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Criminal defendants released from Massachusetts jail because of lawyer work stoppage

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Criminal defendants released from Massachusetts jail because of lawyer work stoppage


Four criminal defendants were released from jail on Monday in Boston because they have not had an attorney for more than seven days, the result of a defense attorney shortage and ongoing work stoppage.

The four defendants ordered released include two facing drug distribution charges, a man accused of choking his partner, and a man accused of receiving stolen property.

“I got arrested and I had no legal aid,” said Daishaun Lawrence, the first defendant released. He said he was confident he would have been released sooner if he had proper representation. “I was really, really frustrated because I lost a lot,” including his job at Target, he said.

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Last week, the Supreme Judicial Court enacted what’s known as the Lavallee Protocol, which requires indigent criminal defendants to be released if they have not had an attorney for more than seven days. After 45 days, their cases can be dismissed without prejudice – meaning that charges could be refiled.

Why is there a work stoppage?

Why is this happening? Because of a work stoppage that started after Memorial Day by the majority of lawyers statewide who do court-appointed defense work.

Typically, full time public defenders cover about 20% of court appointed cases for indigent clients. The other 80% of cases are covered by bar advocates, who are private attorneys who take “duty days” to do court-appointed work outside of their typical private work.

These bar advocates have been on a grassroots work stoppage for roughly six weeks to protest low pay and a shortage of lawyers willing to do the work. 

“This has clearly reached a critical stage. It’s reached an emergency stage,” said Elyse Hershon, a criminal defense attorney and bar advocate. “You know, we need to fix this in order to keep qualified lawyers in this industry in this practice, and then also to attract and recruit more.”

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The work stoppage has put pressure on public defenders, who are now the only lawyers covering these cases. “It’s really awful for everybody,” said Rebecca Jacobstein of CPCS, the state’s public defender organization. “Our staff attorneys – they are working so hard.”

CPCS lawyers have been prioritizing the most serious and potentially dangerous cases for representation, resulting in cases like drug charges and other infractions considered “less serious” for defendants to potentially be released.

In several hearings Monday, Justice Tracy-Lee Lyons of Boston Municipal Court expressed frustration at lawyers being unable to find representation for indigent clients. “You’re reporting to the court that not one private counsel will take this case?” she asked. “That’s correct,” a CPCS representative replied.

These Lavallee hearings will continue for the foreseeable future, so long as defendants remain underrepresented. Hearings start in Middlesex County on Wednesday.

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Massachusetts

Weather alert for patchy fog and black ice in 9 Massachusetts counties until Friday morning

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Weather alert for patchy fog and black ice in 9 Massachusetts counties until Friday morning


A report was issued from the National Weather Service on Friday at 3:13 a.m. for patchy fog and black ice until 9 a.m. for Northern Worcester and Southern Worcester as well as Franklin, Middlesex, Essex, Hampshire, Hampden, Norfolk, Suffolk, Bristol and Plymouth counties.

“Patchy fog and isolated black ice are possible this morning across southern New England, especially in areas that typically fog over. As temperatures are at or below freezing, a few slick patches of black ice may form, especially on elevated surfaces; like bridges and overpasses. Please use caution heading out early this morning and allow for extra commuting time,” according to the weather service.

Navigating fog: Safety tips by the weather service

If you must drive in foggy conditions, keep the following safety tips in mind:

Moderate your speed:

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  • Slow down and allocate extra time for your trip to reach your destination safely.

Visibility priority:

  • Ensure your vehicle is visible to others by using low-beam headlights, which automatically activate your taillights. Utilize fog lights if your vehicle is equipped with them.

Avoid high-beams:

  • Refrain from using high-beam headlights, as they create glare that impairs your visibility on the road.

Keep a safe distance:

  • Maintain a significant following distance to account for abrupt stops or shifts in traffic patterns.

Stay in your lane:

  • Use the road’s lane markings as a guide to remaining in the correct lane.

Zero visibility strategy:

  • In cases of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, activate your hazard lights and seek a safe spot, like a nearby business parking lot, to pull over and stop.

No parking options:

  • If no designated parking area is available, pull your vehicle as far off the road as possible. Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights remain unlit, minimizing the chance of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.

By adhering to these precautions from the weather service, you can navigate foggy conditions more safely, reducing the likelihood of accidents and ensuring your personal safety.

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Supermarket chain to open 2 stores in former Christmas Tree Shops, Big Lots locations in Massachusetts

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Supermarket chain to open 2 stores in former Christmas Tree Shops, Big Lots locations in Massachusetts



Two shuttered retailers are set to become supermarkets in southeastern Massachusetts.

Big Y announced Thursday that it’s opening grocery stores in Fairhaven and North Dartmouth. The Fairhaven Plaza location used to be a Big Lots, and the Faunce Corner Center store in North Dartmouth was a Christmas Tree Shops.

“These new stores will allow us to better serve families in the South Coast region,” Big Y VP of real estate and development Mathieu L. D’Amour said in a statement.

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The supermarkets will open sometime in 2027. Hiring details and a grand opening date will be announced in the next few months. Big Y opened new stores in Westboro and Uxbridge earlier this year.

Big box store closures in Massachusetts and around the country in recent years have created opportunities for other retailers to move into vacant storefronts.  

Christmas Tree Shops, the bargain outlet that started on Cape Cod more than 50 years ago, went bankrupt and closed all of its stores in 2023. The old North Dartmouth location is being used temporarily this holiday season as a “Spirit Christmas” pop-up.

Another Christmas Tree Shops in Falmouth has been transformed into an Aldi supermarket. Others have been taken over by Ocean State Job Lot. 

Big Lots closed all of its Massachusetts stores last year amid financial turmoil. Just last month, an Ollie’s Bargain Outlet moved into a former Big Lots location in Fitchburg.

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It hasn’t always worked out for supermarkets that move into old retail stores. The Fresh Market, which moved into an old Bed Bath & Beyond store on Route 9 in Framingham less than a year ago, is already closing

A competing grocery store chain, Trader Joe’s, opened two new stores in Newton and West Roxbury this fall.



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26 MA Restaurants Honored By Michelin Guide, Including City’s 1st Star

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26 MA Restaurants Honored By Michelin Guide, Including City’s 1st Star


BOSTON, MA — It was a major day for Boston’s culinary scene on Tuesday as one of the city’s restaurants was finally awarded a Michelin star.

In total, it appears that 26 restaurants were honored by the Michelin Guide.

311 Omakase in the city’s South End was awarded the star at the Michelin Guide Northeast Cities Ceremony, which was held at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia.

The Japanese restaurant known for its sushi offerings won the biggest honor of the night, but 26 Boston-area restaurants were also noted at the ceremony.

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According to NBC Boston, Bar Volpe and Fox & The Knife, both in Boston; Sumiao Hunan Kitchen, Pagu and Jahunger in Cambridge and Mahaniyom in Brookline were recognized in the “Bib Gourmand” category, which is awarded for its value for the money spent.

Boston Business Journal shared that a number of other area spots were recognized by the organization for their culinary products, though they were not awarded a star.

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