All articles tagged with #massachusetts
Vineyard Wind has filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit against GE Renewables concerning the Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind project off Massachusetts, alleging turbine-related defects or failures that caused delays and cost overruns for the project.
Massachusetts officials warn that alpha-gal syndrome, a meat and dairy allergy triggered by Lone Star tick bites, is emerging as a public health concern as the tick spreads north, with established populations on Martha's Vineyard and in Barnstable County; the state is tracking cases as a reportable condition and recommends tick checks, showers, heat-drying clothing, and yard maintenance to prevent bites amid rising demand for tick treatments.
A federal judge dismissed the Justice Department's December lawsuit seeking Massachusetts voter-registration data, ruling the DOJ did not adequately demonstrate a legal right to obtain sensitive information such as drivers' license numbers, addresses, and partial SSNs. The decision further constrains the Trump administration's efforts to collect state voter-roll data, a pattern seen across the country as DOJ sought data from at least 48 states and DC.
A federal judge dismissed the DOJ’s lawsuit seeking Massachusetts’ unredacted voter registration records, marking the agency’s fourth defeat in 30 active voter-roll cases. The court found the DOJ failed to provide a required basis and purpose under Title III of the Civil Rights Act, rendering the demand facially inadequate. Similar challenges in California and Oregon have also failed, and a Georgia case was dismissed for improper venue with the DOJ refiled, illustrating mounting legal obstacles to the administration’s broad data-access push on voter rolls.
Takeda is cutting about 634 U.S. roles (247 in Massachusetts, 387 elsewhere) as part of a $1.26 billion, multi-year restructuring to boost efficiency. Notices began now with changes taking effect in July 2026, allowing redeployment where possible. The savings will be funneled into upcoming launches and R&D while the company also consolidates its U.S. footprint.
A Massachusetts judge acquitted former North Andover police officer Kelsey Fitzsimmons of pointing a gun at a fellow officer during a June incident involving a restraining order, ruling there is reasonable doubt about whether she aimed at the officer or kept the weapon aimed at herself.
A Plymouth police officer, Samantha Pelrine, 31, and her husband Daniel Forand were arrested by Massachusetts State Police on March 26 amid sexual and physical abuse allegations; Pelrine had been placed on leave on March 17 and both have abuse-prevention orders, with arraignment in Plymouth District Court scheduled.
A former Miss Hall’s School teacher in Pittsfield, MA, Matthew Rutledge, was indicted on three counts of rape after two alumnae testified they were abused while students in the 2000s; prosecutors revisited the case despite the victims being 16 at the time, and Rutledge is set to be summoned for arraignment as broader investigations into school misconduct continue.
In Lawrence, MA, North Andover Officer Kelsey Fitzsimmons is on trial for assault with a deadly weapon after a June 2025 confrontation during an officer serving a restraining order on her fiancé, who had won custody of their infant; fellow officer Patrick Noonan testified that Fitzsimmons pointed a loaded gun at him and tried to shoot to reach her fiancé, but the gun jammed and Noonan fired, striking her chest. Fitzsimmons’ defense says she was suffering severe postpartum depression and may have been preparing to harm herself, and she has requested a bench trial as the judge decides guilt.
A Harvard-led longitudinal study of 3,107 children in Massachusetts (2018–2023) found that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly slowed the development of executive function in kids aged 3–11, with growth rates below typical norms across all income levels, suggesting a systemic ‘cognitive stall’ that may underlie ongoing academic and behavioral challenges and requiring targeted, systemic support to rebuild foundational skills.
Massachusetts’ Vineyard Wind offshore farm has finished construction—62 turbines generating 800 MW, enough for about 400,000 homes—marking the first project to reach this stage during Donald Trump’s presidency after prior halts over national security concerns. Revolution Wind has begun feeding power to New England as Vineyard Wind advances, with Biden approving the project in 2021; a past blade failure led to a $10.5 million settlement with GE Vernova.
Vineyard Wind has completed construction of the United States’ first large-scale offshore wind farm off Massachusetts (62 turbines, ~800 MW), with commissioning to connect to the grid pending; once online it is expected to power about 400,000 homes and bolster regional jobs, despite years of delays and federal pauses.
RFK Jr. used a rally to press Dunkin’ Donuts for safety data on the high sugar content of iced coffees, prompting pushback from Massachusetts leaders while supporters defend the chain; Dunkin’ has not yet commented, and Kennedy continues to frame the issue within his health-focused push for “real food.”
RFK Jr. used a rally to push closing the GRAS safety loophole and to demand that Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks show safety data for an iced coffee with 115 grams of sugar, triggering backlash in Massachusetts and New England and prompting a response from Gov. Healey.
A wintry mix is expected Thursday night into Friday across Massachusetts, with ice accretion in western areas (up to about 0.25 inches) and snow in Essex County; localized 3–6 inches of snow possible in parts of northeastern MA and southeastern NH, while northern Worcester and the Boston metro may see 1–3 inches of wet snow/sleet. Southeastern MA could see heavy rain and localized flooding. The worst travel impacts are from 9 p.m. Thursday to 9 a.m. Friday, with conditions improving Friday and a much warmer weekend on the way.