As MA School Bus Driver Pinch Eases, Guard Callup Ends: Patch PM

MASSACHUSETTS — It's Tuesday, Nov. 9. Here's what you should know this afternoon:

• A Dorchester man has been arrested in connection with an "aggravated sexual assault" after he allegedly hit a girl in the head then tried to drag her into the woods.
• Melrose's elections administrator was ousted from his position four days before the election, an exit he called an unexpected and bitter ending to a short stint in City Hall.
• Swampscott is seeing an escalation in protest activity — which residents and officials said has involved targeting and videotaping children attending school in the area — has caused a renewed call to do something about protesters.

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

Today's Top Story

The Massachusetts National Guard will no longer transport students to and from school, as enough bus drivers have been hired to fill staffing gaps, officials announced on Monday.

Also on Patch: Some MA Towns Offering Snow Plow Drivers $155 Per Hour

At the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, Gov. Charlie Baker activated the Massachusetts National Guard to assist school districts amid "an unprecedented, national shortage of bus drivers," officials said.

From Sept. 14 to Nov. 5, nearly 200 Guard personnel traveled over 300,000 miles to oversee nearly 15,000 student drop-offs and pick-ups in 13 school districts across the Commonwealth.

Read the full story.

Like this article? Sign up for our newsletter and get it delivered every weekday. It's free!

Tuesday's Other Top Stories

Man accused of attempted rape, attack on girl: A Dorchester man has been arrested in connection with an "aggravated sexual assault" after he allegedly hit a girl in the head then tried to drag her into the woods, police said. At around 1:30 p.m. in the area of Sharp Street, the man allegedly approached the juvenile female from behind, struck her in the head with an unknown object, then attempted to drag her toward a nearby wooded area, Boston police said. Naeem Patrick, 29, of Dorchester, was arrested at around 8:20 p.m. Monday by the Boston Police Department Special Investigations Unit, the Sexual Assault Unit and C-11 detectives.

Melrose ousts election official: The city's elections administrator was ousted from his position four days before the election, an exit he called an unexpected and bitter ending to a short stint in City Hall. Nicholas Leon had taken over for Joanne Perperian in early August after she became assistant city clerk earlier in the summer. But it was Perperian who handled many of the election duties leading up to and including Tuesday, causing even some poll workers to wonder where Leon was. When Patch asked why Leon had not been involved, City Clerk Kristin Foote said he was no longer employed with the city effective Oct. 29.

Massachusetts: Tell Someone You're Grateful For Them This Holiday Season

Picture This: Wanted By Transit Police

Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a man wanted in connection with an incident in which a woman had derogatory racial slurs directed at her while riding the MBTA. The incident took place on Friday at around 10:53 a.m. on the red line between Kendall Station and Park Street, MBTA police said. The woman was with a 1-year-old child, police said, and she also had a glass water bottle thrown at her.

They Said It

"Oftentimes a law and common sense go in different directions. This is clearly one of them. I can only assure you that every member of the police department is frustrated with our inability to do something about what we all recognize as being bad."

• Acting Swampscott Police Chief David Kurz. The recent escalation in protest activity — which residents and officials said has involved targeting and videotaping children attending school in the area — has caused a renewed call to do something about protesters.

In Case You Missed It

Danvers superintendent may be placed on leave: Passionate public comment, defense of a yearlong investigation process, calls for Danvers School Committee members to resign and a motion to place Superintendent of Schools Lisa Dana on administrative leave filled the first two hours of the School Committee's emotional meeting on accusations 0f homophobic hazing and racial taunts within the hockey program Monday night. The committee will take up the motion to place Dana on leav at an executive session scheduled for Nov. 15.

By The Numbers

$155: The hourly rate Worcester and Lowell are offering to snow plow drivers who have their own equipment. Massachusetts towns are struggling to fill their open plow driver positions as winter approaches.