Massachusetts
‘Representation is powerful’: Bust of New Bedford abolitionist unveiled in Senate chamber
Nearly 130 years after his passing, famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass made history once again. On his chosen birthday of Feb. 14, a bust of Douglass was unveiled in the Massachusetts Senate Chamber.
In the Senate chamber where Douglass delivered his passionate anti-slavery speeches, his bust became the first added in more than 125 years — the first ever of a Black person.
Above the bust is a quote by Douglass that reads, “Truth, justice, liberty, and humanity will ultimately prevail.”
“Today, Frederick Douglass takes his long overdue place among our nation’s founding fathers in the Senate Chamber, where he will inspire generations of Massachusetts lawmakers to lead as he did, with truth, justice, liberty, and humanity,” said Senate President Karen Spilka in a press release.
Immerse yourself : New Bedford’s Black history at these important sites
According to the release, the bust portrays Douglass as an “older man deep into his career as a politician and orator,” it was commissioned by the State House Art Commission as part of Senate President Spilka’s commitment to adding representation in the chambers.
“Representation is powerful. Anyone should be able to walk into our Senate chamber and see themselves contributing to our dialogue as a Commonwealth, and with this historic unveiling we take an important step toward listening to, and lifting up, more voices in our Commonwealth,” stated Senate President Spilka.
The solid bronze figure is a replica of a bust created by the late sculptor Lloyd Lillie, it was made by Sincere Metal Works in Amesbury.
Why was Feb. 14 chosen?
In Massachusetts, Feb. 14 is proclaimed Frederick Douglass Day, in honor of his lifelong fight for equality here in New Bedford and throughout the country.
“Though he was not born here, in Massachusetts we like to call Frederick Douglass one of our own,” Senate President Karen Spilka said during the unveiling. “He came to our state after escaping enslavement. This is where he wanted to come.”
As the true date of his birth was unknown, Douglass had chosen this significant date to celebrate as his birthday. In his autobiography, he stated that his former enslaver told him that he believed Douglass was born in February of 1818, that information and sweet memories of his mother calling him her “little valentine” led Douglass to adopt Valentine’s Day as his birthday.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks
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Massachusetts
How will the Iran war impact gas prices in Massachusetts?
With a widening conflict in the Middle East after the American and Israeli attack on Iran Saturday, global markets are bracing for a shakeup in the energy supply chain.
So, here at home, what can consumers expect at the gas pump?
An increase in oil prices is almost always followed by an increase in gas prices. And the oil market has already reacted to the war. NBC News reported on Sunday that U.S. crude oil initially spiked more than 10%, while Brent, the international oil benchmark, rose as much as 13%.
Early Monday morning, reports were coming in of black smoke rising from the U.S. embassy in Kuwait City.
While Iran’s oil reserves supply less than an estimated 5% of global production, the main concern is the Strait of Hormuz. This maritime passageway borders Iran at the bottleneck of the Persian Gulf, and more than 20% of the world’s oil passes through. If Iran closes or restricts Hormuz, the oil market could face severe disruptions.
Gas prices rise about 2.5 cents for every dollar increase in crude oil prices. As of Sunday, U.S. crude oil prices had already increased by nearly $5 a barrel.
“I fully expect that by Monday night, you could credibly say that gas prices are being impacted by oil prices having gone up,” GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan told NBC News.
GasBuddy characterizes their expectations for price increases as “incremental” rather than “explosive”. The group said to anticipate a potential 10-15 cent increase over the next couple of weeks.
Massachusetts
Body camera video shows Massachusetts police officer save 78-year-old man from burning truck – East Idaho News
EASTON, Mass. (WBZ) — Police body camera video shows an Easton, Massachusetts, officer rescuing a 78-year-old Raynham man from a burning car on Friday morning.
A Mack dump truck was experiencing problems on the side of Turnpike Street just after 2 a.m. when a Ford pickup truck struck the back of it, according to police.
The pickup truck then became stuck under the dump truck, trapping the driver, Francis Leverone, inside. A Toyota Camry then hit the back of the pickup truck and caught fire, police said.
Easton police officer Dean Soucie arrived at the crash and saw that the two vehicles were on fire. Video shows Soucie rushing over before breaking the driver’s side window and then, with the help of the two witnesses, freeing Leverone from the pickup truck. Soucie said he was confused but conscious.
“As I reached inside the vehicle, one of the passersby — he actually jumped into the cab of the truck, and he helped me free the individual,” Soucie said.
They then carried the driver to safety.
Leverone was taken to a nearby hospital before being transferred to a Boston hospital. He received serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
No one else was injured in the crash.
Dee Leverone told WBZ her husband is doing OK. “I’m just thankful for the people that got him out,” she said. “Very thankful.”
After watching the police body-cam video on the news she said, “I was shocked, I was like ‘Oh my God!’ I just couldn’t believe it. His truck is like melted.”
She says she realized that something was wrong last night when her husband never made it home from work.
“I kept trying to call him and call him, and I finally got a hold of him at like 4:30 a.m., and he was at (Good Samaritan Hospital) and he told me he’s gotten in an accident,” Dee said.
She says he’s recovering at the Boston Medical Center and being treated for a dislocated hip.
“He’s a trooper,” Dee said. “He’s a strong man — and you know he’s 78, but you know he’s a toughie. He definitely is a toughie.”
Soucie commended the help of the two witnesses and said that before he arrived at the crash, they had attempted to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher and removed a gasoline tank from the pickup truck before it could ignite.
“They jumped into action like it was nothing,” Soucie said. “Those two individuals were absolutely awesome.”
Easton Police Chief Keith Boone said that he is “extremely proud” of Soucie and the witnesses.
“He saved a life last night,” Chief Boone said. “He is an exemplary police officer and this is just one example. I think he’s a hero.”
Turnpike Street was closed for several hours following the crash. Easton Police are investigating.
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