Published November 29, 2010
Good morning! I’m back from a long Thanksgiving vacation and exactly 2.5 pounds heavier. (My flight to Chicago ended up being newsworthy.) A lot happened while I was out — an ex-con was charged with murdering all four victims in the Sept. 28 Mattapan killings. And the Globe opened a probe into Middlesex Sheriff James DiPaola that culminated in his suicide five days later.
What’s news on a chilly, clear Monday in Boston:
DiPaola’s suicide note is sealed for now. Friends and family are trying to understand what caused the sheriff to take his own life after 30 years of service, and they won’t be able to read his explanation until the medical examiner’s investigation is complete. It’s also unclear why DiPaola drove himself to a hotel room in Maine, since he did not appear to have any ties to the state or the resort. (Herald)
The Globe is defending its coverage of DiPaola. “Our stories were well within the boundaries of what news organizations are supposed to do in holding public officials accountable for their use of taxpayer dollars.” (Herald)
The state says thousands of eighth graders are at risk of dropping out of high school. Massachusetts has developed a “early-warning indicator index” that tracks the progress of students. “The new tracking system found that about 7,700, or 36 percent, were at risk of not graduating on time, if at all.” (Globe)
The T is trying to be more bike-friendly. The MBTA is building bicycle shelters at major transit stations. (Herald)
Boston’s NAACP chapter elects a new president today. One of the nation’s oldest branches faces criticism for not remaining active. Earlier this month, the Dorchester Reporter profiled the candidates, Michael Curry and Bill Owens.
A judge today will set a sentencing date for ex-Sen. Dianne Wilkerson, who pleaded guilty to corruption charges. Prosecutors plan to ask for a four-year sentence; the defense wants less than three. (AP)
A Comcast outage left Mass. customers wired-less for a few hours. I tweeted up a storm about it last night. (Universal Hub)