N.H. Threat Led To Police At Merrimack Valley Schools: Patch PM

MASSACHUSETTS — It's Thursday, Sept. 30. Here's what you should know this afternoon:

• Schools in the Merrimack Valley and across two states were on high alert after a shooting threat was made at a New Hampshire school.
• A U.S. Senate panel was deadlocked on Rachel Rollins's nomination for U.S. Attorney.
• Smith & Wesson is leaving Springfield after nearly 170 years, citing proposed legislation that would restrict the firearms it can manufacture.
• A significant segment of Patriots fans may not be able to watch Tom Brady's return to Foxborough this Sunday night.

Today's top story: New Hampshire Threat Leads To Investigations In Massachusetts

An unfounded shooting threat on a bathroom wall in New Hampshire led to potential high school safety issues and investigations in two states.

Patty Sherman, a co-superintendent for Pembroke, New Hampshire school district, confirmed the threat was graffiti written on the wall of a bathroom stall that "indicated a threat to the school community" at Pembroke Academy.

Officials quickly determined that the threat was not credible.

But the threat spread on Snapchat, sparking alarm across both New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In the Bay State, at least four high schools — Haverhill, Lawrence, Peabody, and Waltham — reported threats and began investigations. Other districts, including Andover, North Andover, Wilmington and Tewksbury said they had seen no such threats directed at the district.

Officials at the four Massachusetts high schools increased police presence in the wake of the Snapchat threat, "out of an abundance of caution," noted Waltham School Superintendent Brian Reagan.

Read the full story here

Thursday's other top stories

Ortiz Shooting Suspect Killed: One of the suspects sought in connection to the near-fatal shooting of David Ortiz was shot to death, according to a Dominican newspaper. Luis Alfredo Rivas Clase was shot multiple times Sunday afternoon in Santiago, Listin Diario reported

Tour O' Scary Yards: Patch is compiling its annual Halloween list of yard haunts that are worth gaping at. Proud of your display? Check out the posts below for information on how to get it featured:

• Andover
• North Andover
• Tewksbury
• Wilmington
• Woburn

Rollins on hold: A U.S. Senate panel is split along party lines when it comes to Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins's nomination for U.S. Attorney in Massachusetts. See what Republicans said about the progressive prosecutor.

Shooting their way out of town: Smith & Wesson, the gun manufacturer based in Springfield for over a century and a half, is moving its headquarters out of Massachusetts due to proposed legislation the company said will hurt business. Here's where it's going.

There's always the radio: NBC is salivating over Tom Brady's return to New England. But a sizable segment of fans may not be able to watch the Buccaneers-Patriots game this weekend. Read why.

Cold case cracked: A Georgia man has been charged with the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old girl in Malden 30 years ago. Rodney Daniels, 48, was arrested in South Fulton, GA after a Middlesex grand jury indicted him on a charge of first-degree murder on Monday. He was scheduled to be arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court on Thursday. Read more.

Picture This

The state's second major offshore wind port could be coming to Salem Harbor as part of the "Commonwealth Wind" plan officials unveiled at a Salem Wharf news conference on Thursday.

By The Numbers

$100 million — The price tag on a liquified national gas facility being considered near Worcester, where residents are expressing their opposition.