Northeast
NJ announces emergency dune repairs in shore town penalized for doing them itself
A long-running sandstorm at the Jersey Shore could soon come to an end as New Jersey will carry out an emergency beach replenishment project at one of the state’s most badly eroded beaches.
North Wildwood and the state have been fighting in court for years over measures the town has taken on its own to try to hold off the encroaching seas while waiting — in vain — for the same sort of replenishment projects that virtually the entire rest of the Jersey Shore has received.
It could still be another two years before the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection begin pumping sand onto North Wildwood’s critically eroded shores. In January, parts of the dunes reached only to the ankles of Mayor Patrick Rosenello.
1 DEAD AFTER FIRE UNDER ATLANTIC CITY PIER NEAR HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT
But the mayor released a joint statement from the city and Gov. Phil Murphy late Thursday night saying both sides have agreed to an emergency project to pump sand ashore in the interim, to give North Wildwood protection from storm surges and flooding.
“The erosion in North Wildwood is shocking,” Murphy said Friday. “We could not let that stand. This is something that has been out there as an unresolved matter far too long.”
Rosenello — a Republican who put up signs last summer at the entrance to North Wildwood beaches with Murphy’s photo on them, telling residents the Democratic governor was the one to blame for there being so little sand on the beach — on Friday credited Murphy’s leadership in resolving the impasse. He also cited advocacy from elected officials from both parties, including former Senate President Steve Sweeney, a Democrat, and Republican Sen. Michael Testa in helping to broker a deal.
Mayor Patrick Rosenello stands next to a destroyed section of sand dune in North Wildwood N.J. on Jan. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)
“This is a great thing for North Wildwood and a good thing for the entire Jersey Shore,” Rosenello said.
The work will be carried out by the state Department of Transportation, but cost estimates were not available Friday. Rosenello said he expects the city will be required to contribute toward the cost.
The agreement could end more than a decade of legal and political wrangling over erosion in North Wildwood, a popular vacation spot for Philadelphians.
New Jersey has fined the town $12 million for unauthorized beach repairs that it says could worsen erosion, while the city is suing to recoup the $30 million it has spent trucking sand to the site for over a decade in the absence of a replenishment program.
Rosenello said he hopes the agreement could lead to both sides dismissing their voluminous legal actions against each other. But he added that more work needs to be done before that can happen. Murphy would not comment on the possibility of ending the litigation.
North Wildwood has asked the state for emergency permission to build a steel bulkhead along the most heavily eroded section of its beachfront — something previously done in two other spots.
But the state Department of Environmental Protection has tended to oppose bulkheads as a long-term solution, noting that the hard structures often encourage sand scouring against them that can accelerate and worsen erosion.
The agency prefers the sort of beach replenishment projects carried out for decades by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where massive amounts of sand are pumped from offshore onto eroded beaches, widening them and creating sand dunes to protect the property behind them.
Virtually the entire 127-mile New Jersey coastline has received such projects. But in North Wildwood, legal approvals and property easements from private landowners have thus far prevented one from happening.
That is the type of project that will get underway in the next few weeks, albeit a temporary one. It could be completed by July 4, Rosenello said.
“Hopefully by the July 4 holiday, North Wildwood will have big, healthy beaches, and lots of happy beachgoers,” he said.
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Maine
See how much snow has fallen across Maine on Christmas Eve
Maine has been blanketed with a fresh coat of snow from York to the St. John Valley.
The storm that began Tuesday will wrap up later on Christmas Eve, adding to the already measurable snow that has fallen in places.
Some communities have seen well over a foot of new snow, particularly toward the coast and western hills, while the north has seen but a dusting.
Here are the latest snowfall totals available from the National Weather Service offices in Caribou and Gray on Wednesday morning. These totals are preliminary based on reports filed with the weather service. No reports were available Wednesday morning for Lincoln County.
Androscoggin
— Lisbon, 16.8 inches
— Auburn, 16.5 inches
— Lewiston, 15 inches
— Durham, 15 inches
— Lisbon Falls, 14 inches
— Greene, 13.7 inches
— Canton, 12.5 inches
— Poland, 12.2 inches
— Livermore Falls, 10.5 inches
Aroostook
— Houlton, 1.5 inches
— Castle Hill, 1 inches
— Presque Isle, 0.2 inches
— New Sweden, 0.1 inches
Cumberland
— Freeport, 17 inches
— Cumberland, 14.5 inches
— Gray, 12.8 inches
— North Powna, 12 inches
— Brunswick, 11.8 inches
— Cumberland Center, 11.7 inches
— New Gloucester, 11 inches
— Windham, 11 inches
— North Windham, 9.8 inches
— Falmouth, 9.4 inches
— Raymond, 7 inches
— Denmark, 6.8 inches
— Standish, 6.5 inches
— Sebago, 5 inches
— South Portland, 4.9 inches
— Portland, 4.9 inches
Franklin
— Madrid, 8.6 inches
— Rangeley, 6.5 inches
— New Sharon, 5.5 inches
Hancock
— Orland, 5.5 inches
— Dedham, 5 inches
— Seawall, 5 inches
— Southwest Harbor, 4.7 inches
— East Surry, 4.6 inches
— Trenton, 3 inches
Kennebec
— Gardiner, 11 inches
— Winthrop, 9.7 inches
— Manchester, 9.5 inches
— Farmingdale, 8.5 inches
— Augusta, 8.1 inches
— Waterville, 3 inches
Knox
— Hope, 7.0 inches
— Union, 6.8 inches
— Tenants Harbor, 3.5 inches
Oxford
— Bethel, 10.5 inches
— Newry, 8.3 inches
— Porter, 6.5 inches
Penobscot
— Exeter, 7 inches
— Orono, 6 inches
— Brewer, 6 inches
— Hermon, 5.3 inches
— Levant, 5 inches
— Holden, 5 inches
— Carmel, 5 inches
— Hudson, 4.5 inches
— Bangor, 4.4 inches
— Newport, 3.5 inches
— Bradley, 3.5 inches
— Milford, 2.8 inches
— Passadumkeag, 2.5 inches
— Millinocket, 2 inches
— Medway, 2 inches
— Greenbush, 2 inches
— Kenduskeag, 0.5 inches
Piscataquis
— Monson, 7 inches
— East Sangerville, 7 inches
— Dover-Foxcroft, 6 inches
— Abbot, 5.8 inches
— Sebec, 4.8 inches
Sagadahoc
— Woolwich, 13 inches
— Bowdoin, 12 inches
Somerset
— New Portland, 5 inches
— Anson, 4 inches
— Palmyra, 3.8 inches
Waldo
— Winterport, 4.5 inches
— Belfast, 3.8 inches
— Searsport, 3.8 inches
— Liberty, 1 inches
Washington
— Jonesboro, 2.5 inches
— Baileyville, 1.9 inches
— Pembroke, 1 inches
— Eastport, 0.8 inches
— Whiting, 0.5 inches
— Perry, 0.5 inches
York
— Cornish, 6.7 inches
— East Baldwin, 6.7 inches
— Limerick, 5.6 inches
— Kennebunk, 5 inches
— Ogunquit, 4.7 inches
— Limington, 2.6 inches
Massachusetts
Measles exposure possible in Boston, Westborough, officials warn – The Boston Globe
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is working with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed, officials said.
“Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease,” Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein said in a statement. “This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities.”
While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, the United States has seen the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade – nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, which included three confirmed deaths from measles, Goldstein said.
“Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk,” Goldstein said. “Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever – they are safe, effective, and lifesaving.”
Officials said the exposures may have occurred at Logan Airport Terminal B on Dec. 11 from 2:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.; at the DoubleTree hotel in Westborough from 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 11 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 12; and at Logan Airport Terminal C from 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 12.
“Those who could have been exposed and begin to develop symptoms of measles should call their healthcare provider before visiting an office, clinic, or emergency department,” public health officials said in the statement. “Visiting a healthcare facility may put others at risk and should be avoided if possible.”
Those who have had measles in the past or have received two doses of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine are unlikely to develop measles even if they were exposed, officials said.
Boston Public Health Commissioner Dr. Bisola Ojikutu also encouraged people to get vaccinated for measles.
“With multiple measles outbreaks across the country and increased travel around the holidays, now is an important time to ensure that you and your family are protected,” she said.
Ojikutu said two doses of MMR vaccine are 97 percent effective at preventing measles and provide protection against mumps and rubella. Children should receive the vaccine at 12-15 months of age and again before kindergarten, she said.
Children who are at least 6 months old and traveling internationally or to areas of the US with active outbreaks should receive an early dose of vaccine before traveling, Ojikutu said.
“It is never too late for children or adults to get the measles vaccine even if they are past the recommended age,” Ojikutu said.
Early symptoms of measles occur one to three weeks after exposure and may resemble a cold, with symptoms fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes. A rash occurs on the skin two to four days after the initial symptoms develop and usually appears first on the head, officials said.
People with measles may be contagious up to four days before the rash appears and for four days after the rash starts, officials said.
State public health officials are urging anyone who has not been vaccinated or doesn’t know their measles immunization status to contact their healthcare provider to get vaccinated with at least one dose of the MMR vaccine.
“Measles vaccine given within 72 hours of exposure may prevent measles disease,” officials said in the statement. “Vaccination beyond this window will provide protection from subsequent exposures.”
Emily Sweeney can be reached at emily.sweeney@globe.com. Follow her @emilysweeney and on Instagram @emilysweeney22.
New Hampshire
Officers who killed Manchester man had limited experience on the force
The New Hampshire Attorney General has completed interviews with three Manchester police officers who opened fire earlier this month, killing 24-year old Nickenley Turenne.
According to a statement issued late Tuesday, Officers Brandon Baliko, Andre Chan, and Devin Lambert responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle near Green Acres Elementary School before dawn on Dec. 6. Turenne initially tried to flee, before having what authorities described as an “encounter” with the officers.
There has been no indication from law enforcement that Turenne, who was Black, was armed.
Family and friends have called for the release of the officers’ body-worn camera footage from the incident.
“Transparency is not optional,” Tanisha Johnson, executive director of Black Lives Matter New Hampshire and Anthony Poore, president of NH Center for Justice and Equity, wrote in a joint op-ed. “It is a legal and moral obligation.”
The three officers involved in the incident have limited experience on the Manchester police force. Baliko and Chan were both formally sworn in Nov. 2024, according to social media posts by the department. Baliko previously served as a police officer in Colorado. Chan previously held positions in the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, and in a local sheriff’s office.
Lambert was sworn in in Oct. 2024, according to a separate police department social media post.
All three officers were placed on paid administrative leave following the shooting.
Turenne was born in Haiti, and then spent his childhood in the greater Boston-area. After aging out of the state’s child protection system, he resided for a short time in Nashua, and most recently in Manchester.
While details around Turenne’s death remain scarce, here’s what we learned about him from people who loved him.
The New Hampshire Attorney General’s office is leading the investigation into the shooting and will make a determination on if the officers’ use of force was justified.
“The Manchester Police Department and the officers involved are cooperating with the investigation and the officers’ voluntary interviews were completed late this afternoon,” the attorney general said Tuesday. “The exact circumstances surrounding the incident remain under active investigation.”
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