A coalition of advocacy groups pressured Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday to reduce the state’s prison population to limit the spread of COVID-19 in prisons. The community groups, led by […]
Coalition urges Baker to release prisoners
Posted inCriminal Justice
Coalition urges Baker to release prisoners
A COALITION OF ADVOCACY groups pressured Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday to reduce the state’s prison population to limit the spread of COVID-19 in prisons. The community groups, led by […]
Posted inHealth Care
Holyoke Soldiers’ Home medical director resigns
THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, site of one of the country’s worst COVID-19 outbreaks, has given his notice and plans to resign from the position as soon […]
Posted inUncategorized
Healey links COVID-19 and race, poverty, pollution
ATTORNEY GENERAL Maura Healey on Tuesday sought to draw attention to the high correlation between COVID-19 infections and poor, minority communities with high rates of air pollution. “While cities and […]
Posted inOpinion
A human infrastructure stimulus is needed
IN THE MIDST of the COVID-19 crisis, the United States stands at an inflection point; our policymakers hold in their hands the future of the American narrative. In this time […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Coalition presses Baker to reduce prison population
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE WARNING THAT PUBLIC HEALTH precautions are impossible with prisons and jails at their current population levels, a coalition of legal aid and community groups increased their […]
Posted inEconomy
Baker comments suggest little reopening next week
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER indicated on Tuesday that Massachusetts residents are unlikely to see much change next week in the first phase of the state’s planned four-part reopening effort. Materials his […]
Posted inEconomy
A failure to communicate in North Adams
CRANE STATIONERY CO. in North Adams needs to do a better job of communicating. On April 29, the company’s chief operations officer, Dean Daigle, sent an email to employees that most […]
Posted inThe Download
A failure to communicate in North Adams
Crane Stationery Co. in North Adams needs to do a better job of communicating. On April 29, the company’s chief operations officer, Dean Daigle, sent an email to employees that […]
Posted inTransportation
T notes: 19 MassDOT workers get pay equity hikes
A PAY EQUITY REVIEW at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation discovered 19 managers, including one of the top officials at the agency, were not being paid salaries equal to other […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Rollins asks SJC to vacate 64 guilty pleas
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE SUFFOLK COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY Rachael Rollins asked the state’s highest court Monday to vacate guilty pleas for 64 defendants who were not provided exculpatory evidence in […]
Posted inTransportation
Pollack floats idea of slowing commuter rail makeover
TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY STEPHANIE POLLACK on Monday floated the idea of slowing down the planned upgrade of the state’s commuter rail system, given the steep downturn in ridership and the prospect […]
Posted inTransportation
Driving, transit ridership show a slight uptick
EVEN THOUGH GOV. CHARLIE BAKER still has the economy under wraps, traffic on the state’s roadways and at the MBTA picked up slightly last week, adding to confusion about what […]
Posted inEconomy
Survey: Essential workers don’t feel safe
“ESSENTIAL” WORKERS MUST go to work during the coronavirus pandemic — but a majority of these workers do not feel safe at their jobs, according to a new survey. The […]
Posted inEconomy
Mass. economy to reopen in four phases
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER announced plans on Monday for a cautious reopening of the Massachusetts economy, a process that will happen in phases and could be halted or even reversed if […]
Posted inThe Codcast
Poftak wary of taking hard policy stances at T
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER’S order requiring all passengers on the MBTA to wear face masks or face coverings took effect last week, but don’t expect strict enforcement by the state’s transit authority. […]
Posted inOpinion
Put the menthol cigarette ban on hold
WHEN THE 2020 CALENDAR flips to June, thousands of small businesses in will be brought to their knees when the Commonwealth will send over $230 million in desperately needed tax […]
Posted inTransportation
Poftak wary of taking hard policy stances at T
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER’S order requiring all passengers on the MBTA to wear face masks or face coverings took effect last week, but don’t expect strict enforcement by the state’s transit authority. […]
Posted inThe Download
Poftak wary of taking hard policy stances at T
Gov. Charlie Baker’s order requiring all passengers on the MBTA to wear face masks or face coverings took effect last week, but don’t expect strict enforcement by the state’s transit authority. […]
Posted inHealth Care
COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes top 3,000
THE NUMBER OF COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes topped 3,000 on Sunday, even as other indicators suggested the spread of the disease is slowing. COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes increased […]
Posted inHealth Care
Surprising racial twist in COVID-19 data
A SURPRISING RACIAL and ethnic dynamic appears to be emerging in the coronavirus data gathered by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Hispanic and black people are suffering from COVID-19 […]
Posted inUncategorized
How Newton bridged the housing divide
THIS IS A STORY about a fight over a new large housing development in Newton. Such stories, which involve stiff local opposition, play themselves out hundreds of times yearly in […]
Posted inEducation
An early education system for a post-pandemic world
WHEN FAMILIES WITH children emerge from home or fall back from the frontlines, the world will be very different. Parents looking for work or trying to keep our jobs will […]
Posted inHealth Care
We’re getting there on COVID-19
THE STATE’S COVID-19 indicators trended in a positive direction on Friday, with new cases, hospitalizations, and patients in intensive care units all falling. “We’ve seen progress and we’ll continue to […]