Good Boy Awarded Toys, Treats For Heroism: Patch PM

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

• The 25-year-old trucker was indicted for the deadly crash that would upend the state's Registry of Motor Vehicles.
• She made a "simple serious mistake." Then the 77-year-old longtime Trader Joe's employee found herself without a job during the pandemic.
• It's (nearly) back, baby. Outdoor dining is set to resume in Boston earlier than planned.
• One of the state's largest school districts announced it will seek a waiver to delay the return of full in-person learning.

Friday's Top Story

PETA is recognizing a dog whose quick thinking helped save a man who fell through the ice in Stoneham. Diesel, a 5-year-old German Shepherd, was walking with his owner, Thomas Walsh, at Quarter Mile Pond when he heard the man calling for help.

Diesel alerted Walsh, who pulled the man to shore with the help of a nearby bystander. The man, a 22-year-old Malden resident, was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, the Stoneham Fire Department said.

"There's no telling what could have happened that day without Diesel's determination, sense of urgency, and keen senses," PETA Vice President Colleen O'Brien said in a statement. "PETA recognizes him for saving this man's life and showing us all how to look out for one another."

Read more here.

Happening Nearby

• Former Reading Athletic Director Gil Congdon Dies: Congdon, a teacher, coach and eventual athletic director at Reading Memorial High School, was 76 years old.
• 2 Face Weapons Charges In Malden: Two 20-year-old men were arrested following a search on Holyoke Street Thursday.
• Medford Bringing Back Discounted Rain Barrel Program: Barrels limit stormwater runoff and repurpose water for trees and gardens, saving owners an estimated $200 annually in water bills.

Today's Other Top Stories

Trucker indicted in deadly highway crash — A New Hampshire grand jury has indicted a Massachusetts trucker for the deaths of seven motorcyclists after a fatal crash in Randolph, New Hampshire, in June 2019. Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, 25, formerly of West Springfield, MA, was indicted on seven counts of manslaughter-reckless, seven negligent homicide counts, seven counts of negligent homicide-driving under the influence, and a single reckless conduct-deadly weapon charge, according to documents received by Patch on Friday.

'Simple, serious mistake' — If you've been to Trader Joe's in Brookline within the past 16 years, it's likely you've seen Gloria Cocuzzo flitting around the store, welcoming people. If you have children with you, the chances of interaction go up exponentially. But those days are over for the 77-year-old Cocuzzo. She was fired after what organizers of a fundraiser for her said was selling beer to a family member who was a couple of months shy of 21. Now, with no job and no way to support herself amid the pandemic, the community has rallied. More than 350 people have donated over $36,000 in just three days via the online fundraising platform GoFundMe.

Tastes like optimism — Outdoor dining will resume in Boston March 22, more than a week earlier than expected as warming temperatures and falling coronavirus rates fuel spring optimism. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh made the announcement Friday, the second straight day of well-above-average temperatures in Boston. The city previously said outdoor dining would open April 1, but allowed for an earlier start if the weather permitted.

Worcester waiver — Worcester Public Schools will seek a waiver from the state to avoid having to return all elementary school students to buildings full-time in April, one of the largest districts in the state to announce such plans. Mayor Joseph Petty said during a news conference Thursday the schools do not have room to meet minimum distances of 3 and 6 feet.

By The Numbers

March 22 — That's when the U.S. Senate is finally expected to vote on confirming Boston Mayor Marty Walsh as President Biden's labor secretary.

They Said It

"We are hopeful that as soon as the state has additional vaccines coming in from the feds that this site will be approved."

— Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, who said a Salem State vaccination could administer about 1,100 doses per day if it can get the supply.