WITH LAST MONTH’S approval of the nation’s first large-scale offshore wind project off the coast of Massachusetts, a clean energy future is within our grasp in the United States. Nowhere […]
Mass. should set 100% clean energy mandate
Posted inOpinion
Requiring masks on public transit makes no sense
THERE ARE FACTS and there are perceptions. These are often very different things. And when you are trying to guide and inform human decision-making, perceptions often matter more than facts. […]
Posted inEducation
Let’s give high school grads a college degree and job too
THERE IS NO better time than now to rethink what a high school education should deliver. Students, especially those of color and from low-income communities, deserve and need more than […]
Posted inThe Download
COVID’s impact on transportation ridership uneven
The pandemic depressed travel on most modes of transportation, but the impact has not been the same everywhere. On the MBTA, ridership remains way down on the bus, subway, and […]
Posted inTransportation
COVID’s impact on transportation ridership uneven
THE PANDEMIC depressed travel on most modes of transportation, but the impact has not been the same everywhere. On the MBTA, ridership remains way down on the bus, subway, and […]
Posted inUncategorized
Lawmakers agree on emergency order compromise
STATE LAWMAKERS on Tuesday night struck a deal and shipped Gov. Charlie Baker legislation to restore the lapsed authorization for remote public meetings, to-go cocktail sales, and town meeting flexibilities, […]
Posted inGambling
State launches $1m Lottery game to promote vaccinations
STILL ON THE fence about getting vaccinated? Starting July 1 a Massachusetts vaccine card could be worth $1 million. Gov. Charlie Baker announced on Tuesday the launch of VaxMillions, a […]
Posted inUncategorized
Minority marijuana businesses seek state-backed capital
ALL THE STATE’S social equity programs are worth nothing if entrepreneurs of color cannot access the money they need to start a business. That was the message from marijuana entrepreneurs – and […]
Posted inPolitics
Harvard professor launches campaign for governor
HARVARD UNIVERSITY professor Danielle Allen officially launched her campaign for governor on Tuesday by promising to address the inequities in Massachusetts that COVID has laid bare. The first-time political candidate […]
Posted inUncategorized
Recovery from ‘she-cession’ requires strengthened family supports
THERE’S FINALLY A light at the end of the tunnel as the economy slowly rebuilds from the COVID-19 pandemic, but we can’t ignore this lingering casualty: the devastating impact on […]
Posted inThe Download
Is state primed for sports betting?
WHEN THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE held a two-day hearing on sports betting legislation in 2019, the games had only been legal nationwide for about a year, and fewer than a dozen […]
Posted inGambling
Is state primed for sports betting?
WHEN THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE held a two-day hearing on sports betting legislation in 2019, the games had only been legal nationwide for about a year, and fewer than a dozen […]
Posted inTransportation
Uber, Lyft rides plunged to record lows in 2020
THE NUMBER of Uber and Lyft rides in Massachusetts plunged to record lows during the pandemic of 2020, with the total number of rides across the state falling to 35 […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Rollins slams lack of criminal justice data sharing
SUFFOLK COUNTY District Attorney Rachael Rollins slammed the Baker administration for failing to update the state’s criminal justice information system to allow information to be more easily shared between agencies. “I think it’s just […]
Posted inUncategorized
SJC sides with Barstool Sports in dispute with Somerville mayor
THE SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT on Monday rejected Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone’s argument that a Barstool Sports reporter violated the law when the reporter recorded an interview with Curtatone while lying about his […]
Posted inRace/Racism
Lawmakers hear wide range of policy suggestions to address racism
POLICYMAKERS AND EXPERTS agreed at a legislative hearing on Monday: structural racism continues to be a problem in Massachusetts, impacting everything from economic inequality to incarceration rates to health disparities. But it became […]
Posted inTransportation
Less driving = better lives
WARM WEATHER, open storefronts, and one of the nation’s highest vaccination rates have given many the feeling that life is returning to normal here in Massachusetts. Unfortunately, going back to […]
Posted inThe Download
Gulliver’s challenges, rising traffic and I-90 Allston
State Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver is facing two major challenges: traffic levels that are rising rapidly and an Allston I-90 project that is currently 4 feet too wide to fit […]
Posted inTransportation
Gulliver’s challenges, rising traffic and I-90 Allston
STATE HIGHWAY Administrator Jonathan Gulliver is facing two major challenges: traffic levels that are rising rapidly and an Allston I-90 project that is currently 4 feet too wide to fit […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
What happened to Mikayla Miller?
THE DEATH IN April of 16-year-old Hopkinton resident Mikayla Miller has prompted an outpouring of sorrow and sympathy. It has also led to charges that what happened to the African […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
A nurse’s perspective on police brutality
THE CONVICTION OF Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd Jr. was a wakeup call and a vindication for the nation on a small level. Yet, as a professional […]
Posted inThe Codcast
Highway administrator talks traffic, Allston
CommonWealth Magazine · Highway administrator talks traffic, Allston
Posted inOpinion
Reviving the Inland Route to NYC
WE WERE MIDDLE-AGED and lifelong residents of the Boston area when we moved to the Pioneer Valley in 2002 in search of more affordable housing. The smaller towns and cities […]
Posted inOpinion
Mass General Brigham’s proposed expansion jeopardizes community care
In a recent CommonWealth op-ed, John Fernandez of Mass General Brigham laid out his organization’s case for a massive proposal that would introduce three new ambulatory clinics to Westborough, Woburn, and […]