By Matt Murphy
State House News Service

In an escalating battle over vaccinations and a full-time return to the classroom, Gov. Charlie Baker and the state’s largest teachers’ unions butted heads Thursday over the unions’ request to allow teachers to be vaccinated in schools, with the administration refusing to divert doses away from mass vaccination sites and other clinics.

A war-of-words erupted after a morning meeting between union officials, Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders and Education Commissioner Jeff Riley to discuss vaccinations.

A day earlier, Massachusetts Teachers Association President Merrie Najimy had said the state’s vaccine rollout for teachers had been “poorly timed” with plans to bring elementary students back to the classroom full-time by April 5, followed by middle schoolers on April 28.

The meeting led to a searing condemnation from the administration of the union’s request for doses to be redistributed and administered to teachers and staff locally at schools.

“I am not going to be in a position where I take vaccine away from people who are extremely vulnerable, have multiple medical conditions and are over the age of 65 to give it to a targeted population. We’re just not going to play that game,” Baker said at an afternoon press conference.

The comments from the governor came after the governor’s senior advisor Tim Buckley issued a statement saying the administration “implores the unions to do the math,” noting the state receives just 150,000 new first doses a week.

“Diverting hundreds of thousands of vaccines to an exclusive, teacher-only distribution system would deny the most vulnerable and the most disproportionately impacted residents hundreds of thousands of vaccines,” Buckley said.

The unions, including the MTA, the American Federation of Teachers and the Boston Teachers Union, accused the administration of “pitting one vulnerable group against another” after what it described as a “cordial” meeting with Sudders.

“The administration’s mischaracterization of educators as somehow seeking to take vaccines away from the sick and elderly is untrue and defamatory,” said Najimy, AFT-Massachusetts President Beth Kontos, and BTU President Jessica Tang.

The three union leaders said they suggested using doses that had already been designated for teachers at mass vaccination sites and instead deploying them at schools where they could be administered to teachers by firefighters and nurses with minimal disruption to the school schedule.

“The administration is entitled to its opinion on how it has handled the vaccine rollout, but the administration is not entitled to their own facts. From the onset, our unions have advocated for classifying educators as essential workers and for vaccinating them at the same time as others who are eligible within the current phase of the rollout,” Najimy, Kontos and Tang said.

Baker saw the request from the unions differently.

“They were looking for their own vaccine and to not participate in the process that everyone else participates in,” Baker said.

Baker only opened the state’s vaccination program to teachers on Thursday after the White House last week urged states to begin vaccinating educators in March and began making doses available to teachers through the federal pharmacy vaccine program.

The administration then announced on Wednesday that it would set aside four weekend days in late March and early April at the state’s seven mass vaccinations when teachers exclusively could book vaccine appointments. The governor also said he was encouraging regional vaccine collaboratives to also specify days for educators.

Baker and Sudders both cited vaccine supply constraints as limiting their ability to set aside more vaccines.

“We don’t have more doses to give,” Sudders said Wednesday. She estimates teachers unable to book an appointment on Thursday through the normal system will have access to about 20,000 to 25,000 doses at mass vaccination sites on March 27, April 3, April 10 and April 11.

The administration noted that 95 percent of teachers are under the age of 65, putting them at reduced risk from COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control has said vaccinations are not a prerequiste for a return to in-person learning, and Baker said experience in Massachusetts has shown that students, particularly young students, can be taught safely in a classroom.

“Building an entirely new, exclusive, teacher-only, school by school distribution system would make Massachusetts’ vaccination system slower, less equitable and far more complicated,” Buckley said.

Baker also defended his reliance on mass vaccination sites to distribute vaccine, saying most states were using similar sites, provider organizations, pharmacy chains and community health centers to administer COVID-19 vaccinations.

“The process we’re pursuing in Massachusetts is completely consistent with the process that’s being used in virtually every other state in the county. Why? Because it’s effective, it’s efficient and it gets a lot of shots in people arms in a short period of time,” Baker said.

House Speaker Ron Mariano, who is a former teacher himself, was an early advocate for giving teachers higher priority status for vaccinations.

Asked about the back-and-forth Thursday between the governor and the unions, Mariano said the governor invited it.

“It’s a problem that was created by the administration in setting a date certain to have schools reopen and raising the issue of safety in our schools and not having a plan on how to make sure that they can guarantee that the schools are safe,” he said.

The City of New Bedford has roadwork sites for the upcoming week of March 15, 2021 – March 19, 2021 and they are as follows:

Eversource:

Eversource will be working on the gas main relays at:
• Pleasant St. working from Russell St. to Madison St.
• Oaklawn St. working from 95 Oaklawn St towards 350 Rodney French Blvd. Moving to Calumet by 03/17/2021.
• Chestnut St. working from Pope St towards Robeson St.
• Phillips Ave. working at Acushnet Ave towards N. Front St.
• County St. working from Cove Rd. towards Scott St.

Other:

• The contractor (K.R. Rezendes, Inc.) to begin work at MassDOT Project #606718, roadway reconstruction and related work (including signal installation) along a section of Hathaway Rd., Nauset St. and Mt. Pleasant St. Construction to take place during regular working hours (Monday – Friday), police details and traffic controls will be in place.
• The contractor (SCR Construction) will continue site work at the future South Coast Rail station platform locations in the City: Church St. at Carlisle St. and the existing rail yard located between Wamsutta St., Herman Melville Blvd. and Whales Tooth parking lot.
• Department of Public Infrastructure will be filling potholes city-wide on a continuous basis.
• The contractor (Baystate WinSupply) is scheduled to continue large water meter replacements at various locations throughout the city. There are no anticipated traffic controls for this work.
• Due to ongoing construction at the High Hill Reservoir residents may experience discolored water. The water is safe, and the discoloration will be temporary. We recommend allowing the water to settle for a few hours and then flushing your service line by letting the bathtub run for a few minutes until the water clears.

** Please note: Contractors will continue to follow guidelines and protocol regarding COVID-19 social distancing while conducting work in construction zone.

Due to the current COVID-19 situation the Department of Public Infrastructure will be closed to the public entry. Office staff is available to assist by email and telephone.

“Dear Alma Families,

We hope this letter finds you and your family healthy and well! We are excited to announce that we are currently planning to bring back all scholars for in-person learning in grades K-8 by early May. Since the letter we released on March 5th, there are no major changes to our plans for K-5, but we have begun additional planning to bring back our 6-8th grade scholars.

On Tuesday, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced that all school districts must offer in-person learning for all K-5th students by April 5, and for all 6-8th grade students by April 28. Alma plans to apply for a waiver to allow us a few additional days to finalize bus routes, facility setup and staff training. These updates to our reopening plan are subject to the approval by Alma’s Board of Trustees, which will meet on March 26. Please reference your scholars’ grade band below for more information on proposed upcoming changes to our learning model.

This will be your final opportunity to opt-into in-person learning this year. Given the state’s new requirement for school districts to prioritize in-person learning, we can no longer guarantee your scholar will continue to have a fully dedicated remote teacher if you choose to opt-out of in-person learning. We strongly encourage all families to opt-into in person learning. That said, if you prefer for your scholar to remain in a remote-learning model, you will have that option for the remainder of this school year.

Sixth Grade – Eighth Grade

We are currently preparing to welcome back our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade scholars to in-person learning starting in late April or early May, depending on which campus your scholar attends.

• Ottiwell Campus- Grades 6, 7, and 8: Wednesday, April 28th
• Douglass Campus- Grades 6 and 7: Monday, May 3rd

If you are a 6th-8th grade family, you will receive a survey later today to inform us whether you are opting in or out of in-person learning and if your scholar will need transportation. Please complete our survey promptly so that we can effectively plan for this reopening. We know you will have many questions and we will be holding a Family Zoom Meeting on Thursday, March 18 at 5 pm. Please also see the FAQ below for more information, or contact the school if you have a personal question.

Kindergarten – Second Grade

If your scholar is currently learning in-person, they will continue to do so through the end of this school year. If you previously opted out of in-person learning, you will now have the opportunity to opt back into in-person learning beginning April 12th. You have already received a survey regarding your preferred learning model, and should have completed this survey by today. Please click on this link if you still need to complete the survey.

Third Grade – Fifth Grade

As we announced on March 5th, we are currently preparing to welcome back our 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade scholars to in-person learning starting on Monday, April 12th. You have already received a survey regarding your preferred learning model, and should have completed this survey by today. Please click on this link if you still need to complete the survey.

In Service,
Will Gardner

Will my scholar have the same teachers? What will remote learning look like for Grades 3-8?

Scholars learning in-person will have the same teachers for their core academic subjects as they have had in the remote setting. We will do our very best to keep scholars with their same Crew leader. In Grades 3-8, since all of our staff will be teaching in-person, scholars who remain fully remote will “zoom in” to in-person classes and have some opportunities during the day to check-in with a staff member. Remote learning will look significantly different than our model has this year up until this point.

When will I have to confirm my choice for opting in or out of in-person learning?

All Sixth through Eighth Grade families will be asked to submit their survey response by Friday, March 19th. The survey deadline for families with scholars in grades 3-5 is today, Friday, March 12th.

Will my scholar still receive their special education services?

Yes, all scholars in our special education program will continue to receive their special education services in person with a specialist or other service provider.

What time does school start/end and do scholars learn remotely on Fridays?

Scholar arrival time is any time between 7:50 – 8:30am. Crew begins promptly at 8:30am and scholars are considered tardy at 8:31am. Dismissal is at 2:30pm each day. We have decided that all in-person scholars will be in-person five days a week, Monday through Friday.

Are there changes to the school calendar for this year?

There are no major changes to the school calendar. As previously communicated, April vacation is the week of 4/19 – 4/23, all scholars in grades K-5 will have in-person learning the week following break (4/26 – 4/30). Scholars’ final day of school remains as June 24th. Any other schedule updates will be communicated to families as soon as possible.

Will scholars wear their uniform to school?

Yes, all scholars are required to wear their Alma uniform (dark blue polo, khaki pants, black shoes). Our uniform vendor is Superior Logos, located at 13 Brooks Street in New Bedford, and their phone number is 508-717-6776. If you are having trouble getting uniforms, please let your scholar’s teacher or our front desk know and we can support you in obtaining a uniform. If purchasing a uniform this year is a hardship, please reach out to Marie Tavares, our Families Helping Families coordinator for support at marietavares@almadelmar.org

Does my scholar have to wear a mask?

Yes, all scholars and staff are required to wear a mask during the school day except during Breakfast, Lunch, and their Outdoor break times. Scholars should bring their own mask to school, and Alma has extras on hand if needed. Please practice having your scholar wear their mask at home.

Will the scholars have co-curriculars and Recess?

Yes, all scholars will have one in-person co-curricular class and at least one outdoor break each day.

Can my scholar take the bus?

Just like in previous years, any scholar who lives 1.5 miles or more from our campus will be eligible for transportation. Our Front Desk team will call eligible families to let them know their bus stop location and times. If you live less than 1.5 miles from the school your scholar will not qualify for transportation and will need a ride to and from school each day.

Can my scholar bring lunch from home?

Yes, scholars may bring their own lunch as well as reusable water bottles from home each day.”

See the full details including PDF documents here.

By Brendan Kurie
New Bedford Guide Contributor

It’s been 470 days since high school football was played in the New Bedford area. The long sabbatical ends on Friday night when Dartmouth High School hosts New Bedford High School in the first-ever Southeastern Conference football game. Here’s everything you need to know before kickoff.

Video: New Bedford High School Whalers takes field vs Dartmouth in 2019. Video by Brendan Kurie.

When is the game?
6 p.m. on Friday

Where is it?
Dartmouth Memorial Stadium, which was updated with new turf before the 2019 season.

Can I go?
No, unless you were invited by a Dartmouth High player. But you can follow along on New Bedford Guide and Dartmouth Guide’s social media channels.

Is this really the first SEC football game?
Yup. The conference debuted for the 2019-20 school year, with the exception of football. The league’s five schools played independent schedules in 2019, making this the debut of SEC football.

What were their records last year?
Dartmouth went 4-7, while New Bedford went 8-3 and lost in the first round of the Div. 1 South tournament.

What happened in this game last year?
The Whalers scored three touchdowns in a four-minute span of the third quarter to pull away for a 46-26 victory. Senior Ethan Medeiros threw for 228 yards and three touchdowns, while fellow senior Nygel Palmer ran for 128 yards and three scores. It was New Bedford’s sixth-straight win to open the 2019 season and ninth-straight overall. The next week, the Whalers’ winning streak was halted by Brockton.

So who is back?
Not many starters. New Bedford graduated 23 seniors, while Dartmouth graduated 20. While the Whalers have 16 seniors and a large sophomore class this spring, the Indians have just five seniors and a large junior class.

Does that mean new quarterbacks?
Oh yeah! The Whalers will start 6’4″ junior Ryan Dosenberg. The younger brother of former All-Star lineman Eric Dosenberg, Ryan has the opportunity to become a four-sport athlete this year, after running cross country in the fall and playing basketball in the winter. “He played very well,” Whalers coach Mark DeBrito said of how Dosenberg’s looked in a recent scrimmage.

Dartmouth will be starting junior Will Kelly, who also had an older brother play for the Indians, even winning a Super Bowl title in 2015. Last year, the 5-foot-9 Kelly played understudy to Nolan Ellis, who finished with the most career touchdown passes of any Dartmouth quarterback in the past 55 years. Kelly ran for 44 yards in Dartmouth’s 2019 loss to New Bedford.

Who are they going to throw to?
New Bedford‘s receiving corp will be led by Michael Fernandes, who started at cornerback last year but will now be a starting wideout and safety. Track star Flordan Bazile is out for the team and will bring blazing speed on the outside.

Expect Dartmouth’s 6′ junior tight end William Chau to get a lot of looks from Kelly, as well as 5’10” junior Baron Dutra and 6’1″ senior Landen Soares, who is playing football for the first time.

New running backs too?
You betcha. The Indians will start junior Ethan Marques, a 5’11”, 175-pound back who ran for 89 yards and a touchdown in a Thanksgiving Day win over Fairhaven.

New Bedford will have junior Jayden Frazier taking the bulk of the carries. Another small back in the style of Palmer, he provides quickness and athleticism in the Whalers’ backfield.

What about the guys who do the real work in the trenches and on defense?
New Bedford’s strongest returning players are the Sousa brothers, Bill and Billois, who will be second-year starters on the offensive line and at linebacker.

Dartmouth got a boost when senior Jared Holmes returned after a year at Whitman-Hanson to help anchor the offensive line alongside center Cole Perry, the team’s only returning senior starter. Linebackers Dan Martin, Dutra, and Chau will be key.

What’s coach got to say?
“We have a lot of kids who are new at a lot of positions, so we’re getting there. This lets the seniors enjoy a last hurrah. For many, it’s the last time they’ll put on a helmet and shoulder pads.” — New Bedford head coach Mark DeBrito

“The overall effort and attitude has been outstanding. Guys are happy to be back. They’ve been working hard and picking things up quickly.” — Dartmouth head coach Rick White.

When do they play next?
New Bedford has a bye before hosting Bridgewater-Raynham on March 27. The Whalers then play at Brockton at noon on April 23 and host Durfee at 1 p.m. on April 10.

The Indians host Brockton on March 19, then play at Durfee on March 27 and at Bridgewater-Raynham on April 2. The SEC Championship game will be held on Saturday, April 17.

Hey, what about New Bedford’s other team?
GNB Voc-Tech’s season doesn’t start until March 26 when the Bears host Apponequet. Don’t worry, we’ll be back with everything you need to know before that one kicks off.

The Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section (MSP VFAS) on Wednesday began working with the Northborough Police Department to locate a suspect wanted for an armed home invasion that occurred earlier that morning.

The MSP VFAS Central Team developed information about an address of interest in Worcester for suspect TYLER RAWSON, 26. Troopers and members of the Worcester Police Gang Unit converged on the Cutler Street address and searched the inside of the residence, but did not locate RAWSON.

MSP VFAS Trooper Brandon Andrews observed debris on the building’s roof, including trash and a rolled-up rug. Trooper Andrews went onto the roof, checked the debris, and found RAWSON hiding inside the rolled-up rug. The suspect was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Worcester Police Department for booking on charges of home invasion, breaking and entering a building in the nighttime to commit a felony, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, making threats, and firearm and ammunition offenses.

A former member and leader of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (“Latin Kings”) pleaded guilty yesterday to drug charges.

Jeremia Medina, a/k/a “King Sweepy,” 33, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, manufacture and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for June 17, 2021.

Medina admitted to being a former Enforcer of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings, and to conspiring with other members of the Latin Kings to distribute, manufacture and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. As Enforcer, Medina was a leader of the New Bedford Chapter charged with organizing violent acts by the gang and administering violations and other violence. Medina also admitted to conspiring with other Latin Kings members and leaders to operate a vast drug trafficking network throughout New Bedford, utilizing a number of multi-unit apartment buildings controlled by the Latin Kings, known as trap houses. The evidence described at the plea hearing today included court-authorized interceptions of Medina’s phone, and a recording where he is depicted in a trap house, in front of a stove preparing to “cook” a suspected kilogram of cocaine powder into “crack” cocaine, also known as cocaine base.

The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.

In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Medina is the 40th defendant to plead guilty in the case.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Lauren Graber of Mendell’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Eleventh grant round made possible, in part, with funding from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development.

The SouthCoast Community Foundation announced it is awarding $1.3 million in grants from its SouthCoast Emergency Response Fund to 20 nonprofits from the Southeastern Massachusetts region. The selected 501(c)3 organizations exhibited a proven track record of supporting immigrant households, regardless of status and serving populations whose economic hardship was exacerbated by COVID-19. The awarded funds, made possible, in part, with funding from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, will be used to alleviate costs related to basic needs, such as food security, emergency childcare, housing, technology for remote work/school, transportation, and utilities.

“This is our eleventh grant round and the first of several we will be issuing from the Fund in 2021,” said John Vasconcellos, President of SouthCoast Community Foundation. “The Commonwealth’s support of our emergency response along with the generous support from families, individuals, other foundations, and businesses has allowed us to continue to respond as we did from the very start of the pandemic. We are honored to be able to lead such a powerful philanthropic response to this crisis and grateful to the amazing nonprofit partners who, every day, connect the needs of those in our community with the help they deserve.”

Grants ranging from $23,500 to $95,000 are being issued to the following grantees:

• Attleboro Area Interfaith Collaborative
• Attleboro YMCA
• Brockton Area Multi-Services, Inc.
• Brockton Family and Community Resources, Inc.
• Brockton Interfaith Community
• Brockton Neighborhood Health Center
• Catholic Social Services (Fall River)
• Community Economic Development Center of SE MA (New Bedford)
• Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores (New Bedford)
• Citizens for Citizens (Fall River)
• Health Imperatives, Inc. (Fall River)
• Hockomock Area YMCA (Attleboro)
• Immigrants’ Assistance Center (New Bedford)
• NorthStar Learning Centers (New Bedford)
• Old Colony YMCA (Brockton)
• PACE, Inc. (New Bedford)
• The Literacy Center (Attleboro)
• United Way of Greater Fall River
• United Way of Greater New Bedford
• YMCA Southcoast (New Bedford)

“We are incredibly grateful for the support of the SouthCoast Community Foundation,” said Vinnie Marturano, President & CEO of Old Colony YMCA. “The pandemic has been especially difficult for immigrant families in our community, and these funds will have a major impact on our ability to help the children and families most in need. Food insecurity and access to safe, quality childcare services are two of the most pressing issues we see every day, and we appreciate the Foundation’s investment in this work.”

The SouthCoast Community Foundation established the SouthCoast Emergency Response Fund in partnership with local funders in March of 2020. The Fund provides flexible resources to organizations that work with those most impacted by COVID19. To date, the organization has raised $8.3 million and granted $6.8 million to 132 nonprofits. Donations to the SouthCoast Emergency Fund can be made online. For general inquiries about the Fund, please contact emergencyfund@southcoastcf.org.

The Foundation is a public charity serving thousands of people throughout Southeastern Massachusetts who share a common goal of improving the quality of life through philanthropy. Since 1995, the Community Foundation has distributed $50 million from approximately 200 funds to humanitarian, educational, and cultural organizations in the region. To learn more about the Community Foundation, visit www.southcoastcf.org.

Last night a $100,000 winning ticket was sold at New Bedford’s Liquor & Convenience at 3963 Acushnet Ave.

This comes on the heels of other fortunate souls in the Commonwealth such as the $1 million ticket sold while a man was waiting for his pizza from Uno Pizzeria & Grill at the Holyoke Mall, a $100,000 Mass Cash ticket sold at Quincy Gas, a Lucky For Life ticket sold at Sam’s Variety in Quincy which was for $25,000 a year for life.

No jackpot winner was declared during Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing, so if you want to join this group of lucky winners you can take a chance by getting tickets for Friday’s jackpot of $79 million to be held at 11 p.m. ET.

Be sure to double-check your tickets, even old ones, because the Massachusetts State Lottery says that there are still millions of dollars in unclaimed prizes perhaps someone read their ticket wrong or simply forgot to follow up after a drawing.

“Ok guys and gals, an amazing follow-up to the picture I posted yesterday of a guy pushing a cart around the park.

I was sitting down in the park and the same guy came by again. This time he’s not getting by me until this nosey guy finds out what the heck this is all about.

This guy is a retired flight attendant and was working and just landed on his flight in Boston on 9-11. He knew a lot of the people who worked on the planes that went down. The cart is a beverage cart from an actual plane, and he is going to walk from Boston to New York at the 9-11 site pushing this thing all the way!!!!

He’s been training for a while now, his name is Paul Veneto, he is from Milton, MA. He is starting his journey on September 1st with a goal of getting to New York on September 11th.

We talked for aw hile and he’s a great guy. I’m making this public so hopefully, it will go viral and he gets a lot of attention. Good luck Paul!”-Billy Ryan.

“Troopers from the Massachusetts State Police and Officers from the Sturbridge Police Department enjoyed coffee and conversation with members of the community at yesterday’s Coffee With A Cop event at the Sturbridge Coffee House.

Visitors not only got to meet some of the Officers and Troopers who keep their communities safe, but also got to shake paws with MSP Crisis Response K9 Luna and MSP Explosives Detection K9 Pippen.

Among those who participated were Sturbridge Police Chief Earl Dessert, School Resource Officer Garrett Danna and Officers Paul Janson and David Fortier and Dispatcher Barbara Boiteau, and from MSP, Sgt. Scott Shea, Trooper Farah Gray (the community liaison officer for Troop C), Trooper Aaron Richardson, Trooper Chad Luna, who is Luna’s handler, and Trooper Scott Irish, who is Pippen’s handler. We had a blast, and look forward to doing more of these events in the coming year.”-Massachusetts State Police.

Massachusetts State Police photo.

Massachusetts State Police photo.

Massachusetts State Police photo.