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 […]
Don’t expect change for the better under Mariano
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 […]
Posted inHealth Care
Baker tightens restrictions starting day after Christmas
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER issued an order that takes effect this Saturday further reducing the size of gatherings; lowering the number of people that can be admitted to restaurants, offices, and […]
Posted inThe Download
House members following DeLeo-Mariano script
One veteran House lawmaker said on Monday that Ron Mariano’s ascension as speaker has been one of the smoothest, most unified, most calm transitions he has ever witnessed. That’s because […]
Posted inPolitics
House members following DeLeo-Mariano script
ONE VETERAN House lawmaker said on Monday that Ron Mariano’s ascension as speaker has been one of the smoothest, most unified, most calm transitions he has ever witnessed. That’s because […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
A vote for Holmes would be a vote for democracy
TWO YEARS AGO, I wrote a piece in CommonWealth on how the Massachusetts House really works, an account of the “old boys’ network” and exactly how it stifles all bills and amendments that the House […]
Posted inPolitics
Senate approves Baker’s amendment, sends policing bill to House
THE MASSACHUSETTS Senate passed an amended version of police reform legislation on Monday that gives Gov. Charlie Baker most of the changes he sought on law enforcement training and the use […]
Posted inTransportation
Mass., Conn., RI, DC sign transportation climate pact
MASSACHUSETTS, CONNECTICUT, Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia signed on to a pact Monday to put a price on the carbon contained in vehicle fuels sold within their borders […]