Former Firefighter Arraigned On Gun, Drug Charges: Patch PM

FOXBOROUGH, MA — Today is Monday, Nov. 9. Here's what Patch has been covering south of Boston and on Cape Cod and the Islands.

A former Foxborough firefighter who retired earlier this year following sexual assault allegations pleaded not guilty to unrelated weapons and drug charges.

Paul Farmer, 55, of Mansfield, was arraigned on Oct. 29 in Wrentham District Court and was charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, improper storage of a firearm, possession of a class B substance, court records said.

According to prosecutors, police searched Farmer's business at Farmer Sign on Green Street and found a loaded semiautomatic pistol and an oxycodone pill, the Sun Chronicle reported. The warrant for the search was issued as part of a sexual assault investigation. No charges sexual assault charges have been filed against Farmer, according to the Norfolk County District Attorney's office.

Read the full story here.

Top Stories South of Boston

No Fans Allowed At Gillette Stadium For 2020 Season

New England Patriots and Revolution fans will not be allowed inside Gillette Stadium through at least the end of the 2020 season amid the coronavirus pandemic, stadium officials announced Monday.

Originally, state officials banned fans at home games in September and October and were working with stadium officials and infectious disease experts on a reopening plan. But that plan will not come to fruition as coronavirus cases continue to spike in Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker's administration told stadium officials.

8 Sea Turtles Rescued On Cape Cod As Cold-Stunned Season Begins

At least eight sea turtles suffering from hypothermia were rescued on Cape Cod beaches over the last week, according to officials with the Mass Audubon Society.

Officials said seven Kemp's ridleys, the world's most endangered sea turtles, were rescued from beaches from Brewster to Orleans last Tuesday. Another Kemp's ridley was rescued at Beach Point in North Truro Monday. During the fall and winter months, it's common for sea turtles to suffer hypothermia-like symptoms and become cold-stunned as water temperatures decrease.

Quincy Councilors Propose Department of Social Justice and Equity

City councilors are scheduled to present their plan to create a new city department focused on inclusion and diversity at Monday's city council meeting.

The November 9 meeting will include a presentation by city councilors Nina Liang, Brian Palmucci, and Noel DiBona, who will discuss what creating the new Department of Social Justice and Equity would entail and what it will do for the community. An outline of the plan in the upcoming town meeting schedule states that the department would be led by a Director of the Department of Social Justice and Equity, who would be appointed by the mayor no later than the first Monday in February. The candidate would hold office for one year, until a successor is appointed.

Across Massachusetts

Struggling MBTA Plans Deep Service Cuts Across The Board

All weekend commuter rail service, 25 bus routes, ferry service, any rapid transit after midnight, and far more would be eliminated.

442K In MA Could Lose Health Coverage As ACA Hits Supreme Court

The number of uninsured MA residents could more than double and more than $3 billion of federal funding could be lost, a new report says.

Newton Votes To Change Columbus Day To Indigenous Peoples' Day

Newton is the latest Massachusetts community to call the second Monday in October Indigenous People's Day, rather than Columbus Day.