NEWS
CommonWealth Beacon cracks open the stories, personalities, and political machinations that impact residents across the state.
Explore sharp, thoughtful reporting that explores local dust-ups, statewide legislative trends, transformative court rulings, and policies that shape life in Massachusetts.
Our top five housing stories of 2025
The Bay State’s housing crunch seemed to reach into all corners in 2025, tying up courts, lawmakers navigating climate and transportation concerns, groups dependent on federal fair housing funding, and services promising to make it easier for more people to afford to live in pricey Massachusetts.
Our top five Beacon Hill stories of 2025
The Democrats who control the levers of power in Massachusetts spent most of the year fretting about upheaval from the federal government and preparing for more expansive action down the line.
Healey explores options to cover Mass. residents losing health insurance
Healey said Tuesday that the loss of subsidies will translate into “upwards of 350,000” Mass. residents losing their health insurance.
Our top five climate stories of 2025
Frustrations over high gas and electric costs drove Gov. Maura Healey’s agenda around energy issues.
Our top five Gateway Cities stories of 2025
This year, CommonWealth Beacon ramped up its coverage of Massachusetts’ former industrial cities by adding a new Gateway Cities reporter role in its newsroom. Our reporting in 2025 shed light on major policy issues both new and old that have rattled cities like Holyoke, Leominster, and Lynn.
Massachusetts kicks off big bet on battery storage
The four projects selected, out of 13 total bids, will create 1,268 MW of storage capacity, though that’s shy of the 1,500 MW the state and utilities had sought to solicit in this round of bids.
Talk of new transportation dollars? Bring it on, says Senate chair
Brendan Crighton, the Senate’s point person on transportation issues, wants his colleagues to have hard conversations about new transportation-related levies even if the topic might be politically fraught.
What is the Massachusetts FAIR Plan, the state’s insurer of last resort?
The increased FAIR Plan policies and rising home insurance prices in the private market across New England both reflect and tell the climate story, since insurers are the arbiters of risk.
T says weekend ridership nearly back to 2019 levels
Chief Operating Officer Ryan Coholan said weekend ridership is nearly back to 2019 levels.
MBTA Communities fight heads back to the SJC
A group of holdout towns is banking on the very court that declared the legislation mandatory in January to rule that the mandate is illegal without dedicated funding.
Amid shaky economy, tax cut proposal draws heightened scrutiny
Already buffeted by economic pressures and federal funding cuts, top Democrats are beginning to warn that major financial upheaval would follow if voters approve a pair of tax-reform measures en route to the 2026 ballot.
A push to build housing in ‘God’s backyard’
Massachusetts YIGBY legislation would allow faith-based organizations to build multi-family housing by right on parcels they’ve owned for at least three years.
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