Regional Vaccine Site Coming To Lawrence | Patch PM

ANDOVER, MA — It's Wednesday, Feb. 24. Here's what you should know this afternoon:

• A "regional collaborative" coronavirus vaccination site open to all eligible state residents is coming to Lawrence.
• Officials are investigating after a tragedy that cost two men their lives in Boston’s Financial District.
• One state representative hopeful is saying he didn’t do it, while a former state representative is admitting he did.

Scroll down for those and other stories Patch has been covering in Massachusetts today.

Wednesday’s Top Story

Lawrence General Hospital was designated a regional collaborative vaccine site Wednesday, meaning it will be open to all eligible state residents beginning March 11.

Lawrence General currently operates a vaccination site at South Lawrence East Elementary School which is open to all Essex County residents. The hospital vaccinates over 1,000 people per day, CEO Deborah Wilson said.

The state designated 11 new regional sites Wednesday. Each is required to have the capacity to vaccinate at least 750 people per day, be open to all residents and provide public links to register for appointments on the state website.

Today’s Other Top Stories In Massachusetts

Supersite eyeing super increase: Gov. Charlie Baker toured a new coronavirus vaccine supersite in a former Sears store at the Natick Mall on Wednesday, and officials are hopeful the site's capacity can increase by a factor of five in the coming days — but don’t expect a major boost in statewide vaccinations soon. The Natick supersite opened on Monday offering about 100 doses per day, less than the 500 officials initially projected. Bill Haas, an executive with Labcorp, the company running the Natick Mall site, said the 500 dose-per-day rate could begin by next week. Labcorp has a goal of 5,000 doses per-day by April.

Ex-State Rep pleads guilty: Former longtime State Rep. David Nangle pleaded guilty to a host of fraud charges, admitting to using campaign funds to support his gambling habit and lifestyle, including a golf club membership and gifts for his girlfriend. The kicker: Nangle was chairing the House Ethics Committee when he was arrested.

Top Mass. Democrats distance themselves from embattled candidate: At least two women have accused a candidate for a high-profile seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives of sexual harassment, prompting several leading state Democrats to withdraw endorsements. The accusations against Valentino "Tino" Capobianco span a period from 2006 to 2016 and include trying to perform sexual acts on drunk women who were unable to consent and repeated, unwanted, sexual advances. Capobianco, of Winthrop, denied the allegations but said some of his past actions were "juvenile."

Tragedy at Boston construction site: Two men were killed after being struck by a truck at a construction site in the city's Financial District in what Mayor Marty Walsh called a "tragic incident." The two men, who have not been identified, were found in a hole in a street. They were pronounced dead at the scene. The city suspended Atlantic Coast Utilities' other worksite in the city until the investigation into Wednesday's incident is complete.

Bring in the dogs. And robots.: Peabody police on Wednesday will use drones and K9 units as they continue to try to find the cause of two large bangs that rocked several neighborhoods in the city and nearby communities late Tuesday morning. Many residents took to social media to share their experiences of houses shaking — and even ceilings cracking — from the blasts that several said felt like were coming from somewhere in their own house.

He paid who to do what?: A Malden man was indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday in connection with a plot to hire a contract killer to murder his wife. Massimo Marenghi, 54, allegedly gave $1,500 to an undercover agent posing as a contract killer. Marenghi had complained about his wife seeking a restraining order against him.

By The Numbers

11 — The number of new "regional collaborative" vaccination sites that will offer vaccines to all eligible state residents. See where the other sites will be located.

They Said It

“Tino has an unfortunate history of making women feel uncomfortable and unsafe. There are a multitude of women, mostly young women in our community that have personally experienced inappropriate behavior from Tino, myself included."

— A woman in her appeal to Attorney General Maura Healey to withdraw her endorsement of state representative candidate Valentino Capobianco in light of sexual harassment allegations.

Around Town

• St. Vincent Nurses Will Strike In March: Union
  
• Melrose Schools Pool Testing Program Off To Encouraging Start
• Firefighters Hurt Battling Parking Garage Blaze In Somerville
• Acton PD Issue Arrest Warrant For Man Who Had AK-47 In Bed