After Two Tragedies, Fundraisers Buoy Local Restaurants: Patch PM

FRAMINGHAM, MA — It's Tuesday, Feb. 16. Here's what you should know this afternoon:

• A man who sued Gov. Charlie Baker for infringing on his religious rights was never even denied access to his church, a judge said in denying the lawsuit.
• The daughter of embattled Boston Police Commissioner Dennis White is defending her father against decades-old domestic abuse allegations.
• Saying that "free speech has a home here," the state GOP said it is launching an anti-censorship petition campaign.

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

Tuesday’s Top Story

After a tragic weekend, locals have set up fundraisers to help two local businesses.

Nearly two days after she was reported missing, Dulce D Leche co-founder Samantha Amenta-Stavar was found dead in Natick on Monday. A local Facebook group and the owner of an Ashland ramen restaurant have set up two fundraisers to support the business and Stavar's family.

In Milford, the owners of the Tradesman bar and restaurant are trying to find a path forward after a fire destroyed the West Street institution on Saturday. A Milford woman is raising money for the restaurant's employees.

Nearby News

• Framingham Police Seek Suspect In December Shooting
• Tracks In Snow Lead Worcester Police To Domestic Assault Arrest
• Worcester Coronavirus Vaccine Clinics Postponed Due To Weather

Today’s Other Top Stories In Massachusetts

Lawsuit just a ‘generalized grievance,’ judge says: A Peabody man's court challenge that Gov. Charlie Baker's coronavirus restrictions infringe upon his religious rights was dismissed in US District C0urt. Judge William Young ruled "stopping the spread of society-threatening disease is 'unquestionably' a compelling interest" and that Vincent Delaney's assertion that church capacity limits infringed on his rights of freedom of religion were unfounded because they are "devoid of any evidence that Delaney was ever denied access to his parish church, let alone that such a denial was due to Governor Baker's occupancy limit."

A costly traffic stop: A Milford police chief is defending his actions that led to him being placed on administrative leave. Michael Pighetti said the select board "arrived at negative determinations" even before he attended their closed-door meeting where he says he wasn’t allowed to speak. The city said the select board is investigating “exercised unauthorized and unnecessary police powers." Pighetti said all he did was pull over a driver he said run a red light and nearly strike other cars before other officers arrived.

Daughter defends embattled police commissioner: The daughter of Boston Police Commissioner Dennis White is calling the 1999 domestic abuse allegations plaguing him false. Tiffany White told GBH Monday her mother, who at the time was married to Dennis White, lied about the allegations. Tiffany White said she never saw her father be violent toward her mother. Dennis White has been on leave since Feb. 3, just two days after he was sworn in as commissioner.

MassGOP takes on ‘Big Tech’: The Massachusetts Republican State Committee is taking aim at social media companies by launching what it is calling an anti-censorship petition campaign. After saying that "free speech has a home here," the party said it plans to use the campaign in an attempt to raise awareness about what it says is alarming censorship by companies like Facebook and Twitter.

Injured hockey player to rehab facility: A Bishop Feehan High School hockey player who suffered a serious spinal injury during a game in West Springfield last month is being transferred to a special rehabilitation center in Atlanta Tuesday morning. A.J. Quetta, a senior from North Providence, was playing against Pope Francis School on Jan. 26 when he went head-first into the boards and was unable to move.

By The Numbers

62: That’s how many years Joseph and Janet Daly, a longtime Arlington couple known lovingly as the "Dalydouble," were married. Joseph, a former state representative, and Janet died just two days apart last week.

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