Local News

Morning Update: First Mass. marijuana dispensary opens, July 4th Pops concert stars who?

Globe/File

By Jack Pickell @pacmanjack

June 25, 2015

2 minutes to read

Good morning, Boston. A derogatory term for Massachusetts natives has found its way into the dictionary, a marijuana dispensary opens in Salem, Boston 2024 is headed to the suburbs, and the rest of the news you need to know today.

‘Masshole’ is in the dictionary? Really? “Masshole has officially been added to the Oxford English Dictionary, though it’s been in the lexicon of the Bay State’s neighbors for years.

Masshole joins hot mess, twerk, fo’shizzle, sext, stanky, twitterati, meh, and nearly 500 other words added Wednesday.’’ (Boston.com)

State’s first marijuana dispensary opens in Salem: “It was 40 minutes past 10 a.m., and already roughly two dozen patients waited in line. They had come for the start of business Wednesday at Alternative Therapies Group, the first dispensary to sell marijuana for medical use in Massachusetts. Patient number one was a gray-haired man with a walker.

Access to the dispensary is by appointment only. A police officer stood by the entrance to the old brick factory building, and a private security guard checked off patients’ names from a clipboard as they waited under crystal blue skies.’’ (The Boston Globe)

Boston Pops July 4th fireworks spectacular starring who? The 42d Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular at the DCR Hatch Shell has unveiled its list of guests for the 2015 shindig.

Among those celebrating Keith Lockhart’s 20th year as conductor of the Pops and the annual party on the Charles River Esplanade will be Broadway star and pop crooner Michael Cavanaugh — who was hand-picked by Billy Joel for the lead role in the musical “Movin’ Out’’ — popular “American Idol’’ finalist Melinda Doolittle, and gospel singer and “The Voice’’ finalist Michelle Brooks-Thompson.’’(The Boston Globe)

Boston 2024 venues spread to the ‘burbs: “Olympic bidding group Boston 2024 began rolling out its proposed venues in early June. In many cases, the new venues—some of which are spread across the state—mark a change in course from the group’s original plans.’’ (Boston.com )