ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS changing the way we think about authorship, art, and white collar work. It may be changing how we think, full stop. As artificial intelligence, or machine learning, […]
The promise and pitfalls of relying on artificial intelligence
Posted inEducation
Momentum building for removing another barrier for immigrants
THE LEGISLATURE last year approved a new law giving immigrants without legal status the ability to apply for state-issued driver’s licenses. The bill had been kicking around Beacon Hill for […]
Posted inOpinion
Fare debate: Make buses free to all
WHEN IT COMES to fare-free transit, there are endless opinions. The concept is often assumed to be a fringe idea or not viable in the long-term. Detractors question its benefits […]
Posted inOpinion
Fare debate: Give low-income riders a break
EVERY DAY, hardworking Massachusetts residents face a difficult dilemma: pay for transportation to get to work or afford basic necessities. This is an unfair and unnecessary burden on those who […]
Posted inOpinion
End the DPU’s stall on municipal electricity aggregation
AS FOLKS ACROSS Massachusetts confront the consequences of a changing climate and emerge from a winter of extraordinarily high energy costs, it’s clear that we need cleaner, more affordable power. […]
Posted inOpinion
Braintree chemical fire leaves behind a lot of questions
COMMUNITY HEALTH can be a sleepy subject – unless, perhaps, it is your own community that is under fire. Or on fire, as in the case of Braintree, where a […]
Posted inHousing, State Government
Westwood chided for lackluster MBTA Communities plan
THE STATE IS moving to cut Westwood off from several sources of funding – the first municipality to be penalized for submitting a zoning roadmap that doesn’t comply with the requirements […]
Posted inThe Download
Westwood chided for lackluster MBTA Communities plan
THE STATE IS moving to cut Westwood off from several sources of funding – the first municipality to be penalized for submitting a zoning roadmap that doesn’t comply with the […]
Posted inCourts, Opinion, Politics, State Government
Isn’t winning by 1 vote enough?
IN LAST NOVEMBER’S election, Kristin Kassner, a candidate for state representative on the North Shore, flipped a seat from red to blue by a one-vote margin. But it didn’t come […]
Posted inTransportation
MBTA addressing slow zones with track replacement
THE MBTA says it expects to replace 10,700 feet of rail by the end of May on portions of the Blue, Red, and Green lines to address slow zones. The raw […]
Posted inHealth Care
SJC allows AG to prosecute ex-Holyoke Soldiers Home officials
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE A CRIMINAL TRIAL can proceed against two former Holyoke Soldiers’ Home officials accused of negligence that led to the deaths of elderly veteran residents early in […]
Posted inThe Download
Campbell is wary but OK with online Lottery
The colors are bright, the ads are popping, and promises of free money encourage you to just try out a bit of online gambling. Welcome to a vision of the […]
Posted inGambling, State Government
Campbell is wary but OK with online Lottery
THE COLORS ARE bright, the ads are popping, and promises of free money encourage you to just try out a bit of online gambling. Welcome to a vision of the […]
Posted inOpinion
Partnerships key to addressing student homelessness in Lawrence
AT TIMES the wheels of government move more slowly than we’d like. In the meantime, working families struggle to get by. With so many big, systemic issues to address, even […]
Posted inEnergy
Avangrid CEO mentions default on wind farm deal
THE CEO of Avangrid told financial analysts on Wednesday that his company has defaulted on a provision in its offshore wind power purchase agreement with three Massachusetts utilities. It’s not […]
Posted inPolitics
House approves budget amendments with little or no debate
THE HOUSE on Wednesday approved a spending plan for the coming fiscal year after three days of deliberations, with most of the serious discussions taking place out of sight. As […]
Posted inState Government, State House News Service
Healey hangs empty picture frame by her desk
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE INSTEAD OF HANGING a portrait of an individual by her desk, Gov. Maura Healey is instead opting for a minimalist gold frame, a move proposed by […]
Posted inThe Download
With dueling reports, battle lines form over MCAS
YOU DON’T EXACTLY need to ace reading comprehension on the MCAS to understand where a new education coalition is going with the report it issued this week on the state’s […]
Posted inEducation
With dueling reports, battle lines form over MCAS
YOU DON’T EXACTLY need to ace reading comprehension on the MCAS to understand where a new education coalition is going with the report it issued this week on the state’s […]
Posted inOpinion
We see promise in geothermal heating and cooling
CLIMATE CHANGE is real. Also real is that each of us can act. We are at a critical moment to make lasting change, particularly in reducing greenhouse gas emissions that […]
Posted inEducation
Licensing changes eyed to address teacher shortage
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE STATE EDUCATION board is exploring new ways to address the statewide teacher shortage through more “flexible” regulations for specialized educators. Board members voted Tuesday to […]
Posted inEducation
Teachers union wants ed reform money — but not accountability
THE MASSACHUSETTS TEACHERS ASSOCIATION is calling on its members to be “conscientious objectors” by refusing to administer MCAS and not let their own children take the dreaded tests. Such farcical […]
Posted inEconomy
Antiracist think tank emerges in Northampton
THINK TANKS come in all shapes and sizes, with political philosophies that range left, right, and center. The new Western Massachusetts Policy Center in Northampton is setting out to be different. […]
Posted inThe Download
Antiracist think tank emerges in Northampton
Think tanks come in all shapes and sizes, with political philosophies that range left, right, and center. The new Western Massachusetts Policy Center in Northampton is setting out to be […]