News

A grad student from Springfield and a Waltham mother of two school-aged children are suing the state of Boston. This lawsuit is over the new flu vaccine requirement. They are looking for a judge to basically toss and/or get rid of the coronavirus-era rule.

Grad Student and Parent Calling Foul of Lack Over Proper Protocols

This lawsuit was filed by lawyers for Springfield College grad student Madison Schiltz and Waltham mother Tamar Massoyan-Artinian. The lawsuit claims that the state Department of Public Health didn’t follow proper protocol in creating the new requirements for the flu vaccine. In essence, it should be thrown out.

The Legislature, Not the DPH, Should Develop a New Vaccination Mandate

The DPH, which is the problem, has no authority to create a new vaccination mandate. This would be for students attending colleges and universities. In the complaint filed in Suffolk Superior Court by New York City-based lawyer Aaron Siri and Boston attorney Stefan Jouret, said only the legislature could do that.

The state Department of Public Health and its Commissioner Monica Bharel are in the suit. A request for comment by the DPH this past Saturday went unanswered .

Grad Student, Parent Prepare go with Their Lawyers Before the Court in a Month

This week, both sides were going to present their cases before a Suffolk Superior judge in Boston. However, the plaintiff and the defense have agreed to move it off for a month. This came about after the state moved the vaccination deadline. It went from the end of December to now the end of February. Therefore, the plaintiffs say they are still seeking a preliminary injunction to end the requirement.

New Influenza Immunization Requirements

Influenza immunization is going to be required for all children 6 months of age or older under the new rules. They are attending either Massachusetts child care, preschool, kindergarten, K-12 schools and colleges and universities. The Department of Public Health said the idea is to lower flu-associated illness and the overall impact of respiratory illness during the Corona Virus pandemic.

Senate Approves a Landmark Bill for Police Reform and Racial Justice

Senate of Massachusetts reportedly held a moment of silence for George Floyd. This was before approving a landmark bill for police reform and racial justice on Tuesday, December 1st. This bill needs approval by the House and Governor Charlie Baker.

Senate Compromise on Police Reform Bill That Took Months

Calls for police reform increased to a fever pitch with summertime protests in Boston and around the country. This was following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers. In fact, it took months for state lawmakers to agree on a compromise police reform bill. This was after secret negotiations.

A Bill That Sets Limits on Qualified Immunity

Therefore, this bill puts restrictions on qualified immunity which protects police from civil lawsuits. It also prohibits chokeholds and racial profiling. In addition to the use of facial recognition technology.

Standards and Training Commission

However, a Standards And Training Commission certifies officers and investigates police wrongdoing. It requires officers involved they see another officer using excessive force. This is very important and abuses need to be reined in.

Senate Takes Pride in Crafting the Bill

‘It is one of the proudest processes and pieces of work that I have had the privilege to participate in my 12 years in this body,” said Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz.

The Opposing View is the Bill isn’t Fair to the Police

Yet the Minority Leader Bruce Tarr said the bill is not fair to police officers.

Police Officers Life in Jeopardy

“We now have a situation where a law enforcement officer whose life is in jeopardy would not be acceptable to use a chokehold in a defensive way,” Tarr said.

In a statement, the State Police Association of Massachusetts accused lawmakers of acting in haste and not being transparent.

House Minority Leader Brad Jones is an Against Abortion Amendment in Budget

House Minority Leader Brad Jones has an issue with unfolding matter into the state budget debate in what he has called a hypocritical move by the chamber’s Democratic leadership.

Moreover, House Speaker Robert DeLeo committed Monday to bring to the floor a budget amendment that looks like the ROE Act. Therefore, this is a priority bill for many advocates and lawmakers. Then after, he said last week that major policy initiatives didn’t place in the House’s fiscal 2021 budget plan,

This legislation which is (H 3320 / S 1209) has been waiting to be put forth before the Judiciary Committee since the beginning of the session in 2019. More than half of the House members have signed on as co-sponsors. But now, democrats decided not to bring the bills to the floor before the elections. Yet now, they are positioning to take the issue on as a budget amendment.

House Minority Leader Brad Jones is Let Down by the Substance of the Bill as an Amendment and More

Jones has two issues in which he spoke to News Service Tuesday, November 10th. One is he thought the move to take up the heft of the bill as an amendment is disappointing. The other is an issue is conflicting messages from DeLeo.

Push and Pull, Mixed Messages Regarding the Amendment

Jones said on the one hand, DeLeo said this is a major policy. So, on the other hand, he’s saying we shouldn’t do it,” said the North Reading Republican. “So it gets to like I said, do as I say, not as I do. Better to be king. That is because I can do what I want. The rest of you need to follow.”

Abortion Amendment Details

This amendment which has filed by Judiciary Co-Chair Claire Cronin (democrat from Easton), would allow abortions after 24 weeks if a doctor diagnoses a patient with a fatal fetal abnormality. Then lays out a way by which women under the age of 16 can go start a petition with a judge for the procedure without parental consent.

Gaining Renewed Momentum for Expanding and Codifying Abortion

The Expanding and codifying of abortion in Massachusetts gained additional momentum among advocates and elected officials. This took place after the confirmation of Supreme Court Judge Amy Coney Barrett. Barrett has solidified a conservative majority on the nation’s highest court.

House budget deliberations resume on today at 11 a.m.

The chair of the Boston School Committee has resigned. He received a quick criticism for mocking the names of community members during a committee meeting, Mayor Marty Walsh announced Thursday, October 22th.

Chair Mock Names of People

Chair Michael Loconto was mocking names of people taking part in a discussion about exams schools in the Boston Public School District. This occurred during the virtual meeting that went late into the night.

Chair on Audio Recording

The names of upcoming participants from the community heard on an audio recording by the moderator of the meeting this occurred around 11:30 p.m.

Loconto said a series of names under his breath. This did not match the names of the people scheduled to speak. He seemed to mock those names.

Chair Michael Loconto Resigns

Mayor Mary Walsh accepted Loconto’s resignation Thursday morning.

Chair’s Comments Were Hurtful and Wrong

“While (Loconto) conveyed to me his personal embarrassment and his desire to seek forgiveness, his comments were hurtful and wrong,” Walsh said.

Walsh said no one wants to associate by a single moment in our lives. She felt no one knew it better than herself. Walsh regards Loconto as someone who has done important difficult works for the people of Boston. She mentioned specifically children. But felt she can’t accept the contempt of the members of its community.

Chair Loconto Apologized Twice

Loconto apologized at least twice amid a barrage of criticism. This resignation came afterward.

Initially, Loconto did apologize during the meeting. He said he had got a number of texts notifying him to what they heard.

Loconto Has Remorse and Regret

He said he did want to take a moment again and say he was if was a distraction earlier. His intent was not to offend anyone. Loconto said his comments out of context. He did not mean to reference anything in this meeting. Loconto said if anyone took offense, he was embarrassed and very sorry.

Chair Loconto Asking For Forgiveness

In fact, in a tweet Thursday morning, Loconto was asking forgiveness, stressing it was not his intent to mock anyone.

In addition, City Councilor Andrea Campbell, a mayoral candidate, asked for Loconto’s resignation. Campbell said his behavior not be tolerated by the Mayor.

Andrea Campbell Felt Deeply Let Down, Upset

Campbell said she was deeply let down and upset on Thursday. She said Loconto didn’t straight away apologize. Loconto tried to brush them off. Then get the people to continue with their public testimony.”

Other city councilors were in agreement with Campbell.

Trick-Or-Tricking Rules

BOSTON, MA: Halloween Trick-or-treating rules can be made by local cities and towns in Massachusetts to decide. Governor Charlie Baker made this decision due to the all-too-real fears about the spread of COVID-19. However, Baker said he does have very strong advice instead. “Indoor Halloween parties are a bad idea,” Baker said at a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

Traditional Halloween Parties are out

There is evidence that transmission of the Corona Virus is most likely in crowded indoor settings. That is where there is less airflow and therefore more close contact between people. Baker said traditional holiday parties with friends and neighbors were “simply the wrong way to safely celebrate this particular holiday.”

“A number of people said possibly going to those kinds of gatherings,” he said. “Most years at this holiday, I understand why, and it makes sense. This is not one of those years.”

High Rates of COVID-19 Affect Halloween Tradition

Several cities in Massachusetts experienced higher rates of COVID-19 infections banning door-to-door trick-or-treating this season. As a result, Baker made the above comments after considering this information. Boston has not yet announced a Halloween plan.

Baker has also said his administration has no plans to issue any Halloween “rules or mandates.” Yet they will put up some similar tips and advice for the holiday — much of which is consistent with the state’s existing gatherings restrictions and face-covering rules. With appropriate precautions, Baker said, “the overwhelming sense” among public health experts is that outdoor trick-or-treating might even be the “best way” to go as to celebrating the holiday this year.

Baker said Tuesday he hoped local Boston officials would communicate the state’s guidance to their residents. However, he said that it was “up to them” if they wanted to enact stricter Halloween rules.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Lists High-Risk Halloween Activities

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists traditional trick-or-treating among its higher-risk Halloween activities. “One-way trick-or-treating where individually wrapped goodie bags are lined up for families to grab and go while continuing to social distance” is classified as “moderate risk.”

BOSTON, MA – Dr. Michael Holick from Boston University believes enough Vitamin D, accessible through the Sun, helps against coronavirus. Your risk of catching the deadly virus is cut by 54%.

Do you remember simpler times? Simpler times where you had friends to take you places instead of strangers? Less complexities when choosing what to watch? Sweet ‘N Low? Well, with the virus kicking off the third decade of this millennium, things have been tangling with the wrong generation. Not only because John “The Quiet Man” Ruiz is still alive enough to pull punches, but also because we may have a solution.

Or, at least a professor in Sudbury does.

Dr. Michael Holick have been collecting blood samples from more than 190,000 Americans, thanks to Quest Diagnostics. A fascinating throughline, Americans with less Vitamin D had a 54% higher likelihood of catching the bug.

The reason for such a deficiency, had to do with small amounts of it actually being found in food. In fact, most of the time, Holick says Vitamin D comes from exposure to the Sun. A quality that many people are devoid of, due to the winter months budging in.

However, Vitamin D pills impose no risk to anybody who takes them. This fact persists as it’s readily available for purchase in drug stores.

What it does is suppress too much cytokine from releasing. In turn, this “cytokine storm” is often linked to COVID-fatalities.

It’s worth mentioning that on average, each adult needs 2,000 units of Vitamin D per day. There are multiple studies that indicate the benefits it places on the immune system. For example, Vitamin D supplements lowered the risk of acute respiratory tract infection in 11,000 people.

Foods with the fat-soluble vitamin include Orange Juice, Salmon, Cow’s Milk, Cod’s Liver Oil, Oatmeal and Mushrooms.

Teachers in some districts want to conduct lessons from home during the pandemic. Massachusetts education officials are expecting teachers to teach from classrooms and that’s not going to fly.

Teachers From Home

Worcester instructors are given the flexibility to either teach from home or directly from the school.

Springfield Education Association President Maureen Colgan Posner has stated they’re waiting “until we have a full report on the ventilation systems in all of our buildings.” At least the union and district are in favor of supporting the wellbeing of their people.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recommends that the instructors should teach from the school buildings. The DESE believes that this will overall benefit the educator-student relationship. This would ensure familiarity.

However, with new cases of the Covid-19, The Massachusetts Teachers Association isn’t in favor.

Why put instructors at risk?

Colleen Quinn, the spokeswoman for the state’s Executive Office of Education, reports:

“In remote scenarios, instruction from the classroom is the most effective educational environment. Schools can ensure that students receive a structured, engaging, and consistent learning experience. [This gives] teachers access to reliable resources and stability.”

Hopkinton Teachers Association President Becky Abate states:

“This demand is one that seems to reflect more of a distrust of teachers and a lack of confidence in their ability to work as professionals from a home office, despite the fact that the majority of corporate America has yet to return to the office and have been told ‘if you can work from home, you should work from home’ in an effort to keep the virus at bay.”

Boston Teachers Union President Jessica Tang refers to the state’s guidance:

“If it unnecessarily puts people at risk, we are going to have to go above and beyond that ‘expectation’ and keep educators at home and safe. Risking unneeded exposure for thousands of educators across the state is contradictory to the Governor’s request that those who can work from home, should.”

Boston, MA: Cam Newton – the once Carolina Panthers QB is now is Boston. The move, which was signaled 3 weeks ago, is a one-year contract with the Patriots.

Cam Newton is a seasoned 9-year veteran with the Panthers. His skill has brought a 15-1 season. His statistics are great. With  2,371 of his 3,980 passes for 29,041 yards and receiving 182 touchdowns is nothing to laugh at.

In a promotional move, a video has been released depicting the training regiment of Newton along with long-time Patriots receiver Julian Edelman.

The move comes amid Tom Brady’s retirement from the team. Last season, Tom Brady announced his departure from the Patriots. Over his almost 20 years playing for the team, Brady won 6 Superbowl’s and has 9 AFC Championship titles.

Tom Brady is the greatest football player of all time. This leaves a large shoe to fill from Newton.

Newton is one of the most seasoned veterans in the NFL. After 9 consecutive years with the Carolina Panthers, he has shown that his skills and expertise are quite possibly what the Patriots need.

Cam Newton Says He’s Ready To Take The Position.

In a press conference last month, Newton made remarks about joining the Patriots.

“I’ll be the first person to tell you: These last two years, I haven’t been putting the best film on tape. That’s just honest,” Newton said. “But at the same time, I’m like OK, there’s other people that’s been putting the film out there. Like, I’m feeling disrespected.”

“Now I’m going to another situation where I get coached by arguably the best coach,” Newton said. “It’s like if we were playing spades, it’s like, ‘Bro, you give me your hand, and you get my hand, and let’s see what you’ll do with it.'” 

The season is set for September despite the current global pandemic. New England is looking for another year at the top spot.

Boston, MA – Young people are flocking to their favorite local bars amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the currently massive influx in confirmed cases, many still believe that they are not at risk of the virus.

Bars and restaurants across the city are what many rely on for entertainment. The summer season was expected to rejuvenate the area but COVID-19 has put a halt to that.

The city is located in the North East. The winter months are long, hard and arduous for many. This leaves the populace to stay inside for extended periods of time.

Now that the summer is here, many aren’t willing to continue with the stay-at-home protocols.

Dr. Anthony Faucci has expressed major concerns over the filled businesses.

“It’s that a risk for you is not just isolated to you, because if you get infected, you are in part, innocently or inadvertently, propagating the process of a pandemic.”

Other Bostonians have different views.

“We’re going to outdoor seating, so we’re not in an indoor space where it’s all claustrophobic,” one patron said.

“I definitely trust the restaurants and the bars and everything – cleaning everything and having six feet apart,” said another.

Young People Have Seen An Increase In COVID-19 Confirmed Cases

Throughout the United States, many younger people are showing signs of the COVID-19 virus. This is in part to the rapid reopening of many states despite the virus still ravaging the country. Over the past week, reports of confirmed COVID cases have sky-rocketed. Many of these cases are afflicting young and able-bodied persons. Three states, Arizona, Florida, and Louisiana have all seen massive spikes in cases.

These states are also undergoing their reopening process. To their dismay, they have also put many residents at-risk of contracting the virus. Each state is seeing unprecedented levels of cases.

In order for states to reopen, businesses must adhere to strict sanitation guidelines.

The Boston Marathon is one of the most exciting events for the city. For years it has been a staple in raising awareness for countless charities. This year has proven disastrous for almost all cities and states across the country. Due to COVID-19 the city will not be having the marathon for the 2020 year.

Boston Marathon To Reopen Next Year

The threat of COVID-19 has been the source of most of the worlds current problems. While many cities have not been as drastically effected by the virus, Boston remains a large fighting ground against it.

The effects have halted almost all small businesses and events for the remainder of the year. The threat of COVID-19 has pushed back almost all events for the city.

Boston Calling Cancelled

Another one of the largest events in the city is Boston Calling. Every year the festival hosts a multitude of huge names in the music industry. From The Gorillaz to the Beastie Boys to even metal acts such as Tool, the event gathering thousands.

The concert has already undergone their refund stages. The end date was April 28th but for those who could not fill out the refund request form, their tickets have rolled over to the 2021 event.

Events and bars will remain closed for an undetermined amount of time. This has caused a devastating blow to shop owners and event organizers who look forward to putting n these events for the public.

The precautions are necessary for the city to open up to regular performance. Event organizers have been cautious to continue with their concerts. Many have opted not to continue due to not wanting people to get sick or to be responsible for those who do.

For next year, things might look better. For the time being, events will be postponed to a later date.