GateHouse News Service New England Budget • January 2, 2008
Here are the top New England regional stories coming today from GateHouse News Service. Stories are available at gatehousenewsservice.com. Please submit stories below no later than 6 p.m. local time, unless you have breaking news that is changing significantly. Questions?
Contact: Chris Biondi, (508) 626-4343, cbiondi@gatehousemedia.com
News
SOUTH SHORE RESIDENTS GIVE ROMNEY A BOOST - South Shore donors favor Gov. Mitt Romney among the presidential candidates, pumping more than $202,000 into the Belmont resident's campaign. Sen. Hillary Clinton received more than $108,000 from the South Shore during the same period, putting her first among the Democratic candidates.
Ledger, Saldinger, 20 inches, on wire now
With South Shore town-by-town breakdown of donations as of Sept. 30
With file mug of Romney
REPAIRS COMPLETE ON BEVERLY-SALEM RAILROAD BRIDGE - The first commute of 2008 started off on the wrong track Wednesday morning with the Beverly-Salem railroad bridge again out of operation, but the MBTA had the bridge repaired just past noon.
Beverly Citizen, Dan Mac Alpine and Bobby Gates, 15 inches, on wire now
BROCKTON TEEN KILLED JUST AFTER START OF NEW YEAR - Markeen Starks had spent the night telling everyone about his big plans for 2008. But those dreams were cut short less than an hour into the new year, when Starks was stabbed to death in the street outside a family party.
Enterprise, Alspach, 18 inches, on wire now
With photo
COLLEGE TUITION SCAM? - Chase story about Mahesh Sharma of Framingham, president of
Cambridge College, who has been suspended and might be fired for allegedly trying to use college money to pay nephew's tuition in India, and other things.
MetroWest, Reuell, 15 inches, 6 p.m.
HEATING OIL AND COLD - People who depend on heating oil assistance are already coming up short. Bad news considering it will zero tomorrow night.
MetroWest, McDonald, 15 inches, 6 p.m.
With photos possible
SELF-EXTINGUISHING CIGARETTES - Reaction to state law now mandating self-extinguishing cigs in Massachusetts.
MetroWest, Kelly, 15 inches, 6 p.m.
Business
MASSACHUSETTS PLANS SLIDING PENALTY SCALE FOR UNINSURED - Adults who state officials say can afford health insurance but who remain uninsured throughout 2008 will face penalties of up to $912, according to proposed guidelines announced Monday by the state Department of Revenue.
Ledger, Bauer, 12 inches, on wire now
MASSACHUSETTS CHARITABLE GROUPS FIGHT OVER 'BIG SISTERS' - The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay's CEO says his mentoring organization will continue to work on collaborative efforts with the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston despite a legal battle between the two nonprofit groups.
Ledger, Chesto, 14 inches, on wire now
Opinions
GRANLUND: ROAD SALT - Cartoon on salt supplies running low.
MetroWest, on wire now
GRANLUND: PLOW GPS - Cartoon on why snowplow drivers don't want GPS monitoring.
MetroWest, on wire now
GRANLUND: METEOROLOGISTS - Cartoon on meteorologists getting a refresher course in predicting the weather.
MetroWest, on wire now
EDITORIAL: DEVAL ONE YEAR IN - After a year in office, Deval Patrick has delivered on few of his promises.
MetroWest, 6 p.m.
MAHONEY: IOWA CAUCUS SAUSAGE FACTORY - You get used to the stink
Ledger, on wire now
EDITORIAL: TOO MUCH POWER FOR TOO FEW PEOPLE - The disproportionate quadrennial attention given to the rural white states of Iowa and New Hampshire should be reexamined after this presidential primary season comes to a close.
Ledger, on wire now
Sports
A PRO SPORTS BUDGET will be e-mailed this afternoon
Lifestyles
=======================================================
GETAWAY/IN NEW ENGLAND PACKAGE FOR JAN. 9 PUBLICATION
GETAWAY: OFF-SEASON BERMUDA DELIGHTS - Winter is not high tourist season in Bermuda and that's just fine for those of us who enjoy peace and quiet. There are no tourist crowds; no cruise ship passengers walking through the streets or in the shops.
IN NEW ENGLAND: WALKING THROUGH PORTSMOUTH'S BLACK HISTORY - The restored homes of Strawbery Banke offer a far different view of Portsmouth, N.H., than that seen by those in chains aboard slave ships arriving in the Colonial port.
=======================================================
WORLD WAR II DRAMA UNFOLDS IN 'COPENHAGEN' - Michael Frayn is a playwright, so his ruminations on the legendary meeting became a play. In his award-winning, 10-year-old play, "Copenhagen," the characters of Heisenberg and Bohr (along with Bohr's wife) reminisce about the meeting and its moral consequences from "beyond the grave." The American Repertory Theatre stages the play from Jan. 5 to Feb. 3, at the Loeb Drama Center in Cambridge.
CNC, Ma, 25 inches, on wire now
With photo
LIFE AFTER 'IDOL' BRINGS ROLE IN 'RENT' - The now-legendary Broadway smash plays for a full week at the Citi Performing Arts Center downtown starting Jan. 8. The run marks the show's seventh in Boston since its original Broadway premiere in 1996, and Anwar Robinson, making his stage debut, tackles the role of Tom Collins.
Ledger, Berndtson, 20 inches, on wire now
KEEPING TABS: EVENTS IN AND AROUND BOSTON
CNC, on wire now
With photo
CELEBRATE CHINESE NEW YEAR ... ON STAGE - It's time to celebrate Chinese New Year … a couple of weeks early. The Chinese New Year Spectacular show plays Jan. 10-12 at the Opera House, but technically, the actual date of Chinese New Year is Feb. 7, almost a month later.
CNC, Ma, 20 inches, on wire now
With photo