Today's Top Headlines

Wednesday, August 13

Good morning Wypierdalaj,

We have another hot, hazy and humid day, but we have big change on the way, and we're tracking storms this afternoon. We're also following the buzz around the Braintree Little League baseball team that is getting ready to take a shot at the world title in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. And do you know which Massachusetts town has the "hottest zip code" in the U.S.? I'm Kaitlin McKinley Becker and these are today's top headlines.

Below are the latest local stories from our reporters.

Here we go again! We’re tracking more hazy, hot, and humid weather today. But some relief is on the way in the form of rain and cooler temperatures.

But for today, brace yourself for the heat. High temperatures will be in the low 90s. The humidity will make it feel like the mid to upper 90s this afternoon.

We’ll see mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies, but later this evening, a few isolated showers and storms could pop up well ahead of an approaching cold front.

As the Braintree Little League baseball team is getting ready to take a shot at the world title in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, the town back home in Massachusetts is running on high energy.

Inside Southside Tees in East Braintree, they are cranking out team merchandise.

“I came in here and ordered a T-shirt for myself,” said Nancy Foley, who was picking up her order Tuesday. “When I’m out walking my dog or mowing the grass, people can see me.”

Bostonians sounded off Tuesday on the city’s plan to root out all its rats.

At a community meeting, people from Back Bay, Beacon Hill, the North End and more shared concerns and questions about Boston’s rodent action plan, announced last year and being rolled out now.

“I have seen the trash pick up go till 3 p.m. the next day. That is a net 22-hour food buffet for the rats,” one woman said on the Zoom meeting.

Looking for the best places to live in Massachusetts? Beverly just topped Realtor.com’s list of the hottest ZIP codes in the United States.

This coastal city north of Boston is quickly becoming one of the most desirable real estate markets in the country.

Here’s why Beverly’s real estate is booming — and what makes this North Shore community a top destination for homebuyers.

Ahead of the start of the school year, the Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism has unanimously approved preliminary recommendations for K-12 education meant to strengthen classroom instruction, institute anti-bias training and reporting that incorporates antisemitism, and promote community bonding.

“There has been so much reach-out on this. Folks obviously feel very strongly on this,” commission co-chair Sen. John Velis said at the State House public meeting, which involved several outbursts from attendees opposing the commission’s report.

“There is a whole breadth of opinions, thoughts on this, and there have been, quite literally, hundreds of meetings that have taken place on this topic — meeting with people that some folks agree with, don’t agree with, are indifferent to,” the Westfield Democrat said. “It’s been a process, and I think we’re just grateful. We’re grateful for everyone that has weighed in today, and will, as we know, continue to weigh in on this conversation that is very robust, very expansive.”

Flames tore through an apartment building and quickly spread to four other buildings, including a restaurant, in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Tuesday evening.

People all over the neighborhood could see the smoke and flames from Lowell Street, which left at least 20 people displaced. Everyone managed to escape the buildings safely, but two firefighters were being treated for heat exhaustion, officials said.

Two of the apartment buildings are likely a total loss, according to the Lawrence Fire Department.