Massachusetts
Boro or borough: What’s the proper spelling for Massachusetts towns?
BOSTON – From Foxboro to Southborough, Northborough to Westborough, if there’s a borough, we’re thorough in being totally complicated.
In Marlborough, you may see two spellings on the identical road. One signal says Marlborough the opposite reads Marlboro. We noticed that oddity in each borough besides Attleboro.
Mayor Cathleen DeSimone spelled it out for me: “A-t-t-l-e-b-o-r-o.”
“We dropped the u-g-h a very long time in the past,” DeSimone stated. “1914 to be precise.”
There are 11 boroughs in Massachusetts. Ten of them formally spell their title with an “o-u-g-h.” Attleboro is the one one formally ending in “o-r-o.”
The mayor joked, “I might wish to assume Attleboro is forward of the sport, approach forward of the sport and they need to attempt to catch as much as us. We innovate we transfer and shake.”
Our bevy of boroughs comes from our previous ties with England. Tons of of years in the past, a borough was a walled off group that was self-governed. Our boroughs haven’t got partitions. Our ancestors simply appreciated the names.
Peter Drummey is a historian with the Massachusetts Historic Society. Drummey says the boroughs again in England had been all the time “o-u-g-h.” However we had been abbreviating with durations and apostrophes as early as 1800 to suit the names on official state maps.
Drummey says with a smile, “It is all so completely Massachusetts in that it is splendidly idiosyncratic. If everybody goes in a single course, individuals need to go within the different course.”
There’s just one state that has greater than our 11 boroughs. North Carolina has 22, however they’re all “o-r-o” boroughs. You need extra confusion? Nicely, the Mass. Division of Transportation makes use of the shorter “o-r-o” model for readability. Additionally, fewer letters imply a barely smaller and cheaper indicators.
In Westborough, residents instructed me they just like the “fancier” spelling. The proprietor of a downtown boutique says, “I am from Eire initially. My grandmother did spelling with me each Saturday morning. And he or she would kill me if I did o-r-o.”
However the of us in Attleboro will inform you they’re constant and the mayor joked that she is persistently saving time and power writing three much less letters.
“The best way I write and textual content is fairly dangerous,” DeSimone stated. “So, I in all probability save not less than 10 minutes a yr! So, I can take an extended lunch, a bit longer stroll.”
Massachusetts
Naughty list: Massachusetts ‘idiot’ gets stuck in chimney while trying to evade police
Ho-ho-no!
A Massachusetts man got himself stuck inside a chimney while trying to evade cops Tuesday night in a failed attempt to channel Ol’ Saint Nick.
Officers with the Fall River Police Department attempted to conduct a raid of the man’s Canal Street home in the small New England town — only to be led on a Christmas goose chase.
As the cops knocked on the front door, they saw two men fleeing the home via the roof, according to 10WJAR.
One lept off the roof while the other, Robert Langlias, hopped down the chimney in a maneuver seemingly inspired by Father Christmas.
“[One man] invoked the essence of the seasonal icon and attempted to hide inside of a chimney,” police said in a statement. “[He] quickly became stuck in the chimney and required the assistance of the very detectives he was previously fleeing.”
Bodycam footage shared by the police department shows the moment the responding police officers scaled the roof and confronted Langlias who was deep in the flue.
“You’re an idiot,” said an officer wielding a flashlight as the camera panned down to Langlias, 33, wedged inside the base of the chimney.
The officers confirmed that the suspect was in fact stuck, but able to breathe while they called for the fire department to come and rescue the wannabe Santa Claus.
“Get me out of here, bro!” Langlias pleaded with the same cops he had tried to hide from, according to the footage.
Firefighters can be seen in the video taking apart the chimney brick-by-brick from inside the home as Langlias helplessly waited to be taken into custody.
“Due to his Santa-antics, Langlias was transported to a local hospital out of precaution and was medically cleared,” police said.
The other wanted party jumped off the roof, onto a car, and lammed it before cops could make an arrest and remains at large.
Langlias has been charged with possession of Class A drugs, possession of Class B drugs and a bevy of charges stemming from outstanding warrants.
Tanisha Ibay, 32, is also facing Class A and Class B drug possession charges stemming from the incident after being arrested at the property with little fanfare.
Matt Breen, Shawsheen — After averaging 18 points and nine rebounds per game last year, the 6-foot-9-inch senior forward is primed for another big season. He’s a mobile big man who excels as a rim protector.
Will Carty, Watertown — A dominant force in the paint, the 6-10 center averaged 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game last season. His presence makes the Raiders a threat in Division 3.
James Dingman, Arlington — The senior is positioned for another stellar season after averaging 20 points per game last season. At 6-3, he’s a versatile wing who can slash to the rim and shoot over the top.
Mike Dankert and Nate Reynolds, Bourne — The two 1,000-point scorers return for their senior seasons after powering the Canalmen to the Division 4 final. Reynolds is the reigning South Coast Conference MVP after averaging 20.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game last year. A versatile wing, Dankert put up 18 points per game.
Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
Matt Gaffney, Malden Catholic — The Naval Academy-bound senior point guard paced the Golden Tornadoes to their third consecutive Division 2 title last year. He has Malden Catholic poised to make a run at a historic fourth.
Javi Lopez, Central Catholic — After averaging 19 points and six rebounds for the Raiders, the 6-1 junior enters the season as one of the state’s premier guards.
JJ Martinez, St. Mary’s — A returning Globe All-Scholastic, Martinez averaged 19 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. Now a junior, he has started for the Spartans since eighth grade.
Caden Sullivan, Franklin — The Panthers are a Division 1 favorite once again, and Sullivan is a major reason why. The 6-1 senior guard averaged 13.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.7 steals last season, and is committed to play at Endicott.
Teagan Swint, Newton North — The reigning Bay State Carey MVP, Swint is one of the state’s most dynamic scorers. A 6-4 senior guard, he averaged 24 points and seven rebounds per game.
Other names to know: G Isaiah Andino (Methuen), F Niko Catalano (North Andover), G Jack Charchaflian (Winchester), F Sam Concemi (Andover), G Aaron Cote (Wareham), G Jaydaan Correia (Cambridge), F Carson Gretz (Newburyport), G Justin Marino (Medford), Jack Millward (Wakefield), G Sam Myerberg (Lexington), G Brandon Nicastro (King Philip)
PLYMOUTH – Experts are investigating after a dead humpback whale washed ashore a beach in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
The whale was found dead Tuesday morning on Bayside Beach. It’s not yet known what caused its death.
The Whale and Dolphin Conservation conducted an internal exam Tuesday on the dead whale.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is working with the group on possible next steps.
NOAA reminded people to maintain a safe distance from all marine animals, and to report any stranded marine mammals and sea turtles to a hotline by calling (866) 755-6622.
Past Massachusetts whale sightings
Plymouth has been a popular destination for humpback whales in the past.
In the summer of 2022, whales were regularly appearing close to Manomet Point. The sightings drew boaters to the area.
A man on shore snapped photographs as a humpback whale breached and landed on the bow of a boat several hundred yards off shore.
After several close calls that summer, local, state and federal agencies issued a warning to boaters asking them to use caution in the area.
This summer, a mother humpback whale was rescued after becoming tangled in fishing gear off the coast of Massachusetts. The whale, known to the Center for Costal Studies (CCS) Humpback Whale Studies Program as Mudskipper, was accompanied by her 7-month-old calf when she became entangled by 150 feet of rope.
In August, a young humpback whale was spotted in Boston Harbor, posing potential delays to MBTA ferry routes.
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