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Massachusetts Gov. Healey urges FEMA to reconsider disaster aid request after severe flooding

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Massachusetts Gov. Healey urges FEMA to reconsider disaster aid request after severe flooding
  • Governor Maura Healey is appealing FEMA’s decision to deny Massachusetts’ request for a major disaster declaration following severe flooding last September.
  • Healey voiced concerns that FEMA’s assessment of the request overlooked certain costs.
  • Extensive damage was caused by the flooding, including destroyed homes and inaccessible roadways.

Gov. Maura Healey is appealing a decision of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to deny the state’s request for a major disaster declaration to support Massachusetts cities and towns battered by severe weather and flooding in September.

Healey said the state has appreciated FEMA’s partnership but is concerned that the federal agency’s assessment of her request failed to include certain identified costs.

“These storms were devastating for our communities. I saw the impacts firsthand – homes and businesses were destroyed, roadways and bridges were inaccessible, and some residents had to be evacuated. Six months later, they are still rebuilding,” Healey said in a letter Monday to President Joe Biden.

EXTENSIVE FLOOD DAMAGE PRODS NEW ENGLAND STATES TO REEVALUATE DAMS, CULVERTS

“The state has done all that we can to support their recovery, but the needs far outpace our available resources.” Healey added.

A car is seen submerged in floodwaters in Boston, Massachusetts. Gov. Maura Healey is appealing a decision of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to deny the state’s request for a major disaster declaration to support cities and towns battered by severe weather and flooding last September. (Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

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In her letter, Healey noted that Springfield experienced what she described as a catastrophic water main break attributed to the failure of a culvert and subsequent erosion related to the rainfall experienced on the evening of Sept. 11.

Healey said the city of Leominster submitted a list of 56 damaged sites, but FEMA only included seven in its validation process.

FLOODING AT MASSACHUSETTS HOSPITAL DISRUPTS FERTILITY TREATMENT SERVICES FOR 200 PATIENTS

Healey urged FEMA to reconsider the state’s request.

“Our communities must know that both their state and federal governments understand the severe challenges and stress they are facing, and that we are here to help,” Healey wrote.

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“Their recovery is particularly daunting given the knowledge that the next severe storm could be around the corner, as we continue to see the escalating impacts of climate change,” she added.

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Boston, MA

Driver charged in Norwood pedestrian crash that left man seriously injured

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Driver charged in Norwood pedestrian crash that left man seriously injured


A man was flown to a Boston hospital after being hit by a vehicle Wednesday evening in Norwood, Massachusetts, and the driver has been arrested.

Norwood police responded shortly after 7:30 p.m. to the intersection of Washington Street and St. John Avenue.

The victim was found seriously injured. Fire crews treated him at the scene before he was taken by ambulance to a landing zone to be airlifted by medical helicopter.

Police said the woman driving the vehicle was taken into custody. She is facing charges including operating under the influence of liquor.

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The crash is under investigation.



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Pittsburg, PA

Postponed: Waiting on Parkway East bridge to be demolished in explosion

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Postponed: Waiting on Parkway East bridge to be demolished in explosion


The Parkway East’s Commercial Street Bridge is about to blow – but it’s not happening on Wednesday night.

PennDOT say they were going to bring down the bridge sometime between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Wednesday, but around 8 p.m officials and security said the explosion was postponed.

The demolition will be shown live on PennDOT’s project page or 511 PA, which also has cameras placed along the project’s detour routes.

Watch the live stream here:

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A crowd of about 100 people gathered Wednesday evening at the Summerset at Frick Park residential development for a front-row view of the bridge demolition.

The atmosphere felt more like a neighborhood block party than a construction event. Families brought their children and pets, while groups of friends arrived carrying pizzas and coolers of beer. Lawn chairs lined the hillside as people in shorts and sunglasses settled in to wait for the explosion. Some spectators wore earplugs in anticipation of the blast.

A man with a ukulele strummed some folk tunes to liven the expectant atmosphere as police wrapped red caution tape around the edge of the hill, denoting the 800-foot security perimeter around the bridge.

Merav Amos, from Squirrel Hill, brought her family for a picnic, complete with books, lawn chairs and glasses of wine.

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Amos said she planned the trip when PennDOT released its expected demolition window, but realized then and there that there was one thing she had forgotten.

“I actually hope it’s not going to be too loud, because we don’t have earplugs,” she said.

Amos lives near the Parkway East’s local detour route, and has had to deal with traffic increasing near her home since the bridge closed on Friday. She hoped watching the demolition live would provide a satisfying payoff.

“The last few days were very rough,” she said. “I want to see some action.”

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Jim Christy, of Robinson, parked in the South Side and made the journey over on his bike to watch the explosion.

Christy frequently bikes through the Frick Park trails — some of which were restricted on Wednesday ahead of the demolition.

“It better go off without a hitch,” he said.





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Connecticut

Connecticut Technical Education and Career System under investigation by U.S. Department of Education

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Connecticut Technical Education and Career System under investigation by U.S. Department of Education


(WFSB) – The Connecticut Technical Education and Career System is under investigation by the United States Department of Education.

In a letter sent to the superintendent obtained by Channel 3, the nature of the investigation centers around the district’s handling of rape and/or sexual assault cases by school staff.

“Due to the District’s inaccurate responses to the rape and/or sexual assault data elements involving allegations against school staff of OCR’s 2023–24 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), the directed investigation will examine whether the District has policies and procedures in place to ensure accurate data collection and reporting and that its handling of the sexual harassment, including sexual assault, of students by District teachers, administrators, and/or staff members is consistent with the requirements of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) and its implementing regulation,” said the letter in part.

Read it in full below:

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The school system issued a statement in response to the investigation.

Copyright 2026 WFSB. All rights reserved.



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