Episode Transcript
[00:00:16] I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Wednesday, May 13. So far, the Quincy City Council has cut almost $239,000 from next year's proposed city budget. The reductions were made in increments from various departments during Monday night's budget hearing. Counselors are vowing to review the budget line by line to trim any excess in an effort to reduce costs. The total proposed budget of $492 million represents a 2.9% increase, but Mayor Thomas Koch says it is level funded, adding no new programs or positions. Coke says there are 4.5% increases for public safety and education and increases for contractual pay raises, trash collection, health insurance and energy. The council will hold more budget hearings on May 19, June 2 and June 10. The new fiscal year begins on July 1.
[00:01:20] The Quincy Planning Board will continue reviewing proposals for several new developments. Tonight the board will continue discussions about a proposal proposed new child care center and swim school with some residential units on Columbia Street, a proposal for a Taco Bell restaurant in the parking lot of the Stop and Shop on Newport Avenue, plans for a shipbuilding and repair shop on Victory Road at Marina Bay, a proposal to convert the former Sweeney Funeral Home on Elm street into a three unit apartment building and there's a new proposal for a four unit building on Franklin Street.
[00:01:59] Also on the agenda tonight, a preliminary presentation of a proposed 55 and older residential development at 1600 Crown Colony Drive. The meeting will be held at 6pm at Old City Hall. You can watch it live on QATV channels 9 and 1072 and on qatv.org the Quincy built World War II era heavy cruiser the USS Salem will mark its 77th birthday today at the Quincy shipyard with a special event. Veterans and the public are invited to meet and greet Quincy native US Navy Captain Chris Chowdah Hill. The event will be held at 5:30 on the fantail of the ship. A meet and greet will begin at 4:30. Hill is the only commanding officer of two aircraft carriers to serve in combat since World War II. He's a Bronze Star recipient in addition to numerous other citations.
[00:03:01] Admission to the Salem will be free for today's event. Hill is also scheduled to speak Friday at the Quincy Chamber of Commerce leadership breakfast from 7:30 to 9:00am at Granite Links. Hill will speak about his leadership style and philosophy called the Way of the Warrior Sailor. Hill will offer insights on resilience, teamwork, leading under pressure. They'll also offer a behind the scenes look at Navy operations around the world and the realities of modern military leadership.
[00:03:35] A firefighter was injured and nine residents were displaced after a fire at a multi unit house in Plymouth yesterday morning. One Plymouth firefighter who was not identified suffered a minor injury fighting the blaze, according to Plymouth Fire Chief Neil Foley.
[00:03:52] The firefighter was treated and released from a local hospital. No other injuries were reported. Firefighters evacuated all nine residents safely. Foley credited a working smoke detector in the home with saving lives.
[00:04:07] Just after 5am yesterday, residents of 411 Court street were alerted to smoke by the building's functioning alarm system and called 911 when crews arrived. Fire crew saw smoke and flames coming from a bedroom in the first floor apartment. Fire also extended into the apartment above. Units on the first and second floors had significant damage. Other units had smoke and water damage. A preliminary investigation indicates the fire originated in the first floor bedroom and appears to be accidental. State Fire Marshal investigators were called to the scene. The fire does remain under investigation. The American Red Cross responded to assist the fire victims. Carver and Kingston fire departments responded to Plymouth to provide station coverage.
[00:04:57] Attorney General Andrea Campbell will tell Auditor Diana De Zaglio that she can go ahead and secure outside counsel to represent her in a lawsuit against the Legislature. The Supreme Court last week gave Campbell 30 days to decide whether or not she would represent Dizaglio in the auditor's pursuit of claims against the Legislature for alleged failure to respond to four specific requests outlined in a January 2025 memo. Those requests were part of an audit that Desoglio attempted to conduct in keeping with a 2024 voter law that was approved by 72% of voters. Campbell yesterday said she will shortly send Dissoglio her response, allowing her to proceed to appoint an attorney to then go into court with respect to those four things and this will move forward, end quote. The four things specifically mentioned in the memo and in last week's court hearing were the official budgets for each chamber of the Legislature for fiscal years 2021 through 2024, copies of official audits of each chamber for the same fiscal years, a listing of all transactions related to each chamber's balance forward line item for those fiscal years and a list of all monetary settlement agreements entered into by each chamber with any current or former employees or elected members during the same time frame. Campbell also suggested that her office will no longer represent the Legislature as it has during an attempt to have the courts toss Dissoglio's lawsuit moving forward A reminder the country's history on display in front of the Convention center in Boston with the Middlesex County Volunteers fife and drums performing yesterday inside the convention center, Governor Healey joined organizers and partners of the Massachusetts 250 celebration slated for the Summer this summer will mark the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
[00:07:09] Organizers are setting the stage for a summer that will be packed with events to commemorate some of America's most significant moments that took place in Massachusetts. Sam Adams the Patriots dumped tea in the harbor, Old North Church put up the signal and Paul Revere left on his midnight ride as the governor listed some of the historical events yesterday, she called the fireworks spectacular the centerpiece of the milestone anniversary, as it has also been dubbed the signature event for MA250. Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra will be sharing the hat shell on the Charles River Esplanade with a Grammy winning star from each American genre. Country mega star Lainey Wilson, hip hop's Chance the Rapper and jazz icon Trombone Shorty are all joining the Pops on stage on July 4th. Lockhart's also excited to announce this is the first year that the Pops will be able to perform live. As the fireworks are going off above the Charles, he said it's always been something he's wanted to do.
[00:08:17] The Quincy Public Schools Music Department presents their spring recital tonight at 6pm in the auditorium at North Quincy High School.
[00:08:30] A check of business news this morning. Stocks are mixed. The Dow was up 56 points, the Nasdaq dropped 185 and the S&P fell 11.
[00:08:40] Asian stocks were mixed as fading enthusiasm over AI and other technology stocks gradually put the brakes on Wall Street's record setting run. The dollar rose, the Euro was down and oil is at over $106 a barrel.
[00:08:59] Sports the Phillies beat the Red Sox at Fenway last night 2 to 1. They'll play again tonight at 6:45.
[00:09:06] The forecast from the National Weather Service mainly cloudy today, a slight chance of a shower at a high of 65. For tonight, cloudy spot shower and lows in the mid 50s. Rain tomorrow could be heavy at times, maybe a rumble of thunder at a high 62. Some lingering showers on Friday, the high of 58. Then Sunday on Saturday at a high 77.
[00:09:32] The marine forecast piling for two foot waves. Winds south at 5 to 10 increasing 15 to 20 with gusts to 25 knots. The small craft advisory goes into effect at 11am High tide 8:58am Sunrise 524 sets at 7:56.
[00:09:53] I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Wednesday, May 13th.
