Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Foreign.
[00:00:16] I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Monday, May 11th. The Quincy City Council will hold the first of four scheduled meetings regarding next year's proposed city budget. Tonight, the Finance Committee will meet at 7:30 at City hall, beginning with a public hearing. Counselors will be reviewing the proposed $492 million spending plan that was presented by Mayor Thomas Koch last week. The City Council President, Ann Mahoney, says officials will be closely examining the budget, keeping in mind the city's $1.8 billion in debt. The mayor says the budget represents a 2.9% increase with no new programs or positions. The there are 4.5% increases in public safety and education and raises for contractual salaries, health insurance, trash collection and energy. There are budget hearings also scheduled for May 19, June 2 and June 10. The council may approve or cut the budget, but may not make additions. The new fiscal year begins on July 1.
[00:01:27] While the city Council is reviewing next year's proposed budget, Councilors are also reviewing a request from the mayor to buy the former Eastern Nazarene College property. After presenting his budget last week, Mayor Thomas Koch introduced a separate order requesting the council to approve borrowing $22.5 million to buy the former college and begin planning the future for that site. Koch said the college agreed to a purchase price of $21 million. The additional funds will be needed to begin preparing the site for future uses. Some ideas presented by the public include creating senior housing and allowing Quincy College the use of the gym and playing fields. Koch says a decision is needed by June 15 in order for the deal to be approved or the college may look elsewhere for a buyer.
[00:02:23] The owner of a South Shore spa linked to more than a dozen cases of botulism has pleaded guilty in federal court to performing illegal injections using unapproved Botox. 33 year old Rodrigo de Medeiros Sicara from Quincy, the owner of Rodrigo Beauty Incorporated in Milton, pleaded guilty to one count of misbranding of a drug after shipment in interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or mislead. U.S. district Court Judge Richard Stearns scheduled sentencing for Aug. 12. Medeiros Sicara was arrested and charged by complaint in October. Prosecutor said Medeiros Sicara admitted to injecting clients at his Milton spa with unapproved botulinum toxin obtained from illegal sources outside the United States, resulting in numerous severe cases of botulism. The Department of Public Health began investigating in June. State public health officials said 18 suspected cases of botulism were linked to Botox injections at Rodrigo Beauty beginning around August of 2022. Prosecutors said Madera Sicara offered various cosmetic injection procedures, including the injection of botulinum toxin prescription drugs to clients of Rodrigo Beauty. Despite not being licensed to prescribe, dispense or administer prescription drugs or perform inspections. Sakara faces a sentence of up to three years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
[00:04:06] Massachusetts officials say they are weighing next steps to expand the wrong way driving detection systems across the state following the death of Trooper Kevin Traynor and renewed concern about highway safety. The Mass. Department of Transportation has been testing wrong way detection and technology at 16 highway ramps since 2022. The systems use solar powered flashing lights and cameras designed to alert both drivers and and law enforcement when a vehicle enters an exit ramp in the wrong direction. State Police said it received more than 530 calls for wrong way drivers since the fall of 2024, with reports increasing every year. AAA Northeast says wrong way crashes on divided highways from 2020 to 2024 peaked in 2024 but declined significantly last year. Based on regional crash data, the organization found there were 338 wrong way crashes on divided highways in Massachusetts from 2020 to 2025. Senator Bruce Tarr said he's filed an amendment to the Senate version of the state budget to set some funding aside to plan expanded installation of the detection systems in Massachusetts. He said the pilot program was largely completed and put the state in a position to act in the coming weeks.
[00:05:34] Family, friends and former colleagues gathered for a memorial service for former Quincy Mayor James Sheets on Saturday. Service was held in the Richardson Room of the Thomas Crane Library and Quincy Center. Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch reflected on working for Sheets as executive secretary. Others told stories of Sheets efforts to revive Quincy during an economic downturn. She Sheets served as mayor from 1990 to 2002 and was previously a ward councilor and state representative. He went on to teach at Quincy College and Eastern Nazarene College before returning to his native Pennsylvania. Sheets died in January at the age of 90. A celebration of life service will be held in Jefferson, Pennsylvania on June 20th.
[00:06:22] Jack of Business News stocks are higher. Dow is up 12. Nasdaq rose 440. The S&P is up 61. Asian stocks are mixed. The dollar rose. The euro was down. Oil at $104 a barrel.
[00:06:37] Sports Rays beat the Red Sox 4 to 1. The Phillies come to Fenway tomorrow night at 645. Forecast from the National Weather Service today, mainly cloudy, high of 63. Tonight, partly cloudy and a low 40. Sunshine tomorrow high 62.
[00:06:54] Wednesday clouds high 62 and more rain. Thursday, the high 62.
[00:07:00] The boater waves about a foot. Northwest winds at 5 to 10 knots becomes southeast later today. High tide 7:40pm Sunrise 5 26, sets at 7:53. I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Monday, May 11th.
