--Laurel Sweet at the Herald did a piece on the sharp rise in domestic violence in the state. The statistics are startling. She writes, "Authorities project that by New Year’s Eve 57 people will have died this year in Massachusetts because of domestic violence - a toll not seen in 15 years." Almost a year ago, the Phoenix made similar observations, noting that the media remains fascinated with endangered women, yet no one seems to......

--An off-duty firefighter was stabbed early this morning in East Boston, possibly for racist reasons. According to WBZ, a firefighter was at Chivas Restaurant last night when he said a group of Hispanic men "they did not want any 'Gringos' at the restaurant and he should leave." Later on, the same men followed him as he drove to the Saratoga Street fire station, and they stabbed him in the chest. His injuries are non-life-threatening. The......