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Needham, MA

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New Images Of Stranded Massachusetts Astronaut Spark Concerns New Images Of Stranded Massachusetts Astronaut Spark Concerns
New Images Of Stranded Massachusetts Astronaut Spark Concerns NASA is assuring the public that a Massachusetts astronaut is in good health after recent photos of the woman sparked concerns to the contrary. Pilot Suni Williams, from the town of Needham in Norfolk County, has been stuck aboard the International Space Station since early June after NASA discovered multiple problems with the Boeing-built Starliner spacecraft. The 59-year-old retired Navy officer, along with her colleague Butch Wilmore, were originally scheduled to return home after eight days. They’ll now hitch a ride back to Earth on a SpaceX Dragon capsule in February 2025. Earlier …

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by Michael Mashburn
News
MA Native, Second Astronaut Will Hitch Return Ride On SpaceX Capsule Amid Starliner Trouble MA Native, Second Astronaut Will Hitch Return Ride On SpaceX Capsule Amid Starliner Trouble
MA Native, Second Astronaut Will Hitch Return Ride On SpaceX Capsule Amid Starliner Trouble After spending months in limbo aboard the International Space Station, an astronaut from Massachusetts finally has a return date to Earth. Pilot Suni Williams, from the town of Needham in Norfolk County, and commander Butch Wilmore will abandon Boeing’s troubled Starliner and instead hitch a ride on a SpaceX Dragon capsule in February 2025, NASA confirmed Saturday, Aug. 24. The stunning decision capped off 11 weeks of uncertainty after NASA discovered numerous helium leaks and malfunctions with Starliner’s thrusters following its launch from Florida's Space Coast on Wednesday, June 5. Ea…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Mass Astronaut May Be Stuck In Space Until 2025 As NASA Mulls 'Other Options' For Starliner Mass Astronaut May Be Stuck In Space Until 2025 As NASA Mulls 'Other Options' For Starliner
Mass Astronaut May Be Stuck In Space Until 2025 As NASA Mulls 'Other Options' For Starliner What was supposed to be an eight-day trip to the International Space Station may end up lasting much, much longer for an astronaut from Massachusetts. Two months after the Boeing-built Starliner blasted off from Florida’s Space Coast on its first crewed flight, NASA announced that pilot Suni Williams, from the town of Needham in Norfolk County, and commander Butch Wilmore may not come home until February 2025. In a mission update Wednesday, Aug. 7, NASA and Boeing leaders said they were still figuring out how to safely bring the pair back to Earth and that they may have to ride back on a Sp…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
NASA 'Not Quite Ready' To Bring New England Native, 2nd Astronaut Home Amid Starliner Troubles NASA 'Not Quite Ready' To Bring New England Native, 2nd Astronaut Home Amid Starliner Troubles
NASA 'Not Quite Ready' To Bring New England Native, 2nd Astronaut Home Amid Starliner Troubles Nearly two months after blasting off from Florida’s Space Coast, a pair of NASA astronauts – including a Massachusetts native – still have no idea when they’ll return to Earth. In a mission update Thursday, July 25, NASA and Boeing leaders still could not commit to a return date for Starliner pilot Suni Williams, from the town of Needham in Norfolk County, and commander Butch Wilmore. The pair – serving as guinea pigs of sorts for Starliner’s first crewed mission – remain in limbo aboard the International Space Station after numerous helium leaks and malfunctions with the spacecraft’s thrus…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Man Admits To Killing Athol Woman In Head-On Western Mass Crash, Will Lose License For 15 Years Man Admits To Killing Athol Woman In Head-On Western Mass Crash, Will Lose License For 15 Years
Tracy Matthews Was Killed In A Route 2 Crash Last Summer A 64-year-old Needham man has admitted to causing the head-on collision in Franklin County last year that killed a 57-year-old woman, authorities announced on Monday, June 24.  Benoit Marande, 64, pleaded guilty to motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation in the June 30, 2023, crash and was sentenced to nine months in prison along with a 15-year revocation of his license, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. A judge suspended all but 30 days of Marande's prison term.  Marande was accused of killing Tracy Matthews when his Mazda MX-5 Miata crossed o…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Stuck In Space: Mass Astronaut Faces Uncertain Return Date Amid Starliner Troubles Stuck In Space: Mass Astronaut Faces Uncertain Return Date Amid Starliner Troubles
Stuck In Space: Mass Astronaut Faces Uncertain Return Date Amid Starliner Troubles A Massachusetts native is among two American astronauts facing an uncertain return date to Earth amid ongoing problems with the Boeing-built Starliner spacecraft. Pilot and Needham native Suni Williams, along with commander Butch Wilmore, remains stuck on the International Space Station nearly a week after their expected departure date while NASA crews work to understand several issues that have arisen since the pair launched into orbit on Wednesday, June 5. Among the problems sparking concern are malfunctions of the vehicle’s thrusters and numerous helium leaks that sprang up during their…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Trailblazing Astronaut From Mass Will Be First Woman Aboard A Maiden Crewed Spacecraft Trailblazing Astronaut From Mass Will Be First Woman Aboard A Maiden Crewed Spacecraft
Trailblazing Astronaut From Mass Will Be First Woman Aboard A Maiden Crewed Spacecraft Sunita Williams has held plenty of titles in her life: Astronaut, US Navy officer, former record holder for most spacewalks by a woman (seven), to name a few. Now, the Needham native can add one more to her impressive resume: trailblazer. The 58-year-old Williams is set to become the first woman aboard the maiden flight of a manned spacecraft when NASA and Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner launches for the first time from Florida’s Cape Canaveral for the 24-hour journey to the International Space Station. Originally scheduled for takeoff Monday night, May 6, the launch was scrapped “out of an abu…

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by Michael Mashburn
Obituaries
Support Pours In For Family Of Central Mass Man Killed In Needham Wreck Support Pours In For Family Of Central Mass Man Killed In Needham Wreck
Support Pours In For Family Of Central Mass Man Killed In Needham Wreck Nearly 150 people have donated to help the family of a Worcester County man who was killed in an early morning crash earlier this week, leaving behind a wife and three young children.  Dylan Chaves, 31, of Fiskdale, was killed just after 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 30, when he lost control of his pick-up truck and turned into on-coming traffic on I-95 South in Needham, State Police said. The vehicle went perpendicular on the wet roadway, and he was T-boned by a driver from Nashua, New Hampshire.  The other driver was taken to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening …

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Central Mass Man ID'd As Driver Killed In Needham Crash Central Mass Man ID'd As Driver Killed In Needham Crash
Central Mass Man ID'd As Driver Killed In Needham Crash A 31-year-old Worcester County man was identified as the driver killed when he lost control of his truck and was T-boned by oncoming traffic in a Needham crash this week, police said.  Dylan Chaves, of Fiskdale, was driving his pick-up truck south on I-95 just after 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 30, when the vehicle lost traction and turned sideways into the left lane of oncoming traffic, State police said.  The Nashua man who crashed into the truck was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries.  Chaves died at the scene, police said.  An initial investigation note…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Synagogues Victim Of Hoax Bomb Threats In Mass: Police Synagogues Victim Of Hoax Bomb Threats In Mass: Police
Synagogues Victim Of Hoax Bomb Threats In Mass: Police Multiple places of worship were the victims of hoax bomb threats over the weekend, causing police to evacuate homes and close roads until they could investigate the scenes.  An employee at Congregation Sha’aray Shalom at 1112 Main St. in Hingham received an email shortly before 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 19 that said that bombs were inside the synagogue, according to police. The employee left and called 911. Several homes nearby were evacuated, and Main Street (Route 228) was closed in both directions, police said. Explosive detection dogs from Quincy police and Massachusetts State Police …

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by Khier Casino
Police & Fire
Woman, 22, Killed In Multi-Car Crash On Mass Turnpike In Central Mass ID'd: Police Woman, 22, Killed In Multi-Car Crash On Mass Turnpike In Central Mass ID'd: Police
Woman, 22, Killed In Multi-Car Crash On Mass Turnpike In Central Mass ID'd: Police A 22-year-old woman died after she was involved in a car crash in Worcester County that sprawled into a multi-car wreck on I-90, authorities said.  Claudia Lukas, of Longmeadow, was killed on Wednesday, Nov. 15, in Grafton after her Subaru and a Kia Sorento collided on I-90 and hit a center guardrail, State Police said. The cars came to a stop in the center of the highway and were hit by an oncoming vehicle.  The crashes caused a secondary wreck between two tractor-trailers and a box truck, authorities said. One of the trucks went through a guardrail and down an embankment. Multi…

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by Josh Lanier
News
These Mass Communities Boast Some Of 'Most Enviable' Lifestyles In US, New Study Says These Mass Communities Boast Some Of 'Most Enviable' Lifestyles In US, New Study Says
These Mass Communities Boast Some Of 'Most Enviable' Lifestyles In US, New Study Says Three thousand Americans voted to determine the American suburb with the most enviable lifestyle, and five Massachusetts communities made the list.  A handful of Massachusetts suburbs were named among the 175 suburbs with the most "enviable lifestyle" in America, according to Moving Feedback, an online platform designed to help people move.  Brookline, Needham, and Wellesley, all in Norfolk County, scored spots 91, 147, and 156, respectively.  Two Middlesex County communities, Newton and Weston, came in at spots 167 and 175, respectively.  Topping the list at positions…

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by Morgan Gonzales
Police & Fire
Athol Woman Killed, 2 Injured In Head-On Western Mass Crash Athol Woman Killed, 2 Injured In Head-On Western Mass Crash
Athol Woman Killed, 2 Injured In Head-On Western Mass Crash A 57-year-old Worcester County woman was killed after a car drifted into her lane and collided with her car on Friday afternoon, June 30, authorities said.  Tracy Matthews, of Athol, was driving her Chevy Cobalt east in Franklin County on Route 2 in the town of Gill near Barton Cove Campground around 4 p.m. when a Mazda Miata crossed the center line and crashed into her, authorities said. Paramedics rushed her to Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, where doctors pronounced Matthews dead.  The 63-year-old Needham driver of the Miati and his passenger were…

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by Josh Lanier
Lifestyle
These Massachusetts Towns Among Top 10 Safest Nationwide, Report Says These Massachusetts Towns Among Top 10 Safest Nationwide, Report Says
These Massachusetts Towns Among Top 10 Safest Nationwide, Report Says Crime creates an emotional and financial toll on a community, but three Massachusetts towns are among the least impacted by illegal activity, a new report found.  Seven of the nation's 10 safest towns are found in New England, including three in Massachusetts, according to an annual report by Money Geek that analyzes the costs of crime to rank the safest and least safe US towns.  Andover, in Essex County, was ranked among the top-safest towns in the nation, coming in at the number three spot.  The town has a crime cost per capita of $51. This stands in stark contrast to the …

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by Morgan Gonzales
Lifestyle
Three Massachusetts Towns Named Among Top 10 Safest In The Country: Study Three Massachusetts Towns Named Among Top 10 Safest In The Country: Study
Three Massachusetts Towns Named Among Top 10 Safest In The Country: Study It's safe to say it! Massachusetts is home to some of the safest towns in the entire country. MonkeyGeek conducted a study that ranked the top 15 safest small cities and towns in the United States by Crime Cost per Capita. Four of the top 15 communities were Massachusetts towns, with three of them landing in the top 10. They were Andover (3), Arlington (5), Needham (9), and North Andover (14). "MoneyGeek analyzed crime statistics and quantified the cost of those crimes to identify the safest and least safe small cities and towns — those with 30,000 to 100,000 residents," the site said. It…

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by David Cifarelli
Police & Fire
Worcester, Springfield, Holyoke Officers Among 15 Suspended By State Commission Worcester, Springfield, Holyoke Officers Among 15 Suspended By State Commission
Worcester, Springfield, Holyoke Officers Among 15 Suspended By State Commission A Worcester officer accused of taking money for overtime he didn't work and a Springfield cop charged with using his stun gun on a pregnant woman were among 15 law enforcement officials suspended by the state's Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) commission.  The commission announced the suspensions on Tuesday, Jan 3, as it reviews the backgrounds and training of the state's law enforcement officers. This is a first for the state as the POST Commission was founded following the killing of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, according to NBC Boston.&nb…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Massachusetts Is Home To Seven Of The Best Small Cities In America, Website Says Massachusetts Is Home To Seven Of The Best Small Cities In America, Website Says
Massachusetts Is Home To Seven Of The Best Small Cities In America, Website Says Nearly half of the US population says they’d prefer to live in a suburban area, so the personal-finance website WalletHub conducted a research study about 2022’s Best Small Cities in America, which it released on Tuesday, Oct. 4.  To help Americans put down roots in places offering good quality of life and affordability, WalletHub compared more than 1,300 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 across 43 key indicators of livability— which range from housing costs and school-system quality to restaurants per capita and the crime rate, but you can read more about that methodo…

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by Jillian Pikora
News
Former Massachusetts EMT Pleads Guilty To Messing With Fentanyl Vials: DOJ Former Massachusetts EMT Pleads Guilty To Messing With Fentanyl Vials: DOJ
Former Massachusetts EMT Pleads Guilty To Messing With Fentanyl Vials: DOJ A former Massachusetts EMT is facing up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to tampering with liquid fentanyl vials at her ambulance company, the US Attorney's Office for Massachusetts reports.  Candice Mangan, of Medford, was a part-time EMT who tampered with three fentanyl citrate vials by replacing the fentanyl citrate with saline, the office reports. This happened while Mangan was working in Needham on or about September 20, 2020.  Tampering with such vials could jeopardize patents' health, according to Fernando P. McMillan, special agent in charge of the U.S…

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by David Cifarelli
Business
MrBeast Burger, Delivery-Only Fast-Food Restaurant Chain, Catching On In Massachusetts MrBeast Burger, Delivery-Only Fast-Food Restaurant Chain, Catching On In Massachusetts
MrBeast Burger, Delivery-Only Fast-Food Restaurant Chain, Catching On In Massachusetts A delivery-only burger chain created by a YouTuber with millions of subscribers is catching on in Massachusetts. MrBeast Burger was created by Jimmy Donaldson, who has more than 94 million subscribers on his MrBeast YouTube channel, in partnership with Virtual Dining Concepts. The business operates out of other restaurants' kitchens, and its burgers are available to order through food delivery apps. The menu includes burgers, chicken sandwiches, and Impossible burgers.  The locations have expanded across the United States, including a number of locations in Massachusetts. According …

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by Nicole Valinote
Business
Popular Food Network Star Launches Take-Out Only Massachusetts Restaurants Popular Food Network Star Launches Take-Out Only Massachusetts Restaurants
Popular Food Network Star Launches Take-Out Only Massachusetts Restaurants Food Network star Guy Fieri recently opened 20 new delivery/take-out-only restaurants in Massachusetts - including one in CentralMass. There are Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Kitchens in Westborough as well as Brockton, Medford, Needham, North Attleboro, Reading, and Woburn.  Flavortown is uniquely fit for service during a pandemic. It will be take-out only and chefs will operate out of a “ghost kitchen.” A ghost kitchen is when a business operates out of an existing restaurant. The new locations are not the host of “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives’” first restaurants in the state. Fieri …

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by Kristin Palpini
Police & Fire
Northampton Man Added To Most Wanted List For Child Pornography Charges Northampton Man Added To Most Wanted List For Child Pornography Charges
Northampton Man Added To Most Wanted List For Child Pornography Charges A Northampton man has been added to the state’s Most Wanted list as he continues to evade arrest, Jude Demeis, 49, is wanted by police on charges that include three counts of possession of child pornography and posing or exhibiting a child in the nude. Demeis is about 6 feet tall and weighs 180 lbs. He has brown hair and eyes. He is white. Massachusetts State Police added Demeis to their Most Wanted List on July 21. Police said Demeis has ties to Northampton and Needham as well as the greater Syracuse area in upstate New York, Gilboa and New City, both of New York. Demeis is “extremely pro…

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by Kristin Palpini