These are also the first AI elections, where many feared that deepfakes and artificial intelligence-generated misinformation would overwhelm the democratic processes. The dreaded “death of truth” has not materialized – at least, not due to AI.
AI was everywhere in 2024 elections — but the sky didn’t fall
Posted inOpinion
It’s time to end legacy admissions
Banning legacy admissions is long overdue, but it’s even more imperative now after seeing the harm to campus diversity that has resulted from Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard, the Supreme Court’s landmark 2023 decision that banned race-based affirmation action programs in college admissions.
Posted inGovernment
Political Notebook: Lack of roadmap riles some on transportation task force
Members of Gov. Maura Healey’s transportation funding task force gathered this week in downtown Boston. But whether they’ll get to where they’re supposed to go is in the eye of the commuter.
Posted inMarijuana
Cannabis Control Commission unveils new rules for social consumption
After a years-long wait, the Cannabis Control Commission has presented a new regulatory framework for getting social consumption for cannabis up and running in the state but without an executive director, the road ahead remains uncertain.
Posted inOpinion
Tuition waiver is least we can do for ‘grandfamilies’
The tuition and fee waiver program would be an enormous financial relief to grandparents, who are often struggling to finance their own retirement, while now assuming the costs of caring for a grandchild.
Posted inArts and Culture
Boston museum program now open to all
On Wednesday, Mayor Michelle Wu announced that starting in January all young people in Boston – regardless of what school they attend – will be eligible for the free museum program, which originally was only open to Boston Public Schools students.
Posted inCourts
SJC tosses warrantless secret video recording
Considering the case of a man secretly recorded by an officer’s cell phone without a warrant, the Supreme Judicial Court concluded that because Boston police made an illegal audio recording, the video captured alongside it should also be kept out of evidence under the wiretap statute.
Posted inOpinion
The Allston I-90 project: once again off the rails
It was disappointing when Secretary of Transportation Monica Tibbits-Nutt announced that the Massachusetts Department of Transportation was embarking on a path forward for Allston Landing that backtracked on prior commitments to the impacted communities and may jeopardize (and in some ways reverse) the project’s commitment to providing important environmental, economic, and social justice outcomes.
Posted inState Government
In Boston tax drama, Collins steps into the spotlight
A player who has avoided prime time finally stepped out into the open this week.
Posted inState Government
Democrats redirect savings deposit to balance state budget
Lawmakers moved Monday to redirect more than half a billion dollars headed for the state’s long-term savings account and instead use it to close a budget gap and fund some additional spending.
Posted inOpinion
Question 1 delivered a harsh verdict on the Legislature
Overwhelming public support for Question 1 suggests state legislators may need to do some soul-searching about how to address the public’s concerns about state government.
Posted inThe Codcast
How accountable care organizations serve MassHealth patients
This week on The Codcast, John McDonough of the T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Paul Hattis of the Lown Institute chat with Christina Severin, president of Community Care Cooperative (C3). They discuss the role of accountable care organizations in coordinating high quality care for MassHealth patients, the transformation of Neighborhood Health Plan, and looking ahead at health care challenges under a second Trump term.
Posted inHealth Care
Mass. accountable care organizations expand their reach
As the health care industry transforms in the age of telehealth and rattles under staffing strains, experts point to the accountable care organization model as a growing and essential piece of the puzzle.
Posted inThe Codcast
The next battle over abortion rights
This week on The Codcast, CommonWealth Beacon’s Jennifer Smith sits down with Rebecca Hart Holder, president of Reproductive Equity Now, to discuss how abortion advocates are gearing up for a second Trump term. They dig into Project 2025 plans to dismantle reproductive rights, the need for state action, and strategic messaging for the next four years.
Posted inOpinion
A right turn for Democrats is a wrong turn
As progressive stalwarts like Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont have emphasized, lack of trust or goodwill from voters stems from the Democratic Party’s history of not delivering on its promises to working people.
Posted inEducation
A charter school battle in Lynn
At issue is the wording of a regulation adopted following passage of 2010 law that allowed for an expansion of charter schools in Massachusetts.
Posted inOpinion
Scrapping its use as graduation requirement won’t improve MCAS. Here’s what will.
Both sides of the Question 2 debate have said the MCAS test itself isn’t perfect. It is time for a serious conversation about a better approach.