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Charlie Baker

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CT Corrections Officer Suspended Over Alleged $87K Workers' Comp Fraud: Police CT Corrections Officer Suspended Over Alleged $87K Workers' Comp Fraud: Police
CT Corrections Officer Suspended Over Alleged $87K Workers' Comp Fraud: Police The agency responsible for policing standards has suspended a man who was an officer in Connecticut and Massachusetts and who lives in Massachusetts after he was charged with illegally receiving nearly $87,000 in workers' compensation benefits while working in Connecticut.  Matthew Hubbard, age 55, of Agawam in Hampden County, was one of four officers suspended by Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training.  Hubbard had worked as a corrections officer at a Connecticut prison and claimed he was hurt responding to a call on Aug. 7, 2020, the Connecticut Division of…

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
COVID-19: School District In Region Rescinds Mask Policy COVID-19: School District In Region Rescinds Mask Policy
Covid-19: School District In Region Rescinds Mask Policy Mask-wearing will soon be an option for students and staff in a Western Massachusetts school district. In Hampden County, Westfield Schools Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski announced that the district’s School Committee voted to rescind its mask policy, effective as of Monday, Feb. 28. As of Feb. 28, mask-wearing will be voluntary for students and staff, including all extracurricular activities and athletic events. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker previously said that the state would be lifting mask requirements as of Feb. 28, though it would be up to individual school districts and local…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Nation's Second-Most Popular Republican Governor Won't Seek Reelection Nation's Second-Most Popular Republican Governor Won't Seek Reelection
Nation's Second-Most Popular Republican Governor Won't Seek Reelection Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker will not seek a third term in office in 2022, according to an announcement made by his administration. Baker, age 65, a moderate Republican who first took office in January 2015, announced on Wednesday, Dec. 1 that he and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito opted not to run in 2022 following “several months of discussions with (their) families.” “This was an extremely difficult decision for us,” they wrote in a letter to constituents. “We love the work, and we especially respect and admire the people of this wonderful Commonwealth.” Baker first ran for governor in 2010…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Lamont Is Nation's Most Popular Democratic Governor, New Survey Says Lamont Is Nation's Most Popular Democratic Governor, New Survey Says
Lamont Is Nation's Most Popular Democratic Governor, New Survey Says Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont is the most popular top Democratic lawmaker in the country, according to a newly released survey from Morning Consult. In the new survey, which polled the number of voters in each state who approve the job performance of their governors, Lamont was the most popular Democrat, earning a 64 percent approval rating. The list of the most popular governors in the USMorning Consult The survey conducted by Morning Consult, a technology platform that focuses on data collection, included daily interviews of residents with more than 5,000 registered voters polled. Lam…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Massachusetts Calls On National Guard To Assist In School Bus Driver Shortage Massachusetts Calls On National Guard To Assist In School Bus Driver Shortage
Massachusetts Calls On National Guard To Assist In School Bus Driver Shortage Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is calling in the cavalry to help the state with transporting students to class at the beginning of the new school year. Baker announced that he is activating as many as 250 Guard members to assist with school transportation as the country contends with a massive bus driver shortage that left some districts scrambling to get students to class. 
“We asked a bunch of communities if they'd be interested in having Guard people drive vehicles for them, especially the smaller buses," Baker said in a briefing this week. "A bunch of communities said if y…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Massachusetts Governor Backs Biden Push For Death Penalty In Boston Marathon Case Massachusetts Governor Backs Biden Push For Death Penalty In Boston Marathon Case
Massachusetts Governor Backs Biden Push For Death Penalty In Boston Marathon Case Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is backing the Department of Justice and President Joe Biden as they seek to reinstate the death penalty for Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. This week, the Department of Justice encouraged the Supreme Court to reinstate the death penalty for Tsarnaev, calling it "one of the worst” acts of terrorism in the US since the Sept. 11 bombings. Though Biden has publicly opposed capital punishment, his administration threw its support behind the DOJ, which filed a 48-page brief to overturn a previous decision from a lower court that vacated Tsarnaev’s dea…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
COVID-19: Newly Unveiled 'Mass VaxMillions' Lottery Will Include Five $1M Winners COVID-19: Newly Unveiled 'Mass VaxMillions' Lottery Will Include Five $1M Winners
Covid-19: Newly Unveiled 'Mass VaxMillions' Lottery Will Include Five $1M Winners Massachusetts residents who got a COVID-19 shot will now have a shot to win $1 million as part of the state’s new “VaxMillions” lottery. The new program will give away five cash prizes of $1 million for eligible Massachusetts residents 18 and older who receive the vaccine, and five $300,000 scholarship grants to anyone between the ages of 12 and 17 who are fully vaccinated. The drawings will be conducted by the Massachusetts State Lottery. “The Massachusetts State Lottery is proud to join Gov. Charlie Baker and the Department of Public Health to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of…

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by Zak Failla
Obituaries
Prominent Restaurant Owner In Region Dies At Age 59 Prominent Restaurant Owner In Region Dies At Age 59
Prominent Restaurant Owner In Region Dies At Age 59 A prominent Western Mass restaurant owner has died at the age of 59, surrounded by family.  Andy Yee, a partner of the Bean Restaurant Group, which includes restaurants such as the Student Prince In Springfield, the White Hut, in West Springfield, and Johnny's Tavern in Amherst, died on Thursday, May 27. "It is with great sadness that we announce that our brother, Andy Yee passed away on Thursday, May 27, 2021," the family said on the White Hut's Facebook page. "Anyone who knew Andy knew that his laugh was contagious, his personality bigger than life, and he was always bursting with pr…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
US Flags Flying At Half-Staff Following Fatal Capitol Riots US Flags Flying At Half-Staff Following Fatal Capitol Riots
US Flags Flying At Half-Staff Following Fatal Capitol Riots Across the country, the American flag has been lowered as a sign of respect for law enforcement that died during the attack on the Capitol. On Sunday, Jan. 10, Gov. Charlie Baker said the flags are being lowered in accordance with a presidential proclamation. The lowered flags honor United States Capitol Police Officers Brian D. Sicknick and Howard Liebengood specifically, as well as all law enforcement, Baker said. The American flag will be flown at half-staff until sunset on Wednesday, Jan. 13. The half-staff order applies to all main or administration buildings of public institutions…

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by Kristin Palpini
News
COVID-19: Massachusetts Statewide Curfew Going Into Effect COVID-19: Massachusetts Statewide Curfew Going Into Effect
Covid-19: Massachusetts Statewide Curfew Going Into Effect Massachusetts will launch a statewide curfew starting Friday, Nov. 6 in an effort to tamp down on the spread of COVID-19. The news comes amid a spike in COVID-19 cases across Massachusetts but concentrated in the eastern part of the state. Reports of 1,000 new COVID-19 cases each day have become common in the last week. Gov. Charlie Baker announced the plan on Monday, Nov. 2. The new stay-at-home advisory will take effect from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Restaurants should stop table service at 9:30 p.m., under the governor’s orders, according to MassLive. The curfew advisory will go into effect at …

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by Kristin Palpini
News
Low-Risk Communities Can Increase Capacity, Offer More Services On Monday Low-Risk Communities Can Increase Capacity, Offer More Services On Monday
Low-Risk Communities Can Increase Capacity, Offer More Services On Monday Communities will be able to move onto Step 2 of Phase 3 in Massachusetts re-opening plan if they are considered low-risk for COVID-19 infection. On Tuesday, Sept. 29, Gov. Charlie Baker said commonwealth communities that have not been “red” for the last three weeks can proceed to Step 2. Being a “red” community refers to the state’s COVID-19 infection, color-coded maps. Communities in the red have the highest rate of infection, the second highest is yellow, then red, and finally gray communities pose the lowest of all risk. Starting Monday, Oct. 5, according to WesternMass News, municipali…

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by Kristin Palpini
Business
Massachusetts Restaurants Can Reopen Their Bars - Kind Of Massachusetts Restaurants Can Reopen Their Bars - Kind Of
Massachusetts Restaurants Can Reopen Their Bars - Kind Of Updates to Massachusetts’ COVID-19 restrictions are easing up on food and alcohol service. On Wednesday, Sept. 23, Gov. Charlie Baker said in a few days restaurants will be able to seat up to 10 people per table for both outdoor and indoor dining. The max number of people at a table was previously 6. He also said that restaurants with bars can start using them for food service - with social distancing still being observed. Standing around a bar drinking is still not okay, he said. Baker made the announcement at the Mill City BBQ in Lowell, which will be a new spot on a recently announced …

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by Kristin Palpini
Business
COVID-19 State Inspectors Find Nearly 50 Violations In Highest-Risk Communities COVID-19 State Inspectors Find Nearly 50 Violations In Highest-Risk Communities
Covid-19 State Inspectors Find Nearly 50 Violations In Highest-Risk Communities State inspectors found nearly 50 COVID-19 violations in a targetted crack-down on five high-risk communities over the Labor Day Weekend. Gov. Charlie Baker announced on Sept. 3 that the state would be targeting the state’s five highest risk communities - Chelse, Everett, Lawrence, Lynn, and Revere - for COVID-19 violations. On Wednesday, Sept. 9, Baker said that inspectors found 47 violations in the five communities. The names of the businesses were not shared, but Baker noted inspectors visited funeral homes, nail salons, and barbershops among other businesses. In addition to the enforce…

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by Kristin Palpini
News
COVID-19, Where Are The Hot Spots? Town-by-town Infection Rates And Trends - Hampden County COVID-19, Where Are The Hot Spots? Town-by-town Infection Rates And Trends - Hampden County
Covid-19, Where Are The Hot Spots? Town-by-town Infection Rates And Trends - Hampden County Positive tests for COVID-19 continue to stay under 2 percent in Massachusetts. Massachusetts' seven-day positive test rate for COVID-19 has been below 2 percent since the beginning of July. On Friday, Gov. Charlie Baker said the positive rate for the past seven days is 1.7 percent. Meanwhile, in Hampden County Russell has the highest rate of positive COVID-19 tests countywide over the past 14 days, followed by Agawam, Monson, and West Springfield. The state economy is now in Phase 3 of a four-phase reopening plan. The fourth phase - which would see the reopening of business such as …

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by Kristin Palpini
News
COVID-19: Employees Filed Hundreds Of Safety Complaints Against Massachusetts Employers COVID-19: Employees Filed Hundreds Of Safety Complaints Against Massachusetts Employers
Covid-19: Employees Filed Hundreds Of Safety Complaints Against Massachusetts Employers Massachusetts has received about 900 complaints from employees who say their workplaces are not safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The complaints were submitted through a form Governor Charlie Baker’s administration debuted May 20. As of July 7, Attorney General Maura Healey’s office had received more than 900 complaints, according to the Boston Business Journal. Businesses that have been the subject of six or more complaints include Target, Home Depot, and Ocean State Job Lot. Through the online form, employees have reported violations that include a failure to social distance and a lack…

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by Kristin Palpini