FALL RIVER After more than half a year, Fall River has finally emerged from the red zone.
The city’s COVID test positivity rate dipped to 3.69% on Thursday, low enough for the city to be considered a moderate-risk community for the coronavirus, according to the state Department of Public Health. Fall River had been at high risk for 29 weeks in a row.
This is the lowest test positivity rate since the week of Oct. 22. At the time, Fall River had only just started to feel the effects of a second wave of COVID a devastating period from late October, peaking in January and declining through the end of February that accounted for about 70% of all COVID cases in the city.
BOSTON The prosecution and defense rested in the 24-count federal fraud, extortion and bribery case of Jasiel Correia II on Thursday. Now the fate of the former Fall River mayor will be in the hands of a 14-member jury on Monday after closing arguments from both sides.
Correia, 29, did not take the stand, and defense attorney Kevin Reddington only called three witnesses.
Jonathan Carreiro, a Swansea technical project manager, said Correia came to him for his expertise to update the SnoOwl app. SnoOwl investors had previously testified that Correia wasn t doing much to develop the app.
Sarah Hartry, deputy general counsel for Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance, testified that her office confirmed Correia had no knowledge of the campaign finance violation of Matthew Pichette s wife, Dina. Pichette had testified Wednesday that David Hebert instructed him to pay his bribe by having 25 friends and relatives donate $1,000 each to Correia s campaign.
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GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Soak up some sunshine!
THE NUMBERS ARE IN Burn rates are rising among Boston’s mayoral candidates, but cash flow is falling.
Five of the six major candidates City Councilors Andrea Campbell, Annissa Essaibi George and Michelle Wu, state Rep. Jon Santiago and former Boston economic development director John Barros brought in less cash in April than March.
BOSTON The corruption and fraud trial against Jasiel Correia II continued Tuesday, with a focus on allegations that the former Fall River mayor extorted hundreds of thousands of dollars from marjiuana companies. The day was capped by stunning testimony from Hildegar Camara, one of four alleged co-conspirators.
Camara, who said he considered Correia to be like a son, has pleaded guilty to two counts of extortion, two counts of extortion conspiracy, and two counts of making false statements to federal prosecutors twice, on June 17 and 24, in relation to helping Correia solicit bribes from marijuana companies seeking local approval to set up shop in Fall River.
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GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Happy Cinco de Mayo.
MASSGOP HAS GEORGIA ON ITS MIND What better way to recruit new members to the Massachusetts GOP than by bringing in a nationally known Democrat-turned-Republican for a fundraiser?