'Defund The Police' Grabs Foothold Across Communities: Patch PM

Today is Monday, June 29.

The movement to defund the police is grabbing a foothold in communities across Massachusetts.

A Patch public records request found residents sent hundreds of emails to the Worcester City Council, many of which were asking councilors to reduce or eliminate city spending in the police department. The emails track the rise of a movement in Worcester — and across the state — dedicated to eliminating police funding, and how activists latched on to key political moments in recent weeks.

In Brookline, Town Meeting will consider two amendments that would cut funding for the $17 million police department and reallocate it to education, affordable housing and racial justice initiatives.

Last week saw Melrose officials reach a compromise to defuse a heated conversation about defunding city police.

In Milford, several officers responded to a report of people putting up a "defund the police" sign. Police arrived to find the sign actually read "defend the police."

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A 4-year-old boy is OK but remains shaken after being attacked by a lion's mane jellyfish while swimming at Eisman's Beach in Swampscott Saturday.

"He was covered in these tentacles that were wrapped around his belly and around his body all the way up to his face," the boy's mother told the Daily Item. "When my husband took the tentacles off of him, and even after putting the vinegar on, it looked like my son had been whipped."

Norwood Hospital is temporarily closed after flooding caused power outages in parts of the hospital on Sunday night. Heavy rain flooded the hospital basement and the hospital complex — cars in the hospital campus parking lot were submerged on Saturday.

No injuries were reported as a result of the power outage and the most critical patients were moved out of the hospital in the first wave of evacuations. At least 100 patients were evacuated and up to 40 more are planned to move on Monday as well.

Gov. Gina Raimondo on Monday gave the go-ahead for Rhode Island to move into phase 3 of the economic reopening plan as the spread of the coronavirus in the state has slowed. Her announcement came amid worrisome signs of increasing coronavirus cases in places like Florida, Texas, Arizona and California, which have closed bars and beaches that had reopened, and have reinstated hospital restrictions.

Encore Boston Harbor is furloughing thousands as it sets its sights on a July reopening. The resort and casino voluntarily closed March 15 to help curb the spread of the coronavirus and has remained shuttered under state regulations.The casino will open as part of Phase 3 of the state's reopening plan, expected to begin after July 6.

Also

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Now police are asking anyone who may have been on Route 495 and seen the events leading up to the crash to contact them.

Woburn Common Pride Flag Torn Down, Replacement Stolen

Gretchen Pollard-Ramos says she was heartbroken driving through Woburn common Saturday to find the Pride flag in the grass.

No Injuries In Melrose Apartment Fire

Residents — and a cat — were stranded outside as firefighters worked the West Wyoming Avenue apartment building.

Waltham Police: Leave Coyote Named 'Gramps' Alone

"He is an old-timer and doesn't get around as well as he used to. He likes to rest and take naps," police posted to social media.