The Download

New from CommonWealth Beacon BAR ADVOCATES: The state’s highest court has been drawn into a dispute over pay for private lawyers who represent indigent defendants, and justices signaled they’re torn […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon CORPORATE CHILL: Federal policy changes and high costs within Massachusetts continue to squeeze businesses, and the latest Associated Industries of Massachusetts survey finds Bay State employers have […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon CHARTER CHALLENGE: Mystic Valley Regional Charter School – a high-performing but controversial Malden school – is asking the state’s high court to declare charters exempt from […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon SNAP CALL: The oscillation around food aid to tens of millions of Americans is raising pressure on Beacon Hill over whether and how to fund the […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon FLOOD INSURANCE: Boston residents have collectively faced at least $785,000 in unnecessary flood insurance costs since 2021 because the city missed a self-imposed deadline for a […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon ENERGY:  Boston is entering the energy affordability battle with a new program it launched Wednesday to install thousands of heat pumps and building upgrades around the […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon NEW CODCAST: Massachusetts Health Connector Executive Director Audrey Morse Gasteier joins Paul Hattis and John McDonough on the Codcast to detail the uncertainty looming over the […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon UNION PUSH: Years after legislative staff went public with their for unionization demands, the two people who call the shots in the Legislature show no interest […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon ON THE DOCKET: The state’s highest court will hear oral arguments next month on four noteworthy cases dealing with charter schools, whistleblower protections, pay for attorneys […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon CLIMATE CHAT: In a conversation with CommonWealth Beacon, Massachusetts energy and environmental affairs secretary Rebecca Tepper discusses her previously unreported trip up to Nova Scotia last […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon HOUSING WOES: Mayor Michelle Wu’s administration has stayed away from the long-term housing goals that were a point of pride for her predecessors. But as she […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon NEW CODCAST: This week on The Codcast, reporter Hallie Claflin talks with Salem mayor Dominick Pangallo. Every October, Salem experiences a massive tourism boom as more […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon SPENDING OVERSIGHT: Caught “completely by surprise” by a massive funding request, Senate Democrats want to create a new oversight panel empowered with setting enforceable guardrails around […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon ‘NO KINGS’ RALLY: Saturday’s protest saw about 100,000 demonstrators flock to Boston Common to peacefully push back against the Trump administration, as organizers called it a […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon HEALEY CABINET: MBTA General Manager Phil Eng ascended to become the state’s top transportation official on Thursday, joining Gov. Maura Healey’s Cabinet after the latest shakeup, […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon SHERIFFS: Legislative leaders will withhold the majority of the $163 million Gov. Maura Healey recommended to cover shortfalls at sheriffs’ offices and instead push for an […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon NEW CODCAST: Jennifer Smith and Boston University financial lecturer Mark Williams discuss the state’s economic outlook as the federal government shutdown enters its third week. Massachusetts […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon PRESSURE VALVE: Pressure is rising on Congress to extend Biden-era federal tax credits that help Americans pay for health insurance, and without action, hundreds of thousands […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon TELEHEALTH: New polling the MassINC Polling Group conducted for Commonwealth Beacon finds Massachusetts residents largely have not embraced telehealth despite its expansion in the wake of […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon PRECARIOUS POSITION: It’s been two years since Leominster’s maternity unit closed. The fallout paints a complicated picture in a state without maternity deserts. But experts and […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon GOING BACKWARDS: As the primary care crisis worsens, there’s growing momentum for forcing a greater share of health care dollars to go toward the front lines. […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon NEW CODCAST: CommonWealth Beacon reporter Jennifer Smith talks with 1199SEIU Executive Vice President Cari Medina and Anestine Bentick, lead medical assistant at South Boston Community Health. […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon PRISON POLITICS: The governor appoints a corrections professional to oversee state prisons. So why do we elect people who are essentially regional correctional commissioners, with voters […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon DATA CRACKDOWN: Chris Lisinski reports that the state Senate is moving to crack down on what Senate President Karen Spilka called the “Wild West” of data […]