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Boston traffic impacting Duck Boat, trolley tours “it’s the perfect storm”

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Boston traffic impacting Duck Boat, trolley tours “it’s the perfect storm”


BOSTON – A trip on a Duck Boat or trolley has become a staple activity for tourists in the city, however lately, traffic backups have been creating delays in city tours, and leaving guides with little stories left to tell.

Bike lanes, scooters causing delays

“It’s the perfect storm of many things going on in the city. We have new bike lanes, new bus lanes, which create some confusion and adjustments,” said Cindy Brown, CEO of Boston Duck Tours. “We have scooters going around which block the box, and can cause blocks and blocks of delays.”

Boston Duck Tours has seen a spike in people being late or missing tours because of traffic and parking issues for people getting to their services. Those who do get on, may be on for two hours instead of 80 minutes.

Boston Duck Boat
Boston Duck Boat Tour

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“Sometimes guests miss exciting areas of the city because we have to do work-arounds for traffic,” Brown said. “We built in some cushions on certain days with rush hour. We have extra ducks we keep throughout the day for a pinch.”

At times, they have to shorten parts of the tour, be it on the road or in the water, so they can make up for the time lags. Brown said the tours that approach two hours can be difficult for some riders because there are no bathrooms onboard.

“The planning makes sense. Bus lanes are great and bike lanes are great. The planning looks great on paper, but if the enforcement isn’t there it isn’t going to work,” Brown said. “If you have a road with two lanes, and one double-parker, all of a sudden Boylston Street is one lane. You can imagine how that backs up through Back Bay and beyond.”

Worse than during the Big Dig?

Old Town Trolley has drivers on routes for as long as three hours. Their service allows riders to get on and off and spots. 

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Typically a trolley arrives every 15 minutes, but delays can have them showing up 30 to 40 minutes behind. Some of their drivers have told the company that the traffic is worse than before or during the Big Dig.

“They aren’t going to get off the trolley to have lunch at Newbury Street because they don’t know when the next trolley will get them,” said Old Town Trolley General Manager Tim Carr. “Some of these are baptism by fire. How many stories can you get through on four light cycles in Copley Square?”

City traffic solutions 

Carr said the city has been working with tour companies on possible solutions.

A statement from the Streets Department said: “The Streets Cabinet aims to design roadways that balance safe use by all modes. Part of safe design includes clearly defining and separating spaces for the most vulnerable users. The rise of all types of delivery, and a shift in commuting patterns, have changed traffic in Boston. Our engineers evaluate all bike safety projects to confirm that the new street configurations will support known traffic volumes and sizes of vehicles such as emergency vehicles, buses, or trolleys. Our overarching goal is to build streets where all users– pedestrians, drivers, bicyclists, and transit riders– can reach their destinations safely and reliably.”

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Texas A&M SS Boston Kellner suffers orbital bone fracture

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Texas A&M SS Boston Kellner suffers orbital bone fracture


(KBTX) – Texas A&M shortstop Boston Kellner suffered a fractured orbital bone after he was hit in the face with a fastball in Friday night’s series opener at Ole Miss, according to a team spokesperson.

He did not sustain a concussion, and there was no damage to his eye, a team spokesperson said.

The extent of the injury was first reported on the SEC Network+ broadcast.

The true freshman has been a starter for the Aggies since the beginning of the season, slashing .248/.432/.418. He has five home runs and 27 RBIs, typically batting at the bottom of the order. Defensively, he has a .928 fielding percentage.

Ben Royo entered in his place and was a key contributor early Saturday. The senior blasted a pair of home runs against Ole Miss on his first two hits of the season. He entered Saturday’s first game with four at-bats this season.

A&M has struggled with injuries as of late. Chris Hacopian, who also could have been an option to fill in at shortstop, has been relegated to the designated-hitter role as he recovers from a leg injury suffered during the Florida series. Third baseman Nico Partida remains out with a pulled hamstring he sustained against Auburn.

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Copyright 2026 KBTX. All rights reserved.





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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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