THE MBTA IS TRYING SOMETHING NEW, launching an advertising campaign to convince leisure travelers and people who live in Boston and work elsewhere to give commuter rail a try. Officials […]
T, Keolis launch first-of-its kind ad campaign
Posted inOpinion
State breaking its promises to regional schools
FOR MOST MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS, test scores and property taxes are top of mind when thinking about public education. But for parents of students in regional school districts, especially rural ones, […]
Posted inOpinion
How we end the opioid epidemic
IT’S DIFFICULT TO WATCH OR READ the news without seeing another family torn apart by the opioid crisis. The epidemic is so widespread that it’s been declared a national public […]
Posted inOpinion
Why anti-immigrant policies are serious threat
THE IMMIGRATION ISSUE comes and goes in the news, but we should keep in mind that there has been a radical change in US immigration policies. The Trump administration slashed […]
Posted inGun ownership
Judge upholds assault weapons ban
STATE HOUSE NEWS A federal judge ruled the state’s 1998 assault weapons ban did not violate the Second Amendment and also upheld Attorney General Maura Healey’s 2016 decision to notify […]
Posted inHealth Care
BI-Lahey merger gets a break on cost growth
STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS stripped language from a document that would have required the merger of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Lahey Health to prove they’ll meet legislatively mandated cost […]
Posted inPolitics
State follows voters’ lead on criminal justice
The Senate and House sent a sweeping criminal justice reform bill to Governor Charlie Baker’s desk this week. The Governor has not said how he will proceed. Details matter, and […]
Posted inEducation
The faithful departed
It wasn’t that long ago that the Roman Catholic church was a spiritual, political, and social force in Massachusetts. With the influx of European immigrants beginning in the 19th century, […]
Posted inOpinion
Congress (surprise!) leads way on financial aid
THE SPENDING BILL passed by Congress finally recognizes what educators, students, and business leaders have been saying for years: Without a robust and affordable higher education system, we will not […]
Posted inOpinion
What hospitals are doing for climate resiliency
THIS MARCH, BRUTAL NOR’EASTERS have battered the region weekly, knocking out power to thousands and causing destructive flooding along the coastline. ‘Bomb cyclone’ and ‘polar vortex’ have become popular terms […]
Posted inThe Download
The faithful departed
It wasn’t that long ago that the Roman Catholic church was a spiritual, political, and social force in Massachusetts. With the influx of European immigrants beginning in the 19th century, […]
Posted inThe Back Story
The Herald’s phantom editorial page
BY ALL OUTWARD appearances, the Boston Herald continues to chug along under its new ownership, with its hard-working reporters churning out solid stories amidst the demoralizing departure of co-workers from […]
Posted inOpinion
Tweak needed for clean peak standard
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER recently submitted a significant bond bill to the Legislature calling for a $1.4 billion authorization for climate adaptation, mitigation, and infrastructure investment. While the dollar amounts grab […]
Posted inPolitics
Spilka to assume Senate presidency in late July
SEN. KAREN SPILKA said on Thursday that she will take over as Senate president during the week of July 23 and indicated she will leave her former post as chair […]
Posted inGambling
Has Wynn’s luck run out?
It was a good run for Wynn Resorts, the gambling behemoth that landed the big prize in the state’s casino sweepstakes when it was awarded the one license to run […]
Posted inThe Download
Has Wynn’s luck run out?
It was a good run for Wynn Resorts, the gambling behemoth that landed the big prize in the state’s casino sweepstakes when it was awarded the one license to run […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Major justice reform bill clears Legislature
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE WITH ONLY A WHIFFÂ of opposition, the Massachusetts Legislature on Wednesday passed a broad package of criminal justice system reforms that have languished for years, signaling a […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
With criminal justice bill passed, what about services for ex-inmates?
LAWMAKERS PASSED A long-awaited, comprehensive criminal justice reform bill on Wednesday. But to fully realize its widely touted goal of reducing recidivism they will need to back some of the […]
Posted inEconomy
Senate goes light on short-term rental regs
THE MASSACHUSETTS SENATE has passed its bill for short-term-rentals, a stripped-down version of the House measure that simplifies the tax on hosts and eliminates any tiered structure so that people […]
Posted inOpinion
Think bigger on Red-Blue connection
THE RED-BLUE CONNECTOR is back in the news, with the state funding a small study to examine whether the project might be feasible. When we last left it, the connector […]
Posted inThe Download
White guys unite
Niall Ferguson has my back. In fact if you’re a white guy like me, he has all our backs. Ferguson gets it. He sees that our shrinking numbers are under attack […]
Posted inEnvironment
Grid operator raises alarm at Mystic shutdown
This story was updated at 7:25 p.m. to include clarifying material. THE OPERATOR OF THE REGIONAL POWER GRID said on Tuesday that it plans to take immediate steps to prevent […]
Posted inEnvironment
Delays likely in offshore wind procurement
THE STATE’S TOP ENERGY OFFICIAL said on Tuesday that the selection of a winner or winners of the offshore wind procurement will probably be delayed beyond April 23 because the […]
Posted inEnvironment, Politics
Baker treads softly on Healey proposal
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER adopted a cautious approach to Attorney General Maura Healey’s call for the elimination of a 50-company business sector that sells electricity to homeowners in Massachusetts. Healey last […]