FBI Questioned Candidate, Ex-Teacher About Jan. 6 Riot: Patch PM

MASSACHUSETTS — It's Tuesday, Oct. 26. Here's what you should know this afternoon:

• The worst of an autumn nor'easter will hit Massachusetts tonight, with up to six inches of rainfall forecast for much of the state.
• A Concord-Carlisle High School employee is on paid leave as the school investigates his use of a racial slur while coaching in a high school football game.
• A school bus struck and killed a woman walking her dog in Mattapan Tuesday morning.

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

Today's Top Story

A candidate for Braintree school committee and a former teacher at Braintree High School said he has been visited twice by the FBI since participating in the Jan. 6 rally in support of President Donald Trump that turned violent as some attendees stormed the Capitol.

Matthew Lynch resigned from his teaching position in February. He had been a teacher in the district for about 10 years. In an email exchange with Patch, Lynch confirmed he had been questioned by FBI agents investigating the Jan. 6 riot, which left five people dead and injured at least 138 police officers.

Lynch did not elaborate on the nature of the FBI interviews, and did not respond when asked if he was a target of an FBI investigation. "Good luck with your article...hope you don't print false information!" Lynch said in response to an email asking if he had received a target letter from the FBI.

Read the full story.

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Tuesday's Other Top Stories

Latest on Nor'easter: Tuesday night will be the worst of an autumn nor'easter settling over Massachusetts. Strong winds, heavy rainfall and a dangerous surf are the chief concerns for forecasters. In all, 4-6 inches of rain are expected in the hardest-hit areas of the state. Wind could be the most treacherous part of the storm. Gusts will be at their worst Tuesday into Wednesday, potentially reaching as high as 70 miles per hour.

Concord-Carlisle teacher on leave for using slur: A Concord-Carlisle High School employee is on paid leave as the school investigates an incident they say happened at a game Friday night. An email from Concord Public Schools Superintendent Laurie Hunter said the faculty member was said to have used the N-word while coaching for Newton South High School. Hunter said that a faculty member has been placed on paid leave pending a complete investigation.

School bus hits, kills dog walker: A woman walking in Mattapan Tuesday was struck and killed by a school bus. Police and fire officials responded to the area of Walk Hill Street just before 7 a.m. to find the woman had sustained serious injuries. The unidentified victim was taken to the hospital and later died. WCVB reported witnesses saying the person hit in the crash was a woman who often walked her dog in that area. The driver of the bus, which was not a Boston Public Schools bus, did not sustain any injuries, police added.

Heading to Salem to celebrate Halloween this month? Read Patch's visitor's guide.

Picture This: Kidnapping suspect at large

Boston police are asking for the public's help in locating a man wanted on multiple charges, including kidnapping. Reyes Familia, who is described as a Hispanic male, 5'11", and weighs approximately 235 pounds, is also accused of trafficking a person for sexual servitude, deriving support from prostitution, and assault and battery with a deadly weapon.

Election 2021

Markey endorses Medford mayor's reelection bid: U.S. Sen. Ed Markey has endorsed Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn for re-election, her campaign announced Monday. "For two decades as a city councilor and as mayor, Breanna Lungo-Koehn has shown leadership, vision, and an unwavering commitment to the people of Medford," Markey said. "There is no substitute for the experience she has demonstrated, especially during these challenging months during COVID. I look forward to better days ahead for Medford with Breanna at the helm."

In Case You Missed It

More legal trouble for former Patriots safety: Patrick Chung, the popular ex-Patriot who won three Super Bowls with New England, was arrested Sunday and charged with assault and battery on a family member and vandalizing property. The arrest could spell further legal issues for Chung. The former safety was indicted on cocaine possession charges in 2019, but the state of New Hampshire opted to conditionally dismiss those charges in early 2020. One of those conditions was staying out of legal trouble for two years. If he violated the terms of the agreement, New Hampshire could prosecute him on those charges.

Mask mandate extended: All K-12 public schools in Massachusetts will extend a mask requirement through at least January 15, 2022, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education said Tuesday. After consulting with medical experts and state health officials, Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley notified school districts of this change to help allow time for the elementary school population to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.