U.S. Rep, High-Ranking Democrat, Selling MA Home: Patch PM

MASSACHUSETTS — It's Monday, Nov. 22. Here's what you should know this afternoon:

• The Worcester branch of the NAACP is reacting to the Friday not-guilty verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, urging residents upset by the outcome to focus on local change.
• A Massachusetts family is sponsoring 21 Afghan refugees seeking humanitarian parole but fears a backlog of approvals threatens their safety.
• Massachusetts travelers should be prepared for busier roads and airports this Thanksgiving than last year, as holiday travel approaches pre-pandemic levels.

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

Today's Top Story

One of the most powerful politicians from Massachusetts is on the move — but not too far.

U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark confirmed Monday afternoon she's leaving her longtime home in Melrose, saying her family will "downsize" and move to Revere. Clark's home in Melrose hit the real estate market late last week. The listing price for 64 Prospect St.: $2.1 million.

"Melrose has been a wonderful home for over 20 years," Clark said in a statement Monday afternoon. "It's where my husband and I raised our children and where I began my service as an elected official. With my children off to college and their own careers, we have decided to downsize and move to Revere. While Melrose will always be a very special place for us, I'm excited to call another incredible city in the Fifth District home."

Clark, 58, is well positioned to possibly succeed Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Read the full story.

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Monday's Other Top Stories

Afghan refugees try to flee to MA: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has struggled to keep up with the surge in applicants to a little-used program known as humanitarian parole but promises it's ramping up staff to address the growing backlog. Afghan families in the U.S. and the immigrant groups supporting them say the slow pace of approvals threatens the safety of their loved ones, who face an uncertain future under the hard-line Islamic government because of their ties to the West. "We're worried for their lives," says Safi, a Massachusetts resident whose family is sponsoring 21 relatives seeking humanitarian parole. "Sometimes, I think there will be a day when I wake up and receive a call saying that they're no more."

More Rittenhouse reaction in MA: The Worcester branch of the NAACP is reacting to the Friday not-guilty verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, urging residents upset by the outcome to focus on local change. In a statement released late Sunday night, Worcester NAACP President Fred Taylor urged residents to rally around the group's local initiatives: as task force to oversee Worcester's ARPA funds; a civilian oversight board for police; and body cameras for police. On Friday, a jury found Rittenhouse not guilty on five charges, including two charges of first-degree murder.

Man who fled U.S. gets life in 2014 killing: A Lowell man was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison Thursday for the 2014 shooting of a Lynn man, the Essex District Attorney's Office said Monday. Hector Diaz Emiliano, a/k/a Nelson J. Rodriguez Figueroa, of Lowell, shot Omar Ortiz Lopez, 35 of Lynn, on Nov. 29, 2014, the jury found. The shooting took place outside an apartment complex in Lynn. The defendant fled the country and was arrested by U.S. marshalls in Jan. 2018 in Puerto Rico, according to the news release.

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

By The Numbers

$150,000: The amount of MBTA passes a Worcester man stole by purchasing them with fake identities. Kokou Kuakmensah, 31, was sentenced Friday to five years in prison and three years of supervised release.

2021 Thanksgiving Travel Guide

Massachusetts travelers should be prepared for busier roads and airports this Thanksgiving than last year, as holiday travel approaches pre-pandemic levels. If you do end up traveling this week, we have you covered. We'll be updating this story through the holiday weekend with the latest on travel conditions in New England.