Page 5 - ARUBA TODAY

A5
U.S. NEWS Wednesday 31 July 2019

Massachusetts RMV knew of backlog years before deadly crash

BOSTON (AP) — Officials sign as head of the agency
within the Massachusetts days after the New Hamp-
Registry of Motor Vehicles shire crash exposed the
grappled for years without lapses. "They deserved to
success to clear chronic have someone being ac-
backlogs in the process- countable and acknowl-
ing of notifications sent by edge that the service that
other states of infractions the registry of motor ve-
by Massachusetts drivers, hicles provided was unac-
according to testimony on ceptable in this instance."
Tuesday at an oversight Devaney testified that
hearing prompted by a when she was appointed
crash that killed seven mo- by Republican Gov. Char-
torcyclists in New Hamp- lie Baker to lead the agen-
shire. cy in 2015, no system ex-
Members of the Legisla- isted for processing out-of-
ture's transportation com- state notices. The following
mittee sought to learn why year she assigned the task
information that Volodymyr to the Merit Rating Board,
Zhukovskyy had been ar- which historically has been
rested for drunken driving in responsible for reviewing
Connecticut weeks before in-state violations by Mas-
the June 21 crash — which sachusetts drivers and im- In this July 6, 2019, file photo, motorcyclists participate in a ride in Randolph, N.H., to remember
could have triggered a sus- posing any insurance sur- seven bikers killed there in a collision with a pickup truck in June.
pension of his commercial charges warranted. Associated Press
driver's license — was not While some progress was
acted upon by the Massa- subsequently made in the registry, testified that ed "nobody," explaining resulted in license suspen-
chusetts agency. addressing the backlog, she told registry officials in his department had not sions for more than 1,600
Registry officials acknowl- glitches during the installa- March that she had dis- been given sufficient staff Massachusetts motorists.
edge that tens of thousands tion of a new computer sys- covered within the new resources to address the Zhukovskyy, 23, of West
of such out-of-state notices tem at the registry in March computer system an "open backlog amid the ongoing Springfield, Massachusetts,
have gone unprocessed 2018 prompted a decision queue" containing 12,899 computer issues. has pleaded not guilty to
for years, instead left to pile to focus on the handling unprocessed out-of-state Asked hypothetically by negligent homicide in con-
up in boxes stored in a state of in-state violations at the notifications. one lawmaker if correcting nection with the crash. The
office. expense of out-of-state no- In an internal memo made the reporting issues prompt- seven who died in the col-
"In the midst of all this, sev- tices because the board public by the legislative ly might have prevented lision with a pickup truck
en families experienced an could not "fix it all at the committee, Dwyer said the loss of life in the New hauling a flatbed trailer
unimaginable tragedy and same time," Devaney said. she asked Thomas Bowes, Hampshire crash, Dwyer re- were members of the Jar-
they didn't deserve expla- Brie-Anne Dwyer, an au- head of the Merit Rating sponded: "It's possible." heads, a New England
nations or excuses," said ditor with the Massachu- Board, who was responsible Registry officials have said motorcycle club that in-
Erin Devaney, in explaining setts Department of Trans- for entering the information an internal review prompt- cludes Marines and their
Tuesday her decision to re- portation, which oversees and that Bowes respond- ed by the deadly crash has spouses.q
Ex-Michigan State president

gets $2.5M retirement payout

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) Under terms of the retire- its reasoning for making the
— The former Michigan ment , Simon will receive payment.
State University president $2.45 million in three an- "Our campus community is
accused of lying about nual installments and other continuing its healing, and
her knowledge of allega- benefits. The agreement the Board of Trustees feel
tions against sports doc- stipulates she won't sue the retirement of Dr. Simon
tor Larry Nassar is getting the school or file any com- is best for the university,"
about $2.5 million as part plaints or grievances relat- said Dianne Byrum, chair-
of a retirement package ed to her employment or woman of the university's In this April 9, 2019 file photo, former Michigan State University
and agreed not to sue the termination. governing body, in a state- president Lou Anna Simon appears in court in Charlotte, Mich.
school, it was announced The agreement does not ment. Associated Press
Tuesday. appear to address how Simon said she will contin-
The East Lansing school the pending criminal case ue to support the school, CAR RENTAL 5616944
said Lou Anna Simon's re- could affect the terms of including through philan-
tirement is effective Aug. the agreement other than thropy.
31. She resigned as presi- public recognition of her Dr. Samuel Stanley Jr., a We Rent:
dent last year amid pres- emeritus status being po- medical researcher who Cars- Vans - SUV
sure, returned to a faculty tentially withheld if she is has led Stony Brook Univer-
position, and then took an convicted and that con- sity in New York for nearly a
unpaid leave while facing viction survives all appeals. decade, was named the
criminal charges. She has University officials did not school's next president ear-
denied any cover-up by immediately reply to a mes- lier this year and officially
the university. sage seeking comment on starts this week. q