$400K state grant will help make Nantasket Avenue a 'Complete Street'

State Sen. Patrick O'Connor posted the following to his Facebook page this afternoon:

"Pleased to announce that MassDOT has just awarded the Town of Hull $399,586 to make improvements to Nantasket Avenue as part of their Complete Streets grant program.

"These improvements will include the addition of bike lanes, the replacement of deteriorating sidewalks, and making Nantasket Ave. more ADA-accessible.

"Nantasket Avenue is one of the most heavily-traveled roads on the South Shore. It is vital to make these repairs and improvements so that Hull can fully utilize the vast potential that Nantasket Beach offers to our community.

"Thank you to the Baker-Polito administration for continuing to provide the necessary funds to upgrade the infrastructure that our communities rely on."

The Times will follow up on this breaking news in our Oct. 5 edition.

Nantasket Road paving Friday

Hull DPW Director James Dow reports that contractor T.L. Edwards will be paving Nantasket Road this Friday, Sept. 29.

The driveways affected by this project will be completed next week, as will the lines in the street that are being painted.

Weather permitting, all of the loam and seeding associated with the project should also be completed by the end of next week, Dow said.

Residents should be aware of the construction and be prepared for delays and/or detours.

"Sorry for any inconvenience, but the end results will be worth waiting for," Dow said on the department's blog this morning.

Point Allerton crew rescues man from disabled boat

With near-zero visibility in the waters off #Boston Saturday night, Coast Guard Station Point Allerton received a call to help a man with less than an hour left in his oxygen tank who was aboard a disabled boat off Revere Beach.

The Coast Guard crew quickly and safely towed the boat to shore and transferred the man's care to emergency services personnel, who were waiting on shore. [Coast Guard Northeast photo]

Coast Guard readies for Jose, cautions mariners

Coast Guard units across the Northeast are accelerating preparations Monday ahead of forecasted tropical storm conditions expected to arrive in our area late Tuesday into Wednesday.

Forecasted marine and coastal effects, including 34-63 knot winds and 20-30 foot seas, could pose life threatening conditions for mariners.

Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod crews are flying storm tracks and using marine radios to warn offshore boaters of the approaching heavy weather and recommending they seek safe haven.

Coast Guard sectors and stations across southern New England will maintain response-ready for near-shore search and rescue. The 270-foot Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane and 225-foot Coast Guard Cutter Oak crews are preparing to stage in protected waters for offshore response.

"We understand the sea is a livelihood for many people, but this is one of those few times when we urge everyone, commercial and recreational boaters, to stay off the water," said Captain Richard Schultz, commander of Sector Southeastern New England.

Additionally, he said all boaters and those living along coastal communities are urged to secure their small craft and paddle craft, including canoes, kayaks, and paddle boards, due to the expected high winds, heavy seas, and storm surge. If drifting and unmanned, they could set off unnecessary searches and tie-up vital search and rescue resources.

For additional information from the National Weather Service, please visit the website.

Healey: Suit against feds over DACA will protect Mass. residents, economy

By Colin A. Young, State House News Service

After announcing her latest lawsuit against President Donald Trump and his administration, Attorney General Maura Healey today defended the use of her office's resources on federal issues to protect the state's residents and state's economy.

"Certainly, these lawsuits are not filed lightly ... every one of these lawsuits has been about protecting Massachusetts interests, protecting Massachusetts businesses, protecting Massachusetts residents," Healey said during a conference call she held to discuss the latest lawsuit with reporters.

Healey has sued the Trump administration numerous times on various issues, including environmental regulations for heavy trucks, accreditation of for-profit colleges, and to prevent the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from being dismantled.

Before Trump took office, Healey emailed political supporters, saying she "won't hesitate to take Donald Trump to court if he carries out his unconstitutional campaign promises." Asked what resources her state office is dedicating to these lawsuits against the president, Healey did not directly answer, but defended the work her office does in Massachusetts.

"Our office continues to work on a variety of issues and I'm pleased with the work that we've been able to do on behalf of the consumers, in this year alone obtaining record recoveries for consumers on any number of fronts," she said. 

On Wednesday, Healey joined 13 other states and the District of Columbia in filing a federal lawsuit  that seeks to prevent the Trump administration from winding down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which the White House announced Tuesday would end in six months and which currently covers about 800,000 people nationwide.

"Today's filing against the Trump administration and the decision to rescind DACA is another example" of how the suits against Trump are intended to protect Massachusetts residents, Healey said. "We are talking about thousands of people here in Massachusetts who are adversely affected by this decision, who are contributing to our economy, serving in our military, paying taxes, working, and attending school."

Hull Police arrest another person for vandalizing historic fort

The Hull Police Department arrested a Cohasset woman Friday for allegedly vandalizing Fort Revere. That arrest came less than 24 hours after police arrested a trio of East Bridgewater residents on the same charge.

Margaret St. Sauveur, 20, of Cohasset was arrested and charged with tagging property.

At 2:49 p.m. Friday, Hull Police responded to Fort Revere to investigate a report of graffiti in progress. Police were told that the suspect got into a black Ford Escape. An officer located the vehicle nearby and made a traffic stop.

The driver, identified as St. Sauveur, allegedly had blue paint on her hands. The officer saw paint and paintbrushes on the floor of the car in plain view. Police also found a can of blue paint at the site of the tagging, Hull Police Chief John Dunn said today.
St. Sauveur was arrested and released on personal recognizance pending arraignment at Hingham District Court.

At about 8 p.m. the night before, Jacob Looney, Emma Pimental, and Emily Rose, all 18 and all of West Bridgewater, were arrested and charged with malicious destruction of property after Hull police were called to Fort Revere for a tagging report.

The Hull Redevelopment Authority and the state Department of Conservation & Recreation paid for anti-graffiti paint that a corps of volunteers applied to the historic fort in June.

Since then, Hull Police have stepped up patrols in the area. The state police have also made multiple arrests for vandalism and trespassing over the last couple of weeks.

Chief Dunn said law enforcement will continue to closely monitor Fort Revere and will not hesitate to charge those who are found to be breaking the law.

"Fort Revere is a historic site and is hallowed ground, as it serves as a burial ground for French soldiers who died assisting our young nation in the American Revolution. We will not tolerate the desecration of this site," Dunn said. "If you tag or vandalize at Fort Revere, we will arrest you."

[This story has been updated to correct the hometown listed for the trio arrested on Aug. 24. The police statement listed it as East Bridgewater. The police log has the three as residents of West Bridgewater.] 

Hull Police arrest 3 for Fort Revere vandalism

Chief John E. Dunn reports that the Hull Police Department arrested three individuals Thursday evening for alleged vandalism at Fort Revere.

Jacob Looney, Emma Pimental, and Emily Rose, all 18 and all of West Bridgewater, were arrested and charged with malicious destruction of property. 

At 7:47 p.m Thursday, a Hull Police officer and a Massachusetts state trooper responded to a report that people were seen tagging at Fort Revere Park. Upon arrival, the police officers located the teens, who allegedly were holding cans of spray paint. As the officers walked down the stairs to interview the three suspects, Looney dropped his paint can. 

All three were taken into custody as a result of the investigation; each was later released on $40 cash bail pending his or her arraignment in Hingham District Court.

[This story has been updated to correct the hometown listed for those who were arrested. The police statement listed the addresses as East Bridgewater. The police log has the three as residents of West Bridgewater.]