Rare Endangered Plant Found Growing In Western Mass For First Time Rare Endangered Plant Found Growing In Western Mass For First Time
Rare Endangered Plant Found Growing In Western Mass For First Time Botanists rejoice. A plant that has never been seen in Massachusetts before was spotted growing in Berkshire County. Meet the pine-drops plant.  Amateur botanist Syke van der Laan discovered while hiking in the Berkshires recently. He wasn't sure what it was but realized its significance and alerted the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, who were thrilled at the find.  “The discovery of a new native plant here in Massachusetts is extraordinary,”  said MassWildlife’s State Botanist Robert Wernerehl. “We have more active professional botanists per square mil…
CT Man Returned $300K Of Items To Home Depots That He Never Paid For: Feds CT Man Returned $300K Of Items To Home Depots That He Never Paid For: Feds
CT Man Returned $300K Of Items To Home Depots That He Never Paid For: Feds A Connecticut man is accused of ripping off nearly $300,000 from more than two dozen Home Depot stores across eight states, including Massachusetts and Connecticut, authorities said.  Henrique Costa-Mota, age 26, of West Hartford, is charged with conspiracy and wire fraud in the scheme that he allegedly ran from June 2021 until February 202, the US Attorney for Rhode Island said.  Costa-Mota is accused of going to Home Depot locations across the Northeast dressed as a contractor. He would walk in empty-handed, take several doors from the back of the store, and then "return" them t…
Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Ground Beef Bought In NY Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Ground Beef Bought In NY
Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Ground Beef Bought In NY Federal officials are warning residents in four states in the Northeast about a salmonella outbreak that is suspected of spreading through ground beef purchased in a specific supermarket chain.  The outbreak, which was announced by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday, July 25, has been linked to lean ground beef, which is the only common food eaten by those who became ill.  According to officials, all of the affected people who remembered the type of ground beef they ate and where they had purchased it reported that they bought 80 percent lean ground …
Tornado Watch Issued For Much Of Region, With 60 MPH Wind Gusts, Hail Also Possible Tornado Watch Issued For Much Of Region, With 60 MPH Wind Gusts, Hail Also Possible
Tornado Watch Issued For Much Of Region, With 60 MPH Wind Gusts, Hail Also Possible As a slow-moving storm system barrels through the Northeast, a Tornado Watch has now been issued for much of the region until 3 p.m. Sunday, July 16. It includes parts of southeastern New York -- Long Island, as well as Westchester, and Putnam counties -- as well as all eight counties in Connecticut, and the following counties in Massachusetts: Berkshire, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, and Worcester. A look at all areas under the watch, also including parts of Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Maine, is marked in yellow in the image above from the National Weather Service. …
NY Serial Murders: Pizza Crust Helped Nab Suspect Who Allegedly Taunted Victim's Family NY Serial Murders: Pizza Crust Helped Nab Suspect Who Allegedly Taunted Victim's Family
NY Serial Murders: Pizza Crust Helped Nab Suspect Who Allegedly Taunted Victim's Family New details are shedding light on just how police in New York tracked down an alleged serial killer who worked on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan suspected in the deaths of at least four women on Long Island more than a decade ago. Nassau County resident Rex Heuermann, age 59, of Massapequa Park, an architect and married father of two, was arraigned on murder charges in Suffolk County Court on Friday, July 14, in the killings of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello. The bodies of 10 people, nine of whom were women, are linked to the case. Earlier Report: Suspect In Gilgo Beac…
Hit-Run: Beloved Northern Westchester High School Teacher Dies In Cape Cod Crash Hit-Run: Beloved Northern Westchester High School Teacher Dies In Cape Cod Crash
Hit-Run: Beloved Northern Westchester High School Teacher Dies In Cape Cod Crash Authorities are investigating after a high school teacher in New York who lived in Connecticut was killed in a hit-and-run incident in Massachusetts, police said.  Fairfield County resident Jeffrey Richardson, age 59, of Brookfield, who taught music in Northern Westchester County at John Jay High School in Cross River, died on Tuesday, July 11 following the incident that happened the day before around 9:40 p.m. in the town of Wellfleet on Cape Cod.  According to Wellfleet Police, at the time of the incident, officers were called to Route 6, where Richardson was lying unresponsive …
New Rounds Of Storms With Downpours, Flash Flood Risk Threaten Region New Rounds Of Storms With Downpours, Flash Flood Risk Threaten Region
New Rounds Of Storms With Downpours, Flash Flood Risk Threaten Region New rounds of storms with localized downpours and risks of flash flooding are taking aim at the region. The time frame for the first system is Thursday night, July 13 into Friday, July 14 with the approach of a frontal system, according to the National Weather Service. Rainfall of about 1 inch with locally higher amounts of around 2 inches is possible. "The strongest thunderstorms during this time may also be capable of producing damaging wind gusts," according to the weather service. The stormy pattern is expected to linger through Tuesday, July 18. "While a setup ex…
$30M Insider Trading Case: Hudson Valley Duo Profited From Pharmaceutical Merger Info, Feds Say $30M Insider Trading Case: Hudson Valley Duo Profited From Pharmaceutical Merger Info, Feds Say
$30M Insider Trading Case: Hudson Valley Duo Profited From Pharmaceutical Merger Info, Feds Say Four men from New York and Massachusetts, including a police chief, are accused of making millions of dollars through an insider trading scheme involving one pharmaceutical company’s acquisition of another. The case, announced by the US Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York on Thursday, June 29, is one of four separate insider trading cases that reportedly generated a combined $30 million for those involved. Named in the case are: Shawn Cronin, age 43, of Dighton in Bristol County, Massachusetts and chief of the Dighton Police Department Joseph Dupont, age 44, of Rehoboth…
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 …
New Update: Missing Boys, 12, Who Took SUV From Central Mass Found Safe in New York New Update: Missing Boys, 12, Who Took SUV From Central Mass Found Safe in New York
New Update: Missing Boys, 12, Who Took SUV From Central Mass Found Safe in New York New update: Police announced Wednesday morning, June 28, that two 12-year-old Massachusetts boys who drove away from home in an SUV have been found safe in New York.  Authorities did not release any further information, including where they were found in New York.  Amari Siders and Zyaire Siders were last seen on Monday, June 26, and in Worcester County were believed to be driving a white Toyota 4Runner Highlander with Massachusetts license plate 4AN622, Southbridge Police said.  Original report: Police in Worcester County are asking for the public's help to find two missi…
Serial Rapist: Attorney Charged With 4 Cold Case Attacks In Mass, FBI Says Serial Rapist: Attorney Charged With 4 Cold Case Attacks In Mass, FBI Says
Serial Rapist: Attorney Charged With 4 Cold Case Attacks In Mass, FBI Says The FBI and Boston police said a New Jersey attorney is behind a string of rapes and kidnappings in Boston more than 15 years ago, officials said. Officials arrested the Weehawken man on Tuesday, May 30.  Matthew Nilo, 35, is charged with three counts of aggravated rape, two counts of kidnapping, one charge of intent to rape, and one account of indecent assault and battery, the Boston Police Department announced. The alleged attacks happened in August and November 2007 and August and December 2008 in Charlestown, authorities said.  Investigators linked Nilo to the rapes through investigati…
COVID-19: Owner Of NY Theme Park, Restaurant Admits Stealing $3.2M In Federal Aid COVID-19: Owner Of NY Theme Park, Restaurant Admits Stealing $3.2M In Federal Aid
Covid-19: Owner Of NY Theme Park, Restaurant Admits Stealing $3.2M In Federal Aid A man who owns a theme park and restaurant in New York has admitted to stealing over $3 million through federal COVID-19 aid with some of those funds used to buy a home on Nantucket. Long Island resident Donald Finley, age 61, of Roslyn, the owner of Jekyll & Hyde Restaurant in Manhattan and the Bayville Adventure Park in Nassau County, pleaded guilty to disaster relief fraud and wire fraud on Thursday, May 25. As stated in court filings by the US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace: Between March 2020 and March 2021, amid the COVID pandemic, Finley fra…