Mass.

A North Kingstown man has been charged with child molestation on accusations he touched two children inappropriately at the Newport International Polo match in Portsmouth in July. Brian Smith was arrested and charged with one count of second-degree child molestation and one count of simple assault...

The price of a gallon of gasoline in Massachusetts plunged 6 cents in the past week, yet remains above the national average. AAA Southern New England reports Tuesday that self-serve, regular has dropped to an average of $3.50 per gallon...

Alonzo Mourning first thanked all of the usual people when he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: His coaches, his teachers, and the foster mother who raised him. Then he turned to those who made it possible for his unique journey to the sport's highest honor...

Massachusetts is getting an almost $46 million share of a $7 billion federal-state settlement over Citigroup's mortgage-backed security activities. In the deal announced Monday, Citigroup will make a $4 billion civil monetary payment to the Justice Department, and another $500 million in compensatory payments to state attorneys general and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp...

Legendary pacyderm citizens Emily and Ruth are enjoying some new toys thanks to the hard work of students at MassArt. For the fourth year in a row, the students designed and constructed oversized toys for the elephants at Buttonwood Park Zoo...

A Rhode Island man is awaiting extradition to Massachusetts for the murder of a Swansea woman last year.  The Providence Journal reports that 54 year old David Sousa of Warren was charged by Rhode Island State Police with being a fugitive from justice...

The House has approved legislation aimed at improving the safety of drugs made by compounding pharmacies, which mix customized medicines.       The measure is a response to a meningitis outbreak last year that killed 64 people and sickened hundreds more...

The seventh annual Azorean Whaleboat Regatta is happening this weekend in waters off West Beach in New Bedford.  A major competition will happen on Sunday, with boats from the Azores, New Bedford, and Mystic, Conn. taking part.  Judy Downey of the Azorean Maritime Heritage Society says the Azorean boats are the real deal...

An Acushnet man has been charged with stealing copper wire from a business on Shawmut Avenue in New Bedford.  According to Police, a Verizon employee saw the suspect put the copper wire inside the trunk of his car Thursday morning, then followed him to Route 140 while calling police...

  Gov. Deval Patrick says he is close to finalizing a new casino compact with the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe but plans to run it by federal officials before submitting it for final approval. The governor is trying to avoid a repeat of last year's event, when an agreement he signed with the tribe was approved by the Legislature, only to be rejected later by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs. ... Re