The Boston Marathon bombings and the ensuing manhunt for the suspects cost communities across Greater Boston tens of thousands of dollars in police overtime. Area cities and towns are calculating their expenses and submitting them for federal reimbursement. In Watertown — where one of the suspected bombers, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, died after a shootout with police, and the other suspect, his 19-year-old brother Dzhokhar, was found hiding — the overtime and equipment costs for the Police Department are expected to exceed $250,000. The overtime bills reported by neighboring police agencies Continue reading >>>

Newton teen Abigail Miller has worked hard to place instruments in the hands of needy kids who share her love of music. Miller, 13, a student at Oak Hill Middle School, collected and donated musical instruments as part of her bat mitzvah project. She worked through the Berklee Instrument and Equipment Donation Program and the Berklee City Music program to donate more than 35 instruments to Boston public schools and community organizations. Among the items donated were wind instruments, violins, a drum set, keyboards, a cello and saxophones. “We had a bunch of bat mitzvah Continue reading >>>

Newton teen Abigail Miller has worked hard to place instruments in the hands of needy kids who share her love of music. Miller, 13, a student at Oak Hill Middle School, collected and donated musical instruments as part of her bat mitzvah project. She worked through the Berklee Instrument and Equipment Donation Program and the Berklee City Music program to donate more than 35 instruments to Boston public schools and community organizations. Among the items donated were wind instruments, violins, a drum set, keyboards, a cello and saxophones. “We had a bunch of bat mitzvah Continue reading >>>

About 50,000 fewer homeowners in the Boston area are “underwater” on their mortgages compared with the same time last year, data released this week show, another sign that the local housing market is on the upswing. The number of underwater borrowers — those who owe more to lenders than their homes are worth — dropped to 129,671 in the first three months of 2013, down from 179,952 during the first quarter of 2012, according to Zillow Inc, a Seattle-based housing data tracking company. That means about 15.9 percent of borrowers were saddled Continue reading >>>

About 50,000 fewer homeowners in the Boston area are “underwater” on their mortgages compared with the same time last year, data released this week show, another sign that the local housing market is on the upswing. The number of underwater borrowers — those who owe more to lenders than their homes are worth — dropped to 129,671 in the first three months of 2013, down from 179,952 during the first quarter of 2012, according to Zillow Inc, a Seattle-based housing data tracking company. That means about 15.9 percent of borrowers were saddled with so-called negative equity during the first Continue reading >>>

NASHUA, N.H. (AP) — The police department in Nashua, N.H., has asked to be reimbursed for $15,000 spent in overtime while helping in the search for Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev last month. Police from the New Hampshire city were among those who assisted in the search in Massachusetts for Tsarnaev following the April 15 bombings. Nashua officers were among those going door-to-door in Watertown, Mass., during the search. WMUR-TV reports (http://bit.ly/18ohE3H) the department said it hopes to be reimbursed with federal funding. ___ Information from: WMUR-TV, http://wmur.com Continue reading >>>

Residents have pushed for a ban on transporting the flammable liquid by train through cities and towns around the state. Photo via MassDOT Hundreds of residents from Revere to Cambridge are signing a petition to keep a petroleum company from transporting ethanol by train through the heavily populated communities, citing the risk of explosion and “catastrophe.” But the latest developments on Beacon Hill are finally putting some of their worries to rest as elected officials have pushed language through the Senate that could help stop the potential petroleum shipments. Global Continue reading >>>

The Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center of celebrated its 41st gala May 22 at the China Pearl, gathering more than 500 guests. (Left to right) Tufts Medical Center Director of Community Health Improvement Programs Sherry Dong, State Representative Aaron Michlewitz, Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center Executive Director Ruth Moy and Boston District 2 City Councilor Bill Linehan attended the gala. Entertainment included a tai chi demonstration, Chinese opera, an er hu performance and a raffle. (Image by Ling-Mei Wong.) Theresa So (center) receives Continue reading >>>

--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Verizon Wireless: “By investing in wireless broadband, we’re investing in local communities and economies where our customers live, work and play.” WHO: Verizon Wireless, operator of the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network WHAT: Verizon Wireless recently enhanced fourth generation (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) network coverage in the greater Boston area. 4G LTE empowers Verizon Wireless customers with compatible devices to surf the Continue reading >>>

In honor of National Volunteer Week, celebrated in April, we would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank and celebrate the 420 volunteers whose steadfast dedication and commitment enable Hospice of the North Shore and Greater Boston to fulfill its mission: to enrich the quality of life for terminally ill patients and their families. Our volunteers’ selfless acts of kindness and compassion, both large and small, allow our patients the comfort, companionship and dignity that make all the difference at a critical turning point in their lives. Our volunteers provided Continue reading >>>