IT FELT LIKE CHRISTMAS on Wednesday in New Hampshire. The weather was delightful outside in Manchester, but inside the folks at Eversource Energy were acting like Santa Claus. They weren’t […]
Is Mass. shortchanged on clean energy procurement?
Posted inThe Download
What’s in a name?
The long debate over the name of the street running alongside Fenway Park’s third base foul line may finally come to a close this month. But it won’t settle the […]
Posted inEnvironment
Eversource appeals NH ruling on N. Pass
EVERSOURCE ENERGY made a number of financial and construction commitments on Wednesday in a bid to convince a New Hampshire regulatory agency to void its unanimous decision against the Northern […]
Posted inThe Download
Why Mass. fell from No. 1 to No. 8
Jeffrey M. Berry, a professor of political science at Tufts University, hit the nail on the head. Asked by the Boston Globe about the validity of US News & World […]
Posted inOpinion
Time to part ways with traditional utility business model
Second in a three-part series. The first part, on grid modernization in Massachusetts, can be found here. IN JANUARY 2017, Eversource filed its first complete rate case in many years, […]
Posted inUncategorized
FERC calls report on Eversource, Avangrid flawed
THE FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION said on Tuesday that a report released by the Environmental Defense Fund accusing Eversource Energy and Avangrid Inc. of artificially driving up electricity prices in […]
Posted inTransportation
TransitMatters pushes ‘regional rail’
TRANSITMATTERS, a nonprofit known for delving into the nitty gritty of very specific transportation issues, went in a different direction on Tuesday, releasing a sweeping report calling for a multi-billion-dollar […]
Posted inState House News Service, Uncategorized
Pot board mandates medical set-aside
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE HOPING TO ASSUAGE fears that medical marijuana patients could find their medicine in short supply when dispensaries begin selling to the newly-legal retail market, state pot […]
Posted inThe Download
The iron fist of Massport
Who would have thought Logan Airport and Massport would be the gold standard for airport operations? Perhaps we’re just too close or too jaded to give credit to a state agency […]
Posted inOpinion
Time to lift up Boston’s voc-tech high school
“SUCCESS IS TO BE measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life,” said Booker T. Washington, the famous turn-of-the-20th-century black educator, “as by the obstacles… overcome.” […]
Posted inTransportation
T notes: Is Keolis starting to turn a corner?
THE TREND LINES for commuter rail service are moving in a positive direction aside from a major setback during the severe cold spell in early January. Commuter rail officials are […]
Posted inTransportation
T director says new revenue not priority now
THE VICE CHAIRMAN of the MBTA’s oversight board said on Monday that the transit agency needs to execute on projects in the pipeline before considering whether new revenues are needed. […]
Posted inUncategorized
Pot board retreats on sweeping regs
THE COMMISSION OVERSEEING the nascent pot industry bowed to pressure from top elected leaders and put off approving home delivery and so-called “social consumption” cafes but voted to give minorities […]
Posted inThe Codcast
Episode 86: Baker’s plea for patience on the T
On the Codcast, Setti Warren, the former mayor of Newton and a Democratic candidate for governor, and James Aloisi, the former secretary of transportation, said the MBTA needs to address […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Carvalho drops bid for Senate to make DA run
What follows is Rep. Evandro Carvalho’s statement on running for Suffolk County district attorney. EARLIER THIS MONTH, I launched my campaign for State Senate, eager to serve the people of […]
Posted inThe Download
Baker’s plea for patience on the T
Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration has spent three years whipping the MBTA into shape. Costs have been pared back and revenues have been increased — all so more money could be […]
Posted inOpinion
Mass. dragging its feet on grid modernization
First in a three-part series IN RECENT YEARS, states across the country have been exploring how to keep pace with clean energy technologies that offer enormous promise to make the […]
Posted inOpinion
Outdated formula yields have and have-not schools
I TEACH SIXTH GRADE for the Waltham Public Schools. Recently, I got 50 new books for my class, enough for all of my students to use and to take home […]
Posted inOpinion
One woman’s to-do list for 2018
I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT where to focus my work and energy in 2018. I participated in the Women’s March last month, and was energized by the massive coming together of […]
Posted inThe Download
The cost of the drug war
Someday soon, perhaps even today, Supreme Court Justice Frank Graziano will sign an order dismissing charges against about 8,000 drug defendants whose cases were caught up in the misconduct by state […]
Posted inHealth Care
GIC health premiums will fall or stay flat
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE ABOUT HALF THE MORE than 430,000 people covered by Group Insurance Commission plans will see a decrease in their premiums in fiscal 2019 and on average […]
Posted inThe Back Story
Special elections ready-made for insiders
THE CANDIDATES ARE off and running in the short sprint to the April 3 special election primary to fill the state Senate seat vacated in late January by Linda Forry. […]
Posted inThe Download
State pot bank a long shot
The chairman of the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission floated the idea of opening a state-run bank to serve marijuana businesses, but the idea faces a lot of hurdles. Steve Hoffman, […]
Posted inOpinion
The T is failing before our very eyes
IT WAS déjà vu all over again. Wednesday’s Red Line meltdown didn’t happen because of harsh winter weather. Ironically, it happened during a gloriously warm day in February, a day […]