Robot Dinosaurs Returning To Foxborough: Patch PM

FOXBOROUGH, MA — It's Tuesday, April 27. Here's what you should know this afternoon:

• Gillette Stadium is getting its own version of Jurassic Park, although these dinosaurs won't try to eat you. Stadium officials teamed up with Jurassic Quest to host an interactive drive-thru exhibit with animatronic dinosaurs.
• The state took two big steps in the return to the "new normal," announcing a timeline to ease pandemic restrictions on businesses and setting a deadline for high school students to return to the classroom.
• A suspect wanted in connection with the murder of a Brockton man was shot and killed by a police officer in Tennessee early Saturday morning.
• Authorities are investigating reports of a bear moseying through a residential neighborhood Tuesday morning.

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

Today's Top Story

Gillette Stadium will get its own version of Jurassic Park, except these dinosaurs aren't going to attack the researchers — or anyone else.

For a second straight year, stadium officials have teamed up with Jurassic Quest to host an interactive drive-thru exhibit where guests can simulate prehistoric life.

The social distance friendly experience allows guests to travel back in time as they drive through an interactive exhibit featuring over 70 moving and roaring animatronic dinosaurs, including favorites like the 50-foot Megalodon and 80-foot Spinosaurus. Other features include a baby dinosaur and trainer meet-and-greets, photo opportunities and a choose-your-own-audio-adventure tour.

Read the full story.

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Tuesday's Other Top Stories

A lax on COVID-19 restrictions in sight: All Massachusetts coronavirus-related business restrictions could be lifted Aug. 1 — if not sooner — as part of a plan Gov. Charlie Baker laid out Tuesday to end the regulations that have been in place for more than a year amid the health crisis. The state will ease its mask mandate Friday, and begin lifting more coronavirus restrictions in the coming weeks, with an eye toward eliminating all limits on business by Aug. 1 at the latest.

Police in Tennessee shoot, kill Brockton murder suspect: A suspect wanted in connection with the murder of a Brockton man was shot and killed by a police officer in Tennessee early Saturday morning, said Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz in a news release. Police have been searching for Marvin Veiga, 32, since his indictment in March, said Cruz. Veiga and a second suspect, Takari Elliot, 29, were indicted on murder and gun charges in connection with the shooting death of Manuel Duarte, 25, on October 13, 2020.

Casino converts ballroom to vaccine clinic: A COVID-19 vaccination clinic opened at Encore Boston Harbor Tuesday. The clinic will be located in one of the casino's ballrooms, a space that has been under-utilized during the pandemic, Loretta Lillio, director of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission's Investigations and Enforcement Bureau, said Monday.

Bear in the 'burbs: Authorities are investigating reports of a bear moseying through a residential neighborhood Tuesday morning. Framingham police said a brown bear was first reported in Spruce Street around 6:45, then Eleanor Road a few minutes later and finally Knight Road around 7:20.

MA native expected to go in first round of NFL draft: Pat Freiermuth, a former star at North Andover's Brooks School, is among the top prospects and could be selected by an NFL team as early as the first round in Thursday night's draft. At the Brooks School, Freiermuth became a star tight end, ranking as one of the top local players. He was recruited to play college football at Penn State. In three years at Penn State, he has 92 receptions for 1,185 yards and 16 touchdowns.

High Schoolers Heading Back to The Classroom

Public high school students will return to classrooms full-time by May 17 unless their district applies for a waiver, according to a Department of Elementary and Secondary Education order released Tuesday. Public school districts have until May 10 to request a waiver. However, in a letter announcing the decision, DESE Commissioner Jeff Riley said waivers would only be granted to schools with serious "operational constraints" or "feasibility issues."

Hybrid learning models, where students attend class in-person part-time and online part-time, will not count toward student learning time hours after Monday, May 17.

More details.

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

Picture This

Blind, deaf, 17-year-old dog found safe: The dachshund named Victoria wandered away from her Marblehead yard when a gate blew open Monday night. Marblehead police, fire, animal control and community volunteers spent Monday searching for Victoria before she was found stuck in the mud off May Street and returned safely to her owners. (Photo courtesy Marblehead Police)

By The Numbers

29 million pounds: The quarterly average amount of food distributed by the Greater Boston Food Bank during the coronavirus pandemic. That's up from 19.3 million pounds prior to the pandemic. The number has continued to rise over the past 13 months, suggesting more Massachusetts residents are going hungry as a result of the pandemic.