The sequester is finally upon us. A sense of doom may be gripping Washington, but by the time one gets to Boston, the reaction is mostly “meh.” Even though Massachusetts […]
Gabrielle Gurley
Gabrielle covers several beats, including mass transit, municipal government, child welfare, and energy and the environment. Her recent articles have explored municipal hiring practices in Pittsfield, public defender pay, and medical marijuana, and she has won several national journalism awards for her work. Prior to coming to CommonWealth in 2005, Gabrielle wrote for the State House News Service, The Boston Globe, and other publications. She launched her media career in broadcast journalism with C-SPAN in Washington, DC. The Philadelphia native holds degrees from Boston College and Georgetown University.
Posted inState House News Service, The Download, Uncategorized
Scott Brown and his tweets of renown
Scott Brown’s sabbatical from electoral politics shows that he still has much to learn if he aspires to sit in the Corner Office. His meteoric rise to national prominence sent […]
Posted inEducation, State House News Service
Adams Scholarships on the way out?
THE ADAMS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, which rewards top-achieving Massachusetts high school graduates with free tuition at state colleges and universities, may be on the way out. State officials aren’t enthusiastic about […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
The anti-Lantigua
In a campaign against a compromised, one-term incumbent that will be fought over burnishing the image of a struggling Gateway City as much as economic development and education, Lawrence City […]
Posted inEnvironment, State House News Service, The Download
Getting snowed
Every winter, the Blizzard of 1978 gets trotted out as the yardstick against which all other winter storms are measured. On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the monster […]
Posted inEconomy, State House News Service
Many Mass. residents have little saved up
Low- and middle- income families in Massachusetts are in rough shape when it comes to managing their money and saving for a rainy day, according to a new annual survey […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Menino, Warren back gun liability insurance
SENATOR ELIZABETH WARREN AND BOSTON MAYOR THOMAS MENINO say they support Beacon Hill legislation that would require gun owners to buy liability insurance for their weapons. Rep. David Linksy, […]
Posted inEconomy, State House News Service, The Download
Taxing questions for Patrick, Legislature
When a young person once complained about taxes to Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, the Bostonian replied, “I like to pay taxes. With them I buy civilization.” Holmes’s rejoinder […]
Posted inEconomy, State House News Service
Film tax credit launching businesses
A.J. BOLES HAD AN IDEA big enough to drive a truck through. Through his work on a number of films in Massachusetts, including Shutter Island, filmed at the former Medfield […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Harboring ambition
Photographs by Mark Morelli HALLOWEEN IS A WORKING HOLIDAY for Kim Driscoll, so she comes to City Hall as herself. Clad in a simple dark business suit, she meets up […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, State House News Service, The Download
Patrick Kennedy’s anti-pot crusade
Younger members of the Kennedy political dynasty have emerged as high-profile opponents of medical marijuana and across-the-board legalization of the drug. Former Rhode Island congressman Patrick Kennedy has joined forces […]
Posted inEconomy, State House News Service
Advantage Amazon
Correction: An earlier version of this story mispelled “Ronald Mann.” WITH BLACK FRIDAY not far off, business leaders and municipal officials have been clamoring for the Patrick administration to act […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
‘No money’ Mike Connolly
BY HIS OWN admission, “No Money” Mike Connolly has made hundreds of people laugh by telling them he is running for state representative but not accepting any campaign donations. But Connolly, […]
Posted inEconomy, State House News Service
Rhode Island red
little rhody was in big trouble. That much Gina Raimondo knew when she pumped her fist in victory on election night two years ago. It wasn’t until the new Rhode […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service, Transportation
Atlanta’s Scott chosen as next MBTA chief
Beverly Scott, the outgoing Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority chief, will move into one of the state’s top transportation positions as the MBTA general manager/rail and transit administrator in December. […]
Posted inPolitics, The Back Story, Transportation
Pragmatic approach at authorities
The Patrick administration is taking a pragmatic approach to the salaries being offered to candidates for the long-empty top jobs at Massport and the MBTA, paying more money than the […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics, State House News Service, Transportation
Moving with delays
Both the MBTA and the Massachusetts Port Authority have interviewed candidates for their top jobs, but after a year of searching neither agency appears close to naming executives to run […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Risky business
Correction: The story says a second budget amendment proposed by Sen. James Timilty would require the Division of Capital Asset Management to clean up the former hospital site so it […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service, Transportation
RTAs strike back at T-only bailouts
State lawmakers outside Greater Boston, backed up by increasingly irate transit riders in their districts, are exerting a newfound assertiveness so they can get more of the state dollars that […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Time out
Illustration by Eva Vazquez. DEAN WILLIAMSON, A high school senior from Worcester, came to the State House in late February hoping to see a debate in the House of Representatives. […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, State House News Service
Report details impact of sentencing bills
CORRECTION: Due to an editing error, an earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed the estimate of a habitual offender’s extra time in prison under the House and Senate bills […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics, State House News Service, The Download
Where the Pentagon sees guns, Mass. sees butter
With Gov. Deval Patrick gone AWOL more and more, Lt. Gov. Tim Murray has been tapped to lead the fight to forestall cutbacks at Bay State military facilities. So far, […]
Posted inEconomy, State House News Service, Transportation
No new taxes, fees, DeLeo tells House
House Speaker Robert DeLeo told his colleagues the chamber’s budget for the coming fiscal year would not include any new taxes or fees, and he didn’t mention whether he has […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
The Boston Occupier goes old school
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misidentified the original name of The Boston Occupier. It began under the name The Occupy Boston Globe. Media watchers who proclaim that print […]