Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Foreign I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Thursday, September 4th. Quincy City Clerk Nicole Crispo believes that the turnout for this week's preliminary election was a record low for the city. Crispo says she would have to do some more research, but says she believes the turnout is the lowest ever recorded. A total of 9.46% of the over 68,600 registered voters in Quincy cast ballots. That's just under 6,500 people voting. In Ward 6, the turnout was higher at just over 15%, so almost 1800 people. Of the over 11,600 registered voters in Ward 6 cast ballots. Four hundred and ninety seven people voted in person during early voting and four hundred and twenty six people used mail in ballots. In Ward 6, 107 people voted early and 154 returned mail in ballots. Crispo was hoping for a higher turnout for the Nov. 4 general election.
[00:01:26] A passerby climbed through a stranger's sunroof to remove a crying child from a hot car in the Whole Foods parking lot Monday afternoon in Hingham. A criminal complaint has been filed against the child's mother. This happened at the Derby street shops at about 2:30 Monday afternoon. Police said they were called on a report of a child left alone in a car.
[00:01:51] A couple who parked next to the car said they heard a child inside screaming for their mother. The windows were closed and the engine was off, but the sunroof was left open after the couple called 91 1. They said one of them climbed in through the sunroof to unlock the car and take the child out. When officers arrived, they said the child was hot and sweating. The child was placed in the air conditioned cruiser. The mother, a 44 year old from Brockton, returned and told police the 22 month old child was Napp and that she was checking on them in between shopping at several stores. In the shopping center, police found she had last checked on the car 20 minutes earlier.
[00:02:33] Child was taken to South Shore Hospital to be checked out. Their condition is not known. A criminal complaint application was filed in Hingham District Court against the mother for reckless endangerment of a child. A court date has not been set, police said. The mother's name is not being released because she has not been formally charged.
[00:02:55] A man accused of stabbing a food delivery driver in Boston's Back Bay during a road rage attack Tuesday night dropped to the floor when the judge set his bail. During his arraignments Tuesday night about 10:30, a man was stabbed several times on Huntington Avenue. Boston police said the victim and a passenger were delivering food to a home on Beacon street when they parked in front of another car. The driver of that car, later identified as 45 year old Byron Alexander of Randolph, moved his car and beeped his horn. The victim then drove around the block, but Alexander allegedly followed and tried to hit their car. When both cars stopped at a red light, Alexander allegedly got out of his car and approached the victim.
[00:03:46] Police at a confrontation broke out and Alexander threatened to shoot the victim, but no gun was shown. Alexander then allegedly said, are you afraid to die? Before he stabbed the victim multiple times and fled the scene. The victim was taken to the hospital, withdrawn life threatening injuries and is expected to be okay. Alexander was later allegedly spotted by state police on the expressway near the Freeport street ramp where he was taken into custody.
[00:04:15] In court yesterday, Alexander was arraigned on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Bail was set at $50,000 cash. Alexander, who was convicted of second degree murder in 1997, is due back in court Sept. 30 for a probable cause hearing.
[00:04:35] Forty proposed laws and four proposed constitutional amendments have been deemed ballot eligible by Attorney General Andrea Campbell, whose office said that the volume set a new record. The Attorney General's office reviewed 47 proposed initiative petitions to determine whether they should be certified as ballot eligible or cast aside under the Excluded Matters section of the state Constitution. The questions address a wide range of public policy questions and stand to influence legislative decisions in the coming months, with some, but not all of the measures likely to reach the 2026 ballot. Supporters of a measure that would revive rent control celebrated clearing the hurdle en route to the 2026 ballot. The homes for all coalition said they will now move to collect voter signatures on its initiative petition, which would reverse a three decade old statewide ban on rent control.
[00:05:38] The proposal would limit annual rent increases for most units across Massachusetts to the lower of the annual Consumer Price index change, or 5%. It is opposed by well funded real estate interests. Campaigns whose proposals cleared the Ag Certification review will now need to collect signatures from at least 74,574 registered voters and file them with local election officials by Nov. 19.
[00:06:10] Eight new pickleball courts are now open at Faxon park in Quincy, Ward 2 Councilor Richard Ash says the new courts opened recently and are now available for the public. The pickleball courts were proposed two years ago during a community meeting about making improvements to fax in Park. Ash says soon new public restrooms will also be installed along with some other improvements.
[00:06:39] Jack of Business News this morning stocks are mixed. The dow is down 24 points. The Nasdaq surged 218. The S&P added 32 shares. In Asia, mostly trading higher today after a rally of technology stocks steadied Wall street and a slide in the dollar made Asian assets more attractive. The dollar was higher, the euro fell and oil at $63 a barrel.
[00:07:09] In sports, Cleveland beat the Red Sox 8 to 1 Fenway last night. Boston is off to Arizona for a series with the Diamondbacks that begins tomorrow night at 9:40.
[00:07:21] Today's forecast from the National Weather Service, partly cloudy with a high of 82 degrees. Cloudy tonight, lows in the upper 50s tomorrow. Some scattered thunderstorms. Warm and humid, a high of 84. Scattered showers Saturday, warm and humid, a high of 86 and maybe a shower on Sunday with a high 74.
[00:07:45] The marine forecast calls for 1 to 2 foot waves.
[00:07:48] Light southerly winds become southeasterly 10 to 15 gusting to 20 knots. High tide 9:28am Sunrise 6:12 sets at 7:12.
[00:08:01] I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Thursday, September 4th.
