Ill. congressman to meet with immigrants in Boston
BOSTON (AP) — An Illinois congressman is coming to Boston during a multi-city tour to raise awareness of the effects of deportations on immigrants and their families.
Rep. Luis Gutierrez is scheduled to meet with immigrant advocates Sunday at La Casa de la Cultura in Boston's East Boston neighborhood.
The Chicago Democrat will hear from immigrants caught in limbo by current immigration policy. He'll also meet with officials who oppose a federal program that allows local police departments to check the immigration status of people who are arrested.
Gutierrez is a strong advocate of bipartisan immigration reform legislation. He's also been a major supporter of the DREAM Act — a federal proposal that gives illegal immigrants a pathway to citizenship through college enrollment and military service.
Trial set to begin for NYC man in Harvard shooting
WOBURN, Mass. (AP) — A New York City man is set to go on trial for allegedly shooting a 21-year-old man to death in a Harvard University dormitory.
Jabrai Jordan Copney has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the 2009 shooting of Justin Cosby of Cambridge.
Prosecutors allege Copney shot Cosby in a robbery attempt during a deal to buy marijuana.
The men weren't Harvard students.
Jason Aquino, of New York City, pleaded guilty to reduced charges in a plea deal with prosecutors. Blayn Jiggetts, also of New York City, has also reached a plea deal and is expected to cooperate against Copney.
Copney's ex-girlfriend, a former Harvard student, has pleaded not guilty to hiding the gun and helping the men flee to New York.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday.
BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts' landmark health care initiative served as a blueprint for the national law signed by President Barack Obama. Now, Gov. Deval Patrick is hoping the state can again lead the way when it comes to curbing insurance costs.
Patrick wasn't in office when the 2006 bill passed, but it's fallen to his administration to make sure the complex measure doesn't collapse.
It's a task the Massachusetts Democrat has embraced. Earlier this year, Patrick filed a bill aimed at slowing the growth of premiums by rewarding doctors and hospitals for the quality of care, not the quantity.
Whether Patrick succeeds or not could have political repercussions for President Obama, a political ally of Patrick's.
If Massachusetts fails to cut costs, it could embolden opponents of the federal health care law.
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New England's tourism industry is looking to attract more overseas visitors by emphasizing a variety of recreational activities, from sailing trips to bed-and-breakfast bike routes.
More than 1.6 million overseas visitors came to New England in 2009. That's a slight decrease from the year before because of the global economy. But projections indicate a growth in overseas visitors through at least 2015, according to Discover New England, a marketing alliance for the six-state region that's holding its annual tourism summit Monday in New Hampshire.
The region is seeing a growth in visits from families. Tourism officials say good shopping, cheaper gasoline and the ability to see a variety of attractions in a relatively small area are some of the draws.
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (AP) — The environmental cleanup of a former New Bedford industrial site is getting started after decades of delay.
The cleanup of the Aerovox site starts Monday when workers begin preparing the site for the removal of hazardous materials, including solvents and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. The site also contains asbestos and mercury.
Removal of the contaminated soil probably won't start until late this month or May.
Marilyn Wade, project coordinator for URS Corp., the engineering firm hired by the owners, tells The Standard-Times the cleanup is expected to take five months.
City's water superintendent Jim Ricci says precautions are being taken to protect the air and water around the site.
Aerovox manufactured electrical components at the site from 1938 to 1973.
WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) — The state is getting ready to start planting trees in the Worcester area to replace those taken down because of the region's Asian longhorned beetle invasion.
The state Department of Conservation and Recreation is now making appointments with property owners who want new trees and live in the 94-square mile regulated area. State foresters will visit the locations to discuss tree selection and placement.
The state has already planted nearly 4,000 trees in the area and the goal is to plant 15,000 by the spring of 2012. The trees are paid for by a $4.5 million federal grant.
Nearly 30,000 trees either infected or at risk of infection by the hardwood-killing beetle have been taken down in Worcester, Boylston, West Boylston, Holden and Shrewsbury since August 2008.
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