By Associated Press - Wednesday, October 21, 2020

BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts education officials have made good on a promise to audit school districts that have not updated their timeline for bringing students back for in-person instruction despite community coronavirus transmission rates considered safe.

State Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley in a letter to school committees in East Longmeadow and Watertown wrote that he is concerned each district is not “aligning its reopening model” with public health metrics.

The audit will review whether the districts’ remote learning programs adhere to state and federal regulations around structured learning time; if the districts have a clear plan to return to in-person instruction that takes into account health and safety data; whether appropriate support is being provided to English language learners, students with disabilities and special needs; and whether teachers and administrators are regularly communicating with students and families.

Riley and Gov. Charlie Baker have said that only school districts in communities considered at high-risk for coronavirus transmission for three consecutive weeks should have remote-only learning.

John Portz, chairperson of the Watertown School Committee, told The Boston Globe he felt the district put together a plan that was best for their community and is making progress.

Messages were left with East Longmeadow school officials.

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VIRUS BY THE NUMBERS

Massachusetts reported 22 newly confirmed coronavirus deaths and more than 640 newly confirmed cases Wednesday, pushing the state’s confirmed COVID-19 death toll to 9,559 and its confirmed caseload to nearly 143,000.

Adding in presumed deaths, the state’s total COVID-19-related death toll now stands at 9,780.

The seven-day weighted average of positive tests stood at 1.3% - up from 0.8% a month ago. The true number of cases is likely higher because studies suggest some people can be infected and not feel sick.

There were nearly 520 people reported hospitalized Wednesday because of COVID-19, and more than 90 in intensive care units.

The three-day average of the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients stood at 512, up from 367 about a month ago.

The number of probable or confirmed COVID-19 deaths reported in long-term care facilities rose to 6,306.

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SALEM HALLOWEEN RESTRICTIONS

Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll on Wednesday announced additional steps meant to discourage visitors to the city during the final weeks of October - a time when Salem is typically the epicenter of Halloween activities in Massachusetts.

For the next two weekends, all city and private garages and lots will close to traffic at 2 p.m. on Friday and at noon on Saturday and Sunday, Driscoll said. Only downtown residents and those with reserved parking spaces will allowed to enter the garages.

Cars parked in neighborhoods will be ticketed and towed if they don’t have a valid residential parking tag, Driscoll said,

Driscoll also said MBTA trains outbound from Boston will not stop in Salem on Oct. 23 and Oct 30 between 7 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. On Oct. 24-25 and Oct. 31, no trains will be stopping in Salem from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Fines have been tripled for illegal behavior like public drinking or vandalism on weekends in October.

“We normally welcome throngs of visitors from around the globe to our community,” she said. “This is just not the year.”

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