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Police & Fire
Wanted Gang Leader Busted in Lowell After 3 Years On Run: Feds Wanted Gang Leader Busted in Lowell After 3 Years On Run: Feds
Wanted Gang Leader Busted in Lowell After 3 Years On Run: Feds A Massachusetts man accused of playing a leading role in a dangerous drug trafficking conspiracy was arrested inside a local residence after evading authorities for nearly four years, federal authorities said.  Darasy Chhim, 39, also known by the aliases "Mystickal" and "Rizzus," was taken into custody on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine base, fentanyl, MDMA, cocaine, and methamphetamine. According to federal prosecutors, Chhim has been wanted since June 2021, when he was indicted alongside 14 co-conspirators. Authorities allege …

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by Josh Lanier
News
MA Named Best State For Raising Families In New Study: Find Out Why MA Named Best State For Raising Families In New Study: Find Out Why
MA Named Best State For Raising Families In New Study: Find Out Why Massachusetts leads the U.S. as a place for raising families and two other Northeast states are among the nation's best, according to a new study. WalletHub released its 2025 list of best and worst states to raise a family on Monday, Jan. 13. The personal finance website ranked each state on family-friendliness, evaluating factors like housing affordability, healthcare quality, job security, and education. Massachusetts claimed the top spot, excelling in education and healthcare. The state boasts the nation’s best public schools, the highest rate of children with health insurance, and …

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by Chris Spiker
News
Ex-Mass Cop Busted in $3M Fake Luxury Watch Conspiracy Gets 60 Days In Jail: Feds Ex-Mass Cop Busted in $3M Fake Luxury Watch Conspiracy Gets 60 Days In Jail: Feds
Ex-Mass Cop Busted in $3M Fake Luxury Watch Conspiracy Gets 60 Days In Jail: Feds If you bought a luxury watch from a Massachusetts police officer for a steal, you may have been duped. That’s what former cop Klevis Nako, 24, admitted to in a Connecticut federal court this week, according to federal authorities. Nako was convicted of conspiracy to sell counterfeit goods after he imported fake designer watches from China and sold them across the U.S. through Instagram and Facebook, the U.S. Attorney for Connecticut said. He has been sentenced to 60 days in federal prison, authorities said. His operation unraveled after federal agents intercepted dozens of shipments and con…

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by Josh Lanier
News
2025 Tax Season Begins: What You Need To Know About Expanded Options, New Tools 2025 Tax Season Begins: What You Need To Know About Expanded Options, New Tools
2025 Tax Season Begins: What You Need To Know About Expanded Options, New Tools Early filers, get ready. The 2025 tax season is here! The IRS will start accepting and processing tax returns on Monday, Jan. 27, the agency said in a news release. IRS Free File also became available on Friday, Jan. 10 to taxpayers who qualify through private-sector partners. With more than 140 million tax returns expected, the IRS urged taxpayers to take advantage of updated online resources and consider using trusted tax preparers to avoid scams. "This has been a historic period of improvement for the IRS, and people will see additional tools and features to help them with filing their …

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Cheddar Concerns: Cheeses Sold In MA Recalled Due To Listeria Risk, FDA Says Cheddar Concerns: Cheeses Sold In MA Recalled Due To Listeria Risk, FDA Says
Cheddar Concerns: Cheeses Sold In MA Recalled Due To Listeria Risk, FDA Says A New Jersey cheese distributor is recalling two cheddar products sold in Massachusetts due to possible listeria contamination, officials said. Abbey Specialty Foods issued the recall for 5.2-ounce blocks of its Wicklow Gold Cheddar Nettle & Chive and Wicklow Gold Cheddar Tomato & Herb cheeses, the Food and Drug Administration said. The recalled cheeses have sell-by dates of Monday, June 2. The Fairfield Township, Essex County, company said its supplier Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese reported a potential listeria contamination. There have been no reported illnesse…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Kohl’s Closing 27 Stores Across The US Including In Mid-Atlantic Kohl’s Closing 27 Stores Across The US Including In Mid-Atlantic
Kohl’s Closing 27 Stores Across The US Including In Mid-Atlantic Kohl’s announced Thursday, Jan. 9, the closure of 27 underperforming stores, including locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Virginia, as part of its 2025 real estate changes. The closures are expected to be finalized by April 2025 and are part of the company’s strategy to strengthen its store portfolio while adapting to evolving consumer trends. Among the affected locations are stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Virginia. Pennsylvania Pottstown – 351 W Schuylkill Rd. New Jersey East Windsor – 72 Princeton Hightstown Rd. Massachusetts Stoug…

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by Jillian Pikora
Business
Macy’s Closing 66 Stores Including Locations In MA Macy’s Closing 66 Stores Including Locations In MA
Macy’s Closing 66 Stores Including Locations In MA Macy’s, Inc. confirmed on Thursday, Jan. 9, the closure of 16 stores across Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and Maryland as part of its "Bold New Chapter" strategy. The closures are among 66 Macy’s locations set to shutter nationwide, a move designed to return the company to "sustainable, profitable sales growth." The stores closing in these states include: Virginia Southpark Mall Pennsylvania Logan Valley Mall Exton Square Mall Wyoming Valley Mall Philadelphia Center City Store in the Wanamaker Building New Jersey Essex Green Shopping Center New York Lake Success Melv…

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by Jillian Pikora
Lifestyle
Sneaky Hint At Win Or Harmless Caption Fun? Speculation Looms Over Mass 'Bachelor' Contestant Sneaky Hint At Win Or Harmless Caption Fun? Speculation Looms Over Mass 'Bachelor' Contestant
Sneaky Hint At Win Or Harmless Caption Fun? Speculation Looms Over Mass 'Bachelor' Contestant An Instagram post from one of ABC's "Bachelor" contestants from Massachusetts has some fans speculating she's hinting at something more than a slot in the cast. Juliana Pasquarosa, a 28-year-old client service associate from Newton, is one of 25 women vying for the affections of Grant Ellis, a 31-year-old New Jersey-based day trader in the upcoming season, which debuts later this month. Pasquarosa's Instagram is filled with photos of her friends and family or snaps taken at exotic locales.  But a mundane post from two years ago could be her spiciest yet — all because of a sneaky tweak…

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by Josh Lanier
Business
Raw Kitten Food Sold In MA Recalled Due To Salmonella Contamination, FDA Says Raw Kitten Food Sold In MA Recalled Due To Salmonella Contamination, FDA Says
Raw Kitten Food Sold In MA Recalled Due To Salmonella Contamination, FDA Says Blue Ridge Beef is recalling 1,350 pounds of its raw cat food sold across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic after the product tested positive for salmonella, officials said. The Food and Drug Administration said the recall impacts two-pound logs of Blue Ridge Beef's kitten mix with lot number N25-0716 (UPC 854298001436). A customer complained about a cat getting sick after eating the mix and a food sample was collected on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. The Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory confirmed the product tested positive for salmonella on Friday, Jan. 3. The FDA said the food …

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by Chris Spiker
Obituaries
Teen Killed In Ski Accident At Western Mass Resort Teen Killed In Ski Accident At Western Mass Resort
Teen Killed In Ski Accident At Western Mass Resort A 19-year-old student at an exclusive Massachusetts college was killed this week after suffering a severe head injury while skiing at a resort in the Berkshires. Alex Kemp, of Lincroft, NJ, was skiing at Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort in Hancock on Monday, Jan. 6, when he went off of one of the trails and hit his head after going over an embankment, the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office said. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.  Paramedics performed life-saving measures as they rushed him to Berkshire Medical Center. Doctors later transferred Kemp to…

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by Josh Lanier
News
MA Leads Nation In Cancer Research: The Hub Of Hope For Breakthroughs MA Leads Nation In Cancer Research: The Hub Of Hope For Breakthroughs
MA Leads Nation In Cancer Research: The Hub Of Hope For Breakthroughs Many states in the Northeast are among the country's best in the fight against cancer, with Massachusetts, New York, and Maryland ranked as leaders, a new study said. Massachusetts was ranked as the best state for cancer research, according to a SmileHub study released on Tuesday, Jan. 7. New York was just behind the Bay State in second place. The study, which assessed all 50 states based on metrics like clinical trials per capita and hospital quality, came as the U.S. saw more than 611,000 cancer-related deaths and nearly two million new cases in 2024. Massachusetts boasts the highes…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Lynn Man Dies After Apartment Fire; Marks State's 40th Fire Fatality Of Year Lynn Man Dies After Apartment Fire; Marks State's 40th Fire Fatality Of Year
Lynn Man Dies After Apartment Fire; Marks State's 40th Fire Fatality Of Year A Massachusetts man who was severely injured in an apartment fire over the weekend has died, authorities said. The man, a Lynn resident in his 40s, was found unconscious on the third floor of a six-family apartment building at 104-106 Lewis St. around 11:45 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28, the State Fire Marshal's Office said. The man's name has not been released. Crews contained the fire to a single room and extinguished it in about an hour. Lynn firefighters performed CPR on the man at the scene, and paramedics rushed him to Salem Hospital. Doctors later transferred him to Brigham and Women’s…

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by Josh Lanier