Whitman

A longtime Braintree firefighter has retired after collecting more than $200,000 in salary while on paid leave. Town officials relieved Lt. Kevin MacAleese of his duties at the fire department pending an investigation in December 2018 after he was accused of threatening a woman while off-duty in Whitman. Under a plea deal, MacAleese admitted in court two months later there…

After being charged with a serious crime, a veteran fire lieutenant in Braintree was paid nearly six figures annually to stay home on leave.

After being charged with a serious crime, a veteran fire lieutenant in Braintree was paid to stay home on leave for more than two years.

A Massachusetts circus coach was arrested Thursday on charges he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old former student multiple times in the summer of 2020, authorities said. Whitman native Steven Santos, 43, ran Simply Circus in Newton, Plymouth County prosecutors said in a statement Friday. Police spent months investigating whether he’d assaulted the former student. Santos was arrested Thursday at a residence…

Juan Silva of Whitman, Massachusetts, says it’s a miracle he’s still with us. Silva was hospitalized for four months after being diagnosed with COVID-19. “I just want to thank God that I’m alive today to be able to talk about it,” said Silva. It was back in April when Silva started having breathing problems, and his daughter, a doctor,...

A man spent four months in the hospital, fighting for his life, after being diagnosed with COVID-19.

The mother of a 2-year-old Massachusetts girl who died late last year has now been charged with manslaughter. Lyric Farrell of Whitman was found unresponsive on Dec. 28 and taken to Brockton Hospital, where she was taken off life support on Dec. 31 after being declared brain-dead. Shaniqua Leonard, 29, was arrested the following month on a charge of reckless…

A popular spot for ice cream in Whitman, Massachusetts has temporarily closed due to cases of the coronavirus among staff members. In a Facebook post, the management of Peaceful Meadows Ice Cream said Saturday they had learned that “staff has tested positive for COVID-19” and that the business would be closed to customers as safety measures were taken. “We want…

Three Massachusetts boys were honored Tuesday for taking quick action that led a 63-year-old man in distress at a Whitman pond being rescued over the weekend. Eugene Hamilton, 13; Conal Morris, 12, and Neil French, 14, were each presented a framed “Lifesaving Award” by the Whitman police and fire departments, the agencies said in a statement. The boys had been…

A wake and funeral Mass for four members of a Massachusetts family who died in a car crash during a trip to Florida are scheduled for this weekend. The wake for Josephine Fay, 76; her daughter Julie Smith, 41; and Smith’s children Jaxon, 11, and Scarlett, 5, is scheduled for Friday at St. Francis Xavier Church in Weymouth. A funeral…

A vigil for the four family members killed in a Florida car crash will be held tonight at the Whitman Middle School.

A woman was hospitalized Thursday after mixing drain-cleaning chemicals at a hair salon in Whitman, Massachusetts, prompting a hazardous materials response. The woman, who works at Eugene Hair Salon on Temple Street, said she poured Drano and another brand of drain cleaner into the company’s sinks around 2 p.m., according to fire officials. Fumes were sent into the air...

The community of Whitman is waking up to tragic news this morning: a chain reaction crash in Florida has claimed the life of a five-year-old girl from Whitman and two other women from the same family.

A Massachusetts family is dealing with an unimaginable tragedy after two children and two adults were killed in a crash in Florida.

Four Massachusetts family members, including two children, have died after a crash near Disney World in Florida.

A fire in the switching gears of a railroad crossing in Whitman, Massachusetts has shut down Commuter Rail service in the immediate area. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority said the fire was reported sometime before 7 a.m. Friday in the area of 969 Franklin Street. Kingston Train 036 is running up to 15 minutes behind schedule as crews respond to…

A Massachusetts mother charged with failing to seek timely medical help for her toddler daughter who later died has been granted bail and will be allowed to attend the girl’s funeral, a judge has ruled. Shaniqua Leonard, 29, of Whitman, appeared in court Monday for a dangerousness hearing. Bail was set at $2,500. Leonard is charged with reckless endangerment of…

A Massachusetts woman has been arrested in the death of her 2-year-old daughter who was found unresponsive at a home in Whitman back in December, according to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s office. Shaniqua Leonard, 29, was arrested Thursday in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood on an arrest warrant, authorities said. She was taken to Brockton to face a charge of...