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19-year-olds can now be correctional officers in Massachusetts

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19-year-olds can now be correctional officers in Massachusetts


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Officers hired under the age of 21 won’t be assigned to posts or duties that require a firearm but must be eligible to have a license.

Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley is the state’s maximum security prison. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

19-year-olds can now be correctional officers, the state’s Department Correction announced Thursday, citing a need for more long-term, motivated candidates.

The age was lowered from 21 to 19, following in the footsteps of the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, which lowered its age requirements for correctional officers in 2023. At the time, the department said there was a “critical shortage of officers.”

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The Massachusetts Department of Correction said officers under the age of 21 won’t be assigned to posts or duties that require a firearm, but “any individuals hired for the position must maintain eligibility to obtain a license to carry a firearm.”

“The implementation of this age of appointment gives the DOC the flexibility to bring in more qualified applicants while providing them with early access to a fulfilling career in corrections,” DOC Commissioner Shawn Jenkins said in a statement. 

The department, which staffs 13 facilities across the state, said the change allows young adults to explore long-term careers and serve their communities. 

“Reducing the minimum age to become a Correction Officer will allow us to recruit more dedicated, highly skilled workers to these important roles,” Governor Maura Healey said in a statement. “This change will help us build the next generation of corrections professionals to deliver on our goals of protecting public safety and supporting rehabilitation.”

The eligibility requirements to be a correction officer, some of whom earn more than $250,000 a year, include a high school diploma, an equivalency certificate or at least three years in the Armed Forces as well as a “comprehensive screening process” and a 12-week training program.

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The Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union has previously called attention to staffing and other issues at prisons, including the state’s only maximum-security prison. Last fall, five officers were injured by inmates in a single incident, and the MCOFU criticized the department’s lack of searches and use of tactical units.

“How much more do our members have to endure before you decide to keep them safe? The inmates are literally running the asylum. Do your jobs,” the union wrote on Facebook at the time.

In a statement about lowering the age requirements, Jenkins thanked the union for their “support.”

“The Massachusetts Department of Correction appreciates working collaboratively with Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union and their support as we work together to increase our professional workforce,” Jenkins said.

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Molly Farrar is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on education, politics, crime, and more.





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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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