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50+ Massachusetts beaches closed for swimming by Department of Public Health. See where

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1 year ago

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50+ Massachusetts beaches closed for swimming by Department of Public Health. See where


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As we enter the last stretch of summer before school starts, there is no better way spend a day than relaxing at one of the Bay State’s beautiful beaches.

However, the number of closed beaches in Massachusetts keeps getting higher. This weekend, over 50 beaches are closed due to unsafe swimming water.

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The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) states that swimming in the water at these closed beaches poses a threat of illness due to high levels of bacteria. Symptoms can range from nausea and vomiting to a sore throat and fever.

Here’s a full list of closed beaches to avoid when planning your weekend.

What beaches in Massachusetts are currently closed due to bacteria?

The following MA beaches, listed by town, are closed as of Friday, Aug. 16:

  • Amherst:
    • Puffers Pond (Bacterial Exceedance, Other)
    • Stanley St. swimming hole at Cushman Bridge (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Ashby: Damon Pond Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Ashland: Ashland Reservoir Main Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Barnstable:
    • Wequaquet Lake Town (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
    • Wequaquet Lake Yacht Club (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
  • Braintree: Smith Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Brewster: Upper Mill Pond (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
  • Concord: Walden Pond (Other)
  • Danvers: Sandy Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Dartmouth: Moses Smith Creek (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Framingham: Learned Pond Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Grafton: Silver Lake Beach (Other)
  • Harwich: Sand Pond (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
  • Haverhill: Plugs Pond (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Holland: Collette Drive Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Kingston: Gray’s (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Lowell: Merrimac River (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Lynn:
    • Kings (Bacterial Exceedance)
    • Lynn Shore Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Nahant: Nahant Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Nantucket: Sesachacha Pond (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
  • Natick: Cochituate State Park Beach (Bacterial Exceedance, Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
  • North Andover:
    • Frye Pond Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
    • Stevens Pond (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Northampton: Musante Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Oxford: Carbuncle Pond (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
  • Plymouth: Nelson Park (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Quincy: Norton Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Salem:
    • Camp Naumkeag (Other)
    • Children’s Island (Bacterial Exceedance)
    • Ocean Avenue (Bacterial Exceedance)
    • Willow Avenue (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Saugus: Pearce Lake at Breakheart Reservation (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Shutesbury: Lake Wyola (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Springfield: Bass Pond (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
  • Swampscott: Kings (Other)
  • Templeton:
    • Beamans Pond Campground (Bacterial Exceedance)
    • Beamans Pond Day Use (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Townsend: Pearl Hill Pond Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Truro: Longnook (Other)
  • Wayland: Wayland Town Beach (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
  • West Stockbridge: Card Pond Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • West Tisbury: Seth’s Pond (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Westborough: Lake Chauncy Beach (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
  • Westfield: Hampton Ponds Kingsley Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Winchendon: Lake Dennison State Park (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Winchester: Shannon Beach at Upper Mystic (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Winthrop: Halford (Bacterial Exceedance)
  • Worcester:
    • Indian Lake Public Beach at Sherburne Ave (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
    • Lake Quinsigamond-Regatta Point Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
    • Shore Park (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)

Most beaches are closed due to bacterial exceedance, meaning the levels of bacteria in the water are higher than the limits set by the MDPH.

Those in the “other” category can be closed due to a variety of chemical or physical hazards, such as riptides and poor visibility.

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Beach weather this weekend: AccuWeather warning about rip currents developing this weekend from storm off coast

When will beaches in Massachusetts re-open?

According to the MDPH website, beaches can only re-open when their bacteria levels are back within the safe range, so there is no set amount of time for a closure.

The status of a closed beach can be checked on the website’s water quality dashboard, which is updated at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. daily.

National Hurricane Center cautioning beachgoers in the Atlantic

Forecasters are warning beachgoers about possible “life-threatening surf and rip current conditions” this weekend because of Hurricane Ernesto. The storm is not predicted to make landfall in New England.

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“Even if Ernesto stays well offshore of the U.S. East Coast, beach goers should be aware of a significant risk of deadly rip currents beginning later this week,” the National Hurricane Center said earlier this week.

Riptides or rip currents are powerful currents of water that can pull people away from shore, according to the National Weather Service. They can be deadly: data from the NWS shows rip currents have killed almost 30 people this year alone.

If caught in a rip current, the NWS says to yell for help and remain calm and stay afloat while waiting for help. Do not swim directly against a riptide, rather swim parallel to the shore.

Melina Khan contributed to this report.



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Massachusetts

Most Massachusetts parents support school cell phone ban, poll shows

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9 hours ago

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December 8, 2025

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Most Massachusetts parents support school cell phone ban, poll shows


Two-thirds of Massachusetts parents polled support a ban on cell phones in school, a new MassINC report found, though nearly as many want an alternative means to contact their child during schooltime.

“Cell phone use in our schools is undeniably fueling distraction and undermining meaningful learning,” said Jennie Williamson, Massachusetts state director of EdTrust, which sponsored the poll from MassINC. “We appreciate legislative leaders for taking this issue seriously, and this poll makes clear that parents overwhelmingly share these concerns. Their strong support for a statewide ban should give lawmakers the momentum needed to carry this bill across the finish line.”

The MassINC poll found 26% of 6-12 grade parents “strongly support” and 40% “somewhat support” a bell-to-bell cell phone ban in public schools. The ban reflects a bill being considered in the state Legislature, which was passed by the senate over the summer.

The group polled about 900 Massachusetts parents of grades 6-12 students starting in September 2025. About 88% of parents polled reported their children have a phone or smartwatch.

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The debate in Massachusetts comes as at least 33 states have enacted laws or policies banning or limiting cell phone use in schools, according to Ballotpedia. Advocates for the measure, including Gov. Maura Healey and AG Andrea Campbell, have cited the impact of cell phone usage on student distraction and mental health.

While the majority of parents polled supported the ban, another 63% say they would want a way to contact their child during school. In a focus group, parents cited concerns for their kids’ safety and their ability to contact them in an emergency.

Parents voiced broad concerns, asking questions like “What happens if they really need it?” and calling the climate of school violence and social media videotaping “very scary.” The parents’ answers also cited coordinating with their children about before and after school transportation and medical issues among concerns.

About half of parents said they would want more information about the policy and exceptions.

In Beacon Hill’s proposed ban, school districts would be required to implement policies including a “bell-to-bell” ban on usage of personal electronic devices. The legislation would also require districts to institute a method for parents or guardians and students to contact each other during the day if necessary.

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District policies could also include exceptions for “necessary accommodations” for school and student health and safety under the bill.

The Massachusetts House has yet to take up the proposal, though House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz indicated interest in the measure in early November, saying the committee is “working through that right now.”



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Massachusetts

Police investigating hit-and-run crash in Everett

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21 hours ago

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December 7, 2025

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Police investigating hit-and-run crash in Everett


Police are investigating a hit-and-run crash that occurred on Sunday morning in Everett, Massachusetts.

The crash occurred in the area of 524 Broadway, and police said the road was shut down in both directions. Drivers were being urged to seek alternate routes and avoid the area.

There was no immediate word on the extent of the injuries.

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Massachusetts

Massachusetts High School Football: Xaverian Brothers notches three-peat for state title

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1 day ago

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December 7, 2025

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Massachusetts High School Football: Xaverian Brothers notches three-peat for state title


The last time St. John’s Preparatory School and Xaverian Brothers met was on Thanksgiving Day, with the Hawks coming away with the win in the storied Massachusetts high school football rivalry.

Missing from that very game was 2028 four-star quarterback Christopher Vargas, who was on crutches last week and didn’t play. Over a week later, Vargas was back in action and it seemed like that might be the missing piece that could swing the pendulum in their favor.

It didn’t impact the game quite like folks or the Hawks may have thought as the result remained the same as Xaverian Brothers in dramatic fashion defeated St. John’s Preparatory School, 41-35, Saturday night at Gillette Stadium for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Division I Super Bowl.

With the victory, Xaverian Brothers secured the three-peat in beating their rivals all in the process. It’s a rarity that two teams would face each other in back-to-back weeks, one being a regular season game and the very next week for a state championship. The Hawks notched their 11th state title in program history, which the game was the final one of the Massachusetts high school football season.

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Hawks junior signal caller Will Wood finished the historic night throwing for 346 yards, which is third most in MIAA Super Bowl history.

For Massachusetts high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Old Colony State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the Massachusetts high school football excitement across the state.



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