US – Saturday, November 21

Shave and a haircut — Elliott’s $.02

You’ll notice none of America’s problems have been solved. Well, you can only blame yourself for not doing a good enough job of demanding the government act on the brilliant ideas I’ve been dispensing every week in Metro, the world’s greatest newspaper. Don’t bother groveling for forgiveness; it demeans us both.

The last of the original urban village

It was once a vibrant neighborhood, but was cleared out to make way for hospitals, hotels and upscale condos emblematic of a new Boston. Fifty years later, those that remember the neighbors and streets of the "old" West End are becoming as scarce as the landmarks of their youth.

First drop in Mass. jobless rate since ’07

The state unemployment rate fell to 8.9 percent in October, marking the first decline in over two years, according to state labor officials.

Kids stand by as reform debated

Eighth-graders at the Excel Academy Charter School in East Boston scored tops in Massachusetts on the English and math MCAS tests last year, a feat that left principal Komal Bhasin and her staff both proud and motivated to continue their success.

These Orphans are not afraid to play with ‘Dolls’

Ryan Landry and his Gold Dust Orphans have long been having their way with some of the greatest films of all time. Finally, the men, women and not-so-easily-identifiable members of this ridiculously talented troupe take on the big kahuna of camp, “Valley of the Dolls.”

Exploring every ‘Avenue Q’ puppet

The fuzzy puppets that inhabit “Avenue Q” won’t teach their audiences how to sing the ABC’s. These mature Sesame Street-like adult puppets have real problems: sex, racism, morals and finding a purpose in life.

Time to erase fourth-and-2

The Patriots sound like they’re sick of talking about it.

UMass heads the crowded HEA pack

UMass sits atop Hockey East going into the weekend. But not by much.

What to do and where to go.

Updated 21:32, July the 23rd, 2008

Brothers admit to using Medicaid to fund gambling

BOSTON. A Two brothers who once co-owned five nursing homes pleaded guilty yesterday to taking Medicaid funds intended for food, medicine and sanitation for their residents and using the cash on luxury boats and gambling.

Joel Logan, 53, of Norwell, and Todd Logan, 47, of Pembroke, will both serve five years probation and pay $150,000 in restitution for a variety of offenses tied to their scheme.

According to Attorney General Martha Coakley's Office, the pair — which owned two nursing homes in Braintree and one each in Middleborough, Quincy and Weymouth — bilked Medicaid funds from Jan. 2001 through June 2003 for their own use.

Some of the funds were used to bet on horse races, authorities said.

The Logans also pleaded guilty yesterday to embezzling roughly $77,000 in deductions from employee wages intended to fund a 401(k) plan and disability and insurance policies.

The November MMMpod features interviews and music with a band called Girls, a band of girls called Supercute, and a supercute vampire. Yes, listeners, we have Pattinson!

[Flyers by PaperG]