Murder Suspect Released On Bail After New Evidence: Patch PM

MASSACHUSETTS — It's Thursday, Dec. 2. Here's what you should know this afternoon:

• A Cherry Valley man has been released on bail after new evidence emerged showing he may not be the prime suspect in a 2020 Worcester homicide.
• Massachusetts residents may be looking at the prospect at shelling over a lot more money for eggs in a month if lawmakers can't come to an agreement over changes in an animal rights referendum that is set to become law on January 1.
• Proposals to update alcohol licensing limits, rewrite worker status and benefits for app-based drivers, and impose spending limits on dental insurers remain on track to make next year's ballot.

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

Today's Top Story

A Cherry Valley man charged with murder after a fatal November 2020 stabbing has been released on bail after the emergence of new evidence in the case, according to court records.

A grand jury in June indicted Dana Gaul, 43, on a murder charge in the Nov. 24, 2020, stabbing of Jehlon Rose. But on Tuesday, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. asked a judge to release Gaul on bail after Worcester police received "additional information suggesting another individual was responsible for the death."

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Thursday's Other Top Stories

'Temporary Chaos' for MA egg market: Massachusetts residents may be looking at the prospect at shelling over a lot more money for eggs in a month if lawmakers can't come to an agreement over changes in an animal rights referendum that is set to become law on January 1. The bill is scheduled to be signed into law on Jan. 1, which according to those in the egg business, would make 90 percent of the eggs currently being sold on Massachusetts illegal. That gives lawmakers a month to iron out differences and reach an agreement in the bill.

Framingham tied recount case: Ahead of a hearing planned for Thursday afternoon, a Middlesex County Superior Court judge on Wednesday made a series of rulings in a court case over a tied Framingham City Council race. District 3 Councilor Adam Steiner found himself in a tie 997 to 997 with opponent Mary Kate Feeney after a Nov. 16 recount.

Plane catches fire on Nantucket runway: No one was injured Thursday morning when an aircraft caught fire at the Nantucket Airport, which is causing delays in planes coming and going, airport officials said. Airport officials have not offered many details on the fire but said in social media posts that the crew and passengers have been evacuated from the plane without injury.

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Picture This: Nicest Guy In Worcester

Possibly the nicest guy in Worcester — a UMass Memorial pediatrician, a person who loves baseball hats — is asking: please remember to wear your masks while you're out in stores, restaurants and other public places. "A lot of people aren't wearing those masks," Hirsh said in a public service announcement on Wednesday. "And people are afraid to say anything. And the retail folks don't want to alienate customers." Worcester brought back its mask mandate in September.

Election 2022: Wide Open Governor's Race

MA reacts to big Baker decision: Even though several candidates have already declared their intention to run for governor, the 2022 gubernatorial race kicked off in earnest Wednesday morning when Gov. Charlie Baker announced he will not seek re-election. Baker's lengthy indecision — there's less than a year until the election — afforded opponents and those in the political arena plenty of time to think about life after Baker. Now we're hearing from them.

Also on Patch: Baker Scoffs At Any Trump Factor In Re-Election Decision

3 measures move closer to 2022 ballot: Proposals to update alcohol licensing limits, rewrite worker status and benefits for app-based drivers, and impose spending limits on dental insurers remain on track to make next year's ballot, though it will not be clear how many signatures each petitioner filed until Secretary of State William Galvin's office counts the submissions in the coming weeks. Collecting the required 80,239 voter signatures proved an insurmountable hurdle for all but three campaigns, eliminating from contention potential ballot questions that would have legalized the sale of consumer fireworks, reversed the state's decades-long ban on happy hour, and imposed new restrictions on hospital CEO compensation.

By The Numbers

3: The number of months longer than expected it took to complete a bridge replacement over Hop Brook in Sudbury. Construction crews were waylaid by lots of rain and supply chain issues. The bridge reopened this week, reconnecting the north end of town to Hudson and Lincoln.