--More fire department turmoil: A panel of union firefighters determined that the alcohol and drugs found in the bodies of firefighters Paul Cahill and Warren Payne in August's Tai Ho Restaurant blaze did not cause their deaths. But the fire commissioner begs to differ. [Boston Globe, background: Bostonist] --While it's good that the mayor is throwing his efforts behind saving Hendry Street from the foreclosure crisis, the housing problems in Dorchester aren't limited to......

Much to the dismay of many of us out there, we can thank that overgrown rat from Pennsylvania for six more weeks of winter. Now while this might prove many people’s point that nothing good comes out of that state, Punxsutawney Phil's response means four more weeks of bad weather and dry indoor heating that will take a toll on your skin. But the Bostonist is here to help. We know your pain, so we......

--With this winter's especially foul weather, we have entered a new level of pothole hell. [Boston Globe] --Although some local figures might be gearing up to run against Mayor Menino, the mayor might be earning votes by working to help Hendry Street residents floored by the mortgage foreclosure crisis. [Boston Herald] --Despite all that planning, construction on the new Harvard Allston Science Complex has already pissed off Allston residents. Neighbors had been told construction......

--The Coast Guard reined in a 933-foot tanker that broke down off the coast of Cape Cod. The tanker held liquefied natural gas, but the Coast Guard said it didn't leak any. [Boston Globe] --Soon after an accident in which an elderly driver struck a child while he was on his way to vote in Randolph, State Sen. Steve Baddour is campaigning to boost tests for all drivers "throughout their driving careers." [Boston Herald]......

--Local news outlets were especially good at stating the obvious today. The weather is windy, as in 70 mph, and the snot will freeze in your nose once you step outside. [Boston Globe, Uh, everyone] --Ten people were forced out into the cold after a fire broke out in their house this morning in Everett. [Boston Herald] --Sometimes justice has a laugh at our expense. A convicted Level 3 sex offender from Uxbridge won......

--The State Supreme Judicial Court just overturned the conviction of a Methuen ex-police officer accused of raping a woman in 2000. The case hinged on whether or not lawyers could prove the woman was "too intoxicated to consent, not that she was merely high and drunk." However, the SJC felt that the trial judge didn't give proper instructions to the jurors. The ex-officer will get a new trial. [Boston Globe] --In a similar case,......

Punxsutawney Phil has nothing on the Drowned Hogs when it comes to the lengths taken to prognosticate the weather. While Phil lounges on a velvet-lined tree stump and a fleet of top-hatted handlers gently coax him into making his wintry prediction, members of the Drowned Hogs submit themselves to a plunge in the Atlantic Ocean to find out what February in Massachusetts really feels like. (Hint: Wicked cold.) This Saturday, February 2nd marked the......

--Another "wintry mix" is already heading into town this evening to smack you in the face and mess up your drive home. Whoopee. [WBZ] --MBTA fare machines refused credit cards this morning, right at the first of the month when people were trying to add money. Read what T riders did about it. Bostonist has been down this ugly road before. [Boston Globe] --A man died overnight after he was speeding through the Sumner......

No indication as of yet that these events have been cancelled. Given the weather, double-check with the venue. Books Former secretary of state Madeline Albright has a few things to say in Memo to the President-Elect: How We Can Restore America's Reputation and Leadership. Now if only the pundits would shut the hell up and listen. First Parish Church Meetinghouse (via Harvard Book Store), 8:00 pm, $5. (Event is sold out, but, as always, the......

--Why merge the blotter with snow emergency announcements? 2007 appears to be ending quietly, blotter-wise, and, if the incoming storm is going to be as bad as the weatherheads say it is, someone's gonna get arrested for a parking-related problem. In fact, the city of Boston has declared a snow emergency. The Mayor's Office announced that "the snow emergency and parking ban will go into effect at midnight tonight." For more Boston-related information, go......

When it snows in Boston, the rule is clear--you don't park in a spot that another person has shoveled out. The Mayor's Office backs this up: Any Space-savers in on-street parking spaces that have been cleared should be removed 48 hours after a snow storm has ended. WHDH reported on an East Boston resident who found out the hard way what happens if you park in a spot that has been shoveled out and is......

In snowy weather like this, complaints about icy roads or snowpiles are normal. But you know the weather is bad when the snow is so heavy that it collapses the roof of a Rite-Aid. Last night, in Brighton at Market and Surrey, the roof of a Rite-Aid buckled under the weight of snow. According to WCVB, four employees and a customer escaped. Falling debris hit the customer in the head, but the injuries were......

--Another storm is on the way starting tonight and running through Sunday evening. [WBZ] --One person died in a terrifying 8-alarm fire in downtown Gloucester last night. The fire also destroyed an apartment building and a synagogue. [Boston Globe, WCVB] --Regarding fires, b0st0n LiveJournal posted some fire safety tips. A lot of it is common sense (you really don't want to put the space heater by the curtains, ok?), but the reminders are useful. [b0st0n......