Charlie Baker is trying to become the first Republican to win the Massachusetts governor’s office since Mitt Romney. But Baker is wooing a far different electorate than the one Romney […]
Massachusetts cities: Less white, more blue
Posted inBallot Questions, Gambling, Politics
Wynn antes up $1m to fight ballot question
Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn isn’t someone you’d call wishy-washy, but lately he’s been changing his mind a lot. He reluctantly agreed to redesign his proposed Everett casino hotel […]
Posted inState House News Service, Transportation
Chinese firm to build rail cars in Springfield
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE A Chinese-owned railroad car manufacturer being recommended for a $556.6 million state contract plans to build a 150,000 square-foot facility in Springfield to assemble new Orange […]
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion, Transportation
Pedestrian, cycling access often overlooked
There’s been a lot of talk over the years about the importance of a truly multi-modal transportation system, but progress eludes us. Sure, there are “one-offs” that people can point […]
Posted inEducation, Opinion
Early childhood ed key to reading skills
How can a state be considered tops in the country in public education when more than 50 percent of its fourth graders cannot read proficiently? The easy answer is because […]
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion
WGBH must oust Koch from board, 2 reps say
Charles and David Koch, owners of Koch Industries, are two of the richest and most influential men in America. Koch Industries, the entity from which the Koch brothers have gained […]
Posted inEnvironment, The Back Story
Bottle bill debate misses big picture
Massachusetts is battling over an expanded bottle deposit law (Question 2 on the November ballot) while ignoring the much bigger recycling crisis looming on the horizon. The state is quickly […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Top judge urges end to mandatory drug sentences
The state’s top judge is calling on the Legislature to end mandatory minimum sentences for drug convictions, saying the fixed punishments fall disproportionately on minorities, give too much power to […]
Posted inPolitics
Globe CEO Sheehan talks business, Henry
Boston Globe CEO Mike Sheehan says the company is sifting through final bids for its property on Morrissey Boulevard and preparing to launch an expansion of the newspaper’s business section. […]
Posted inPolitics
Elder Affairs worker placed on paid leave
Peter Antonellis, a compliance officer with the state’s Office of Elder Affairs who has been highly critical of the agency’s oversight of assisted living residences, was told on Tuesday morning […]
Posted inPolitics
Coakley struggling to solidify her base
Attorney General Martha Coakley is locked in a dead heat for governor with Republican Charlie Baker because she’s struggling to win over the two demographic groups she needs most. Partisan […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Mush in the middle
In lamenting the sleepy state of the Massachusetts governor’s race, much has been made of the less-than-electrifying personas of the two front-runners. It’s true that neither Republican Charlie Baker nor […]
Posted inEconomy, Opinion
Let’s think big
hosting the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics would be a historic moment for Boston and Massachusetts, and would be the opportunity of a lifetime for an entire generation of Bostonians. But […]
Posted inEconomy, Opinion
Let’s think smart
let this be a wakeup call to those who dismiss the dreams of Boston’s Olympic boosters as far-fetched or improbable: Boston is currently the global front-runner to host the 2024 […]
Posted inHealth Care, The Back Story
Connector cost debate
The state’s health care exchange website is about to return from the dead, but the cost of resuscitation remains far from clear. Gov. Deval Patrick earlier this week said the […]
Posted inEconomy, Opinion
Gateway Cities bill a great start
In August, when Gov. Patrick signed H. 4377 (An Act promoting economic growth across the Commonwealth), it was overshadowed by other bills signed simultaneously, notably gun safety legislation. However, this […]
Posted inGambling, State House News Service
Suffolk Downs challenges casino award to Wynn
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE Suffolk Downs on Wednesday asked the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to reconsider its decision to award a casino license to Wynn Resorts, filing a detailed letter with […]
Posted inGambling, State House News Service
Gaming Panel: Wynn in dark on land owners
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission gave no indication Thursday whether it planned go back to the drawing board on a Greater Boston casino license after receiving a Suffolk Downs request to […]
Posted inEnvironment, Politics
Gov candidates vague on electricity rate spike
The candidates for governor differ sharply on ballot questions dealing with the gas tax and the bottle bill, but on the most pressing environmental issue facing the region – what […]
Posted inPolitics
Independents facing news, debate blackout
The media in Massachusetts are imposing what amounts to a news blackout on the three independent candidates running for governor. The remaining televised debates will feature only Democrat Martha Coakley […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Energy: Big challenge for next governor
Four of the five candidates for governor are scheduled to take part in a forum on energy and environmental issues Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 12:30 at Suffolk Law School. Why […]
Posted inHealth Care, State House News Service
Patrick puts Connector cost at $254m
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE With the next open enrollment period set for Nov. 15, Gov. Deval Patrick on Monday said the state’s troubled health care exchange website is fixed, at […]
Posted inOpinion, Transportation
If Bogota can do it, so can Boston
“An advanced city is not a place where the poor move about in cars, rather it’s where even the rich use public transportation.” – Former Bogota Mayor Enrique Penalosa. I […]
Posted inOpinion, Transportation
Allston rail station 20 years in making
Last week, Gov. Deval Patrick joined officials from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the MBTA, the City of Boston, Harvard University, and other organizations to announce Boston’s next big transportation […]