This Grocery Store Employee’s Got Major Pipes (and More Updates)

Welcome back to Morning Briefing, an almost-daily round-up of mini news bites to kick off the day.

Singing at Russo’s

Go forget your troubles at Russo’s (while buying nine different types of eggplant and mushrooms you didn’t even know existed), the nearly century-old Watertown grocery store that happens to employ a 23-year-old former professional singer from Brazil. Gilly Assuncao, who moved here two years ago and would love to attend Berklee, has been entertaining customers — and Russo’s growing Facebook fanbase — with incredible operatic renditions of Christmas tunes this season. Keep an eye on Facebook for updates on when Assuncao will be serenading customers next, or just stop what you’re doing and browse through all the recent videos.

Don’t Make Teens Sling Burgers All Night

A major Burger King franchisee, Northeast Foods, was busted for an alleged 843 child labor violations at locations around Massachusetts, the Globe reports. 16- and 17-year-old employees were found to be working too long, too late, and without proper permits. In one instance, a 16-year-old reportedly worked until nearly 5 a.m. on a school night. Northeast Foods — owned by Shoukat Dhanani, who is based in Texas — will pay a quarter of a million dollars in fines.

Driver in Tragic Sweet Tomatoes Crash to Go to Trial

In 2016, a car crashed into Sweet Tomatoes in Newton, killing two and injuring seven. Middlesex Superior Court Judge Laurence D. Pierce was reportedly ready to sentence Bradford S. Casler to two years in jail if he pleaded guilty to motor vehicle homicide charges, but Casler has decided to exercise his right to a trial instead. Casler’s attorney says that Casler lost control of his car due to multiple sclerosis, but prosecutors don’t believe that that should excuse criminal responsibility, as Casler knew about his symptoms but continued to drive.

Photobomb Leads to Bloody Grandma Leads to Angry Licensing Board

Agoros Bar and Grill in Cleveland Circle keeps ending up in front of the licensing board, reports Universal Hub, and the most recent incident resulted in the pizzeria’s closing time being cut from 1:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. A night of dancing turned into an unwelcome photobomb, which led to a some words being exchanged — and a fight later in the evening that reportedly ended with a 75-year-old grandmother on the ground, bleeding, under a fallen metal pole. Accounts differ as to whether the photobomber or someone from the photo-taking group started the fight, and the bouncer claims not to have seen any blood, but the licensing board apparently heard enough to punish the restaurant.

Money Stolen From Cafe Beirut

An employee stole $6000 from Cafe Beirut, a Lebanese restaurant in Jamaica Plain, according to Universal Hub. While “proper action” is being taken against the perpetrator, a fan of the restaurant set up a GoFundMe campaign to help the restaurant make its next rent payment.

One Thing You Should Eat Today

Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

You’ve outgrown your childhood hatred of Brussels sprouts by now, haven’t you? If not, these might help: fried Brussels sprouts with Aleppo vinaigrette at Our Fathers, now open in Lower Allston (196 North Harvard St.) They’re currently among the best sprouts in town — in a town where sprouts are just about everywhere. It’s all about that vinaigrette. The new restaurant is obsessed with gin, so pair the dish with one of many gin cocktails.

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