Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Foreign I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Wednesday, July 2.
[00:00:22] The recently approved state budget also includes $25 million to help build a new parking garage and in Quincy Center. House Speaker Rah Mariano of Quincy added that provision, which survived the budget process. Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch says he's very grateful for the funding. Mariano did face criticism from Republican lawmakers for adding the $25 million amendment to the budget from the state's so called millionaires tax. Mariano defended the move, saying the tax was meant for improving transportation.
[00:00:57] The money will help fund a 500 space parking garage for a new health care center being planned by Beth Israel Deaconess Milton. Construction on the new center is expected to begin this year and be completed in late 2027 Picketers in Quincy are standing in solidarity with striking Republic Services waste collection workers in other parts of the state.
[00:01:24] Approximately 30 picketers were carrying signs outside the Republic Services dumpster rental location on Intervale street in West Quincy yesterday. Quincy is not impacted by the strike, however, the Quincy location is owned by Republic Services.
[00:01:42] Police say there were no problems on the Quincy picket line yesterday.
[00:01:48] Quincy's own New England Free Jacks Major League Rugby team will celebrate their recent third third championship today. A big rally is set for today at 4pm at Break Rock Brewing at Marina Bay. The Free Jacks won their third championship in a row last Saturday when they defeated the Houston Sabre Cats in Rhode Island. They are the first professional franchise to 3 peat in 23 years. Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch is expected to speak at today's celebration, which is being called a Free Family Celebration and that will feature all three Major League Rugby shields and comments from players, coaches and executives from the team.
[00:02:33] Quincy has its very first pet food bank. The new facility is open at the new Quincy Animal Care center off of Quarry Street. Dog and cat food is available for Quincy residents only. Donations of pet food are also being accepted. Animal Care center manager Brett Hale says that residents should call ahead to schedule a pickup time for pet food because there is a limited inventory right now. You can call 617-376-1147 or email her b haleuinsyma.gov a long time Quincy police officer has retired.
[00:03:17] Officer Colleen Pacioretty officially retired this week after 16 years of service. Pacioretti joined the department in 2013 as a patrol officer and worked the midnight shift for the past several years. Pacioretti is also a veteran of the United States army and a member of the Quincy Police Honor Guard. Her colleagues held a celebration send off this week wishing her a happy retirement.
[00:03:45] A Weymouth woman has been sentenced to three and a half years in jail for embezzling more than $1.2 million from her employer in Holbrook. 39 year old Ashley Sumner pleaded guilty last week in Norfolk Superior Court to a six count indictment. The judge sentenced Sumner to three years probation and restitution to be determined by the court.
[00:04:12] Sumner worked as an accountant for Allstate Glass in Holbrook from 2020 to 2023. Holbrook Police determined that Sumner made multiple fraudulent credit card charges, direct deposits and wire transfers from January of 2021 through February of 2023 when she resigned. Company officials reported to police that Sumner was suspected of stealing.
[00:04:38] She was arrested in August of 2023 after a five month investigation. Sumner pleaded guilty to two counts of larceny of more than $1,200 by a single scheme, two counts of improper use of a credit card and one count each of larceny of property valued at more than $1,200 and money laundering.
[00:05:01] The judge sentenced Sumner to a maximum two and a half year jail term for one count of improper use of a credit card and a consecutive one year term for the second credit card count while a woman was killed and a man was hurt during a suspected domestic stabbing early yesterday morning in Brockton. The man was later arrested on a murder charge after his release from a Boston hospital.
[00:05:30] Stabbing happened around 4am at an apartment on center street near Lyman Street.
[00:05:35] Officers were called to the home shortly after 4am A Brockton Police representative said they found a man and a woman with injuries. The man who was also stabbed was taken to a hospital in Boston. Plymouth County DA's office later confirmed the woman was killed in the stabbing and they have identified her as 36 year old Rose Lacroix from Mattapan.
[00:05:59] 44 year old Rose Reynold Biombi was identified as Lacroix Killer. He is due in Brackton District Court today to face the murder charge. State and local police in the DA's office were investigating. Officials did not share what they believe led to the deadly stabbing.
[00:06:19] Logan Airport has raised its fees for taking an Uber or Lyft to catch a flight as well as the cost of parking in a garage. The new prices took effect yesterday. It will now cost an extra $5.50 each way for Uber and Lyft passengers, up from the previous fee of $3.25. Earlier this year, Massport proposed hiking the fee to 750 before a compromise was reached. Part of the deal, passengers can be dropped off right in front of the terminal doors instead of at a designated spot in the garage. This has not gone into effect yet, though passengers are still meant to be dropped off in specific locations in the garage. The deal also gives Uber and Lyft drivers more time to accept pickup requests after making an airport drop off, calls for more shared ride opportunities and requires the companies to launch a shuttle service to Logan. Massport CEO Rich Davies said at the time the compromise would allow for new, cheaper ways to get to Logan while also addressing traffic issues. Garage parking is also more expensive now at Logan. The maximum price to park at the airport's main Garage is now $46 daily, up from 41 a day. Parking in the economy garage is now $37 a day, up from 32.
[00:07:47] Travelers can take the MBTA's Blue Line to the airport or take the free Silver Line from South Station. The Logan Express bus is also available from Braintree, Danvers, Framingham and Woburn for $9 each way, with parking $7 a day. There's also a Logan Express from back Bay for $3 to the airport with a free ride back.
[00:08:16] For over two decades, the Fourth of July in Hingham meant the familiar boom and smoky haze of fireworks. But this year the town's ushering in a new era, preparing for its first ever elaborate drone show tonight at Hingham's Bathing Beach. Organizers anticipate thousands will gather for the free event, promising a dazzling display unlike anything the town has seen before.
[00:08:46] It is a significant change for Hingham, which is joining a growing national trend of replacing traditional fireworks with high tech drone performances. The highly anticipated show will feature 300 synchronized drones taking off from the sand at Bathing beach, all at the touch of a button. Beyond the spectacle, the move to drones is a conscious effort towards environmental responsibility, or organizers say the shows produce less air and noise pollution, significantly benefiting local wildlife. The organizers highlight a specific concern in Hingham federally protected nesting birds. While a drone show is more expensive than fireworks, the $75,000 event is being covered by generous major donors, including the Riley family. The only cost to the town is an additional $15,000 to pay for police and public works crews.
[00:09:46] The festivities for the event kick off at 6pm tonight at Hingham's Bathing Beach.
[00:09:54] A check of business news this morning. Stocks are mixed. The dow was up 400 points. The Nasdaq fell 166. The S&P lost 6. Asian stocks also mixed. The dollar rose. The Euro was down, oil at $65 a barrel in sports red Sox and Reds will play a doubleheader at Fenway today after last night's game was suspended due to rain. So game one will continue at 2:30 this afternoon and then game two tonight at seven.
[00:10:30] Forecast from the National Weather Service for today. So light rain this morning, then mainly cloudy, warm and humid, high of 86 tonight, some patchy fog, a low about 70 tomorrow, hazy, warm and humid with an afternoon thunderstorm at a high of 88. The 4th of July and Friday looks delightful, mostly sunny, less humid, high of 82 degrees.
[00:10:50] Still nice on Saturday with lots of sunshine and A high of 85 for the boater today. Waves 1 to 2ft, southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. High tide 5:51pm Sunrise 511 sets at 8:23.
[00:11:06] Traffic note for river bridge scheduled to open Wednesday at 5:45pM and Friday at 5:30am I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Wednesday, July 2nd.
