Newton Gun Store Regulation Proposal At Standstill: Patch PM

MASSACHUSETTS — It's Tuesday, May 18. Here's what you should know this afternoon:

• A Massachusetts man who faked his own death pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud and failure to appear in court.
• Four teens found incapacitated near Morses Pond in Natick were hospitalized Friday night.
• The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association on Tuesday morning said it will follow new state guidelines and allow both competitors and fans of outdoor events to ditch the face masks as of Tuesday afternoon.

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

Today's Top Story

What should be done to regulate where gun stores are allowed to open in Newton. That's a question that has garnered the attention of thousands of Newton residents for the past few weeks.

The city looked set to pass a proposal to amend Newton zoning law to make it difficult for firearm shops in town to open last night, but it was tabled Monday night after city councilors spent a little more than two hours heatedly discussing it.

The zoning proposal is one of three efforts that city council members put forward in response to vociferous resident pushback from a gun shop poised to open in the city.

City councilors were split, not in their determination to regulate where firearm shops are permitted to open in town if they must, but about how polished the ordinance should be before voting on it. About half urged haste, arguing they could always amend it later. The other half said it was unlikely the shop would open if they took a few more weeks to polish the zoning rules. And even if it did, they said, as long as they finished it before August, it would be retroactive to April anyway, thanks to state law.

That, even, may be easier said than done, as it's budget season and city council is also steeped in meetings digging into the ins and outs of the mayor's proposed budget.

In the end, the discussion stalled and a council member "chartered" or tabled the discussion.

Now, City Council President Susan Albright said she's working to figure out just what to do next.

Read the rest of the story.

Nearby News

• Brookline Dean Finalist For Associate Principal Job In Waltham
• Brookline To Follow State, Lift All COVID-19 Restrictions May 29
• Man Buys Winning $1M Lottery Ticket At Newton Store
• Waltham Farmers Market Prepares For 2021 Season
• Newton High Schools Set To Start Later Next Year

Like this article? Sign up for our newsletter and get it delivered every weekday. It's free!

Tuesday's Other Top Stories

Youth Sports ditching masks: The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association on Tuesday said it will follow new state guidelines and allow both competitors and fans of outdoor events to ditch the face masks as of Tuesday afternoon's contests. The decision comes one day after Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said face masks will no longer be required when playing youth sports outdoors as of Tuesday.

Feds say MA man faked suicide after being accused of PPP fraud: A Massachusetts man who faked his own suicide pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence to conspiring to commit bank fraud and failure to appear in court. David Adler Staveley, along with his partner, were the first people in the country to be accused of fraud related to federal coronavirus relief funds. Staveley, who also went by Kurt David Sanborn and David Sanborn, is a 45-year-old resident of Andover.

Bad trip followed by trip to hospital: Four teens found incapacitated near Morses Pond in Natick were hospitalized Friday night after using drugs suspected to be psychedelic mushrooms. A resident noticed suspicious activity in the woods on Border Road in Natick, and called police, who found them. It's not clear if the teens will face any charges.

Liquor Stores, Restaurants Spar Over To-Go Cocktails: Restaurants are pushing state lawmakers to extend rules that were aimed at propping up their businesses during the coronavirus state of emergency, including rules that allowed them to sell to-go cocktails and capped fees third-party delivery services like DoorDash and Uber Eats could charge. Those rules, however, will expire when the state lifts its emergency order on June 15.

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

Picture This

Patch's 2021 Massachusetts Farmers Guide: If you're looking to buy fresh produce from a local farmers market, bookmark this page as your go-to guide. We've arranged farmers markets in Massachusetts into two lists: one where you can browse by location, and a second list where you can browse by day of the week. Know of a farmers market in Massachusetts that should be added to this guide? Email dave.copeland@patch.com and check back here throughout the season for updates (Photo: Dave Copeland/Patch)

They Said It

"We were derailed by COVID-19, just like every other micro business."

• Kevin Venti who, along with his wife Beth, decided to close Wild Goose Chase in Brookline. The home decor and gift store, which the couple bought in 2014, had been a fixture in town for more than 40 years.

In Case You Missed It

UFO sightings in Massachusetts: Sunday's report on CBS News' "60 Minutes" about the U.S. government's acknowledgement of unidentified aerial phenomena — UAP, or what is commonly known as UFOs — naturally caused a buzz about flashes of light and other phenomena that can't be explained in the skies over Massachusetts. So far in 2021, there have been 15 UFO sightings in Massachusetts.

What's your take on the UFOs? Tell us in the comments below.