Published March 21, 2011

Authorities are ignoring the grave risks of spent radioactive nuclear fuel currently stored at the Pilgrim and Vermont Yankee nuclear power plants, according to the the state’s attorney general.

The state, led by Attorney General Martha Coakley, has waged a long legal battle in an effort to force the Nuclear Regulatory commission to examine the risks spent nuclear fuel poses to New England. With the crisis in Japan focusing attention on nuclear safety, the state is asking the federal government to take a more active role in policing nuclear fuel.

Local economies are feeling the pinch caused by the world’s other crisis, military action in Libya. Gas prices continue to climb (Update: Gas prices are level this week), forcing the prices of goods ever-higher. The price of gasoline climbed 35 cents over the past month and almost 90 cents since September.

Revelers in Southie yesterday had double the fun as a second parade joined the traditional St. Patty’s Day parade and marched through the streets. Long a contentious affair because organizers have blocked GLBTQ and anti-war groups from participating, Veterans For Peace this year organized a second parade along the original parade’s route.

Surgeons at Brigham and Women’s Hospital performed the first full face transplant in the US last week. A spokesman told the Globe that a team of over 30 medical providers worked for more than 15 hours to replace the face of a Texas man who’d been horrible burned in an accident.

What we’re following: We’ll continue to report on the local nuclear power plants and the state’s political leaders weighing in on the military action in Libya and Japan’s recovery efforts. Radio Boston will speak with futurist Ray Kurzweil.