Massachusetts
How Mass. leaders are responding to Trump's mass deportation promises
Elected officials in Massachusetts are reacting to President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to deport hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants by declaring a national emergency and using military assets.
Trump campaigned on a promise of the largest mass deportation in U.S. history, and he says he intends to deliver on it.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, who declared a state of emergency around migrant arrivals last year, says something needs to be done, but she expressed concern about communities being uprooted.
“I think it’s absolutely appropriate that there be enforcement and deportation of individuals who commit crime, including violent crime. That’s very, very important,” Healey said. “We recognize it would be devastating if there were mass raids, here and across the country, that took out people who’ve been working in this country for a long time, who have families and kids here.”
While Massachusetts is not a sanctuary state, it has eight sanctuary cities.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu called attention to the Trust Act, passed in 2014. It distinguishes the difference in roles between Boston police and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
“We know that the fear of someone who might be living, coming from an immigrant family, not then reporting crimes or not speaking out about different issues, actually then makes the entire community less safe,” Wu said.
Cambridge is also a sanctuary city — it has been since 1985.
“Cambridge affirms the basic human rights and dignity of every human being and provides education, health and other critical services to all residents of Cambridge, regardless of their immigration status,” a city spokesperson told NBC10 Boston in a statement.
Leaders in Worcester, the state’s second-largest city, say it will always remain inclusive and will never target individuals based on their immigration status.
At the former ICE detention center in Dartmouth, there are no plans for the sheriff to reimplement any future detention programs.
“This organization has been there and done that,” said Bristol County Sheriff Paul Heroux.
ICE closed the detention center in 2021 after President Joe Biden took office.
Heroux’s predecessor, former Sheriff Tom Hodgson — a strong ally of Trump who served as the president-elect’s campaign chairman in Massachusetts — blasted the Biden administration and called the center’s closing “a political hit job” orchestrated by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Massachusetts
Changes Coming to Mega Millions in 2025
Mega Millions lottery tickets will more than double in 2025, but the Massachusetts Lottery says you’ll have a better chance of winning.
The Lottery says, “Mega Millions, the multi-state lottery game that has produced a record six jackpot wins exceeding $1 billion, is getting ready for a ‘mega’ overhaul with plans to be bigger and better than ever when the new and improved game launches in April of 2025.”
The Massachusetts Lottery promises “improved odds to win the jackpot, bigger jackpots more frequently, larger starting jackpots, faster-growing jackpots, a built-in multiplier on every play, automatically improving every non-jackpot win by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or 10X – up to $10 million for matching the five white balls, and no breakeven prizes, meaning when a player wins they’ll always win more than the cost of the ticket.”
Five jackpot prizes have been paid out in Massachusetts since the Mega Millions game began in 2022.
Forty-five states and two U.S. territories participate in the Mega Millions game.
The Associated Press quotes Christian Teja, the Massachusetts Lottery Director of Communications, as saying that “They’re constantly looking at ways to enhance the games, maybe make them a little bit different than Powerball.”
“You have probably heard about jackpot fatigue, it used to be $100 million and everybody was playing. Then it became $300 million,” Teja said. “Then it was $500 million. Now, it’s really approaching a billion dollars before you see the sales kick up.”
It currently costs $2 to play Mega Millions but the ticket price will increase to $5 in April 2025. Perhaps the lure of bigger prizes and better chances to win will overshadow the higher ticket cost.
25 Times SouthCoasters Won $1 Million or More in the Massachusetts Lottery
Since 2006, the Massachusetts State Lottery has kept a record of every winning ticket of $1 million or more. Here are 25 sold on the SouthCoast.
Gallery Credit: Gazelle
America’s Top 10 States With The Most Lottery Wins
Just how lucky is your state? A new list has determined which states have won the most money from either the Powerball or MegaMillions in the last 10 years.
Gallery Credit: Jahna Michal
Massachusetts
Massachusetts lawmaker proposes legislation to regulate drones
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Massachusetts
Ocean State Job Lot taking over 3rd former Christmas Tree Shops store in Massachusetts
NORTH ATTLEBORO – Ocean State Job Lot announced this week it is taking over a third former Christmas Tree Shops location in Massachusetts and sixth overall in New England.
Ocean State Job Lot opening in North Attleboro
The Rhode Island-based discount retail chain will open its 53rd Massachusetts store in North Attleboro after buying the Cumberland Crossing shopping center. The store is scheduled to open sometime in the second quarter of 2025. Other shops at the plaza include a trampoline park, Guitar Center, Planet Fitness and David’s Bridal.
Ocean State Job Lots says its growth strategy includes a “repurposing of former retail sites.” Old Christmas Tree Shops stores in Avon and Pembroke, as well as locations in Augusta, Maine; St. Albans, Vermont and Warwick, Rhode Island have also turned into Ocean State Job Lots.
What’s happening to old Christmas Tree Shop stores?
The last Christmas Tree Shops stores closed more than a year ago, after the New England retailer declared bankruptcy and went out of business.
The once-popular chain known for its “Don’t you just love a bargain?” jingle began on Cape Cod 50 years ago. Not long before closures began, ownership decided to rebrand as “CTS” because some confused shoppers outside of New England thought the stores only sold Christmas trees.
A former Christmas Tree Shops location in Dartmouth has been turned into a “Spirit Christmas” store for the holidays. Other Christmas Tree Shops have become furniture stores, supermarkets and potential real estate development opportunities.
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