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American rapper and television personality Flavor Flav extended an offer to the U.S. women’s hockey team to celebrate its gold medal win in Milan Cortina.
In a statement posted on social media Monday, Flav, real name William Jonathan Drayton Jr., invited the team to a “real celebration in Las Vegas.”
Formal invitation sent to the women’s hockey team,,; but if anyone knows someone with them,,, have them reach out to my great at the email in my bio.
“We saw the story about the men’s invite to the White House, and the not quite invite for the women’s team,” part of the statement read. “…[Flav] always stands behind everything he says and does. If there is an interest for the team to come to Las Vegas and celebrate with Flav – we will figure it out on our end and make it a lovely experience.”
Flav’s offer came after the hockey team declined President Trump’s invitation to celebrate at the White House after beating Canada for gold, just like the men’s team.
“We are sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal–winning U.S. Women’s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement,” a USA Hockey spokesperson said via NBC News. “Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate.”
Trump invited the men’s team to the State of the Union set for Tuesday in a call posted on social media Sunday night, where he jokingly said he’d be impeached if he didn’t extend the invite to the women’s team.
It’s not yet clear if the women’s team will accept Flav’s offer, though he said he is flexible for most dates except for March 14-16, which falls on the weekend of his 67th birthday.
Flav was also an official sponsor and hype man for the U.S. bobsled and skeleton teams in Italy following a run with the water polo teams in Paris.
“I think a lot of other celebrities like myself need to step up to the plate and sponsor some of these Olympic teams, because these Olympians are out there busting their butts to make us look good,” Flav said on his decision to fund more Olympic sports. “After the sport has been played, people have a tendency to forget about the sport until it’s played again. I want this sport to stick in your mind after the season is over.”
When Jenna Lewis-Dougherty stepped onto the beach in Fiji where the 50th season of “Survivor” was about to begin, it felt surreal, she says.
And why wouldn’t it? Jenna, who was 22 when she appeared on the show’s first season, “Survivor: Borneo” in 2000, had no idea how much the game had changed over the years leading up to “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans.”
“There’s a picture of us all sitting on this big boat,” says Jenna, who also returned for “Survivor: All-Stars” in 2004.
“The first thought I had was, ‘How were there so many people?’” she says on a recent video call from her home in Woodland, California, just west of Sacramento, in the region where she’s built a successful real estate practice.
“I cannot tell you how small production was compared to what it is now. We would have maybe 25 people behind the cameras. Maybe a little more on ‘All-Stars.’ But like it’s a small city in back of those cameras now.”
Things have changed. It’s been 42 seasons – a record for the longest gap between appearances – since Jenna last appeared.
A few hours northeast of Jenna, Benjamin “Coach” Wade, another of the six Californians brought back for the all-star cast of “Survivor 50,” stood outside the bus where the drumline he leads as music director at Lassen High School was about to depart for a performance.
For Coach, who starred on “Survivor: Tocantins” in 2009, “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains” in 2010, and “Survivor: South Pacific” in 2011, his felt his return started when he spotted “Survivor” host Jeff Probst waiting to greet the 24 returning players on the beach.
“I saw all the cameras, and I saw Jeff’s smiling face, and heard the way that he chews on the word ‘Coach’,” he says, smiling. “He says my name different than anybody else’s. It’s like, ‘Wow, this is so freaking cool when he says “Coach.”‘
“I don’t know whether I’m allowed to say this or not; it doesn’t matter, I’m saying it anyway,” Coach says. “Right before the game, I said to the producers, ‘Call on me first or call on me last that first day when we’re all on the beach. You won’t regret it.’
“And to have that come to fruition? It was like, ‘Yeah, baby, we’re back!’”
Coach and Jenna are among 751 contestants to appear on “Survivor” over its 50 seasons. Other Californians in the cast include Tiffany Irvin of Los Angeles from “Survivor 46,” Joe Hunter of West Sacramento and Kamilla Karthigesu of Foster City from “Survivor 48,” and Angelina Keeley of San Diego from “Survivor: David vs. Goliath.”
Actor and filmmaker Mike White, creator of “The White Lotus,” a different kind of TV series built around backstabbing on beaches, grew up in Pasadena, but as a returnee from “Survivor: David vs. Goliath,” cites his home on the island of Kauai as his official residence.
“Survivor 50” premieres on Wednesday, Feb. 25. In interviews edited for length and clarity, Jenna and Coach talked about deciding to return to “Survivor,” what it was like being among the old-school minority of players on the island, and how it felt to compete in another round.
Q: You’re coming back after many years since your last season. What made you decide to leave your life outside of “Survivor” and return?
JENNA LEWIS-DOUGHERTY: Oh, really? There’s life outside of “Survivor”? [She laughs] Not since I was 22. I had been contacted a couple of times by CBS. My name had been in the mix, but none of them worked out. I actually went and got my shots and everything for “Survivor 40” before I think they had the format for “Winners at War.”
BENJAMIN “COACH” WADE: I’ve told “Survivor” no. They called me for “Blood vs. Water.” They changed the date, and my wife and I changed our wedding. And then they changed the date again. I was so mad, and I was like, “I’m never going to go on ‘Survivor’ again.”
So I’ve had a hard line of saying no, now being older and a lot less selfish. My wife owns a big dance studio here in Susanville, and she’s got 270 dancers in our studio.
I’m the guy that cooks the meals [at home]. I’m the guy that packs the lunches. Sometimes I’m putting them to bed and reading to them. And it’s just me. Taking that [time from] my three children was something I didn’t really think I’d be able to do.
It was not a quick yes. I was actually on the fence.
Q: How or what then made it possible to go this time?
JENNA: I couldn’t have done it before because I had little ones. My son right now is 14. My daughter’s 13. My older girls – I was a single mom on the first one [“Survivor: Borneo”] – they’re turning 30 in a couple of months.
I probably would have done it in some gaps, but this just happened to be perfect timing. Teenagers are a little easier to leave than 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds, so it worked out perfectly.
COACH: I talked to one of the executive producers, Matt Van Wagenen, whom I trust. They’ve made me look like a fool, they’ve made me look like a hero. He’s done all the hero edits, so I’m like, “OK, I trust this guy,” and I called him.
He says, “Are you getting the itch?” I said, “No, I don’t think I’m going to go.” And he said, “You’re going to regret it for the rest of your life. The way we’re going to promote this season, you really owe it to yourself to do it.” That was kind of the tipping point, and it was maybe a month from filming. At the last minute, I decided to do it.
Q: Tell me about the moment you got the call.
JENNA: You know, the funny thing is, I know that Jeff said that I was the first call, but I always thought Jeff didn’t like me. Because I would banter with him, kind of mean, during “All-Stars.”
So we’ve had, I think, two or three on-camera interviews with production, not necessarily Jeff. I remember they said, “Oh, hold on, we have one more producer who wants to ask a question.” I was holding, and then all of a sudden Jeff’s face comes on. He’s like, “I’m not going to bury the lead here. I want you to come back.”
I just remember crying, like, “Oh my God, it’s such an epic thing to be on the very first one and then the 50th.” Like, I got goosebumps just saying it.
Q: That’s a great set of bookends, the first series and the 50th, and no one else can say that.
JENNA: Nobody else can, and wouldn’t it be just great if I won? From the first to 50? [Jenna finished 8ith on “Borneo” and third on “All-Stars.”]
Q: People would love that. Especially you.
JENNA: I would.
Q: Coach, you’d played before with Stephenie [LaGrossa Kendrick], Colby [Donaldson], Ozzie [Lusth] and Cirie [Fields]. The rest were new to you. What was it like as the game started?
COACH: Sleeping on the dirt at 53 is a heck of a lot different and more painful than sleeping on the dirt when you’re 38, right? And I was used to traveling around the world and being in the bush [during his first three seasons] and not so much anymore.
It was this kind of yin and yang. It was a balance that I had to find really quickly of being back on the beach, being with these new players. As you mentioned, having six people from seasons 1 to 30. That’s slim pickings. So I knew it was going to be a new era, but I was ready for that.
I’m the bottom of my family. I’m the guy that is making them shine in the drumline. I’m building them up, and it’s less about me. It’s about leading from the bottom. That’s something that’s going to help my gameplay. I don’t need to be “the guy” even though I think that they should put me as coach in challenges, because historically, when I’m coaching, those old mantras and decisions of leading seem to come back.
Q: Jenna, I think Colby Donaldson is the only one you’ve played with before.
JENNA: Yes, and we never even played together. He was on a different tribe on “All-Stars,” and he was voted out before we merged. So I never actually spoke to Colby on “All-Stars.”
Q: Was playing with mostly new people a disadvantage or an advantage?
JENNA: I think it could be really good or really bad. Everybody is always looking to fit into your tribe, right? But that means, especially when you have eight people [on each of three tribes], you could have different factions. You could be that person that they take in for the votes. So that’s definitely a bonus.
And I think you can slip under the radar a lot better if people don’t think that at a merge, you have a group of pre-made friends that are going to vote them out.
But there’s also some drawbacks going out there not knowing anybody. It’s kind of daunting. There are all these micro-niches. You’ve got the “David vs. Goliath” with Mike White and Angelina. And then fresh in everybody’s mind were Kamilla and Joe and Kyle [Fraser]. So seeing everybody out there, I was like, “Oh my goodness, they all have these built-in relationships.”
Q: Coach, you’re one of the best-known “Survivor” players ever, for good or bad reasons. How were you received?
COACH: It was just a night and day difference, you know, from the past. I think the fans, for the most part, have come to appreciate what I bring to the table. Not so much, like you said, in the beginning. It really rang true that sometimes out there, I rub people the wrong way. I don’t try to. Maybe they’re thinking about camera time, or just that I am a big personality.
So to have people [on season 50] speak so highly of me? I mean, I couldn’t believe it when I heard Kamilla saying, “I can’t wait to meet Coach; he’s my favorite player of all time.” I’m just not used to that.
Q: It must have felt good.
COACH: I had some real scars from “Survivor,” and I did not realize it until I went out there this time around. I thought before the game, and I wrote in my journal, “You’ve got to win.” To increase your legacy, you’ve got to win this time around. [Coach finished fifth on “Tocantins,” 12th on “Heroes vs. Villains,” and second on “South Pacific.”]
What I didn’t realize is that from the very first day [of the new season], there was great healing on these scars that I had just turned a blind eye to, of so many people talking [trash] about me. I don’t have that in my everyday life. I had buried those wounds deep under my soul.
And going out there and hearing these younger players say, “I can’t wait to play with Coach,” and, “This guy’s my hero,” it brought about such beautiful healing. There’s a very emotional victory lap for me this time. Colby said something to me, he was just like, “Coach, you might be the hero that you’ve always wanted to be.”
Q: Jenna, you said your strategy for the other players was “to [bleep] you over in every way, shape or form.” Was that your strategy previously, too?
JENNA: It was definitely the strategy in “All-Stars.” When I did it the first time, nobody had a strategy. It was the first [“Survivor” had] ever been done. So I learned, and then on “All-Stars,” I learned that you can’t have friends out there.
You have to have that mindset that you’re going to be willing to [bleep] anyone over. Just I like I did with Rupert [Boneham] in “All-Stars.” We went together the whole way, and I cut him at the final four.
Q: Coach, even with the healing out there, we’re still going to get some classic Coach, Dragon Slayer-style?
COACH: I’m thinking about a quote from Oscar Wilde. He said, “I’m so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a word coming out of my mouth.” And I’m not very smart, so before I go on these shows, I have to memorize dozens of quotes, just because I want to sound smart.
So I’ve got a bunch of quotes, a bunch of nicknames. It’s diving back into like Japanese mythology and Irish folklore, and I’m grabbing these random, esoteric nicknames. That’s a huge part of me, and you’re going to see that maybe even on another level.
I keep talking about Coach 4.0. You don’t forget what got you here. I’m going to be more fluid in my gameplay, but as far as the character, I woke up one day after “Heroes vs. Villains,” and it was a beautiful moment. I realized I don’t give two [bleeps] about what people thought about me.
I was talking with Jeff before the game. He said, “Well, if we ask you –.” I said, “Cut the crap, man. You’ve tried to replicate me. You’ve failed to do so. It’s not gonna be be if you ask me, it’s going to be when you ask me. And he chuckles. He gets a kick out of that.
I’m like, “Why should I care about what these people think about me?” I’m going to probably be a little bit more humble, a lot more joyful, but you’re still going to see the Dragon Slayer.
Q: So Jenna, what do your teens think about you going back on “Survivor”?
JENNA: They don’t give a flying [bleep]. Like at all. [Laughs] I thought this was this huge thing for my family. And I was like, “Oh my God!” There wasn’t a blip. It was like, “Sure, but put cream cheese on this bagel, [bleeper].
I try to show them things and be like, “Mommy was cool. I’m cool again.” They don’t care. They’ve never watched me play. They don’t want to watch me play.
Q: Well, I say they don’t get any of the million bucks if you win.
There have been a number of water main breaks in Winthrop on Monday morning, and video shows significant street flooding in town as resident are told to limit water usage.
BOSTON — Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell has joined a new multistate lawsuit against the Trump administration seeking to recoup more than $7.2 billion in frozen energy and infrastructure grants.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in California by Campbell and 12 other attorneys general, challenges an “unlawful decision” by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Office of Management and Budget to withhold the funding for renewable energy projects in mostly Democratic-led states.
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A ‘pig flank’ was found off of a trail near Flowed Meadow at the Cove in Auburndale Park, Newton police said.
Police are investigating after a piece of a pig was found off a walking trail in Newton on Sunday, police said.
Newton police were informed that an unidentified person left “a full pig leg or flank” off of a trail near Flowed Meadow at the Cove in Auburndale Park, Newton police said.
A red flag and note was left next to the meat, Newton police said.
Police do not know if the meat was intended “to feed wildlife, to lure animals for hunting, or some other unknown reason,” the department said.
A “pig leg or flank” was found in Newton left in the snow with a small red flag and note next to it. – Newton Police Department
“Hunting on conservation land and in Newton parks is prohibited under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 131, Section 59, which forbids hunting or harming wildlife on any reservation, park, common, or land owned or leased by the Commonwealth of its municipalities, except under very limited, authorized circumstances,” Newton police wrote in a Facebook post.
Newton Animal Control along with Mass. Environmental Police are investigating the left pig meat, Newton police said.
MassWildlife strongly advises the public to not feed wildlife because it teaches wild animals to rely on humans for food and hurts their ability for survival.
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WASHINGTON — An armed man drove into the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s resort in Palm Beach, Florida, before being shot and killed early Sunday morning, according to a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service.
Although Trump often spends weekends at his resort, he was at the White House when the breach occurred around 1:30 a.m.
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Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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By MICHELLE L. PRICE and ALLEN G. BREED – The Associated Press
NBC’s Olympics bet looks strong again as viewers pour back in for the Milan Winter Games. NBC was averaging about 24 million viewers across afternoon and primetime coverage through Friday. That marks a 94% jump from the 2022 Beijing Games.…
Welp…..buckle up. We have a powerhouse storm set to lay down between one and two FEET of snow by Monday evening! For many, this will be a blizzard, the first in over 4 years for Boston!
Much of the region will experience blizzard conditions Monday morning. A quick refresher about blizzards, they are NOT about the amount of snow for an area but rather, extensive whiteout conditions.
This storm is a beast with the heaviest snow occurring between 4am and 10am where the intensity of the snow could approach 4″ in just one hour! That is bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S. This chart shows when the storm will be at its worst (in terms of the heaviest snow):
The snow map says it all:
The wind is also a big concern with this storm as gusts along the coastline are likely to exceed 50mph for several hours. Even well inland, across the Worcester Hills, occasional gusts up to 50mph are likely:
Needless to say, travel is not recommended for much of the day due to the heavy snow and strong winds:
The other concern with that wind is power disruption. The snow will be cold, light and fluffy in nature well inland (west of I-95) but along and east of I-95 the consistency of the snow will be wetter and combined with the strong wind will lead to scattered areas of power loss:
Thankfully, this storm will not stall but rather, keep on moving and out of here by Monday night with sunshine returning to the region Tuesday. Stay with 7News, we’ll have extended coverage through the day on the blizzard.
~JR
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The Patriots hold the No. 31 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq was one of the few non-trench players that draft experts have the Patriots selecting with their first-round pick. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Ahead of this week’s NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, the majority of draft experts seem to be on the same page about what the Patriots should do with the 31st overall pick: attack the trenches.
Most mock drafts have the Patriots either selecting an offensive lineman or an edge rusher with their first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Of course, the draft is still two months away, and free agency hasn’t even happened yet. But, the combine is where some of the top prospects start to separate themselves from the rest of the pack.
So, with New England not holding a top-four pick for the first time in three years, let’s take a look at who some draft experts have them selecting as some potential names to watch at this week’s combine.
Jeremiah has the Patriots addressing their top defensive need with their first-round pick, believing Zion Young is a strong match for New England.
“Young feels like an excellent fit for Mike Vrabel’s defense,” Jeremiah wrote. “He’s a big, rugged edge rusher who capped off a strong Senior Bowl week by winning Defensive MVP honors in the game.”
Young, who was listed at 6-foot-5 at Missouri, had 6.5 sacks this past season and logged 52 pressures, per Pro Football Focus. While Young’s 52 pressures were 18th among edge rushers, his 15 quarterback hits ranked fourth, so he can provide strong pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
As for Jeremiah’s NFL Network counterpart, Davis has the Patriots selecting an offensive tackle who hasn’t been talked about much during the draft process.
Max Iheanachor, who measured at 6-6 at Arizona State, was exclusively a right tackle during his time in Tempe after transferring from East Los Angeles College (a junior college) in 2023. He thrived at the position for the Sun Devils as well, allowing just two sacks and 46 pressures over his college career. That helped him earn second-team All-Big 12 honors this past season.
“Iheanachor is exactly what the Pats need: More young talent for the offensive line,” Davis wrote. “He would immediately compete for snaps at right tackle. However, if New England opts to go edge rusher here, Clemson’s T.J. Parker should be in play.”
Even though tight end isn’t a pressing need for the Patriots, Yahoo Sports’ Charles McDonald and Nate Tice have them drafting Kenyon Sadiq because of his strong pass-catching ability.
“The Patriots need pass catchers, especially ones who can create explosives with the ball in their hands,” McDonald and Tice wrote. “Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels loves to use tight ends, and Maye has loved throwing the ball to Hunter Henry in his first two seasons. Sadiq would give them a weapon who can turn those screens and underneath routes into big plays. He has the speed and receiving ability to stretch the defense, and also some real grit as a blocker that Mike Vrabel would love.”
Sadiq logged 51 receptions for 580 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025. While those numbers might not stick out, Sadiq led Oregon in receptions and receiving touchdowns, doing so for a Ducks team that reached the College Football Playoff semifinal.
And even though tight end isn’t viewed as a top need for 2026, they might have to address it soon. Henry has one season left on his contract and will be 32 by the end of next season. Backup tight end Austin Hooper is set to hit free agency this offseason.
Jacas hasn’t appeared in the first round in the majority of mock drafts. However, Fornelli thinks the fit in New England is just too strong for the Patriots to pass on Jacas.
“I’m taking a flier here. I’m an Illini fan who has seen a lot of Gabe Jacas over his career, and he’s always reminded me of former Ohio State player and current New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. If the Patriots look to address the pass rush in this spot, Jacas makes a lot of sense for both his ability and scheme fit,” Fornelli wrote.
Jacas was highly productive at Illinois over the last two seasons. He logged 11 sacks and three forced fumbles in 2025 following an eight-sack season in 2024. Jacas also had 41 pressures in 2025, and his 6-3 frame gives him an ideal frame for an edge rusher.
Yates likes Caleb Lomu to go to the Patriots for a pair of reasons: their need for offensive line help and his versatility.
“Lomu, who took over at left tackle for Utah in 2024 when [Spencer] Fano moved over to the right side, could slide in at tackle or guard for New England. (Note: I am a firm believer that the Patriots should stay fully committed to Will Campbell at left tackle, as coach Mike Vrabel has already stated will be the case.) Lomu needs to further develop his strength,” Yates wrote.
At first glance, Lomu seems to have the size to play offensive tackle. He stands at 6-6, and if the Patriots stick with Campbell at left tackle, they could groom Lomu to take over for Morgan Moses at right tackle in the near future.
Lomu allowed just two sacks and 15 pressures over his two seasons at left tackle, earning first-team All-Big 12 honors this past season. So, he certainly produced like a high-level offensive tackle prospect at the college level.
McShay believes that R Mason Thomas could be a “closer” for the Patriots’ defense, writing that he could essentially help New England close out wins after the offense gives the team a lead.
“The Patriots need to add young blood to their pass rush,” McShay wrote. “Thomas makes sense. He’s an undersized edge — not dissimilar to [Harold] Landry — but he is one of my favorite players in the class. Thomas blasts out of his stance, shows excellent snap in his hands, bends a tight edge, and his motor is legendary. He’s a Mike Vrabel kind of guy.”
As McShay pointed out, Thomas was listed at 6-2 at Oklahoma, which isn’t ideal. But, the production was there for him in Norman, recording 15.5 sacks over the last two seasons. He had 28 pressures in 10 games this past season after posting 35 pressures in 2024.
Similar to the other draft analysts who have the Patriots drafting a pass rusher, Miller believes that Howell would be a great addition for New England, even if he has some weaknesses in his game.
“He doesn’t immediately project as a three-down player but has the tools to develop into one with improved play against the run,” Miller wrote. “Howell would bring an immediate pass-rushing presence and give New England serious juice off the corner when attacking the backfield with his impressive first-step quickness.”
Howell has the size and production of an ideal top edge rusher prospect. He’s listed at 6-4 and had an SEC-leading 11.5 sacks this past season. He also led the conference in pressures with 41. But Howell only had 31 total tackles despite his high usage rate (591 snaps, 87th among all edge rushers).
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Connor Hellebuyck delivered a goaltending performance for the ages, but every netminder needs a little help at times.
And in the third period of the USA’s heart-stopping 2-1 overtime win over the Canadians in Sunday’s gold medal game, the UMass Lowell product turned to another Hockey East product, Bruins defenseman and former Boston University Terrier Charlie McAvoy, for some game-saving assistance.
The Canadians threw everything at Hellebuyck with the score tied 1-1. A go-ahead goal for Canada seemed inevitable. At one juncture, former Bruin Brad Marchand threw the puck toward the net. In a scramble, Tom Wilson got the puck and he had Hellebuyck down and out. He flipped it over the netminder, but McAvoy was there on the goal line to block it with his chest and then scoop it with both hands away from danger without closing either one on the puck.
It was a huge moment in the game, which was eventually won on Jack Hughes’ golden goal less than two minutes into overtime to lift the Americans to a 2-1 win and their first gold medal since 1980.
And it was quite a moment for McAvoy. The Long Beach, N.Y., native grew up in the U.S. National Team Development Program. Last year at the 4 Nations tournament, McAvoy played a monster game when the Americans beat the Canadians early in the tournament in Montreal but was sidelined for the championship game in Boston with the shoulder injury that became dangerously infected and cost him the rest of the season.
He was overcome by emotion when Hughes’ goal went in.
“I can’t wait to see the footage of what happened after we scored, because it was a complete blackout, who I was hugging, where I was going. I don’t know what happened,” McAvoy told reporters in Italy. “It was euphoria, man. I can’t even explain what I was feeling. Just pure joy.”
There were plenty of local ties to this win. Millis and Boston College product Matt Boldy scored the game’s first goal. McAvoy’s Bruins teammate Jeremy Swayman, who won a game in the tourney, also took home the gold. Wilbraham native and BC alum Bill Guerin was the GM and, in fact, took some heat when he left scorers Cole Caufield and Jason Robertson off the roster.
And behind the bench was Mike Sullivan, son of Marshfield and BU and McAvoy’s father-in-law. Sullivan went to bat for Guerin.
“The team was built with personality in mind,” said Sullivan, the former Bruins and current Rangers coach who won two Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh. “There are whiskey drinkers and milk drinkers. And we got a lot of whiskey drinkers.”
LOWELL — The Phan brothers charged in the 2020 killing of Tyrone Phet are asking a Middlesex Superior Court judge to reconsider the bail orders that have kept them behind bars for nearly five and a half years, arguing that new allegations of misconduct by a State Police homicide detective have thrown the case off course.
In a motion filed on Feb. 13, attorney Mark Wester — representing Billy Phan — argues that the recent disclosure that State Police Sgt. Scott Quigley’s alleged intoxication and speeding in a 2023 fatal crash qualifies as the kind of “changed circumstances” that Massachusetts law requires for bail reconsideration, writing that the revelations have “delayed the just resolution of this case.”
In the motion, Wester asks Judge Chris Barry‑Smith to reconsider holding Phan without bail and “grant him a reasonable cash bail.”
Attorneys Lorenzo Perez and William Dolan filed similar motions on behalf of Channa Phan and Billoeum Phan.
The three brothers, all in their 30s, each face life in prison without the possibility of parole after being charged with first‑degree murder in the shooting of 22‑year‑old Phet outside his home at 50 Spring Ave. in Lowell during the early‑morning hours of Sept. 14, 2020.
Phet — a 2016 Chelmsford High graduate and former high school football standout — was struck by gunfire eight times, with one bullet passing through both lungs and his heart and another entering and exiting his brain.
Police recovered 21 spent shell casings at the scene, including ten 10mm casings and eleven .40‑caliber casings.
The Phan brothers have been held without bail since their arrests in October 2020.
Dolan said earlier this month that while defendants in first‑degree murder cases are typically held without bail, the circumstances surrounding Quigley’s alleged misconduct justify reconsideration.
Quigley — a key investigator in the Phan case — is accused of being under the influence of alcohol and speeding while on duty in a State Police cruiser when he crossed into oncoming traffic and caused the December 2023 Woburn crash that killed 37‑year‑old Angelo Schettino, a paraplegic man with special needs.
Dolan also pointed to the outcome of the brothers’ first trial in November 2024, which ended in a hung jury and a mistrial, forcing the case into a second trial cycle.
“Because (the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office) didn’t meet their burden in their first trial and because of all the other things going on, they shouldn’t have to wait in jail,” Dolan said of the Phan brothers.
The defense had asked that the bail review be taken up alongside an evidentiary hearing they are seeking into the handling of Quigley’s 2023 crash.
The defense has argued that the evidentiary hearing is necessary because they believe the State Police and the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office covered up information about Quigley after the crash.
Quigley, who was assigned as a homicide investigator to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and played a central role in the Phan investigation, has since been suspended without pay. His crash has been referred to the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office for possible criminal charges. Schettino’s mother, Lynn Schettino, is also pursuing a civil‑rights lawsuit against the State Police over her son’s death.
Michael Mahoney, who represents Schettino’s mother in the civil‑rights case, said of Quigley, “It keeps coming for this guy.”
In the motion requesting the evidentiary hearing, the Phan brothers’ defense team states testimony from Quigley and another 18 members of law enforcement is needed to determine whether there was an effort to shield him from scrutiny and to establish why his toxicology results were not disclosed to the Phan defense until jury selection in January.
Prosecutors were originally ordered to respond to the evidentiary‑hearing motion by Friday, but the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office requested — and was granted — an extension until Monday.
Dolan said on Friday that he and his client were frustrated to learn the extension had been granted to the DA’s office, calling it “just more of the same dragging their feet.”
The requests for the bail and evidentiary hearings come as the brothers’ retrial remains frozen, with Barry‑Smith halting jury selection late last month and dismissing the 12 jurors who had already been seated.
The judge paused the proceedings after the disclosures about Quigley surfaced during jury selection, prompting the court to order a full review before the case could continue.
Defense attorneys have also moved to dismiss the charges against the Phan brothers entirely, stating the delayed disclosures and questions surrounding Quigley’s conduct have irreparably tainted the prosecution.
In the meantime, a new retrial date is currently scheduled to begin on April 27.
The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office was unavailable for comment on the status of its response to the evidentiary‑hearing motion.
Follow Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.
A Maine man was arrested on drug charges Thursday after he crashed his truck twice in one night, according to court records.
Andrew Beaulieu, 30, of Carthage, Maine, has been charged with possession of a class C drug, operating under the influence of drugs, and negligent operation of a motor vehicle, court records showed. He was arraigned Thursday in Fall River District Court and pleaded not guilty.
At about 4 a.m., Massachusetts State Police issued a “be on the lookout” warning about a truck that had crashed into a rest stop on Route 24 South in Bridgewater. The truck was reported to have Maine registration plates, state police said in a statement.
Beaulieu allegedly drove the truck into the main entrance of a Burger King located at the rest stop, according to a police report filed in court. Troopers found that the front doors had been bashed in, and the overnight manager later told them that she saw the truck back up, do donuts in the parking lot, and leave the scene, according to officials.
About an hour later, Westport police responded to a single-vehicle crash involving the same truck on Forge Road, according to state police. Troopers identified Beaulieu as the driver at the scene, determined that he was impaired, and arrested him without incident, according to officials.
When police searched Beaulieu’s vehicle, they allegedly found a bag containing a “plant material” believed to be treated with synthetic cannabinoids consistent with what is commonly known as K2 or spice, according to the police report.
Beaulieu was released on personal recognizance and is due back in court March 3, according to court records. His attorney, Michael DiGioia, declined to comment on the charges Sunday.
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If you haven’t prepped for our impending Nor’easter, now is the time!
It’s a calm start to our Sunday. We’re waking up to temperatures in the 20s, and while it’s mostly cloudy, it’s also calm. It’ll stay clam and cloudy through the afternoon with highs in the mid 30s.
You’ll start to notice the weather shift this evening, as winds start to gust into the 20s and 30s and the first flakes start to fall around 7 PM. From there, things only intensify as the storm continues north, and by early Monday morning the snow will be thumping and the winds will be howling. The worst of the storm will be between roughly 4 AM and 4 PM Monday. That said, the snow won’t wrap up until closer to 7-8 PM. At that point, winds will still be gusty, though not at their peak.
Going through the components of this storm:
SNOW
The numbers will be big. That’s not new, but it’s still important. Expect the highest totals to be for parts of the South Shore and South Coast. Generally speaking, the numbers decline as you head inland from there. That said, even the “lowest” totals up in northwestern Massachusetts are still plowable.
Snowfall rates will be the highest Monday morning, at which point they could surpass 2″ per hour. Needless to say, that’ll make the numbers pile up quickly at that point.
One big difference between this storm and our other big snowstorm this season (January 25-26) is that while our January snow was light and fluffy, this round will be heavier and wetter. Not like cement, but certainly not the fluffy stuff we saw a month ago.
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS
Not-so-fun fact about blizzards: they’re NOT just big snowstorms. They have very particular criteria they need to meet. A blizzard must have…
Falling or blowing snow
Wind gusts frequently at 35+mph
Visibility of ¼ mile or less
And all of that has to last for 3+ hours
This storm actually does have the potential to bring blizzard conditions. In fact, we have Blizzard Warnings for the entirety of the coast, Bristol, Plymouth & Norfolk Counties. Outside of the Bay State, this Warning also includes all of Rhode Island and coastal Connecticut.
These conditions could not only make travel dangerous, but downright impossible at times. If you absolutely HAVE to travel, make sure you stock your car with supplies like snacks, water, blankets/extra clothes, a flashlight and charged electronics.
WIND
Another difference between this Nor’easter and our January snowstorm, is that this storm will have much gustier and more persistent winds. In a similar fashion to the snow, the worst of the wind will be early Monday morning. That said, wind gusts will stay high all day, especially for the coast. The highest gusts will be for the coast, particularly Cape Ann, the South Shore, and the Cape. Gusts in these areas could get up into the 50s, 60s, and a few could even reach or surpass 70 mph.
The numbers taper as you head inland, but even in Central Mass, we’re looking at widespread gusts in the 30s and 40s.
Something important to mention is that between the heavier, stickier snow and the gusty winds, we could see some isolated to scattered power outages along the coast.
COASTAL FLOODING
With powerful gusty winds largely coming from the northeast (how “Nor’easters” get their name), there’s also the potential for coastal flooding in the Bay State. We’ll be keeping an eye on that potential during high tide (right before 3 AM Monday morning), particularly for Plymouth County, the Cape & Islands, which could see minor to moderate coastal flooding during that time.
The next part of the flooding forecast is a good news-bad news situation. The good news is that low tide (around 9-10 AM Monday) coincides with the highest surge potential for the storm. The bad news is that between the surge and the next high tide (around 3-5 PM), we have another chance at minor to moderate coastal flooding Monday late afternoon/early evening.
What does this really mean? It means that low-lying roads, parking lots & properties could see some inundation (2-3 feet for the South Shore, Cape & Islands, up to 1 foot for the North Shore). Never drive over flooded roadways! You don’t know the integrity of the roadway underneath the water. It’s not worth messing with your car, let alone your safety!!!
AS FOR THE FORECAST BEYOND THE STORM…
We get a break on Tuesday, thank goodness. It’ll be a good day to shovel out, with a mostly sunny sky, a light breeze and highs in the low 30s. That said, it’s a short-lived break as a few more storms move through New England during the middle/end of next week.
The first is a quick-moving storm that could bring us a few snow showers on Wednesday, mainly in the second half of the day. After that, another storm arrives during the second half of the day Thursday. This one looks like it could bring rain and snow showers through Friday morning.
Stay aware, stay safe, and stay tuned! We’ll have your back throughout this storm!
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Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu are both set to join state and city leaders at separate press conferences today to provide a winter storm update.
This will likely be Boston’s first blizzard since January 2022.
Wu has declared a snow emergency and parking ban in Boston effective at 2 p.m. Sunday. The mayor will be at Boston City Hall at 10:30 a.m. to share information about the city’s preparations ahead of the storm’s arrival. It will be livestreamed in the video player above.
Tevin Wooten and Pamela Gardner have the details on our approaching weather system, which could likely be our first blizzard since January 2022..
At 1 p.m., Healey will be at the state emergency operations center in Framingham. She’s expected to be joined by a host of other leaders including Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Public Safety and Security Secretary Gina Kwon, Transportation Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phil Eng, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper, Transportation Undersecretary and Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver, MBTA Chief Operating Officer Ryan Colohan, MEMA Director Dawn Brantley, and Massachusetts State Police Col. Geoffrey Noble.
That press conference will also be livestreamed in the video player above.
