First of two parts. Read the second part here. STATE-LICENSED MARIJUANA stores began opening across Massachusetts two years ago, but it is difficult to say whether legalization has been a […]
Black market may be marijuana legalization’s biggest challenge
Posted inOpinion
Not easy being young during COVID
WE’VE KNOWN for as long as COVID-19 has been in our collective headspace that the illness is most threatening to older people. But when it comes to financial and mental […]
Posted inOpinion
Shrinking size of haystack key to preventing child abuse
IT’S NOT REALLY that hard to fix a child welfare system: just listen to your gut instinct – and do the opposite. Gut instinct says: David Almond died a horrible death […]
Posted inEducation
State leaders must invest in child care
CHILD CARE’S CRITICAL importance to our economy was obvious as the COVID-19 pandemic spread throughout the Commonwealth. Some parents scrambled to work remotely while caring for children. Others rushed to […]
Posted inOpinion
Regional rail can aid pandemic recovery
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC is wreaking havoc on our economy. As of June, over 17 million Americans were out of workand Boston’s unemployment rate was roughly 18 percent. Many small businesses, […]
Posted inEducation
Crisis in early education and care demands action
IF THERE WAS ever any doubt that the state’s system of early education and care for very young children was on the brink of crisis with far-reaching consequences, the COVID-19 […]
Posted inUncategorized
Number of high-risk communities rises to 81
THE NUMBER of communities considered high-risk for COVID-19 rose from 62 to 81 on Friday, as cases statewide continued to grow rapidly while deaths from the coronavirus grew more slowly. […]
Posted inOpinion
Climate change key to winning many elections
CLIMATE CHANGE was not just a key topic in the presidential and congressional contests earlier this month; dozens of down-ballot races across the Commonwealth were decided based on candidates’ stances on the environment. Candidates demonstrated that fighting the climate crisis, promoting clean energy, and pursuing environmental justice are winning […]
Posted inArts and Culture
Elite artists face challenges on green cards
EVEN ELITE ARTISTS are having difficulty getting green cards for permanent residency in the United States. The federal government is on pace to issue 32 percent fewer green cards this […]
Posted inOpinion
Carbon tax backers didn’t fare well in election
ONE OF THE MOST overlooked stories on Election Day was the defeat of pro-carbon tax politicians across the nation and here in New England. The most notable carbon tax proponent […]
Posted inEducation
We know what it takes to boost literacy skills
LONG OVERDUE ATTENTION to racial injustice in Massachusetts and across the US has exposed the inequities that persist in nearly every facet of our communities — from policing to health care to […]
Posted inOpinion
My checklist for Beacon Hill
WHILE A FEW remaining ballots have yet to be tallied, this much is certain: For the second time, and by a margin of two to one, Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly rejected […]
Posted inHealth Care
Out-of-pocket COVID-19 test costs piling up
OVER THE LAST two months, Aaron Zannini has faced a COVID crunch – waiting hours in line for four precautionary coronavirus tests at Carewell Urgent Care centers in Cambridge and […]
Posted inThe Download
In Hingham, a welcome to (well-heeled) black residents
IN THE END, Hingham’s gonna Hingham. And so the tony town on Boston’s South Shore finds itself facing a bit of blowback following an effort to show that it wants […]
Posted inEconomy
In Hingham, a welcome to (well-heeled) black residents
IN THE END, Hingham’s gonna Hingham. And so the tony town on Boston’s South Shore finds itself facing a bit of blowback following an effort to show that it wants […]
Posted inUncategorized
Healey sues Boston Sports Clubs
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE BOSTON SPORTS CLUBS gyms showed “total disregard” for members during the COVID-19 pandemic by continuing to charge fees to customers who tried to cancel, Attorney General […]
Posted inEducation
Brookline lost 11% of its student population
MASSACHUSETTSÂ school districts lost 3.9 percent of their students this year, amid a pandemic-related public school exodus, but those students are not spread evenly across the state. The districts that lost […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
17% of prisoners at MCI-Shirley have COVID-19
THE NUMBER of COVID-19 cases at the medium security state prison in Shirley spiked from five just two weeks ago to 142 as of Tuesday, according to the Department of […]
Posted inPolitics
Trump made gains in urban areas of Mass.Â
VOTING TRENDS THAT showed shifts in heavily Hispanic communities in Massachusetts toward President Trump in this month’s election are also apparent in other urban areas, including huge swaths of Boston, […]
Posted inEducation
Public schools see steep drop in student enrollmentÂ
MASSACHUSETTS PUBLIC SCHOOLS are seeing a massive drop in enrollment this year, as schools and families struggle to make educational decisions amid a global pandemic. The drop, which could have […]
Posted inEducation
Pandemic has compounded challenges for English learnersÂ
TWELVE WEEKS INTO our school year, I received notification that I would have a new student in my virtual ESL classroom. Amira, a fifth grader, was from Morocco and spoke […]
Posted inThe Download
The Legislature’s ‘black box’ committees
After months and even years of public debate, the fate of six key pieces of legislation is now in the hands of just 29 lawmakers. Â The lawmakers are charged with […]
Posted inUncategorized
The Legislature’s ‘black box’ committees
AFTER MONTHS and even years of public debate, the fate of six key pieces of legislation is now in the hands of just 29 lawmakers. Â The lawmakers are charged with […]
Posted inTransportation
T buys hybrid buses after assurances on Chelsea
THE MBTA’S Fiscal and Management Control Board on Monday unanimously approved an $89 million contract for 45 new Silver Line buses after receiving assurances from staff members that the diesel […]