Don’t mess with Medford’s Jingle Bells

Posted on November 19, 2008 by Peter Chianca
Filed Under Holidays | Leave a Comment

Poor Medford. It’s bad enough that Georgia is always challenging its claim that “Jingle Bells” was written within Medford city limits — Georgians say their native son James Pierpont wrote the song in his home state, but it’s been documented that he wrote it at Simpson’s Tavern, now 5 High St. in Medford, after watching the sleigh races along Salem Street one winter.

But now, it seems someone is even claiming the rights to the idea of a Jingle Bell Festival, like the one Medford’s been holding annually since 1998. Black Crow Media of Valdosta, Ga. says they’ve copyrighted the name, and that if Medford and Valdosta — the other town with a Jingle Bell Fest to its credit — want to hold one, they better pay up.

A legal battle’s a-brewin’, with longtime Medford Mayor Michael McGlynn prepared to hop a plane to Georgia to fight it out if he has to. Wicked Local Medford has the latest.

Burlgary suspects arrested in Lowell

Posted on November 19, 2008 by baaronson
Filed Under Police and crime, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

It took months, but the police finally got their man (or men in this case).

Police in Lowell yesterday arrested two men suspected of being involved with 50 or more home burglaries in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

For months, Lincoln and Concord police, in collaboration with other area departments, had been investigating a string of house breaks in several communities along Route 2 and Route 3 up to southern New Hampshire. Investigators identified Vincenzo Porfino, 26, and Steven Hardy, 21, both of Lowell, as suspects in the burglaries.

On Monday, officers followed the suspects’ vehicle into New Hampshire before Read more

A Japanese twist on Holocaust survival

Posted on November 19, 2008 by Rob Haneisen
Filed Under History, Inspiration | Leave a Comment

While most people are familiar with Oskar Schindler’s efforts to free Jews from Nazi death camps during World War II, many may not know of the thousands of Jews saved in Lithuania by a Japanese diplomat named Chiune Sugihara.

A Framingham man was one of thousands who received exit visas from Sugihara in 1940, thus saving him from German concentration camps.

Pumped up over falling fuel prices

Posted on November 19, 2008 by Alice Coyle
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

The economy may still be spiraling downward, but for the first time in a long time, the prices at the pumps are down.

Regular unleaded dipped below the $2 mark at Joe’s Gas on Route 44 at the Lakeville/Taunton town line putting a smile on the faces of customers filling up this week.

Station owner Ed Ibrahim hopes to lower prices to $1.50 by the end of this year, making it worth the drive to Lakeville.

11-month-old dies at family day care

Posted on November 19, 2008 by Sarah Corbitt
Filed Under News | Leave a Comment

An 11-month-old baby died at a Winchester family day care yesterday.

Don’t read this if you love dogs

Posted on November 19, 2008 by Sarah Corbitt
Filed Under Animals | Leave a Comment

A 1-year-old Springer Spaniel was found hanging from it’s run in it’s South Yarmouth backyard.

Firefighter injured in blaze

Posted on November 19, 2008 by Greg Reibman
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

A firefighter was hospitalized last night after falling through the floor of a home located near Boston College.

Another casualty of the decline of print media

Posted on November 19, 2008 by David Harris
Filed Under 617 area code, Business | 3 Comments

One of the most iconic newsstands in the country might be closing soon. Out of Town News, right in the middle of Harvard Square in Cambridge, has decided not to renew its lease.

Guns ‘n Things

Posted on November 18, 2008 by Greg Reibman
Filed Under 617 area code, Crime | Leave a Comment

Discounts of up to 40 percent at the Linens ’n Things in Newton weren’t enough to convince one middle-aged man to pull out his wallet. Instead, he flashed a gun at a handful of employees who were locking the store up..

Plymouth Rock studios team with MIT

Posted on November 18, 2008 by Sarah Corbitt
Filed Under Movie studio, Pop culture | Leave a Comment

It’s a Hollywood meets Cambridge story: Plymouth Rock Studios, who are building movie studios down in Plymouth, are teaming up with MIT’s Media Lab to investigate the Future of Storytelling.

Here’s the story in Plymouth.

Will North Shore Birth Center close?

Posted on November 18, 2008 by Peter Chianca
Filed Under Health | Leave a Comment

More than 200 protesters were on hand at the Beverly Hospital this morning to speak out against the proposed closure of the North Shore Birth Center, where many of them had delivered their babies through natural childbirth. The board of trustees is supposed to be deciding the center’s fate today, and Wicked Local Beverly is on the story.

Dog Whisperer wannabe arrested

Posted on November 18, 2008 by Rob Haneisen
Filed Under Animals, Crime | Leave a Comment

Sometimes there is a time to intervene and be a hero, and sometimes you should leave it to the professionals.

And sometimes, well maybe most times, when the police tell you to back off you should listen.

And lastly, when a large dog is protecting its owner because she has fallen and said large dog has already tried to bite someone else, you should not offer it your arm as an appetizer. Really. Wanna see where this is going?

Road work done … early?!?!

Posted on November 18, 2008 by Bryan Mahoney
Filed Under Highways and byways | Leave a Comment

Really … what’s the catch? Where’s the punchline?

A road project in Massachusetts actually got done ahead of schedule?

Next thing you know, they’ll be coming in under budget.

One of state’s most influential moderators leaves post

Posted on November 18, 2008 by Bryan Mahoney
Filed Under Elections, Politics | Leave a Comment

If you live outside Lexington you probably have never heard of Margery Battin. But your town owes a lot to her.

Battin is Lexington’s Town Meeting moderator, and she does much more than referee the 180-plus folks that form the main legislative body of that town.

She literally wrote the rules on how Town Meeting is supposed to work in Massachusetts, and was the first woman ever elected president of the Massachusetts Selectmen’s Association. She’s THE authority for other Town Meeting moderators on how they’re supposed to do their jobs.

Plus, she can make Town Meeting sound interesting. For that alone she deserves some sort of medal.

For these reasons, it’s a bit drearier in Lexington today knowing that she’s stepping down next year, leaving some enormous shoes to fill for anyone wanting to take her place.

BC student hit by train

Posted on November 18, 2008 by Sarah Corbitt
Filed Under Uncategorized | 1 Comment

A college student from Sudbury was badly hurt Monday morning when an MBTA trolley struck him as he crossed the tracks in Brighton, authorities said.

Hamilton-Wenham schools in lockdown

Posted on November 17, 2008 by Peter Chianca
Filed Under Breaking news | 2 Comments

Students at Miles River Middle School in Hamilton are about to be released from school — once they are checked out by metal detectors — after the Hamilton-Wenham middle and high schools went into lock down this afternoon. Hamilton Wenham Regional High School and Miles River Middle School went into lockdown mode earlier this afternoon following reports that something was found in the high school. Wicked Local Hamilton is following the story.

UPDATE: Students have been released, and authorities say a discovery of ammunition in one of the schools triggered the lockdown. Watch the video:

POLL: Toll hike or gas tax?

Posted on November 17, 2008 by Peter Chianca
Filed Under Highways and byways | Leave a Comment

Take the Wicked Local poll:

Murder suspect arraigned

Posted on November 17, 2008 by Jesse Floyd
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

A Wilmington man was stabbed to death Saturday afternoon outside an address on High Street. A suspect was in Woburn District Court Monday, charged with first-degree murder.