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These key public services won’t be hit by the state’s hiring freeze, Mass. Gov. Healey says

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These key public services won’t be hit by the state’s hiring freeze, Mass. Gov. Healey says


The day after she imposed a sweeping hiring freeze across the executive branch, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said her office is working to ensure the public doesn’t see any drop-off in services.

“Well, my commitment is to make sure [they don’t], and I’ve said public safety positions are off the table as our direct care positions there off the table,” Healey said Thursday after she attended the grand opening of Lego’s new offices in Boston’s Back Bay.

“I can tell you’ve got an incredibly hard-working team across government,” she continued. “I’m asking them to do more, and you know, I’m confident they’ll rise to that challenge.”

The Democratic administration announced the hiring freeze on Wednesday for the offices and agencies under its control, pointing to “widespread economic uncertainty” at the national level, and a “tightening budget outlook” at home.

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It is set to take effect on May 27 and last until lawmakers approve a new budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1.

Agencies ranging from the Department of Transportation and Correction to Health and Human Services will be barred from hiring new employees. And there won’t be a waiver process, Healey’s office said in a statement.

The state budget is premised on $16 billion in federal support, and Healey and her Democratic allies on Beacon Hill have repeatedly said the state can’t backfill the money on its own.

Asked about the potential for job cuts because of the freeze, Healey appeared to rule it out, but did acknowledge that “we’ve just got to take it as it comes here, right?”

“And my job every day is to try to evaluate what’s happening, try to be proactive and also prepare,” she continued. “And you know, as I’ve said, these, these cuts by the Trump administration, unfortunately, have real consequences.”

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This week, Healey sent a letter to the top Republicans and Democrats on the House and Senate Agriculture committees, urging them to back off planned cuts to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, sometimes referred to as “food stamps.”

Planned GOP cuts could cost the state up to $710 million a year, impacting 1 million state residents, the administration said in a statement.

On Thursday, Healey reiterated the impact of cutting the program that serves the neediest Bay State residents.

“We’re talking seniors, we’re talking single moms, we’re talking children, and he’s cutting that so you know, our job is to continue to monitor the situation, to try to be proactive and to plan, and that’s why I thought I was responsible to institute the hiring freeze,” she said.



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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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