A Nantucket false alarm

Also: What to know about Question 4; Russia hits Ukraine with biggest strikes in months [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  October 10, 2022 🌤️ Mostly sunny, with a high near 65 and a slight chance of rain in the afternoon. Good Morning Boston, Happy [Indigenous Peoples Day]( — or Columbus Day, depending on [where you live]( or what calendar you follow. It's [Indigenous Peoples Day in Boston now]( but Columbus Day at the federal and state level. WBUR's Sam Coetzee reports that there's a push to change that and replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day as an official holiday in Massachusetts. (South Dakota became the first state to do so in 1989.) However, such efforts have [stalled on Beacon Hill](. To the rest of the news today: - False alarm? After nearly 50 asylum-seeking migrants from Venezuela were lured onto a plane to Martha's Vineyard last month, Nantucket officials say they're preparing for a potentially similar stunt targeting their island. But it doesn't appear we're in for a sequel any time soon — despite an initial media frenzy late Sunday night. - What happened: Local police [said Sunday night]( that they received a tip about a plane scheduled to land in Nantucket on Tuesday that had "many similarities" to the one Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration chartered to Martha's Vineyard. The press release sent off a wave of news reports about a possible copycat of the Martha's Vineyard stunt. - However: There was a misinterpretation. The police release said the plane is being chartered by a business trip for a group out of Chicago. [According to the Nantucket Current]( it's actually bringing an investment company to Nantucket for "a meeting and a little R&R." The Current reports the person who organized the flight was "dumbfounded" by all the attention. - Annnnnd it's decided: After over 12 hours of meetings last week, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission is officially aiming to allow in-person sports betting at the state's three casinos by late January, followed by the launch of online and mobile betting by early March. - That means only in-person betting would be ready for the Super Bowl, while online and mobile betting would be up in time for the March Madness college basketball tournaments. - The timeline does come with the caveat that regulators could push back those launch dates if "unforeseen circumstances" occur. Some commissioners are concerned that they're already moving too fast just to meet the winter sports schedule. - If you are one of the 800,000 people eligible for student loan forgiveness under President Joe Biden's administration, be wary of scammers. WBUR's Carrie Jung [reports that Attorney General Mayra Healey's office has seen in an uptick]( in calls from borrowers asking whether a call or email about their debt was legit, and they're working with the Biden administration to crack down on potential scams. - Remember: The Biden administration is [planning to launch an application process for most eligible borrowers later this month](. In the meantime, [Jung has some tips]( for protecting yourself: - If someone asks you for money to service your loan or access a benefit, don't hand it over. Applying for student loan forgiveness is free. - Be wary of unsolicited texts or calls saying to "act now!" or that "immediate action is required." - The trusted place to get your updates is from the government itself. Sign up for the U.S. Department of Education's federal student loan borrower email updates [here](. P.S.— Here's a list of [what's open and closed for the holiday today]( from government offices to liquor stores to banks (closed!) and ATMs (open!). One particularity: while most cities and towns are delaying trash pickup by a day for the holiday, Boston is not. So Bostonians, put your trash and recycling bins out on[your normal day]( this week. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [What to know about Question 4, which will decide fate of immigrant driver's license law in Mass.]( A "yes" vote on Question 4 will preserve the Massachusetts law that allows people living in the U.S. without authorization to apply for driver's licenses starting next July. A "no" vote would overturn the law. [Read more.]( [What to know about Question 4, which will decide fate of immigrant driver's license law in Mass.]( A "yes" vote on Question 4 will preserve the Massachusetts law that allows people living in the U.S. without authorization to apply for driver's licenses starting next July. A "no" vote would overturn the law. [Read more.]( [Deadly missile strikes hit Kyiv as explosions reported in other cities across Ukraine]( Explosions on Monday rocked multiple cities across Ukraine, including missile strikes on the capital Kyiv for the first time in months, hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin called a Saturday explosion on the huge bridge connecting Russia to its annexed territory of Crimea a "terrorist act." [Read more.]( [Deadly missile strikes hit Kyiv as explosions reported in other cities across Ukraine]( Explosions on Monday rocked multiple cities across Ukraine, including missile strikes on the capital Kyiv for the first time in months, hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin called a Saturday explosion on the huge bridge connecting Russia to its annexed territory of Crimea a "terrorist act." [Read more.]( [A parents' lawsuit accuses Amazon of selling suicide kits to teenagers]( Amazon sold the food preservative sodium nitrite, which lawyers say has no household use at high purity levels, to people who later killed themselves using the substance, the suit claims. [Read more.]( [A parents' lawsuit accuses Amazon of selling suicide kits to teenagers]( Amazon sold the food preservative sodium nitrite, which lawyers say has no household use at high purity levels, to people who later killed themselves using the substance, the suit claims. [Read more.]( [Hurricane Ian highlighted the vulnerabilities of older mobile homes]( Mobile homes built before 1994 can't withstand the kind of ferocious winds of a major hurricane. In Florida, there are thousands of these older homes that crumble during big storms like Ian [Read more.]( [Hurricane Ian highlighted the vulnerabilities of older mobile homes]( Mobile homes built before 1994 can't withstand the kind of ferocious winds of a major hurricane. In Florida, there are thousands of these older homes that crumble during big storms like Ian [Read more.]( [How Harris is listening — and speaking — about abortion rights before the midterms]( Vice President Harris has held more than 20 events on abortion rights since May. She's been traveling the country to listen and speak about what's become a top issue for Democratic voters. [Read more.]( [How Harris is listening — and speaking — about abortion rights before the midterms]( Vice President Harris has held more than 20 events on abortion rights since May. She's been traveling the country to listen and speak about what's become a top issue for Democratic voters. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - This weekend is typically prime season for leaf peeping in New England, but climate change has made the fall foliage harder to predict. WBUR's Aimee Moon [reports on how it's going so far](. - The Coolidge Corner and Brattle Theatres are screening three of the wildest and most freewheeling early films from the late Jean-Luc Godard this week. WBUR's Sean Burns [has a preview here](. - There is a major divide in our country: those who are for brunch and those who are against it. [This Here & Now segment]( aims to settle the debate once and for all; give it a listen. - Congrats Emily Sisson, who [set a record for American women at the Chicago Marathon]( on Sunday. The Wisconsin native finished second overall in the women's race, running the 26.2-mile course in 2:14:18.  What We're Reading 📚 - After nearly 36 years in prison, Fred Weichel gets a Catch-22 ([The Boston Globe]( - This Is Life in the Metaverse ([The New York Times]( - Editorial: Herald stands for the people, not pols ([Boston Herald](  Life Advice [How to stop stewing about something you've taken (a little too) personally]( Being offended by something that someone did or said can be upsetting — but it doesn't have to eat away at us. Mental health experts share how to slow down and gain clarity when things get personal. [Read more.]( [How to stop stewing about something you've taken (a little too) personally]( Being offended by something that someone did or said can be upsetting — but it doesn't have to eat away at us. Mental health experts share how to slow down and gain clarity when things get personal. [Read more.]( Before you go: New parking achievement [unlocked]( 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news   Want to change how you receive these emails? Stop getting this newsletter by [updating your preferences.](  I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. Unsubscribe from all WBUR editorial newsletters [here](.  Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2022 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.