THE CONSTITUENCIES THAT CAME together to gain passage of the state’s landmark universal health care law in 2006 — consumers, employers, providers, insurers — were justifiably proud of our achievement. […]
Mass. leading way on reining in health care costs
Posted inOpinion
Gas explosions show how dangerous the fuel is
THE CONSERVATION LAW FOUNDATION in late September held a meeting in Lawrence to highlight the work of our community partners there. Just as these groups began their presentations, natural gas-fueled […]
Posted inOpinion
Get your hands dirty, plant a garden
THE SEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY GARDEN movement were planted in the counterculture of places like 1970s New York City, among “guerrilla gardeners”—daring green thumbs who didn’t always wait for permission […]
Posted inPolitics
Baker getting nicked by those around him
NOVEMBER 6 CAN’T come soon enough for Gov. Charlie Baker. The Republican who is more popular with Democrats than his own party is getting nicked by clouds of scandal around him […]
Posted inThe Download
Baker getting nicked by those around him
November 6 can’t come soon enough for Gov. Charlie Baker. The Republican who is more popular with Democrats than his own party is getting nicked by clouds of scandal around him […]
Posted inUncategorized
More cuts at the Herald
THE STRUGGLING BOSTON HERALD laid off about 20 more staffers Thursday, including at least two award-winning veteran photographers for a tabloid that thrives on pictures. Longtime photographer Mark Garfinkel posted […]
Posted inEducation
Does Harvard have constitutional protection from Gonzalez tax?
THINGS LOOK TOUGH enough for Jay Gonzalez’s proposal to tax high-value university endowments, with lots of leading Democrats offering a less than enthusiastic embrace of the idea. But could the […]
Posted inUncategorized
Final approval given to two retail pot stores
THE STATE BOARD overseeing the nascent marijuana industry gave final approval to the first licenses for retail stores Thursday with some conditions. But the vote, one of the most momentous […]
Posted inEducation
MA public colleges rated tops on black student access, success
A NEW STUDY indicates Massachusetts schools lead the nation in terms of black student access and success at four-year public universities and colleges. The report, written by two researchers at […]
Posted inPolitics
For Baker, mum’s the word on allegations against son
FOR CHARLIE BAKER, it’s all about keeping your head down. Riding a huge lead in polls, the state’s famously moderate governor is doing all he can to get through Election […]
Posted inThe Download
For Baker, mum’s the word on allegations against son
For Charlie Baker, it’s all about keeping your head down. Riding a huge lead in polls, the state’s famously moderate governor is doing all he can to get through Election […]
Posted inHealth Care
Cash may net lower price for some drugs
MASSACHUSETTS CONSUMERS may be spending too much for popular generic prescription drugs if they use their insurance instead of paying with cash, according to research released on Wednesday by the […]
Posted inHealth Care
Health panel ventures into political arena
TOP OFFICIALS AT THE HEALTH POLICY COMMISSION privately began debating this summer whether it made sense for the watchdog agency to wade into the political arena and analyze the potential […]
Posted inUncategorized
Home is where the house is
THERE IS A housing crunch in and around Boston. The city’s population is growing at a near-record pace and jobs are coming to the area with the potential for thousands more, […]
Posted inThe Download
Home is where the house is
There is a housing crunch in and around Boston. The city’s population is growing at a near-record pace and jobs are coming to the area with the potential for thousands […]
Posted inHealth Care
Health commission report: Big cost increases from nurse ballot question
A BALLOT QUESTION mandating nurse staffing levels in hospitals and other health care settings would increase health care costs in Massachusetts by $676 million to $949 million, according to an […]
Posted inEnvironment, State House News Service
DPU presses Natl. Grid on alleged violations
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES found 29 instances in which National Grid may have violated federal gas pipeline safety regulations since early July and regulators said […]
Posted inOpinion
Can we make the (bad) BI-Lahey merger work?
THE RIVETING FORD-KAVANAUGH hearing before the US Senate Judiciary Committee garnered most of the public’s attention last Thursday, but a separate gathering of the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission raised important […]
Posted inPolitics
Obama endorses six candidates in MA
FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA waded into political races across the country on Monday, endorsing 260 Democratic candidates in 29 states, including six in Massachusetts. Obama made a series of endorsements […]
Posted inThe Download
Obama endorses six candidates in MA
Former president Barack Obama waded into political races across the country on Monday, endorsing 260 Democratic candidates in 29 states, including six in Massachusetts. Obama made a series of endorsements […]
Posted inTransportation
T notes: Riders embracing early morning buses
MBTA OFFICIALS SAY the addition of early morning buses on 10 routes has increased ridership by more than 900 riders and reduced crowding. One example is the Route 455 bus […]
Posted inTransportation
Long wait for Red, Orange Line improvements
THE MBTA’S OVERSIGHT BOARD on Monday awarded the final major contract needed to complete an overhaul of the Red and Orange Lines, but the milestone agreement was another reminder of […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Slow pot rollout costing state tax revenue
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE SAYING MASSACHUSETTS HAS missed out on $16 million in marijuana taxes, officials behind the 2016 legal marijuana ballot question on Monday pointed to staffing levels and […]
Posted inThe Codcast
Episode 117: The women of pot
The “bro” culture of pot is a dominant image of marijuana. Cheech and Chong are the dudes who most represent the “stoner” generation while the legal industry is increasingly seeing […]