Episode Transcript
[00:00:16] Speaker A: I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Tuesday, January 6th. New Quincy City Council President, Councilor at Large Anne Mahoney is pledging greater transparency, accountability and thoughtful decision making in local government. Mahoney was elected unanimously by her fellow councilors to be council president during last night's swearing in ceremony at a packed Quincy City hall. New Ward 6 City Councilor Deb Riley made the initial nomination for Mahoney, which was seconded by new Ward 5 Councilor Maggie McKee. Mahoney is returning to the City Council after losing a bid for mayor two years ago. She joined six other new city councilors for the next two years. Only Ward 2 Councilor Richard Ash and Councilor At Large Noel Dabona are returning. Ash ran unopposed and Dabona won reelection. State Auditor Diana de Zaglio was a featured guest speaker at last night's swearing in ceremony. Dizaglio encouraged the new counselors to to be a voice for their constituents and to be a force for unity. Mahoney then named Ward 6 Councilor Deb Riley as chairman of the finance committee, Ward 5 counselor Maggie McKee as chairman of the ordinance committee and Ward 1 counselor David Jacobs, chairman of the Oversight Committee. Jennifer Manning was elected Clerk of Committees unanimously. Manning has served in that role for 12 years.
The city council will meet again on Tuesday, January 20th.
Demonstrators rallied in support of two 10 foot bronze statues in Quincy ahead of the new City Council swearing in ceremony last night. The statues, depicting the Catholic patrons of police and firefighters, have been in legal limbo since last year. Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch commissioned the statues of Michael and Florian to honor Quincy's first respond.
Fifteen plaintiffs represented by the ACLU of.
[00:02:24] Speaker B: Massachusetts sued to stop the statues from going up. An injunction is currently prohibiting the city.
[00:02:31] Speaker A: From installing the statues that were sculpted in Italy. Demonstrators said the holdup is affecting the morale of first responders.
[00:02:40] Speaker B: Opponents said that's not what the controversy is about. They believe the statues violate the separation of church and state and criticized the $850,000 price tag. Only two previous Quincy City councilors are returning to office this year.
[00:02:57] Speaker A: Six of the seven new members that.
[00:02:59] Speaker B: Were sworn in last night had voiced opposition against the statues. Mayor Koch declined to comment last night on the ongoing controversy, but has previously defended the statues as being symbolic.
[00:03:15] Speaker A: Three children have died from the flu in Massachusetts in recent weeks, the state Department of Public Health said. One of the children's deaths happened during the week of December 21st.
So far this season, 29 adults have died from the flu.
[00:03:32] Speaker B: Mass.
[00:03:32] Speaker A: DPH also reported that the number of cases rose 4% in the past week. Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein urged Bay State residents to get vaccinated to protect the themselves from the flu. And COVID 19.
The state health department says flu cases are sky high right now and rising. Doctors say those numbers are spiking earlier than usual. State health officials say hospitals and urgent care centers have been packed with flu patients. Just last week, the state says there were about 2,000 emergency room visits a day for the flu. Now, doctors say the concern is only growing after three children died from the flu well before the usual peak season.
9% of all hospitalizations right now are flu related, according to the states.
A USPS truck driver was injured after they crashed into a home in Sharon.
[00:04:33] Speaker B: Crash happened just before 6:30 last night.
[00:04:36] Speaker A: On De Hart Avenue in Sharon.
[00:04:38] Speaker B: The truck left the roadway and came to arrest against a nearby home, causing minimal damage. Driver was taken to the hospital with unknown injuries. Sharon's fire chief says the driver may have suffered a medical episode.
[00:04:53] Speaker A: The owner of the home, Linda Appel.
[00:04:56] Speaker B: Said she first saw the truck parked at an odd angle before hearing it crash. She said she saw the truck circle.
[00:05:02] Speaker A: Back around and hit the corner of her home.
[00:05:06] Speaker B: Cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Reminder the Norfolk County Sheriff's Office is.
[00:05:13] Speaker A: Collecting winter coats today and tomorrow for coats for kids and families.
[00:05:20] Speaker B: Coats of all sizes can be dropped off at the Sheriff's office on 1255 Hancock street in Quincy center and at the Braintree Public Safety Complex on Washington.
[00:05:32] Speaker A: Street in Braintree from 8:30am to 4pm.
[00:05:36] Speaker B: Both today and tomorrow. Since its founding in 1995, Coats for Kids and Families has collected, cleaned and distributed nearly 2 million free coats at more than 70 collection locations and events.
A check of business news and stocks soared. The Dow set a new record high, up 594 points. The Nasdaq rose 160. The S&P added 43.
Asian shares also logged strong gains. The dollar slipped. The Euro rose oil at $58 a.
[00:06:15] Speaker A: Barrel and sports Celtics beat Chicago 115 to 101. They'll be hosting Denver tomorrow night at 7.
Forecast from the National Weather Service Today mainly cloudy with a high of 34 degrees. For tonight, cloudy and a low of 29. Scattered showers tomorrow with a high 40 degrees.
[00:06:40] Speaker B: Thursday, partly sunny at a high of.
[00:06:43] Speaker A: 44 and Friday some afternoon showers but a high Friday near 50.
The marine forecast calls for 1 foot waves. Winds out of the north at 5 knots, turning northeast later today. A high tide 1:19pm sunrise at 7:12 sets at 4:27.
I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Tuesday, January 6th.
