I saw the aftermath of this accident when I was driving home yesterday.

Tobin Bridge Accident

People have to be careful out there.

Sorry for the delayed posting - I went on vacation and never got into the swing of things once again. Now starting anew with more fun and exciting adventures from the North Shoah of Boston...

"Cops want action after club melee"
http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/news/view.bg?articleid=13464


Yes friends, it happened... again... issues at "The Lido" in Revere. As a result police and townsmen are calling for further security measures to be taken - metal detectors, more police presence and a $10 million insurance policy? (personal injury).

I guess the town selectmen are trying to play nice with both sides of the argument - police and the club owner. This could be in response/agreement with the club owners statement from 2005 after the first incident (stabbing) - "Owner Louis Delpidio told city officials in 2005 that the Lido, with its broad range of entertainment events and nearly 2,400-person capacity, is "a very profitable business in the city of Revere." I can hear the tax-registers going cha-ching with that statement.

And in case you are wondering, the 'broad range of entertainment' that the Lido offers ranges from DJs, Latin Discos, to Wrestling and Boxing events... walk across the street and you get greyhound racing and walk up the road a bit (well maybe drive) and you get horse racing at Suffolk Downs. The choices are endless folks!

Yes people - Lynn represented all over the place. This one came from a Vermont TV Station.

More than $1 million in cocaine found in car's trunk
http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=5355027&nav=4QcS

Man gets pulled over in Salem, NH... they search his car and find 1 Million Dollars in Cocaine. And yes friends, he is from Lynn, MA.

I love this city!

We haven't lost sight of Revere - I found something! And better yet it is quite possibly my favorite type of news...It links Revere and Lynn - even better!!!

Ex-convict released after robbery

http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/news/view.bg?articleid=13001

"Give me your money or I'll kill you." Seriously? Give me your money or I'll kill you? Sounds like a bad 80's action flick to me. C'mon... let's be creative.

Despite the lack of creativity and it sounding like a line from Magnum PI, I guess it worked.

"The Stop & Shop clerk handed over $991.77 in small bills and Graciale, 41, 4 Warren St.Revere, who was recently released from prison after a violent crime conviction, headed for the door as another employee called after him to stop."

...and where did he head you ask?

but to Lynn of course...

"With police from three surrounding towns searching for him, Graciale left the truck in a driveway at 9 Autumn St. in Lynn and walked to a bar.Lynn police later identified the Ford as the truck leaving the scene. After lighting a cigarette for Graciale, Lynn Police [that was nice of LPD] held him up for review as a Swampscott Police cruiser passed within 30 feet [what the?] allowing a Stop & Shop employee to positively identify him as the man who robbed the store.

"He is a real bad guy," [I love when they state the obvious] said Cassidy adding that Graciale recently left prison after completing serving a nine-year stretch for assault with intent to kill. When asked why Graciale was released after two violent charges in one month Karen Dawley, spokesperson for the Essex County District Attorney's Office, declined to answer and did not return calls.

Yeah I would say that would be a good idea...

But how's that for collaboration? We'll just call it the "Lynnway Connection"

Finally! A reason to visit Law-Town ...

Cheap gas triggers wait, lines at gas station - $2.65 People!
http://www.eagletribune.com/homepage/local_story_243093947?keyword=leadpicturestory

(BTW, You know it's bad when you are getting excited about gas that is $2.65 a gallon...)

Looks like I spoke too quickly for Law-Town

Taking the good with the bad...

Man arrested for threatening girlfriend with samurai sword
http://www.eagletribune.com/local/local_story_243142735
Ladies - this is the guy you want to bring home to meet mom and dad.

Bars will close earlier Sundays and Mondays:Can remain open to 2 a.m. only on Saturdays
http://www.eagletribune.com/local/local_story_243160635?page=0
In an effort to curb things like threats with a samurai sword and 'gang' related activity

When did Preston Beach become the new Laguna Beach?

Here's a quickie post that I couldn't delay - also a follow up from the 8.20 post about Swampscott Cracking down on underage drinking...well, they're still cracking down on underage drinking, except it seems like it is the same person over and over and over again.

http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/news/view.bg?articleid=12990

“Alex Goldstein, 20, 17 Pleasant St.., was arrested for the fourth time this month at approximately 1 a.m. on Sunday at a party on Preston Beach for drinking and drug possession. Thomas Popeo, 20, 132 Beach Bluff Ave., was arrested for his second time in as many weeks for drinking on the beach.”

1. DUH!!!
2. Intelligence much? Let's get creative people. This is more than a situation of being in the wrong place at the wrong time...
3. It must be nice just being able to pay off the $1,000 fine like it’s nothing – maybe they can share that with me?
4. Where are the parents? Maybe paying the fines?

Seriously, I could go on and on and on ... but I will stop there.

Anyone want to hedge a bet on the over/under of this making it to a 'dumbest criminals' DVD compilation?

SAT scores drop on North Shore, with some exceptions

http://www.salemnews.com/local/local_story_242145703

Don't worry folks... "it only tells part of the story" ... and it seems that SAT scores across the country saw a similar decline. Some say it is due in part to the extended test time due to the new writing section.

Overall though, things looked good for Massachusetts students - "Despite the dip, Massachusetts students still had the highest math score of any state in the nation."

See - we're WICKED SMAAAHHHT!

Peabody Mayor Takes Inmates Out to Lunch
http://www.salemnews.com/local/local_story_242145533?page=0

I am befuddled by this article. On one hand, I am happy that some of these guys *sound* like they are on the right path... but what really blows my mind is that these guys "donated their time to the city". Donated? Really? I wonder how much tax payer money they used up when they committed their crimes to begin with. I think this is a good program, but donating their time? I'd like to look at it as working it off...

Sorry for the delay in posts - there was so much going on in the NS that I couldn't keep up ...

Ok friends, there has been a plethora of things going on this week - where to start ...

Malden - "Routine traffic stop turns up three guns: Recent increase in gun use alarming to police"

Now, I would just like to note that one of these guys was from Lynn - love the double representation here...

Car is pulled over and due to a shifty back seat passenger, Malden PD finds several weapons including a sawed off shotgun. Isn't that great? Not to mention that in the past 7 weeks Malden PD has confiscated a record number of guns. Excellent!

http://www.townonline.com/malden/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=562585&format=&page=1

Lynn - oh how I love thee ...

Officials call for tighter LNG security
http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/news/view.bg?articleid=12960

In case you haven't heard about this yet, there was a cut in the fence around some power supply... but no one knew for about a week. But don't worry, no terrorist threat detected. In subsequent reports they also noted exactly what a terrorist attack would do - including the exact radius that would be impacted.

Awesome... why don't we just write an instruction manual next time ... Geez!

How we love Law-town!

Car Insurance Fraud, Mortgage Fraud ... now "Thieves selling stolen baby formula and buying heroin, say police" - http://www.eagletribune.com/local/local_story_233064533?page=0 Now this is interesting. People are running into your local supermarket/drugstore to steal baby formula (and diapers in some cases) to sell them on the street for heroin. Budding entrepreneurs, I guess. I guess anything to get a fix, but I question what mother/father is buying this stuff from local heroin addicts? Not sure I would want to buy that stuff from a guy on the street. To each their own, right?

Malden police take suspect from Townsend into custody after he dragged a state police officer with his car - "Police arrest suspect in hit-and-run" http://www.townonline.com/malden/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=557671

Man stabbed at 7 Eleven - http://www.townonline.com/malden/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=557676 I think the article sums it up best:

"Adam DeCastro, 18, of 2 Magnolia Ave., Saugus, turned himself in to Malden Police around 1 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 13, and was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and attempted murder. The incident began before midnight on Saturday when DeCastro and his girlfriend reportedly decided to stop at the 24-hour convenience store and thank an attendant for calling the police during a fight that took place a few weeks earlier, police said."

What a guy - stopping to say thank you to the attendant and even turning himself into police.

"While you were out" Police Edition. "Takin' what they're givin'" Inmates help give Malden police headquarters a face-lift. http://www.townonline.com/malden/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=557672

Ah, Lynn - a place near and dear to the heart... just couldn't stay out of the headlines for too long...
Please dont tell my kids. http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/news/view.bg?articleid=12900
This guy just cracks me up. Sounds like he has a pretty exciting life... "At the arraignment, prosecutors said Surette told police he wasn't supposed to be drinking, but he likes to drink and look at pornography on Sunday -- something he said he had been doing for 10 years." Wow.... just WOW.

"More teens arrested for underage drinking" in Swampscott. (Fifty in the last two weeks, but who's counting) http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/news/view.bg?articleid=12901 But don't worry, they weren't wasting their time with the cheap stuff like yesteryear - "'The youth told Doyle the bottles were filled with whiskey,' he said." Maybe Marblehead should continue to be on the lookout for drunk drivers.

Now, that wasn't very intelligent - "Man jumps to avoid police, lands in hospital"
http://www.salemnews.com/local/local_story_231130554?page=0

Marblehead is taking a bite out of crime. The sheer essence of citizen's arrest - http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/news/view.bg?articleid=12886

Ah 114, the greatest "highway" north of Boston. It's a good thing Richardson's is off the section with a 'turning' lane. http://www.salemnews.com/opinion/local_story_229152558?page=0 I would like to know how they could fix this, though. It is getting more and more congested with more developments going in... could this turn into a state highway improvement project? Check back in 2026 for it's status.

No seriously guys this one is too good to pass on from Haverhill -

"Mother approved of son's underage drinking parties" http://www.eagletribune.com/hhnews/local_story_230101105?keyword=topstory+page=0
It's no wonder why kids are the way they are today ... There are several parts of this article that are my favorites - classics in my book:

"According to police, his mother admitted she smokes "marijuana once in a while." In a first-floor office, police found an ashtray full of marijuana "roaches" she said belonged to her.
She also told police she had a bag of marijuana upstairs in her bedroom bureau. She tried to locate it for the officers but could not find it. She then called her daughter and asked in front of officers, "Hey honey, do you remember where I put the bag of weed I took to the Red Sox game the other night?"

But that's not even the best part...

"I could have smoked it already," Laureen McGlinchey then said, according to police reports."

Just a classic. Add this to the 'blog quote wall'. Sweetheart - tip your glass and smoke another one.

Not too much action in the EC since yesterday - but here are a few fun clippings -

Peabody unveils plan to stop city flooding: http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/news/view.bg?articleid=12688&format= It's about time. Five decades and 8 major floods later...

Peabody Fire house deemed structurally 'unsound' after all of the intense flooding this spring: http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/news/view.bg?articleid=12887 This is excellent news since they slashed the budget for the FD. Hopefully this won't make taxes go up too much.

Lawrence mayor approves illegal stadium leases in Lawrence because he didn't "consult" with the city counselors - http://www.eagletribune.com/local/local_story_229064833?keyword=topstory Honestly though, who can blame the guy for trying to get some funds into the city? He gets my vote.

Lynn youth gang violence has 'quieted a little': http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/news/view.bg?articleid=12884 Every little bit counts, right? Next they can quiet the hoodlums on my street who like to 'race' their loud motorcycles at 2:30 in the morning night after night.

And in some more enlightening news - the Salem News and the Eagle Tribune are reporting that the North Shore and Merrimack Valley blood supply running 3,000 pints low - so friends, get out and give blood!

As always, if you would like to see your city or town included in the daily report, leave a comment or shoot over an email!

Have a great day!

Car insurance fraud and now mortgage application fraud…. Law-town makes it back into local headlines…
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/08/16/state_closes_2_mortgage_firms_in_lawrence/?p1=MEWell_Pos3

Fire at Suffolk Downs… but don’t worry folks, no horses were hurt…
http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=536298&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.2.1

Peabody is now on the list of questionable areas…
http://www.salemnews.com/local/local_story_228094404 and http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/news/view.bg?articleid=12848

But to end on a positive note…(for the first time ever)

I quote, “They are considered among the region's most prized natural jewels.” That’s right there’s no need to grab the spectacles to re-read this quote from Boston.com. They are talking about Revere and Lynn Beaches …
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/08/13/panel_wants_a_better_day_at_the_beach/