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Battenfeld: Elizabeth Warren wins as Amazon abandons iRobot deal, forcing 350 layoffs

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Battenfeld: Elizabeth Warren wins as Amazon abandons iRobot deal, forcing 350 layoffs


Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who urged federal regulators to kill the Amazon-iRobot merger, finally got her wish this week when Amazon abandoned the deal, forcing the layoffs of 350 workers at the Massachusetts-based robotics company.

The Massachusetts senator has been noticeably silent about the collapse of the iRobot acquisition and the loss of the jobs even though she’s railed against Amazon for years.

“I have serious concerns about the Amazon-iRobot deal – dominant companies like Amazon shouldn’t be allowed to just buy their way out of competing,” Warren said in a 2022 statement. “The FTC should oppose this proposed merger to protect competition, lower consumer prices, and rein in Amazon’s well-documented anti-competitive activities.’

The Federal Trade Commission – which is now led by a Warren acolyte – did raise concerns about the deal and worked with the European Union, which eventually blocked the merger.

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iRobot, which makes the popular Roomba vacuum cleaner, did not say where the job layoffs would be but the company is based in Massachusetts.

As a result of the collapse, iRobot head Robin Angle — a star in Massachusetts high-tech circles – announced he was stepping down. Angle said in a statement that he and the iRobot board decided “that iRobot will be better served by a new leader with turnaround experience.”

Amazon had to pay iRobot a $94 million termination fee for ending the deal to add the robotics company to its portfolio, which would have allowed them to sell iRobot products directly on its website.

Amazon is also a major employer in Massachusetts, with a robotics innovation facility in Westboro that opened in 2021.

Warren’s office did not respond to a Herald request for comment about the layoffs and the blow to iRobot, which is expected now to restructure, possibly triggering more layoffs.

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The far-left Massachusetts Democrat has for years had Amazon and other big high-tech companies in her sights for their anti-competitive, anti-consumer behavior. Along with a phalanx of other liberal lawmakers, she sent a letter to the FTC urging them to kill the $1.65 billion iRobot acquisition in 2022.

But the loss of jobs? Not so much as a word out of Warren about that.

She puts policy and partisan politics over people.

Warren lives a millionaire lifestyle in her Cambridge house and has no idea how ordinary people struggle to get by. She does softball interviews with CNN and other friendly outlets and rarely exposes herself to hostile questions.



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Boston, MA

What we know about wrong-way driver killed in head-on collision with state trooper in Lynnfield – The Boston Globe

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What we know about wrong-way driver killed in head-on collision with state trooper in Lynnfield – The Boston Globe


Court records show that Marrero was the father of three children, the oldest of whom is 17. The youngest two children, twins, are 13 years old; Marrero’s death came days before their 14th birthday.

Records in Middlesex Probate and Family Court also suggest that Marrero faced financial difficulties and personal troubles, stemming in part from a work injury that family members said caused a bout of depression and deteriorating behavior in his personal life.

For nearly a decade, Marrero worked at Dewberry, a Boston engineering consulting firm, court records show, obtaining a job as an architectural design apprentice in 2005. He left the company in 2014, according to a company spokesperson.

Hernan Marrero.Facebook

Throughout that time, he doubled as a bartender on the side, working at Mexican restaurants in Boston and Waltham, court records show.

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A knee injury ended Marrero’s career at Dewberry, court records show, and he left the company shortly thereafter.

That injury, according to court documents, was the catalyst for what his wife described as a “major depressive episode,” which she said contributed to the strain in their marriage. The couple, who had been married for more than 20 years, separated in 2022.

Records also show that Marrero struggled with debts to family members and credit card companies. During his divorce proceedings, it was unclear how much money he was taking home in income.

Marrero briefly owned and operated a contracting business, 109 Construction, but the corporation was administratively dissolved in 2024, according to state filings.

Marrero had lived in US since at least 2001, holding legal status. He became a naturalized citizen in March 2021, court records show.

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Social media posts suggest he was active in the tight-knit Venezuelan community in Massachusetts. Photos show him cheering on Venezuela at a World Baseball Classic watch party in Brighton earlier this year.

Court records appear to show Marrero’s interest in art and music, owning a Venezuelan guitar, conga drums, and several Venezuelan paintings, as well as homemade winemaking setup.

Marrero’s family could not be reached for comment. A close friend reached by the Globe declined to comment.

Trainor had just completed his shift at about 2 a.m. on Wednesday and was driving home when he responded to a report for a Jeep traveling south in the northbound lanes of Route 1, near the Lynnfield overpass.

Raised in Salem, Trainor began his public safety career as an Essex County correction officer before graduating from the State Police academy in 2023, State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble said.

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Trainor’s fiancée, Jessica D. Ostrowski, of Georgetown, posted an emotional message to social media Thursday, describing the late trooper as “my absolute best friend.”

“I am beyond proud for the amount of love you have been given by those who loved and cared about you,” she wrote.

Travis Andersen and Jeremiah Manion of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Material from previous Globe coverage was used.


Camilo Fonseca can be reached at camilo.fonseca@globe.com. Follow him on X @fonseca_esq and on Instagram @camilo_fonseca.reports.





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Funding scandal-hit Croft schools in Boston to close this summer after all

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Funding scandal-hit Croft schools in Boston to close this summer after all


Administrators at the Croft School, struggling after allegations of financial fraud, haven’t been able to find a buyer for its Boston locations, which will now close at the end of the school year, parents were told Friday.

Millions of dollars were raised by families and community members to keep the private school open for a few more months while Croft School administrators scrambled to find a buyer. But in Friday’s email, the chief restructuring officer and independent sale advisor said that two parties expressed interest but they ultimately had to pivot toward winding operations down.

“To be clear, the 2025-2026 school year will be completed based on the availability of parent funding. However, without a viable timetable for a transaction, we are faced with this difficult decision,” the email said.

About 350 students had attended the Croft School’s three campuses, two in Boston and one in Providence. Regular tuition starts at $31,000, according to the website.

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Millions were raised to keep the private school open for a few more months but the Croft School is looking for a buyer as a long-term fix to its financial problems.

More than 60 families unenrolled from the South End campus over the weekend, the email said.

News of the debt crisis surprised parents in March, when the school’s board revealed in a letter that founding Executive Director Scott Given admitted to fabricating a letter of credit regarding a possible expansion and keeping two sets of books, overstating the school’s revenue while understating its expenses.

The discovery that the school was more than $13 million in debt came after police were alerted to possible fraud. The school has said it’s cooperating with multiple investigations involving Given, who has been suspended.

The private school, with two locations in Boston and one in Providence, requires $5 million to stay open for the rest of the schoolyear.

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Given has been sued by at least one Boston parent, accusing him of running a Ponzi scheme. His legal team has said he has no comment.

Parents rallied to save the school, raising enough funds to keep classes going.

The officials in charge of the sale noted “how hard many of you worked to maintain The Croft School as you know it,” but added that the “difficult circumstances, uncertain financials and condensed timeframe made this a trying environment for purchasers to timely make a binding offer for the schools.”



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Where to watch Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox: TV channel, start time, streaming for May 8

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Where to watch Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox: TV channel, start time, streaming for May 8


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Baseball is back and finding what channel your favorite team is playing on has become a little bit more confusing since MLB announced plans to produce and distribute broadcasts for nearly a third of the league.

We’re here to help. Here’s everything you need to know Friday as the Tampa Bay Rays visit the Boston Red Sox.

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See USA TODAY’s sortable MLB schedule to filter by team or division.

What time is Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox?

First pitch between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. (ET) on Friday, May 8.

How to watch Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox on Friday

All times Eastern and accurate as of Friday, May 8, 2026, at 6:33 a.m.

  • Matchup: TB at BOS
  • Date: Friday, May 8
  • Time: 7:10 p.m. (ET)
  • Venue: Fenway Park
  • Location: Boston, Massachusetts
  • TV: NESN, Rays.TV and WMOR
  • Streaming: MLB.TV on Fubo

Watch MLB all season long with Fubo

MLB regional blackout restrictions apply

MLB scores, results

MLB scores for May 8 games are available on usatoday.com . Here’s how to access today’s results:

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See scores, results for all of today’s games.



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