MA Teachers Blast State's School Reopening Guidelines: Patch PM

MASSACHUSETTS — It's Monday, Aug. 24. Here's what Patch has been covering across Massachusetts today:

Friday's recommendation from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's that remote teachers work from empty classrooms was soundly blasted by the state's largest teachers union.

"It is paternalistic and punitive and has no bearing on the quality of education that the real experts — the educators — provide so masterfully," Massachusetts Teachers Association President Merrie Najimy said. "This new guidance is clearly designed to force local educators' unions to agree to in-person learning regardless of the condition of the school buildings in their districts, indoor air quality, testing capabilities or area COVID-19 transmission rates."

Most Massachusetts school districts are planning to reopen next month with teachers either offering instruction remotely or by offering a mix of remote and in-person learning. State Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley said his recommendation that teachers work from classrooms offer the educators access to a broad range of instructional materials and reliable internet access (read the full story).

Across Massachusetts

FBI, Hazmat Response To Quincy Storage Facility

The FBI won't say what their looking for, only saying it was conducting a court-authorized activity in connection with an ongoing federal investigation.

Farmers’ Almanac Predicts Cold, Snowy Winter In Massachusetts

Here in Massachusetts, the Farmers' Almanac says we can expect a cold, snowy winter that will go on longer than we'd like: the Farmers' Almanac is predicting a late-season blizzard for the last week of March that will start in the Mid-Atlantic and tear through central New England.

Anthony Martignetti, Star Of Iconic Spaghetti Commercial, Dies

Martignetti starred the Prince ad campaign, which ingrained Wednesday as "spaghetti day" for a generation of television viewers and showed him running through the streets as an actress portraying his mother called her son to dinner. (Read more)

Proposed MBTA Budget Doesn't Include Fare Hikes — For Now

Even with the federal funds, MBTA officials are still looking for $400 million in cost cuts or new revenue. While the agency said there would be no fare hikes in the fiscal year that started July 1, it did not rule out future fare increases.

Also today:

• Man Accused Of Sex Trafficking At Encore Casino, Natick Hotel
• Men Charged In Stealing, Defacing 'Thin Blue Line' Flag: Police
• Woman Seeks Change After Husband's Death In Crash

Dave Copeland covers the North Shore for Patch. He can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).