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Matt McDonald, a Boston-area native, has decades of experience as a reporter, editor, and copy editor. His work has appeared in The Mashpee Messenger, Cape Cod News, and The Norfolk Boomerang.
Around New England
"One legislator told me point-blank, 'If you ever need a place to stay, you're more than welcome to sit on my lap'," said former Democratic Maine state Representative Diane Russell, who is running for governor, according to the Associated Press. A labor lobbyist, Sarah
Around New England
Allowing teachers to take guns to school is a good way to try to stop mass shootings, writes Joe McQuaid, publisher of The Union Leader of Manchester, New Hampshire, in an editorial. He points out that some teachers in Texas already are armed in school.
Around New England
Mascoma Bank, of Lebanon, New Hampshire, has used an image of an American Indian spearing a fish from a canoe as its logo since the 1960s. But no more. The bank plans to introduce a new logo Thursday, March 1.
Around The Web
Peter Kocot, 61, died Friday, February 22 after a brief battle with cancer. A Democrat, Kocot represented the 1st Hampshire District, which includes Northampton, in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 2002 until he died. He had served as an aide to his predecessor for about 20 years before that.
Commentary
Freedom House puts out an index rating countries as free or partly free or not free based on whether their citizens have certain rights most Americans consider fundamental. If Freedom House expanded the list to colleges, where would Harvard rank?
Around New England
Andrew J. McDonald, a justice on the Connecticut Supreme Court, joined in a 4-3 majority in 2015 to rule that the death penalty violates the state constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment. It was a surprising ruling, because it went beyond what the defendant in the case
Around New England
Teachers in Litchfield, New Hampshire are going to undergo training for how to deal with an active shooter. Litchfield Superintendent James O'Neill said school officials started talking about pursuing the training last summer but the recent school shooting in Parkland, Florida added poignancy.
Around New England
The New Hampshire Center for Public Policy has been producing research reports on items such as state corrections, school dropouts, Medicaid, and casino gambling since it was founded in 1996. But fund raising has been tough in recent years. The nonprofit organization'a board has decided to shut down