Senate Confirms Suffolk DA Rollins As U.S. Attorney: Patch PM

MASSACHUSETTS — It's Wednesday, Dec. 8. Here's what you should know this afternoon:

• A Massachusetts man is out of prison after 27 years in custody for what a court determined was a wrongful conviction.
• 'Let's Go, Brandon' stores selling pro-Donald Trump and anti-Joe Biden merchandise have opened four locations in Massachusetts.
• It's National Brownie Day, and a Norwood company is celebrating with what they believe is the world's largest pot brownie.

Scroll down for more on those and other stories Patch has been covering in Massachusetts today.

Today's Top Story

The Senate voted to confirm Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins U.S. Attorney in Massachusetts. Vice President Kamala Harris broke a 50-50 tie in Wednesday afternoon's party-line vote.

While U.S. Attorney nominations are usually confirmed with little opposition, Rollins faced fierce opposition from some lawmakers for declining to prosecute some low-level, non-violent offenses. Critics, including Republican senators Tom Cotton and Ted Cruz, have labeled her "pro-crime" and "radical."

Democrats in her corner cited the bipartisan First Step Act – signed by former President Trump –which Sen. Dick Durbin said "raised the same question she had raised, where should we draw the line."

Read the full story.

Wednesday's Other Top Stories

4-alarm fire in Everett: A fire in Everett that sent a large plume of smoke into the sky Wednesday morning has reached four alarms, according to the Cambridge Fire Department, which is providing support at the scene. A hazmat response has also been requested, the department said in a tweet. Smoke billowing from the fire could be seen for miles. Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria said the fire is at the Schnitzer Steel property, which is located on Rover Street.

Wrongfully convicted man freed after serving 27 years in prison: A Massachusetts man is out of prison after 27 years in custody for what a court determined was a wrongful conviction. James Lucien, 48, was convicted in 1995 in the shooting death of 23-year-old Ryan Edwards, the news station reported. Judge Robert Ullman cleared his conviction Tuesday in Suffolk County Superior Court. An officer involved in Lucien's case had been involved in a corruption scheme from 1990-1996.

'Let's Go, Brandon' stores open in MA: Stores selling pro-Donald Trump and anti-Joe Biden merchandise have opened in Massachusetts under a new name. The "Let's Go, Brandon" stores were branded as New England for Trump in the past, according to owner Keith Lambert. All stores sell the same merchandise, including hats, flags, hooded sweatshirts, t-shirts, soda bottles, and much more. There are locations in Bellingham, Easton, Hanson, Somerset, and North Attleboro.

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Picture This: Who wants a bite?

Spirits were high in Norwood Tuesday as the corporate headquarters of a Massachusetts-based cannabis facility celebrated the unveiling of its new brand by baking what they called "the world's largest pot brownie" in advance of National Brownie Day on Wednesday. MariMed, a leading multi-state cannabis operator, decided to commemorate the launch of its new brand, "Bubby's Baked," a cannabis-infused, homemade brownie by baking a massive version that is believed to be the largest THC-infused one ever created.

They Said It

"In as much as a new mascot might be identified, the choice may in fact be to maintain what is currently there."

• Melrose School Committee member Liz DeSelm, dispelling assumptions that changing the high school's Red Raider mascot is a done deal.

In Case You Missed It

Fired TikTok teacher sues: A Bourne school committee member who is running for state Senate filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Hanover Public School Superintendent Matthew A. Ferron and Hanover High School Principal Matthew Mattos in U.S. Federal Court in Boston last week. Kari MacRae's lawsuit, which was filed on her behalf by the conservative advocacy group Judicial Watch, claims she was fired after media reports in September about the videos she posted on TikTok began during her campaign for the Bourne School Committee election on May 18. In a video posted on the day of the election, MacRae said she was running for school committee to make sure students "are not being taught critical race theory" and "they're not being taught that they can choose whether or not they want to be a girl or a boy."