Northeast
Massachusetts targets 26 commercial drivers in wake of bribery scandal
BOSTON (AP) — More than two dozen commercial drivers have had their licenses downgraded in the wake of a scandal involving State Police troopers allegedly taking bribes in exchange for passing test scores, the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles announced Friday.
The RMV said it identified 26 people who didn’t pass the test properly and changed them to Class D passenger licenses. The drivers, who were not named, will have to take and pass all the required permit and skills tests if they want to get commercial licenses.
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The RMV said it was unaware of any crashes involving the drivers. It was reviewing records to look for anyone else who may have obtained a license improperly.
“The RMV is committed to ensuring the public’s safety on the roads. … The RMV will take appropriate action for additional individuals identified that should not be operating a commercial motor vehicle,” it said in a statement.
In the wake of a scandal involving bribes paid to obtain commercial licenses, the Massachusetts RMV is downgrading over two dozen licenses.
Two current and two former troopers were among six people charged this week in the alleged scheme to receive bribes, which included a new snowblower and driveway.
The troopers are accused of falsifying records and giving preferential treatment to at least 17 people from May 2019 to January 2023 who were taking their commercial drivers license tests.
When drivers failed skills tests, the troopers would pass them and communicate that they had done so in text messages with the code word “golden,” according to the indictment. Some allegedly joked in the messages about how badly a driver had performed.
Sgt. Gary Cederquist, 58, of Stoughton, and Trooper Joel Rogers, 54, of Bridgewater, were arrested Tuesday. Calvin Butner, 63, of Halifax, and Perry Mendes, 63, of Wareham, both retired state troopers, were arrested in Florida on Monday.
All four face more than 70 counts including conspiracy to falsify records, extortion and making false statements.
Two others, Eric Mathison, 47, of Boston, and Scott Camara, 42, of Rehoboth, were also implicated in the scheme. Cederquist is alleged to have conspired with Mathison, who worked for a spring water company that employed drivers needing commercial licenses, to give them passing scores; and with Camera, who worked for a truck driving school in Brockton, to help four state troopers get their commercial licenses.
A phone number could not be found for any of the six, and their lawyers did not respond to requests for comment.
Read the full article from Here
Boston, MA
Boston ‘No Kings’ rally expected to draw 100,000; others planned across Mass.
“No Kings” rallies are scheduled in Boston and across Massachusetts on Saturday and are expected to draw large crowds, organizers said.
Organized by the ACLU of Massachusetts, Indivisible Mass Coalition, and Mass 50501, the event is a mass mobilization in protest of the Trump administration.
The No Kings theme was created by the 50501 Movement, a national movement made up of Americans who stand for democracy and against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. The name 50501 stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one movement.
“The Trump administration is trying to shred the Constitution; the No Kings movement is an unequivocal statement that we, the people, will not let that happen. This will be the third global No Kings Day, and it’s not just about protesting what’s wrong—it’s about building something better. We intend to show our power, build our power, and power a democracy that advances freedom, equality, justice, and dignity for all,” organizers wrote.
The rally, one of thousands scheduled across the country this weekend, is planned for the Boston Common from 2 to 4 p.m. More than 100,000 people are expected to attend Boston’s rally. Other events are scheduled in Pittsfield, Northampton, Lancaster, Worcester, Framingham, Methuen, Lexington, and towns in southeastern Massachusetts and the Cape. For a map of No Kings events near you, click here.
Speakers include elected officials Attorney General Andrea Campbell, Gov. Maura Healey, Sen. Ed Markey and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, and civic leaders Hessann Farooqi Marcelo Gomes Da Silva, Darlene Lombos, president of the Greater Boston Labor Council, Carol Rose, executive director of ACLU of Massachusetts, Jessica Tang, president of the American Federation of Teachers of Massachusetts, and others. It will be moderated by Rahsaan Hall, president and CEO of Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts.
There will also be performances by the Dropkick Murphys, Boston Area Brigade of Activist Musicians, BVOCAL Chorus, and Jimmy Tingle.
A previous No Kings rally in October drew massive crowds estimated in the tens of thousands.
NBC10 Boston NBC10 Boston An aerial view of the crowd at Boston’s “No Kings” rally on the Common on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025.
Pittsburg, PA
CMU acquires Chatham’s Eastside location, will lease back part of property
Connecticut
Are You From a Connecticut Family That Eats Toad in the Hole?
Are you from a Connecticut family that grew up eating Toad in the Hole? If so, you probably know it as a quirky breakfast dish — an egg cooked right in a hole cut out of a slice of bread. Just to be clear, no toads were harmed — I simply couldn’t resist using an actual toad photo. But the story behind the name and the dish is a little stranger than you might think.
The original Toad in the Hole comes from England, where it’s a savory meal of sausages baked in Yorkshire pudding batter. No eggs, no toast, just sausages popping out of golden, fluffy batter — the name supposedly comes from the way the sausages peek out like toads in a pond.
When English families settled in New England, they brought culinary traditions with them, and over time, the dish evolved. In the U.S., particularly in some Connecticut households, Toad in the Hole became the breakfast version we know today: an egg nestled in bread, sometimes cooked in a skillet or baked. It’s a far cry from the original sausages-and-batter dish, but it kept the playful name and sense of whimsy.
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What’s fun is that the U.S. version is sometimes called “egg in a basket” or “egg in a hole” in other parts of the country, but in many Connecticut homes, it proudly keeps the Toad in the Hole moniker. For families with multi-generational ties to the state, this little breakfast dish is a taste of history, a nod to old English roots, and a perfect reminder of just how weird and wonderful Connecticut’s food traditions can be.
Before researching this, I’d never heard of it, but you’d better believe I’m making one of these this weekend — both the UK and U.S. versions.
Sources: Wikipedia & Food Science Institute
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