Suffolk County, Boston | featured news

BOSTON — The Boston City Council is planning to hold a public hearing on one of the largest hospital mergers ever proposed in Massachusetts.The 13-hospital deal would result in the merger of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center hospitals, The Lahey Health system, along with New England Baptist Hospital in Boston, Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, and Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport.The hospitals hope to create a health network that can compete with Partners HealthCare, the parent company of Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women's hospitals.

GREENFIELD, Mass. — Nurses at a western Massachusetts hospital are ready to walk off the job for the second time in a less than a year.Roughly 200 unionized nurses at Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield have a one-day strike scheduled to start at 7 a.m. Wednesday.The hospital, however, has scheduled a three-day lockout to start at 7 p.m. Tuesday, when it will bring in temporary nurses.

BOSTON — The six New England states are joining forces for what is being called the region's first coordinated public education campaign against distracted driving.The campaign includes a public service announcement that features police officers for each of the six states. The officers discuss their own experiences responding to crashes blamed on distracted drivers.New England states do not share all of the same laws when it comes to distracted driving.

A British couple claimed to be ill for weeks from food poisoning after eating and drinking during a 10-day stay at a vacation resort in Benidorm, Spain, and sued for thousands in compensation. Alas, they made the mistake of posting pictures of themselves them smiling and happy in their room and swimming in the pool. A judge ordered them to pay the holiday operator $20,000 and called them “fundamentally dishonest.”

A man in his late 20s was shot dead sitting in a car in Hyde Park yesterday afternoon, Boston cops said.Officers responding to a call at 5:36 p.m. for a person shot on Frazer Street in Hyde Park found the man suffering from numerous gunshot wounds.Commissioner William B. Evans said the man appeared to be targeted by an attacker on foot.The man, whose name police have not released, was rushed to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. He was later pronounced dead.No arrests have been made and police are investigating the shooting.

Student activists inspired by the students of Parkland, Fla., and the March for Our Lives rally organized a town hall yesterday afternoon to question leaders on gun violence and prevention.U.S. Reps. Michael E. Capuano and Stephen F. Lynch were among state legislators and city councilors in Roxbury who took part in a “Town Hall for Our Lives.” Similar events were held state- and nationwide.Capuano said the state has done more than pretty much anybody on gun legislation, but it could always do more.

The suspect of an armed robbery in Brighton is behind bars after the man he robbed helped officers ping his stolen cellphone to the suspect’s location.Boston police said they were notified of an armed robbery in the area of Strathmore Road in Brighton Friday night and were told that a man had been robbed at knifepoint of his gray Adidas backpack containing a cellphone, personal papers, a wallet, passport and over $400 in cash.Police said the man assisted officers in “pinging” his cellphone to a home in Brookline that was known to police.

An alleged longtime drug dealer suspected of trafficking heroin and fentanyl in Whitman was arrested during a traffic stop after an alleged transaction, police said.Whitman police said they arrested 31-year-old John Townsend of Berkley Friday evening after a two-month investigation into heroin and fentanyl activity in the community.An investigation into the trafficking operation began in February when Whitman police detectives developed information concerning the distribution of opioids on the west side of town, authorities said.

Hundreds of high school girls from Boston and beyond were treated to a day of luxury yesterday, including the services of a volunteer personal shopper, as they got to pick out a stunning prom dress, matching shoes and jewelry completely free of charge at the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center.“I feel like a princess,” said Rebecca Elliott, a student at Rockland High School. “I’m feeling good, I like the dress, it came out perfect.”

Infuriated Mount Ida College students and parents, fearing their futures are left in the lurch, demanded answers yesterday after officials announced the school would close at the end of the spring term.Weeping students blasted Mount Ida President Barry Brown and the board of trustees at a packed meeting held on campus that was closed to the media, shouting “What am I paying for?” and “Where the (expletive) did my money go?”