Merrimack Valley

Small businesses across Massachusetts are struggling, especially those in Merrimack Valley that had to shut down after the gas explosions.

A Massachusetts judge approved a $143 million class action settlement Thursday for residents and business owners affected by natural gas explosions in Massachusetts in 2018. The settlement’s approval comes days after Columbia Gas of Massachusetts pleaded guilty to causing the explosions that killed one person, injured dozens of others, and damaged or destroyed more than 100 buildings. “This community suffered…

A hearing was held Thursday on the proposed $43 million Merrimack Valley gas settlement and how the money gets divided. The judge at Salem Superior Court did not make a final decision but heard from attorneys and community members impacted by the Sept. 13, 2018 explosions in Andover, North Andover and Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Columbia Gas, the utility behind the deadly 2018 Merrimack Valley gas explosions, will pay a $53 million fine and be sold by its parent company, NiSource, after agreeing to plead guilty in connection with the disaster, authorities announced Wednesday. U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said in a press conference that Columbia Gas had agreed to plead guilty to felony violation of…

A 42-year Columbia Gas employee said his bosses ignored repeated warning about potential safety issues. But not federal investigators, who used the retired utility worker’s testimony to help build their criminal case. On Wednesday, Bart Maderios reacted to the federal criminal charges against his former employer. “I cried for days. It devastated me for months,” Maderios said of the...

A whistleblower says he warned his company of potential problems before the Merrimack Valley gas explosions.

Columbia Gas will pay a $53 million criminal fine for breaking a federal pipeline safety law and plead guilty to causing a series of natural gas explosions in Massachusetts that killed one person and damaged dozens of homes, federal officials announced Wednesday.

Columbia Gas, the utility behind the deadly 2018 Merrimack Valley gas explosions, will pay a $53 million fine and be sold by its parent company, NiSource.

If you get pulled over in another state, it could come back to haunt you in Massachusetts.

Officials are reminding Merrimack Valley residents that Friday is the deadline to file a claim in the $143 million class action settlement stemming from 2018’s natural gas explosions and fires. Lawyers encourage anyone impacted to file a claim, even if they’ve already filed one through their insurance or Columbia Gas, the utility company blamed for the Sept. 13 disaster. The…

Columbia Gas just finished work on another gas leak in the Merrimack Valley.

The leak is in the area of Haverhill and Ames streets, authorities say.

A light wintry mix continues across southern New England with a few snow bursts in western New England. The freezing line is right between Boston and Route 128, and it will remain there until after the evening commute. We flip to snow from west to east across all of New England before midnight and through the predawn hours on Tuesday....

Monday evening: Light wintry mix. Temperatures around freezing. Overnight Monday: Snow with temperatures in the low 30s. Tuesday: Snow tapers during the afternoon, generally 3-6 inches of new accumulation. Highs in the 30s.

The snow has turned to slush around Route 128, and all the snow is gone from the coastline with all rain continuing Monday afternoon. The wintry mix continues through the evening commute around I-495 in areas like Worcester, Hartford and Portland, Maine.

Fallen Worcester firefighter Christopher Roy, who died battling a fire in 2018, was among those honored Tuesday at Massachusetts’ ‘Firefighter of the Year’ Awards. Officials including Gov. Charlie Baker were on hand for the 30th annual event at Mechanics Hall in Worcester to honor firefighters from fire departments who undertook heroic acts of bravery and public service across the state in 2018.

Tonight: Cloudy with snow/mix toward morning. Upper 20s. Tomorrow: Early snow/mix/rain. Coating for some. Developing sun by mid-morning. Mid 40s. Friday: Mostly sunny. Mid 40s.

A storm system that could produce over a foot of snow in parts of New England in bearing down on the region for Saturday night into Sunday.