Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Foreign.
[00:00:16] I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Wednesday, March 4th. All icy conditions are causing some crashes and spinouts on the roadways this morning. Quite Quincy police say a trash truck struck a utility pole on the parking way in Quincy center at 5:45 this morning, but no one was hurt. Multiple minor crashes were also reported between 5 and 7am A water pipe burst in an apartment building at 59 Spear street in Quincy center overnight. That was handled by the Quincy Fire Department. No other information is available.
[00:00:55] The city's response to the two major snowstorms that occurred in January and February took center stage at this week's City Council meeting. DPW Commissioner Al Grazioso and Superintendent Larry Prendeville outlined their process for snow plowing and snow removal operations after some counselors said they heard from some residents who were not happy with the city's efforts.
[00:01:20] Ward 3 Councilor Walter Hubley relayed a story explaining how different people reacted to the same situation based on their expectations. Officials said they were challenged by the amount of snow combined with water main breaks, some minor flooding and power outages. Mayor Thomas Koch previously said a contractor that would have provided 40 pieces of snow removal equipment opted out of the city this year. Koch estimates the total cost of snow removal this winter is approaching $6 million.
[00:01:56] A double murder suspect captured in Mexico was arraigned in Massachusetts yesterday. 23 year old DA Vinci Leonard is accused of shooting and killing two teenagers in March of last year near the Westgate mall in Brockton.
[00:02:14] 15 year old Taimari Albertson and 18 year old Savannah Alvarez were the two people killed in the shooting outside a Chipotle restaurant by the mall. Leonard was arrested last month in Mexico after an extensive search. Police had said they were called to the Chipotle restaurant outside the mall at about 7pm on March 22 and found one victim suffering from gunshot wounds in front of Starbucks, the other in front of Chipotle. But both victims were rushed to nearby Good Samaritan Medical center where Albertson was pronounced dead. Alvarez was flown to Mass General Hospital where she later died. The shooting appeared to have started with an altercation between Leonard and Albertson. Prosecutors have described the shooting as brazen. It came as teenagers and families were checking out an indoor trampoline park nearby, although it did not appear to involve that facility.
[00:03:12] After the shooting, prosecutor said Leonard admitted to his girlfriend that he shot someone but said he did it in self defense. Prosecutor said Leonard was the only person with a gun that night. Leonard pleaded not guilty to all the charges yesterday during his arraignment. He was ordered held without bail and is due back in court on May 13. Two other people also faced charges in connection with the double homicide for allegedly helping Leonard evade authorities.
[00:03:43] Massachusetts families are stuck in the Middle east amid the war in Iran, and Senator Ed Markey says the State Department needs to do more to get them home. The Trump administration's telling Americans to leave the region and families would love to, but they haven't been able to get out. Stacey Schewerk from Hingham has been sheltering in place in a Doha hotel since Saturday. The Hingham mother and her son are among nearly 1600Americans trapped in the Middle east with no way to get home. Flights between Boston and the Middle east are canceled or delayed as travelers express anxiety over the conflict. At first, U.S. officials told people to shelter in place and register with the State Department, something sheworth did days ago. Embassies and consulates across the region, including the US Embassy in Israel, have now suspended services, saying they simply can't get Americans out. The senator says his office is hearing from Massachusetts families and he's pressuring the Trump administration to come up with an evacuation plan fast.
[00:04:52] Back in Doha, Schuhr keeps watching the war outside her window. With no clear end of the conflict, she's worried she could be stuck there for weeks.
[00:05:03] Three people are accused of shoplifting from several stores inside the Prudential Center Mall in the back Bay yesterday. 38 year old Brandon Frazier of Boston was arrested and charged with shoplifting and drug offenses. 33 year old Anthony Boisever from Boston, Robert was also arrested on shoplifting charges and had warrants out of Quincy District Court. An unidentified woman will be summoned to Boston Municipal Court for shoplifting. About six o' clock Monday evening, officers were on patrol inside the Prudential center as part of an ongoing shoplifting initiative. Officers were advised of a man inside a store later identified as Frazier concealing an item in his jacket. Officer stopped Frazier and informed him of the shoplifting investigation. Police saw Frazier allegedly pinning his arm to his jacket. Officers were able to recover the stolen merchandise during a search. Officers also recovered fentanyl and crack cocaine.
[00:06:09] Short time later, officers are A woman exit the Lululemon store with multiple pieces of merchandise that she did not pay for. She was arrested as she exited onto Boylston Street.
[00:06:23] A Supreme Judicial Court judge denying Massachusetts State Auditor Diana Dezaglio's request for an outside lawyer to represent her in her battle to audit the state Legislature. Dissoglio is trying to force legislative leaders to comply with the voter approved audit of them.
[00:06:44] A judge said Dissoglio didn't cite a statute, power or rule that would allow the court to appoint an outside lawyer. Attorney General Andrea Campbell previously said she is the only one who can represent the auditor in court. The attorney general did not comment on the ruling. House Speaker Rah Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka both have said an audit violates the Constitution's separation of powers. Dizoglio said she will continue fighting to make the audit happen.
[00:07:16] Well, there's growing concern that the United States latest military action in Iran will drive up gas prices here at home. The price of oil shot up overnight following US and Israeli strikes on Iran over the weekend. With US crude oil prices soaring more than 6.5% on Sunday night, AAA's Mark Shieldrop said it will affect the American consumer in a big way because their budget's already been stressed in other areas. Shieldrop explained the US doesn't import a lot of Iranian oil, but said 20% of the world's product goes through the Strait of Hormuz and since the attack, much of the shipping through that strait has been halted. Shieldrop also pointed out that we tend to see prices go up slightly and slowly this time of year, so experts will have to watch closely to differentiate if the price increase is due to the season or the geopolitical landscape. Gas buddy Analysts predict prices are likely to face heightened upward pressure this week as markets navigate the evolving global power dynamics, with the national average poised to reach the $3 a gallon mark for the first time this year.
[00:08:30] As of Monday, AAA reported the national average at $2.99 a gallon and in Massachusetts the average sits at $2.91.
[00:08:41] Check business news this morning and stocks are down, the Dow dropping 403 points. The Nasdaq lost 232. The S&P fell 64.
[00:08:53] European shares opened higher after another day of sell offs. In Asia, the dollar fell. The Euro slipped and oiled, now at $77 a barrel.
[00:09:06] In sports, the Bruins beat the Penguins 2 to 1. They'll be in Nashville tomorrow night at 8:00'. Clock. Tonight, the Celtics host Charlotte at 7:30 and locally, Quincy High School girls basketball losing to Natick last night, 65 to 37 and the North Quincy girls basketball losing to Norwood 61 to 51.
[00:09:34] Forecast from the National Weather Service today, partly cloudy and a high of 53 degrees for tonight, cloudy, a low of 22 tomorrow. Some afternoon showers with a high of 41 Friday.
[00:09:49] Some mixed precipitation at a high of 36. Cloudy on Saturday, high 54 the marine forecast calls for 1 foot waves, west winds 5 to 10 knots. Become southwesterly in a high tide 11:54am sunrise 614 sets at 5:37.
[00:10:08] I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quinsey news update for Wednesday, March 4th.
