Fitchburg Leominster News Magazine - Local News, Articles, Sports - Fitchburg Leominster MA

[This story first appeared on Boston Restaurant Talk.] An Asian dining spot that features vegan food is shutting down, though it could be reborn in a new space. According to multiple sources, including a poster within the Friends of Boston’s Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Grasshopper Vegan Restaurant in Allston is getting ready to close, with a note on the N Beacon Street eatery saying, “Due to leasing disagreements Grasshopper Vegan will be ceasing operations on May 29, 2024.” Another note mentions something about following their Facebook page for a reopening location and date, but no details have been given on that as of yet. Grasshopper first opened 27 years ago, offering meatless takes on Asian fare, including a variety of Chinese and Southeast Asian dishes. The address for Grasshopper Vegan Restaurant 1 N Beacon Street, Allston, MA, 02134.  [A related post from our sister site (Boston’s Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area] Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston’s Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)   

Marshfield appears unlikely to draw a state lawsuit right away after its Town Meeting on Monday reportedly rejected a plan that would have complied with new zoning requirements for communities near MBTA service. Town Meeting shot down an 84-acre zoning change by a 169-289 vote, according to The Patriot Ledger, which reported that Marshfield’s town counsel told residents he expected to be “sued immediately” for failure to comply with the MBTA Communities Act. Attorney General Andrea Campbell, whose office is already suing Milton over its refusal to embrace zoning changes required by that law, said Tuesday that Marshfield still has seven-plus months to change course, potentially at another Town Meeting later in the year. “Marshfield, like other municipalities categorized as ‘commuter rail’ and ‘adjacent’ towns under the MBTA Communities Law, has until the end of 2024 to come into compliance with the law,” Campbell said in a statement. “I applaud Marshfield’s officials for taking proactive steps toward compliance well before their deadline and encourage the town to consider another MBTA Communities zoning article at another town meeting prior to the end of the year. My office stands ready to assist Marshfield and other towns in achieving compliance by their required deadline.” Milton is defined as a “rapid transit” community under the MBTA Communities Act due to its proximity to the Mattapan Trolley, and rapid transit communities faced a deadline of Dec. 31, 2023 to submit a zoning ordinance or bylaw that complies with the new requirements, according to guidance from the attorney general’s office. Most other communities affected by the law because of commuter rail, bus or ferry service — including Marshfield — have until Dec. 31, 2024 to come into compliance. Shortly after Milton voters rejected a rezoning plan that would have complied with the law, the Healey administration revoked its eligibility for a $140,800 seawall grant and Campbell sued the town. That lawsuit is expected to go before the Supreme Judicial Court later this year. Officials and supporters of the mandatory zoning changes argue they are necessary to generate more housing production and drive down sky-high prices straining families across the state. Nearly three dozen other communities have approved zoning changes aimed at complying with the MBTA Communities Act, including several of Marshfield’s neighbors. More on the MBTA zoning law Mar 14 Fallout growing in Milton over attorney general's MBTA zoning lawsuit against town Brookline Nov 15, 2023 Brookline OKs zoning changes aimed at increasing multi-family housing

Jury selection will resume Wednesday in the Karen Read trial, one of Massachusetts’ most closely watched legal sagas. The jury that will eventually serve will involve 16 people: 12 jurors and four alternates. With 12 selected last week, only four more were needed to fill out the quota. Seven more jurors were selected Monday, bringing the total seated to 19. But due to some jurors expressing hardships of some form, empanelment will continue Wednesday. The defense said Wednesday was the only other day of court on the schedule this week, which suggested opening statements in the trial may not be presented until next week. Meanwhile, the battle continues between Karen Read supporters and the state after the court-ordered that a buffer zone be put in place, keeping demonstrators 200 feet away from the courthouse as well as from holding signs and wearing pro-Karen Read clothes. The lawyer who filed the petition argues that the order violates the First Amendment. The state has until Wednesday to submit their case before the Supreme Judicial Court can make a final decision. There appeared to be 91 jurors for questioning in the Dedham courtroom Monday, the largest pool of prospective jurists yet. Of the group, 78 said they had seen, heard or talked about the case, 32 said they had expressed or formed an interest in the case and more than a dozen were biased in favor or against Read, who is accused of fatally hitting her boyfriend John O’Keefe, a former Boston police officer, with her SUV after a night out in Canton. Legal jousting continued ahead of trial as well, with prosecutors responding to the defense on two issues: whether the jury box should be moved to give some jurors a better view of witnesses and whether District Attorney Michael Morrissey should be called as a witness in the case. We got new insight last week on how the people who will eventually consider the high-profile charges are being screened. NBC10 Boston obtained the jury questionnaire from the clerk’s office of the Norfolk Superior Court. The questionnaire includes 29 questions, starting with one that summarizes the case: “It is alleged that on January 29, 2022, while intoxicated and operating her motor vehicle in Canton, MA, the defendant, Karen Read, killed her boyfriend, John O’Keefe, an off-duty Boston Police officer. Is there anything about the description of the case, the charges, or the that the victim was an off-duty police officer, that causes you to believe that you cannot be fair and impartial in this case?” Potential jurors have the option to respond yes, no or not sure to that and the other questions, which cover religious beliefs, law enforcement, media attention and if they think Read should have to prove her innocence. Read the full document here: Prior to the start of jury selection Tuesday, Judge Beverly Cannone announced that she’s not going to exclude the defense from using a third-party culprit defense during the trial. Prosecutors had filed a motion seeking to prevent the defense from making such an argument. “I’m going to give you a chance to develop it through relevant, competent, admissible evidence,” she said. “But you cannot open with it.” Read is accused of killing O’Keefe in January of 2022. Prosecutors say she hit him with her SUV and left him in a blizzard, but her attorneys say she’s being framed as part of a massive coverup. The defense claims O’Keefe was attacked inside the home. Cannone has said she expects the Read trial to last somewhere between 6-8 weeks once a jury is seated. She said the schedule will include full days on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and half days on Tuesdays and Thursdays. More on the Karen Read case Karen Read Apr 12 Read lawyers push to use third party culprit defense during murder trial Karen Read Apr 4 Karen Read case: Judge preserves, but shrinks, protest buffer zone Karen Read Apr 10 Newly-unsealed Karen Read documents outline how defense says prosecutors ‘deceived' grand jury This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

College students in Massachusetts and nationwide have remained resilient in their protests against the war in Gaza. Pro-Palestine encampments have popped up across campus lawns at MIT, Harvard University and other Boston colleges. These students are standing in solidarity with their peers from Columbia University in New York. Not only are they calling for peace, but they’re demanding the university divest from Israel and do more to protect Jewish students. Tents were still standing on MIT’s campus Wednesday morning. These students say this encampment will remain until university officials meet their demands. Those demands are like the encampments at Emerson College and Columbia University. They want their schools to stop accepting funding from groups that directly or indirectly fund the war in Gaza. Overnight at Columbia, a school spokesperson says progress is being made, with student protestors committing to removing several of the tents and ensuring only students will be participating in the encampment. The dispersal deadline has been extended to 8 a.m. and conversations there between the protesters and school officials are expected to continue for the next 48 hours. At MIT, a coalition of student groups, including Jewish students, continue to push for progress on their goals, while some faculty are speaking out against them. “I think that we’re all here because there are over 34,000 Palestinians dead, over half of them are children and we feel that we want to speak out about that, but also to talk about MIT’s complicity in the genocide of through our relationship with the Israeli Ministry of Defense, and funding relationships specifically,” said Gabriella Martini, MIT Scientists Against Genocide. “I think that this group is vocal but it’s essentially representing a very extreme and small group of Jewish people that lost their way,” said MIT Professor Retsef Levi, MIT Israel Alliance. MIT police were on site and watching closely for any disturbances. More on the Israel-Hamas war Congress 18 hours ago Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote news Apr 22 Billionaire donors rethink Columbia University support amid pro-Palestinian protests Israel-Hamas War Apr 22 Israeli military intelligence chief resigns over his role in failing to prevent Oct. 7 attack

Our only unsettled day of the workweek is not looking like a washout. A few showers dart through the area Wednesday morning, followed by a break, then a couple more to finish the day. It’s possible that some spots come away with just a sprinkle over the course of the entire day. Also worth noting that the final leg of showers is associated with a sharp cold front that puts the freeze on overnight. Many will fall near — or well below — freezing. While it doesn’t seem record-breaking, it will be another night to cover sensitive vegetation. Admittedly, with some falling into the mid-20s, it’s better to bring those items in rather than attempt to save them with a covering. We’ll recover on Thursday and Friday, but it will be gradual. Sea breezes will temper our expectations each afternoon. Away from the coast, however, we should be able to muster a 60-degree reading or two. Warmup still on tap for the weekend. As mentioned, it seems a bit fragile owing to potential sea breezes (again). But at this point, the sea breeze may only cool us into the upper 60s, whereas locations away from the coast will soar well into the 70s. Enjoy your day!