Police Shooting Postpones Red Sox Game In Minnesota: Patch PM

MASSACHUSETTS — It's Monday, April 12. Here's what you should know this afternoon:

• Two Stoneham residents were accused of fraudulently claiming more than $400,000 in unemployment benefits throughout the pandemic.
• Microsoft is set to make a huge play in the health care tech field by purchasing a local company that specializes in artificial intelligence and speech recognition software.

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

Today's Top Story

The Boston Red Sox' game in Minneapolis was postponed shortly before the first pitch Monday afternoon.

The Minnesota Twins, who the Sox were expected to begin their series against, said the postponement was "out of respect" for the developing situation in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center following the fatal police shooting of 20-year-old Daunte Wright.

Protests erupted in Brooklyn Center overnight following Wright's death, prompting a curfew from Mayor Mike Elliott. National Guard troops, who were activated in February to maintain order during the murder trial against former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd, were called to curb vandalism Sunday night.

Read the full story.

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Monday's Other Top Stories

Couple accused in $400k unemployment scheme: Two Stoneham residents were accused of fraudulently claiming more than $400,000 in unemployment benefits throughout the pandemic. Daniel Maleus, 33, and Lilly Nguyen, 24, were arrested Friday on several fraud charges. Federal prosecutors said the two conspired to file fraudulent unemployment claims between April 2020 and March 2021 by using other people's personal information.

Microsoft expands Massachusetts footprint: Microsoft is set to make a huge play in the health care tech field by purchasing a local company that specializes in artificial intelligence and speech recognition software. Mircosoft announced Monday morning it will buy Burlington-based Nuance Communications for $19.7 billion, including Nuance's debt. Microsoft agreed to pay $56 per share, a 23 percent premium from Nuance's closing price Friday.

Major street closure in Waltham: Waltham will close Moody Street once again to traffic to allow outdoor dining amid the second year of the pandemic. The closure will begin May 1 and last until the end of October. During the height of the pandemic, Waltham was one of the first cities in the state to completely close a roadway to allow restaurants more space for outdoor dining. It was held up as an example by communities across the commonwealth as an example.

Learn more about getting a COVID-19 vaccine in Massachusetts at Patch's information hub.

They Said It

"I've said several times that supply will be an issue, but I do believe that if supply is there, by the time we get to Memorial Day a significant number of people in Massachusetts will have been vaccinated."

• Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker Monday, announcing the state expects 2 million, or more than 29 percent, of Massachusetts residents will be fully vaccinated by the end of the week.