Coronavirus Was In MA Earlier Than Previously Thought: Patch PM

MASSACHUSETTS — It's Tuesday, June 15. Here's what you should know this afternoon:

• Salem will once again come alive to celebrate the dead this fall as Salem Haunted Happenings returns to the streets of Halloween's unofficial hometown for 2021.
• A new analysis of blood samples from 24,000 Americans taken early last year shows that a Massachusetts resident may have been infected with the coronavirus by Christmas 2019, more than five weeks before the first case was confirmed on February 1, 2020.
• Jemil Evans is permanently paralyzed after being shot in the neck Saturday. Police and family believe the shooting was accidental.

Scroll down for more on those and other stories Patch has been covering in Massachusetts today.

Today's Top Story

A new analysis of blood samples from 24,000 Americans taken early last year shows that a Massachusetts resident may have been infected with the coronavirus by Christmas 2019, more than five weeks before the first case was confirmed on February 1, 2020.

The analysis is the latest and largest study to suggest that the new coronavirus popped up in the U.S. in December 2019 — weeks before cases were first recognized by health officials. The analysis is not definitive, and some experts remain skeptical, but federal health officials are increasingly accepting a timeline in which small numbers of COVID-19 infections may have occurred in the U.S. before the world ever became aware of a dangerous new virus erupting in China.

"The studies are pretty consistent," said Natalie Thornburg of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Read the full story.

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Tuesday's Other Top Stories

Accidental shooting victim paralyzed for life: Jemil Evans is permanently paralyzed after being shot in the neck Saturday, according to a fundraiser posted by his family. Police and family believe the shooting was accidental. Police arrested Alec Augustino Braz, 22 of Woburn, Saturday and charged him with assault with a dangerous weapon and other charges.

Treat for Salem Halloween lovers: Salem will once again come alive to celebrate the dead this fall as Salem Haunted Happenings returns to the streets of Halloween's unofficial hometown for 2021. Salem Haunted Happenings is preparing for a return to pre-pandemic capacity and programming in October with street fairs, performances, expanded programming and special events. Prior to last year when the coronavirus crisis forced the cancellation of all official events, Haunted Happenings was believed to be among the country's largest celebrations of Halloween.

Eat fresh: Patch's 2021 Massachusetts Farmers Market Guide

They Said It

"There will certainly still be part of our population which disagrees with the change altogether, no matter what we say or do. And that is because they feel that something is being taken away from them."

• Medford School Committee member Paulette Van der Kloot on the decision to rename Columbus Elementary School to Missituk, the Native American name for the Mystic River.

In Case You Missed It

Report links DraftKings to black market: A report released Tuesday accuses Boston-based DraftKings of "betting it can hide its black market operations" and says the sports betting company "represents the dying embers left by yet another Wall Street loophole." The report was produced by Hindenburg Research, an investment research firm focused on activist short-selling. In the past, companies targeted by Hindenburg have seen stock prices drop by as much as 40 percent after a report's release. Hindenburg says the merger with SBTech, a Bulgaria-based gaming technology company, that led to its listing on NASDAQ exposed the company to illegal activities. DraftKings issued a statement noting the report was aimed at pushing its stock price down.

Get vaccinated, win fabulous prizes: The Baker administration will partner with Treasurer Deborah Goldberg and the Massachusetts Lottery to launch a "VaxMillions" giveaway next month, offering $1 million prizes to five adults who are fully vaccinated and $300,000 college scholarships to five residents between the ages of 12 and 17. ny Massachusetts resident who is fully vaccinated — with both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine — will be eligible to submit their personal information, and state officials will conduct one drawing for each prize per week between July 26 and Aug. 27.

By The Numbers

69: The number of years family-owned Harris Cyclery had been operating in West Newton. The business closed for good on Sunday.

Only In Massachusetts: What Happened To The Tree At Liberty Tree Mall?

Only In Massachusetts is an occasional series where Patch tries to find answers to questions about life in Massachusetts. Have a question about the Bay State that needs answering? Send it to dave.copeland@patch.com.

It's been almost three years since I wrote about the mystery of what happened to the Liberty tree at the Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers, yet I still get a few emails every month about the article. They all pretty much read something like this:

"Hey, did you ever figure out what happened to the Liberty tree at the Liberty Tree Mall?"

And up until today, I could only say "Nope."

But starting today I can now answer "Yes! I figured it out with the help of Patch reader Robbie Short of Beverly!" Although, fans of the Liberty tree, brace yourselves: You're not going to like how this story ends.

Read the full story.