WHEN BOSTON Mayor Michelle Wu went looking for a new police commissioner, the search was extensive. She assembled a five-member search committee headed by former Supreme Judicial Court justice Geraldine Hines. […]
Wu dialed back search for fire commissioner
Posted inOpinion
Heavier, faster e-bikes worry me
AS A PEDESTRIAN, I am worried city streets will get more dangerous now that faster, heavier electric bicycles or e-bikes have been officially recognized by state officials. This year’s state […]
Posted inState Government
Opposing camps evenly matched on millionaire tax fight
IT’S UNIONS VERSUS businesses in a high-stakes and so far evenly matched battle to raise the tax rate on high-income earners. This November, Massachusetts voters will decide whether to pass […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
SJC to referee another medical parole dispute
SINCE THE LEGISLATURE established medical parole in 2018, prisoners’ rights advocates and Department of Correction officials have been in a near-constant fight about how the law is being implemented. Advocates […]
Posted inThe Download
SJC tells judges to grant marijuana expungements
The 2018 criminal justice reform law let old marijuana convictions be expunged. But by and large, it hasn’t done much. A 2021 Boston Globe story called that provision an “utter […]
Posted inMarijuana
SJC tells judges to grant marijuana expungements
THE 2018 criminal justice reform law let old marijuana convictions be expunged. But by and large, it hasn’t done much. A 2021 Boston Globe story called that provision an “utter […]
Posted inOpinion
End-of-session cram is no way to conduct legislative business
THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE passed more substantive legislation in the last 18 days of its two-year session than it had in the previous 550. In those 18 days of July, it […]
Posted inEnvironment
State burying, burning too much banned material
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE A COALITION of environmental organizations under the name Zero Waste Massachusetts released a report Thursday morning that examines the effectiveness of waste bans, and calls on […]
Posted inPolitics
Two Mass. political players in Oath Keepers database
A CANDIDATE FOR Barnstable County commissioner and an elected member of the Wilbraham Republican Town Committee have been named as members of the right-wing anti-government group Oath Keepers in a leaked […]
Posted inThe Download
Super PAC with ties to Baker backed 15 winners
The normally tight-lipped super PAC with close ties to Gov. Charlie Baker is crowing about its performance in this week’s primary. The Massachusetts Majority PAC spent $171,432 supporting 12 Democrats […]
Posted inPolitics
Super PAC with ties to Baker backed 15 winners
THE NORMALLY tight-lipped super PAC with close ties to Gov. Charlie Baker is crowing about its performance in this week’s primary. The Massachusetts Majority PAC spent $171,432 supporting 12 Democrats […]
Posted inOpinion
We’re making huge federal investments in science research — and must do more
BASIC SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH opens doors to understanding our world from the smallest nanoparticles to the largest faraway universes. New discoveries can improve lives and help us confront the extraordinary challenges […]
Posted inPolitics
Marblehead rep candidate scores victory against old-boy network
JENNY ARMINI narrowly edged Tristan Smith Tuesday night in the Democratic primary race for the House seat representing Marblehead, Swampscott, and part of Lynn – a victory that was all […]
Posted inPolitics
Devaney narrowly retains Governor’s Council job
INCUMBENT GOVERNOR’S Councilor Marilyn Devaney narrowly edged out Democratic activist and attorney Mara Dolan to hold on to the seat she has held for 23 years. Dolan gave Devaney her […]
Posted inPolitics
SJC hears Sal DiMasi lobbying case
FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER Sal DiMasi is a convicted felon. But can he become a lobbyist? State law prohibits someone convicted of a felony under certain state laws from lobbying for […]
Posted inThe Download
A tough night for Wu, Warren, and progressive insurgents
TUESDAY’S PRIMARY MAY help solidify the state’s deep blue standing, with Maura Healey one step closer to dislodging Republicans from the only foothold they’ve had in major Massachusetts offices. But […]
Posted inPolitics
A tough night for Wu, Warren, and progressive insurgents
TUESDAY’S PRIMARY MAY help solidify the state’s deep blue standing, with Maura Healey one step closer to dislodging Republicans from the only foothold they’ve had in major Massachusetts offices. But […]
Posted inPolitics
Hayden wins Suffolk DA race in tough night for reformers
SUFFOLK COUNTY’S interim District Attorney Kevin Hayden fended off a strong challenge from Boston City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo in Tuesday’s acrimony-filled Democratic primary for district attorney, in a tough night […]
Posted inPolitics
Diehl defeats Doughty – to take on Healey
GEOFF DIEHL cruised to an easy victory over Chris Doughty in the Republican gubernatorial primary on Tuesday, setting the stage for a final election battle with the Democratic nominee, Maura […]
Posted inPolitics
Miranda wins five-way primary for Roxbury-based state Senate seat
STATE REP. LIZ MIRANDA, the daughter of Cape Verdean immigrants, who grew up in a troubled Roxbury neighborhood and went on to Wellesley College, will move on from the Massachusetts […]
Posted inPolitics
Campbell wins Democratic nomination for AG
ANDREA CAMPBELL, who leaned into her personal story of overcoming adversity and that of family members caught in the criminal justice system who did not, sailed to a decisive victory […]
Posted inTransportation
Poftak says T riders still riding but taking fewer trips
MBTA GENERAL MANAGER Steve Poftak said on Tuesday that nearly all of the transit authority’s riders are back riding the T, but traffic is off because they are not taking […]
Posted inThe Codcast
Big money and unfinished Beacon Hill business
The Legislature passed a slew of bills at the end of the session, but there was still a lot of unfinished business, according to two Massachusetts policy analysts who compared […]
Posted inThe Download
Big money and unfinished Beacon Hill business
THE LEGISLATURE PASSED a slew of bills at the end of the session, but there was still a lot of unfinished business, according to two Massachusetts policy analysts who compared […]