Whitman Police sent out an alert Tuesday afternoon after the town’s police department received a report of a black bear.

While responding to the area of Commercial Street between Linden Street and Dyer Avenue, a Whitman police officer also reported seeing the bear in the Plymouth County community.

Whitman Police ended up boosting its police presence throughout the evening’s trick-or-treating hours.

“We are monitoring this situation as closely as possible. Brigham St, Winter St, Franklin St, & Kendrick St. neighborhoods should be on high alert and use caution,” Whitman Police posted.

“Please take in your pumpkins and don’t leave candy out unattended,” the department added.

The same black bear was spotted in town earlier in October.

“Over the past several weeks, the Whitman Police Department has received reports of bear sightings throughout town, however, none of the reports we received stated that there has been contact between humans or pets and bears,” Chief Timothy Hanlon said in a statement.

“Out of an abundance of caution and with community members participating in trick-or-treating tonight, we will have an additional police presence throughout town to ensure everyone’s safety,” he added. “As always, if you do see a bear avoid any contact with it.”

Whitman Police added that anyone with questions or concerns may contact the Massachusetts Environmental Police at 800-632-8075. If there’s any emergency, contact police immediately at 911.

Researchers with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy and Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries will be heading to Australia for the White Sharks Global conference — where they’ll be sharing their Cape white shark discoveries with scientists from other shark hotspots around the world.

Some of the Cape white shark research that will be presented includes: a white shark population estimate for the region; the nearshore predatory behavior of white sharks; shallow water movements of white sharks; and how white sharks impact the movements of Cape gray seals.

“A few of us will be heading to an international white shark symposium in Australia, with people studying white sharks all over the world,” said Megan Winton, a research scientist with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.

“We’ll be presenting our research results, and form some new collaborations,” she added.

Winton recently finished working on a study with Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries marine biologist Greg Skomal to find out how many sharks have visited the Cape in a recent 5-year period.

The scientists now estimate that 800 to 900 individual sharks have recently visited the Cape’s waters — making the Cape one of the largest and potentially densest area for great whites in the world. Winton will present this research at the conference in Australia.

“In this study, we present the first estimate of abundance for the white shark at a new aggregation site in the western North Atlantic,” the conference program reads.

Skomal will present their research findings about the great white sharks’ nearshore predatory behavior.

The apex predators hunt for gray seals close to the Cape shoreline during the summer and fall. That has led to some shark bites on humans over the last decade.

“The nearshore proximity of predatory sharks, their natural prey, and humans has become a public safety issue, and the number of reported white shark sightings and negative interactions between white sharks and humans has been on the rise,” the conference program reads.

Cape white sharks spend 95% of their time in depths less than 100 feet, and 47% of their time overlapping with recreational water users in depths less than 15 feet.

“… It appears that white sharks exhibit a variety of predatory behaviors off Cape Cod, ranging from explosive attacks on seals in the surf zone to demersal predation on spiny dogfish during excursions into deeper water,” the program reads. “Using these observations, our ultimate goal is to identify areas and time periods during which hunting white sharks may overlap with recreational water users so as to provide a science-based strategy for mitigating this conservation conflict.”

The White Sharks Global conference will take place in Port Lincoln, South Australia, from Nov. 12 to 17.

Harvard President Claudine Gay has assembled a group of advisors to help eradicate antisemitism from the campus community, she recently told hundreds of Jewish students, parents, staff, alumni and faculty at Harvard Hillel.

This step from Gay comes in the wake of the bombshell student group letter that blamed Israel for Hamas’ terrorist attacks earlier this month. Gay had told the campus community that she wouldn’t discipline students for their views on Israel.

The divided campus has been embroiled in controversy for weeks, while Jewish students have reported being threatened and targeted.

“I want to acknowledge the profound toll this has taken, especially on our Jewish students, faculty, and staff,” Gay said at Harvard Hillel’s Shabbat Dinner on Friday. “Your grief, fear, and anger are heard and felt deeply.

“As we grapple with this resurgence of bigotry, I want to make one thing absolutely clear: Antisemitism has no place at Harvard,” she added. “As President, I am committed to tackling this pernicious hatred with the urgency it demands. Antisemitism has a very long and shameful history at Harvard. For years, this University has done too little to confront its continuing presence. No longer.”

Her group of advisors to combat antisemitism includes faculty, staff, alumni and religious leaders from the Jewish community.

The advisors will work on creating an agenda and strategy for tackling antisemitism on campus, she said.

“They will help us to think expansively and concretely about all the ways that antisemitism shows up on our campus and in our campus culture,” Gay said.

“They will help us to identify all the places — from our orientations and trainings to how we teach — where we can intervene to disrupt and dismantle this ideology, and where we can educate our community so that they can recognize and confront antisemitism wherever they see it,” she added.

Meanwhile, Harvard has created a task force to support students who have been “doxxed” following the anti-Israel letter.

Following Gay’s remarks on Friday, Harvard Hillel applauded the president — calling her speech “a promising first step in a process that will undoubtedly take significant effort and a united front from our Harvard community, and we look forward to working with President Gay and the university administration with a common resolve to tackle Harvard’s antisemitism problem.”

The Brandeis Center on Monday called out Harvard University for failing to address antisemitism on campus, “demanding” that the school publicly denounce what took place in Professor Marshall Ganz’s class and take other steps.

This is the latest in a series of Israel-related controversies at Harvard following Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Oct. 7. An explosive student group letter blamed Israel entirely for the attacks, setting off a firestorm on campus.

This discrimination complaint involving Ganz goes back to the spring when the Harvard Kennedy School professor faced bias allegations against three Jewish Israeli graduate students. After a third-party investigator found that Ganz subjected the students to anti-Israel and antisemitic discrimination, the university has still not publicly reprimanded the prof, according to the Brandeis Center.

Also, the professor was recently applauded for his civil rights work in the Harvard Gazette, the university’s official news website. The discrimination complaint is not mentioned in the piece.

“The professor’s work on behalf of minorities in the sixties may be admirable, but publicly featuring him in this fashion, mere months after he was found to have created a hostile environment for his students, suggest the pledge made to the Students that the university would fully address the violations were mere empty words,” Brandeis Center officials wrote to Harvard’s general counsel.

“The professor is no civil rights champion when it comes to minorities he personally finds distasteful, namely, Jewish Israelis,” they added. “He is in fact a civil rights violator, who undisputedly trampled the rights of members of his class without hesitation or apology, denigrating the Students’ identity and preventing them from participating fully in his class.”

The Israeli students in Ganz’s class had been working on a project about strengthening Israel’s liberal and Jewish democracy. Ganz reportedly told the students that they had to change their project, saying they couldn’t use the term “Jewish democracy” for Israel. He compared a project promoting Jewish democracy to a project touting white supremacy.

Meanwhile, two of Ganz’s teaching fellows during the final class taught a lesson on how to recruit support for Palestinians.

After the third-party investigation concluded that Ganz had subjected the students to anti-Israel and antisemitic bias and discrimination, Harvard Kennedy School Dean Douglas Elmendorf committed to addressing the harassment and discrimination.

“We need to ensure that the School fulfills these commitments and that the violations of policies that occurred this spring are addressed fully and do not recur,” the dean wrote in June.

The Brandeis Center is calling on Harvard to commit to university-wide changes, including requiring all faculty and staff to undergo training on antisemitism.

Harvard and Ganz did not immediately respond to comment on Monday.

A massive moose was seen strolling by a central Massachusetts elementary school during morning drop-off.

“Special visitor in the Naquag Elementary School drop-off line this morning!” the Rutland Police Department posted, along with a photo of the moose on Monday.

The moose has since left the area, the police department added.

Police gave out tips from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife about how to prevent conflicts with moose.

If you are lucky enough to see a moose, stay a respectful distance away.

“Never try to approach or pursue a moose,” MassWildlife posted. “Pursuit not only stresses the animal, but it adds the risk of having a moose chased out into traffic or into a group of bystanders. Wildlife professionals recommend letting the moose find its way out of populated areas and into nearby forested areas.

“However, when too many people congregate around the moose, it can become stressed and feel cornered,” MassWildlife added. “Occasionally, trained staff from MassWildlife and/or the Environmental Police may need to use immobilizing drugs to take a moose out of a dangerous public safety situation.”

Moose fall breeding season is September and October. Moose will step out onto a road without the slightest concern for oncoming traffic, officials warned. Their dark body is difficult to see and their eyes are much higher than those of white-tailed deer, so they’re often not reflected back from headlights.

Because they’re so heavy and have long legs, their body will often come through the windshield and onto the driver, making collisions extremely dangerous. Swerving to avoid a moose can be equally dangerous, so drive slowly and hit your brakes if you see a moose.

If a moose is in a densely populated area, leave the moose alone and contact the nearest MassWildlife District Office or the Environmental Police to report the sighting and get advice.

The Environmental Police Radio Room can be reached 24/7 at 1-800-632-8075.

Tufts SJP was one of the student chapters that posted in support of the terrorists, who killed Israelis and took hostages earlier this month.

After many SJP student groups did the same in backing Hamas, the Anti-Defamation League and the Brandeis Center recently wrote a letter to the presidents of nearly 200 colleges and universities. The Jewish groups are urging the colleges and universities to investigate the activities of their SJP chapters — including for possibly violating the ban against materially supporting a foreign terrorist organization.

The Boston-area colleges and universities that received the letter include: Tufts University, Harvard University, MIT, Boston University, Boston College, Northeastern University and UMass Boston.

“SJP is a network of student groups across the U.S., which disseminate anti-Israel propaganda often laced with inflammatory and combative rhetoric,” ADL and the Brandeis Center wrote to the presidents. “In recent weeks, their rhetoric and activity has escalated significantly.

“Many of the organization’s campus chapters have explicitly endorsed the actions of Hamas and their armed attacks on Israeli civilians, voicing an increasingly radical call for confronting and ‘dismantling’ Zionism on U.S. college campuses,” they added. “Some SJP chapters have issued pro-Hamas messaging and/or promoted violent anti-Israel messaging channels. SJP chapters are not advocating for Palestinian rights; they are celebrating terrorism.”

Tufts SJP came under fire for their “obscene” comments in support of Hamas’ terrorist attacks. Tufts SJP’s remarks for Hamas came after dozens of Harvard student groups blamed Israel for Hamas’ terrorist attacks.

The Jewish groups are calling on the university leaders to investigate their campus SJP chapters regarding whether they have: improper funding sources, violated the school code of conduct, violated state or federal laws, and/or are providing material support to Hamas — a foreign terrorist organization designated by the U.S.

“If universities do not check the activities of their SJP chapters, they may be violating their Jewish students’ legal rights to be free of harassment and discrimination on campus,” ADL and the Brandeis Center wrote.

“We fully recognize and support students’ First Amendment rights to freedom of speech, even odious speech,” they added. “We remain committed, however, to calling out and speaking out against antisemitism and anti-Israel bias. And we certainly cannot sit idly by as a student organization provides vocal and potentially material support to Hamas, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.”

The Jaguar vehicle crashed into the Starbucks on Linden Street.

“Fortunately no patrons or employees were struck by the vehicle,” Wellesley Police posted.

Police added, “Occupants of the vehicle transported to a local hospital as a precaution.”

Sounds just like New England.

After temps soared to record-highs in the 80s on Saturday, a major cool down is coming to the region over the next few days.

The National Weather Service forecast shows that in parts of Massachusetts, temps may be cold enough for the area’s first chance of light snow of the season on Wednesday and Wednesday night.

It appears that there could be some snowfall across the higher elevations of central and western Massachusetts.

“There is only a 10-30 percent chance of snowfall over an inch,” the National Weather Service’s forecast discussion reads. “Given the time of year and the anticipated strength of the lift, snow would be most likely during the nighttime hours, especially towards the Berkshires. As previously mentioned, it is still way too early to pinpoint snowfall totals and timing for specific locations.”

Ahead of the cool down coming, people got to enjoy some unseasonably warm temps on Saturday.

Boston hit 81 degrees — tying its record-high for Oct. 28 with 1919 and 1927. Both Hartford and Providence set new records for Oct. 28; Hartford hit 84 degrees, and Providence reached 82 degrees.

Police responded to the double shooting at around 2:44 a.m. in the area of a parking garage.

Worcester Police and Massachusetts State Police patrols responded to the scene near Wasylean Hall and Sheehan Hall. Two gunshot victims were transported to UMass Medical Center.

One of the victims died, and the other underwent surgery, according to Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.

Police arrested an individual close to the scene and recovered a gun. That person was charged with trespassing and possession of a firearm.

When asked whether that person was a suspect in the fatal shooting, Early said at a press conference, “Can’t get into that at this point. It is someone that left the scene, was located a short distance from the university.”

“This does not appear to be a random incident,” Early said. “The parties that were involved knew each other, from what we can ascertain at this point.”

“We’re asking for the public’s help with regards to any video,” he said, later adding, “We ask for the public’s help for any information at all, especially video, tips, anything that they saw, and anything that they might know.”

The victims and alleged suspects are not students of Worcester State University. The shooting was the result of an altercation and was not an active shooter incident, police emphasized.

Police have identified multiple “people of interest” who were seen on video at the scene.

The university instituted a shelter in place following the shooting, telling students to stay inside. Then the shelter in place was lifted at 9:28 a.m.

“The current shelter in place has been lifted. If you notice anything unusual/suspicious, please report to University Police 5089298911,” the university tweeted.

There was still a large police presence on campus, and the DA’s Office asked the public to avoid the area where police were investigating.

“Anyone with information, photos or video around the areas of Wasylean Hall and Sheehan Hall are asked to share it with Massachusetts State Police, University Police, and Worcester Police,” the DA’s Office posted.

The university was closed on Saturday, canceling all events on and off campus. That includes canceling homecoming and family weekend.

“Right now, we believe the campus is safe,” said Worcester State University Police Jason Kapurch, who called the shooting a “tragic incident on campus.”

Counseling is available to students following the campus shooting.

Karlson was a staple on the classic rock station for almost two decades. He was a host on the morning show with Pete McKenzie and Heather Ford.

Karlson reportedly passed away in his sleep at home. He was 59.

“It is with great sadness that 100.7 WZLX shares news of the unexpected passing of our friend, Kevin Karlson,” 100.7 WZLX posted on Friday.

“For almost 20 years, Kevin helped wake up Boston with humor and classic rock,” the rock station added. “We invite you to share your memories of Kevin as we celebrate his life… From all of us at WZLX — Rock in peace, Kevin.”

Loyal listeners were calling up the radio station to share their memories of Karlson, saying their mornings won’t be the same without Karlson.

“Absolutely heartbroken,” a show listener said.

“He’s going to be missed severely. So sorry for all of your loss,” another one said.

There was also an immediate outpouring of support and tributes on social media.

“Our ZLX family is in a state of shock right now,” posted WZLX’s Chuck Nowlin. “Our radio brother, Kevin Karlson, passed away in his sleep last night. Please join us on air to share some memories… 617 931-1007. Rest in peace big man.”

“What a sad sad loss,” posted Rich Shertenlieb of 98.5’s Toucher and Rich. “Kevin was always nice to Fred and me when we were getting our feet wet at CBS. Thoughts to the K&M crew. You will be greatly missed.”

“awful news,” posted Scott Zolak of 98.5’s Zolak and Bertrand. “loved my hits on their show every week & always loved seeing them in the old building. such a sad day, a great guy.”

“We lost a member of our Family today,” posted Kenny Young, on-air talent and producer at WZLX. “Rest in Peace, Hug your loved ones….”

WZLX posted, “If you have a memory you’d like to share please call us at 617-931-1007, we’d love to hear from you.”

In Beasley Media Group’s Wednesday evening announcement of a multiyear contract for Toucher, Shertenlieb’s name was not mentioned even once. Also, their show “Toucher & Rich” was not mentioned in the press release; the company referred to the show as “98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston’s Award-winning morning show.”

Boston sports talk radio listeners were digging for answers all day after the social media accounts for the top morning show dropped Toucher’s name.

It was radio silence from Toucher & Rich for several hours following the drastic change to the social media accounts for the 98.5 The Sports Hub show. Around midday on Wednesday, the speculation about the show’s future took off when the Toucher & Rich accounts on Twitter (now X), Facebook and Instagram removed Toucher’s name.

Then at the end of the day, Beasley Media Group announced that Toucher had signed a multiyear contract to stay at the morning show.

“I am thrilled to be able to work with my Beasley family over the coming years,” Toucher said in a statement. “I will continue my record of immense competence and brilliance.”

“Fred has been entertaining Sports Hub listeners each morning since 2009 with his compelling viewpoints and opinions on a wide range of topics,” said station Program Director Rick Radzik. “We are very pleased that he will continue on with us for years to come.”

The Toucher & Rich social media accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers are now only showing Shertenlieb’s name. The X account is now @heyrichhey.

Loyal listeners to the top rated sports morning show in the region were pleading for answers on Wednesday.

“What’s going on Rich Shertenlieb??? The fans need to know!!!” a person wrote on Facebook.

“You think Rich would comment on this to dispel these rumors,” another Facebook user wrote on Shertenlieb’s new account.

On Wednesday morning’s show, Toucher went on a bit of a rant about the station and social media.

“This station makes more money than any other station by far in the company, and I get nothing for free, which I’m not complaining about,” Toucher said. “I’m just interested that everyone else is running around free with everything — and it’s such a problem that they’re getting so much free stuff that they can’t manage a social media account without getting in trouble.”

The Boston Workers Circle Center for Jewish Culture and Social Justice has left the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston (JCRC), the JCRC of Greater Boston announced on Tuesday.

This resignation comes after the Boston Workers Circle co-sponsored and participated in a de-escalation rally last week — calling on U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren to support a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war following the Hamas terrorist attacks. Hundreds of Israelis remain kidnapped by Hamas in Gaza.

Following that rally, JCRC reportedly told the Boston Workers Circle that they would be expelled from the council. The group resigned as a result.

Last week’s rally was “clearly not aligned with the policies and resolutions of the JCRC,” according to the head of JCRC of Greater Boston.

“It is unfortunate that at a time when we are experiencing and expressing a profound level of Jewish unity across the world, a small minority is seeking to exacerbate fractures and divisions within our people,” JCRC CEO Jeremy Burton said in a statement.

“We appreciate the passion by which BWC expresses its concern for Palestinian safety,” he added. “We share this concern for innocent Palestinian civilians who are today in harm’s way in Gaza because of the actions of Hamas. We support those members of our community who express their concern for Palestinian civilian safety, while simultaneously standing in support of the safety of Israelis, including the call for the return of some 200 hostages taken on October 7. However, we cannot support those organizations that demonize Israel, hold Israel to a double standard, and ignore the safety and security of Israel and our community as a whole.”

The Boston Workers Circle says its position is for an immediate ceasefire, a de-escalation to the violence, and the return of all hostages taken from Israel into Gaza.

“The Boston JCRC has decided that at this moment, it is worthwhile to spend time expelling a founding member and dividing the Boston Jewish community, ensuring that an important voice is no longer at the table,” the group said in a statement.

“The Boston JCRC’s choice to isolate itself from a growing moral cry coming from within Jewish community means it can no longer claim to be a representative body of our community,” the Boston Workers Circle added. “It has already been made clear to us that we are not welcome at the JCRC table. Rather than engage in the lengthy and arduous process to be formally expelled, we are turning our attention to focusing on building a future of peace and justice for all.”

A new estimate from the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium has found that the North Atlantic right whale population was around 356 whales last year.

In 2021, their population estimate was around 364 animals North Atlantic right whales, primarily due to the recent cataloging of 18 calves born that year.

“While certainly more encouraging than a continued decline, the ‘flattening’ of the population estimate indicates that human activities are killing as many whales as are being born into the population, creating an untenable burden on the species,” said Heather Pettis, a research scientist in the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium.

There have been two detected deaths of right whales this year: a 20-year-old male struck and killed by a vessel and an orphaned newborn calf.

While it’s promising to have only two documented deaths, research shows roughly two thirds of North Atlantic right whale deaths go undetected.

Meanwhile, New England Aquarium scientists have detected 32 human-caused injuries to right whales this year, including six fishing gear entanglements with attached gear, 24 entanglement injuries (with no attached gear), and two vessel strikes.

“Many of these injuries will likely lead to death, while other injured or sick whales may not be able to reproduce because of their condition,” said Philip Hamilton, senior scientist at the New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center.

“This is an important piece of the right whale puzzle,” Hamilton added. “We can’t just focus on (detected) bodies. We must also reduce all injuries that harm this species if they are to turn the corner.”

Calving numbers continue to lag behind what scientists saw a decade ago. This past calving season, just 11 calves were born — fewer than the previous two years (18 in 2021 and 15 in 2022).

Human-caused activities like entanglements and vessel collisions are the main threats to the North Atlantic right whale population, advocate groups said.

“Each year, it’s unfortunately the same story: North Atlantic right whales are swimming along the cliff of extinction,” Oceana said in a statement. “We know what is killing these whales, and yet long-term solutions like stronger vessel speed rules are continually delayed. NOAA’s job is to prevent the extinction of critically endangered animals like North Atlantic right whales, yet this species is still not on a path to recovery and desperately needs stronger safeguards from ship strikes and fishing gear entanglements.”

Scientists from BU, the University of Glasgow and University of Sydney have found new evidence that links playing rugby union — either at the amateur or elite level — with developing the degenerative brain condition chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

Much of the focus around CTE has involved American football players, and their exposure to repeated head impacts and concussion head injuries. Researchers are only able to diagnose CTE in those who have died.

This latest study looked at the results of postmortem brain examinations of 31 former amateur and elite rugby union players whose brains were donated for research purposes in the U.S., United Kingdom, and Australia. CTE was found in 68% of the brains examined, and in both amateur and elite players.

The risk for developing CTE was tied with the length of a player’s rugby career — with each additional year of play adding 14% to CTE risk. Player position or level of participation, either amateur or elite, did not appear to influence CTE risk.

“CTE is a preventable disease,” said Ann McKee, director of the BU CTE Center and UNITE brain bank.

“There is an urgent need to reduce not only the number of head impacts, but the strength of those impacts, in rugby as well as the other contact sports, in order to protect and prevent CTE in these players,” added McKee, a co-author of the rugby CTE study.

Rugby union is known to have a high risk of concussions, with injury rates highest in the professional game.

In this study, the average rugby career length was around 18 years, with an equal number of forward and backs. Twenty-three (74%) played rugby exclusively as amateurs, with eight (26%) reaching elite level.

“These results provide new evidence regarding the association between rugby union participation and CTE,” said Willie Stewart, consultant neuropathologist and honorary professor at the University of Glasgow.

“Specifically, our data show risk is linked to length of rugby career, with every extra year of play increasing risk,” Stewart added. “Based on this it is imperative that the sport’s regulators reduce exposure to repeated head impacts in match play and in training to reduce risk of this otherwise preventable contact sport related neurodegenerative disease.”

The video of the Boston-area dentist went viral over the weekend after she was seen at The Street shopping area taking down posters of Israelis, who have been kidnapped by Hamas terrorists.

After the organization StopAntisemitism identified the woman as a local endodontist, the group reached out to her employer and she was fired soon after.

“It’s appalling. It’s cold-hearted. It’s evil,” StopAntisemitism Executive Director Liora Rez told the Herald on Monday.

“I’m not sure what sort of depraved human being would look at posters of kidnapped babies and think the appropriate course of action would be to tear them down,” Rez added. “Tearing down any attempt to bring awareness to that campaign is very frightening.”

The Herald reached out to the Boston-area dentist, but she could not be immediately reached for comment.

Since Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, groups have been putting up posters of the hundreds of Israelis who were kidnapped to Gaza.

Many people across the U.S. have been caught on camera removing the posters.

In the video of the woman in Chestnut Hill, a person can be heard saying, “Why is she taking the pictures off?”

“That is so sad. That is so sad,” the person in the video adds.

After the video went viral over the weekend, the woman was fired from Nevins Dental Center.

“Acts of terror against the State of Israel and innocent people must be condemned,” owner Marc Nevins said in a statement. “Acts of antisemitism, racism, and bigotry that assault members of our community based on their heritage or beliefs cannot be tolerated and must equally be condemned. No healthcare service institution or clinical practice should permit activities that by word or deed create the deep hurt that threatens our community and our healing.

“It has come to our attention that a clinician working as an adjunct member of our clinical practice has been accused of taking actions that are contrary to our community standards and to the basic values of my clinical practice,” Nevins added. “After having reviewed the facts and circumstances, the individual no longer works with our practice effective October 21, 2023.”

The woman’s LinkedIn page was down on Monday, and past Facebook posts connecting her to Nevins Dental Center had been removed.

“These are profoundly troubling times causing neighbors to question neighbors and impacted communities to scream for justice,” Nevins said. “Our health care center will not employ anyone who has been found to further hate or discrimination. Our utmost concern is for the protection of our patients, our community and our employees.”

The woman in the past had been connected with Central Dental Associates in Norwood. She’s no longer affiliated with that practice, a representative for Central Dental Associates told the Herald.

Police were looking for 33-year-old Aaron Pennington, who is wanted in connection with Sunday’s homicide of 30-year-old Breanne Pennington, of 42 Cherry St. in Gardner.

According to State Police, the 6’2″ tall white man weighing about 175 pounds is believed to be driving a white BMW 320, Massachusetts Veterans plate 8A30.

Pennington may have attached one of the following registrations to the white 2013 BMW 320 sedan: Texas plate: DTZ3103; or California plate: 6CWN728.

The 33-year-old man, with blond hair and blue eyes, might have a gun on him.

“He should be considered armed and dangerous,” State Police said in a statement. “Any member of the public who sees PENNINGTON or the vehicle is directed to not approach him but rather, to call 911 immediately.”

Police added, “Anyone with information about PENNINGTON’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Massachusetts State Police at 508-829-8236 or the Gardner Police Department at 978-632-5600.”

Shortly after 9 a.m. on Sunday, Gardner Police were called to a Cherry Street home. Upon arrival, police found a dead woman, who was later identified as Breanne Pennington.

The investigation into the death is ongoing by State Police detectives assigned to the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office and the Gardner Police Department.

The shark scientists with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy and Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries successfully tagged eight great whites off the Cape on Wednesday and Thursday.

While beachgoers are few and far between after Labor Day, many sharks continue to stick around the Cape as they hunt for seals throughout the fall.

“October is usually a pretty busy month for us,” Megan Winton, research scientist at the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, told the Herald on Friday. “This season has been tough for us weather-wise, with the bad weather stirring up the water. Every weekend a storm was rolling through.

“The water finally cleared up this week,” she added. “We finally had some calm days, so it was very workable out there, and we got a lot done.”

Great whites were seen close to shore off of Chatham and Orleans earlier this week. According to the Sharktivity app, a shark was spotted about 20 yards from the Orleans shoreline, and a shark was seen about 50 yards offshore from Chatham’s Monomoy Island.

October has been the third busiest month for shark activity along the Cape in recent years, according to the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy’s Logbook with shark detection data.

“A shark tagging update! @GregSkomal of the @MassDMF working with the AWSC tagged 5 white shark yesterday (10/18) and 3 white sharks today (10/19)! We are loving Sharktober!” the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy tweeted, along with a photo of a shark off of Chatham.

The scientists aren’t yet sure whether they’ve come across these individual sharks before. The researchers will be sifting through video footage to see if these sharks are already in their white shark catalogue of more than 600 apex predators.

The researchers are able to identify the sharks based on their unique markings.

“The notching patterns are unique to every shark, so we’ll go through the footage and compare it to the over 600 white sharks we’ve documented since 2014,” Winton said.

On a recent research trip, the team again came across the 8-foot male shark named Quasimodo.

“Instantly recognizable for his abnormal curved back due to scoliosis, Quasimodo was first identified off Cape Cod in 2018,” the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy tweeted.

“In 2021, he came back to the Cape with an unknown injury to his right pelvic region which has since healed slightly,” AWSC added. “While Quasimodo is not tagged, we are certainly impressed with this shark’s ability to travel, feed, and continue to survive and make occasional visits to Cape Cod.”

A letter signed by hundreds of ex-staffers from Warren’s 2020 presidential campaign comes after protesters chanting for a ceasefire were arrested as they tried to enter the senator’s Boston office on Wednesday. Also, progressive House reps introduced a cease-fire resolution earlier this week, which was backed by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley.

The former Warren staffers in their letter, posted online late Thursday night, urged the senator to publicly call for a cease-fire and to introduce a cease-fire resolution in the Senate.

“We were horrified by the Hamas attack on October 7, and we are devastated for those who are dying as the Israeli army continues to commit unconscionable horrors in Gaza,” the former staffers wrote. “Through our grief, we implore you to take action.

“You must demand an immediate cease-fire in Palestine and the return of Israeli hostages, and take concrete steps to end Israeli occupation,” they added. “A child is killed every 15 minutes in Gaza — if you continue to be silent, you are complicit in this genocide.”

The ex-staffers in the letter ripped Israel, calling the major U.S. ally “increasingly fascist” that commits war crimes and enforces “brutal apartheid.”

Warren’s office did not immediately respond to comment on Friday. Warren was in Lowell for an Infrastructure Day event on Friday, and she only took one question regarding the Israel-Hamas war — which was about an American family trapped in Gaza.

“Senator Markey and I are working really around the clock with the State Department to do everything we can to get this family out of Gaza, and get American citizens out of the region who are trapped there and want to be able to leave,” Warren told reporters.

“We need for all of the hostages to be released,” she said. “We need humanitarian aid into Gaza. We need to get that humanitarian aid coordinator open. We’ve got a lot that needs to happen and it needs to happen fast to protect lives. That’s what matters here.”

The former staffers are also pushing for Warren to advocate for de-escalation in the region, and that the U.S. end unconditional military aid to Israel.

Her 2020 workers wrote that Warren is not living up to her campaign promises.

“We spent months, some of us years, fighting for you because we believed you shared our dream for the world to be a place in which every human being can live in dignity,” the ex-staffers wrote. “Your lack of moral clarity in the face of the genocide of Palestinians is a direct contradiction of the values your campaign stood for.

“One of your last calls to action for us at the end of your presidential campaign was to ‘always choose to fight righteous fights,’ ” they added. “We call on you to live up to your own words by demanding an immediate cease-fire, advocating for de-escalation, and addressing the root causes of the violence of the past 13 days — 75 years of brutal apartheid and occupation.”

Sun reporter Melanie Gilbert contributed to this report.

People who eat two servings of red meat a week may have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to people who eat fewer servings, and the risk increases with greater consumption, according to a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

The Harvard researchers also found that replacing red meat with healthy plant-based protein sources — such as nuts and legumes — or modest amounts of dairy was tied with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

“Our findings strongly support dietary guidelines that recommend limiting the consumption of red meat, and this applies to both processed and unprocessed red meat,” said first author Xiao Gu, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Nutrition.

Type 2 diabetes is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney disease, cancer, and dementia.

While previous studies have found a link between red meat consumption and type 2 diabetes risk, this study now adds a greater level of certainty about the association.

The researchers analyzed health data from 216,695 participants from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), NHS II, and Health Professionals Follow-up Study. The participants were asked about their diet in food frequency questionnaires every two to four years, for up to 36 years. During this time, more than 22,000 participants developed type 2 diabetes.

The scientists found that consumption of red meat — including processed and unprocessed red meat — was strongly linked with increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Participants who ate the most red meat had a 62% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who ate the least.

Every additional daily serving of processed red meat was linked with a 46% greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and every additional daily serving of unprocessed red meat was associated with a 24% greater risk.

The researchers also estimated the potential effects of substituting one daily serving of red meat for another protein source. They found that substituting a serving of nuts and legumes was linked with a 30% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, and substituting a serving of dairy products was associated with a 22% lower risk.

“Given our findings and previous work by others, a limit of about one serving per week of red meat would be reasonable for people wishing to optimize their health and wellbeing,” said senior author Walter Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition.

The researchers also said swapping red meat for healthy plant protein sources would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, and provide other environmental benefits.

The red meat and type 2 diabetes study was published on Thursday in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

As opioid overdose deaths spike to record-high levels in Massachusetts, it appears that residents overwhelmingly support allowing cities and towns to establish overdose prevention centers.

A new poll released on Thursday shows that 70% of Massachusetts voters support a State House bill that would give the green light for communities to open supervised drug injection facilities.

People at overdose prevention centers would be able to bring drugs and consume them under the supervision of trained healthcare workers.

These facilities have helped prevent overdose deaths in countries across the world — including in Europe, Canada and Australia — and also increase access to treatment and recovery services, according to advocates.

“As a medical provider, I know overdose prevention centers will save the lives of many people struggling with addiction,” said Miriam Komaromy, medical director of Boston Medical Center’s Grayken Center for Addiction.

“It’s encouraging that an overwhelming number of citizens agree that overdose prevention centers are a commonsense way to help keep people safe,” Komaromy added.

This new Beacon Research survey of 603 voters comes in the wake of the Bay State’s highest ever recorded year for opioid-related overdose deaths with 2,357 lives lost. Since 2016, statewide overdose deaths have increased by 9.1%.

According to the new poll released by Massachusetts for Overdose Prevention Centers, 76% of voters see opioid use in Massachusetts as a major problem. Nearly as many (73%) believe the government should be doing more to address the issue.

Almost 8-in-10 voters (77%) would rather see the state respond to the opioid epidemic as a public health problem, instead of as a law enforcement issue.

The state Legislature is considering a bill that would give municipalities the authority to establish overdose prevention centers. According to the new poll, there is bipartisan support for this legislation — with majority support among Democrats (85%), unaffiliated voters (63%), and Republicans (53%).

The Massachusetts Medical Society has been advocating for the establishment of overdose prevention centers in the state, stressing that these sites save lives and help connect people with treatment and rehabilitative services.

Massachusetts Medical Society President Barbara Spivak said, “As disparities and overdoses caused by synthetic drugs like fentanyl continue to rise and ravage families and communities, it is clear the majority of residents of the Commonwealth agree with physicians in their belief that the time is now to deploy a proven harm reduction tool that can save the lives of our patients.”

Brigham and Women’s Hospital scientists report that they have created a cancer-attacking virus that can effectively target glioblastoma. The oncolytic virus treatment extended survival for patients with recurrent glioblastoma, especially among patients with pre-existing viral antibodies.

The virus can infect cancer cells and stimulate an anti-tumor immune response, according to the researchers.

“Almost no immunotherapies for GBM have been able to increase immune infiltration to these tumors, but the virus studied here provoked a very reactive immune response with infiltration of tumor-killing T-cells,” said corresponding author E. Antonio Chiocca, chair of the BWH Department of Neurosurgery.

“That’s hard to do with GBM, so our findings are exciting and give us hope for our next steps,” Chiocca added.

This Phase I, first-in-human trial looked at the safety of an oncolytic herpes simplex virus called CAN-3110. The cancer-attacking virus is the same type of virus used in a therapy for the treatment of metastatic melanoma.

Overall, the trial showed the safety of CAN-3110 in 41 patients with high-grade gliomas, including 32 with recurrent GBM. The most serious adverse events were seizures in two patients.

Notably, GBM patients who had pre-existing antibodies to the HSV1 virus (66% of the patients) had a median overall survival of 14.2 months.

The researchers believe that the presence of HSV1 antibodies sparked a rapid immune response to the virus — which brought more immune cells to the tumor and increased the levels of inflammation in the tumor microenvironment.

“GBM has an aggressive effect in part because of a milieu of immunosuppressive factors surrounding the tumor, which enable the tumor’s growth by preventing the immune system from entering and attacking it,” Chiocca said. “This study showed that with a virus we designed, we can reshape this ‘immune desert’ into a pro-inflammatory environment.”

Moving forward, the researchers plan to complete prospective studies to further investigate the effectiveness of the oncolytic virus in patients who do and do not have antibodies to HSV1.

After showing the safety of one viral injection, the scientists will be testing the safety and efficacy of up to six injections over four months — which, like multiple rounds of vaccination, may increase the effectiveness of the therapy.

Distracted driving was the top cause of overall teen car accidents last year in Massachusetts, while more than half of teen drivers or passengers who were killed in crashes weren’t wearing their seatbelt.

Last year, 49 people were killed in crashes involving 16-year-old to 19-year-old drivers — the first time that yearly total had eclipsed 40 fatalities in more than a decade, according to a new analysis from AAA Northeast.

The count of 49 teen deaths was the highest since 56 people were killed in such crashes in 2008. This jump in Massachusetts mirrors the growing number of people killed in teen driver crashes across the country.

“Teen driver crashes affect everybody on the road,” said Mark Schieldrop, of AAA Northeast. “Parents and caregivers play a critical role in making sure young drivers learn in a safe environment.”

Overall last year, there were 16,709 teen drivers involved in crashes in the Bay State — equivalent to one teen-involved crash every 32 minutes.

The top five causes for those crashes were: Driver inattention or distraction (2,590 crashes); failure to yield right-of-way (1,651 crashes); following too closely (1,457 crashes); speeding (932 crashes); failure to stay in lane/running off road (617 crashes). This teen driving crash data is from the state’s IMPACT crash portal.

Here are AAA’s tips for parents when talking to their teens about driving:

• Wear your seatbelt: Teens model parents’ behaviors, and wearing a seatbelt is the best protection you can give yourself in the event of a crash.
• Set limits on other passengers: Research shows the risk of a fatal crash dramatically increases when teen passengers accompany a teen driver. However, a parent or guardian in the car decreases the risk of a fatal crash.
• Sign a Parent-Teen Driving Agreement: Lay down some ground rules for your teen driver that exceed the Junior Operator restrictions.

The study from Boston University’s COVID Clinical Testing Lab and Contact Tracing — along with researchers from Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine — has found that public health interventions prevented transmission for most COVID case introductions at BU.

Only two major campus outbreaks were identified from January to May 2021, according to the scientists.

The university’s test-trace-isolate strategies were “highly effective in limiting respiratory infection transmission,” the researchers said. These findings have implications for transmission protocols for other respiratory diseases and possible future outbreaks, they noted.

“We found that genetically linked cases overlap with outbreaks identified by contact tracing; however, they persisted in the university population for fewer days and fewer rounds of transmission than originally estimated via contact tracing,” said corresponding author John Connor, an associate professor of microbiology at the School of Medicine.

“This underscores the effectiveness of test-trace-isolate strategies in controlling undetected spread of emerging respiratory infectious diseases,” added Connor, a researcher at the Boston University National Emerging infectious Diseases Laboratories. “These approaches limit transmission from those people outside the university as well as those who caught the disease from someone within the campus community.”

In April 2020, BU enforced weekly surveillance testing, social distancing, masking and prohibited school-sanctioned social events. People who tested positive were isolated for 10 days by moving into on-campus isolation housing or isolating at private off-campus residences.

To track and limit infection spread, the university performed contact tracing to identify likely transmission pathways through interviews of all test-positive individuals and known contacts. This information was then coupled with viral genomic sequencing for both asymptomatic and symptomatic cases to confirm likely transmission events.

Viral genomic sequencing captured 767 unique SARS-CoV-2 genotypes on the BU campus during the spring 2021 semester. Of these, they noted 696 genotypes (91%) only once, making it unlikely that they established on-campus transmission chains.

The few genotypes with multiple observations usually showed transmission bubbles of less than five individuals; only seven genotypes (about 1%) included more than five samples. According to the researchers, these findings highlight the ability of testing, tracing, and quarantine approaches to limit respiratory transmission in a complicated urban environment.

First author Jackie Turcinovic, a PhD candidate in the Connor lab, said, “Our analyses support the hypothesis that systematic interventions, such as population-level test-trace-isolate strategies, are highly effective in limiting respiratory infection transmission, even in the presence of continual importation of disease from outside the university population.”

Renana Gome, whose 12-year-old and 16-year-old boys were kidnapped in Israel and brought to Gaza, told her gut-wrenching story and relived the terrorist attack on Tuesday. The mother was away from her sons at the time of the attack, as they tried to hide from the terrorists in a safe room.

“I could hear my youngest who was on the phone with me saying, ‘Don’t take me! I’m too young!’ ” Gome said during a Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel press conference. “And that was the last I heard from him.

“Since Saturday, Oct. 7, I’ve heard nothing. I know nothing of there whereabouts,” she added. “I’ve heard nothing of how they are, what they’re doing, how they’re held. Just no information whatsoever.”

Also on Tuesday, the mother of a 21-year-old Israeli woman held hostage by Hamas appealed for her release after the terrorist group posted a video with her dazed and injured daughter.

The video of Mia Schem was the first sign of life from any of the hostages since the terrorist attacks 10 days ago in Israel. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.

“I’m begging the world to bring my baby back home,” Mia’s mother Keren Schem said at a press conference. “She only went to a party, to a festival party to have some fun. Now she’s in Gaza.”

Renana Gome also called on the world to help set the hostages free.

“This has to be the first thing on the agenda of the Israeli government and of foreign governments,” Gome said, also adding, “Bring them home now.”

“This hope for peace, as far I’m concerned, is gone — and all I want is my government and your governments to bring my children back home now,” she said.

Mia Schem was taken by the terrorists at a desert rave just over the border from Gaza, which became the site of what is believed to be the worst civilian massacre in Israeli history.

At least 260 people were gunned down as heavily armed terrorists in trucks and on motorcycles barreled through the vast field on Kibbutz Re’im, where thousands had gathered for a carefree night of electronic music.

At least 199 people were taken into captivity from Re’im and other areas in southern Israel. American citizens have also been taken hostage.

Mia’s mother said, “This is a crime against humanity and we should all gather and stop this terror and bring everybody back home.”

President Biden on Tuesday was departing for his trip to Israel.

National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said Biden would be spending time there talking with leaders “about the plight of those hostages that Hamas is holding, including some Americans. We want to make sure we get them home to their families, and we’re working in concert with all our partners to do that.”

Herald wire services were used in this report.

Both 31-year-old Jose Galarza and 29-year-old Jay Marie Rosado-Rosario were charged with accessory after the fact — murder. The charges for the Holyoke residents are connected to the fatal bus shooting two weeks ago.

Both suspects have been charged in relation to the police’s ongoing effort to find the third suspect in the shooting, Kermith Alvarez. The pair of suspects are accused of helping Alvarez after the shooting.

Last week, the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Hampden District Attorney’s Office, Holyoke Police Department, and Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section reported that they were looking for Alvarez, 28, of Holyoke.

Alvarez is reportedly trying to avoid police, the firearm used in this incident has not been found, and he should be considered armed and dangerous, according to police.

Holyoke police officers on Oct. 4 at around 12:38 p.m., responded to a reported shooting in the 100 block of Sargeant Street.

Police believe that three male suspects were involved in the shooting. One of the gunshots struck a public transportation bus, and the gunshot hit a pregnant woman who was on the bus.

The woman was transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition. The baby, who was delivered and needed life-saving medical services, died.

A day after the shooting, 22-year-old Alejandro Ramos was arraigned on a murder charge in connection to the shooting. He is being held without bail, with his next scheduled court date on Nov. 3.

Then 30-year-old Johnluis Sanchez was arraigned for his suspected involvement in the shooting. His bail was revoked on an open firearms case, and he was held without bail on a murder charge. His next scheduled court date is on Nov. 3.

Jay Marie Rosado-Rosario was arraigned on Monday in Holyoke District Court, and her bail was set at $5,000. Her next court date is scheduled for Nov. 17.

Jose Galarza was being arraigned on Tuesday in Holyoke District Court.

This incident continues to be under investigation by the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Hampden District Attorney’s Office and the Holyoke Police Department.

Police are asking the public for any information regarding the whereabouts of Kermith Alvarez. Those with information are being told to contact the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit at 413-505-5993 or the Massachusetts State Police: Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section at 1-800-KAPTURE (1-800-527-8873).

The U.S. State Department says the number of Americans killed since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas has risen to 30 — with 13 more still missing.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Monday that at least 199 hostages are known to be held in Gaza, a number much greater than previously believed, according to The Times of Israel.

Hamas has also released another video of a hostage on their Telegram channel, this time showing a young woman receiving medical attention after what appears to be a serious arm injury, the Jerusalem Post is reporting.

All this, says U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Salem), should end all talk over a cease-fire with Hamas.

“Did we call for a cease-fire and de-escalation after Pearl Harbor? Instead of pushing Israel into a ceasefire with an organization that has proven it is hellbent on Israel’s destruction by barbarically slaughtering Israeli children, the U.S. should be focused on helping ensure Israel’s operation is a success,” Moulton told the Herald Monday evening.

Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.

Moulton, a veteran of the War on Terror, said Israel still needs to learn from the past.

“Israel can’t win this fight by killing innocent Palestinians; doing so is morally wrong and militarily stupid because it will just help Hamas’ recruiting,” he said. “Israel must have a long-term political plan to empower the peacemakers in Gaza, rather than Hamas.”

U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Newton), also a military vet, said in a statement Monday, “Israel should cease fire when the hostages are returned and when the terrorists who murdered children are dead.”

Both are pushing back at fellow delegation member U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, who is backing fellow Squad members in Congress by calling for an immediate ceasefire.

Meanwhile, The Jerusalem Post writes the delay in the ground invasion of Gaza could be due to a growing concern that Hezbollah is waiting for the moment that most IDF ground forces are committed to Gaza to open a full front in the north.

The New York Times adds the deployment of two U.S. carrier strike groups to Israel will likely deter Hezbollah from attacking Israel in a major way.

The Associated Press reports that truckloads of aid is idled at Egypt’s border with Gaza, barred from entry. This has resulted is reports of shortages of water, food and fuel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will host President Biden in Israel on Wednesday.

Netanyahu has also warned Iran and Hezbollah, “Don’t test us in the north. Don’t make the mistake of the past. Today, the price you will pay will be far heavier,” referring to Israel’s 2006 war with Hezbollah, which operates out of Lebanon.

Herald wire services contributed. 

Pressley on Monday signed on to a progressive Congressional resolution that urges the President Biden administration to support an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and Gaza. Hamas is still holding nearly 200 hostages in Gaza, according to the Israeli military.

The Boston congresswoman joined Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Cori Bush, Jamaal Bowman and other members of Congress in backing the “Ceasefire Now Resolution.” Thirteen representatives are named in the resolution.

“The loss of every Palestinian, Israeli, and American life we have seen in the past week is absolutely devastating and the grief and trauma in our communities is palpable,” Pressley said in a statement. “The murder of innocent Israeli civilians by Hamas is horrific and unacceptable. And the murder of innocent Palestinian civilians is a horrific and unacceptable response.

“With over 2,600 Palestinians, more than 1,400 Israelis, and 30 Americans killed, scores of others wounded, hostages’ lives at risk, and millions in Gaza lacking food, electricity, and clean drinking water, we must pursue an immediate ceasefire to protect civilians and save lives,” she added.

The Israeli government declared war against Hamas following the terrorist attacks last weekend, and Israel has been launching air strikes against the terrorist group. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., Canada and the European Union.

Hamas took Israeli hostages following the terrorist attacks.

“The United States has a moral obligation to get Americans in Gaza and Israel safely home, save Israeli and Palestinian civilian lives, and ensure humanitarian assistance is provided to Gaza,” Pressley said. “Our shared humanity is at stake and we must move with urgency.”

The House resolution urges the Biden administration to immediately call for and facilitate de-escalation and a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza.

The resolution also calls on the Biden administration to send and facilitate the entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza. The Israeli military ordered a complete siege on Gaza after the Hamas terrorist attacks.

Last week, Markey during a pro-Israel rally in Boston was booed when he pushed for de-escalation.

Massachusetts Congressman Jake Auchincloss at that Boston rally said calls for de-escalation were premature with Hamas taking scores of hostages.

Auchincloss on Monday said in a statement, “Israel should cease fire when the hostages are returned and when the terrorists who murdered children are dead.”

Mass State Police troopers responded to Carson Beach on Day Boulevard after a woman’s body was discovered there shortly before 7 a.m. on Monday.

The State Police Detective Unit for Suffolk County, State Police Crime Scene Services, and Troop H are conducting the death investigation at the Southie beach.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy.

In a separate investigation, State Police is reporting that troopers late Sunday night responded to an abandoned vehicle at Scusset Beach State Reservation in Bourne.

Then troopers, Department of Conservation and Recreation workers and members of the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department during a search of the area found a dead male — who was connected to the abandoned vehicle. He was located at the Sagamore Hill area of the Scusset Beach reservation.

The death does not appear to be suspicious.

A State Police spokesperson said, “Preliminary investigation by the State Police Detective Unit for the Cape and Islands District and the State Police Crime Scene Services Section has thus far found no evidence of foul play.”

Harvard President Claudine Gay in a video addressed the chaotic week at the Cambridge university, where the student groups have been condemned and railed against for their anti-Israel statement after the Hamas terrorists murdered Israelis and took hostages.

The dozens of groups in the statement entirely blamed Israel for the terrorist attacks.

“Our University embraces a commitment to free expression,” Gay said in the video. “That commitment extends even to views that many of us find objectionable, even outrageous.

“We do not punish or sanction people for expressing such views,” the president added. “But that is a far cry from endorsing them.”

Harvard was recently ranked as the worst college for free speech in the country. Harvard ranked last out of 248 colleges in a survey of more than 55,000 students across the U.S., receiving the only “Abysmal” rating in the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and College Pulse free speech rankings.

Following the student groups’ anti-Israel statement over the weekend, Harvard alums have been calling for the students’ names to be public.

Then, a truck revealing students’ names and their faces started to drive around the Cambridge campus. The “Harvard’s Leading Antisemites” truck has been showing the names and photos of students who are members of the groups that signed the statement. Students’ personal information is being spread online.

“Our University rejects terrorism — that includes the barbaric atrocities perpetrated by Hamas,” Gay said in the video. “Our University rejects hate — hate of Jews, hate of Muslims, hate of any group of people based on their faith, their national origin, or any aspect of their identity.

“Our University rejects the harassment or intimidation of individuals based on their beliefs,” the president added.

Meanwhile, Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer and his wife Batia have quit the executive board of Harvard’s Kennedy School in the wake of the student groups’ statement and Gay’s initial response to the letter.

The couple said they resigned from the board “as a protest against the shocking and insensitive response of the university president, who did not condemn the letter of the student organizations that held Israel solely responsible for the massacres,” according to the Hebrew newspaper TheMarker.

Gay in the video pushed for Harvard students to come together and become united during this crisis, instead of continuing the division.

“We can issue public pronouncements declaring the rightness of our own points of view and vilify those who disagree. Or we can choose to talk and to listen with care and humility, to seek deeper understanding, and to meet one another with compassion,” Gay said.

“We can inflame an already volatile situation on our campus,” the president added. “Or we can focus our attention where it belongs on the unfolding tragedy thousands of miles away. We can ask ourselves how, as human beings, we can be helpful to people who are desperately trying to protect themselves and their families, people who are fighting to survive.”

The “Harvard’s Leading Antisemites” truck has been showing the names and photos of students who are members of the groups that signed the explosive anti-Israel statement. The dozens of groups blamed Israel for the terrorist attacks, saying they “hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence.”

That letter from over the weekend has since sparked outrage, leading to Harvard alums calling for the students’ names to be public. Now, many of their names and faces are being shown on this Accuracy in Media truck.

“Accuracy in Media is exposing radical antisemites on college campuses,” the organization posted. “No one who supports terrorist groups like Hamas should be able to hide in the shadows.”

“It’s always funny when students on the campus where Facebook was invented are complaining about their names and photos being publicly available,” posted Adam Guillette, president of the organization.

A first-year graduate student who’s a member of a group that signed on to the statement told the Herald that the students who are getting “doxxed” are scared. The students’ personal information is being spread online.

“Everyone is fearful for their safety,” the grad student said. “I’m scared that this kind of targeting will lead to someone who looks Muslim getting attacked. It’s just a matter of time before something serious happens.”

The anti-Israel statement is “being misrepresented,” he said. None of the students are siding with terrorists, he added.

“Every student is sad about the tragic loss of life on both sides,” the grad student said. “At its core, the statement was to give voice to the Palestinian people and to the injustices they have faced for decades. For people to label everyone as anti-Semitic is a misrepresentation.”

Harvard issued a statement on Wednesday about the safety and wellbeing on campus. The Harvard University Police Department has stepped up its security presence on campus, and continues to monitor online activity for the potential of any threat to the campus community or individuals on campus.

“Events in Israel and Gaza continue to provoke anxiety, concern, and uncertainty throughout our community,” wrote Meredith Weenick, executive VP. “Those feelings have been amplified over the last several days by hateful and reckless rhetoric, inside and outside of Harvard, that has increased tensions and sown fear, especially among our students.

“I write tonight to assure you that the University takes seriously the safety and wellbeing of every member of our community,” Weenick added. “We do not condone or ignore intimidation. We do not condone or ignore threats or acts of harassment or violence.”