Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Foreign.
[00:00:16] I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Thursday, April 16th.
[00:00:22] Trader Joe's Grocery store is coming to Quincy Center Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch released a statement yesterday confirming what had been rumored for some time that a Trader Joe's will be part of the new housing development that's currently under construction along General McConville Way. Atlantic Development submitted a design plan to the city on Tuesday that showed a Trader Joe's and a Chipotle restaurant as part of that 300 unit apartment complex and a city owned parking garage at the former site of the IHOP restaurant. Trader Joe's also has locations in Hingham and Hanover. The project is slated for completion in late 2027. Also under construction by Foxrock Properties on the other side of the General's Bridge is a new health care center and another public parking garage. Beth Israel Deaconess Milton will operate the health care center, which is also expected to be completed in late 2027. Two years ago, the City Council approved borrowing a total of $157 million to finance both developments.
[00:01:36] A Boston man has been charged with attacking an MBTA police officer and attempting to gouge his eyes out during his booking AT T Police headquarters last Friday for Fritz Now, Gene allegedly jumped on the back of an officer and bit him on the back of the head. A violent struggle began as officers attempted to handcuff Gene. During the struggle, Gene allegedly tried gouging out the first officer's eyes and left him with significant facial injuries. Another officer described how Gene forcefully drove his thumbs into the officer's eye sockets. Gene was arrested the night before on an outstanding warrant out of Quincy District Court, where he's facing charges for resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and shoplifting. Gene was charged with mayhem, assault and battery on a police officer causing serious bodily injury, two counts of assault and battery on a police officer. Gene was ordered held on $100 bail and had his bail revoked for 60 days on a pending Quincy District Court case.
[00:02:44] He is due back in court on May 12 for a probable cause hearing.
[00:02:50] Signature Health Care announcing yesterday they'll be closing one of their Brockton urgent care locations while allowing the other one to book same day appointments, a Signature Health Care spokesperson said in response to the changing needs of patients, the urgent care location at 650 Center St. Will shut down, although they did not provide a definitive end date. The location is less than a mile from Bracton Hospital.
[00:03:19] Signature officials said they're working with staff affected by the closing and are considering other ways the site can serve patient needs. The Urgent care location at 110 Liberty St. Will convert to a same day appointment site, according to officials, allowing patients to book appointments as opposed to being seen on a first come, first serve basis. Last week, a cybersecurity incident affected Signature Health Care Services.
[00:03:47] Yesterday, Signature officials lifted Brockton Hospital's code black status after the cybersecurity breach.
[00:03:56] National Grid will hold an informational meeting today in Quincy to help electric customers manage their energy bills. Representatives from the utility company will be at the Four River Clubhouse in Quincy Point from 3 to 6pm and provide information about their discount rate, payment plans, budget plan and arrears management plan. Participants are asked to bring their SNAP Mass Health, SSI or WIC benefit cards or acceptance letters in order to enroll in National Grids discount rate program. No appointment is necessary.
[00:04:36] The deadline is fast approaching for Quincy residents to return their city census forms to City hall before they're placed on the inactive voter list. Quincy City Clerk Nicole Crispo says almost 33,000 of the almost 70,000 households in Quincy have still not returned their census forms. Crispo says they are required by the National Voter Registration act to put people on the inactive voter list if they have not returned their census forms by June 1.
[00:05:09] Any voter who's placed on the inactive voter list will be sent a notice with the opportunity to return to active voter status.
[00:05:20] From Cape Cod to Quincy to North Carolina, that is the journey that 18 sea turtles have had over the past several months after being rescued off Cape Cod beaches over the winter.
[00:05:33] The rehabilitated Kemp's ridley loggerhead and green sea turtles were treated at the New England Aquarium Sea Turtle Hospital, at the Quincy Shipyard and at the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, and recently released into the warmer waters off of Fort Fisher, North Carolina. This was the first turtle release of the season and 44 turtles are still receiving treatment and will be released off Cape Cod this summer. A total of nearly 500 turtles were rescued in November and December.
[00:06:06] The House Ways and Means committee releasing its $63.3 billion proposal yesterday to increase spending by 3.6% in fiscal year 2027, a plan that leaders said they crafted while bracing for the potential impacts of ballot questions that could slash revenue. Budget writers had to account for a number of colliding fiscal challenges, including a sluggish economy, eroding federal support, growing discontents around a rising cost of living and two potential ballot questions that could put dollars back in taxpayers pockets while taking a chunk of revenue away from the state budget. The committee recommends slightly less spending, about 33 million less than the governor's proposed budget. As always, the state's Medicaid program, Mass health is the largest chunk of the budget. House Ways and Means recommends funding it at $22.4 billion. That's a $282 million increase over last year. One of the other biggest investments the budget makes is to local cities and towns, with nearly $10 billion going to local aid through Chapter 70 education funding, unrestricted aid, special education circuit breaker funding and the sixth and final year of implementation of the Student Opportunity act, bringing an extra infusion of dollars to school districts. The budget fully funds obligations of that 2019 law that was meant to make school funding more equitable. Schools received $7.3 billion last year and would receive just over 7.6 billion under the committee's budget, similar to the governor's proposal of the $2.7 billion that budget writers plan to spend from the millionaires tax. The committee is recommending a63.36% split between education and transportation initiatives as a $3.6 billion environmental bond bill moves through the Massachusetts Senate. Some business groups are objecting to a provision in the legislation that would ban plastic bags at stores throughout the state and institute a 10 cent fee for paper bags. The bill was being debated yesterday on Beacon Hill, with lawmakers in the Democratic majority speaking in support of the measure. Senator Jason Lewis from Winchester noted that more than 160 cities and towns in the state already prohibit single use plastic bags at retailers. The National Federation of Independent Businesses is one of the industry groups opposed to a bag fee or ban. The Retailers association of Massachusetts said the bill would only raise costs on families and businesses. The Senate has passed bills banning single use plastics before, but they failed to become law. Some stores in Massachusetts already charged for paper bags. Stop and shop briefly charged 10 cents for paper bags before rescinding the policy in 2024. The Massachusetts Food association, which represents supermarkets and small grocery stores in the state, said it supports a statewide plastic bag ban. But the organization says retailers should be able to keep the 10 cent paper bag fee instead of splitting it with the state. And there should be adequate time to let stores deplete their plastic bag inventory and educate the public about a change.
[00:09:42] A check of business news this morning. Stocks are mixed. The Dow down 72, the Nasdaq shot up 376 and the S&P rose 55. Asian stocks mostly gained, while oil prices rose as investors were closely watching price prospects of a ceasefire extension in the Iran war and more talks between the US And Iran. The dollar fell, the euro was down and oil at just over $96 a barrel.
[00:10:12] Sports Red Sox beat the twins in Minnesota nine to five.
[00:10:17] They're back home tomorrow night at 7:15 against Detroit. And the Celtics have learned they'll be playing the 76ers the first round of the NBA playoffs. Game one is this Sunday at 1 o' clock in Boston.
[00:10:33] The National Weather Service forecast for today turning partly cloudy and mild with a high of 80 degrees.
[00:10:41] For tonight, cloudy and a low 58. Some isolated thunderstorms tomorrow, high of 77.
[00:10:48] Saturday, mostly cloudy and cooler. The high Saturday, 60 degrees and even cooler on Sunday with showers high of 58.
[00:10:57] The marine forecast calls for 1 foot waves, east winds at 5 to 10 knots and a high tide. 1111 this morning. Sunrise 6am Sets 7 26.
[00:11:08] I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Thursday, April 16th.
