BEDFORD, N.N.

Police know name of driver whose roof ice struck vehicle

Police in New Hampshire say they now know who was driving a tractor-trailer whose roof ice flew off and struck another vehicle, smashing the windshield and seriously injuring its driver. His name wasn’t released.

New Hampshire State Police say the truck involved in Thursday’s mishap on Route 31 in Mason belonged to Hillside Plastics, in Turner Falls, Mass. No charges have been filed.

Stanley Raczelowski, 64, of Westford, Mass., suffered a broken nose and broken jaw. Investigators found sheets of ice 3 feet long in his vehicle afterward.

BOSTON

Health insurers call off talks exploring merger

The second- and third-largest health insurers in Massachusetts have called off merger talks.

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan said in a joint statement Friday that the savings and efficiencies envisioned with a merger would have been more difficult than anticipated to achieve, and that integration would have been more expensive than at first thought.

The organizations signed a nonbinding memorandum of understanding in January to explore a merger.

The combined nonprofits would have had a combined 1.9 million subscribers and challenged Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, the state’s largest insurer. Harvard Pilgrim also serves New Hampshire and Maine. Tufts also serves Rhode Island.

MILTON, Vt.

Police probe allegations of ‘sexting’ by teenagers

Milton police and the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force are investigating what a local school official said was the online sharing of inappropriate images of local high school students.

Milton School Superintendent Martin Waldron said Friday that school officials were told images had been viewed via an online e-mail account with some people sharing the username and password to see the images. He said the account has since been taken offline.

Waldron said school officials became aware of the case on Feb. 17, just before winter vacation, when a student who felt victimized came forward with “concerns about distribution of inappropriate pictures.”

School officials later turned the case over to police.

Waldron said school officials had heard from a number of students who felt victimized, but school officials hadn’t seen any of the inappropriate images. He wouldn’t say how many students were victims or how many might have had access to the images.

BOSTON

Patrick repeats ‘no comment’ on ex-Blue Cross CEO payout

Gov. Deval Patrick has again declined to criticize Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts over a hefty severance payment to its former CEO, telling reporters his job isn’t “managing individual companies or individual compensations.”

Patrick did say during a sometimes testy exchange with reporters Friday that he isn’t condoning Blue Cross’ judgments. But he said he’s focusing on legislation to control spiraling premiums.

Patrick was questioned for a second day about the $11 million severance and compensation package for Cleve Killingsworth, who resigned from Blue Cross last March after five years as chief executive.

Republicans have taken Patrick to task for remaining silent on Killingsworth after his campaign last year criticized the $1.7 million salary that his GOP challenger, Charles Baker, earned while CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.

WOONSOCKET, R.I.

State board votes in favor of tougher graduation criteria

The Rhode Island Board of Regents has voted to approve tougher high school graduation requirements starting in 2014.

The new rules will require students to score at least “partially proficient” on state standardized tests to receive a diploma. The changes were initially scheduled to take effect next year, but board members said they wanted to give schools and students more time to prepare.

Students who fail the test their junior year will be allowed to retake it their senior year.

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt.

Administrators prepared to teach in case of strike

A Vermont superintendent says administrators in the South Burlington School District will teach classes during a strike if that’s what it takes to ensure seniors graduate on time.

Superintendent of Schools John Everitt told the Burlington Free Press graduation would go forward as scheduled June 17 even if teachers go on strike Wednesday, as currently planned.

South Burlington teachers voted to strike next week because the school board imposed a contract on them. They have been working without a contract since June.

There is still hope a strike can be avoided. Two new school board members were elected this week, and a special school board meeting was scheduled for Friday.