Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Foreign I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Tuesday, July 8th. Quincy residents who are suing the city trying to stop the installation of two statues on the new public safety complex are now asking a judge to impose an injunction to stop the statues from being installed until the court case is resolved. The city is expected to file a motion to oppose that injunction and a hearing on the injunction request will be held later this month. The plaintiffs allege the city is violating the state constitution by using public funds to install religious statues on a public building.
[00:00:57] Mayor Thomas Koch says The statues of St. Michael and St. Florian are the patron saints of police officers and firefighters and he does not view them as religious symbols. The 10 foot tall bronze statues cost $850,000 and are scheduled to be installed at the front entrance to the new building later this year.
[00:01:21] Looks like there will be a preliminary election in Quincy this year. So far, seven candidates have been certified to for the three counselor at large seats and three have been certified to run for the Ward 6 seat. Incumbents Noel Demona and Scott Campbell, along with Allie Shaughnessy, Susan Yuan, Andrew Pham, Jackie Carvey and Hannah Kaplan are all certified to run for counselor at large. A primary will be held on September 2 to narrow the field to six candidates, and for Ward 6 incumbent William Harris will face challenges from Deborah Riley and James Coffey. A preliminary will narrow the field to two candidates. Candidates still have until July 15 to return their nomination papers to City hall for certification, so there may be more races in that primary.
[00:02:18] A state police sergeant involved in the investigation of Karen Reed has been reassigned from his position at the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office. Sergeant Yuri Buckinick was moved to the State Police's Division of Standards and Training effective this past Sunday. Buckinek was the supervisor in charge of the investigation into the death of John O' Keefe in January of 2022. During Reed's retrial for the murder of O', Keefe, defense attorney Alan Jackson grilled Buckinek on not reprimanding Michael Proctor regarding his text messages. Proctor had admitted to sending crude and disparaging texts to his friends in a group chat regarding Reid and her case. Buckinek's reassignment comes weeks after Reid was acquitted of the most serious charges for the death of o'. Keefe. Buchanak testified in both of Reid's trials and and was disciplined last fall for failing to reprimand Proctor. State police say Buckinek will perform a variety of administrative functions in support of the division's daily operations. In his new role, State police are currently accepting applications for Buckinek's vacant position.
[00:03:36] Boston University has laid off 120 employees and eliminated an additional 120 vacant positions as part of an effort to reduce its budget by 5%. The decision, which comes amid ongoing financial challenges, has sparked frustration among students. According to Don Seifert with the Boston Business Journal, the university's decision reflects broader national pressures facing higher education.
[00:04:06] Boston University has acknowledged the scope of the layoffs, but many questions remain. School officials confirmed the layoffs and but did not break down which departments would be impacted. In a statement, Boston University President Melissa Gilliam called the layoffs a day of loss and acknowledged the emotional and institutional toll of the decision.
[00:04:31] When Quincy mother Jen Dagnault explores the outdoors with her toddler, she always comes prepared. This summer, Dagnault is carrying a tick prevention kit with tweezers and band AIDS after her 2 year old, Jamie, experienced a mysterious rash.
[00:04:51] Data from the Centers for Disease Control suggests her frustrations are not unfounded. Emergency room visits for tick bites in the Northeast are at their highest levels in at least five years.
[00:05:04] As of this past June, the CDC recorded ticket 229 tick bites per every 100,000 visits to emergency rooms around the Northeast. Last June, the CDC recorded 167 bites per 100,000 visits. The type of tick that typically carries disease in New England is the deer tick, also known as the black legged tick, which can be as small as a poppy seed. Dr. Thomas Mather, the director of the University of Rhode island center for Vector Borne Diseases, says hot and dry days can kill deer ticks, but with few of those this past spring, more ticks have survived to bite people and increase disease prevalence. Dr. Todd Ellerin, an infectious disease specialist at South Shore Health, says he has seen an uptick in tick bites and tick borne illnesses. He asks patients to be on the lookout for large rashes that can occur with Lyme disease even if there's no telltale bullseye. Dr. Mather says there is some good news, as hot, dry days are expected to increase throughout the summer. More deer ticks will die, he believes. Massachusetts is already past the peak of tick season.
[00:06:25] Track of Business News this morning, stocks are down. The Dow dropped 422 points, the Nasdaq lost 188 and the S&P fell 49. Asian shares mostly rose after stocks on Wall street closed broadly lower as the White House stepped up pressure on major trading partners to make deals before punishing tariffs imposed by the US take effect.
[00:06:51] Dollar was up the euro rose and oil and $67 a barrel.
[00:06:57] Sports Red Sox beat the Colorado Rockies nine to three last night. They'll play at Fenway again tonight at 7:10.
[00:07:06] The national weather Service forecast. Another heat advisory is in effect today with hazy, hot, humid conditions.
[00:07:13] A high of 91 degrees. Pretty good chance for some afternoon and evening thunderstorms for tonight, some patchy fog, A low of 72 tomorrow, mainly cloudy, cooler high of 77 for Thursday. Some showers around at a high of 75 and some showers Friday morning.
[00:07:32] The high 77.
[00:07:35] The marine forecast calls for 1 foot waves. Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Become southeast later today in a high tide. 10:38am Sunrise 5:15 sets at 8:22.
[00:07:48] I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Tuesday, July 8th.
