News

As the primary nears in New York’s 21st Congressional district race, the number of candidates is tightening. Two Republicans have dropped out, leaving two-time candidate Matt Doheny challenging former White House aide Elise Stefanik, who has party backing.
In the Democratic race, Stephen Burke is challenging endorsed candidate Aaron Woolf. And there may be a primary among the Green Party candidates. Matt Funicello is facing off against St. Lawrence County farmer and environmental advocate Donald Hassig.  In our continuing series, WAMC’s North Country Bureau Chief Pat Bradley talks with Hassig about his campaign.

A judge has ordered a mental health evaluation of a Vermont man charged with shooting and wounding two state police troopers and a disabled neighbor to determine if he is competent to stand trial.

“I started my freshman year as a Bio major and then I switched to marketing communications.”

“I entered college as a business major, then I switched to communications and public relations.”

“I started as an engineer, but now my major is communications.”

A statewide coalition of 30 organizations that assist homeless individuals in Massachusetts is lobbying the state legislature for an increase in funding.  State funding for their programs has remained stagnant for more than a decade.    WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill spoke with William Miller, executive director of  Friends of the Homeless in Springfield.

The body of a small boy apparently cast off the side of a highway in Massachusetts is confirmed as that of a missing 5-year-old.

Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. says the body found Friday off Interstate 190 in Sterling has been positively identified as Jeremiah Oliver of Fitchburg. No charges were immediately announced related to Jeremiah's death.

He was last seen by relatives in September but wasn't reported missing until December.

Early said in a statement Saturday that the autopsy report is not complete and the investigation is continuing.

The Passover ritual of the seder meal helps its participants to relive the Israelites’ terrifying transition from slavery to freedom in ancient Egypt. At the seder, eating the unleavened bread called matzah allows us to literally ingest this transitional experience.  According to the Bible, the Israelites baked matzah because they had no time to bake regular bread as they fled Egypt on their way to freedom.  Yet matzah is also called the bread of affliction and economic poverty that our enslaved ancestors ate in Egypt.  When we Jews eat matzah we are trying to get a taste, actually and symbolically, of what it feels like to live with one foot in slavery and one foot in freedom.  Hopefully, that makes us more appreciative of the meaning of both.

Massachusetts drivers will soon have an opportunity to purchase a “Boston Strong” license plate.

Gov. Deval Patrick on Friday signed into law a bill creating the specialty license plate. Proceeds from the sale of the $50 plate will go to benefit victims of  the  Boston Marathon bombing. The phrase “Boston Strong” became popular after the attacks. It was pointed to as a rallying cry by people who in a recent survey said the terrorist attack had left Boston a better place, according to Western New England University polling director Tim Vercellotti.

The Vermont Department of Labor says the state's unemployment rate dropped three-tenths of a percent last month to 3.4 percent, the fourth lowest unemployment rate in the country.

New York State Police say a mother and her 30-year-old son have been killed after the car they were driving went off the shoulder of a road, got airborne and slammed into a tree.

Troopers say in a statement Friday that Mervyn Albert of Schenectady was driving a 2005 Mazda too fast in the town of Saratoga when he lost control, ran off north shoulder and hit the tree.

Troopers say the accident occurred at about 2:30 p.m.

They say 56-year-old mom Angeli Persaud was in the passenger seat. The two family members were pronounced dead at the scene by the county coroner.

Vermont State Police say the pilot of a small plane that crashed next to Interstate 89 in Highgate on Friday suffered minor injuries after parachuting out of the plane to safety.