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Should cameras catch drivers speeding in Mass. as Healey proposes?

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Should cameras catch drivers speeding in Mass. as Healey proposes?


Massachusetts has become notorious for bad driving – a behavior that proponents of speed cameras say leads to hundreds of fatalities every year.

Gov. Maura Healey is one of those supporters who is trying to get the Legislature to pass her proposal that’s attached to her next spending budget.

The proposal would allow speed cameras only and not cameras that catch people running red lights.

“I think for us, it’s a quality of life issue,” Healey told a crowd during the Massachusetts Municipal Association Connect 351 conference in Boston Friday morning.

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The measure would leave it up to cities and towns in Massachusetts to decide if they want to install the street cameras.

“Many communities have put forward a home rule petition on speeding enforcement, and we can’t have a cop on every corner,” said Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll at the same event. “We know we can use technology. This isn’t about revenue, it’s about keeping roads safe, impacting the quality of neighborhoods.”

According to state data, Massachusetts recorded more than 130,000 crashes last year, with a year-average of 380 fatalities over the past decade.

“Speeding is probably the biggest risk factor in terms of whether somebody survives or dies in a crash,” said StreetsBlog Mass Editor Christian Milneil.

Milneil has been keeping track of similar proposals for years. About half of all U.S. states have cities that have implemented traffic enforcement cameras.

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He said the bill addresses privacy concerns, as well, limiting how long the images can be kept, and limiting what they can be used for outside of traffic enforcement.

“They initially catch a lot of people breaking the law, but over time, they’re very effective, and they actually don’t issue that many fines, because people know that they need to obey the speed limit, which isn’t really the case right now,” he added.

“Boston and Cambridge have been on the record in supporting this type of technology,” noted Massachusetts Municipal Association CEO Adam Champdelaine. “It gives the local government official, the police chief, the mayor, the manager, the ability to make a decision about what they think is best to keep their streets safe.”

“It doesn’t seem like a lot of speeding tickets are being given out, and people are driving faster than ever,” complained Boston resident Noah Sachs.

“We really don’t like them at all. We just think it’s not, good like it’s sort of invading your privacy,” said California resident Laurie Romero, who was visiting Boston on Friday.

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Milneil said the cameras would issue a warning for a first speeding, then a $25 fine for every violation after the first.

The Legislature has until the end of June to vote on the governor’s budget, which the camera measure is tied to. If passed, it would still take about a year before municipalities can implement the technology.



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Massachusetts

Joann T. Panneton

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Joann T. Panneton



Joann T. Panneton


OBITUARY

Beloved Mother and Wife

Westford, Massachusetts

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Joann T. Panneton passed away peacefully, with her daughter by her side, on January 12, 2025. She was the widow of Robert Panneton, who passed in 1988. Joann was born in Greenwood, WI to the late Jakov Gasparac and Mary (Briski) Gasparac.

She met the love of her life, Robert in Illinois and after a brief courtship, moved to Forge Village where they raised their four children. Joann resided there until her passing.

Joann received her higher education from Wisconsin State College and had several occupations as she journeyed through life. Among her greatest pleasures; aside from spending time with her family, were her hobbies that included dancing, knitting, gardening, crafting, yard sales, antiques collecting, reading, cooking, baking, rug braiding and sewing.

She is survived by her four children: her son Michael and his wife Elaine, her son Rodney and his wife Maura, her son Edward and his wife Sherri and her daughter Lisa and her husband John. She leaves her 7 grandchildren: Mikayla, Mathew, Riley, Conor, Jack, Lindsey and Alex. Joann is also survived by her 3 sisters: Mae, Ann and Kathy and her brother, Jack, and is preceded in death by her brother Frank.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Arrangements under the care of Badger Funeral Home, A Life Celebration Home, Littleton. To share a memory or offer a condolence visit www.badgerfuneral.com

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Massachusetts

Cold wind returns this week in Massachusetts – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News

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Cold wind returns this week in Massachusetts – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News


While we had a bit of a break from the wind last week, that’ll change as we usher in a new work week in Massachusetts.

Saturday was chilly and a bit breezy, but the wind will kick back up on Sunday. What’s interesting is high temperatures will actually be pretty mild in the mid to upper 30s, but when you factor in the breezy conditions it’ll still only feel like the mid to upper 20s.

Otherwise, we’ll have more clouds in the morning than in the afternoon.

Monday will be similar but even windier. Morning lows will drop to the mid to upper teens with afternoon highs in the low to mid 30s. Skies will be bright throughout. However, gusts will top 25 mph at times so it’ll feel about 10 degrees colder than it really is.

Tuesday morning will be in the mid to upper 20s. It’ll already be windy in the morning, and at the same time we’re tracking a chance for some snow squalls. Those are short bursts of very heavy snow that can reduce visibility significantly. The rest of the day will be dry with highs in the mid to upper 30s, but again with a whipping wind it’ll feel significantly colder.

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Wednesday we are still tracking a potential Alberta Clipper system which is an area of low pressure that originates from over Alberta, Canada. They typically bring pretty light snowfall totals, and this one is particularly moisture-starved so it won’t be too much of a troublemaker. Highs will reach the mid 30s.

After the Clipper system comes the next outbreak of Arctic air. Thursday and Friday, highs will only get to the 20s with lows in the single digits and the teens. However, with breezy conditions still it’ll feel close to zero degrees in the morning and only in the teens during the warmest part of those days. At least the sun will be out.

Saturday morning will still be frigid but the afternoon will make it back into the 30s.

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Massachusetts

Five people displaced by early-morning house fire in Randolph

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Five people displaced by early-morning house fire in Randolph


Five people were displaced by a house fire in Randolph, Massachusetts, early Saturday morning.

Randolph fire officials said they responded to a fire in a single-family ranch-style home on Marconi Drive around 3 a.m. Saturday.

When they arrived, firefighters found smoke coming from the front door of the home. The source of the fire was at the rear of the home, with flames shooting through a basement window. Firefighters made entry to the home and were able to determine that the fire started near the home’s heating equipment.

The fire was extinguished within about 20 minutes. The basement sustained fire, water and smoke damage, and the first floor also had some smoke damage.

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Fire officials said the home is currently uninhabitable due to the damage to the heating system.

Five people who lived in the home were displaced by the fire and are staying with family members in the neighborhood.

No residents or firefighters were injured.

Firefighters from Holbrook and Milton provided mutual aid at the scene, while Braintree and Avon covered Randolph’s stations.

A preliminary investigation determined that the fire might have been caused by a malfunction in the heating system. The official cause remains under investigation.

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