Massachusetts
Massachusetts native and Harvard Law graduate confirmed as victims in D.C. plane crash

WASHINGTON – A Massachusetts native and a graduate of Harvard Law School have both been confirmed as victims in the deadly plane crash near Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.
Set to become law professor
Kiah Duggins, who grew up in Kansas, was a civil rights attorney who graduated from Harvard Law School in 2021.
“As a student and lawyer, Kiah was known for her boundless enthusiasm for advancing justice for the most vulnerable, and for building community,” said Interim Harvard Law School Dean John Goldberg in a statement.
While at Harvard, Duggins was president of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau and a member of the Harvard Black Law Students Association. She was set to become a professor at the Howard University School of Law in the fall.
“Kiah led us all with her grace, her brilliance and her wonderful laugh. She always treated others with deep kindness and respect, but she was not afraid to make tough decisions or to tackle difficult problems,” said Harvard Legal Aid Bureau Acting Faculty Director Eloise Lawrence in a statement.
Known for love of animals and the outdoors
Chris Collins grew up in North Dighton and used to teach in North Attleboro. His family said he was known for his love of animals and the outdoors, especially Cape Cod. He later worked in finance and lived in New York City with his wife Jen.
“Chris’ kindness and compassion extended to everyone, whether you were a family member, friend, or one of the many strangers he connected with during his outdoor adventures. He will be in our hearts forever,” said the Collins family in a statement.
Members of figure skating community
Six members of the Skating Club of Boston community were also on the flight. Skaters Spencer Lane, 16, and Jinna Han, 13; their mothers Christine Lane and Jin Han and coaches Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova were all killed in the crash. They were on their way home from a skating development camp in Wichita, Kansas. A private memorial service was held at the skating club on Friday night.

Massachusetts
Massachusetts store unknowingly sold counterfeit sneakers

MILFORD – Police in Milford say a high-end shoe store unknowingly sold counterfeit shoes. Now the owner is offering refunds and tells WBZ he was also shocked to learn he was selling counterfeits.
In the booming sneaker biz, the Family Sneakers House thought they the getting a deal from their Chinese distributor, but Milford police say it turned out they were duped with counterfeit sneakers.
$200,000 in counterfeit items
Police seized more than 1,200 sneakers worth $200,000 if they were authentic.
“If it’s too good to be true, it usually is,” said Milford Police Chief Robert Tusino.
Police said the investigation started after they got concerns about the shoes last year.
“We sent someone in there to buy some shoes and sure enough buyer beware, they weren’t legit, they were counterfeit,” said Chief Tusino.
Ordered from Chinese distributor
Detectives say the owner was ordering products from a Chinese distributor, paying via wire transfer and didn’t know the shoes were counterfeits.
The store is new to the sneaker game, only open for a year.
“This person running the store didn’t really know,” said Chief Tusino. “We’re very pleased that the owner was very accommodating and remorseful because they were scammed too, it wasn’t just the consumer.”
Luxury sneakers are a big business that can come with big-time scammers. So, in the big sneaker business, how can you tell what’s real and what’s not? We asked some veterans in the shoe game for answers.
How to spot fake sneakers
Ferguson Herivaux has owned Limited Stock in Boston for years, featuring some of the most coveted footwear.
“It’s a little challenging and it’s a complex process to begin with,” said Herivaux. “First thing is the sole. If you’re able to squeeze the sole with two fingers that’s the first sign, you can’t squeeze this shoe no matter how hard you try. Obviously second is the stitching.”
Other things to look for are the colors of the shoes and the tag inside the shoes.
If ever in doubt, Herivaux says ask an expert or use an app too to verify authenticity because the bigger the business gets, the more fakes make the rounds.
“It’s a really, really big problem and quite frankly I understand the allure. It’s quick, cheap, people are willing to pay way less,” said Herivaux. “A lot of the times it’s the price. If a deal is too good to be true, it’s not true”.
In Milford, the owner of Family Sneakers House said the store is open and has authentic merchandise.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts educators face negativity over snow day decision

After negativity on social media regarding the decision around a snow day, a Massachusetts town is reminding people to not take it out on teachers.
“Public school teachers DO NOT weigh in on the decision as to whether or not to have school – they are dedicated and caring employees that transform the lives of your children,” the Hopedale Town Administrator Facebook page states.
The Facebook post was created after there was negative activity surrounding Hopedale’s decision to close schools Thursday, which was “particularly directed at our educators,” the post stated.
Many schools in Massachusetts closed Thursday due to the snow storm, which started around 6 a.m. in parts of the state.
Forecasters expect most of the state to see between 2 and 4 inches of snow, with 3 inches projected to fall in Boston, between 3 and 4 inches forecasted for Worcester and 2 to 3 inches predicted for Springfield.
To make the call about a snow day, Hopedale explained that the superintendent works with the town administrator, police chief, highway superintendent and other area school superintendents.
“The primary goal of this process is to assess the road conditions to make sure buses and parents can traverse both to and from school safely with minimal risk,” the post read. “Prior to making the announcement to cancel, the Superintendent and I spoke, and we knew that most other area schools were cancelling after working through their own processes.”
The post also acknowledged the forecast could be wrong.
“Lastly, I fully understand that meteorologists are accurate 50% of the time,” it read. “We are all relying on the best information we can in real time to make decisions.”
For more weather coverage, click here.
Massachusetts
New U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Leah Foley on immigration, Karen Read trial

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