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New Massachusetts bill would reinstate commercial driver’s licenses for hundreds of drivers

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New Massachusetts bill would reinstate commercial driver’s licenses for hundreds of drivers


Hundreds of commercial drivers in Massachusetts could get licenses back if new bill passes

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Hundreds of commercial drivers in Massachusetts could get licenses back if new bill passes

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BOSTON – Relief may be on the way for hundreds of truck and bus drivers in Massachusetts, who lost their commercial driver’s licenses due to violations from decades ago.

Nearly 500 licenses revoked

Weeks ago, the I-Team uncovered that Registry of Motor Vehicles revoked the commercial driver’s licenses of nearly 500 drivers, effectively putting them out of work. Mike McDonald is one of the hundreds of commercial drivers that got caught up in the RMV dragnet. McDonald said losing his license means he can’t work and has no income coming in. He has been a truck driver for Ground Effects Landscaping in Carver for 17 years.

Until recently, the RMV had not fully enforced Melanie’s Law, which prohibits anyone charged with repeat drunk driving, refusing to take a breathalyzer or leaving the scene crashes from holding a commercial driver’s license, no matter how long ago the violations may have been. The law had been on the books for nearly 15 years.

It wasn’t until 2019 when a truck driver whose license should have been suspended was involved in a New Hampshire crash that killed seven members of a Marine motorcycle club. Since then, hundreds of drivers like McDonald have had their licenses and their livelihoods taken away. 

10-year limit proposed

Now the I-Team has learned that the legislature is taking action with a new bill that would limit the look back period to 10 years, the same as the federal law. If it passes, it would allow drivers with clean records and no violations during the last decade to keep their licenses and their jobs.

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Attorney Brian Simoneau represents dozens of drivers like McDonald. He told the I-Team, “What I’m hoping is the registry got the message loud and clear that this is outrageous and egregious and it’s a case of the punishment not fitting the crime. I’m hoping that this may pressure the registry now into delaying these disqualifications to give the legislature some more time to act because they can see that there is a huge strong interest in fixing this problem.”

All of this could happen quickly. If no one in the legislature objects to the bill it would pass quickly and move to the governor’s desk. If she signs it, the law would into effect immediately. 



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Massachusetts

Massachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks

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Massachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks




Massachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks – CBS Boston

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Poya Sohrabi hasn’t heard from his family since they took shelter from attacks in Tehran. WBZ-TV’s Mike Sullivan reports.

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How will the Iran war impact gas prices in Massachusetts?

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How will the Iran war impact gas prices in Massachusetts?


With a widening conflict in the Middle East after the American and Israeli attack on Iran Saturday, global markets are bracing for a shakeup in the energy supply chain.

So, here at home, what can consumers expect at the gas pump?

An increase in oil prices is almost always followed by an increase in gas prices. And the oil market has already reacted to the war. NBC News reported on Sunday that U.S. crude oil initially spiked more than 10%, while Brent, the international oil benchmark, rose as much as 13%.

Early Monday morning, reports were coming in of black smoke rising from the U.S. embassy in Kuwait City.

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While Iran’s oil reserves supply less than an estimated 5% of global production, the main concern is the Strait of Hormuz. This maritime passageway borders Iran at the bottleneck of the Persian Gulf, and more than 20% of the world’s oil passes through. If Iran closes or restricts Hormuz, the oil market could face severe disruptions.

Gas prices rise about 2.5 cents for every dollar increase in crude oil prices. As of Sunday, U.S. crude oil prices had already increased by nearly $5 a barrel.

“I fully expect that by Monday night, you could credibly say that gas prices are being impacted by oil prices having gone up,” GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan told NBC News.

GasBuddy characterizes their expectations for price increases as “incremental” rather than “explosive”. The group said to anticipate a potential 10-15 cent increase over the next couple of weeks.

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Body camera video shows Massachusetts police officer save 78-year-old man from burning truck – East Idaho News

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Body camera video shows Massachusetts police officer save 78-year-old man from burning truck – East Idaho News


EASTON, Mass. (WBZ) — Police body camera video shows an Easton, Massachusetts, officer rescuing a 78-year-old Raynham man from a burning car on Friday morning.

A Mack dump truck was experiencing problems on the side of Turnpike Street just after 2 a.m. when a Ford pickup truck struck the back of it, according to police.

The pickup truck then became stuck under the dump truck, trapping the driver, Francis Leverone, inside. A Toyota Camry then hit the back of the pickup truck and caught fire, police said.

Easton police officer Dean Soucie arrived at the crash and saw that the two vehicles were on fire. Video shows Soucie rushing over before breaking the driver’s side window and then, with the help of the two witnesses, freeing Leverone from the pickup truck. Soucie said he was confused but conscious.

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“As I reached inside the vehicle, one of the passersby — he actually jumped into the cab of the truck, and he helped me free the individual,” Soucie said.

They then carried the driver to safety.

Leverone was taken to a nearby hospital before being transferred to a Boston hospital. He received serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

No one else was injured in the crash.

Dee Leverone told WBZ her husband is doing OK. “I’m just thankful for the people that got him out,” she said. “Very thankful.”

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After watching the police body-cam video on the news she said, “I was shocked, I was like ‘Oh my God!’ I just couldn’t believe it. His truck is like melted.”

She says she realized that something was wrong last night when her husband never made it home from work.

“I kept trying to call him and call him, and I finally got a hold of him at like 4:30 a.m., and he was at (Good Samaritan Hospital) and he told me he’s gotten in an accident,” Dee said.

She says he’s recovering at the Boston Medical Center and being treated for a dislocated hip.

“He’s a trooper,” Dee said. “He’s a strong man — and you know he’s 78, but you know he’s a toughie. He definitely is a toughie.”

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Soucie commended the help of the two witnesses and said that before he arrived at the crash, they had attempted to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher and removed a gasoline tank from the pickup truck before it could ignite.

“They jumped into action like it was nothing,” Soucie said. “Those two individuals were absolutely awesome.”

Easton Police Chief Keith Boone said that he is “extremely proud” of Soucie and the witnesses.

“He saved a life last night,” Chief Boone said. “He is an exemplary police officer and this is just one example. I think he’s a hero.”

Turnpike Street was closed for several hours following the crash. Easton Police are investigating.

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