Boston

Police officers head to Puerto Rico to help

Dozens of Massachusetts police officers will go to Puerto Rico to assist with recovery efforts after Hurricane Maria devastated the island, Governor Charlie Baker announced Wednesday. Sixty-nine officers from the State Police and local departments will assist local law enforcement in Puerto Rico with maintaining curfews and other security duties, the administration said. Three separate groups of officers will spend two weeks each on the island, and 13 State Police cruisers will be deployed for all six weeks, officials said. Among the officers are 17 members of the State Police, 24 Boston police officers, and additional officers from Chelsea; Easthampton, Everett; Hampden; Holyoke; Littleton; Lowell; Peabody; Provincetown; and Waltham..

BOSTON

Northeastern dining hall workers OK strike

Dining hall workers at Northeastern University voted 316-2 Wednesday to authorize a strike if a contract agreement isn’t reached by the end of the day on Oct. 10, according to their labor union. The strike would begin the next day if a new pact is not reached, said Tiffany Ten Eyck, spokeswoman for Unite Here Local 26. The union and Chartwell’s, the school’s food service vendor, have been negotiating a new contract since April, she said. The union is seeking a minimum annual income of $35,000 for full-time work and more affordable health care coverage, she said. Messages left with Chartwells were not returned Wednesday night. In a statement, Northeastern said Chartwells had assured the university that campus dining would continue “without disruption’’ should a strike occur.

Salem

Campus forum to address racist graffiti

Salem State University is taking a stand against hate after racist graffiti was found at the school’s baseball field. The public university is asking students, faculty, and residents to discuss ways to prevent acts of hate Thursday at a campus event called ‘‘Forward Together — So We Can Do Better.’’ The event, scheduled for 12:15 p.m., is outside the Berry Library. Graffiti was found on benches and a fence at the baseball field with messages including ‘‘Trump #1 Whites Only USA’’ and another that used racial slurs. Salem State president John Keenan called the incident ‘‘beyond troubling’’ and said there’s much work to be done to make everyone feel welcome. (AP)

Charleston, Maine

Giant pumpkin sets new state record

There are great pumpkins. Then there’s Elroy Morgan’s pumpkin. The Bangor Daily News reports that his ginormous pumpkin grown in Charleston squashed the record for the heaviest ever grown in Maine. Morgan’s pumpkin weighed in at 1,756 pounds. But the weigh-in for the upcoming Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta wasn’t without controversy. Only one entry is allowed under rules set by an international sanctioning body. Morgan had two. He entered the biggest one in the contest, but the smaller one ended being nearly 100 pounds heavier. The sanctioning body declared the heavier pumpkin to be the state record holder, even though it was ineligible for prize money. His other pumpkin was still big enough for him to take home $2,500. (AP)