Massachusetts
Massachusetts lawmakers move to preserve bodily autonomy, ban employer coercion
A Massachusetts state lawmaker, forced to retire early from the Air Force Reserve after deciding against the COVID-19 vaccine, is behind a push to preserve bodily autonomy and ban employers from coercing their employees with mandates.
State Rep. Justin Thurber and Sen. Patrick O’Connor are teaming up on legislation they say affirms that individuals have the fundamental right to make their own health decisions without government influence.
Thurber has said he wanted to serve 33 years in the Air Force Reserve, but the vaccine mandate during the pandemic robbed him of achieving that goal. He retired as a chief master sergeant in his 29th year of service.
The first-term Republican from the South Coast is sharing his story as he advocates to prohibit employers from requiring health-related interventions, such as vaccinations, mask-wearing, or genetic procedures, as a condition for employment.
“One idea I could never get out of my head was that for 29 years, I upheld my oath of enlistment and fought to defend Americans for the freedoms we enjoy, only to see those freedoms eroded,” Thurber said during a legislative hearing last Tuesday.
The lawmaker highlighted how, less than a month after he left the Air Force Reserve, his wife, Kerri, lost her job as a teacher in Rhode Island for not complying with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate after the school district denied her religious exemption request.
A year later, a Rhode Island Superior Court judge ruled in favor of Thurber’s wife and two other teachers also fired for refusing to take the vaccine, finding the district had violated an Open Meeting Act law over their issuance of the mandate.
The school committee reached a settlement with the teachers in 2023, issuing each of them $33,333 payments and back pay of over $50,000, according to Rhode Island news reports at the time.
Similar situations have played out in Massachusetts in the aftermath of the pandemic.
In one instance, an independent arbitrator ruled in August 2023 that the Massachusetts State Police did not have the right to claim it couldn’t accommodate the request of eight troopers who sought religious exemptions to the vaccine mandate because of “undue hardship.”
“Courts are determining that bodily autonomy and living a life free of coercion is a fundamental right,” Thurber told the Joint Committee on the Judiciary. “However, thousands of Massachusetts residents … who are forced to choose between their conscience and their careers are still living with the consequences of this injustice.”
The proposed bill pending on Beacon Hill carries limited exceptions for specific health-related interventions, including drug or alcohol testing, any medical testing required for any vehicular license, or admission to a general or psychiatric hospital for evaluation and treatment.
If someone’s rights under the bill are violated, they can seek damages and legal fees, the legislation outlines.
“This bill is not about whether or not to get vaccinated,” O’Connor, a South Shore Republican, said during the legislative hearing last week. “This is about whether or not an employer should have the ability to fire someone based on what is ultimately a personal medical decision.”
In a Democratic-controlled Legislature, the bill could be short-lived. The push comes as some lawmakers are again looking to eliminate religious exemptions for immunizations required in public, private and charter K-12 schools across the Bay State.
Under the proposals, schools must submit data annually to the state Department of Public Health about how many students are vaccinated and how many received a medical exemption, with that information then made publicly available.
The Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics is connecting its support of those bills to how it says the “COVID-19 pandemic and the recent measles outbreaks have revealed how devastating a disease outbreak can be in our communities.”
“Scientific evidence from the fights against polio, measles, and COVID-19 have demonstrated that vaccines are among the most effective and safest means to prevent individual illness and protect public health,” the chapter wrote in a letter to lawmakers.
Boston health officials announced late Friday that a traveler with a confirmed case of measles visited the city from June 7 – 8, making stops at the Westin Boston Seaport District Hotel, the Museum of Fine Arts and Logan Airport before flying on JetBlue Flight 639 to Miami.
In Suffolk County, 94% of children have been fully vaccinated against measles, according to DPH data.
Bay State families have grown resistant to vaccine mandates over the years.
The Massachusetts Family Institute highlighted in a summary of a legislative hearing held earlier this month that 59 of 70 people had testified in opposition to the bills that look to increase vaccination requirements and reporting standards.
Nationally, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. dismissed all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, with the move “necessary to reestablish public confidence in vaccine science.”
State DPH Commissioner Robbie Goldstein called the news “troubling.”
“It amends a science-based process that has informed vaccine recommendations and promoted vaccine access for decades,” he said. “The future of federal vaccine policy is unclear.”
Companies that didn’t mandate COVID-19 vaccines still proved to be tough on employees who decided against receiving the injection.
Saugus resident Anne Marie Cromwick, who didn’t get vaccinated, said the small pharmaceutical research company she worked for during the pandemic “implemented policies that essentially relegated me as a second-class citizen.”
Cromwick told the Joint Committee on Judiciary that the company restricted her to eating lunch at her desk and not in a cafeteria with her colleagues. If she attended a large gathering, she said she had to work from home for 10 days after the event.
“The role of the government is to provide the best information and guidance while allowing for robust debate,” Cromwick said, “and the idea that the science is settled is absurd.”
“What is most important in a free society is to protect the rights of citizens,” she added, “not to mandate a one-size-fits-all approach to public health.”
Herald wire services contributed to this report
Massachusetts
Nine high school sports takeaways from the first full night of the winter season – The Boston Globe
Browse our players to watch for the upcoming season: Boys’ basketball | Girls’ hockey | Girls’ basketball | Boys’ hockey
Preseason Top 20 rankings: Boys’ basketball | Girls’ hockey | Girls’ basketball | Boys’ hockey
Earning their first coaching wins with their programs were Jesse Mitchell (Canton girls), Liv Robles (Essex Tech girls), Mark Garrity (Malden Catholic boys), Josh Keilty (St. Mary’s boys), Danny Burns (Belmont boys), and Adam Russo (Melrose boys).
▪ The North Reading girls emerged from double-overtime battle with Pentucket with a 52-45 victory thanks to a game-high 23 points from Sophia Gallivan.
▪ Amari Moe provided the buzzer-beating basket as the Lexington boys nipped Burlington, 64-62, despite a big night from the Redmen’s Matty Gray (29 points). Charlie O’Brien paced the Minutemen with 23 points.
▪ Eighth-grader Jackson Hines drilled a tying 3-pointer from the corner at the buzzer to send the game to overtime, then scored 4 of his team-high 13 points in the extra period to give the Arlington Catholic boys a 62-55 road win over Revere.
Our first Top 20 team to get taken down was the No. 17 Abington boys, who lost an 89-80 barnburner to New Bedford despite getting 30 points and 10 rebounds from Kingston Maxwell and 24 points and six rebounds from Tyler Staiti.
Noah Bayersdorfer, Winthrop — In a 54-43 win over East Boston, the senior posted 30 points and seven rebounds.
Ashley Cox, Barnstable — The junior led all rebounders on Friday night, pulling down 15 boards to go with 12 points in a 53-28 win over Bourne.
Hannah D’Angelo, Pembroke — Our one hockey entry of the night, the senior paced the Titans to a 5-1 win over Norwell with two goals and two assists.
Kayla Dunlap, Natick — The sophomore saturated the stat sheet with 25 points, 3 assists, 4 rebounds, and 5 steals in a 62-43 triumph vs. Brookline.
Anna Kanders, Swampscott — The sophomore did a tremendous job sharing the ball and looking for her own shot, scoring 20 points with eight assists in a 58-40 win against Gloucester.
Eileen Lowther, Hingham — The junior dominated the paint, blocking seven shots, grabbing 10 rebounds, and scoring 13 points to beat Middleborough, 43-19.
Diego Montanari, New Bedford — The senior dropped 31 points, leading the Whalers to an 89-80 upset of 17th-ranked Abington
Elian Rodriguez, Salem — The junior notched a double-double, scoring 21 points and dishing 10 assists in a 73-51 triumph over Saugus.
Roman Treadwell, Minuteman — The senior filled up the stat sheet with 18 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks ina 68-44 win over Nashoba Valley Tech.
Oliver Van Rhijn, Dover-Sherborn — The junior posted 23 points and 10 rebounds in a 56-44 win over Nipmuc.
▪ St. John’s Prep has a new volleyball coach: Pamela Benzan Leete. Leete coached both the boys’ and girls’ programs at Essex Tech, qualifying for the postseason for 10 consecutive years, capturing seven Commonwealth Athletic Conference crowns, and producing nine CAC MVPs.
“I am thankful and excited for this incredible opportunity,” said Leete in a statement. “I look forward to working with the boys and helping to mold this program’s future.”
Leete has also served as an assistant at Endicott and has spent more than a decade as a clinician at the Jumbos Volleyball Clinics at Tufts. A Danvers resident who grew up in Malden, she is the English department chair at St. John’s Prep, where she has worked since 2018.
“Pam embodies the kind of educator-coach who strengthens the heart of St. John’s Prep,” said athletic director Jameson Pelkey. “She understands how athletics can deepen a student’s confidence, character, and sense of purpose, and she has a remarkable track record of helping teams achieve at a high level while building a culture rooted in integrity and individual growth.”
Leete takes over an SJP program that has reached the Division 1 quarterfinals in two of the last four seasons.
▪ North Andover announced that former assistant Caitlin Enright will serve as interim girls’ lacrosse coach this spring. A North Andover alumna, Enright played three sports for the Scarlet Knights and went on to play lacrosse at Merrimack. A math teach at North Andover, Enright also serves as a JV soccer coach and freshman basketball coach.
▪ Former Catholic Memorial running back Datrell Jones has entered the transfer portal after three years at Boston College. He played in five games in 2024, with eight carries for 73 yards and a touchdown, but didn’t see the field in 2025.
▪ WPI sophomore Myles Lakin, a Reading graduate, and graduate student Lauren Meinhold, an Acton-Boxborough graduate, were named to the NFHCA Region 1 First Team. Meinhold is a two-time selection after leading the Engineers with 10 goals and five assists. She finished her career with 27 goal sand 26 assists. Lakin, who was named NEWMAC Defensive Player of the Year, logged 14 wins in net with an .863 save percentage and .955 goals against average.
▪ On Tuesday, the United Soccer Coaches released its All-America lists. Massachusetts was represented on the boys’ side by Emmanuel Marmolejo (Berkshire School), Alex Hensch (Longmeadow), Luke Dougherty (Natick), Bless Jeremie Mbuyi Kasongo (Northfield Mt. Hermon), and Garrison Murphy (St. John’s Prep). Honored on the girls’ side: Emmy O’Donnell (Concord-Carlisle), Sarah Tressler (Central Catholic), Emily Burnham (Wellesley), Sidney Heavey (Medfield), Addison Kalaw (BB&N), Tyler Martens (Groton), Nicole Proia (Natick), and Wylie Roossien (Phillips Andover).
▪ North Attleborough will retire Mike Babul’s No. 43 in between the boys’ and girls’ games against Attleboro on Jan. 20. Babul was a standout player for the Red Rocketeers before going on to play at UMass. After several stops as a college assistant, Babul was in his second season coaching Thayer Academy when he died of a heart attack at age 47 in 2024.
Diego Montananri, New Bedford, 31
Alex Ste. Marie, Manchester Essex, 31
Noah Bayersdorfer, Winthrop, 30
Kingston Maxwell, Abington, 30
Matty Gray, Burlington, 29
Cal Atherton, Newburyport, 28
Justin Flores, Lynnfield, 28
Connor Chiarello, Swampscott, 27
Liam MacPhee, Stoneham, 27
Jovani Melendez, Norton, 27
Caleb Haynes, Brookline, 26
Nate Lane, Salem, 26
Leticia Castro, Greater Lowell, 25
John Chareas, St. Mary’s, 25
Brandon Doherty, Lynnfield, 25
Kayla Dunlap, Natick, 25
George Howell, O’Bryant, 25
Mathaios Stamm, Newton North, 25
Teddy O’Neill, Swampscott, 24
Cam Santos, Bridgewater-Raynham, 24
Tyler Staiti, Abington, 24
Malikhi Tavares, Wareham, 24
Rolky Brea Arias, St. Mary’s, 23
Ethan Elie, Braintree, 23
Sophie Gallivan, North Reading, 23
Sarah Michel, Blue Hills, 23
Charlie O’Brien, Lexington, 23
Jonny Sullivan, Tewksbury, 23
Oliver Van Rhijn, Dover-Sherborn, 23
Harrison Burbine, Winchester, 22
Allie Danis, Newton North, 22
Savvy Eriksen, Abington, 22
Olivia Gaynor, Peabody, 22
Jordan Oliver, Acton-Boxborough, 22
Aiden Richard, Tewksbury, 22
Lily White, Dracut, 22
Weston Bunnell, Stoneham, 21
Elian Rodriguez, Salem, 21
Amare Rose, Wareham, 21
Meredith Gibbs, Dover-Sherborn, 20
Shane Harrington, Walpole, 20
Adyxandra Jimenez, Fenway, 20
Anna Kanders, Swampscott, 20
Ashley Cox, Barnstable, 15
Kelsey Hudon, Dracut, 12
Aboubakar Nimaka, Malden Catholic, 12
Bobby Taku, Malden Catholic, 12
Roman Treadwell, Minuteman, 12
Paige Morrison, Sandwich, 11
Sophia Coburn, Peabody, 10
Jeremy Hernandez, Catholic Memorial, 10
Eileen Lowther, Hingham, 10
Ava Martin, Somerville, 10
Kingston Maxwell, Abington, 10
Cassidy Saindon, Dracut, 10
Oliver Van Rhijn, Dover-Sherborn, 10
George Howell, O’Bryant, 9
Katie McMahon, Natick, 9
Teddy O’Neill, Swampscott, 9
Kate Suneson, Apponequet, 9
Lizzy Bettencourt, Peabody, 8
Kyle Ewans, Gloucester, 8
Jackson Farrington, O’Bryant, 8
Matt Kenney, Salem, 8
Erin Langone, Shawsheen, 8
Lily White, Dracut, 8
Elian Rodriguez, Salem, 10
Anna Kanders, Swampscott, 8
Domenic Paniello-Torres, Beverly, 8
Bridget Pole, Natick, 8
Dom Torres, Beverly, 8
Sienna Miranda, Seekonk, 7
Kaylee Maier, Dracut, 6
Kyle Ewans, Gloucester, 5
Grace Goudreau, Seekonk, 5
Amari Kergo, Somerville, 5
Rex Satter, Ipswich, 5
CC Curran, Natick, 4
Jillian Gagnier, Apponequet, 4
Hanna Kuriscak, Apponequet, 4
Teddy O’Neill, Swampscott, 4
Roman Treadwell, Minuteman, 4
Vin Winter, Ipswich, 4
Caelen Mahoney, Seekonk, 7
Kyle Ewans, Gloucester, 6
Lala Gomez, Shawsheen, 6
Amari Kergo, Somerville, 6
Tori White, Canton, 6
Avery Bettencourt, Peabody, 5
Kayla Dunlap, Natick, 5
Kelsey Hudon, Dracut, 5
Olivia Gaynor, Peabody, 5
Aliana Ryan, Peabody, 5
Connor Chiarello, Swampscott, 4
Jillian Gagnier, Apponequet, 4
Cece Levrault, Apponequet, 4
Sienna Miranda, Seekonk, 4
Denai Williams, Natick, 4
Eileen Lowther, Hingham, 7
Sophia Coburn, Peabody, 5
Carson Sarpong, Winchester, 5
Roman Treadwell, Minuteman, 2
Brendan Kurie can be reached at brendan.kurie@globe.com. Follow him on X @BrendanKurie.
Yankee Candle is a staple in the Bay State, famous for its colorful jars full of fragrance and warm light.
And while its candles can essentially be bought from anywhere, the mothership of the iconic candles lies in South Deerfield at Yankee Candle Village.
The flagship store, known for its ginormous collection of Yankee Candle scents and retail goods, is a winter holiday destination for those in New England.
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Leading up to Christmas, the store turns into a complete holiday stop.
Now on prominent display are the brand’s many different winter scents, including such classics as Red Apple Wreath and Balsam & Cedar, and such holiday scents as Christmas Cookie and North Pole Greetings.
Bavarian Christmas Village, arguably the most festive room in Yankee Candle Village, is Christmas all year. Guests will stroll through an enchanted forest featuring a 25-foot-tall Christmas tree, nutcrackers, winter village displays and even indoor snow that falls every 4 minutes.
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But scattered throughout the flagship store are hints of Christmas and a winter wonderland — from the home section filled with holiday kitchen decor to the Toy Shop filled with jolly trinkets.
Santa even pays a visit to the Yankee Candle Village, hosting a storytime with kids every Monday through Thursday at 11:30 a.m.
And if the shopping and holiday joy become overwhelming, the store even has cafes that offer a bite to eat. Guests can also indulge in sweet treats in its candy store or try freshly made fudge.
Yankee Candle Village is located at 25 Greenfield Road in South Deerfield. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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It swims in the family.
A mother and calf wandered off the beaten path and got stranded in a Massachusetts marsh, forcing an emergency mammal rescue crew to save the wayward dolphin pair.
On Dec. 8, the Wareham Department of Natural Resources responded to a report of two stranded dolphins in the area of Beaverdam Creek off of the Weweantic River, a 17-mile tributary that drains into Buzzards Bay, which directly connects to the Atlantic Ocean.
When crews arrived, two common dolphins were located alive and active, but partially out of the water stranded in the marsh, according to the Wareham Department of Natural Resources.
Responding authorities alerted the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Marine Mammal Stranding Response Team, based in Cape Cod.
IFAW team members put the dolphins on stretchers and brought them to safety, where they conducted preliminary tests on the wayward dolphins.
“Our teams were easily able to extract the animals and transport them via our custom-built rescue vehicle,” Stacey Hedman, senior director of communications for IFAW, said.
The dolphins were weighed; the smaller of the two weighed approximately 90 lbs, and the larger mammal around 150 lbs.
Upon further analysis, it was revealed that the dolphins were an adult female and a socially-dependent juvenile female, a mother and calf pair.
According to Hedman, IFAW had some concerns over the mother’s decreased responsiveness and abnormal blood work, though it was deemed the pair was healthy enough to release back into the ocean at West Dennis Beach in Dennis, Mass.
“By releasing them into an area with many other dolphins around, this would hopefully increase their chances of socialization and survival. Both animals have satellite tags that are still successfully tracking,” Hedman said.
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