Latest news with #BeaconHill
Daily Mail
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Entitled outburst of drunk driving Dem lawmaker after smashing his huge SUV into parked car
A Massachusetts Democrat lawmaker has been arrested after he allegedly smashed his massive SUV into a parked car before trying to get away with it by reminding officers of his position. State Rep. John Lawn, 56, was arrested around 1:45am on Wednesday after witnesses said they saw him slam his GMC Yukon into a parked Toyota Tundra in Boston's Beacon Hill neighborhood before driving off. According to a Boston police report, after hitting the parked car, Lawn allegedly sped off through two stop signs around 1am, leaving the vehicle with a blown tire and deep scrapes along the side, a witness told cops. Police then tracked down the SUV nearby and identified the driver as Lawn, who they said had glassy, bloodshot eyes, was slurring his words, and appeared visibly unstable when he stepped out of the car. Officers said in their report that Lawn identified himself, saying: 'I am a state rep,' and claimed he had just come from an event at the State House. When asked to take a breathalyzer, the lawmaker allegedly refused. Instead, he boldly replied: 'You know what I'd rather do? I want to take an Uber and go home.' And when police asked whether he noticed the damage to his own vehicle, he reportedly responded: 'What damage?' After hitting the parked car (pictured, right), Lawn allegedly sped off through two stop signs around 1am, leaving the vehicle with a blown tire and deep scrapes along the side, a witness told cops Lawn also failed a series of field sobriety tests and was unable to give a urine sample once transported to the Nashua Street Jail, according to police. He even dropped his license and credit card onto the street. 'As the suspect stepped out of the vehicle, [the officer] noted that he had difficulty maintaining his balance,' the police report stated. 'As he attempted to retrieve his license from his wallet, he dropped his license and one of his credit cards on the ground.' Fragments of the bumper found at the scene of the crash were determined to match Lawn's SUV. A witness, Walter Thilly, said he heard a 'super loud bang.' 'I heard a super loud bang and just from experience I know that's usually a car accident,' Thilly told CBS News. 'I saw the car, like, kind of stuck to this white pickup truck right here. And it was almost like he was glued and then he kept trying to back out, back in, trying to get away. And then ended up just driving off.' Lawn now faces two misdemeanor charges: operating under the influence of alcohol and leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage. The case was continued without a finding at his court appearance Thursday, which means he may not be convicted if he meets certain conditions. Lawn released a statement on Wednesday shortly after the incident admitting his actions were 'completely unacceptable.' 'I deeply regret and take full responsibility for my actions. What happened was completely unacceptable. I make no excuses. I am committed to taking the necessary steps to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again,' he said. 'To my family, friends, and constituents, I have let you down, and for that I am deeply sorry.' He pleaded guilty on Thursday and was sentenced to a 45 day loss of his license, one year probation on the OUI and six months of probation on count the second charge.
CBS News
17-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Massachusetts Rep. John Lawn loses license for 45 days after drunk driving arrest
Massachusetts State Representative John Lawn will lose his license for 45 days after changing his plea in his drunk driving case. Lawn initially entered a not guilty plea at his arraignment in Boston Municipal Court Thursday morning. Then, once cameras left the courtroom, he returned and admitted to sufficient facts, which is essentially agreeing there's enough evidence for a conviction without actually pleading guilty. Lawn, a 56-year-old Democrat from Watertown, is accused of driving drunk through Beacon Hill near the State House early Wednesday morning. Police said he crashed into a parked pickup truck, drove off and then ran two stop signs. When an officer pulled him over, Lawn's eyes "were glassy and bloodshot, and his speech was slurred," according to a Boston police report. The judge told the lawmaker that he would not treat him different than any other criminal defendant. Lawn was given one year of probation for operating under the influence and six months for leaving the scene but they will run concurrently. That means he will spend one year total on probation. If Lawn reoffends during that year, his charges will turn into a conviction. The judge also revoked Lawn's driver's license for 45 days, which is standard for a first-time OUI offense. He will pay $550 in fines and undergo alcohol treatment and education. Outside the courtroom, Lawn apologized to his friends, family and constituents in a statement. "I feel terrible. I will do all I can to make sure that I live a better life, a healthier life and make sure nothing like this ever happens again," said Lawn. He then left without taking any questions from reporters. The Massachusetts Republican Party is calling on Lawn to resign. House Speaker Ron Mariano said in a statement that he was "very disappointed to learn of this news" and said Lawn told him he'll work to make sure this doesn't happen again. Lawn is the chair of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing. He was first elected in 2011.
CBC
16-07-2025
- General
- CBC
Park commemorating 2016 wildfire opens in Fort McMurray
Fort McMurray has unveiled a new park to commemorate the resilience of the community after the 2016 wildfire. The park, called Reflections Lookout, as well as a playground named after Emily Ryan, is located in the northeast corner of Beacon Hill. Emily Ryan, 15, died in head-on collision during the mass evacuation of the city and surrounding communities in 2016. Aaron Hodgson, 19, her stepmother's nephew, was also killed in the crash. Ryan's father Cranley served as a deputy chief with the Wood Buffalo fire department during that time. "To me, it's a sacred space that commemorates what was lost," he said during the opening ceremony. He thanked the community for standing by their family. "Many of us suffered a loss during that evacuation. There were houses, belongings, material things, pets — all important," he said. "I lost a daughter in the middle of the confusion and fear. It is the deepest pain that a parent can know. But the community refused to let us grieve alone." He called the park "one meaningful symbol" of the rebuilding. "It's our sincere hope that this location can serve as a lasting, fitting and appropriate memory for you, in Emily's honour," said Wood Buffalo's mayor Sandy Bowman. "We also hope we can provide the same for all those that were impacted by what happened on May 3, 2016." The park incorporates a trail featuring the words of different community members, including first responders. "At the end of the trail, you'll find a lookout — a peaceful place with beautiful views of Fort McMurray," said Keith Smith, director of public works with the municipality of Wood Buffalo. "Reflection Lookout is much more than just a park," he said. "It's a place that grows with the community and supports healing." Acting fire chief Rob van Hecke said the "park stands as a symbol of the balance we've worked hard to achieve." While it is a space for reflection, healing and remembrance, he said, it's also a space "that belongs to everyone — a welcoming place to connect, to find calm, to draw strength, and to move forward." He hopes that it "will inspire comfort, hope and renewed resilience" in the community. Keith Smith, Director Of Public Works at Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, echoed that sentiment. "I believe it's vitally important for the community as a place to reflect. But I see more as a place to connect and really to look ahead. What does Fort McMurray have? We're here. We're moving forward."
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mass. lawmakers get a deal; gun for first on-time (ish) state budget in years
Beacon Hill's top budget writers said Friday that they have a deal on a new spending plan for 2026, and plan to vote on it Monday, putting the Legislature on course for its first on-time(ish) budget in years. Maybe. In a statement, state Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, D-3rd Suffolk, and Sen. Michael Rodriques, D-1st Bristol/Plymouth, did not release any details of a roughly $61 billion fiscal blueprint for the new fiscal year that starts July 1. But the two, who respectively chair the House and Senate Ways and Means committees, said the deal announced Friday '[doubles down] on our shared commitment to addressing the underlying budget challenges that we are collectively confronting in the face of ongoing uncertainty and federal funding impacts." Read More: The piece of the Mass. budget that passes all understanding | John L. Micek The shifting federal funding picture from Washington has proven one of the biggest variables this budget season. And the Republican domestic policy mega-bill, which would make deep cuts to Medicaid (and now may not), had budget writers eyeing Congress warily. 'Currently, our teams are working hard to complete the work necessary to file the conference committee report this weekend, to ensure that the Legislature is prepared to act on Monday to send a balanced and fiscally responsible budget to the governor and her team before the beginning of the new fiscal year,' Michlewitz and Rodriques said in their joint statement. Read More: Mass. Senate Dems roll out $61.3B budget. Here's what's in it. And 1 big thing that's not The House and Senate have each approved their own versions of the 2025-2026 fiscal blueprint. Democratic Gov. Maura Healey got the ball rolling earlier this year when she sent lawmakers a $62 billion spending proposal. Read More: Here's how you could pay more under Gov. Healey's budget | Bay State Briefing A joint House and Senate conference committee has been working for several weeks to resolve the differences between the two chambers' respective spending proposals. Rodriques and Michlewitz, the respective committee chairs, typically have a substantial say in the shape and content of that compromise budget deal. It's been more than a decade since Massachusetts has had an on-time state budget. Policy-makers may yet continue that streak since Healey has 10 days to review any bill sent to her desk. Chicopee's next budget is 6% hike from this year. Here's where spending has increased Trump says he's terminating trade talks with Canada over tax on technology firms 'You have been the worst': Secretary Hegseth blasts former Fox colleague Mass. AG Campbell vows to fight on after Supreme Court hands Trump birthright citizenship win Healey slams Trump for canceling $45M to protect farms, forests and wetlands in WMass and beyond Read the original article on MassLive.
Miami Herald
13-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Law aimed to fast-track housing. Two years in, Miami-Dade sees first modest project
Two years after it was first approved, the controversial Live Local Act, a state law designed to fast-track housing construction across Florida by overriding local density limits, is about to deliver its first project in Miami-Dade County. It's not what you may be expecting. Instead of the splashy, zoning-busting high-rise proposals that have set off political and court battles across South Florida, Beacon Hill at Princeton is modest in scale and scope: Three-story garden-style buildings with a total of 112 rental apartments, all of them affordable to people making a middle-class income. But its developers are doing something that no other Live Local proposal in Miami-Dade has managed to accomplish so far: They are actually ready to start construction. In doing so, developers Matthew Martinez and David Rothenstein say, the $20 million Beacon Hill at Princeton may provide a model for making the law work the way it was sold to the public — expanding the supply of so-called 'workforce' housing in urban areas where exploding costs have made renting a home unaffordable for many middle-income workers. The developers say their project, on South Dixie Highway just north of Homestead, is the first in the county to be fully conceived, designed and approved under Live Local that's ready to go. Unlike numerous other proposals that have yet to get off the ground, their development did not seek to supersize under Live Local and has no market-rate apartments, keeping cost lows with simple, low-rise designs. By focusing on Live Local's generous tax breaks and other incentives instead, they say, they were able to preserve relative affordability while still projecting a healthy return on their investment. The project is privately financed. 'What we've tried to do at Beacon Hill is create and develop workforce housing for the missing middle that adheres to the spirit of the legislation,' Martinez, president of Coral Gables-based Beacon Hill Property Group, said. 'We want to provide good, safe financially attainable housing for people who make our communities work and function.' Added Rothenstein, Beacon Hill's managing director: 'We're making a little dent in this huge need. We're using it for exactly what it was meant for, to add workforce housing, not market-rate housing.' Beacon Hill's Princeton project broke ground with a ceremony June 6. The developers expect completion by late next year, with monthly rents ranging from $1,700 to $1,900 for a one-bedroom apartment, and between $2,100 and $2,300 for a two-bedroom. To qualify, renters must meet income caps set at no more than 120 percent of the county's median household income, or about $95,000. But the developers and even some Live Local backers warn not to expect a flood of projects, at least not yet. Originally approved by the Florida Legislature in 2023, the Live Local Act allows mixed-use projects in commercial and industrial districts to exceed limits on local density and height zoning rules so long as developers set aside 40 percent of residential units for workforce housing. Under Live Local, championed among others by Florida GOP Rep. Vicki Lopez of Miami, municipal and county authorities are obligated to approve a proposal that qualifies without public hearings or review. The law, which received overwhelming bipartisan support, also provides significant breaks on property taxes and impact fees paid by developers, while earmarking millions of dollars in state funds for housing development over 10 years — lucrative provisions that have not received the attention that the law's zoning pre-emption measures have. The idea was to allow developers to build more profitable market-rate apartments using greater height and density while providing financial support to balance out the lower rents for workforce tenants. Backers said they expected the law to quickly result in development of low- to mid-rise buildings, or up to about eight stories, because construction costs and complications rise substantially above that height, likely making high-rise Live Local proposals hard to finance and slow to receive building permits. Speculation over construction Instead, the law has so far most conspicuously produced what some critics have said is an avalanche of speculation by developers across South Florida who rushed to propose complex skyscraper projects with hundreds of market-rate and even luxury apartments in addition to the desired workforce units. In many cases the contemplated towers would far exceed the previously allowed height and density in municipalities from Hollywood to Doral, Bal Harbour and Miami Beach, prompting an uproar from residents and setting off some high-profile legal battles. Earlier this year, the latest in a series of amendments to the Live Local law designed get projects moving could lead to the demolition of historic Miami Beach buildings, including its famed Art Deco buildings, for skyscrapers. Backers note that the need for so-called workforce housing is acute across much of the state. But some skeptics say Live Local's zoning and financial measures provide developers outsize benefits while delivering little comparable relief for the county's housing crisis, which is concentrated among low-income families that cannot afford workforce rents, and saddling communities with traffic and other infrastructure impacts and costs they have not planned for. Whereas Miami-Dade has a shortfall of some 17,000 workforce homes, the gap for low-income housing — defined as households making under 80 percent of the area median income — sits at 90,000 units, said Annie Lord, executive director of Miami Homes for All, a research and advocacy organization. 'What you're getting in exchange,' she said of Live Local's benefits for developers, 'it's just dwarfed by that five-to-one gap in affordable housing.' While some of those high-rise, high-density projects have been approved, not one has begun or announced the start of construction. Local resistance to Live Local The poster child is perhaps a contested proposal from the owners of a dying Sears store on Coral Way, on the Miami side of the border with suburban Coral Gables, that drew strenuous opposition from the residents of the abutting, low-scale Coral Gate neighborhood. The developers' plan would put three eight-story buildings and 1,050 apartments on the already traffic-clogged intersection of Douglas Road and Coral Way, a historic road that can't be altered. In May, after the city of Miami, adhering to Live Local's rules, approved the project with no hearing or chance for public input, owner Ranaan Katz, one of the original partners in the Miami Heat, promptly put the eight-acre property — its value now multiplied by Live Local — up for sale for a reported $100 million-plus. The Miami-Dade tax appraiser's website puts the property's market value at $37.7 million. A leading Live Local expert in Miami, land-use lawyer Javier Avino, said he believes there is a shake-up going on as developers realize large-scale projects under the law may be unfeasible, at least for now, given high interest rates and land, insurance and construction costs. Avino, a partner and land-use lawyer at Bilzin Sumberg, noted that some chief beneficiaries of Live Local to date have been affordable housing projects already under development or construction that ran into difficulties because of rising costs. Several received significant low-interest loans from the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, a state agency, under Live Local to finish projects. One since-completed project by a Bilzin client, Cymbal DLT's Laguna Gardens in Miami Gardens, initially a market-rent project, fully retooled before construction was finished to accommodate Live Local's income limits for all 341 units and qualify for its tax and financial incentives. Also making progress, Avino said, are several proposals by Related Urban, the affordable housing arm of the giant Related Group, that take advantage of Live Local's zoning hikes. But those have the advantage of using public land under publicly bid agreements with the county housing agency — a massive cost savings other most private projects don't enjoy. Bilzin represents Related Urban. 'There's always going to be the reality that some folks try and entitle for highest and best use without truly committing to actually doing the development,' Avino said. 'The reality is that the ones we are seeing truly progress are the ones that provide enough of an incentive to pencil out financially. It's not going to be something that goes from 100 to 1,001 units of development. If you supersize something, it's going to create a slew of other issues that really become cost-prohibitive. 'In 2023 we saw a lot of exploration. What we're seeing now is a balancing out. Some people are seeing it doesn't make sense for me.' Breaks on taxes, impact fees The Beacon Hill developers said they found Live Local useful not for its zoning breaks, but for tax and other financial incentives. Beacon Hill, which got its start in Boston before moving to South Florida, has experience with affordable housing. It has built federally subsidized Section 8 housing, in which the government pays a portion of the rent for low-income families and individuals. But Live Local incentives made it advantageous for Beacon Hill to switch their model to workforce housing, its principals said. The Live Local financial benefits include a substantial 75 percent to 100 percent reduction in property taxes once a development is occupied, depending on tenants' incomes. To qualify, a project must have at least 70 workforce units. Impact fees to local governments, funds typically used to make street and sewer improvements, for instance, can also be reduced, by 80 percent. There's also a $5,000 rebate on sales tax per workforce unit on building materials. ·'I've heard market-rate developers tell me the big plus of Live Local is ultimately going to be the tax breaks,' Lord, of Miami Homes for All, said. But Lord warns that even the tax breaks are not yet proving to be a magic formula, either. That's because banks and other lenders have been loath to provide financing based on the promise of those breaks, which are not approved until a project is completed and may need to be periodically recertified. 'That is a major barrier to Live Local scaling up,' she said. Counting on the breaks, Beacon Hill bought a 2.6-acre parcel for $2.55 in cash in 2024 in unincorporated Princeton, and designed a workforce project to slot into existing mixed-use zoning enacted by the county years ago to urbanize the unincorporated Princeton area, once a rural stop along Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway. Hit hard by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and the loss of surrounding agriculture, Princeton has been a piece of what some long-time residents called the Dead Zone, a socially and economically depressed stretch of South Dixie north of Homestead. That's changing quickly. The search for less expensive and available land on which to build homes has led developers to the South Dixie corridor as the county gets set to open the new rapid-bus South Dade TransitWay that replaces the old busway and occupies the original route of the Flagler rail line. 'We think this is a phenomenal area for people to live,' Martinez said. To encourage housing development along the 20-mile-long TransitWay, which features 14 stations serving express buses that get green lights all the way at rush hour, the county has enacted special zoning districts that allow greater height and density, drawing dozens of new apartment projects to the area. That has meant both market-rate and workforce housing developments that are subsidized by a complex formula that relies on federal tax credits and low-cost state financing. The Beacon Hill project sits about a block and a half from a TransitWay station, But the developers said they sought no upzoning under the county's rapid-transit district rules, which provide flexibility for greater density along its SMART corridors, often in exchange for public benefits such as inclusion of workforce housing. Martinez said he found the Live Local financial incentives and the expedited planning review a better alternative to the traditional workforce approach. That faster approval can save a developer valuable months or even years, he said, but cautioned that it still took a year for the county to issue all necessary permits. Without Live Local, the Princeton project would not have been feasible financially, Martinez and Rothenstein said. 'Without it, we couldn't get to the return on capital that we need,' Rothenstein said. 'The reduction in taxes is what made this deal pencil out.' The approach has proven so promising that the partners are now planning 1,500 new workforce apartments using the model across South Florida. All will be in a similar garden style and scale to the Princeton development, which they say is the most efficient and cost-effective way to produce workforce housing. They are already working on a new Miami Gardens development. But they cautioned not to expect a flood of Live Local apartments to come on the market, however. Building and other permits for construction still take time. 'The supply is still going to take time due to the nature of having to deal with so many permits,' Martinez said.
