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Air Quality At 'Unhealthy' Levels In Mass As Canadian Wildfire Smoke Moves East Air Quality At 'Unhealthy' Levels In Mass As Canadian Wildfire Smoke Moves East
Air Quality At 'Unhealthy' Levels In Mass As Canadian Wildfire Smoke Moves East Smoke from Canadian wildfires darkened Massachusetts skies on Tuesday, June 6, as clouds of it moved across the East Coast, and state officials said things would not improve Wednesday.  The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection issued a warning on Monday that the smoke would make the air quality "unhealthy" for sensitive groups. Those include young children, older adults, and people with respiratory or heart conditions. The agency said they should avoid outdoor activities.  Everyone else should limit their time outside and choose less strenuous activities while outdoors.  T…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Twitter Blues: Mass Celebs Lose Verification Checkmarks — Well, Most Of Them Twitter Blues: Mass Celebs Lose Verification Checkmarks — Well, Most Of Them
Twitter Blues: Mass Celebs Lose Verification Checkmarks — Well, Most Of Them As promised, Elon Musk purged celebrities of their legacy blue check marks from Twitter, leaving notables and politicians unwilling to shell out $8 a month to mingle with the rest of the hoi polloi.  Instead of ponying up, many of the country's most famous — many from Massachusetts — decided to forego another subscription fee and lose their vaunted verified status.  Most of them that is.  Widespread verification will democratize journalism & empower the voice of the people — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 6, 2022 Of the 20 most searched Massachusetts-born celebrities — according t…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Officials Address Racism Claims At Boston Marathon, "We Need To Do Better" Officials Address Racism Claims At Boston Marathon, "We Need To Do Better"
Officials Address Racism Claims At Boston Marathon, "We Need To Do Better" Reports of racist police actions at the Boston Marathon have been addressed by officials who say that they "did not deliver on our promise to make it a great day for everyone."  Photos and videos of an inequitable police presence at the Boston Marathon have been swirling around on social media since race day, Monday, April 17. Three days later, the marathon's official Twitter account published a response to the accusations. A group of black folks showed up to support their friends in the Boston marathon. And they are met with the police police force. This is the city I was born in. This…

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by Morgan Gonzales
Business
How To Get Your Share: Facebook Users Can Now Apply For Part Of $725M Settlement How To Get Your Share: Facebook Users Can Now Apply For Part Of $725M Settlement
How To Get Your Share: Facebook Users Can Now Apply For Part Of $725M Settlement Many Facebook users may soon have some money headed their way. Those who had an active account on Facebook anytime between May 2007 and December 2022 can now apply to receive a share of parent company Meta's $725 million settlement. The lawsuit alleged that Facebook permitted the former United Kingdom-based political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica to access about 87 million users' personal information during the 2016 presidential campaign. Facebook users during that time frame can apply for the funds online now or by mailing their forms by Friday, Aug. 25. The claim form and general …

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Salem Social Media Star Ernest Johnson Gets 3 Years Prison Time: Feds Salem Social Media Star Ernest Johnson Gets 3 Years Prison Time: Feds
Salem Social Media Star Ernest Johnson Gets 3 Years Prison Time: Feds A viral social media icon who promoted violence and "flaunted" his arsenal of drugs and guns was sentenced to over three years of prison time, officials say.  Ernest Johnson, who often went by "Yo Pesci" or "Mr. Live Mr. Drive," was involved in a "prolific and violent" North Shore drug trafficking ring that distributed over 500,000 deadly fentanyl pills designed to look like Percocet tablets, according to the District of Massachusetts U.S. Attorney's Office. Johnson, 34, received a sentence of 90 months in prison and three years of supervised release on Monday, Feb. 27, after pleading guilt…

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by Morgan Gonzales
Police & Fire
'Sexual Predator' Gets 12 Years For Blackmailing Massachusetts Teen Into Send Nudes: Feds 'Sexual Predator' Gets 12 Years For Blackmailing Massachusetts Teen Into Send Nudes: Feds
'Sexual Predator' Gets 12 Years For Blackmailing Massachusetts Teen Into Send Nudes: Feds A 33-year-old Chicago man who bullied a 16-year-old Massachusetts girl into sending him nude photos and then threatened to release them to her friends and family if she didn't give him more will spend more than a decade behind bars, federal authorities said.  Ernesto Herrera, who pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor in August, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison on Friday, Fed. 24, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said.  Herrera reached out to the victim from an anonymous phone number through a social media app in June 2020 and manipulate…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Boston Mom, 21, Allegedly Killed Over Explicit Photos 'Didn't Deserve' To Die Boston Mom, 21, Allegedly Killed Over Explicit Photos 'Didn't Deserve' To Die
Boston Mom, 21, Allegedly Killed Over Explicit Photos 'Didn't Deserve' To Die A 21-year-old woman who was stabbed to death allegedly over sexually-charged pictures she got from another girl's boyfriend did not deserve to die, people known to her are saying.  Brianna Brown was a mother who also ran her own piercing business in Boston, according to her Facebook profile. The 21-year-old allegedly got "explicit photos" from the boyfriend of her suspected killer, 16-year-old Wilmary Mejia, along with another girl, Boston25 reports.  UPDATE: Court paperwork identifies the suspect as Wimary Mejia. The 16-year-old is charged with murder for Saturday’s stabbing that kille…

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by David Cifarelli
Police & Fire
Ipswich Man Caught With 600 Images Of Child Porn Pleads Guilty, Faces Decades In Jail: Feds Ipswich Man Caught With 600 Images Of Child Porn Pleads Guilty, Faces Decades In Jail: Feds
Ipswich Man Caught With 600 Images Of Child Porn Pleads Guilty, Faces Decades In Jail: Feds An Ipswich man who was arrested with several hundred images and videos of child pornography has pleaded guilty and now faces decades in prison, authorities said.  Julien Toulotte, 24, admitted to one count of distribution of child porn and a charge of possession of the offensive material this week, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said.  Police began investigating Toulotte in January 2021 after he struck up a relationship with an undercover agent he believed to be a 15-year-old girl on social media, authorities said. He sent her multiple nude photos of himself and asked her to re…

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by Josh Lanier
Business
McGimmick? McDonald's Elusive McRib Returns For Final ‘Farewell Tour’ (Maybe) McGimmick? McDonald's Elusive McRib Returns For Final ‘Farewell Tour’ (Maybe)
McGimmick? McDonald's Elusive McRib Returns For Final ‘Farewell Tour’ (Maybe) Love it or hate it, there’s no denying that the McDonald’s McRib sandwich has taken on a life all its own. Now, that life may be coming to an end after the Golden Arches announced that the notoriously elusive yet ever popular saucy sandwich will embark on a “Farewell Tour” beginning on Monday, Oct. 31. the mcrib is coming back 10.31 but this is its farewell tour — McDonald's (@McDonalds) October 24, 2022 However, McDonald’s was quick to add that this may not be the last of the iconic sandwich. “Like any true farewell tour, we’re hoping this isn’t a ‘goodbye’ but a ‘see you later,’” th…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Mass Men Who Tried To Steal $530,000 Through People's Cell Phones Sentenced Mass Men Who Tried To Steal $530,000 Through People's Cell Phones Sentenced
Mass Men Who Tried To Steal $530,000 Through People's Cell Phones Sentenced Two Massachusetts men who pleaded guilty to taking part in a scheme to steal $530,000 worth of cryptocurrency and "OG" steal social media accounts will spend two years in federal prison, authorities said.  Eric Meiggs, 25, of Brockton, and Declan Harrington, 22, of Rockport, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of conspiracy, four counts of wire fraud, one count of computer fraud and abuse and one count of aggravated identity theft, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said. Harrington also copped to an additional count of wire fraud.  The men admitted they we…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Connecticut Man Admits To Cyberstalking, Threatening Massachusetts Woman Connecticut Man Admits To Cyberstalking, Threatening Massachusetts Woman
Connecticut Man Admits To Cyberstalking, Threatening Massachusetts Woman A 31-year-old Connecticut man has admitted to threatening, harassing, and intimidating a Massachusetts woman through email and social media.  Marshall Nicholas Fain, of New Haven, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Aug. 31, to one count of cyberstalking and one count of transmitting threats through interstate commerce, United States Attorney Rachael Rollins announced on Wednesday, Sept. 7. Fain was arrested and charged on Feb. 2, the US Attorney's Office said. According to the report, Fain was in a relationship with the victim for about two years, and the relationship ended in August 2…

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by Nicole Valinote
Schools
Malden Charter School Sends Student Home For Wearing Hijab On First Day Malden Charter School Sends Student Home For Wearing Hijab On First Day
Malden Charter School Sends Student Home For Wearing Hijab On First Day Thursday, Aug. 18 was the first day of school at Mystic Valley Regional Charter School in Malden and a student already received a citation saying she violated the school's dress code. However, the citation regarded the student's religious attire.  The student was called down to the office for apparently wearing a hijab: a traditional head covering worn among Muslim women when they become of age.  The student was then sent home for not complying with the school's required uniform, according to a Facebook post from one of the student's older siblings. This apparently was not the first time s…

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by David Cifarelli