Quincy | featured news

An online form is available for requesting birth, death and marriage certificates from the town of Hanover, said Town Clerk Cathy Harder-Bernier.

Starting Jan. 1, the 155-bed Jordan Hospital in Plymouth will be known as Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth after merging with Boston-based teaching hospital Beth Israel Deaconess Center earlier this year.

Pope Francis offered a Christmas wish Wednesday for a better world, praying for protection for Christians under attack, battered women and trafficked children, peace in the Middle East and Africa, and dignity for refugees fleeing misery and conflict around the globe.

Your daily news briefing, with the video of the day, top news and quote of the day.

The deaths occurred thousands of miles away, in arid deserts, dangerous cities and rugged mountains. But they hit home on the South Shore, because that’s where these men and women used to call home.

The best holiday gifts can connect us to other people we care about and to favorite memories. Finding old handmade holiday ornaments and photos from the 1930s opened a window to the past.

State investigators have found that some state government agencies rely on temporary hires to fill permanent or long-term positions, sometimes leaving temps on the job for years without any transition to full time. In a review of 10 state agencies, Inspector General Glenn Cunha’s office found that “limits imposed by the executive branch on hiring permanent employees have led to using temporary employees to meet permanent staffing needs,” and that some agencies are unaware they have the authority to negotiate with staffing vendors for lower contact costs.