SINCE COMING TO TERMS with my identity, I cannot recall all the times that I’ve been called brave and strong. I remind people that coming out has nothing to do […]
Trans (and Republican) in the time of Trump
Posted inThe Codcast
Episode 61: The ICE fight
What Gov. Charlie Baker calls a common-sense approach to dealing with federal immigration officials, Carol Rose of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts dismisses as fraternizing with the “Trump […]
Posted inThe Download
The Codcast: The ICE fight
What Gov. Charlie Baker calls a common-sense approach to dealing with federal immigration officials, Carol Rose of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts dismisses as fraternizing with the “Trump […]
Posted inEnvironment
Northern Pass clears federal hurdle
FEDERAL REGULATORS CLEARED THE WAY on Thursday for Eversource’s Northern Pass transmission project to receive one of the two permits necessary to begin construction of a line carrying hydroelectricity from […]
Posted inEducation
Charter school proposals would add nearly 5,400 seats
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE FOUR GROUPS ARE LOOKING to open new charter schools in Massachusetts and four existing charter schools are hoping to boost their enrollment. The Massachusetts Department of […]
Posted inThe Back Story
Sizing up 3 options on ICE detainers
Debate over immigration policy has bubbled up for years at the federal level, and now the recent decision by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in the case of Lunn v. […]
Posted inTransportation
Transportation tech isn’t easy
AS THE LEADER of a transportation agency, there is no shortage of people ready to tell me how technology is going to revolutionize the way we do business. From autonomous […]
Posted inTransportation
MBTA rejects WiFi commuter rail proposal
FACING PUSHBACK FROM LOCAL COMMUNITIES on the North Shore, the MBTA on Thursday abruptly rejected a commuter rail WiFi proposal that called for the installation of 320 poles each more […]
Posted inThe Download
Catching up with inaccuracy
In an editorial on Thursday, the Metrowest Daily News unloaded on President Trump for his embarrassing stance on climate change, which the newspaper said prompted scientists to leak a draft […]
Posted inPolitics
Tsongas not seeking reelection
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE US REP. NIKI TSONGAS, who has served in Congress since 2007, will not seek reelection in 2018. Tsongas, who is the widow of the late Sen. […]
Posted inOpinion
States must step up on public corruption
IF YOU BLINKED, you likely missed the recent release of the report of the Massachusetts Task Force on Integrity in State and Local Government, which was established by state law […]
Posted inEnvironment
Pricing hints on Hydro-Quebec power
A LEAKED POWER CONTRACT between Hydro-Quebec and the province of Ontario may offer some insight into what kind of deal the utility is currently offering Massachusetts for hydro-electricity. The proposed […]
Posted inEducation
Lowell, UMass Lowell sign master agreement
UMass Lowell and the city of Lowell signed a historic master agreement that spells out the financial relationship between the municipality and its largest tax-exempt landholder. The deal commits the […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Healey outlines criminal justice vision
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE ATTORNEY GENERAL MAURA HEALEY sent a letter to two key lawmakers this week outlining her vision for criminal justice reform, including an overhaul of bail and […]
Posted inState House News Service, Uncategorized
Cambridge votes home-sharing regs
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE IN THE ABSENCE OF A STATE STRATEGY to regulate short-term housing rentals, the Cambridge City Council voted Monday night to require hosts to live in the […]
Posted inPolitics
Rep. Straus’s idea is a really bad one
AUGUST. That lazy, hazy month without an official vacation day because, well, everyone is either on vacation or slowing down because everyone else is on vacation. Like that bewitching period […]
Posted inThe Download
Cracking the code on sexism
Tech giant Google is still grappling with the aftermath of a male employee’s sexist manifesto that went viral last week and got him fired on Monday. The brouhaha came only […]
Posted inTransportation
Getting inside the T’s union talks
IN APRIL, THE MBTA’S Fiscal and Management Control Board passed a budget that called for $8 million in savings from the authority’s bus maintenance operations during the current fiscal year, […]
Posted inThe Download
NYC subway system looks to Boston
In case you missed it, the New York City subway system is in crisis mode, and officials in the Big Apple are looking to Boston for some answers. At the […]
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion
Pick up the pace on clean energy
LOOK AND LISTEN, and you’ll see progress. Solar and wind power farms are cropping up across the landscape. Private sector investments are following good public policy, speeding the transition of […]
Posted inOpinion
Nixon legacy lives on through Trump
THE MEDIA AND VARIOUS JOURNALS are overflowing with comparisons of Donald Trump to many political figures past and present. A recent Harvard Political Review article compared Trump to Maine Governor […]
Posted inPolitics
Warren calls Baker detainer bill ‘un-American’
NEWTON MAYOR and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Setti Warren doubled-down on his criticism of Gov. Charlie Baker’s ICE detainer legislation on Friday, calling the governor’s proposal “un-American.” Baker’s bill seeks to […]
Posted inThe Codcast
Episode 60: YIMBYs take on NIMBYs
While “not in my backyard” has become the default response to development proposals in many communities, in a few places NIMBY is starting to meet its match. YIMBY — which […]
Posted inThe Download
The Codcast: YIMBYs take on NIMBYs
It has become almost axiomatic that communities will resist new housing development projects. They will generate unbearable traffic! There isn’t enough parking here! They’ll hurt property values! The developer wants […]