 It’s been a tough year for low-wage workers, who were hit hard by the pandemic – losing jobs and income and facing housing and food insecurity. But in Massachusetts, changes […]
New year will usher in 2018’s ‘grand bargain’
Posted inUncategorized
New year will usher in 2018’s ‘grand bargain’
IT’S BEEN A TOUGH YEAR for low-wage workers, who were hit hard by the pandemic – losing jobs and income and facing housing and food insecurity. But in Massachusetts, changes […]
Posted inPolitics
House overrides Baker’s abortion veto
THE HOUSE ON MONDAY voted 107-46 to override Gov. Charlie Baker’s veto of legislation allowing women as young as 16 to obtain abortions without parental or judicial consent and expanding […]
Posted inPolitics
DeLeo stepping down; Mariano facing no opposition
IN A MESSAGE read by a tearful House clerk, Speaker Robert DeLeo announced he is resigning his position on Beacon Hill at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, setting the stage for […]
Posted inPolitics
For DeLeo, slow, steady — and firm — were the watchwords Â
THERE WAS NOT a lot of flash to Robert DeLeo’s tenure as Massachusetts House speaker. Rising from amiable constituent-focused Winthrop lawmaker to one of the most powerful positions in state government, DeLeo had an understated […]
Posted inHealth Care
Getting the vaccine was no big deal
This is another in a series of conversations between Dr. Jarone Lee, a frontline critical care and emergency physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and associate professor at Harvard Medical School, […]
Posted inOpinion
Don’t expect change for the better under Mariano
ALL SIGNS POINT to House Majority Leader Ron Mariano being elected the next speaker of the Massachusetts House. What does a Mariano speakership mean for a progressive policy agenda in […]
Posted inThe Download
Sudders finally feeling hopeful
Marylou Sudders, the Baker administration’s point person on COVID-19, says she is finally feeling hopeful. Vaccines are being rolled out, Joe Biden is preparing to move into the White House, […]
Posted inUncategorized
Sudders finally feeling hopeful
MARYLOU SUDDERS, the Baker administration’s point person on COVID-19, says she is finally feeling hopeful.  Vaccines are being rolled out, Joe Biden is preparing to move into the White House, […]
Posted inUncategorized
Homeless COVID-19 vaccination effort to start soon
MASSACHUSETTS IS PREPARING to move ahead with its plan to start administering COVID-19 vaccines to homeless people, with the Pine Street Inn in Boston expected to receive 100 doses sometime […]
Posted inHealth Care
Prison COVID retesting protocols questioned
JOSE NEGRON, a prisoner at MCI-Norfolk, tested positive for COVID-19, spent 10 days in isolation, and then was returned to his unit even though he was still complaining of a […]
Posted inUncategorized
Let Mass. home bakers do their thing
RETIRED SALON OWNER and daycare provider Marcia Donnelly did not want to fight City Hall. She just wanted to sell home-baked sourdough bread from her kitchen in Southbridge. Homemade food […]
Posted inOpinion
3 steps Mass. should take to boost voting rights
SINCE THE SHOT heard around the world at the battle of Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts has been at the forefront of modern democracy. The Massachusetts Constitution – which was drafted […]
Posted inArts and Culture
Shining our light in trying times
OUR SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS teach us that even in the most trying of times, an eternal light shines through and guides us towards building a more just and compassionate society. Thanks […]
Posted inUncategorized
Mass. hits a COVID-19 plateau
THE STATE’S weekly COVID-19 report suggests Massachusetts has hit a plateau, as the number of communities considered high-risk for the virus held steady and cases declined slightly. Deaths, however, continued […]
Posted inTransportation
‘Santa Baby’ with a transpo twist
Listen to the TransitMatters singers by clicking below. The lyrics, courtesy of Jim Aloisi (with apologies to Javits & Springer), can be also be found below. […]
Posted inPolitics
Baker vetoes abortion bill
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER vetoed the Legislature’s abortion bill on Thursday, forcing lawmakers to override his veto if they want to insist on lowering from 18 to 16 the age at […]
Posted inOpinion
A holiday wish list for legislative action on housing
WHEN IT COMES to Massachusetts affordable housing policy, it is easy to have a vigorous debate about whether the glass is half full or half empty – and both sides would have […]
Posted inHealth Care
Legislature passes telehealth compromise
THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE on Wednesday sent Gov. Charlie Baker a bill that could permanently change how health care providers use telehealth, a consequence of the rapid shift that occurred due […]
Posted inTransportation
Reduced commuter rail schedule extended until Jan. 8
KEOLIS COMMUTER Services said on Wednesday that it plans to continue providing roughly half of its regular weekday service until January 8 because of staff absences caused by COVID-19. Keolis […]
Posted inEconomy
Baker, lawmakers tout $668m small biz grant program
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER is urging restaurants, bars, retail establishments, and certain other types of small businesses in Massachusetts to apply for a $668 million grant program to help deal with […]
Posted inThe Download
With police bill, compromise was the key
MAJOR POLICE REFORM is all but a done deal on Beacon Hill. The surest sign that the bill has been fully squeezed through the legislative wringer? No one is happy […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
With police bill, compromise was the key
MAJOR POLICE REFORM is all but a done deal on Beacon Hill. The surest sign that the bill has been fully squeezed through the legislative wringer? No one is happy […]
Posted inHealth Care
Lawmakers send police reform, abortion measures to governor
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE LEGISLATURE sent bills dealing with police reform and abortion back to Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday and began work on compromise health care legislation that […]