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Thursday, nov 30
News
Covid-
19: Cases Of Highly Mutated Pirola Strain Triple In 2 Weeks
Nationwide cases of the so-called COVID-19 Pirola subvariant have tripled in two weeks. The strain officially known as BA.2.86 has been particularly prominent in New York. It now makes up 9 percent of COVID cases in the US, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). World Health Organization (WHO) authorities said they consider BA.2.86 to be part of the Omicron variant family, but that could change if the strain spreads more widely even though Pirola's 30 mutations are from the BA.2 lineage, which was the dominant Omicron strain …
News
CT Woman Sues After Finding Severed Finger In Salad At NY Eatery, Lawsuit Says
A Connecticut woman has filed a lawsuit against a restaurant company in New York after allegedly finding herself chewing on part of a severed human finger while eating a salad served at one of the company's locations within the county. Fairfield County resident Allison Cozzi, of Greenwich, filed the suit against Rye Brook-based Chop't Creative Salad Company LLC on Monday, Nov. 27 after allegedly finding part of a severed finger inside her meal bought at a Chop't location in Northern Westchester County at 53 South Moger Ave. in Mount Kisco. According to the lawsuit complaint file…
News
Explosive Find In Mass Has Construction Workers, Police Scrambling
Construction workers in Waltham got a scare on Monday, Nov. 27, when they found a cache of unexploded cannon balls buried on a job site. Workers were on a job site at 41 Foundry Avenue when they found the 12 potentially explosive cannonballs, Massachusetts State Police said. The unexploded ordinances were found inside a pipe that workers uncovered. The Waltham Police and Fire Departments responded, as did members of the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad, the Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Team from the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, and an ATF agent all s…
News
Should Parents Be Concerned Over Apple's New 'NameDrop' Feature?
Concerns are mounting over a feature on Apple's new iOS 17 update, but tech experts and some law enforcement officials say NameDrop is safe. NameDrop allows contact information to be shared with other Apple users. But not without both devices having iOS 17 installed. And not without being extremely close, or touching. And not without consent. To initiate the transfer of contact information, both devices must have the new update, be unlocked, and be very close or touching for several seconds. Then, a screen will appear at the top of the device with prompts to "receive only" or "share…
News
After Stabbing, Western Mass Bar 'Closed Until Further Notice,' Owners Say
The owners of a Berkshire County ramen bar said they created the Pittsfield hotspot to be a safe space for people to meet and have a good time, but a stabbing last week upended that goal. They've decided to shut down indefinitely. A man was stabbed as he left Thistle & Mirth just after 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 22. The man took himself to Baystate Medical Center, and police say he is expected to survive. Authorities did not release his name. Related: Man Stabbed Leaving Pittsfield Ramen Bar The owners of the 44 West St. bar said in a Facebook post that they have seen an increas…
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$4M Lottery Win: Webster Man Won't Let Newfound Fortune Change Him
A Webster man recently won $4 million in the Massachusetts State Lottery after he picked up a pair of tickets as a Thanksgiving Day treat to himself. Carmen Fago won the seven-figure sum playing the "777" scratch-off game. He told lottery officials he was in total shock when he realized he'd won the grand prize. Fago chose to take the lump sum payment of $2.6 million (before taxes) rather than the annuity. He said he plans to pay off his truck with the cash, but other than that, he doesn't expect to change up his daily routine. Fago bought the ticket at M…
News
Covid-
19: Symptoms Now Number 11; Here's Latest Rundown From CDC
When COVID-19 cases first were identified in the United States in March 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) listed just three symptoms for the novel coronavirus: Fever Cough Shortness of breath Now, nearly five years later, the virus remains an everyday part of American life, with about 1,000 deaths from the disease nationwide each week. As COVID has evolved, mainly from the highly contagious Omicron strain and several of its subvariants, the CDC's updated list of symptoms for the virus now numbers 11. They are: Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficu…
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IDs Released For Couple Killed In Fiery Crash On Bridge Linking NY, Canada Caught On Video
The identities have now been released of a couple killed after crashing near a bridge connecting the United States and Canada on one of the year's busiest travel days. The Thanksgiving Eve incident happened early Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 22 on the Rainbow Bridge at Niagara Falls, New York. Niagara Falls Police say Kurt Villani, and his wife, Monica Villani, both age 53, died in the vehicle explosion which led to a federal investigation. The two were residents of Grand Island, New York, located about 10 miles southeast of Niagara Falls. Authorities say the couple had originally been hea…
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This Thanksgiving Side Dish Reigns Supreme In Massachusetts: Survey
In Massachusetts, there is one Thanksgiving side dish to rule them all, and at the dinner table bind them. A recent study of Google Trends data by the website Zippia found the most searched recipes in every state. In North Carolina, it's biscuits. New Yorkers are reaching for sweet potatoes with marshmallows, and Virginians want mac and cheese. So, what's the most important side dish for Bay Staters? Mashed potatoes. They're not alone. Nine states also had the Thanksgiving staple as their top pick, making it the most popular in the country. That includes in nearby Connect…
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Swampscott Cook Turns Scary Injury Into $40K In Donations To Hospital That Saved His Finger
Matthew Swartz sliced his finger open while carving his family's Thanksgiving turkey four years ago, and he's turned that scary moment into a yearly tradition of giving back to the people who saved his digit. Swartz, of Swampscott, is a cook by trade. He opened Matteo’s, a Newton restaurant that featured Mediterranean Italian cuisine, in 1999 before he sold the place in 2005. But despite his years as a cook, slicing his index finger while trying to cut off a leg of his Thanksgiving turkey in 2019 is the worst injury he says he’s had in a kitchen. “I grabbed my butcher knife, and I de…
News
'No Indication Of Terrorism' In Double-Fatal Crash On Bridge Linking NY, Canada
New Update: IDs Released For Couple Killed In Fiery Crash On Bridge Linking NY, Canada Caught On Video There is no indication of terrorism after a car exploded after crashing near a bridge connecting the United States and Canada in New York on one of the year's busiest travel days, killing two people. The Thanksgiving Eve incident happened early Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 22 on the Rainbow Bridge at Niagara Falls. The explosion involved a car entering the US from Canada, according to the City of Niagara Falls. The explosion reportedly happened when the car accelerated to around 80 miles…
News
'Decently Sized' Coyote Spotted Near Dog Park, Playground In Boston (
Video
)
Coyotes were spotted roaming around the Boston area over the past few weeks, and some residents are concerned for the safety of their pets. But wildlife experts say there are ways to protect your animals. One video, recorded to the tune of Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik," by a woman in the North End showed the coyote moving through the area around 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 14. Related: Coyotes Kill Six Peacocks In At Martha Stewart's NY Estate The woman’s friend, Michaela Burke, told the Daily Voice that the coyote was “pretty decently sized” and “definitely not malnourished.” …
News
Recent Grad Wins $25K For Life In Mass Lottery Thanks To Last-Minute Change
Keisha James is lucky for life. The Hyannis woman recently won $25,000 a year for the rest of her life after she picked up a ticket at the last minute and matched five numbers on the Quic Pic Lucky for Life drawing. James went to the store to buy a Powerball ticket on Nov. 15 but changed her mind when she realized there was no drawing that night, the Massachusetts State Lottery said. She chose the Lucky for Life drawing as a last-minute substitute. James recently finished a school program and said the guaranteed $25,000 (before taxes) a year for life was a nice graduation g…
News
Covid-
19: There's No Link Between Vaccines, 'Sudden Deaths,' New Research Finds
Brand-new research says there's no link between COVID-19 vaccinations and "unexplained sudden deaths." The findings by the Indian Council of Medical Research also showed that the receipt of two doses of a vaccine lowered the odds of unexplained sudden death. The study was conducted at 47 hospitals across India and involved apparently healthy individuals aged 18-45 years without any known co-morbidity, who suddenly died of unexplained causes from October 2021 to March 2023. Researchers pointed to other factors for sudden deaths, including past hospitalization for COVID, …
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Seafood Restaurant In Springfield Closes Its Doors For Good
The crabs in Springfield have stopped shaking. The Shaking Crab restaurant — with the slogan "Bibs Up, Phones Down. It's Shaking Time" — changed its hours on its Facebook page to say it's permanently closed. The 1373 Main St. seafood eatery announced it would temporarily close in January, but now it appears that decision is for good. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mass Adventurer (@mass_adventurer) The restaurant hasn't posted on its social media page since December 2022. The restaurant boasted a 4.0 rating on Yelp! with se…
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Covid-
19: More Free At-Home Tests Now Available To US Households
The federal program offering free COVID-19 rapid at-home tests through the mail has just been restarted ahead of the winter holiday season and a potential rise in cases. Every American household may order four of the tests starting Monday, Nov. 20 by visiting covid.gov/tests, the Department of Health and Human Services says. If a household did not order four tests when the program was restarted in late September, it may place two orders for a total of eight tests now. About 15 million households ordered tests in September. Rapid tests ordered this week will begin being delivered…
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First-Ever 'Vampire Virus' Discovered In US: Here's What It Is
A so-called "Vampire Virus" that latches onto and expands into other viruses has been identified in the United States for the first time. The discovery came from a student project led by professor Tagide deCarvalho at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County which is outlined in the Journal of the International Society for Microbial Ecology. The so-called MiniFlayer "viral hitchhiker" was found about 30 miles northwest of Washington, DC in a soil sample in Poolesville, Maryland after a virus satellite they named MindFlayer was detected in 2019. "No one had ever seen one virus latch…
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Ex-State Senator Charged With 28 Counts Of Fraud: Feds
A former Republican state senator who represented Worcester and Middlesex counties was charged with illegally taking thousands in COVID relief money and concealing cash from the IRS, federal authorities said. Dean Tran, 48, of Fitchburg, was indicted on 25 counts of wire fraud and three charges of filing false tax reports on Friday, Nov. 17, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said. He pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. Tran served in the Massachusetts Senate from 2017-2021. Investigators said Tran collected $30,120 in unemployment benefits after being voted out of o…
News
450 Patients File Lawsuit Against Salem Hospital After Potential Exposure To HIV, Hepatitis
Patients have filed a class-action lawsuit against Salem Hospital after nearly 450 of them say they were potentially exposed to HIV and hepatitis through their IVs. Endoscopy patients at Salem Hospital “were potentially exposed to infection due to the administration of their intravenous medication in a manner not consistent with our best practice,” the hospital said in a statement to the Daily Voice. The patients were potentially exposed over two years. It all started with one contractor, who no longer works at Salem Hospital, according to a hospital spokesperson. Salem Hospital said it s…
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Cannabis Dust Contributed To Woman's Death In Holyoke Facility: Mass Health Dept.
A new report from the Massachusetts Department of Health said a woman who died at a Hampden County cannabis facility is the state's first workplace asthma-related death. Lorna McMurrey, 27, of West Springfield, was filling pre-rolled joints at the Trulieve facility in Holyoke on Jan. 4, 2022, when she told her coworkers that she couldn't breathe and fell unconscious, the report said. Paramedics rushed her to an area hospital, where she remained on life support until her death three days later. The medical examiner ruled that McMurrey died of “brain death, due to cardia…
News
Social Media Split Over Mass Bill That Would Ban Native American Mascots At Public Schools
Lawmakers in Massachusetts are considering a bill banning public schools from using Native American mascots, and social media users are divided. If passed, about 25 high schools in the state would need to change their logos and team names that “denigrate ... any racial, ethnic, gender, or religious group,” according to a summary of the bill proposed by state Sen. Joanne Comerford and state Rep. Brandy Fluker Oakley. Related: Infamous Native American Statue Along Mohawk Trail In Western Mass Removed Comerford addressed the “psychological harm” these mascots cause in a statement to the Dai…
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$10M Lottery Win: Sushi Dinner Helps Mass Man Score Massive Payday
A hungry Essex County man decided to pick up some lottery tickets while at his favorite restaurant earlier this month and walked away with some sushi and $10 million. John Boyce of Groveland is the first eight-figure winner in the “$10,000,000 Premier Cash” $20 scratch-off game. He bought three tickets that day, with the third one making him an instant multi-millionaire. Boyce chose to take the lump sum payment of $6.5 million (before taxes) rather than the annuity. He plans to use the money to pay off his mortgage, buy a new car, and invest, lottery officials said. …
News
Coyotes Chase Man, His Dog In East Longmeadow: Police
A man walking his dog in Hampden County got the scare of a lifetime when two coyotes picked up their scent and chased him back to his home, police said. The man was walking in East Longmeadow in the Birchland Park Middle School and Mapleshade Elementary School area on Sunday, Nov. 12, when the animal picked up the pursuit, East Longmeadow police said. It's unclear The man and his dog were not injured, but police warned people in that area to stay vigilant — especially while walking animals. If you spot a coyote or have an encounter, contact Hampden County Animal Services …
News
Covid-
19: Here Are Symptoms For New Variant That's Now Most Dominant In US
A new COVID-19 variant has quickly become the most dominant in the nation just as respiratory virus season arrives. According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HV.1 now makes up 25.2 percent of COVID cases in the US, just ahead of the EG.5 variant (21.9 percent). The EG.5 strain, known as Eris, was first identified in August. It remains the most prominent strain worldwide at about 46 percent of cases across the globe. HV.1 was also first identified over the summer but in low numbers. Like EG.5, HV.1 is an offshoot of the highly contag…
News
Covid-
19: Brand-New Study Reveals Percentage Of Americans Who've Had Long COVID
A new study has revealed just how prevalent cases of so-called Long COVID are among Americans. According to the investigation by Dartmouth College and the University College London, one in seven Americans -- about 14 percent -- had Long COVID by the end of 2022. Long COVID occurs when symptoms of the virus persist for more than three months after the initial infections. Those symptoms typically included extreme fatigue, breathlessness, muscle weakness, and cognitive dysfunction or "brain fog." Those who report having experienced Long COVID said they also experienced more anx…
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'Zoom Bombing' Disrupts Western Mass City Council Meeting; Leaders Look To Block Trolls: Report
A standard city council meeting last week in Hampshire County was upended by "Zoom bombing" trolls and antisemites who spewed hateful and offensive comments. Northampton city councilors have spent the last week looking for solutions to fight back for their meeting on Thursday, Nov. 9, reports said. The Daily Hampshire Gazette reported that the Nov. 2 Northampton City Council meeting was set to discuss typical city governance issues, but things took a dark turn when leaders opened the floor for public comments. Several people signed up to speak to the board via Zoom. Th…
News
Mass Pediatrician Sexually Assaulted 2 Patients Into Their Teen Years: Court Records
Richard Kauff, a retired pediatrician in Norwell, has been accused by former patients of sexually assaulting them for years during their physical examinations, records show. Two women came forward after one of them shared their experiences in a Facebook group called “Mamas of the South Shore,” according to court records filed with the Hingham District Court. They said Kauff would inappropriately and painfully penetrate them with his fingers during annual checkups in the 90s. The alleged assaults happened at South Shore Medical Center in Norwell and Kingston, where Kauff practiced…
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Netflix Hikes Prices Ahead Of Holiday Season — Here's What It Will Cost
Netflix is raising its prices — again. The streaming giant announced last month that it would raise rates, and the company made good on that promise Tuesday, Nov. 7, for new subscribers. The hike for existing customers will take effect next month. Netflix said it would email existing customers soon about the new subscription costs, reports said. So, what are those prices? The Standard tier — which includes ads — will remain $7 a month. The Basic option will cost $12 a month, and the Premium package will now cost $23 monthly. That's a $2 rise for the top two t…
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Pickles On The Lam: Pig Eludes Capture In Western Mass
Pickles, a pig that has been missing since August in Hampshire County, has been spotted, and now animal rescue agents have set a trap. Police are asking people to stay away to avoid them and hurt help efforts. Pickles the pig vanished from his pen in Belchertown months ago. Belchertown Animal Control set traps to capture the animal, but he escaped their best efforts. Granby Animal Control said the pig reappeared near Carver and Chicopee Streets recently. On Tuesday, Nov. 7, authorities said they had put up traps around there to snare the porcine parolee. Officials asked people …
News
'It Violently Turned At Me': Shark Scares Surfers Off Cape Cod Coast
Two surfers swam away with their lives, but they reached the beach with a whale of a tale after their encounter with a 10-foot great white shark off Cape Cod over the weekend. The incident happened off Coast Guard Beach in Eastham on Saturday, Nov. 4, according to Ray Trautz, one of the surfers. He wrote about the scary meeting on Facebook. Pete was sitting on his board and I was standing on mine when I looked over my shoulder and a 10’ Great white Shark was on track right at Pete’s legs. The shark even turned on its side as if to take a leg , in that moment I yelled SHAARRRRK as Pete wa…
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Motorcyclist Killed In Springfield Crash: Police
Springfield police said a man died in a car versus motorcycle accident on Monday, Nov. 6. Officers were called to the intersection of Verge and Parker Streets, where they found the man lying out on the pavement around 4 p.m. He died at the scene, police said. The car driver remained at the scene. Springfield police did not release the names of the deceased or the car driver. Officers are investigating the fatal crash.
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