Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Foreign.
[00:00:16] I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Wednesday, January 7th. Two new members will be joining the Quincy School Committee tonight and a third member will be welcomed back. An organizational meeting will be held at 6pm in the Coddington Building to swear in Kate Campbell and Tom Leung as the newest members of the committee and to welcome Tina Cahill to her second four year term on the committee. Campbell and Leung fill the seats vacated by Emily Lebo and Doug Guttro, who did not seek re election last year. Leong becomes the first Asian member of the Quincy School Committee. Other committee members are Courtney Pertios, Kathryn Hubley and Paul Bregoli. The committee will also elect a vice chairman this evening. The mayor serves as chairman of the committee. Superintendent Kevin Mulvey will be appointed secretary and Laura Owens will be appointed clerk. The meeting will be live on QATV channel 22 and on qatv.org three groups are on the short list to potentially become the MBTA's next commuter rail operator. The T in late December issued a request for proposals to three collectives of transit operators that could take over the operation and maintenance of the sprawling rail system. Keolis Commuter Services has done so since 2014 and is working through June 30th of 2027 on an extended contract.
[00:01:51] The duration of the upcoming contract is nine base years and five optional years. The T won't know the final value of the contract until the bids are complete, although the current contract with Keolis is worth about $5 billion when considering its base eight years and five year extensions. The short list of qualified bidders includes the duo of Keolis America Inc.
[00:02:19] And Alstom Transportation, the manufacturer of Amtrak's Next Gen Acela trains.
[00:02:25] Other bidders include companies in Boston, France and the United Kingdom. The commuter rails average weekday ridership as of last October sat at just over 104,000 people, accounting for 11% of total MBTA weekday riders across all modes. Final proposals will be submitted to the T this fall, and the agency plans to select one by the end of the year to allow sufficient time for the new operator to mobilize before taking over responsibility for the service.
[00:03:00] A new bill proposed in Massachusetts aims to reduce how many miles people drive in their cars. Lawmakers say the goal is to reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions. While no specific mileage was listed, the Bill would require MassDOT to set goals to reduce the number of statewide driving miles. In general, the proposal is a push to align the state's transportation plans with its climate mandates and is based on similar laws in Colorado and Minnesota. The bill would establish a new council to find ways to make public transportation more accessible for residents looking at solutions like trains, ferries, buses, bike paths and more. Critics say the bill could represent a bias against those in rural parts of the state where public transportation is harder to come by.
[00:03:55] The state fire marshal sending a notice to Massachusetts bars, restaurants and clubs yesterday about the dangers of illegal sparklers in the wake of a Swiss Alps bar fire that killed 40 people and injured more than 100 on New Year's Eve. Investigators have said that deadly fire was started by sparklers on champagne bottles that ignited the ceiling of the bar.
[00:04:23] Officials also sent a notice to King of Sparklers, a Florida based business that says they sold and shipped sparklers to a Fall river establishment. The fire marshal said the sparklers can burn at temperatures of more than 1800 degrees and can remain hot enough to ignite even after they've been extinguished. That's what started a 2022 fire in Draket that displaced nine people.
[00:04:51] Massachusetts logging a record high seat belt usage rate of 85.5% in 2025, which officials said marks a modest increase of 1.4% compared to the prior year. Seatbelt use has increased for three consecutive years in Massachusetts, with the usage rate climbing 4.9% between 2023 and 2024. The federally mandated annual study was conducted between June 3 and June 28, with researchers fanning out across 147 locations and observing about 24,000 individuals and 23,000 vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration approved the study results in November.
[00:05:39] Bristol county had the lowest seat belt usage rate at 78%, and Middlesex county had the highest at 87%. Massachusetts also saw a decrease in fatal motor vehicle crashes, MassDOT reporting 342 in 2025 compared to 364 in 2024. Researchers found seat belt use among Hispanic occupants increased significantly from 70% 2024 to 77% last year. Vehicles registered in New Hampshire also saw a sharp increase, rising from 74% in 2024 to 85% last year. Female occupants continue to wear seatbelts at a substantially higher rate than male occupants. Some 90% of female occupants wore seatbelts last year, compared to 82% of their male counterparts. Analyzed across vehicle type, researchers found small commercial vehicles had one of the most substantial improvements, with the rate rising from 57% in 2024 to 67% last year.
[00:06:53] The Lexus SUV Karen Reed was driving the night of her boyfriend's death in 2022 will be put up for auction in Massachusetts on January 30th with the vehicle described as being in great condition and having about 12,000 miles on it on January 30th reads 2021 Lexus LX570 will be sold to the highest bidder by JJ Manning Auctioneers at a location that has not yet been announced. No online or remote bidding will be accepted. According to the newly posted auction listing, the SUV is in great condition with low mileage.
[00:07:37] After John o' Keefe died, Reed's SUV was towed to the Canton Police Department garage and then taken into possession by state police. In July, Reed successfully filed for the SUV to be returned to her. JB Auto Care in Weymouth, detailed and repaired the SUV once Reed got it back. During Reed's trials, the vehicle was shown to jurors in front of 34 Fairview Road in Canton, where they allegedly say she hit o' Keefe and drove off. Reed's defense team argued that o' Keefe was killed during a fight in the home and his body left in the lawn. The auction of Reed's SUV is scheduled to take place a day after the fourth anniversary of o' Keeffe's death. Reed remains the subject of a civil lawsuit filed against her by John o' Keefe's family. Money from the auction will go to Reed's defense fund.
[00:08:33] Well, a fourth child has now died of the flu in Massachusetts as new cases of the virus continue to surge, putting a strain on hospitals and urgent care centers statewide. The Boston Public Health Commission yesterday announced that the flu season has been associated with the deaths of two children under 2 years of age in the city so far, one of the Boston child deaths was included in a state health department report on Monday announcing three pediatric deaths. A second death was reported overnight, bringing the pediatric death toll in the state to four. There were 10 total pediatric flu deaths across the state in 2025, five in 2024 and seven in 2023. There was a 126% increase and confirmed flu cases and hospitalizations almost tripled in Boston between December 14th and the 27th. Flu related emergency department visits also increased 135% in that same time period. State Department of Public Health says hospitals statewide have been reporting overwhelming numbers of flu patients, some regions in the state reporting challenging hospital capacity levels exceedingly 90% in medical surgical units largely related to the flu. According to the state, thousands of people are seeking treatment daily. Last week alone, there were nearly 9,000 emergency department visits statewide, with about a quarter of those related to acute respiratory illness, including flu COVID 19 and RSV. Public Health Commissioner Rabi Goldstein says the risk of getting the flu in Massachusetts is currently very high. There have been more than 30 total flu deaths statewide this season, including those pediatric cases. Despite the spike, doctors warned that vaccinations are lacking in the bay State. About 34% of Massachusetts residents have received the flu vaccine so far this season. It's down from 36% at this time last year and significantly lower than the 43% rate recorded during the 2020-2021 season.
[00:10:49] Health officials emphasize that while the flu shot does not guarantee full immunity, vaccinated individuals who contract the virus generally experience milder symptoms, often preventing severe illness or hospitalization. In Massachusetts, vaccines are covered by insurance and are available at no cost for almost all adults. All vaccines for individuals younger than 18 are supplied free of charge to health care providers through the state's Universal Childhood Immunization Program.
[00:11:21] A check of business news this morning. Stocks are higher again. The Dow is up 484, Nasdaq rose 151 and the S&P is up 42. Global stocks are mixed, calming somewhat from the buzz set off by recent record rallies on Wall Street. Investors attention turned to global interest rates and uncertainty caused by developments in Venezuela. The dollar fell, the euro is down. Oil at $56 a barrel.
[00:11:51] In sports, Bruins lose to the Kraken out in Seattle 7 to 4. They'll be back home tomorrow night at 7 against Calgary tonight. The Celtics host the Nuggets at 7. Today's forecast from the National Weather Service is calling for showers and maybe some mixed precipitation. High of 38 degrees for tonight, generally cloudy and a low of 26. Sunshine tomorrow, high 44 on Friday. Some afternoon showers with a high 49, and rain on Saturday with a high 46 for the boater. Waves about a foot. North winds at 5 to 10 knots and a high tide 2:10pm sunrise 7:12 sets at 4:28.
[00:12:36] I'm Joe Catalano with an AEM Quincy news update for Wednesday, January 7th.
