21 hours Ago
Recently in this space we recounted a meeting between the mayor of Lawrence and the governor of New Hampshire, an encounter that hopefully represented a new chapter in a cooperative effort to stem the flow of illegal drugs that has plagued both states.Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña and Gov. Kelly Ayotte shed the combative tone that previously had placed the blame squarely on Massachusetts border communities like Lawrence and Lowell as the source of the illicit substances flooding into the Granite State.
Thanks to DePeña’s courageous gesture, the foundation of an anti-drug partnership appears to have taken shape.According to the governor, that new partnership, initiated at DePeña’s request, will include funding in New Hampshire’s upcoming fiscal year budget to boost cooperation between local law enforcement along the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border.DePeña correctly said at the time of their meeting that fentanyl and other drugs, human trafficking, and gang violence “recognize no borders and spare no community,” prompting his cross-border outreach to Ayotte.
And the recent sentencing of a New Hampshire man who supplied Lawrence area drugs dealers with large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine reinforces the mayor’s point.Cote Colby, 29, of Derry, N.H.
, was sentenced last week in U.S. District Court in Boston to six years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Colby’s sentencing culminated an investigation that began in September 2022 into a drug-trafficking organization distributing fentanyl, fentanyl pills, cocaine base and methamphetamine, including counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, in the Merrimack Valley areas of Massachusetts and New Hampshire.The probe identified Colby as a significant drug distributor for the organization, a lucrative undertaking that netted him thousands of dollars per transaction. Over the course of the investigation, Colby distributed narcotics to several cooperating witnesses in numerous controlled purchases.
In total, it’s estimated that Colby distributed approximately 422 grams of pure methamphetamine and 26 grams of fentanyl.U. S.
Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Stephen Belleau, acting special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division, made the joint announcement.Those agencies and public-safety departments that rendered valuable assistance include Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives; U.
S. Postal Inspection Service; Massachusetts State Police; Essex County Sheriff’s Department; Massachusetts Parole Board; and the Derry (N.H.
), Haverhill, Lawrence, Methuen and Salisbury police departments.As this successful case demonstrated, collaboration, rather than denigration of any one city, represents the best way to interdict and discourage the trafficking of illegal drugs between the two states.As this investigation demonstrated, cooperation among state and federal law-enforcement agencies already existed, predating the assigning of blame that had heretofore framed the public discourse.
Checking smoke, CO alarms timely adviceEven though we’re a few days into daylight saving time, it’s not too late to check your smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms, routinely undertaken during the twice-yearly changing of the clocks.“Working smoke and CO alarms are your family’s first line of defense against an emergency at home,” stated State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine .
.. “Be sure they’re present on every level of your home and within their useful lifespan.
And unless you have newer alarms with sealed, long-life batteries, this is a great time to replace the alkaline batteries in all your alarms.”Added Foxboro Fire Chief Michael Kelleher, president of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts: “..
.Smoke alarms need to be replaced after 10 years, and carbon monoxide alarms need to be replaced after 5, 7, or 10 years,depending on the make and model. If your alarm is out of date, or if there’s no date at all, it’s time to replace it.
”Of the 50 fire deaths in Massachusetts last year, 80% took place in dwellings — and more than half of these took place between 8 at night and 7 in the morning.Overall, fire officials could only confirm that smoke alarms were present and operating in about 35% of the fatal fire scenes they inspected.“Tragically, we see this fact pattern play out again and again, especially with seniors in homes without working smoke alarms,” said Davine.
More than half of last year’s residential fire deaths involved adults aged 65 and older.Fire Marshal Davine and Chief Kelleher ask that loved ones and others check in on older relatives, friends, and neighbors who may need help installing, testing, or replacing their alarms.Seniors can also contact their local fire department, council on aging, or senior center for assistance.
The Department of Fire Services’ Senior Safe grant program awarded nearly $500,000 to fire departments across Massachusetts last year to support assistance with alarm installation and testing.The Massachusetts Comprehensive Fire Safety Code requires replacement battery-operated smoke alarms in older one- and two-family homes to have sealed, long-life batteries and a hush feature.These alarms are easier to maintain and less likely to be disabled while cooking or by someone using the batteries for other household appliances.
Inspecting and replacing expired smoke and carbon monoxide alarms is well worth the expenditure of time and effort..
