Murray to Resign June 2; Patrick Calls Him 'Outstanding Partner'

Outgoing lieutenant governor said recent controversies had nothing to do with decision to resign.

Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Tim Murray said none of the controversies that have dogged him during his tenure on Beacon Hill contributed to his decision to announce his resignation. In a press conference at the State House Wednesday, Murray said his final day on the job will be June 2. The next day he will take over as president and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce where his salary will reportedly be around $200,000. In January, Murray said he had no intention of running for governor when Gov. Deval Patrick's term expires in January 2015. "This has been a very difficult but empowering decision," Murray said. "It has been an honor to serve as lieutenant governor." Patrick called Murray an "outstanding partner" during his time in …

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Accident Levels Stop Sign and Signal at Concord-Lincoln Line

An afternoon accident Bypass and Lexington roads on the Concord-Lincoln line created a peculiar scene and slowed traffic Thursday as three agencies pieced together what happened.

Police from Concord, Lincoln and the National Park Service responded to an unusual accident Thursday afternoon that leveled traffic signals and slowed traffic at the town line. The accident occurred around 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 16, where Lincoln's Bypass Road meets Concord's Lexington Road on Route 2A and the Battle Road through a Minute Man National Historical Park. A severed stop light laid atop a smaller Acura sedan parked alongside an NPS farm and cattle-covered field. A little ways to the west, a Stop and debris were strewn about a fork in the road. Concord Police and Fire Department personnel gathered at the scene, along with police from Lincoln and the NPS. As public safety personnel checked out the male driver, officers attempted…

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More Details on the Capture of an Escaped Prisoner in Concord

Police detail the chase and apprehension of the escaped prisoner who led law enforcement on a multi-agency, two-hour manhunt that traversed the town on Tuesday, May 14.

  Though he's been caught after a manhunt across Concord, it remains a mystery this evening why Freddie Deya fled from his minimum security work release Tuesday morning in Concord Center. Jailed on an assault and battery charge, the 25-year-old Deya was just months away from his parole eligibility this August and his release date was scheduled for Aug. 25, 2014, according to the Department of Corrections. He was doing his time at the Northeastern Correctional Center -- a pre-release facility colloquilly known as the Concord Farm for the cows that graze on parts of the lawn unoccupied by solar panels -- and worked as a dishwasher at the posh Colonial Inn.  But, in all likelihood, that changes now.  According to authorities, Deya, whose last…

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In the Kitchen with ...

The Sweet Science of Grapefruit Sauvignon Sorbet

We're ‘In the Kitchen’ with Reasons to be Cheerful, the popular West Concord ice cream shop.

Every so often, Patch will venture ‘In the Kitchen’ to bring you the story behind popular, outrageous and original dishes, snacks and drinks from our local restaurants, sweet spots and coffee shops. This week, we dropped by Reasons to be Cheerful, the popular ice cream shop in West Concord. R2BC, as it's known to locals, has made more than 150 differet flavors of ice creams and sorbets, and at any time has between 30 and 40 flavors in rotation. That combines the standards -- vanillas, chocolates and strawberries -- with seasonal selections like berry-based sorbet and egg nog ice cream around Christmas. Earlier this week, Reasons to be Cheerful let Patch in their kitchen while they whipped up a batch of Grapefruit Sauvignon Sorbet. WARNING…

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Concord Parents, Teachers Rally ‘Round Embattled CTA President

Impromptu Tuesday afternoon rally outside administration building leads to hallway meeting with Superintendent Diana Rigby.

  Dozens of Concord parents and teachers stayed after school on Tuesday, April 30, in a show of support for Merrie Najimy, the Concord Teachers Association president and third-grade teacher at Thoreau School who has allegedly been told her principal will not be recommending her rehire next year. The rally took place outside of the Ripley Administration Building, a hastily organized gathering called by the CTA after Najimy learned Tuesday morning she will not get a recommendation from Thoreau Principal Kelly Clough. Najimy told the crowd of about 50 that her situation is indicative of larger problems within the district, where teachers feel there is a top-down approach and things are done to them, not with them. “We are at a point where we …

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Puppet Parade Celebrates Earth Day in Concord

Musketaquid's annual Earth Day Parade had people dancing in the streets on Saturday, April 27.

Click through the photos and video above for some scenes from Musketaquid's annual Earth Day parade, held Saturday, April 27 in Concord.

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VIDEO: A Modern Day 'Patriot' Speaks in Favor of Concord's Bottle Ban

Concord's annual Town Meeting is voting on a motion to repeal its bottled water bylaw.

Concord resident Bob Lawson, in some kind of character, spoke in favor of upholding the town's landmark bylaw banning the sale of single-serve bottled water during annual Town Meeting on Wednesday night. As of 9:15 p.m., the vote is being counted. Stay tuned to Patch -- we'll let you know the results as soon as they're in.

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‘Let’s be Kind:’ In the Wake of Tragedy, a Message to Concord Town Meeting

Concord resident Tina Labadini, who has ties to the Sandy Hook school shooting in Newtown, Conn., addressed annual Town Meeting, which opened night Monday -- one week after the Boston Marathon bombing.

As a proper noun, Concord is a town. But lowercase the "c" and you've got something synonymous with harmony. So it seems fitting then, in light of recent tragedies, that a resident would stand in front of annual Town Meeting and encourage the nearly 1,000 Concordians assembled as the town's legislative body and say: "Let's be kind." Town Meeting opened Monday, one week removed from the Boston Marathon bombings that set off a week many feel was Massachusetts' most trying in recent memory. As part of the opening ceremonies resident Tina Labadini, who has ties to the Sandy Hook school shooting in Newtown, Conn., took the podium, saying as hearts go out to the victims there is a way for Town Meeting to honor them with its actions as well as …

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Doctor: 'Cautiously Optimistic' on Injured MBTA Officer's Recovery

Dr. David Miller said he was "cautiously optimistic" about Winchester native and MBTA Officer Richard Donohue Jr.'s recovery after he was wounded during a shoot-out with the Boston Marathon bombing suspects early Friday morning.

During a press conference Sunday afternoon at Mount Auburn Hospital, Dr. David Miller said he was "cautiously optimistic" about Winchester native and MBTA Officer Richard Donohue Jr.'s recovery after he was wounded during a shoot-out with the Boston Marathon bombing suspects early Friday morning. Following the conference, Dr. Russell Nauta, professor of surgery at Mount Auburn Hospital, explained what happened to Donohue Jr. "He was shot through the anterior thigh and there was an entrance wound and no exit wound so the bullet remains in the leg," Nauta said, adding that there were no fractures and partial transection of three out of the four blood vessels that are in the leg. "There was bleeding from the wound that led to cardiac arrest …

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Patriots' Day: Redcoats Roll on Lexington Green; Head for Concord

Patriots' Day dawned with drum beats and musketfire. Some video highlights form the annual re-enactment on Lexington's Battle Green.

Click the above video for some video highlights of Lexington's annual Patriots' Day re-enactment on the Battle Green. And be sure to stay tuned to Patch for continuing coverage of Patriots' Day festivities in Lexington and Concord.

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