AFTER THE 9/11 attacks in 2001, thigh-high bollards and giant planters sprouted outside government buildings across the country to deter terrorists and keep car bombers at bay. Now, some 21 years later, the Massachusetts State House is going the same route, although the bollards – vertical posts secured in concrete – are being installed not […]
State Government
Posted inMarijuana, State Government
New CCC chair consulted for cannabis companies
SHANNON O’BRIEN, the former state treasurer and newly appointed chair of the Cannabis Control Commission, is not a novice to cannabis. O’Brien worked as a consultant for two marijuana companies that obtained licenses from the commission, although she says she has had no contact with either one for nearly a year. Treasurer Deb Goldberg announced […]
Posted inGovernment, Opinion
State laws to blame for lack of minority contracting
IN THE EARLY DAYS of the pandemic, the Paycheck Protection Program offered a crucial lifeline for millions of suddenly desperate businesses. Yet as banks doled out nearly $1 trillion in PPP money, minority-owned businesses were at the back of the line. It was a glaring example of how even the most well-intentioned public policies can […]
Posted inPolitics, State Government
Here’s what Baker signed, amended, and vetoed
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Wednesday took a slew of legislative actions, clearing his desk of many of the major bills that were sent to him in the final days of the legislative session. Baker signed an $11.37 billion transportation infrastructure bond bill, with some vetoes, and signed a $164 million bond bill to modernize technology […]
Posted inThe Download
Uncertain times for Daloisio, Clean Energy Center
Jennifer Daloisio and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center are both facing a bit of uncertainty. The agency, a key cog in the state’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, is about to emerge from the bureaucratic shadows as the state prepares to dive into clean energy in a big way. But how the agency will […]
Posted inHealth Care
Lawmakers reach agreement on Soldiers’ Home governance
LEGISLATIVE NEGOTIATORS have come to an agreement on how to overhaul the governance of the state’s two Soldiers’ Homes in Holyoke and Chelsea. A bill released Wednesday evening lays out a new administrative structure for the homes, which elevates the Secretary of Veterans Services to a cabinet-level position while also creating a new independent Office […]
Posted inTransportation
MassDOT setting aside $20m to help recruit engineers
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE ADD CIVIL ENGINEERS to the list of public-sector jobs in high demand these days. With Department of Transportation workers heading to the exits in larger numbers than usual, officials are poised to roll out a $20 million package of raises, bonuses, and other employee benefit tweaks aimed at recruiting and retaining […]
Posted inEconomy
Raytheon moving headquarters to Virginia
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE IN A BLOW to Massachusetts, Waltham-based Raytheon Technologies is moving its global headquarters to Arlington, Virginia. Raytheon announced its plans Tuesday, saying a headquarters in Virginia “increases agility in supporting US government and commercial aerospace customers and serves to reinforce partnerships that will progress innovative technologies to advance the industry.” The […]
Posted inEnvironment
Healey sues PFAS manufacturers
ATTORNEY GENERAL Maura Healey has filed a lawsuit against 13 manufacturers of PFAS chemicals, arguing that they deceptively marketed and sold chemicals that were dangerous to the environment and to individuals’ health. She also sued two companies she alleges shielded the manufacturers’ assets through corporate transactions designed to avoid legal liability. “I am suing today […]
Posted inEnergy
As blades get longer, Charlestown testing center seeks to expand
WHEN THE WIND Technology Testing Center in Charlestown was built in 2011, the longest wind turbine blades in the world were around 65 meters long, or 215 feet. So the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center constructed the blade testing building to be 90 meters long, around 300 feet – about the size of a football field. […]