Fluoride Crisis Averted Thanks To Neighboring Town: Patch PM

MASSACHUSETTS — It's Wednesday, Oct. 6. Here's what you should know this afternoon:

• A local town nearly ran out of fluoride, but Wellesley came to the rescue.
• Brookline has approved an $11 million settlement for a town employee who reported racism.
• A dangerous rotary in Worcester may be headed for a renovation.

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

Today's Top Story: Fluoride crisis

With just a few days before the town's supply ran out, Natick received an emergency fluoride infusion for the town's drinking water.

Natick received a two-month supply of fluoride from neighboring Wellesley, according to the public works department. The tooth-saving mineral isn't necessary to keep drinking water clean, but it does help kids and adults maintain strong enamel.

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Monday's Other Top Stories

2 hurt in Milford crash: The driver hit a utility pole near the Hopkinton border on Tuesday afternoon, delaying a rescue as firefighters worked to shut off the power.

Gerald Allston settlement: Brookline Town Meeting on Tuesday approved an $11 million settlement with Gerald Alston, the Black firefighter the town fired after he reported racism and subsequent retaliation in the workplace, representing the end of an 11-year case.

Teen knocks out power in Needham: The 15-year-old was trying to evade an officer when he crashed into a utility police, according to Needham police.

The 2021 Boston Marathon is Oct. 11. Read the latest on Patch's 2021 Boston Marathon hub.

They Said It

"It's really a nightmare over there."

• Worcester City Councilor Donna Colorio on the Newton Square rotary, the city's new round nemesis following the renovation of the notorious Kelley Square.

Should Kids Under 12 Get The Coronavirus Vaccine? Take Our Survey

Federal regulators could approve coronavirus vaccines for kids between the ages of 5 and 11 as early as this month.

That approval could set off another rush by parents to get their kids vaccinated, as they did in May when COVID-19 vaccines were approved for use in children between the ages of 12 and 15. But it will also set off another round of debates over whether parents should get their kids vaccinated.

Patch is asking readers where they stand on children being vaccinated against the coronavirus. We'll close the survey below at noon on Thursday and report the results this weekend.

The survey is not meant to be a scientific poll, with random sampling and margins of error, but is meant only to gauge the sentiments of our readers in an informal way.