Steeper MA Jaywalking Fines Called 'Not Realistic': Patch PM

MASSACHUSETTS — It's Thursday, Oct. 14. Here's what you should know this afternoon:

• Police raided a Marlborough man's apartment, arresting him on a litany of weapons charges.
• A husband-wife paranormal investigation team will visit the area next week.
• A proposal to increase jaywalking fines across the state is being opposed by transportation groups.

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

Today's Top Story

Warning against a punitive approach, transportation advocates on Thursday urged lawmakers not to advance legislation imposing stricter punishments on pedestrians who do not use crosswalks.

A bill before the Transportation Committee (H 3470) would increase fines for jaywalking and scale them up in situations where cellphones or headphones are involved. And in the opinion of WalkBoston Deputy Director Brendan Kearney, the legislation "does not increase safety" and is "just not realistic."

The jaywalking legislation, filed by Dracut Rep. Colleen Garry, would impose fines of $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second offense and $100 for a third or subsequent offense in a year, and those penalties would be doubled if the violation happens while the individual is using a mobile device or wearing headphones.

Under existing state law, jaywalking fines are only $1 for first, second and third offenses and $2 for fourth and subsequent offenses.

Read the full story.

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Thursday's Other Top Stories

Woman hit by driver: Speaking of pedestrians, a woman was hit and injured Wednesday evening near rush hour while crossing a major intersection in Worcester. The pickup truck driver told police he didn't see the woman.

"Paranormal couple" in Sudbury: If you've ever gotten a weird vibe from a doll or an old photo you found in your attic, there's an event coming up in Sudbury you might want to attend. The "paranormal couple" Cody Ray DesBiens and Satori Hawes, who appear on the Travel Channel show "Ghost Nation," will give a presentation at the Goodnow Library on Oct. 19 about haunted objects. Hawes and DesBiens have built up their own collection of oddities and haunted objects, which they will show off and discuss during the event.

Marlborough weapons arrest: A 31-year-old man was arrested Wednesday after police executed a search warrant at his Highland Street apartment. He been charged with possession of weapons like sawed off shotguns and silencers, according to police.

Video of Wayland fire: A dump truck caught fire early Thursday morning at a garden center along Route 20 in Wayland. A video shows firefighters making quick work of the blaze, whose cause was still under investigation.

Picture This: New Senate districts

Senate Democrats have released a plan for new districts following the 2020 Census. Senate President Karen Spilka and state Sen. Rebecca Rausch would swap some territory, with Spilka picking up all of Natick and Rausch taking Milford, Bellingham and Franklin.

They Said It

"In 2017, Yvonne Spicer made history — and smashed a concrete ceiling — as the first popularly elected Black woman mayor in Massachusetts' history."

• U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley in her Thursday endorsement of incumbent Framingham Mayor Yvonne Spicer.

In Case You Missed It

Cambridge bakery makes 'Best of' list: Based on flavor, vibrancy, and a ranking to reflect the rich mosaic of American dining, the New York Times has named one Cambridge restaurant in the top 50 places to eat across the country. Sofra Bakery and Café in Cambridge is defined as a classic middle-eastern eatery with a refined twist. "Come early and order everything. That's the appropriate way to experience Sofra, whose menu tours Turkey, Lebanon and Greece, and whose flavor combinations are singular," the article reads.

By The Numbers

4: The number of wins separating the Red Sox from a return to the World Series. The team opens its best-of-seven series with the Houston Astros on Friday. Here's what you need to know.