Morning Report: Friday, November 14, 2025

State lawmakers passed new bill to protect transit workers, Toyota issued a recall on one of its trucks, and an new look into the Karen Read murder trial. Stay in "The Loop" with WBZ NewsRadio.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is WBZ, Boston's news radio. We defining local news. Well,
look who decided to show up? Finally it's Friday. Came here,
you little devil. Let's hug it out. Welcome to Friday morning,
six o'clock and clear skies at sunrise looking good Boston

(00:22):
thirty seven degrees though, as we get started, the news
at six is brought to us by your New England
Toyota Dealer, your Hybrid all wheel drive headquarters. Thanks for
being with us today. I'm Jeff Brown. Not much to
see here.

Speaker 2 (00:33):
Though, on Friday today, with a mix of sun and
clouds at chilly breeze in a high up to forty
seven at.

Speaker 3 (00:37):
Is WBZ ackyweather meteorologist Joe lumberd rain is likely to
ruin part of our weekend beginning Tomorrow night. Patriots in
prime time bake throws open up the hat trick forra Henderson.
That's to call on prime video as New England runs
away with its eighth straight victory, this time over the
Jets on Thursday Night Football. Now it's truly on to Cincinnati,

(01:01):
Patriots and Bengals a week from Sunday, Rapper Cardi b
and Patriots star Stiff on Diggs become the first family
of Foxborough with the announcement of a new baby boy.
The couple confirms the latest addition to the family, which
arrived last week. Mom has been seen of late and
Patriots owner Robert Craft's box. Diggs has recently been spotted

(01:21):
in the end zone. This is Cardi B's fourth child,
the third for Diggs. Mom and baby are listed as
active for the Patriots next game one week from Sunday
in Cincinnati. Lawmakers on Beacon Hill take a bite out
of MBTA crimes Soffic.

Speaker 4 (01:35):
Democrat Nick Collins calls the statistics collected by the Teas
Transit Worker Assault Task Force startling.

Speaker 5 (01:41):
Show that attacks against transit employees have tripled since two
thousand and eight, with six hundred and thirty four incidents
reported in twenty twenty four alone.

Speaker 4 (01:49):
This is a bill that brings harsher punishments in line
with heightened protections for other public workers.

Speaker 5 (01:54):
Defenders may face jail time ranging from ninety days to
two and a half years, be fine between five hundred
dollars in five thousand due.

Speaker 4 (02:02):
To amendments, The bill goes back to the House now,
but lawmakers there have already passed a version of this unanimously,
so it's likely to make it to the Governor's desk.
Most research does show that harsher sentences do little to
deter crime. Madison Rogers WBZ, Boston's news Radio.

Speaker 3 (02:18):
Oh, there's a decent chance this morning that your pickup
truck or your SUV is headed back to the shop.

Speaker 2 (02:23):
Toyota is recalling certain twenty twenty two to twenty twenty
four Tondra LEXISRX and GX models equipped with a certain
type of engine is. Debris from the manufacturing process may
contaminate the engine and causemine bearings to fail. It could
result in an engine stall or a loss of drive power.
The recall says at higher speeds, it could increase the
risk of a crash. A remedy has not yet been developed,

(02:45):
and Toyota says a repair will be available when a
fix is determined. Owners will be mailed letters and then
mailed again once there's a fix. Alex Stone EBC.

Speaker 3 (02:54):
New mainly clear skies as we get started together on
this Friday morning, and most of us are waking up
with temperatures in the thirties. Some of us are a
little bit below freezing, but others above. Here in Boston,
it's thirty seven degrees and the winds are still a
little bit of a challenge. This morning, we've got gusts
about fifteen miles per hour. It's going to be sunshine
featuring some clouds along the way today and breezy conditions

(03:15):
as well. High temperatures will be in the mid to
upper forties, but with that wind factor, it'll feel like
we're stuck in the thirties. At least. Most of us
will mainly clear overnight. Tonight, it's going to be cold
twenties and thirties. Tomorrow we'll get into the forties again
with sunshine giving way to clouds. Tomorrow night, some shower
activity expected to move into the region and that could
start us some mixed precipitation, but as the temperatures rise,

(03:37):
it'll change to wall rain and will be out of
the way sometime on Sunday morning. As Sunday's highs will
wrap up the weekend in the fifties under mostly cloudy skies.
Right now in Boston is looking good coming up on
sunrise and thirty seven here in the city on this
Friday morning, it is six oh five. A new look
at Karen Reid from the jurors box.

Speaker 6 (03:55):
This is a shoddy true crime. Author of Helltown and
Patriots Day Casey Sherman sits down with the four person
in the Karen Reid murder trial, Charlie Deluche at Fisher College.

Speaker 7 (04:04):
It's my opinion that she was completely overcharged.

Speaker 3 (04:06):
Had she been charged with manslaughter, nobody would even know
the name Karen Reid from the jump.

Speaker 6 (04:11):
He says, the evidence and testimony from the prosecution smelt fishing.

Speaker 8 (04:14):
First witness when he recanted several times, he didn't know
if she if he had a jacket on or not.
In your emt.

Speaker 6 (04:22):
Karen Reid ultimately found not guilty of murder manslaughter, but
guilty on an OUI, which the jury was actually split
on for a while. Charlie didn't want to convict read
of it, but feared to hung jury and went with it.

Speaker 8 (04:32):
I caun't say who's lying, who's going along with the
lie in a certain aspect, So dislike anybody you know,
you don't want your family member in jail.

Speaker 6 (04:41):
At Fisher College. J Willet WBZ Boston's news radio.

Speaker 3 (04:44):
Wrong Way crash claims the life of a Rhode Island woman.
Police say sixty nine year old Gay Lopes of Tiverton
was behind the wheel headed the wrong direction on I
one ninety five around seven thirty last night. This three
car crash also sends two others to a local hospital.
Another New England college is about to be shown, the door.

Speaker 9 (05:04):
Sterling College in Vermont, announcing they will be shutting down
for good after the spring twenty twenty sixth semester, citing
declining enrollment and a budget shortfall. The small agricultural college
in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom has been in operation for sixty
five years. It's enrollment, though plummeted since the COVID nineteen
pandemic and has never fully recovered. Small colleges closing across

(05:25):
New England has been a growing trend. In Vermont in particular,
has been hit hard several colleges closing over the past decade,
including Burlington College, Green Mountains, Southern Vermont, and Goddard College.
Jim McKay w b Z Boston's news radio Morning's Worst
Enemy is back. A strike at Starbucks continues.

Speaker 10 (05:45):
Started on starbucks annual Red Cup Day, more than a
thousand workers picketing unionized Starbucks locations, calling for better benefits
and pay. Sylvia Baldwin on the picket line in Philadelphia.

Speaker 7 (05:57):
Not a living wage. You know, it might have been
a living wage dock ago, but it's not anymore.

Speaker 10 (06:01):
Michelle Asson, a barista and spokesperson.

Speaker 3 (06:03):
For the union.

Speaker 6 (06:04):
Many Starbucks workers have to rely on snap and medicaid.

Speaker 10 (06:07):
To get by, a Starbucks spokesperson saying, quote, when they're
ready to come back, we're ready to talk. Dave Packer,
ABC News.

Speaker 3 (06:14):
A trip to the candy jar may work wonders for
your mind.

Speaker 7 (06:18):
Sorry, hold on, okay. Scientists in Japan say eating dark
chocolate can sharpen your memory in less than an hour.
It seems when mice chomped on the stuff, their brains
released a chemical linked to focus, and they performed about
thirty percent better on memory tests compared to those who
were chocolate deprived. Now, researchers also believe the chemical and
dark chocolate may help the brain turn short term memories
into long term ones. That part is still far from

(06:40):
scientifically proven. But if you're looking for a reason to
eat that extra candy bar today, you're welcome. Matt Shearer,
WBZ Boston's News Radio.

Speaker 3 (06:48):
You are now in the loop. For news updates throughout
the day. Listen to WBZ News Radio on the iHeartRadio app.
I'm Jeff Brown, WBZ, Boston's news radio