NASHUA, NH (CBS) – A trip to the mall turned into a violent confrontation for a Newton woman trying to buy iPhones.

Xiaojie Li was arrested at Pheasant Lane Mall

Xiaojie Li bought two of the phones earlier in the week at the Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua and wanted to get two more, but was told she could not. She then ordered them online to be picked up at the same Apple store. When she tried to pick them up Tuesday, a manager told Li to leave.  She says she didn’t understand.

A police officer tried to escort her out of the store, but says she refused to go and then resisted arrest.

Video from YouTube shows Li struggling with officers on the floor outside the store. Police eventually pulled out a taser and used it to subdue Li.

Li’s screams could be heard throughout the crowded mall.

Watch Raw Video Of Incident

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Li’s fiance, John Hugo, spoke to WBZ-TV about the incident. He says, “They threw her on the ground, they threw her around, they bruised her all over the place, they handcuffed her way too hard.”

“For whatever reason the store didn’t want her there,” says Nashua Police Captain Bruce Hansen. “And this time of the year, you got to do something pretty extreme to want a store owner to not want to do business with you.”

Photos show the injuries Li sustained during the arrest. She claims other people were allowed to buy more than two iPhones, and was upset that she was unable to.

“Her sense of security is shattered,” says Hugo. “You can tell just by looking at the poor girl, she wants to go back to China now because she’s afraid of civil rights violations in America. Think about that.”

Li had $16,000 in cash on her at the time of the incident. She has hired a lawyer to fight her charges, saying police overreacted.

The amount of iPhones you are allowed to buy depends on where you shop. One Apple Store WBZ-TV called said customers could only buy two a time. Another said there was no limit. There has been no comment yet from Apple on this particular case.

BOSTON (CBS) – Boston and Transit police are increasing patrols along the Red Line after reports of several robberies near stations in Dorchester.

Investigators say women have been targeted walking home from the JFK-UMass, Savin Hill, Shawmut and Ashmont stations between 7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

“In some of the incidents, the suspect, described as a black male with a thin build, age 20-30, wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and showed a handgun. The male suspect has engaged victims in a brief conversation before demanding money,’ Boston Police said in a statement.

Coincidentally, the MBTA just announced it’s adding more security cameras to its stations including 52 at the JFK-UMass stop.

SHREWSBURY (CBS) – Thousands of dollars in Christmas presents and gift cards have been stolen from the St. Anne’s Parish shed on Boston Turnpike in Shrewsbury.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Kim Tunnicliffe reports

Download: shrewsbury-stolen-gifts-tunnicliffe-w2.mp3|titles=Shrewsbury%20Thefts|artists=Kim%20Tunnicliffe

Someone kicked in the door to the storage unit behind the church sometime Monday or Tuesday. The thief made off with gifts collected for the Giving Tree, a project that supplies gifts for hundreds of poor children.

“These were items saved all year long for these children. That’s what hurts,” said Elaine LeBlanc, the church’s Volunteer Coordinator.

LeBlanc says the church would have given the thief anything he or she needed, if only they had been asked.

“I feel very bad for them, that they think they have to scavenge for whatever their problem is,” said LeBlanc.

The shed was full after presents were dropped off at the altar over the weekend. Church volunteers moved the gifts to the storage shed for safe keeping.

“Gift cards, toys, clothes, the children have requested and we tried to fill their requests. Many of those toys are all gone,” Rev. John Foley said.

The church is planning to increase security and revamping their efforts to collect presents for families in the area.

Shrewsbury Police are asking anyone who donated a gift card to the effort, and used a credit card to pay for it, to give them a call.

They hope to use the information to try to track the thief.

As for as the kids, Hasbro has stepped up and is offering to replace all of the stolen items.

BOSTON (CBS)- Eighty kids spent the better part of Saturday exploring a Winter Wonderland inside a giant airplane hangar in Boston.

Make-A-Wish Foundation teamed up with Delta Airlines and Massport for the fourth annual event.

In Photos: Make-A-Wish Winter Wonderland

Volunteers gave the children and their families a chance to cut loose, holiday style.

Children with life-threatening illnesses were invited to greet Santa, dance to a DJ, tour an airplane, and enjoy arts and crafts. It’s one more chance for the kids to enjoy life, something the sponsors hope they’ll get to do every day.

“We are so blessed and thankful to be on this side of it now,” said Jill Sartini, mother of 6-year-old Isabella.

Two years ago, Sartini’s daughter had a tumor in her kidney and required surgery to remove the organ.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Kim Tunnicliffe reports

Download: logan-make-a-wish-tunnicliffe-w1.mp3|titles=Make%20A%20Wish|artists=Kim%20Tunnicliffe

Isabella also required chemotherapy and radiation treatments for cancer.

The Sartinis are one of many families who chose to go to Disney World in Orlando, when approached by the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

In Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the charity grants more than 300 wishes a year. The average cost of making a child’s dream come true? About $7,500, paid for with in-kind donations, sponsors and fundraisers.

BOSTON (CBS) – Three dozen people were hurt when two Green Line trains collided at the Boylston Street station just before noon Thursday.

Photos: Green Line Accident

MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo told WBZ-TV one trolley bumped another and the injuries are minor.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Kim Tunnicliffe reports

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The operator of the trolley was a 46-year-old man who has been with the T since 2006. He has no accidents on his record and started his shift at 11 a.m.

As of 2 p.m. 36 people were reported injured, including both train operators.  All were taken to hospitals in the area.

Boston firefighters treat victims after the crash at the Boylston Street station (Photo courtesy: Boston Fire Dept.)

The station was closed for more than two hours.  It re-opened around 2:30 p.m. but the MBTA said riders should expect residual delays.

Pesaturo told WBZ-TV’s Jon Keller one trolley was making a stop on the outbound platform and it rear-ended a train that had been parked on the same track.  Pesaturo described the crash as “low impact” and there was no derailment.

WBZ-TV’s Jim Armstrong reports

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But some witnesses told Keller the impact was more than a bump and they were tossed to the floor when it happened.

A man who was a passenger on one of the trains told WBZ it felt like a bomb had gone off and that “everybody just went violently into one direction.”

A view from inside the station in the moments after the crash. (Photo courtesy: Chris Chanyasulkit/Twitter)

The fire department said no one was trapped, but several people were taken out of the underground station on stretchers.

Chris Chanyasulkit got on the Green Line at Park Street and had barely had a chance to sit down when the accident happened.

“All of a sudden you just felt this bang,” she explains. “Everybody lurched forward, I lurched forward, and there was this loud screaming,”

“It just happened within one stop, and I was thinking, ‘I should’ve walked!’”

The Brookline resident spent a couple of hours at the emergency room, where she learned she has whiplash, along with other assorted bumps and bruises.

“I’m very thankful; it could have been a lot worse,” she says. “But at the same time, it’s kind of scary.”

WBZ-TV’s Jim Armstrong contributed to this report.

BROOKLINE (CBS)- A crew of about 50 firefighters were called to an apartment building in Brookline early Thursday morning. The two-alarm fire started right next door to the fire station on Washington Street.

Despite quickly dousing the flames, thick smoke still covered the area and put 15 residents in danger. On the top floor, a 12-year-old woke his sleeping parents to warn them.

“I just thought I need to get everybody out of the house,” said Arie Aviksis. “I couldn’t even get to the hallway because there was so much smoke.”

Arie and his parents were forced to leave using a back staircase. They were able to rescue the family cat, Aries, but just about everything was destroyed.

“There’s not exactly a room for the computer. All my Wii games are gone; the Wii is gone; Rock Band is gone; everything’s gone.” the Driscoll School student lamented.

His father, Felix Aviksis, is a self-employed plumber. He says the fire started in the basement where his wife Michelle’s art studio business was located.

Brookline Fire Department said the cause of the fire stemmed from a cigarette that was thrown next to the home.

The family lived in the building for more than 20 years but will stay with another son in Newton for the time being.

The Red Cross is assisting another dozen residents displaced from the six apartments. Some of them are staying at a nearby senior center while the State Fire Marshal and insurance companies investigate the cause.

One firefighter suffered a minor injury but is said to be doing well.

LYNN (CBS) – A teacher at Lynn English High School has been placed on administrative leave after he was charged with giving marijuana to a student.

Charles Saltzman, 50, of Swampscott was arrested Tuesday in the principal’s office after a student claimed he handed her pot in the back hallway of the school.

Saltzman, a special education teacher, appeared before a Lynn District Court Judge Wednesday morning. But, he doesn’t have a lawyer yet, so the judge released him and set another hearing date for December 12.

Saltzman didn’t talk to reporters afterwards.

But the police report detailed incidents over the last two weeks that led to his arrest.

A female student said Saltzman asked her to go to his car for his lesson plan book. She allegedly saw marijuana there and confronted Saltzman when she returned to class.

The girl said Saltzman asked her not to say anything because he could get in trouble.

Then, on two occasions, she claimed Saltzman handed her bags of pot in a back hallway of the high school.

She said she never asked him to bring it and the student then told another teacher about the incidents Tuesday.

Police say the bag of marijuana the girl turned in weighed 4.5 grams.

Officers searched Saltzman’s car Tuesday afternoon but did not find anything.

However, surveillance cameras from the school seemed to support the student’s story.

WBZ-TV’s Bree Sison contributed to this story.

You can follow her on Twitter @BreeSison.

LEOMINSTER (CBS) — Fire tore apart the old Columbia Hotel in downtown Leominster, and two firefighters were injured when a brick wall collapsed and pieces struck fire ladders.

The fire broke out around 10 p.m. Saturday.

The building houses 20 apartment units on its upper two floors and businesses on the first floor. Firefighters from more than a dozen communities were called in to help battle the massive flames.

Fire Chief Robert Sidleau said the firefighters who were injured were in a bucket on a ladder truck when a wall collapsed on them. He says medics who took them to a hospital said they thought the firefighters would be OK.

Sidleau said all residents made it out of the building safely. The cause is still under investigation, but officials say the fire originated in the attic.

“One whole floor is gone, so there’s nothing there,” Mayor Dean Mazzarella told WBZ Sunday. “These people lost everything.”

An account to benefit the victims is open at Fidelity Bank.  The Red Cross says it assisted 14 adults with food, clothing and shelter. The organization set up a service center Sunday to further assist residents who may need it.

The city’s Historical Preservation Commission Chairman, Donald Piermarini, said the Columbia Hotel building was built in 1892 by two prominent men in the city at the time. John H. Lockey and Judge Hamilton Mayo, along with an architect from Dunn & Ingraham, positioned the hotel next to the railroad depot to house travelers.

“It was one of the most important buildings in town at time,” said Piermarini. The trains came from New York City and New Haven in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.  As many as 36,000 people would travel through Leominster annually.

In the 1930’s the Columbia Hotel shut down but the building remained. In 1982 it was added to the National Historic Registry as part of the Monument Square Historic District.

The building is currently owned by Andy Rome, who paid for hotel rooms for the displaced residents Saturday night.

“The owners spent incredible amounts of resources to restore this building,” said Mayor Mazzarella. “There’s a beautiful ballroom in the back of the building and they restored it to its origins.”

The Mayor says the city will move quickly to find new locations for the businesses.

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts mom-and-pop shop owners are urging consumers to do their holiday shopping at local businesses a day after big box retailers and online vendors cornered the Black Friday market.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Kim Tunnicliffe reports

Download: salem-small-biz-tunnicliffe-w1.mp3|titles=Small%20Business%20Saturday|artists=Kim%20Tunnicliffe

Owners of small, local businesses urge consumers to support them on “Small Business Saturday,” which occurs during one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year.

The small-business promotion is sandwiched between Black Friday — the day after Thanksgiving when many large-store chains advertise deals to attract shoppers to their stores and Cyber Monday when Internet retailers have special offers to entice people to spend online.

The initiative was established in 2010 and is intended to encourage shoppers to patronize independent local businesses.

Political and business leaders say spending holiday shopping dollars on small businesses will boost local economies.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

BOSTON (CBS/AP) – With stores in several states starting Black Friday early this year on Thanksgiving, shoppers in Massachusetts were forced by the Commonwealth’s Blue Laws to stick to traditional shopping hours.

That didn’t stop the crowds from showing up just after midnight on Friday at the malls and stores.

The long line outside the Best Buy Watertown at 1 a.m. Friday. (Photo by Fausto Menard)

Joe Russell was hunting for a great deal on a large flat-screen TV and went to the Best Buy store in Watertown.

But the long line of shoppers gunning for door-buster promotions deterred him from braving the freezing temperatures.

So Russell returned to the store after sunrise and got a different TV for “a decent price.”

“This is the earliest I’ve ever shopped,” he said.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Kim Tunnicliffe reports from Wrentham

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It was busy but manageable at the Wrentham Outlets. Drivers trying to find parking spots there followed shoppers around the lot as they walked back to their cars with bundles of bags.

The line outside the Coach store at the Wrentham Outlets Friday. (Photo by Kim Tunnicliffe)

At the South Shore Plaza in Braintree, the longest lines were at Victoria’s Secret, the Disney store and the women’s shoe department in Macy’s.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Karen Twomey reports from Braintree

Download: black-friday-twomey-wrap-3.mp3|titles=South%20Shore%20Plaza%20Black%20Friday|artists=Karen%20Twomey

Many shoppers arrived in pajamas and said they didn’t go to sleep Thanksgiving night.

“Everyone is looking for a bargain,” Simon Malls Marketing Director Vicki Bartkiewicz told WBZ-TV. “The retailers are extremely promotional this year.”

Analysts expect to see about a four-percent growth in retail sales this season, roughly the same as last year. However, Forrester Researchers believes online sales will jump 15-percent.

Customers fighting crowds for door-buster deals said they do it mostly because it’s tradition for them

“It’s the thrill of the hunt. It’s almost like a sport,” said Lisa Burrows who made shirts and hats for the occasion.

Burrows and her mother, Isabella Coates, have been bargain hunting the day after Thanksgiving for more than 20 years. Now grandchildren and in-laws join the team, wearing softball shirts that say “Bella’s Annual Black Friday Shopping Extravaganza.”

Sister-in-law Ann Coates says the half-dozen women work together to snag the biggest deals.

“[Burrows] got one item, I got another and then [daughter] Brittany came in with the carriage. It’s a lot of strategy,” said Coates.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Carl Stevens reports from Peabody

Download: shoppers-stevens-wrap-2.mp3|titles=North%20Shore%20Mall%20Black%20Friday|artists=Carl%20Stevens

The earlier hours and access to online shopping have helped cut down on overcrowding overall.

Many stores begin their extended holiday hours Friday so you’ll see them staying open later at night as well.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

NEWBURYPORT (CBS)- The Soldiers of the 182nd Engineer Company were welcomed home to Massachusetts by a massive crowd on Thursday. A ceremony at the Newburyport Armory reunited 84 soldiers with their families after spending nearly a year in Afghanistan.

“I was overwhelmed, excited… just great, great news,” said Jessica Dos Anjos, whose husband is a medic in the company.

On Monday, Dos Anjos learned husband Decleecio would arrive in time for Thanksgiving dinner. He kept the timing of his arrival a secret until the military finalized the plans.

“They said it was around Thanksgiving,” the soldier told WBZ-TV. “It could have been before or after, so I didn’t want to get their hopes up too much.”

Excitement soared at the armory as children were reunited with their parents. For 7-month-old Olivia Foster, it was only the second time she had met her father, James.

“She’s definitely different now!” mom Kelsey said of her baby, who recently learned to crawl. “She’s all over the house now.”

Kelsey Foster picked out Olivia’s pink camouflage outfit months in advance of the homecoming. She says it’s dad’s turn to help with babysitting.

The soldiers spent 10 months in Kandahar Province clearing 35,000 kilometers of suspected explosive hazards. The company encountered 96 improvised explosive devices. Combat action badges were awarded to 55 of the 84 soldiers. Two others received combat medic badges.

BRENTWOOD, N.H. (CBS) — Authorities looking for a New Hampshire mother and boyfriend suspected of endangering her 3-year-old son have upgraded charges against the boyfriend to assault.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Bernice Corpuz reports

Download: corpuz-child-burned-couple-search-w2.mp3|titles=NH%20Couple|artists=Bernice%20Corpuz

Jessica Linscott, 23, and 27-year-old Roland Dow are still evading authorities even as police step up patrols.

On Wednesday night, a Be On The Lookout Alert was issued in Lynn after witnesses told police they saw the couple at Honey Dew Donuts on Western Avenue.

When police arrived, the couple was not there.

Lynn Police alerted neighboring communities of the possible sighting.

In Haverhill, where Dow has family, police were stopping cars Wednesday and checking for any sign of the elusive pair while making routine traffic stops.

Police Wednesday were aggressively enforcing traffic violations, asking questions and then showing people photos of the missing couple.

Criminal complaints reveal details about the charges against the Plaistow, New Hampshire pair who are accused of abusing Jessica’s 3-year-old son.

The boyfriend is now facing two felonies for allegedly striking the little boy in the head causing a traumatic brain injury, and burning the boy’s wrist and fingers.

Both the boyfriend and the mother face multiple misdemeanors for failing to protect the child or seek medical care because of seizures and symptoms connected to the beating.

At a news conference Wednesday in New Hampshire, Rockingham County Attorney Jim Reams said the abuse happened multiple times over a one-month period.

Tips have come in from as far away as Arizona, but police believe the two are likely still in the area, still together, and likely using a car.

“No matter where you go we’re going to find you, so surrender yourself and let’s do this the easy way,” said Reams.

On Tuesday, Ed Linscott, Jessica’s uncle, told WBZ-TV he was urging Jessica to turn herself in.

BOSTON (CBS) – Beacon Hill women are still on edge after the sexual assault of a 20-year-old woman a week ago, and two similar cases in Roxbury have not helped to lend any peace of mind to residents.

Police released a sketch in the Roxbury cases and surveillance video of a suspect in the Beacon Hill case, but no arrests have been made.

While the attackers remain at large, a health club offered a free self-defense class to women.

“We’ve been in Beacon Hill since 1989 so we really care,” said Jeremy McCabe, manager of Beacon Hill Athletic Club on Friend Street. “We just wanted to give back and help out.”

Mary Ann Norton read about the class online and brought her friend Jamie Marini. The two say the proximity of the recent assaults convinced them to give up their Saturday afternoon.

“I sometimes take it for granted that I’ve always – knock on wood – been safe. But that’s silly because I should always be prepared,” said Marini who works in the Financial District and travels through Downtown Crossing every day. “God forbid something does happen.”

About a dozen women showed up for the Saturday afternoon class, taught by professional fighter George Birkadze.

“Damage your opponent and run away,” Birkadze instructed them. “You’re not doing any martial arts. You’re trying to save your life.”

The black belt told his students that attackers often target weaker victims, so physical techniques and style aren’t important. Instead of trying to fight someone, Birkadze says to disarm an opponent by asking a question. Yelling a strange word that gets attention, like “fire,” is also an effective plan.

“The problem is ‘no’ normally means nothing. If you yell ‘help,’ probably no one will help. Unfortunately.” said Birkadze.

The women learned simple defense moves that rely on the element of surprise, like head-butting an opponent or striking him behind the knees.

Boston Police said they are stepping up patrols near the places women were attacked.

BEVERLY (CBS) – What would you do if you found $11,000 in cash?

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Mark Katic reports

Download: good-samaritan-katic-wrap-1.mp3|titles=$11k%20In%20Handbag|artists=Mark%20Katic

Cheryl Gavazzi of Beverly knows what she would do and she proved it.

She was shopping at the Marshalls in Swampscott on Tuesday when a Vera Bradley bag caught her eye.

It was hanging on a rack and she was thinking of buying it.

“I said that would be the perfect bag to put stuff in and (I) undid the zipper and at that point that’s when I went – ok what do I do now?” she told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 Friday.

When she looked inside, Gavazzi found diapers, some medical records, and a large rolled up wad of cash.

There was more than $11,000 there.

Gavazzi didn’t hesitate, she took the purse to Beverly police.

They found the rightful owners, who had just reported the bag stolen.

The cash was money raised to build a church in their native Guatemala.

Gavazzi met one of the owners Wednesday. He gave her a big hug and a small reward for her honesty.

“He was wondering how he was going to come up with that money because it wasn’t his money.  At that point, he was going to be selling his car if he had to,” Gavazzi said.

GLOUCESTER (CBS) – The search for missing Rockport toddler Caleigh Harrison resumed Wednesday, five days after a pair of pink pants washed ashore in Gloucester.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Bernice Corpuz reports

Download: corpuz-caleigh-search-w2.mp3|titles=Search%20For%20Missing%20Rockport%20Toddler%20Caleigh%20Harrison%20Moves%20To%20Gloucester|artists=Bernice%20Corpuz

Mission for the Missing is leading the search of Good Harbor Beach, where the tattered pants were found in storm debris last Friday.

Five teams have been assembled to help and Gloucester and Rockport police were standing by during the search.

“We’re cautiously optimistic that if there was ever an opportunity to find something it’s going to be now,”  Maureen Flatley of Missing for the Missing said.

Caleigh was last seen April 19 on Long Beach in Rockport, which is about a mile from where the pants were found.

Investigators believed she was swept out to sea, but family members have said she may have been kidnapped.

Harrison’s mother, who was with her daughter shortly before she disappeared, said she can’t be sure that the pants found Friday are Caliegh’s.

RAYNHAM (CBS)-  Hundreds gathered on Sunday to say thank you to military men and women at the American Legion post in Raynham.

In a Veterans Day ceremony, the post dedicated a memorial to Army Sergeant First Class Jared Monti, a Medal of Honor recipient shot and killed after making three attempts to save a fellow soldier.

“It’s just the way he lived his life,” said Jared’s father, Paul, at the ceremony.

Paul Monti went on to describe various times throughout Jared’s life when he gave selflessly to others.

“Jared was in second grade and a young girl fell down and scraped her knee. The teacher said she couldn’t believe it because the first person there to pick her up was Jared,” Monti recalled.

SFC Monti died in Afghanistan in 2006. Since that time, his hometown has renamed a bridge and a park in his honor. Paul Monti regularly organizes volunteers to place 50,000 flags at the National Cemetery in Bourne.

“[He was an] outstanding soldier,” commented Sergeant William Farwell, who didn’t know SFC Monti but says he strives to serve with the same honor. “Some of the stuff he did, as a leader in the military you want to aspire to be just like he was – a true soldier.”

Lt. Governor Tim Murray attended the event Sunday and asked the crowd to do more to help the military families around them. Murray encouraged people to reach out to veterans and help them sign up for benefits they’re entitled to through various government programs.

“Like Jared Monti, we must go back and do more,” said Murray.

BOSTON (CBS)- A special piece of artwork was unveiled at the Fisher House Boston this Veterans Day weekend.

Integro, a 12-foot sculpture designed by a wounded Iraq War veteran, was dedicated at the house Saturday.

“Integro is a Latin word for ‘to begin anew,’” artist Bill Kleinedler explained to the crowd at the sculpture’s dedication. “All the wounded warriors come here [Fisher House] to start over.”

The Fisher House Foundation provides a place to stay for military families while their loved ones are in the hospital.  Fisher House Boston is located in West Roxbury on the Veterans Administration Hospital grounds.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Kim Tunnicliffe Reports

Download: s-weymouth-tunnicliffe-w2.mp3|titles=Healing%20Garden%20Dedicated%20to%20Fallen%20Marines|artists=Kim%20Tunnicliffe

Staff Sergeant Kleinedler was severely burned in 2006 after an IED exploded under his Humvee in Iraq.  During his recovery, Kleinedler says he had to start over many times.

“I thought it was the end. I thought, at that instant, ‘this is it,’” Kleinedler said of the explosion. “But to take a change in life, and to work at it, is a beautiful thing.”

Using his personal experience from war, Kleinedler designed a sculpture with a granite base signifying the obstacles in one’s life.  Growing around the granite are steel “roots” that wind together into a tree trunk above, showing how the human spirit overcomes obstacles. From the tree trunk grows steel and copper branches meant to symbolize moving forward.  Adorning the branches are leaves to show the nourishment, or support, for a change. Fifty butterflies were added to demonstrate beauty in new beginnings.

The Integro scultpure was built with the help of 16 students from Worcester Technical High School, where the sculpture was constructed.

Three Congressional Medal of Honor recipients cut the ribbon at Integro’s unveiling.  Colonel Harvey “Barney” Barnum Jr., Colonel Wesley Fox and Sgt. Robert O’Malley each earned the military’s highest honor for their service in Vietnam.

WESTBOROUGH (CBS) – One by one, about a dozen people showed up to the Ameridose facility in Westborough on Friday, only to be turned away the door.

The company laid-off nearly 800 employees in the wake of a scandal involving its sister company, New England Compounding Center.

NECC, located in Framingham, is tied to tainted steroid injections thought to be the cause of a nationwide meningitis outbreak. More than 400 people have been sickened and 31 have died.

Though Ameridose is not accused of any wrongdoing in the outbreak, the company closed a month ago and recalled all of its products while authorities investigated NECC.

For the Town of Westborough, the layoffs could put a dent in its growing economy.

“We’ve added about 3,000 jobs in the past few years,” said Town Manager James Malloy. “To have a big chunk of that disappear really quickly would be a big setback.”

Ameridose is calling the layoffs temporary. In a statement Thursday, a spokesman said the goal is to resume operations as quick as possible.

Malloy believes the pharmacy supplier could reopen as early as next month and that manager could just be looking out for employees with the layoff.

“Under the situation where they were just told not to come back to work, they wouldn’t be eligible for unemployment leading up the holidays,” said Malloy.

Ameridose paid nearly $114,000 in personal property tax to Westborough last year. A permanent shutdown would mean a much greater loss for the community.

“They hire locally, Malloy added. “During the summer months, they hire kids from a high school to work in packaging. They’ve been a good company to have here in town.”

Since 2009, the Westborough facility has grown from 125 employees to about 650 employees. Nearly all were laid off this week in addition to 140 employees at its marketing and support arm.

BOSTON (CBS) – Cruise ships that should be heading to New York are, instead, docking at the Boston Seaport. As one left this morning, another came in. “A lot of people were going to get off in Halifax to fly out because they were certain that no matter what, New York was not going to be a good place to end up,” passenger Edward Major told WBZ news.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Karen Twomey reports

Download: cruise-ships-voicer-2.mp3|titles=Cruise%20Passengers%20Stranded|artists=Karen%20Twomey

The Oceania Regatta left the port of New York two weeks ago. It headed north, but as Hurricane Sandy grew, Hede Walle said she and other passengers realized their route would change. “Maybe Saturday we were informed and we just watched television to see what’s going on,” she said. “Of course, we would have loved to go to Bermuda and to New York back but you cannot change that.”

Edward Major agreed. He wanted to go to Bermuda, too. But seeing images of the damage from Sandy in New York and New Jersey, gives perspective. “I can be thankful that I’m not one of the people devastated by the hurricane,” he said.

Major hired a driver to bring his car to Boston. Stan King, also on board the Regatta, left on a shuttle bus bound for JFK airport in New York. But instead of going home, King plans to continue on to Florida. “We live in the center of the damage in New York. We live in Greenwich Village. We have no power. We have no water or electricity or gas or elevators,” he said.

King and other passengers applaud the cruise line for handling the storm’s trouble. The altered route which took them to Boston for a second time actually made for pretty smooth seas. “There were some, but not extremely rough. I’ve been in rougher,” King told us. “It was a pleasant trip. Nobody here is complaining.”

Since Sunday, Massport says seven ships have come to the Port of Boston. Some passengers, as we saw Thursday, are going home from there. Other ships are refueling and stocking up on provisions and then heading back out. At last check, there were three ships at Cruiseport Boston, but the port can accommodate more if needed.

BOSTON (CBS) – More than 70,000 customers are still without power two days after Hurricane Sandy hit Massachusetts. That’s down from a peak of just under 400,000 Monday night.

The state expects power to be restored for everyone by Friday evening.

Governor Deval Patrick met with state officials Wednesday to asses the utility companies’ performances and says they restored power at twice the rate they did after last October’s snow storm.

“After 36 hours, 80 percent of those without power have had their power restored,” said Patrick at a news conference.

He wasn’t ready to declare Hurricane Sandy a victory for the utility companies but noted that communication improved between government agencies, power customers and the suppliers.

“Compared to most other states, the utility companies have stepped up their game. We appreciate that,” said Patrick.

The governor says the state’s Department of Public Utilities will now lean on companies to improve further on their performance by making infrastructure investments in chronic problem areas.

DPU’s “Grid Modernization Proceedings” will take a look at areas like Framingham and Worcester to determine if utility lines need to be updated.

One neighborhood in Watertown took two days to get power turned back on after a 37-year-old oak tree came crashing down Monday afternoon. The tree brought down two utility poles and damaged two homes.

“As the pole came down you could hear the rumble,” said homeowner Dan Rosadi who repeatedly asked the town to cut down the tree.

Hundreds of homes were affected by those two poles on Boyd Street. Rosadi and his neighbors say utility company NStar responded immediately, but it took a long time to coordinate tree removal service, pole installation, and telephone service.

BOSTON (CBS) – Gov. Deval Patrick says Massachusetts was fortunate to escape Hurricane Sandy with no major devastation, injuries or deaths.

Photos: Sandy Hits Massachusetts

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Carl Stevens reports

Download: sandy-patrick-stevens-w1.mp3|titles=Patrick%20Says%20Massachusetts%20Spared%20Hurricane%20Sandy%20Devastation|artists=Carl%20Stevens

In a news conference at the MEMA bunker in Framingham Tuesday, Patrick said rapid response teams are gathering information and will have a clear idea about the extent of the damage by midday.

More than 265,000 customers still had no electricity late Tuesday morning.

Check: Emergency Utility Numbers, Links

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Doug Cope reports in Norton:

Download: national-grid-cope-wrap2.mp3|titles=National%20Grid%20Working%20To%20Restore%20Power|artists=Doug%20Cope

“We feel very fortunate, particularly if you look at the scenes and see the reports from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut,” Patrick said. “I’ve been in touch with my counterparts and through MEMA to see what things we can do as we are able to release resources to help.”

Read: Keller: Hurricane Sandy Showed Government At Its Best

Patrick told reporters now is the time utility companies will be tested on their performance.

Leading up to the storm, Patrick warned utility companies in Massachusetts to have a plan in place.

“Now is the time for utility companies to show customers their performance,” Patrick said. “Now it’s time to perform and we’ll just have to see how that goes and make a judgement.”

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Lana Jones reports from Weston

Download: jones-weston-wrap-1.mp3|titles=Power%20Outages%20In%20Weston|artists=Lana%20Jones

By Tuesday morning the Tobin Bridge had reopened after the inbound lanes were shut down Monday evening. A section of the D line branch of the Green Line in Newton was closed because of fallen trees.

“There is a roof here, siding there, some issues down at Route 28 in Harwich but no place where there is devastation,” Patrick said. “We are relieved by the lack of coastal damage.”

Patrick said Westport and Dartmouth were two towns in the southeastern part of the state that authorities were worried about during the storm, but said both turned out OK.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Kim Tunnicliffe reports from Dartmouth:

Download: dartmouth-sandy-tunnucliffe-v3.mp3|Patrick%20Says%20Dartmouth%20Was%20Cause%20For%20Concern%20During%20Storm|artists=Kim%20Tunnicliffe

The governor added that Winthrop and Revere shores were also hit hard but both are in the process of being cleaned up.

Prior to the storm, scraping was done by the Army Corps of Engineers to protect Plum Island from erosion.

Related: What To Do After The Storm

Patrick said once crews are able to assess the damage, a dollar figure will be assigned.

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Amtrak says it is canceling service across the northeastern U.S. on Monday as Hurricane Sandy threatens to create a wet, windy mess in the region.

Amtrak said in a news release Sunday that it was canceling all service north of New York at 7 p.m. Nearly all service across the Eastern Seaboard will be canceled starting Monday.

Amtrak says it has not yet determined when train services will resume. Alternate transportation is not available.

Some trains will continue to run in Florida and the Carolinas.

The news release says customers can receive a refund or voucher for future travel.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

A State Of Emergency “allows the Governor broad authorities to implement emergency measures to ensure the safety and health of the residents of the Commonwealth, take appropriate steps to mobilize state assets, and conduct other emergency business for the protection of the Commonwealth,” according to the state’s website.

Governor Patrick has also called up 1,000 members of the National Guard to help with storm preps, evacuations during the storm, and storm response.

The governor has also submitted a request for a federal Pre-Landfall Emergency Declaration in order to obtain direct federal assistance.

Gallery: Latest Sandy Forecast Maps

Sandy is currently located about 350 miles southeast of Charleston, South Carolina.  The storm is likely to make landfall in New Jersey, but New England is expected to feel some of the storm’s most dramatic effects due to the large and expanding nature of Sandy on Monday.

Check: Tracking Maps  |  Interactive Radar  |  Current Conditions  |  Forecast Maps

Emergency officials are warning the public to take precautions and make sure they are prepared for the storm.  Wind and coastal flooding are expected to be major issues. The rain could also cause some problems.

Several regional shelters will be opened on Cape Cod Monday morning, if conditions warrant it. Locations will open at 8 a.m. at Nauset Regional High School, Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School, and Sandwich High School

Power outages are expected to be widespread and could potentially last for several days in some locations. Utility companies National Grid and NStar say they have already submitted plans to the governor detailing their expected response efforts to those outages.

WBZ-TV’s Bree Sison reports on inland residents’ Sandy preparations from Natick
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WBZ-TV’s Paul Burton reports on coastal towns’ Sandy preparations from Scituate
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WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Kim Tunnicliffe Reports

Download: mema-storm-tunnicliffe-w1.mp3|titles=Governor%20Patrick%20Declares%20State%20Of%20Emergency|artists=Kim%20Tunnicliffe

BOSTON (CBS/AP) – Major utilities are promising to be ready this time around as Hurricane Sandy takes aim at the region.

National Grid Massachusetts President Marcy Reed announced on Thursday that she expects the utility to have around 5000 workers ready to go when the storm hits.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Carl Stevens reports

Download: nat-grid-stevens-w2.mp3|titles=Utility%20Response|artists=Carl%20Stevens

We’re going to prove this time that we are completely prepared; and we are going to meet all expectations,” Reed said. “Of course, we don’t control the weather and we don’t know exactly where it’s going to hit. But we will be ready when it comes.”

She’s vowing a fast response and a strong communication effort with customers.

Gallery: Latest Sandy Forecast Maps

Reed said the utility is working closely with government agencies, using the same call system that FEMA uses. She also noted that they will set up liaisons for every town to facilitate communication.

Starting Sunday night, National Grid call centers will be staffed around the clock. They also plan to keep up a significant presence on social media during this storm.

In case of outages, you’ll be able to text “Storm” to “NGRID” (64743) to find out when your power will be restored.

Check: Tracking Maps  |  Interactive Radar  |  Current Conditions  |  Forecast Maps

National Grid says it has submitted preparation plans to the Governor’s and is ready to go as soon as the storm hits.

NStar officials say they are on high alert and workers are ready to go.

“We’ve worked throughout the year enhancing our storm response plans and we stand ready to address any damage as quickly and safely as possible,” said Werner Schweiger, President of NSTAR Electric.

Sign Up: CBS Boston Severe Weather Alerts

NStar says the number of crews available to help will depend on the extent of damage.

Utilities face the threat of stiff fines if their response falls short of expectations, officials said. Both utilities came under heavy scrutiny over slow responses to the October 2011 snow storm.

Attorney General Martha Coakley has recommended a combined $30 million in fines against National Grid, NStar and Western Massachusetts Electric Co. for problems after Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011 and a surprise snowstorm last October. The Department of Public Utilities is expected to rule on those penalties next month.

Richard Sullivan, the state’s Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary, said utilities will be under strict scrutiny this time around. He said each has filed emergency plans with the state and are contracting with crews as far away as Washington state to deal with expected outages.
“It would appear that the number of crews they have put on call is sufficient, but we are measuring this response in terms of the results on the ground and not necessarily the numbers,” he said.

State officials urged utilities to synchronize the activities of crews assigned to repair lines with those assigned to clear trees felled by high winds, citing that as a major obstacle after last year’s storms.

“Though there were a lot of crews, the tree crews and the line crews were not necessarily well coordinated. A line crew would go someplace where the power was down, but because there wasn’t someone there to remove the tree that had caused the power line to come down, they couldn’t deal with it,” Patrick said.

Governor Patrick said Friday he had canceled a scheduled Sunday campaign trip to Florida on behalf of President Barack Obama and would reassess other campaign activities planned for later in the week.

He urged residents to take precautions in advance of the storm, including making sure their homes are equipped with working flashlights, food and water, extra medications and pet supplies.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Bernice Corpuz reports on preps

Download: corpuz-sandy-prep-w1.mp3|titles=Sandy%20Preps|artists=Bernice%20Corpuz

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Lana Jones reports from MEMA

Download: jones-mema-wrap-2.mp3|titles=MEMA%20Preps|artists=Lana%20Jones

WBZ-TV’s Sera Congi reports on coastal preps from Marshfield
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WBZ-TV’s Paul Burton reports on coastal preps from Sandwich
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WBZ-TV’s Bree Sison has more on the utility companies

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WBZ-TV’s Joe Joyce reports from Martha’s Vineyard
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(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Just before 7 a.m. Sunday, Ware Police received an anonymous threatening phone call. Authorities took the phone call seriously and began an extensive search of an area about one mile in diameter. In the area is the town’s school complex, a National Guard Armory, and a neighborhood.

The town sent out several reverse 911 calls, asking residents to stay in their homes and to call police if they noticed anything suspicious.  Rumors began to fly.

“The stories ranged from it was a deranged killer, to a bomb, to it could have been a chemical spill,” said Ware resident Marc Morrissette.

Once rumors began to spread through social media, Morrissette’s neighbors began receiving calls from concerned loved ones across the country.

Several roads, including Route 32, were shut down. A command post was set up in a shopping center parking lot across town. The Red Cross fed the crews that included teams from neighboring towns, the State Police, and even federal agencies. The FBI and ATF also offered advice to the searchers.

“We had people come down our street and circle the house and look in the windows,” said Morrissette.

The extensive ground search turned up nothing suspicious.

In an evening news conference, town officials wouldn’t give specifics about what the threatening phone call entailed. They defended the large response and said they did their best to keep everyone informed.

“We took it as a serious threat, a serious phone call,” said Ware Fire Chief Thomas Coulombe.  ”We have a responsibility to do our due diligence, to handle it in a proper manner… to see it through to a safe conclusion.”

Police say they’re investigating who placed the phone call.