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‘Putting lives at risk’: Mass. family sues Eversource for $450M after man killed in house explosion
A Massachusetts family is seeking $450 million in damages in a lawsuit filed against Eversource on Tuesday, years after a beloved husband and father was killed in a house explosion caused by an underground gas leak. A lawsuit filed in Middlesex County Superior Court by Sweeney Merrigan Law alleges that the Westwood-based utility company discovered the gas leak in 2018, years before Greg Sharrigan died in 2021 but did nothing to address it, instead “prioritizing more lucrative maintenance projects.” “As shocking as this case already was, it’s even more staggering that Eversource’s alleged safety system is riddled with cost-saving measures. Eversource fails to properly track and repair leaking natural gas pipes because it prioritizes cost over danger,” said J. Tucker Merrigan, co-managing partner at Sweeney Merrigan. “It represents a classic corporate failure of profits over people. It actually detected the underground gas leak years before it killed Greg Sharrigan, but then didn’t do anything about it.” Sharrigan lost his life when a leaking natural gas line ignited in a crawlspace of his home at 27 Park Street in Maynard in September 2021, sparking a fire that led to the deadly blast, investigators said.
Hurricane Ernesto is Gaining Strength: How Will It Affect Maine, New Hampshire, & Massachusetts?
Until recently, New England rarely had to worry about tropical storms and hurricanes. Over the last few years, we have seen that change, though. In September 2023, we had to deal with a pair of back-to-back storms. While those storms had lost much of their strength by the time they reached New England, they did hit us within days of each other. And after dealing with Debby last weekend, we are getting ready to deal with Ernesto this weekend.
Quick-Thinking Driver and Massachusetts State Trooper Save Desperate Hawk
There's so much bad news, so when something heartwarming happens, it's nice to share it with the public. That's what the Massachusetts State Police did on their Instagram this week. A truck driver had called about an injured hawk on the side of the highway near Northampton, Massachusetts. The man...
Smoke from Canadian wildfires is harming air quality in Mass., officials say
Smoke from Canadian wildfires is negatively impacting air quality in Massachusetts, though the state Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has not yet issued an air quality alert, the department said Tuesday. While ozone levels across the state are still in a safe range, the wildfire smoke has introduced more fine...
'An extraordinary day for firefighters': Healey signs ban on PFAS in turnout gear
BOSTON ― It was a different kind of phone call that Fall River fire Lt. Jason Burns made on the morning of Aug. 1, after the passage of a bill by Massachusetts lawmakers to ban the use of chemicals linked to cancer in firefighting protective gear. His six years of advocacy had finally...
Champion of Latino leaders in Mass., Cesar Ruiz, must regroup after sanction (Editorial)
Cesar Ruiz, a prominent Western Massachusetts businessman, just got an expensive lesson in campaign finance law. His wish to support Hispanic and Latino candidates for office must no longer violate state rules on how money flows to candidates. Cash he planned to give to candidates, $190,000 worth, will instead benefit charities.
What is the Massachusetts Governor’s Council? Who’s on it? What does it do? | John L. Micek
If you are like most Massachusetts voters, the chances are you don’t give much thought to the Governor’s Council. But if you must, think of this colonial-era throwback as the Bay State’s political equivalent to Schrödinger’s Cat. In other words, you know it’s there, and...
What's keeping drivers from buying EVs? Mostly price.
More drivers are buying them, but electric cars still make up a small share of the market in Rhode Island. A new survey from AAA Northeast of drivers in the Ocean State and its neighbors raises questions about how fast the electric vehicle market share will grow, even as state and federal lawmakers...
Healey Told to Vacate as Massachusetts State House to Close
The Massachusetts State House is closing, forcing employees and elected officials including Governor Maura Healey to find somewhere else to earn their keep. The historic gold-domed state capitol building that sits high atop Beacon Hill in Boston was damaged in a two-alarm fire on July 18, 2023 and must close for repairs. That will happen this month.
These are the 11 top Class of 2025 high school football prospects in Massachusetts
Want to get an early look at future college football stars from Massachusetts? Start with some of the state's top high school football prospects in the Class of 2025. Ten of the state's top 11 prospects all attend either prep or catholic schools with one public school lineman mixed in. They are...
NFL insider weighs in on how Patriots-Matthew Judon standstill will likely end
An NFL insider shared his prediction on how the New England Patriots and Matthew Judon contract saga will likely end. And it doesn’t sound like things will end positively for Judon. Judon and his contract troubles have been a storyline throughout training camp. The Patriots reportedly made the four-time Pro Bowl linebacker a contract offer this summer, but it got turned down. Judon had 13 tackles and four sacks in three games in 2023, before going down with a season-ending biceps injury. He has been a big part of the Patriots’ pass-rushing attack since his arrival to New England in 2021. It doesn’t sound...
Schools have made slow progress on record absenteeism, with millions of kids still skipping class
MEDFORD, Mass. — (AP) — Flerentin “Flex” Jean-Baptiste missed so much school he had to repeat his freshman year at Medford High outside Boston. At school, “you do the same thing every day,” said Jean-Baptiste, who was absent 30 days his first year. “That gets very frustrating.”
2024 America’s Retail Champion ‘answers the call’ to advocate for retail
Neil Abramson of ECi Stores, a group of consignment stores in Leominster, Mass., was named the 2024 America’s Retail Champion at NRF’s Retail Advocates Summit on July 25. The honor goes to one small retailer who demonstrates exceptional commitment to advocacy and their communities. Abramson was selected from a group of 44 small businesses representing 27 states from the 2024 America’s Retail Champions program sponsored by Affirm.
Unlikely Patriots Camp Star Demanding Roster Spot With Strong Play
Sixth-year OLB Oshane Ximines continued his stellar summer with an excellent practice on Tuesday seemingly demanding a roster spot by standing out as one of the New England Patriots' better edge rushers during training camp. The former third-round pick was one of New England's stars during their Preseason Week 1...
Farmer’s Almanac Calling for Lots of Snow and Rain for Maine, New Hampshire, & Massachusetts This Winter
Last winter was definitely abnormal. With the exception of a few really nasty storms (one in mid-December and one in mid-January), the winter was fairly mild. With the exception of a handful of rain and snowstorms, last winter was calm. Even the temperatures remained mild. According to records kept by...
Massachusetts organizations work to support families and youth in need
BOSTON — Travoyn Garcia-Parker, an 18-year-old with aspirations in software and mechanical engineering, has overcome significant challenges in his life. Earlier this year, Garcia-Parker experienced homelessness and sought help from theBoston nonprofit Bridge Over Troubled Waters. Struggling to find support, he eventually joined Bridge's Transitional Living Program, where he learned essential life skills.
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