Latest news with #NantucketCurrent
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Landowners hit with massive fines after illegal land clearing on private property: 'This type of behavior … will not be tolerated'
Unauthorized land clearing on a property in Nantucket, Massachusetts, has landed the perpetrators with a hefty fine. In Wauwinet, half an acre of mature vegetation was chopped down without the necessary permit, leaving local residents and the local Conservation Commission furious. "This type of behavior, which is blatantly in disregard for the Wetlands Protection Act and our local regulations, will not be tolerated," Seth Engelbourg, chair of the Conservation Committee, told the Nantucket Current. Engelbourg went on to describe the destruction of trees as one of the most "egregious violations" he had ever encountered, per the Current. The organization voted to fine the property owner $300 a day until a suitable restoration plan is presented. With the fine being backdated to the date an enforcement order was issued on February 6, the bill started racking up. By early March, it had reached tens of thousands of dollars. "[The fine is] still going to be a small amount of money," Engelbourg said. "It might only end up being in the thousands [of dollars] compared to the value of the land that was destroyed is, but we still need to do it." Unfortunately, it's often the case that those who sign off on such destruction aren't concerned by financial penalties as long as the work gets done. In fact, this might be easier than having to go through the necessary bureaucracy associated with making these plans happen. But the area has now lost a historic natural habitat that would have been essential for biodiversity, which makes for a healthy ecosystem and helps to secure human food supply. What's more, the trees would have improved the health of residents by absorbing and trapping harmful airborne toxins while also providing natural shade and cooling. This can reduce the risk of heat-related illnesses when temperatures creep up. Letters were sent by locals to the Conservation Commission, outlining the anger the clearing had caused. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "I have seen the extent of the damage, and I am frankly appalled that such an action would be undertaken in a designated conservation area," one person said. "The Wauwinet neighborhood and individuals island-wide and beyond are distraught over this extreme environmental degradation," another letter read. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Boston Globe
06-02-2025
- Boston Globe
Alleged drunken driver slams into 150-year-old monument in Nantucket, police say
After crashing into the side of the monument, the car rolled over and came to rest on its roof on the sidewalk, officials said. The crash also caused'visible damage' to the monument, officials said. Emergency responders found Franca de Brito lying on the ground next to the overturned vehicle, officials said. 07nantucket - The scene after an alleged drunk driver crashed his car into the Nantucket Civil War Monument. (Jason Graziadei/Nantucket Current) Jason Graziadei/Nantucket Current He was 'complaining of discomfort' and was taken to Nantucket Cottage Hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, officials said. Advertisement He was arrested at the hospital and charged with operating under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, speeding, failing to stop or yield, and leaving the scene of a property damage accident, officials said. The monument was erected in 1874 and dedicated in May 1875, according to the The monument is dedicated to the soldiers and sailors of Nantucket who died fighting in the Civil War, according to The Nantucket Current previously Sarah Mesdjian can be reached at
CBS News
06-02-2025
- CBS News
Alleged drunk driver slams into 150-year-old Nantucket Civil War monument
NANTUCKET - A Nantucket man has been charged with drunk driving after crashing into a 150-year-old monument to Civil War veterans on the island, police said. Police and fire crews responded to the area of Milk and Main streets shortly after 8 p.m. on Wednesday night. "It was reported that the vehicle had struck the Nantucket Civil War Monument in the middle of the intersection," Nantucket police said in a statement. Nantucket driver taken to hospital and arrested The driver, identified as 27-year-old Nantucket resident Lucas Araujo Franca de Brito, was taken to the hospital and then arrested. Police said he faces charges of operating under the influence of liquor, speeding, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, failing to stop or yield and leaving the scene of a property damage accident. A car just smashed into the Civil War monument on Main Street, sending a man to the hospital and damaging the nearly 150-year-old monument. — Nantucket Current (@ACKCurrent) February 6, 2025 No one else was reported to be hurt in the incident. The Nantucket Current reported that "the damage appeared limited to the base and guardrails" of the monument that was dedicated in 1875. One of the big pieces of granite that surrounds the monument ended up nearly 20 feet away as a result of the crash, according to the publication. Nantucket Civil War monument The obelisk monument is a tribute to Nantucket residents who died fighting in the Civil War. The Nantucket Historical Association says nearly 400 men fought on the Union side, and 73 were killed. Back in 2023, a truck was caught on video slamming into another historic monument on the island. That crash destroyed the Main Street fountain, which was dedicated in 1932 to Spanish-American Civil War casualty Lt. Max Wagner.
