulge, as well as several other famous and bloody battles. Both he and his brother Kenny were wounded during the Battle of the Bulge and received Purple Hearts.

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI) — Last month, billionaire philanthropist Rob Hale surprised each University of Massachusetts Dartmouth graduate with $1,000.

But there was one condition — they were only to keep $500 and give the rest away.

Within a week after commencement, the graduates were already regifting their gifts. One gave back to their grandparents who helped pay their tuition, another helped a family friend battling cancer.

Hailey Willilams decided to take her money to help Luna, a Doberman with a rare autoimmune disease, at the Forever Paws Animal Shelter in Fall River.

“We have to run bloodwork on her twice a month. She’s on three different medications,” Executive Director at Forever Paws Arianna Silva said.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI) — Fall River police are investigating after a 7-year-old boy and his parents were bit by a dog.

Police say the boy and his mother were walking into their home on Aetna Street just before 9 p.m. while a neighbor was leaving with their leashed dog.

The boy was startled by the dog, according to police, and his reaction resulted in the dog biting him in the leg.

Police said the mother was trying to get the dog off of him when the dog also bit her.

The boy’s father heard the commotion from inside and went out to help fight the dog off, police said. He was bitten in the groin area during the altercation.

The boy and his father were taken to the hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

From wpri.com.

FALL RIVER — A light drizzle fell as an honor guard from the Fall River Fire Department marched through Kennedy Park to a monument at the corner of Middle and South Main streets honoring their fallen brothers. 

The Fall River Permanent Firemen's Benefit Association organized the annual tribute on Sunday, held at the department’s memorial bell monument. 

On a stone pillar behind the bell are etched the names of 22 men who died while serving the department — what Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon called a silent memorial that nevertheless speaks volumes. 

“The lessons learned from many of the names on this memorial are clearly recognizable," said Bacon to a small crowd of local officials, firefighters and family members gathered at the scene. “The circumstances of their deaths involve obvious dangers that we’ve since etched into our collective memory as reminders that our job can be tragically unpredictable.” 

Read more at heraldnews.com.

When Massachusetts Department of Transportation notified the city a few weeks ago it was going to break up three homeless encampments along state land abutting Interstate 195 and Route 24 for safety concerns, Fall River's outreach team, which has for a number of years been aiding the homeless and drug-addicted, knew it had to step up its game. 

About 20 of the approximately 40 to 45 people displaced from the dismantled homeless camps and others have agreed to participate in a pilot program designed by the team dubbed Enhancement Without Encampment. 

It’s an initiative the team — consisting of the city's outreach team, the mayor’s office, Community Development Agency and several community partners — are hoping will continue the momentum started by Mayor Paul Coogan. 

The team spoke with The Herald News recently about their mission and the strides made in the battle against substance abuse and homelessness. 

Read more at heraldnews.com.

Drivers are reminded the Sumner Tunnel in Boston will be closed again this weekend. 

It's to continue the long-term project to upgrade the tunnel that links East Boston to the downtown area. 

The closure is expected to last until five a.m. Monday. 

Traffic will be detoured to the Ted Williams Tunnel. 

Rhode Island Hospital is stepping up security after a "credible threat" was made against an employee. 

A spokesperson for the hospital says the person who made the threat Friday was "escorted off the property," and police were notified. 

The nature of the threat was not disclosed, but a statement from the hospital said, "Any assault to a healthcare worker is a felony and we will pursue the offense to the fullest extent of the law."

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) — A New Bedford man has been charged with stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in disability benefits from a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, according to acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy.

Joseph Smith, 71, has been charged with theft of government benefits. Levy said Smith is currently in custody on unrelated charges.

Court documents reveal that the victim, who was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in August 2015, had been approved to receive disability benefits from the U.S. Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA).

See more at wpri.com.

B.M.C. Durfee High School's Class of 2024 celebrates graduation Friday, June 7 in Fall River.

See pictures from Colin Furze at heraldnews.com.

FALL RIVER — Convicted former Fall River police officer Nicholas Hoar self-surrendered to the Bureau of Prisons on Wednesday and was assigned to the Federal Correctional Institution Elkton in Ohio to serve a 33-month sentence for assaulting a man in custody and lying on police reports about the incident.   

With Hoar’s incarceration, this makes a fourth Fall River official to be sentenced to prison for on-the-job wrongdoing, and the third currently serving time in prison.  

Jasiel Correia II, 32, remains in a Kentucky federal prison after his 2021 conviction for defrauding investors in his start-up company SnoOwl and taking bribes from marijuana entrepreneurs while in office as the city’s youngest mayor.  

He received a six-year sentence and is currently petitioning the court for early release; federal prosecutors have objected to the request. A federal judge has yet to schedule a hearing or make a ruling.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

FALL RIVER – The Fall River Day of Portugal celebration will return to the Gates of the City Plaza on Ponta Delgada Boulevard from June 6 to 9, featuring local and international music acts, folklore dances, plenty of ethnic foods and a kids fair.

“We hope to have a safe and fun event for the entire family,” said Joa?o Gonc?alves, speaking on behalf of the organizing committee. “We try to have a well-rounded program, to appeal to different tastes, different ages.”

“We provide space for the vendors, and they decide what to serve,” Gonc?alves explained.

According to Paul Rodrigues, who oversees the food court, confirmed vendors include Avo?s Feast, Piri Piri Kitchen, Amigos Unidos, Our Lady of Light Band, and Mario’s Bifanas.

“Malassadas are the best seller,” Gonc?alves said. “We also have a booth that serves espresso, and we are working on having a desserts booth.”

Read more at heraldnews.com.

FALL RIVER — The abrupt resignation of School Committee member Sara Rodrigues on Wednesday night after a meeting descended into infighting left a vacancy on the board that's already been filled. 

The City Clerk’s office confirmed Thursday afternoon that Collin Dias was sworn in as a School Committee member on Thursday morning.

Dias ran for School Committee in 2023, missing the cut by coming in seventh place. Per the city bylaws, vacancies on the City Council and School Committee are filled by the next-highest vote-getter in the most recent election; that person fills the remainder of the elected term. 

School Committee members serve for two years. The next election is in fall 2025.

Read more from Dan Medeiros at heraldnews.com.

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) — A judge in Bristol County Superior Court has placed a temporary injunction on New Bedford’s controversial nip ban.

A number of local liquor stores filed a lawsuit against the city over the ban, which was supposed to go into effect on Aug. 1 this year.

“The Licensing Board’s goal in unanimously voting in favor of the ‘nip’ ban was to not only cut down on litter, but also the vagrancy issues that occur near some liquor stores, and both are still problems today,” said Jonathan Darling, a city spokesperson.

Darling said the city solicitor’s office is reviewing the decision.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

Women who follow a Mediterranean diet are likely to live longer. 

A new study from Brigham and Women's Hospital looked at medical data from more than 25-thousand women spanning as long as 25-years. They found that women who predominantly followed the Mediterranean diet had a 23-percent reduced risk of mortality for all causes.

That usually means eating fruits and vegetables, nuts and legumes, fish, healthy fats and less red meat.

TAUNTON— After two years on the throne, Taunton's reign over MIAA Division 1 baseball has come to a close.

Propelled by a two-run first inning and a strong showing on the mound from junior Jayden Souza (6? innings pitched, 9 hits, 1 run, 4 strikeouts), No. 11 Durfee (18-4) took down the No. 6 Tigers (19-5), 6-1, in the Division 1 Round of 16 Tuesday. It was the second win in three games the Hilltoppers recorded over their non-league rivals this spring.

"This whole game revolved around that two we put on the board in that first inning," Durfee coach Mike Martin said. "(Taunton) intimidates you before pitch one with how they carry themselves, how they prepare and how they come out (and) for three years, I’ve asked these guys to watch (what they do)."

After being eliminated by the Tigers last year in the same round on the same field, Martin feels the win is a testament to just how far his team has come this season.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

FALL RIVER — The city has a new superintendent of schools — and one fewer School Committee member, after a highly volatile discussion and vote led to a board member immediately resigning. 

At a meeting held at B.M.C. Durfee High School on Wednesday evening, the committee chose Assistant Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer Tracy Curley to lead the Fall River school district in a 5-1 vote. It followed a combative debate session that saw multiple board members raise their voices at each other, trading accusations of favoritism and disregard for procedure. 

The board’s seventh vote would have been School Committee member Sara O. Rodrigues. Expressing "tremendous concern” over the majority’s evident choice, she left the stage before the board took its vote.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI) — An investigation is underway after a man was shot in Fall River Tuesday evening.

Officers were called to Dwelly and South Main streets just before 10 p.m. for reports that a man had been shot in the shoulder and was en route to the hospital, according to police.

Police said the officers eventually found the vehicle that the man was in. He was then brought to the hospital with a gunshot wound that doesn’t appear to be life-threatening.

The victim and those who were with him at the time have so far been uncooperative with investigators, according to police.

From wpri.com.

For the 80th anniversary of D-Day, four World War II Massachusetts veterans will make a pilgrimage back to the beaches of Normandy.

Frank Simon of Milton, Bill Soule of Seekonk, Marvin Gilmore of Cambridge and Christy Fier of Avon are all on the honor flight headed to France for the anniversary.

A total of 66 veterans are on the honor flight, which is provided by American Airlines, as well as their entourage. The veterans are not all World War II veterans, with the guest list including six Medal of Honor winners from wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam and two “Rosie the Riveters,” women who made invaluable contributions to the war effort by working in factories and shipyards, according to USA Today.

For the ceremony on Thursday, they will be joined by President Joe Biden and other world leaders.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

"If you go back far enough, there’s murder and mayhem everywhere. There aren’t that many Lizzie Bordens, though. That’s the part I think is intriguing.” 

Kate Winkler Dawson knows about murder and mayhem. She’s a journalist with a background in crime reporting, a documentary producer, an author and host of a true crime show called Tenfold More Wicked.  

The show plunges into macabre tales of the past, including the story of Rebecca Briggs Cornell, a founder of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, possibly murdered by her son. Her most recent season, being released now, focuses on Fall River — and not just our famous unsolved Borden murder case but several tragedies all connected to the city.

Read more from Dan Medeiros at heraldnews.com.

TIVERTON, R.I. (WPRI) — Police are investigating a deadly motorcycle crash that happened in Tiverton over the weekend.

Officers rushed to Route 24 North Sunday evening for reports of a crash involving a motorcycle. Police said the woman who called 911 told dispatchers that the motorcyclist was bleeding from the head and had no pulse.

The motorcyclist, identified by police as 27-year-old Michael Lees, was rushed to St. Anne’s Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Investigators believe the Westport man was riding his motorcycle on the highway when he crashed into another vehicle.

The cause of the crash is unknown at this time. Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to contact Tiverton Police Sergeant Stephen Parrillo at sparrillo@tivertonpoliceri.com or officer Nicole Beauvais at nbeauvais@tivertonpoliceri.com.

From wpri.com.

TAUNTON, Mass. (WPRI) — Police arrested a school crossing guard in Taunton after he reportedly attacked a mother in front of her four young children Monday morning.

Officers were called to Williams Street upon receiving reports of a crossing guard who had assaulted a driver.

That crossing guard, identified by police as 68-year-old Louis Chaves, was arrested and charged with three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Prosecutors said the woman had sneezed while stopped at an intersection near Taunton High School and was trying to find a tissue when Chaves began yelling at her to keep moving.

Chaves then put his handheld stop sign through an open passenger window and began “swinging it around the car,” according to prosecutors. He ended up hitting one of the woman’s four children in the arm with the sign, which prosecutors said prompted her to get out of the car and confront Chaves.

Prosecutors said Chaves starting hitting the woman with the stop sign and eventually threw her to the ground. He then allegedly dragged her and kicked her repeatedly as her children watched from the car.

More at wpri.com.

BOSTON — The federal government opposed former Fall River mayor Jasiel Correia II’s request for early release from prison in a motion filed in federal court last week. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Tobin and Dustin Chao pulled no punches in their filing, even referring to the classic movie "The Maltese Falcon." 

Correia, who is serving a six-year prison sentence in FCI Ashland in Kentucky, filed a request first with the prison warden. After getting no response within 30 days from the Bureau of Prisons, he submitted to the federal court last month a motion seeking “compassionate release,” and citing “extraordinary and compelling circumstances,” facts that were unknown to the court at trial and sentencing. 

In an 18-day trial in May 2021, a federal jury found Correia guilty of nine counts of wire fraud, four counts of extortion conspiracy, four counts of extortion and four counts of tax fraud. Correia defrauded several investors of hundreds of thousands of dollars in a now-defunct smartphone app he helped created, SnoOwl, and as mayor demanded bribes from marijuana vendors in exchange for letters of non-opposition. Prosecutors said Correia used the money to fund a "lavish lifestyle," spending it on cars, luxury items, expensive travel, student loan repayments and more.  

Read more from Jo C. Goode at herealdnews.com.

Who will buy three local hospitals run by bankrupt Steward Health Care? Bankers marketing the facilities say they have at least 20 interested buyers.

The investment bank Cain Brothers said in a bankruptcy court filing that it pitched 45 potential buyers. Twenty of those prospects were intrigued enough to sign "non disclosure agreements" which let them see closely guarded Steward financial info while they kick the tires. An unspecified number of suitors has filed "indications of interest" that go into more detail about possible deal structures, Cain said in the same filing.

Cain is marketing Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton, Morton Hospital in Taunton and Saint Anne's in Fall River, plus others outside Massachusetts. A different bank is trying to sell Steward's other Massachusetts hospitals.

Steward has set a goal of selling its Massachusetts hospitals by the end of June.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI) — Police are investigating a dirt bike and motor vehicle crash that happened in Fall River on Saturday afternoon.

Sergeant Moses Pereira told 12 News as the motor vehicle was turning left to get into the Bay Village apartment complex, the dirt bike’s driver tried to pass that vehicle on the left side, causing a crash.

This took place around 1:08 p.m., according to Pereira.

The operator of that dirt bike had serious injuries and was brought to Rhode Island Hospital.

From wpri.com.

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI) — Crews in Fall River responded to a house fire that happened early Saturday morning.

Just before 7 a.m., crews were called to a call for smoke coming from a home in the area of Cherry and Danforth Streets.

When they arrived on scene, there was heavy fire coming from the second floor of the building.

Fall River District Chief Sean Flannery said that firefighters were able to put the fire out quickly, prevent any further damage.

“The guys just did a great job knocking it down, it prevented what could have been a far more serious incident.”

Right now officials are working to figure out how the fire started.

From wpri.com.

BROCKTON, Mass. (WPRI) — A 27-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly shooting a Fall River woman in Brockton on Sunday.

Brockton police said the shooting happened around 1:45 a.m. outside of a home on Falconer Avenue.

The woman was shot in the chest, according to police, and was transported to the hospital. Her current condition is unknown.

The incident remains under investigation.

From wpri.com.

The trial for the former Cape Cod priest charged with rape is scheduled for June 6 in Barnstable Superior Court, according to the clerk's office.

Mark Hession faces two counts of rape and one count of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, according to the clerk's office. A count of intimidating a witness was dropped.

Hession pleaded not guilty to the charges in January of 2021. A final trial conference was scheduled to take place on Friday.

He will be represented by attorneys Frank C. Corso and Paolo G. Corso of Corso Law LLC. A phone call and email sent to the law firm seeking comment were not immediately returned.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

SOMERSET — A 26-year-old Fall River man was killed in a car crash on I-195 Thursday evening.

According to a State Police press release, around 6:45 p.m., Massachusetts State Police Troopers responded to a single-vehicle crash on the westbound side of I-195 in Somerset that resulted in a fatality.

Preliminary investigation indicates that a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado was westbound on Route 195 near exit 10B. For reasons still to be determined, the Silverado went off the roadway and struck a grouping of trees, police report. The operator, Michael Resendes Jr., 26, of Fall River, was determined to be deceased on scene.

The right travel lane was closed during the investigation and cleanup of the scene. The crash remains under investigation by Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police, the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, and the State Police Crime Scene Services Section. Troopers were assisted by Somerset Fire and EMS, and MassDOT.

Read more at heraldnews.com.

It's summer, and for a lot of teens and their families, that means graduation parties, time with friends and other celebratory events.

But it's also a time for teenagers to be cautious, because summertime seems to be the time when many car accidents happen involving teens.

"On the heels of a record-high number of road trips this Memorial Day weekend, summer also heralds a busy travel season that brings an increased risk for teen drivers," according to AAA Northeast.

“For many teen drivers, summer brings more free time with friends and plenty of potential distractions, such as phone use and multiple teen passengers - all of which increase their crash risk,” said AAA Northeast senior spokesperson Mark Schieldrop. “Any time is the right time for parents and caregivers to talk with their teens about risky driving behaviors, the importance of continued driving practice to develop their skills and the many reasons they have to stay safe on the road this summer and beyond.”

Read more at heraldnews.com.

WESTPORT — Mackenzy Ponte never got the chance to pitch in the postseason since making the Westport varsity softball team as a seventh grader in 2020.

Her first season was shutdown due to COVID-19 and the Wildcats missed the state tournament the next three seasons. On Friday, the junior right-hander made her postseason debut in the circle and she finished with a loud statement.

Ponte tossed her second no-hitter of the season, blanking 38th seed Tech Boston Academy in mercy-rule fashion, 17-0, in the Division 5 preliminary game at Westport High School.

"Today, she was totally locked in," Westport head coach Monique Jones said. "She was very focused. A lot of times, when she is pitching she goes to the full count. But today was three up and three down."

Read more from Steven Sanchez at heraldnews.com.