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Healey Keeps Massachusetts Under a “State of Emergency”

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Healey Keeps Massachusetts Under a “State of Emergency”


It has been 19 months since Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey declared a “state of emergency” in Massachusetts and she has yet to explain what that designation means or when it might expire.

The Associated Press wrote on August 8, 2023, the day the state of emergency was declared, “Healey declared a state of emergency Tuesday, citing an influx of migrants seeking shelter at a time when the cost of housing – already in short supply – continues to rise.”

Healey’s state of emergency appears to be open-ended, as she has not told us when the order will end.

Healey, together with the Massachusetts Legislature, has dedicated billions of taxpayer dollars toward providing shelter and other benefits to illegal aliens but has yet to offer an end-game strategy.

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What Exactly Is a State of Emergency?

According to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), “A state of emergency can be declared by the Governor of Massachusetts in the event of imminent threat of a natural or man-made disaster.”

What Does a State of Emergency Allow Gov. Healey to Do?

According to MEMA, “Under a state of emergency, the governor has the power to take extraordinary steps to protect the Commonwealth.”

Some examples of “extraordinary steps” include declaring a travel ban or restrictions and closing schools, businesses and government offices.

A state of emergency also allows the governor to “issue executive orders to meet the needs of a threat, emergency, or disaster.”

“These orders are to be treated as laws and may override existing law for the course of the disaster,” according to MEMA.

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A state of emergency allows Healey to “exercise any and all authority over persons and property necessary to protect the public,” including “implementing curfews.”

LOOK: Every state’s nickname and where it comes from

Spokeo analyzed state government information and other historical sources to compile this list of stories behind every state’s nickname.

Gallery Credit: Stacker

LOOK: Popular children’s books published the year you were born

Stacker compiled a list of popular children’s books published every year between 1920 and 2021 based on librarian and teacher polls, top 100 roundups in media like Time magazine and the BBC, book critic reviews, interviews with children’s book authors, and lists of award-winning literature for young readers.

Gallery Credit: Joni Sweet





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Massachusetts

Two stabbed at Cedar’s Mediterranean Foods plant in Haverhill

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Two stabbed at Cedar’s Mediterranean Foods plant in Haverhill


Two people were seriously injured in a stabbing at the Cedar’s Mediterranean Foods manufacturing facility in Haverhill, Massachusetts, on Tuesday morning.

Haverhill police said they responded to the Cedar’s plan on Foundation Avenue around 10:30 a.m. for a report of a disturbance involving a weapon. When they arrived, they found two people suffering from apparent stab wounds.

Both people were provided with medical assistance on scene and taken to area hospitals with what police described as serious injuries. Their names have not been released, and no update on their conditions was immediately available.

Preliminary investigation determined that the two people knew each other, and police said there is no ongoing threat to the public. They said their investigation into the incident remains active.

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Injured Massachusetts teen thanks rescuers who

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Injured Massachusetts teen thanks rescuers who



Two Plymouth, Massachusetts teens were saved from the summit of Mount Washington after a leg injury stranded them.

Khang Nguyen,17, said he and his friend, 18-year-old Vaughn Webb, thought they were well prepared for their hike on Saturday. They brought trekking poles, layers, microspikes for their boots and more. 

But halfway up the trail, Nguyen feared the worst when his leg began to hurt. 

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“It was just incredibly painful to lift up my right leg,” he explained. “I told [Vaughn] to leave me behind so I could go on my own pace and for him to reach the summit to get help at first.” 

The pair managed to reach the top of the mountain but had to seek shelter next to a building as wind gusts increased, and the air temperature reached 38 degrees. Nguyen said they also ran out of food and water. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department received the 911 call around 7:30 p.m. and quickly alerted a State Park employee who began to search for the two teens.

“Conservation Officers then began responding in four-wheel-drive pickup trucks to try and get to the summit and back ahead of incoming snow,” the game department said in a statement. 

After around 30 minutes of reaching both Webb and Nguyen were found. They were taken inside a building and Nguyen was being treated for his injury.

“The worker that was up there, [said] that they came in record time, and we appreciate their help a lot. It saved our lives potentially,” Nguyen explained. 

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The pair was successfully taken off the mountain by 10 p.m.  The two teens are now safely back in Massachusetts and are incredibly grateful to their rescuers. 



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Western Massachusetts libraries celebrating National Library Week – Athol Daily News

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Western Massachusetts libraries celebrating National Library Week – Athol Daily News


As libraries across western Massachusetts celebrate National Library Week from April 19 to April 25, they are honoring “the last real third space where everyone is welcome,” in the words of Greenfield Public Library Assistant Director Lisa Prolman.

According to the American Library Association, National Library Week is “an annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries and library professionals play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities.” This year, several libraries in the region will be hosting events to highlight the roles they play in their communities.

The Athol Public Library is among the venues engaging in National Library Week festivities, with a whole host of events starting on Tuesday, April 21, with Silly Goose Story Time at 10:30 a.m. The library will hold multiple events each day, including “Free Book Friday” on April 24, which Assistant Director Robin Shtulman said is “really fantastic.”

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Shtulman said the week celebrates and emphasizes the “freedom to read, community outreach and celebrating the staff, without whom nothing would happen.”

The Athol Public Library said in an event announcement that “whatever brings you joy, the library has something for everyone,” and that aspect is being emphasized this National Library Week. To name a few of the events on tap, on Tuesday, April 21, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., there’s a volunteer opportunity where teens will make greeting cards for senior citizens; “A Minecraft Movie” will be shown at the same date and time; and on Thursday, April 23, the library will host Scavenger Hunt Bingo for all ages. For a full list of events at the Athol Public Library, visit atholpubliclibrary.com.

In Shelburne Falls, the Arms Library will feature a gallery from the Carlos Heiligmann Collection, a series of photos of public libraries across western Massachusetts. Also in collaboration with the Arms Library, Pothole Pictures and the Shelburne Falls Area Women’s Club will partner for a screening of “Free For All: The Public Library” on Saturday, April 25, at 2 p.m. at the Shelburne Falls Theater at Memorial Hall.

The documentary focuses on the evolution of the public library from its origins in the 19th century and the challenges it faces today, with modern-day issues such as book bans, funding cuts and debates over censorship.

It also explores the role that women’s clubs, like the one in Shelburne Falls, played in creating the modern library system. To serve their communities, women’s clubs took the lead in fundraising, collecting books and advocating for library legislation.

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“Our women’s club in this town started with a group of 60 women who were gathering for lessons. … Because of the support of women in the U.S., we established over 80% of the public libraries [in the country],” said Christin Couture, program chair for the Shelburne Falls Area Women’s Club. “This film … I hear it’s so fascinating.”

Following the film’s screening, there will be a panel of local librarians who will engage in “lively conversation” about the history and future of public libraries. Tickets are $6, though school-age children will be admitted for free.

In Charlemont, Tyler Memorial Library will host an open house on Saturday, April 25, from noon to 2 p.m. featuring refreshments, a tour of the library and sun catcher crafting.

The Greenfield Public Library, meanwhile, is taking National Library Week in a bit of a different direction, as it is offering a book repair demonstration with Tom Hutcheson on Thursday, April 23, at 3:30 p.m. The day marks William Shakespeare’s birthday.

Although the book repair session required registration and is currently full, those who are interested may be placed on a waiting list at greenfieldpl.libcal.com/event/16460179.

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Greenfield Public Library Director Anna Bognolo recognized the hard work that everyone has put into making the library a success, offering a “huge thank you” to the volunteers and staff who make its varied offerings possible.

“Stop by and support your library,” Bognolo said.

“Libraries, especially in this economy, are more important than ever,” Prolman said. Referencing the library’s role as a place where community members can go that is not work or home, she added, “They are the last real third space where everyone is welcome, and we don’t charge you for being here.”



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