Good morning Lowell! We're back in your inbox this morning to keep you in the loop with what's happening in and around town. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☕️️
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In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Oktoberfest and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: What is clean when it is black and dirty when it is white? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Lowell fire stations are temporarily closing due to staffing. City leaders blame excessive sick days. (cbsnews.com) — Lowell fire stations have begun temporarily closing because of staffing shortages, adding several minutes to emergency response times in some neighborhoods. Firefighters say the city must hire more staff, while councilors point to hundreds of sick days and soaring overtime costs. City leaders and the union remain sharply divided over what's really driving the closures and how to fix them.
2. Elliott Decides Against District 1 Run (insidelowell.com) — Lowell's District 1 City Council race shifted when former mayor and state representative Rodney Elliott decided not to pursue the Pawtucketville seat vacated by Danny Rourke. The City Council has scheduled a special election for February 2, 2027, leaving local realtor Ray Boutin as the only declared candidate so far while other hopefuls consider entering the race.
3. Grand jury indicts Acton teen in killings of mother, brother (lowellsun.com) — A high-profile Middlesex County murder case involving an Acton teen has a direct Lowell connection, as he was first arraigned in Lowell Juvenile Court before the case moved to Superior Court. Prosecutors say the 17-year-old is now indicted on two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his mother and younger brother, while his defense awaits key digital evidence and a psychological evaluation continues.
4. Two men charged with trafficking fentanyl, cocaine in Tewksbury (lowellsun.com) — Two men from Methuen and Lawrence are facing fentanyl and cocaine trafficking charges after Tewksbury police say they witnessed a suspicious parking‑lot exchange near Motel 6 and McDonald's. Officers later reported finding nearly 100 grams of fentanyl and over 30 grams of cocaine hidden in the car. The pair were arraigned in Lowell District Court and remain held on cash bail.
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Ok Lowell! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "What is clean when it is black and dirty when it is white?" — A chalk board (Thank you Charlie H. for sending it in!)
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