Around New England

Agawam Business Owner Under Siege for Attending Trump Signing Pleads With Customers To Forgive Him

Matthew McDonald

Dave Ratner, owner of Dave's Soda and Pet City, a western Massachusetts chain based on Agawam, is apologizing profusely for attending a ceremony during which President Donald Trump signed an executive order restoring the ability of small businesses to negotiate health insurance premiums. Here's a sample: "I was duped, I am an idiot. I did not vote for Trump and I am not a Trump supporter. The President's executive order is bad for this region, our residents and our healthcare non-profits. I apologize to my employees, our customers and the community for being at the signing ceremony."

Around New England

Conflict Rekindled Over UNH’s $1 Million Scoreboard

Matthew McDonald

A retired librarian at the University of New Hampshire left the school $4 million when he died — of which $1 million was used for a new scoreboard at the football stadium. A new story about the matter questions whether school officials made the librarian's interest in college football late in life match their decision to use one-quarter of the bequest on a football scoreboard.

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