Massachusetts
Newton judge accused of helping man evade ICE has hearing
A Newton judge accused of helping an undocumented immigrant evade federal immigration custody in April 2018 had a hearing before the Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct on Monday.
Judge Shelley Joseph allegedly allowed Jose Medina-Perez, a Dominican national, to escape out a downstairs back door while an ICE agent waited in the lobby to detain him. Medina-Perez was facing a fugitive from justice charge on a warrant out of Pennsylvania along with two misdemeanor drug charges.
“This case is about the integrity, impartiality and independence of the Massachusetts judiciary,” said Judith Fabricant, special counsel for the commission.
“Judge Joseph that day was trying to respect the rights of everybody before her,” said Elizabeth Mulvey, Joseph’s attorney.
Joseph was first indicted on federal charges of obstruction of justice in 2019 under the first Trump administration. After admitting to certain facts, those charges were dropped under the Biden administration, and her case was referred to the commission.
Monday’s hearing started with a viewing at Newton District Court, with Denis J. McInerney, the hearing officer appointed by the Supreme Judicial Court for this case. Fabricant and Mulvey then presented opening statements in Suffolk Superior Court.
The defense claims Joseph had nothing to do with the conspiracy to help Medina-Perez escape, laying blame on David Jellinek, who was his defense lawyer.
“Before Judge Joseph even knew that David Jellinek was in the courthouse, he had already made a deal with court officer Wes MacGregor,” Mulvey said. “He had this deal that if he could get his client back downstairs, the court officer would let him out the sallyport door,” Mulvey said.
Jellinek was the first to take the stand. In his testimony, he described feeling as though he had Joseph’s permission to bring Medina-Perez downstairs to help him sneak out.
“He told the judge that if his client could go back downstairs, he thought he could get him released through the back,” Fabricant said. “The judge said something to the effect of, ‘Yes, that’s what we’ll do.’”
Joseph’s team said otherwise.
“Nobody told her that Medina-Perez had gone out the back door. She knew nothing about it,” Mulvey said.
Much of this debate stems from what exactly was said when the court recording was shut off for 52 seconds. Fabricant asked Jellinek why he requested to speak to Joseph off the record.
“I wanted to go off the record because I knew that the next phase of our conversation and what I was going to suggest or ask for as a defense lawyer was perhaps right on the edge of acceptable or appropriate,” Jellinek said.
The hearing could last several days. The Commission on Judicial Conduct has the power to recommend discipline but does not have the power to remove Joseph from the bench.
Massachusetts
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:
- 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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Massachusetts
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.
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.
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.
Massachusetts
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.
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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