Newton

Before local reporters at Newton City Hall today.

The Tab reports that Barney Frank has two opponents in November: Your standard-variety Republican and Brookline resident Susan Allen, who blames the CIA for the World Trade Center attack, wants both McCain and Obama indicted, and hates the Guardian Angels. Earlier this year, she was unsuccessful in an effort to convince Brookline Town Meeting to pay workers in gold and silver, rather than in U.S. currency, and says the federal income tax is illegal.

If the MBTA is just going to dump sand at the Newton Highlands T stop, why shouldn't some kid build a sand castle with it?

Tierney, Lynch and Delahunt voted against the $700-billion bailout bill. Tierney explains why he voted against it.

Bruce Springsteen spotted at the Newtonville Shaw's on Sunday afternoon.

Chrissie Long reports on the sad faces of disappointed crack addicts Dunkin' Donuts customers on learning the Newton Centre store is closed for renovations:

Throughout the weekend, I've seen a number of disappointed people walk away from the store front. Maybe it will give them a chance to try the number of other coffee places in Newton Centre, including Peet's Coffee and Tea, Pie Bakery and Cafe, the two Starbucks or Johnny's.

Yeah, right.

Terrese Edmonds
MySpace

UPDATE, 10:10 p.m.: The Globe reports the trapped operator, Terrese Edmonds, has died.

UPDATE, 9 p.m.: One operator still trapped.

Channel 5 reports two Riverside trolleys collided around 6 p.m. near the Woodland stop. Channel 4 has more, says one train was stopped at a red signal. Operator of the second train trapped, eight people seriously injured.

WBZ Radio reported helicopters and ambulances to ferry the more severely injured to hospitals; walking wounded slowly making their way to the train stop.

Staging area set up at Brae Burn Country Club. Initial emergency reports.

The Tab reports a kitchen worker at the Atrium Cheesecake Factory stabbed a cook in the arm in a dispute over some spattered grease on April 10. The police investigation was hampered because apparently the chain policy for such occurrences is to send the worker home.

Jim Walker photographs a coyote getting ready for a DHL drop off in Newton this morning.

Currently, the city only bans dumping new snow on sidewalks; Aldermen to hold hearing Feb. 6 on proposed local regulation.

Early morning fire in Ashmont Avenue duplex.

Escapes with just a glass sliver in his eye.

Coyotes kill dog, may have wounded another.

UPDATE: But it will re-open in a couple of days.

Suddenly, a blast from the past:

Echo Bridge closed to the public.

Understandable, I guess, but still sad.

More Echo Bridge and Hemlock Gorge photos.

Head over to this Newton firefighters union Web site. After it finishes playing the theme song for "The Banana Splits" (whoa: flashback for all you children of the '60s), click on View my guestbook to see how warmly local motorists now feel about the firefighters following their rush-hour protest in Newton Corner yesterday, which backed local traffic up into Watertown Square and turnpike traffic to Rte. 495 (yes, 495!).

I agree that Mayor Cohen is a bonehead, but what you did yesterday was very unruly and unprofessional. I can only assume that your union has been just as unruly and unprofessional in its negotiations with the mayor. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm on the Mayor's side now.

That's one of the calmer messages.

Oh, and make sure to squint to read the message from a union member on the home page about the protest:

we are dedicated in serving you, serving you in which we'll put our life's on the line for you and not think twice about it more than l can say about some radio commentators and some people who work at HAAARVARD univ yes we are sorry we disrupted your day, but maybe you can call the mayor and complain cause if he keeps cutting fire engines then he really won't have anything to ride on to his block parties.

More notes on the protest and traffic.

Irilyth says it took 45 minutes to get from Watertown Square to the Masspike entrance in Newton Corner this morning because of a protest by Newton firefighters:

.. At the exit of the loop [in Newton Corner], there was a sign saying "Mayor Whatsisname is unfair to Newton Firefighters", and another underneath it saying "Sorry for the inconvenience! Call Mayor Whatsisname at 666-whatsisnumber". Were the police sufficiently pissed off about Mayor Whatsisname's treatment of the firefighters that they shut down a major commuting route during rush hour? In my world, they would all be fired for a stunt like that. (If the firefighters are pissed off at Mayor Whatsisname, they should let his house burn down, not get their police friends to harass motorists on their behalf.)