Birthdays: Rep. Antonio Cabral, State Senator John Velis

Mass. Senate Ethics Committee reaffirms commitment to confidentiality in Sen. Stan Rosenberg probe » The Republican

Enough Trump Bashing, Democrats » New York Times

FORRY departure sparks a special » Politico

HYDRO QUEBEC-EVERSOURCE PROJECT PICKED FOR BIG RENEWABLE ENERGY CONTRACT » State House News Service

'Secret Society' FBI Text Actually Began With A 'Beefcake' Putin Calendar » The Huffington Post

Lobbying Hits $3.9 Billion in Trump's First Year » Roll Call

Joe Kennedy to deliver Democratic response to State of the Union address » Boston Globe

Dems give lukewarm response to possible presidential bid » Boston Herald

Sources Close to John Kerry Deny Jerusalem Post Report » Boston Magazine

Staples CEO Shira Goodman stepping down immediately: report » Boston Business Journal

Senate task force hears local retailer concerns » Wicked Local Provincetown

Massachusetts Wants to Become the First Marijuana Sanctuary State » Civilized

Massachusetts senators approve 'NASTY Women Act,' repealing 'archaic' abortion laws » MassLive

Chandler's 'NASTY Women' bill passes Senate » Worcester Telegram

Latino organizations endorse education commissioner candidate » Boston Globe

Education leaders say achievement gaps must be addressed » Sentinel & Enterprise

Lawsuit challenges Trump's rollback of guidance on campus sexual violence » Boston Globe

Merrimack Valley Schools to Benefit from Advanced Manufacturing Program Grants » WHAV

'It's like a tsunami hit our school system,' councilman says of influx of hurricane evacuees attending West Springfield schools » MassLive

State offers little help with school budget problems » The Sun Chronicle

UMass Boston Lists Bayside Site For Potential Sale » WBUR

AG Debuts New Initiative to Address Unaffordable Student Loans » Banker & Tradesman

Offshore oil and gas drilling: The Vineyard fear » Martha's Vineyard Times

Mass. Taps Eversource's Northern Pass For Hydropower Project » WBUR

Atlantic White Shark Conservancy sees donations spike after report claimed Trump dislikes sharks » Boston Globe

Baker-Polito administration awards Plymouth $1 million » Wicked Local Plymouth

Net-neutrality dispute shines light on public comment problem » Mass Lawyers Weekly

New Gambling Legislation Introduced in Massachusetts » 4 Flush

State to review Wynn Boston Harbor after sexual misconduct allegations against Steve Wynn » Boston Business Journal

Massachusetts Medical Society warns health centers face closure » The Republican

Gov. Charlie Baker renews pitch for health changes » Boston Herald

Partners HealthCare gets key state backing for Mass. Eye and Ear takeover » Boston Globe

Dispute over planned Seaport condo tower is settled » Boston Globe

HUD secretary touts Taunton as role model » Taunton Gazette

Gov. Charlie Baker's budget would let welfare recipients keep more benefits while working » The Republican

Manchester VA's problems not taken seriously until after Globe reports, officials say » Boston Globe

Trump proposes path to citizenship for 1.8m » Boston Globe

Lawrence Mayor: Trump administration is 'focusing on imaginary bad guys' » Boston Herald

Amid Outcry From Gov't Employees, GIC Reconsiders Vote To Drop 3 Insurers » WBUR

GIC to Reconsider Reduction to Health Insurance Portfolio » iBerkshires

Under attack, state worker group insurance change to be reconsidered » The Greenfield Recorder

Controversy prompts state to reconsider health plan consolidation » Lowell Sun

Healey probing if health plan snafu broke open meeting law » The Recorder

Sexual misconduct claim against Judge Thomas Estes 'damaged public trust,' governor's councilors say » The Republican

US Attorney Elaborates on Marijuana Enforcement and Banking » Banker & Tradesman

Central Mass. lawmakers cautious on minimum wage raise » telegram.com

GIC to rethink plan to cut health insurance options for state workers » Berkshire Eagle

Sen Boncore Appointed Chair of Transportation » East Boston Times

Ethics panel met for three hours on Rosenberg, approved confidentiality motion » Lowell Sun

Senate ethics panel approves confidentiality motion » The Salem News

Philadelphia accepts Rocky statue Super Bowl bet from Brockton mayor » The Enterprise

Dems to hold Congressional forum in Hudson » Wicked Local

Support the Lawrence St. Patrick's Day parade » The Eagle Tribune

Greater Taunton Clergy Association holding march and vigil to save Morton maternity » Wicked Local Raynham

Fire Department awarded a state grant » Sentinel & Enterprise

The Larry Nassar case reminds us: Listen to survivors, period » Boston Globe

Our Opinion: Berkshires get a ride on transportation study » Berkshire Eagle

Editorial: Budget 'fixes' on tap » Boston Herald

Kerry for President » New Boston Post

Mass., other states, must fight back on net neutrality » Boston Globe

AG dropped the ball in college president's case » Cape Cod Times

Housing supply and demand » Eagle Tribune

OUR OPINION: Involuntary detention not the answer to opioid crisis » The Enterprise

COMMENTARY: Sustainable Marblehead's Legislative Update » Wicked Local Marblehead

Peter Lucas: Bay State can only wish Romney luck in a Utah run » Lowell Sun

Urge Cyr to abandon sanctuary state effort » Cape Cod Times

Kerrigan gets national endorsement » Eagle Tribune

Battenfeld: In Forry exit, State House losing luster » Boston Herald

Linda Dorcena Forry resigning her Senate seat » Boston Herald

Same-day registration gets push with backing from Galvin » Berkshire Eagle

Boston State Sen. Dorcena Forry Steps Down From Post » WBUR

Dorchester Senator Dorcena Forry Resigns, Takes Construction Job » New Boston Post

Boston Sen. Linda Forry to resign for job with with Suffolk Construction » The Patriot Ledger

Linda Dorcena Forry's departure sets off shock waves – and flurry of interest in her seat » Boston Herald

Potential Senate president hopeful resigning » Lowell Sun

Democrat Dan Wolf declines to run for governor » Boston Globe

Massachusetts' only black state senator stepping down » The Seattle Times

Lowell-area police chiefs pan safe injection site proposal in opioid crisis » Lowell Sun

U.S. attorney says opioids top target, but pot still on radar » Berkshire Eagle

Should doctors be allowed to commit addicted patients involuntarily to treatment facilities for 72 hours? » Boston Globe

State Sen. Eric Lesser tours substance abuse recovery facilities » MassLive

Commonwealth awards SFD $6K in grants » The Millbury Sutton Chronicle

Gov. Charlie Baker offers words of caution to new staties » Boston Herald

The Week in Public Finance: Cities in the Red, Puerto Rico Lowers Expectations and Second-Guessing Tax Reform Windfalls » Governing

State's top election official offers Legislature a plan for same-day voter registration » Boston Globe

Massachusetts voters could register and vote on same day under bill proposed by state's elections chief » The Republican

Galvin proposes same-day voter registration in Mass. » The Metro West Daily News

Higgins joins House colleagues to approve two bills » Leominster Champion

Gov. Baker outlines plans for the year at State of the Commonwealth Address » WWLP 22 News

Local clerks weigh in on early voting » Tewksbury Town Crier

Mass Gov. Baker Proposes Raising EITC to 30 Percent » RI NPR

Berkshires Likely To Be Represented On Mass. Transportation Panel After Legislators Protest » New England Public Radio

Berkshire lawmakers 'deeply disappointed' in composition of Baker's commission on future of transportation » the Berkshire edge

Route 1 plaza again picked for RMV branch » The Salem News

3 western Mass. bridges received funds to help repair » WWLP 22 News

Eversource wins a huge state contract it helped design. Let the protests begin » Boston Globe

Massachusetts taps Northern Pass for hydropower project » Boston Herald

Webster legislator, neighbors object to solar farm » telegram.com

New Bedford-based wind farm gets a 'no' for state contract » South Coast Today

AG Maura Healey to review hydropower contract » Boston Herald

Cold snap causes fuel emergency » Cape Cod Times

Social Media Spotlight

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MassLive New US Attorney for Massachusetts, Andrew Lelling talks legal marijuana, immigration Jason Lewis 60 Seconds with Senator Jason Lewis: Our Constituent Feedback Survey & 2018 Priorities WGBH News Can We Trust Trump’s About-Face On DREAMer Citizenship, Testifying In Russia Probe? CBS Boston Hasty Pudding Theatricals Will Allow Women To Perform CBS Boston Keller @ Large: How To Make Driving In Massachusetts Better CBS Boston I-Team: Consumer Complaints Prompt Call For Oversight of Solar Industry

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Podcast Spotlight

WBUR CommonHealth: U.S. Surgeon General On Opioid Epidemic WBUR Radio Boston: Group Insurance Commission To Reconsider Dropping Health Plans WBUR Radio Boston: Former Secretary Of State Madeleine Albright On The State Of American Diplomacy WBUR Freak Out And Carry On: A New Progressive Era

MMA webinar reviews digital equity planning and programs » Mass. Municipal Association

Pressley, Warren Celebrate $1M Secured for Black Economic Council of Massachusetts » Office of Congressman Ayanna Pressley

Southcoast Health Recognized by the White House for Sustainability Efforts » Southcoast Health

House Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Protect America’s National Security, Support U.S. Allies, Surge Humanitarian Aid to Gaza » Office of Congresswoman Lori Trahan

Alzheimer's Association Part the Cloud Grants $3 Million to Develop Innovative Treatments, Bringing Total Investment to $68 Million » Alzheimer's Association

ICYMI: At Hearing, Warren Presses Army Leadership on Military Housing Crisis, Need for Quality, Safe Accommodations » Office of Sen. Elizabeth Warren

New England Aquarium and retail partner Event Network take significant step to remove plastic from gift shop » New England Aquarium

Gov. Healey's Secretary's Tirade Caught on Camera » MassFiscal Alliance