Episode Transcript
[00:00:16] I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Friday, May 15th. A woman is being treated for injuries after being struck by a vehicle while riding a bike in Quincy this morning. Police say it happened at Quincy Avenue in Factson Park Road at 5:45am the woman was taken to South Shore Hospital with unspecified injuries and the incident remains under investigation.
[00:00:43] Foul play is not suspected in connection with the death of a kayaker off the coast of Quincy on Wednesday evening.
[00:00:51] 72 year old tree Trin of Quincy died after he was found in the water off Thompson Island. Investigators say they received a report of an overturned kayak between Moon island and Thompson island at about 6 Wednesday evening. State and environmental police boats located Trin. He was transported to Beth Israel Deaconess Milton Hospital and pronounced dead. Investigators say Trin had launched the kayak from a Quincy beach earlier in the day.
[00:01:23] An autopsy will determine the exact cause of death. However, officials say there were no obvious signs of trauma or foul play.
[00:01:32] A 24 year old woman was killed and three other people hurt late Wednesday night when a boat crashed into a pier just off a Runway at Logan airport. Happened about 11:20 Wednesday night in the water off of Runway four are not far from Castle Island. State police said four people were on the recreational boat when it crashed into the pier and all the passengers were thrown onto the rocks that wrapped the shoreline. There were three women and one man on board. Rescuers said the conditions were challenging because it was so dark and the rocks were slippery. State Police say all four were taken to Mass General Hospital. The 24 year old woman identified as Elizabeth Dankert of Andover was later pronounced dead. Two 23 year old women who were friends with Dankert are being treated for injuries that are considered non life threatening. The DA's office says the boat is owned by a 40 year old man. Freedom Boat Club says the vessel is part of its fleet and it was taken without authorization and operated outside the knowledge and control of the club. It's unclear if anybody is facing charges.
[00:02:46] A ship building and repair shop has been approved for an open lot at Marina Bay in Quincy. The Quincy Planning Board this week approved of the new building for an area called Skipper's Lot adjacent to the Atlantic Condos. The project also includes increasing parking from 282 to 321 spaces, a new driveway and stormwater management and landscaping improvements. Some residents expressed concern about the impact on their view from the development.
[00:03:18] Planning Board this week also approved a three unit apartment for the former Sweeney Funeral Home on Elm Street. Proposals for a new childcare and swim school on Columbia street and a Taco Bell and the Stop and Shop parking lot on Newport Avenue were continued to the June 10 meeting along with a proposal for a three unit building on Franklin Street.
[00:03:42] Moody's Ratings has downgraded the city of Quincy's bond rating to A1 from AA3. A1 is an upper medium grade, indicating a low credit risk. Moody's says the lower grade is the result of the city's high debt level of $1.8 billion and shrinking reserves down to 1.5% of revenue. Moody's says the downgrade will likely increase the city's borrowing costs for projects that include school construction and infrastructure improvements. Moody's also says there are signals for further downgrades. The rating is three notches lower than Boston's rating. It is lower than neighboring Braintree and Weymouth. Moody's does say that while facing financial pressure, Quincy has strengths including a diverse economy and high median income levels. S and P Global had lowered the city's bond rating last June.
[00:04:41] More parents are coming forward with concerns after a former employee at a Quincy autism center was accused of sexually assaulting a child.
[00:04:52] Joshua Drenth is now facing a criminal charge of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14.
[00:05:00] Court records allege that on March 31st Drenth engaged in what investigators describe as inappropriate physical contact with a child. The mother of the alleged victim says she was not notified until a week later. In a previous statement, Biermann Autism center said the Drenth was immediately terminated once they were made aware of the alleged activities and that they contacted families whose children interacted with him at the center as soon as they were made aware of Drenth that pleaded not guilty to the charges. He was released with conditions including not working or volunteering with children.
[00:05:38] Drenth is due back in Court on June 22.
[00:05:43] The former director of the Plymouth Public Schools food Service program pleading guilty in federal court in Boston to a long running fraud scheme that began in 2014 in which he allegedly stole food and commercial kitchen equipment for use and sale and at his private business, the Snack Shack on Sandy Neck beach in Barnstable. 64 year old Patrick Van Cott of Sandwich pleaded guilty to stealing about $10,000 in goods. He'll be sentenced in August. Van Cott was the director of food services for the Plymouth public schools from 2003 until last June. Beginning in 2014, he also operated a seasonal business called the Snack Shack. Van Cott admitted that between 2014 and 2025 he defrauded the Plymouth Public Schools by taking food and equipment purchased with funds, including U.S. department of Agriculture funds, and using it to run his snack shack. He faces up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines when he's sentenced.
[00:06:51] A South Shore veterans group is inviting the public to attend the funeral of a World War II veteran who died with no known family.
[00:07:01] Hanover Hansen Veteran Services says that 98 year old John Bernard Arnold III, a World War II Navy veteran, died on May 6. Arnold told caregivers at Veterans affairs he served aboard the USS Houston and visited 27 countries during his service, saying some of his favorite places were Naples, Florence, Venice, Sardinia and Capri. The services are set for this Monday at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Hanson, beginning with a visitation at 10am followed by a funeral Mass at 11.
[00:07:40] Burial will follow at Cedar Knoll Cemetery in Taunton. Arnold mostly lived in East Bridgewater but previously lived in Pembroke and Rhode island, according to his obituary. Before enlisting in the Navy, he graduated from Rogers High School in Newport, Rhode Island. And attended Rhode Island State University.
[00:08:02] Funeral arrangements have been announced for a long time. Quincy Firefighter Neil Leonard of Stoughton died recently from occupational cancer. He was 61. Leonard was a 32 year veteran of the Quincy Fire Department assigned to Ladder Company 5 in North Quincy. Leonard was a graduate of North Quincy High School and Massasoit Community College. He also served in the Army National Guard. Visiting hours will be Sunday from 2 to 6 at the Kohane Funeral Home and a 1030 firefighter funeral will be held Monday at Sacred Heart Church in North Quincy. Leonard is survived by his wife, a son and daughter to Donations in his memory may be made to the Quincy Fire Cancer Foundation.
[00:08:49] The Quincy Health Department is holding a blood drive at the Kennedy center today through 3:30 this afternoon. Each donor will receive their choice of a $15 target or Amazon gift card as a thank you. Call 617-632-3206 to make an appointment. Walk ins are welcome as time allows. All donors must have a photo id.
[00:09:15] Widowmaker Brewing company Of Braintree will open an outdoor beer garden called Wollaston Gardens today at the site of the former Wollaston Theater on Beale Street. Food trucks, music, family activities will be part of the new venue that will run Thursdays through Sundays until late summer.
[00:09:36] City of Quincy presents Classic Rock concert Saturday from 1 to 7 on the Hancock, Adams Comet and Quincy Center. The music of Pat Benatar, Jay Geil's band and the Rolling Stones will be part of the live performances. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.
[00:09:54] 37 turtles that were removed from Sailors home pond in Quincy last year for a pond restoration program will be put back in the pond on Saturday from 8:30 to 10:30am Mayor Thomas Cokes expected to participate and the public is invited to attend.
[00:10:13] The Wollaston Garden Club's annual Spring Plant Sale will be held Saturday from 9 to noon at the Wollaston Congregational Church. Sale will feature perennials, annuals, herbs and vegetables grown by members of the garden club. Visit wollastongardenclub.com for more information.
[00:10:32] The 90th annual Montclair May Festival will be held Saturday from 10am to 3pm at the Montclair Elementary School. The event will feature live music, an obstacle course, pony rides, crafts, a jumpy house, raffles, games, food trucks and touch a truck.
[00:10:53] The Quincy Public Schools Hyper Robotics Team will participate in the Robotics challenge Saturday from 9am to 1:25pm at Quincy High School. Opening ceremonies will be at 10am Sons of the American Legion Squadron 294 Morissette Legion Post will hold its annual Memorial Day observance on Sunday at 1pm at Flags for Veterans island at School in Pleasant Streets in Quincy Center. The keynote speaker will be Paul Marshall, command master chief retired from the US Navy, and the public is invited to attend.
[00:11:33] A fundraiser for the St. Ives School in Haiti will be held Sunday from 5 to 9pm at the Knights of Columbus hall in North Quincy. The event will feature performances by Velocity Dance and the Atlantic Music Orchestra. Dinner, raffles and door prizes will be included.
[00:11:52] Quincy residents can volunteer to become ambassadors or guides at historic sites as part of the city's first annual Historic Volunteer Corps Training Program.
[00:12:04] Participants will receive a free four hour training and then receive a certificate of completion. Contact Quincy public historian Bob Damon at 617-548-2923 or email rdamonwinsyma.gov Applications are due by May 18.
[00:12:24] A check of business news Stocks are higher. The dow is up 370 points, the Nasdaq rose 232 and the S&P is up 56.
[00:12:34] Asian stocks mostly retreated as investors watch for developments from the Iran war and as President Trump wrapped up his summit in Beijing with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, the dollar rose. The euro was down. Oil now at over $107 a barrel.
[00:12:53] Sports Phillies beat the Red Sox 3 to 1 Fenway last night. Sox are off to Atlanta tonight for a series with the braves beginning at 7:15.
[00:13:03] The National Weather Service forecast today Clouds maybe A shower high of 56.
[00:13:10] Gradual clearing tonight, low of 50 tomorrow, sunny high 78, Sunday, partly sunny high of 85 and Monday, mostly sunny high 80 degrees.
[00:13:21] The marine forecast calling for 1 to 2 foot waves. Northeast winds at 5 to 10 knots. High tide 10:44am Sunrise 522 sets at 7:58 and a traffic note. The Four River Bridge is scheduled to open Friday at 9am and Saturday at 6am I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Friday, May 15th.
