2 Charged In Fatal Shooting Outside Sports Bar: Patch PM

It's Monday, Dec. 14. Here's what Patch has been covering in Middlesex County and across Massachusetts today.

2 Charged In Fatal Woburn Shooting

Two people were arrested following a fatal shooting in Woburn Saturday night, officials said Sunday.

The victim of the shooting was identified as 26-year-old Lloyd Borgella of Roslindale, Boston.
Pauliasky Jean Francois, 34, of Plymouth, and Eric Mills, 29, of Hyde Park, Boston, were arrested and charged with murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, assault and battery by means with a dangerous weapon and assault with a dangerous weapon.

Around 9:11 p.m. Saturday, Woburn police responded to multiple 911 calls about a shooting in the parking lot of Jake n Joe's Sports Grille at 230 Mishawum Rd.

Read more here.

Elsewhere in Middlesex County

Medford Restaurant Reopens After Being Linked To Virus Cluster

A Medford restaurant that local health officials linked to a cluster of coronavirus cases reopened Saturday with a "renewed spirit." Raso's Grille closed Dec. 1 after being told that a customer tested positive for the virus. Two days later, Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn announced the city was tracking two separate case clusters, one of which stemmed from a "potentially oversized" gathering at Raso's.

Restaurant owner Richard Raso, a Medford police officer, emphasized he followed all COVID-19 protocols.

In 'The Little Ouch,' Arlington Teacher Eases Kids' Vaccine Fear

A new children's book by a Medford resident shows kids they don't have to be afraid of shots. In "The Little Ouch," Katherine Picarde draws on her own experiences as a child to help kids overcome their fear of vaccines.

"The main character, Penelope, is based on me as a kid," Picarde said. "I was super fearful of getting shots, and a lot of the antics she pulled and phrases she says are things I'd say as a kid."

The book's Dec. 1 release, in the middle of flu season and at the start of Massachusetts's rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, ended up being "impeccable" timing, Picarde said.

Burlington's First Snow Day This Year Will Be A Real Snow Day

For many Massachusetts districts, the prospect of school being canceled for snow days has dimmed significantly for the pandemic. But in Burlington, children can still expect at least one day off.

The district has not yet announced an official snow day policy, but the first one of the school year "will probably be a real old-fashioned snow day," Assistant Superintendent Patrick Larkin said.

The decision may be made official at Tuesday's School Committee meeting, ahead of the storm expected to hit the state Wednesday night.

Bedford WWII Vet First VA Patient To Get Coronavirus Vaccine

Across the country Monday, people rolled up their sleeves to receive the first doses of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine.

While most of the vaccine recipients were frontline workers, older veterans in Veterans Affairs facilities also made the list. At Bedford's VA center Monday, World War II veteran Margaret Klessens, 96, was the first VA patient nationwide to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Across Massachusetts

• UMass Memorial To Receive 1,950 Doses Of COVID-19 Vaccine Tuesday
• Cape Man Seriously Injured After Crashing Stolen Dump Truck: MSP
• Man Leads Police Chase, Tries Running Over Officers
• Marijuana Hidden In Shampoo Bottle At Logan Airport: TSA