11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

11:00am House Session, Informal Session

Steve Bannon readies his revenge » Vanity Fair On the morning he was being ousted as Donald Trump's chief strategist last Friday, Steve Bannon had already turned the page. “Why do you sound unfazed?” a friend asked Bannon as news of hi…

Carl Bernstein: This is the Trump story reporters need to cover » CNN Money "Republicans in Congress, the highest of intelligence officials, the highest of military officers in our country, leaders of the business community -- all of whom have dealt with the White House, and …

In Tennessee, Promoting Enrollment in Tenuous Health Care Plans » New York Times Counselors are starting earlier than usual to encourage enrollment in Obamacare, even as the Trump administration works against them.…

Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club loses its ninth big charity event this week » The Washington Post Another Palm Beach charity announced Saturday that it was canceling plans to hold a gala at President Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club — the ninth to cancel a big-ticket charity event at the club this w…

Labor groups step up pressure on Trump to deliver » The Washington Post Labor leaders, once courted by President Trump, are stepping up their campaign to turn workers against the White House if it does not deliver more on jobs and trade — and if it does not stop un…

What did the Massachusetts Legislature do - and not do - in 2017? » The Republican The Massachusetts Legislature broke for its August recess after a last-minute flurry of activity, but lawmakers still have several major pieces of unfinished business waiting for them when they return…

GOP's Beth Lindstrom to launch challenge to Elizabeth Warren in 2018 » Boston Globe Longtime Republican operative Beth Lindstrom will launch her US Senate campaign on Monday, promising not to hew to the party line and using the occasion to criticize President Trump for his comments i…

Cape partnerships target MassHealth costs » Cape Cod Times Cape health centers and hospitals have agreed to participate in what Gov. Charlie Baker's administration is calling a “major restructuring” of the MassHealth program, an attempt to trim co…

The DNC and Tom Perez Have No Idea What They're Doing » Observer NEW JERSEY POLITICS On August 17, The Hill reported that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is struggling to keep up with Republicans in regards to fundraising. The DNC has $7.5 million in cash on hand and $3 millio…

Steven Mnuchin defends Trump's reaction to Charlottesville violence » Boston Globe Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, under fire from Yale classmates and Jewish critics of President Trump, has defended the president's equivocating response to the racially charged violence in Charlot…

Warren to hold town halls in Dartmouth, Marshfield, Concord » The Associated Press (AP) U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is planning to meet with local residents at three town hall events across Massachusetts this week.…

New plan to boost liquor licenses concerns restaurateurs » Boston Globe The disparities are glaring: Restaurants with liquor licenses are concentrated in Boston's more affluent neighborhoods.…

How Reverend Mariama White-Hammond Is Bridging Boston's Racial Divide » Boston Magazine On an unseasonably warm day in late April, more than 150 people descended into the basement of the Arlington Street Church for a teach-in on “How to Be a White Ally for Climate Justice.” …

Photos: What Happened At The Boston Rallies » WBUR Gathering on Boston Common Saturday, thousands of counter-protesters demonstrated against a self-described free speech rally, whose smaller group of attendees left their protest earlier than anticipat…

In Holyoke, Latino parents to sue over interpretation services » Boston Globe A group of Latino parents plans to file a federal lawsuit Monday against the state and Holyoke school officials for failing to consistently translate school documents and provide interpreters for immi…

AG Maura Healey: Don't Open Restricted Waters to Oil, Gas Drilling » NECN Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey says she's opposed to the creation of a new five-year national offshore oil and gas leasing program.…

Homeowners could be required to disclose lead in pipes » Berkshire Eagle Home sellers in Massachusetts have for decades been required to tell potential buyers if toxic lead paint or plaster was detected in tests of the property. …

From segregated South to Massachusetts' highest court, Geraldine Hines retires » Blasting News Geraldine S. Hines was a long way from her upbringing in the segregated South when she retired on Friday.…

New salary figures show Brockton pols voted themselves big pay raises » Wicked Local Brockton Brockton area lawmakers are benefiting from a little more money in their pockets, thanks to themselves, after voting for pay raises earlier this year.…

Flanagan, L'Italien lead in missed roll calls » Sentinel & Enterprise There were no roll call votes in the House or Senate last week. This week, Beacon Hill Roll Call reports local senators' roll call attendance records for the 2017 session through Aug. 18.…

A summer at the Statehouse » Newburyport News Merrimack College junior Megan DesAutels freely admits she had little interest in government before volunteering to work on state Rep. Jim Kelcourse's re-election campaign last fall.…

Devil's in details of Satanists' bid to give invocation » Boston Herald Satanists are again asking city councilors to let them lead the elected body's opening invocation, and say a lawsuit could be in the cards if they don't get the chance to say their prayers.…

David Sweeney seen as likable, familiar face » Boston Herald Mayor Martin J. Walsh's incoming chief of staff David Sweeney says the sudden shake-up of the mayor's Cabinet won't disrupt City Hall and political watchers predict the chief financial officer will ke…

David Sweeney tapped as new Walsh chief of staff; Dan Koh leaves post in September » Dorchester Reporter Boston's Chief Financial Officer David Sweeney will be appointed chief of staff for Mayor Martin Walsh in September, to replace departing Daniel Koh, the mayor's office announced Friday.…

Denlea to resign from Attleboro City Council » The Sun Chronicle A city election is coming up in November but there'll be changes on the city council before then.…

After One Prominent Candidate Withdraws, Field Is Set For Springfield City Council Preliminary » WAMC It has been an election season of surprises in Springfield, Massachusetts and voters have not even gone to the polls yet. …

Recreational marijuana rallies were held at Draper Park in Milford » The Metro West Daily News Both sides of the upcoming local recreational marijuana vote made their case at Draper Memorial Park Saturday morning.…

Cape Cod business highlights open questions about legal marijuana » Cape Cod Times Cannabidiol changed Jody Nelson's life.…

If Lee goes, will Washington and Jefferson follow? » Boston Globe Here is the dispiriting problem with President Trump's disjointed rants that conflate fact and fiction, often in the same sentence: Sometimes he is right.…

A peaceful rally, but a few disquieting questions linger » Boston Globe The far-right rally on Boston Common on Saturday tested the city's capacity to allow unpopular, even wicked, causes.…

Bike Trail Needs Further Study - Letter » Cape News I am writing in support of the Upper Cape Regional Transfer Station board of managers vote to enter into a five-year contract for operation of the station to Cavossa Disposal Corporation. …

State auditor calls for new, focused funding to tackle federal stormwater rules » Boston Globe Thank you for your editorial calling on the state to assume responsibility for federal stormwater regulations (“Mass. can lead on clean water if feds won't,” July 30). …

Ipswich editorial: Numbers show human trafficking needs focus » Wicked Local Ipswich Let's stop and look at the human trafficking numbers before we break our arms patting ourselves on the back. The fact is the the commonwealth's 2011 anti-trafficking law represents a start against hum…

Flynn: Thin blue line does Bostonians proud » Boston Herald While the world looked on expecting the worst, Boston's finest demonstrated the very best of our great city.…

Hand: Is the military pushing back against Trump? » The Sun Chronicle All the debate over the murder of a woman protesting against racist groups in Charlottesville obscured an unusual and curious move by the U.S. military last week.…

Editorial: Progress on T pensions? » Boston Herald Thanks to a united stand by Gov. Charlie Baker, House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Stan Rosenberg state law now authorizes the “private” MBTA pension fund to transfer its asse…

Your View: Pipelines, compressors, LNG tanks - suspended not canceled » South Coast Today Nowadays, everybody on SouthCoast seems to think that we're out from under the threatened expansion of the Acushnet LNG facility, and pipelines and compressor stations here and around the Northeast. …

Rep. Dempsey was 'old school,' honest » Berkshire Eagle Compliments on the well written and totally factual article "Dempsey Effect'' that appeared in the Tribune's Sunday edition. In the article, (Reporter Peter) Francis told the readers about the tens of…

The real enemy at the rally? Boston's racist image » Boston Globe

Coakley-Rivera, Again, Changes Contest & Latinos' At-large Hopes » Western Mass Politics and Insight In only the past week, Springfield's at-large City Council race received another series of jolts. But this time, rather than shaking the race up further, the news seemly reset the board to its place i…

Chabot: Beth Lindstrom to contend for Elizabeth Warren's Senate seat » Boston Herald Longtime GOP operative Beth Lindstrom will announce this morning that she is running to oust U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren in 2018 — but her first target appears to be fellow Republican President …

GOP Senate Candidate Shiva Ayyadurai Called For Peace And Love At Boston "Free Speech Rally" » One of the speakers at Saturday's controversial "free speech rally" in the historic Boston Commons park, Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai, is a candidate for the Republican Senate nomination to run against Democra…

Despite outcry from pols, rally participants say they're not racist » Boston Herald Some participants in Saturday's “Free Speech Rally” on Boston Common are rejecting the idea they are bigots affiliated with hate groups such as neo-Nazis or the KKK.…

Walsh's chief of staff to leave administration to prepare congressional bid » Boston Globe Daniel Koh, the wunderkind chief of staff who helped shepherd Mayor Martin J. Walsh's administration through most of its first term, is leaving that post by the end of the month, city officials announ…

Daniel Koh leaves City Hall to run for Congress » Boston Herald Daniel Koh is leaving his high-profile post as Mayor Martin J. Walsh's chief of staff to begin revving a congressional run in his hometown district, where he'll test his resume, roots and fundraising …

Koh preparing to leave Walsh, pursue congressional run » Eagle Tribune Boston Mayor Marty Walsh's chief of staff Daniel Arrigg Koh will leave leaving City Hall at the end of the month, in the midst of the mayor's re-election campaign, to prepare to run for Congress next …

State Senate candidates discuss issues » Wicked Local Mansfield A varied mix of contenders for Medfield's vacant State Senate seat discussed their backgrounds and their take on the issues facing the state during this week's candidate night.…

Lindstrom launches GOP Senate bid by denouncing D.C. "finger pointing" » Sentinel & Enterprise

First responders adding safety kits to guard against fentanyl exposure » Lowell Sun The growing presence of synthetic opioids fentanyl and carfentanil has first responders worried not just about overdose victims, but about their own safety as well.…

Spotlight on Ware - One small community's outsized number of sexual offenders » Worcester Telegram Paul Shanley, who as a Catholic priest preyed upon society's most vulnerable children, cast a spotlight on the town of Ware when he went there recently to live in an apartment in a yellow-clapboard ho…

Barnstable County inmate suicides under investigation » Cape Cod Times The family of Jessica DiCesare wants to know why she was able to commit suicide at the Barnstable County Correctional Facility despite a desperate note she wrote to jail staff the day before she hange…

Transit Police officer to be sentenced in beating » Boston Globe The former Transit Police officer convicted of beating a Roxbury woman during a 2014 arrest and lying about it in official reports will be sentenced in Suffolk Superior Court on Monday afternoon, the …

State police more likely to search non-white drivers, less likely to discover contraband » The Enterprise An Enterprise review of two years' worth of local and regional traffic stop data has found that non-white motorists are searched during state police traffic stops at a higher rate than white motorists…

Police chiefs back Gov. Charlie Baker's immigration detainer bill » The Republican

Verizon cuts off elderly woman's phone — on her birthday » Boston Globe It was Joan Tanos's 84th birthday, and the phone wasn't ringing.…

Managing deer in the Blue Hills » Boston Globe The Blue Hills Reservation hasn't been such a friendly place for deer these past couple of years. The state held hunts in both 2015 and 2016 to reduce the number of deer feasting on vegetation in the …

SUNDAY NOTEBOOK: New test for Leominster school: student departures » Sentinel & Enterprise AFTER ONLY ONE year of having more students coming into the district than going out, Leominster might soon find itself back on the wrong side of the school choice equation.…

Police, protesters commended for Saturday's show of peace » Boston Globe Four men with weapons were among 33 people arrested by Boston police during Saturday's “Boston Free Speech” rally and counterprotest on Boston Common, police said Sunday.…

Boston Free Speech Rally Fizzles As Thousands Protest; City Cuts Event Short To Avoid Mayhem » New Boston Post Thousands upon thousands of counter-protesters ignored Mayor Martin J. Walsh's “avoid the Common” edict, descending upon the Hub's largest public space to shout down what had been dubbed a…

Freedom of association is for businesses, too » Boston Globe The neo-Nazi website Daily Stormer lost its longtime digital home last week. On Sunday night, the giant web-hosting company GoDaddy ordered the Stormer to remove its domain within 24 hours. …

Smart investors may be killing capitalism » Boston Globe Picking stocks is for insiders and suckers. That has become the new wisdom on Wall Street when it comes to the best interest of average investors. …

In a city with fraught racial past, a day of protest against hatred and bigotry » Boston Globe A city with a fraught racial past turned out tens of thousands of protesters Saturday for an overwhelming denunciation of racism, anti-Semitism, and religious bigotry, in a demonstration that was larg…

Higgins to host Community Conversations in August » Leominster Champion During the last two weeks of August, state Rep. Natalie Higgins will host her first-ever series of Community Conversations.…

Taunton's annual Church at the Park offers fellowship and material support » Wicked Local Raynham The turnout was lower than in recent years, but the organizer of Saturday's Church at the Park event in Memorial Park said the effort continues to be worthwhile.…

School choice initiative drains $ from hard-hit districts, critics say » Worcester Telegram Districts, lawmakers eye fix to state's school choice program…

Eldridge: Let's turn strong words into a legislative commitment » The Metro West Daily News When Donald Trump defended white supremacists who were trying to stop the tearing down of Confederate statues, he invoked the legacy of military generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. Generals …

'Enough is enough': Hundreds turned up to tune out neo-Nazi hate-mongering » Berkshire Eagle Love trumped hate decisively on Saturday afternoon, as more than 500 area residents joined together for an afternoon of singing, chanting and goodwill on Park Square at a rally against racism and hatr…

Pittsfield Rallies Against Hate, Racism » iBerkshires Hundreds of local residents joined at Park Square on Saturday in protest of hate and racism. …

PETER LUCAS: Selling Bay State's baloney sandwich on bipartisanship » Lowell Sun Yes, that's the answer. America should imitate Massachusetts, and then all the politicians in Washington would respect and love each other, like they do here. …

Second year in a row no sales tax holiday in Massachusetts » WWLP 22 BOSTON (WWLP)—This is the second year in a row Massachusetts will go without a sales tax holiday. Despite Governor Baker's last minute efforts, the legislature did not approve a sales tax holid…

Rail passenger gathering at Springfield's Union Station to discuss future of train travel in New England » MassLive Rail passengers will gather Saturday in Springfield to tour Union Station and learn of possible improvements to rail travel in the region, including plans for an expansion of real service along the Co…

Gifford joins colleagues in condemning groups espousing bigotry, violence » Wicked Local Wareham BOSTON – State Rep. Susan Gifford, R-Wareham, joined her colleagues in the Massachusetts Legislature to support a resolution that unequivocally denounces white nationalism and neo-Nazism, and c…

Mylan and U.S. Government reach settlement over EpiPen » WWLP 22 The US government may have overpaid for EpiPens by more than $1 billion dollars over 10 years. …

State grant to help with veterans housing in New Bedford » South Coast Today The property at 20 Willis St. has a history of helping those in need. Originally a hospital, the concrete building, which evolves to brick and then wood, now acts as a transitional housing facility fo…

Celebration held for affordable housing funding » Wicked Local Cambridge State rep. Mike Connolly recently joined rep. Kevin Honan and other state and local leaders to celebrate the announcement of $72 million in housing subsidy and capital funds and $28 million in low-inc…

Social Media Spotlight

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CBS Boston Keller @ Large: Rep. Mike Capuano On Trump CBS Boston 40,000 March On Boston Common To Protest Free Speech Rally CBS Boston Eclipse Excitement Growing For Scientists, Locals Alike

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Podcast Spotlight

CommonWealth Magazine The Codcast: The T’s chief technology officer Mass Climate Action Network The Climate Minute: The Baker Plan on the Climate Minute Podcast WGBH News Callie Crossley: Charlottesville Represents What Has Long Been Just Beneath The Surface Washington Post The Daily 202's Big Idea: The elites strike back

'It's A Prison. It's Punishing Addicts': Calls To Reform Civil Commitments Increase » WBUR

Springfield Cannabis Co. gets higher grades on updated presentation for proposed marijuana store in East Springfield » The Republican

Newbury College to shut down in the spring » The Boston Globe

The Loop takes over 5,000 riders through downtown Springfield in 1st 3 months; city wants schedule to align with trains » The Republican

Baker Chooses Wind over Fishing [OPINION] » WBSM

In shift from first election, Healey to raise funds from donors for inaugural party » The Boston Globe

Hector Montesino appointed to Alzheimer's advisory council » Wicked Local Concord

Somerville Receives $500K For Water, Sewer Improvements » Wakefield Patch

Future of Transportation: Baker says state needs to build reliable system » Fox 25 News

Commission’s transportation recommendations unveiled » Commonwealth Magazine

GE says it may replace KPMG as auditor » Boston Business Journal

Offshore Wind Auction For 390,000 Acres South Of Mass. Blows Through Sale Record » WBUR

In Quebec, clean energy goes to waste. Let’s use it. » The Boston Globe

State commission recommends VC funding for transit technology » Boston Business Journal

11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

11:00am House Session, Informal Session

Birthdays: Senator Joan Lovely

10:00am Joint Committee on Housing, Public Hearing

Birthdays: Rep. Joseph McGonagle, Jr.

11:00am Roundtable Discussion on Long Term Care, Room 428

11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

11:00am House Session, Informal Session

12:00pm Women's Equality Day hosted by Women's Suffrage Celebration Coalition, Swan Boat Landing, Boston Public Garden

5:30pm Malden Democratic City Committee Summer BBQ

1:00pm Sen. Ed Markey Press Conference, Room 900A, JFK Federal Building, 15 New Sudbury Street, Boston

Choices for Stewardship: Recommendations to Meet the Transportation Future » Commission on the Future of Transportation in the Commonwealth

After Former Employee Blows the Whistle on Short-Staffing at Columbia Gas, Senators Markey and Warren Demand Answers » Officer of Sen. Ed Markey

Statement on the Report of the Commission on the Future of Transportation » Transportation for Mass.