Snow flurries are expected to sweep across Massachusetts on Saturday morning, with some areas of the state potentially receiving up to three inches of accumulation by the end of the day.

The snow is “expected to be light and fluffy in nature given the cold atmosphere,” according to the National Weather Service.

It’s expected to taper off from west to east later in the afternoon.

Western Massachusetts and Worcester will likely see the lightest snowfall. These areas, with a high of 31 degrees, can expect less than an inch of accumulation, while Springfield may only see a dusting.

The Berkshires, where temperatures may struggle to reach 28 degrees could see up to an inch of snow.

Eastern parts of Massachusetts are expected to see the most snowfall. Boston, with a high of 33 degrees, may see around two inches of snow.

However, Essex County could reach three inches by the time snow wraps up after 8 p.m., the National Weather Service reported.

Cape Cod may have milder temperatures with a high of 35 degrees and is expected to see the least amount of snow, which will likely be less than an inch.

BROOKFIELD – The Brookfield community gathered for a candlelight vigil Friday night, marking two years since the disappearance of 35-year-old Brittany Tee on January 10, 2023.

The community packed the Brookfield Congregational Church, surrounding the family and vowing to keep looking for Brittany.

Since that January 10th day, her family has been carrying an unrelenting weight on their hearts, not knowing where she is.

“Where is she? What happened to her?”

“They say time heals all wounds, but I disagree, not when your family member disappears out of nowhere without a trace,” said Brittany’s sister Bethany Tee. “Time is making that wound bigger. There is no healing, no closure, just daily heaviness in your heart and constant thoughts of worry. Where is she? What happened to her? Is she safe? Are we doing enough?”

The 35-year-old was last seen leaving the Main Street house she shared with her boyfriend that Tuesday evening. Despite efforts to reach her, she was never seen again.

A nearby river and woods have been searched extensively with no results.

DA attends vigil  

Worcester Country District Attorney Joseph Early joined the vigil to assure the community investigators are still working the case.

“It doesn’t always happen as quickly as we would like, and that’s the tough part, that’s tough, the anxiety, the wonder,” said DA Early. “But I can tell you this, everything they do they do it better than anyone I’ve ever seen.”

Two years later, they hold onto every hope, hug, kind word and prayer, refusing to give up on finding Brittany.

“We are not giving up; we will never give up. We love and miss you Brit and we’ll bring you home,” said Bethany Tee.

The night she was last seen, Brittany wore a black winter coat, a hoodie, jeans, and work boots.

An anonymous tip line has been set up at (508) 453-7589. People are encouraged to call if they know anything or something comes to mind. 

BOSTON – A texting scam targeting drivers in Massachusetts has resurfaced. It claims that drivers owe money for unpaid E-ZPass tolls through EZDriveMA.

The scam first appeared back in June and recently surged again during the holidays, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).

EZDriveMA scam – how it works

The scammers target drivers using “smishing” where they send a text or email saying they are part of the tolling agency. They claim that a driver has an unpaid toll and that they should settle their bill using a link provided before late fees occur. 

“They’re really playing to your psyche, asking you to make sure you avoid these charges and try to do the right thing. And unfortunately, it really gets people roped in,”  MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver told WBZ-TV Friday.

MassDOT urges customers to never click links sent by unknown numbers or emails. They emphasized that they will never send a bill or any information through a text message.   

Gulliver says the scam targets people with phone numbers near tolling authorities. The scammers do not have any specific information about their targets but hope to get personal and financial information through the link. He said that he personally received one of the messages.

Dartmouth Police issued a warning to residents about the scam making the rounds again, saying that an officer personally received one of the messages. 

What to do if you receive a scam text message

If you think you have received a scam text message, officials say you should not click on any links, do not respond to the message, and do not give out any personal information. They advise people to ignore the message completely and delete it before interacting with it. 

If you are concerned about a message, you can validate the authenticity of it by going directly to the toll website or calling the toll authority at 877-627-7745.

If you have already clicked on a link, MassDOT recommends taking precautions to secure your financial and personal information and disputing any unknown charges through your bank.

“First thing you should do, don’t call us. Call your bank or your credit card. If you have already given them some information, make sure you put a hold on whatever account you have, work with their fraud unit to make sure that you’re not exposing yourself to anything more,” Gulliver said.

If you believe you have received one of these scam text messages, you can file a complaint with the FBI through the Internet Crime Complaint Center (ICC).

Past E-ZPass scam

This type of “smishing” scam surged in Massachusetts in 2024. The scam similarly included an invoice advising people to settle an overdue EZDriveMa bill using a provided link.

A retired FBI agent said the scam was successful because it collected cash in small amounts and that people may not have been aware that they had passed through a toll.