TAUNTON — A school bus driver and two students suffered minor injuries when their bus crashed into a box truck that swerved in front of them on Route 140 in Taunton, according to Massachusetts State Police.
Police say the bus was headed northbound carrying 35 teenagers when a truck suddenly changed lanes ahead of it Wednesday morning. The bus, which was headed to Bristol County Agricultural High School, crashed into the back of the truck.
The 57-year-old driver and two students were taken to Morton Hospital in Taunton with minor injuries, police said. The driver of the box truck and a passenger were not injured.
Police said the truck was swerving to avoid a flatbed truck that had stopped in a line of traffic waiting to enter Route 24. The box truck also swiped the side of the flatbed as it changed lanes. There were no injuries reported in that collision.
The driver of the box truck was cited for following too closely and for making an unsafe lane change. Police identified the driver as a 21-year-old New Bedford man but did not release his name.
BOSTON — Authorities say an insurance salesman illegally made millions of dollars by persuading seniors to withdraw from their savings so they could buy insurance policies through his company.
Ryan Skinner has been charged with acting as an unregistered investment adviser, according to a Wednesday announcement from Secretary of State William Galvin.
Skinner, who is president of Summit Financial Partners in Woburn, Massachusetts, denies the allegations. An attorney representing him says Skinner stands by his work.
“Once the facts come to light, it will be clear that Ryan has worked in the best interests of his clients, and has helped his clients achieve proper insurance planning under stringent ethical standards,” attorney Andrea Nuciforo said in a statement.
Authorities say Skinner advertised himself as a “retirement specialist” and promised to provide personalized financial advice and planning services. Instead, he sold dozens of clients the same fixed annuity policy and took a 7% commission, according to a complaint filed by Galvin’s office.
Skinner and his company are accused of making more than $4 million through the scheme. The complaint says he offered seniors free lunches where he advised them to draw from their savings so he could help maximize their retirement plans. In some cases, Skinner advised clients to invest their entire life savings in his company, investigators found.
Investors complained that they had to pay costs that had not been disclosed by Skinner’s company, and that he stopped answering calls when they asked about it. He’s accused of selling the same annuity to 128 clients.
Galvin’s office is asking Skinner to give up all profits from the scheme and to provide restitution for investors’ losses.
NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH — A substitute teacher at a high school has been fired for smoking marijuana in class and leading a discussion about the drug, the school’s principal said.
The teacher was fired Monday from North Attleborough High School after students reported the incident to officials, according to a statement from Principal Peter Haviland. The principal praised students for showing maturity and courage during an experience that he called “unfortunate and unprecedented.”
“It was their quick decisions to report the concerns which allowed our school to immediately intervene and remove the individual who created the unsafe environment,” Haviland said.
The teacher, whose name has not been released, has been barred from the school. It was not immediately clear if criminal charges will be filed.
Haviland said the case was “entirely unexpected and unprecedented,” adding that the teacher’s actions are “in no way a reflection of the great students, faculty, staff and families of this great school and community.”
WJAR-TV reports that local residents were shocked by the incident. Some said the teacher should have known better, while others applauded students for reporting the incident.
The federal government has decided to allow fishermen to renew permits online, and is encouraging them to use the system.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said commercial and recreational fishermen will be able to use the new web-based system on its Fish Online website starting on Jan. 2. The agency said the new system will be user-friendly in that gear codes won’t be required and fishermen won’t have to upload copies of Coast Guard documentation or state registration.
NOAA said fishermen can still use mail or fax to renew permits, but it is recommending fishermen use the new system instead because it will be quicker and easier.
From Associated Press