2+ day, 10+ hour ago   (275+ words) DEAR PET TALK: A skunk has taken up residence on my enclosed porch, and I didn’t advertise for a roommate — help! I love wildlife, but not so close. — Animal Lover At A Distance DEAR ANIMAL LOVER AT A DISTANCE: Ouch!...

2+ day, 10+ hour ago   (162+ words) Darla is a little rascal — a large mixed-breed (38 pounds) who definitely has some bully in her. She arrived at Lowell Humane Society with her sister, Ruby, who has since been adopted. She is a sweet and smart dog, and since…...

1+ week, 2+ day ago   (428+ words) Mayor Sam Squailia, Ward 1 City Councilor Bernie Schultz, and other supporters greeted the three weary but proud walkers as they entered Monument Park from Elm Street. The rally and speak-out was filmed by volunteers from FATV. The next day, on…...

1+ week, 2+ day ago   (757+ words) BOSTON — Lawmakers responsible for reconciling bills intended to curb violence against healthcare workers met for the first time Thursday, after leaving protections at hospitals and doctor’s offices unaddressed for over a month since the end of scheduled formal sessions. Some…...

1+ week, 5+ day ago   (743+ words) Many of us — either firsthand with a family member or indirectly through friends or acquaintances — have experienced the heartbreaking consequences of substance abuse. The collective efforts of public health officials, community leaders, and advocates in Massachusetts have yielded significant results…...

1+ week, 5+ day ago   (507+ words) LITTLETON — P1 Logistics LLC, a last-mile logistics and delivery company operating out of Littleton, announced Aug. 24 that it was laying off 77 employees by October. The layoffs were posted to the state’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, also known as WARN,…...

1+ week, 6+ day ago   (744+ words) The rapid spread of wellness products not subject to federal oversight often leaves state and local regulators playing catch-up in the race to evaluate their efficacy. In the case of kratom, an herbal substance that has quietly flooded store shelves…...

2+ week, 6+ day ago   (771+ words) “An Act regarding free expression,” recently signed into law by Gov. Maura Healey, seeks to safeguard our public school and municipal libraries from outside forces attempting to control what subjects they deem suitable for our children. By standardizing how books…...

3+ week, 10+ hour ago   (805+ words) BOSTON — The Massachusetts State Police “clearly has a misconduct proliferation problem,” its leader said recently, responding to a volley of questions about recent scandals at the agency. Those issues began “obviously before I got here, and will continue and has…...

3+ week, 2+ day ago   (295+ words) DEAR PET TALK: Last week you wrote about the “dog days.” National Dog Day is Wednesday, Aug.26. What are people doing to celebrate? — Dogs Are Gods DEAR DOGS ARE GODS: People are definitely celebrating, and not just individuals, but institutions!...