Latest news with #Nantucket
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Four Mass. beaches, one Maine beach rank among the safest in the country, study finds
Four Bay State beaches and one beach in Maine topped the list of beaches nationwide with the lowest levels of theft-related crime, a new study has found. The study by The Action Network analyzed property crime data from over 520 U.S. beach-area zip codes. It measured the data, including theft, robbery, vehicle theft, and burglary, all per 1,000 residents. The findings? Four Massachusetts beaches — three on Cape Cod and one on Nantucket — rank in the top five in the country with the lowest risk of theft, with all reporting theft rates under 2.5 per 1,000 residents. The Massachusetts beaches topping the list of beaches nationwide with the lowest levels of theft-related crime are: No. 1: The Cape Cod National Seashore, which spans across the towns of Provincetown, Truro, Wellfleet, Eastham, Orleans and Chatham, and Marconi Beach in Wellfleet share the top spot, each with an implied theft probability of just 0.95%, supported by low rates of theft (1.62), robbery (0.29), vehicle theft (0.47), and burglary (1.23) per 1,000 residents. No. 3: Old Silver Beach in Falmouth, which has a low robbery rate of 0.21 per 1,000 residents. No. 4: Siasconset Beach on Nantucket, with a theft rate of 2.07 per 1,000 residents. 'What makes Massachusetts beaches stand out is their consistency across all property crime categories,' a spokesperson from The Action Network said in a statement. 'From Cape Cod to Nantucket, these locations don't just have low theft rates — they also report low instances of robbery, vehicle theft, and burglary, which collectively contribute to their top rankings,' the spokesperson said. 'That kind of well-rounded safety profile is what makes them truly exceptional.' In Maine, Reid State Park ranked No. 9 among beaches with the lowest risk of theft. Reid State Park has the lowest robbery rate in the nation — at just 0.08 per 1,000 residents — contributing to its low implied theft probability of 1.47%, the study found. Florida also had seven beaches in the top 10, with most of the beaches there showing very low vehicle theft and burglary rates, highlighting safer conditions in parts of the state's Gulf and Atlantic coasts. California, North Carolina, and Hawaii account for over 80% of the top 20 highest-risk beach areas, the study found, 'pointing to a clear concentration of theft risk across multiple coastal locations within these states.' A link to the study can be found here. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Largest Great White Shark Ever Recorded Spotted Swimming Near Popular New England Beach Destination
A record-breaking great white shark was spotted swimming off the coast of Nantucket, Mass., on July 18. The shark, named Contender, was tagged by the marine research nonprofit OCEARCH. Contender measures an impressive 13 feet, 9 inches long and weighs a whopping 1,653 pounds. Researchers referred to the shark as 'the ultimate ocean warrior," per MassLive. Contender's latest satellite ping placed the massive shark in waters east of Massachusetts, specifically between Nantucket Shoals and Georges Bank, per the outlet. OCEARCH originally tagged the male shark in January off the coast of Georgia, approximately 45 miles offshore. Contender then made the journey to Florida, before turning back up north. Before the ping off the coast of Massachusetts, there was a ping off the coast of North Carolina's Cape Hatteras, OCEARCH shared on Instagram on June 10. "The SPOT tag deployed on Contender will provide valuable real-time data for approximately five years, helping us track his movements and understand his migration patterns," the research group said in a statement. "Additionally, we've collected important biological samples, including urogenital material, which are currently being analyzed." The group also revealed how they chose the shark's name. Contender is named after Contender Boats, "a longtime OCEARCH partner, whose industry-leading sport fishing and pleasure boats enable our research missions." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Another great white shark was spotted in Cape Cod on July 4 by two paddleboarders, roughly 100 yards offshore from Stony Beach. The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy determined that there were an estimated 800 great white sharks in the waters around Massachusetts from 2015 to 2018, per WBZ News. OCEARCH has shared an interactive travel log of Contender's migration journey on their official website. Read the original article on People
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Science
- Daily Mail
Fisherman catches very dangerous shark off Cape Cod as huge great white closes in on beloved peninsula
A Massachusetts fisherman has hooked one of the world's most dangerous sharks just yards from shore - just as a 14-foot, 1,600-pound great white circles nearby waters, stoking fresh fears along the East Coast's most iconic summer playground. The shocking catch, a juvenile tiger shark landed off Mashpee, comes as scientists warn of a surge in aggressive, warm-water predators migrating north due to rapidly rising ocean temperatures. Hans Brings was casting lines at Popponesset Beach, along the Cape's southern edge, when he made the alarming catch just feet from shore. At just four-feet long, the tiger shark is renowned for its aggressive behavior and is second only to the great white in recorded attacks on humans. The unsettling encounter came just days after a satellite ping revealed the largest great white shark ever tagged in the Atlantic, nicknamed 'Contender', cruising just 30 miles off the coast of Nantucket, less than 100 miles from Boston. Brings released the animal back into the sea, but scientists say it's part of a growing trend that's impossible to ignore. 'It's another warm-water species that's taking advantage of the warming waters and coming north,' said scientist at the New England Aquarium John Chisholm to the Boston Herald. 'Now, we're getting little ones like this one every year. We've been seeing more and more of them.' The historic catch is not a one-off event. Marine experts have been sounding the alarm for years: as climate change warms Atlantic waters, tiger sharks, hammerheads, and even bull sharks, all tropical and subtropical predators, are extending their range northward. 'This is now within their comfort zone,' Chisholm explained. Tiger sharks, often called 'garbage cans of the sea' due to their varied and unpredictable diets, can grow large enough to devour seals, a key food source also favored by the great white shark. Indeed, a 14-foot, 1,653-pound great white shark was recently detected just 30 miles off the coast of Nantucket, swimming alarmingly close to the Cape. The massive apex predator, nicknamed 'Contender' by researchers, is believed to be about 32 years old and was first tagged off the Florida-Georgia border earlier this year. Since then, it has pinged more than 40 times as it made a 1,000-mile journey up the East Coast with its dorsal fin breaking the surface from Vero Beach to Cape Hatteras to the cooler waters near Massachusetts, prime territory for seals. Although nothing like the 25-foot movie monster from Jaws, filmed just across the water on Martha's Vineyard, Contender is the largest great white ever tagged in the Atlantic. 'The largest white sharks that have been reliably measured are right around 20 feet, and any larger than this is likely impossible,' said Nick Whitney, PhD, senior scientist at the New England Aquarium to USA Today. 'People need to take precautions when they go into the water,' Chisholm warned. 'We know sharks are here, and you're swimming in a shark habitat, so you have to be aware. 'They're not targeting humans,' he reassured. 'It's usually an accident when they bite somebody, but unfortunately one bite can hit an artery and you can have a loss of life.' Contender's path has sparked unease in local communities, particularly given the shark's proximity to Nantucket, Cape Cod, and Boston, packed with beachgoers throughout the summer. Marine biologist Andriana Fragola, 31, told that beachgoers need to understand how to respond if they encounter a shark. 'The best thing to do is just to remain calm,' she advised. 'If you do want to get out of the water, just slowly kind of back out of it - that way you can keep an eye on the shark while getting out.' 'Any type of screaming and splashing… it's definitely going to make them more interested in pursuing you or just checking you out.' If a shark is nearby, 'eye contact is key,' she added. 'You want to look like a predator… show the shark that you see it. 'And then if the shark ever continued to approach you… you could push down on the top of the head and push it away from you. That's like last-case scenario.' Chisholm noted that larger tiger sharks, like the one caught this week, may soon begin feasting on the Cape's abundant seal colonies. 'They're very opportunistic when it comes to prey,' he said.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
JD Vance met with protests during Nantucket visit
Vice President JD Vance was met with a 'MeowTucket' protest in Nantucket, Massachusetts, while headlining a Republican fundraising dinner. The protest, heavily promoted by the Instagram account catsonacouch, aimed to disrupt Vance's visit and mock him using cat-related memes and references. Protesters displayed poster-sized meme photos of Vance, set up inflatable couches, and wore cat paraphernalia, referencing his childless cat lady comment and a fictitious rumor. As Vance's motorcade drove by, crowds yelled 'fascist' and held signs with phrases such as 'fascists not welcome.' Vance's brief time on the island was for a Republican National Committee fundraiser, which reportedly raised $3 million.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Vance's trip to an RNC fundraiser flooded with ‘MeowTucket' protests to remind him of his cat lady gaffe
Vice President JD Vance was met with 'boos' from a crowd in Nantucket, Massachusetts, who trolled him with poster-sized photos of his face in a well-known meme, inflatable couches and plush cats in what was called a 'MeowTucket' protest. The protest, promoted heavily by Amanda McGonigle, who is behind the Instagram account catsonacouch, was meant to disrupt Vance's time on the island as he headlined a Republican fundraising dinner. In keeping with the Instagram account's theme, many of the signs mocked Vance by referencing online jokes or memes about the vice president. That includes cats – a reference to Vance's controversial 'childless cat lady' comment during the campaign. Trump drew ire during the campaign for saying the country was being run by "a bunch of childless cat ladies.' There were also couches at the protest – a reference to a fictitious rumor that Vance had sex with a couch. Protestors even set up an inflatable couch underneath a massive tarp that contained an image of a popular Vance meme as a photo opportunity at 'MeowTucket.' As Vance's motorcade drove by, crowds of people yelled 'fascist' and called for Vance to leave. Signs brought to the protest said phrases such as 'In America, the law is king' and 'fascists not welcome.' To expand the mockery, protesters wore shirts with cats on them and held up cat masks to their faces. The protest was organized was several groups. McGonigle used her popular Instagram account, which is dedicated to 'fighting fascism,' along with mocking Vance, to promote 'MeowTucket.' Ahead of the protest, McGonigle also distributed thousands of ' Wanted ' posters featuring meme photos of Vance. McGonigle says the purpose of her account was to surpass Vance's number of followers, but also took on the new mission of constantly trolling him so he 'does not know a moment's peace for the next three and a half years at least.' Vance's time on Nantucket, an island known as a summer vacation haven for the wealthy, was brief. The vice president hosted a Republican National Committee fundraiser ahead of the 2026 midterm election season. Tickets to the ritzy dinner were a minimum of $100,000
