10:30am Health Equity Task Force, Virtual Meeting

Birthdays: Rep. Paul McMurtry

Dems Look to Ride Anti-Trump Wave, Expand Supermajorities » State House News Service While challenges to incumbents are already rare on Beacon Hill, the minority party drew them this cycle at a rate disproportionate to the ground it holds: more than half of Republican seats will see c…

Top FEC Official’s Undisclosed Ties to Trump Raise Concerns Over Agency Neutrality » ProPublica A top Federal Election Commission official, whose division regulates campaign cash, has shown support for President Trump and has close ties to his 2016 campaign attorney, Don McGahn. Experts said the…

“SEEMS LIKE THEY ARE OBSESSED WITH SENATOR WHITEHOUSE”: IS THE WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITORIAL BOARD TOO COZY WITH THE BRADLEY FOUNDATION? » Vanity Fair Since 2003 the Bradley Foundation has annually awarded up to four $250,000 cash prizes to “distinguished individuals whose extraordinary talents have influenced American scholarship and debate.” F…

Democrats probably need four seats to win the Senate. Can they do it? » Boston Globe In 2014, when Republicans won back the Senate, the GOP also won eight of the nine races in the “toss up” category. Likewise, in 2008, Democrats won eight of the 10 tossup Senate races that year.…

In scathing speech, Obama embraces his inner Trump troll » Washington Post “What’s his closing argument? That people are too focused on covid. He said this at one of his rallies: ‘Covid, covid, covid,’ he’s complaining,” Obama said, referring to Trump’s regular…

Cannabis commission delays delivery rules » Boston Business Journal There will be no vote this week on the Cannabis Control Commission's latest rewrite of its regulations, including the marijuana delivery framework recently agreed to, after all.…

State denies senator’s request for public comment on draft school funding report » The Republican The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has denied a request from Sen. Jo Comerford (D-Northampton) for more transparency related to potential recommendations involving the Chapter 70 sc…

Health care workers for the elderly need to get flu vaccinations. But why aren’t more of them doing that? » Boston Globe It may come as a surprise that some front-line health workers balk at one of the pillars of public health. But their resistance appears to mirror antivaccine sentiment among the larger population whos…

SJC: Insurers don’t have to cover medical marijuana » Commonwealth Magazine The SJC upheld the ruling of a Department of Industrial Accidents’ board, which found that a workers’ compensation policy does not have to cover medical marijuana expenses for a man injured on the…

FL: Zeta cuts short early voting in Florida Republican strongholds » Politico Escambia, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties are easy wins for President Donald Trump. Escambia County, the site of a Trump rally just last week, supported the president with 60 percent of the vote in 2…

FL: ‘Today I bring a message from my father’: Ivanka Trump rebukes socialism at Miami rally » The Associated Press (AP) She reminded the crowd that Trump’s administration took a different approach to Obama-era policies on Cuba and placed sanctions on Venezuelan lawmakers who participated in an attempt to regain contr…

Democrats see signs of hidden Biden voters flipping from GOP » The Hill Political observers say there is a group of voters that has emerged in this cycle: Republicans who have never supported a Democratic candidate — not for the city council, Congress or president — w…

If Biden wins what would the first 100 days of his presidency look like? » The Guardian The Biden campaign has proposed a science-led plan that includes a national mask mandate (though local authorities would have the final word on implementation), expanding testing and contact tracing, …

Baker to nominate Kimberly Budd as chief justice, source says » Boston Globe If confirmed, Budd would become the first Black woman to lead the state’s highest court in its long history.…

Biden plays to expand the map in election’s final week as Trump blitzes battlegrounds » Boston Herald Joe Biden is spending the final week of the campaign pushing to expand the electoral map beyond the typical Democratic states — a risky move that has echoes of Hillary Clinton’s humiliating defeat…

Early-voting surge scrambles Election Day expectations as some states gallop toward 2016 turnout levels » Boston Globe After weeks of early and mail voting, at least 66 million Americans have already cast their ballots for next week’s election, a historic figure that has upended expectations about Election Day and w…

McConnell puts GOP’s odds of holding Senate at 50-50 » Boston Globe Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Tuesday that control of the Senate is a coin-toss contest that could end his six-year reign over the chamber, even after the successful confirmation of Sup…

As North Carolina emerges as a key election battleground, Democrats feel the pressure to deliver » Boston Globe Thirteen Democratic signs fill the yard of Gina McGourty’s one-story white house, an unmistakable display of her support for Joe Biden. In Gaston County, N.C., a deep red area west of Charlotte, tha…

Opinion: Things to remember in the closing days of the election » Boston Globe If something is repeated often enough, some people start to believe it, even if the facts say otherwise. So with Election Day less than a week away, let’s deal with some oft-heard assertions that ru…

Opinion: If Joe Biden wins, history’s light will shine brightest on Kamala Harris » Boston Globe During her “60 Minutes” interview Sunday night, Senator Kamala Harris literally laughed in Norah O’Donnell’s face — and every Black woman I know laughed right along with her.…

Susan Collins votes against Amy Coney Barrett, heads home to Maine to save Senate job » Boston Globe When Republican Sen. Susan Collins had to vote on a Supreme Court justice in 2018, she deliberated under the spotlight for weeks, building suspense that ended with a dramatic floor speech. When she an…

Want to watch election returns like a pro? Keep an eye on these places » Boston Globe Here’s the catch about watching the returns on Election Night: Things kind of move at the glacial pace of a Red Sox/Yankees game. For every split-second homerun moment like calling Florida or Pennsy…

Fame or blame? What lies ahead for 'the Squad', as they eye second terms in U.S. Congress » Reuters They came to Washington to shake things up and in their first two years in the U.S. House of Representatives the four lawmakers popularly known as ‘the Squad’ achieved stardom but also discovered …

Here’s what the Massachusetts delegation said after Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed to the Supreme Court » Boston.com Massachusetts Democrats are pledging to fight back following the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett as an associate Supreme Court justice — both at the ballot box and in the chambers of the Capitol.…

Massachusetts Attorney General Moves to Dismiss Lawsuit Challenging Its Emergency Debt Collection Regulations » JD Supra On October 23, 2020, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey filed a motion to dismiss in ACA International v. Maura Healey based on mootness. The lawsuit challenges the state’s emergency regula…

Pandemic prompts business travel firm Lola to pivot into expense management software » Boston Globe What do you do when your company’s only market is on the brink of evaporating? If you’re the Boston travel firm Lola.com, you adapt as quickly as you can.…

In venture capital, it’s imperative to look beyond things like COVID and elections -- if you can get into the game, that is » Boston Globe Venture capitalists need to be really good at taking the long view. They bet on startup companies that may take years to build a product, find customers, and go public. So they need to think beyond th…

The cameras are rolling again in Massachusetts, with new rules for COVID-19 » Boston Globe Local projects will draw Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, and Meryl Streep to town. But routines on set are different.…

Zucchini’s cited for pandemic violations, but holds onto liquor license » Berkshire Eagle Coronavirus violations at a summertime wedding landed another city establishment in the hot seat, but it ultimately avoided a suspension as long as it has no other problems before the pandemic ends.…

Canadian startup to open Boston office with $5.25M » Boston Business Journal Accomplice, a venture capital firm with offices in Boston, is leading the seed round of a Canada-born health tech startup that's planning the opening of its second office in the Bay State, the Busines…

Former police captain Philip Cooke pleads guilty to cyberstalking Massachusetts couple; Employees sent victims bloody pig mask, insects and porn » The Republican Philip Cooke, a former eBay employee, pleaded guilty to sending disturbing items - including a bloody pig mask and pig fetus - as well as cyberstalking a Natick couple that published a newsletter crit…

Next year’s Boston Marathon will be postponed, BAA announces, with eye toward Fall 2021 date » Boston Globe The Boston Marathon will not be held on its traditional Patriots' Day date in 2021, the Boston Athletic Association announced Wednesday.…

GE sets aside $100M for potential SEC settlement » Boston Business Journal General Electric Co. is reserving $100 million as a potential payout for a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into its accounting practices, the Boston-based company revealed Wednes…

Fearing a reversal of Roe, Warren, Markey push for expanded abortion access in Mass. » Boston Globe Seizing on concerns that abortion rights will be overturned by a now solidly conservative US Supreme Court, activists on Tuesday night reignited their campaign to protect and expand legal protections …

Healey, AGs Nationwide Unite for Right to Vote » Cape Cod Online Attorney General Maura Healey has co-led a statement from the National Association of Attorneys General regarding the right to vote across the country.…

Blind And Visually Impaired Mass. Voters Worry About Disenfranchisement Due To Mail-In Voting » WGBH Amy Ruell remembers the first time she was able to cast a ballot privately and independently, describing it as a “powerful and emotional experience.”…

Education commissioner reverses course, says Massachusetts schools in red should stay open » Boston Herald Massachusetts school districts in the red zone should continue to offer in-person instruction so long as there is no coronavirus transmission in the buildings, Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley sai…

Boston Public Schools Superintendent said some students could return to school Thursday; statement quickly walked back » Boston Herald BPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said some students could be going back to school as early as Thursday, a statement that prompted surprise from BTU President Jessica Tang and was quickly walked ba…

Editorial: The future of higher education will be determined on Election Day » Boston Globe Joe Biden and Donald Trump, and their parties, have starkly different visions for colleges and universities, and for students.…

For Catholic schools, class is in session — and in person » Commonwealth Magazine WHILE THE SCHOOL YEAR has been upended for thousands of public school students across the state, Corrin Stokes’s school day this fall looked largely the same as it did last year. After donning her s…

MCAS exams coming in spring, education officials say » Commonwealth Magazine TOP MASSACHUSETTS EDUCATION officials on Tuesday insisted MCAS exams will be held next spring and urged districts to conduct in-person learning even if they are located in communities at high risk for…

Why CarePort Health fetched $1.35 billion: It solves a big problem for patients » Boston Globe It has been eight years since Lissy Hu won Harvard Business School’s annual student business-plan competition, with an idea for a tech startup to help patients transition out of hospitals and into f…

Health care workers for the elderly need to get flu vaccinations. But why aren’t more of them doing that? » Boston Globe Each year, hundreds of workers who care for some of Massachusetts’ most vulnerable residents, including those in nursing homes and dialysis centers, fail to get a flu shot. Now a push is on for them…

‘We were failed’: Soldiers’ Home staff detail trauma of deadly COVID-19 outbreak » Gazette Net In 1989, Theresa King first came to work as a nurse at what she called “the best place in western Mass. - the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke.”…

‘They just left us there to take care of our guys without any direction,’ Holyoke Soldiers’ Home nurse tells lawmakers » The Republican A string of current and former staff testified with weary, tearful voices before a Joint Special Legislative Oversight Committee on the Holyoke Soldiers' Home on Tuesday.…

Home, Condo Sale Prices Set September Records » State House News Service Home and condo sales and prices skyrocketed across Massachusetts in September, with the median single-family home price surging to $472,000.…

North Berkshire Groups Support Operation Warm for Local Kids » iBerkshires A collaboration of local community agencies have ensured that several hundred local children will have warm coats this winter.…

In Salem, staving off hunger one bag of groceries at a time » Boston Globe The line stretched through Palmer Cove Park as it always does when the food pantry workers unload the produce and pasta and beans. A few people held an electricity bill or other proof of Salem residen…

Baker to nominate Kimberly Budd to SJC chief » Berkshire Eagle Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday morning intends to nominate Associate Justice Kimberly Budd to become the next chief justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, who if confirmed will become the first femal…

Budd Tapped by Baker in Historic Nomination to Lead SJC » State House News Service Noting the "bittersweet" circumstances of her nomination to lead the state's top court, Supreme Judicial Court Justice Kimberly Budd said she hopes to emulate the late Chief Justice Ralph Gants's resp…

Theater workers idled by pandemic seek help for industry » Worcester Telegram DCU Center General Manager Sandy Dunn said that when the pandemic hit, the arena and convention center employed over 687 people.…

A list of Mass. towns where you can’t go trick-or-treating traditionally this year » Boston Globe Most Massachusetts towns have encouraged residents to be wary while trick-or-treating this Saturday, but a select few have taken a stronger stance and prohibited the practice altogether.…

Wellfleet moves ballot drop-off box to police station » Cape Cod Times The town's ballot drop-off box will be moved Wednesday from Town Hall to the lobby of the police station on Gross Hill Road.…

Citing harsh tone, board won't back letter chiding Great Barrington Declaration » Berkshire Eagle Town officials remain irked over a controversial public health strategy in a document that is circling the globe — and dragging the town’s name along with it.…

North Adams weighs ban on sale of animals raised in 'puppy mills' » Berkshire Eagle The City Council will consider banning pet shops from selling animals from so-called puppy mills, as the movement to stop sales from those facilities gains momentum across the state.…

Somerville to launch charter review » Boston Globe Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and City Council President Matt McLaughlin recently announced that the city will be undertaking a comprehensive review of its charter, the document that outlines t…

J-Law Says Vote Yes on Question 2, but Gov. Baker Disagrees » NECN Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito plan to vote against the ballot question that would implement a ranked-choice system for Massachusetts elections, their campaign announced Tuesday.…

Charlie Baker comes out against ranked choice voting ballot measure in Massachusetts » Boston.com Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito became the first statewide elected officials in Massachusetts on Tuesday to come out in opposition to Question 2, the state ballot measure to implement ran…

Voters Have Cast 1.1M Mail-In Ballots In Massachusetts. Will the Rest Arrive in Time? » NBC Boston With a week until election day, all eyes are on the U.S. Postal Service as it copes with a massive increase in mail-in voting.…

Political Notes: Harwich woman launches write-in bid for Cyr seat » Cape Cod Times State Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Truro, will have no opposition on the ballot Nov. 3, but a Harwich woman has launched a last-minute write-in campaign as a Republican with an eye toward the next election in t…

Sen. Markey rallies Democrats to take White House, Senate » Berkshire Eagle U.S. Sen. Ed Markey is calling for a “declaration of independence” from President Donald Trump on Election Day this year. In a Tuesday afternoon stop in Pittsfield’s Park Square, the Democrat fr…

Baker calls ranked-choice voting too complicated » Commonwealth Magazine GOV. CHARLIE BAKER said on Tuesday that he opposes ranked-choice voting because it’s too complicated for both voters and election officials to carry out.…

In small-town Maine, Trump’s popularity proves durable » Boston Globe Maine’s vast Second Congressional District is the largest east of the Mississippi River, the second-most rural in the country, and the only slice of New England where President Donald Trump won an e…

More than one-third of Massachusetts voters have cast their ballots for the 2020 elections, mostly by mail » The Republican Election clerks across Massachusetts have received more than 1.8 million ballots ahead of the Nov. 3 election, making up more than one-third voters.…

O’Connor slams Markey for failure to support police » Lowell Sun Republican Senate candidate Kevin O’Connor touted endorsements from police unions as he said officers who risk their lives have been “abandoned, and systematically vilified” by Democratic incumb…

Higgins challenged by Ardinger again in 4th Worcester District » Worcester Telegram In the 4th Worcester District race, incumbent state Rep. Natalie Higgins is again facing a challenge from Leominster City Councilor Thomas Ardinger.…

5 candidates vie for North Shore seat » Commonwealth Magazine REP. TED SPELIOTIS of Danvers is stepping down after 23 years in office, and the race to replace him has become one of the most interesting in the state.…

Changes Needed in Youth Hockey After COVID-19 Clusters, Baker Says » State House News Service The Baker administration is preparing new regulations that will force Massachusetts youth hockey teams to help health experts track potential COVID-19 outbreaks, a step prompted by several teams and c…

Charlie Baker says ‘stop hosting big parties’ as Massachusetts coronavirus rates surge among young people » Boston Herald Coronavirus cases are surging among people under 30 and Gov. Charlie Baker is begging young revelers to “stop hosting big parties” as coronavirus mounts a comeback in Massachusetts.…

Baker On Massachusetts Ice Rink Shutdown: ‘Youth Hockey Needs To Make Some Changes’ » CBS Boston Gov. Charlie Baker said Tuesday that youth sporting events like ice hockey “need to recognize and respect the virus” as cases climb in Massachusetts amid the pandemic. Indoor ice rinks in the stat…

Baker calls out those under 30 for large part of coronavirus spike » Boston Globe The Baker administration on Tuesday said people under 30 account for a large portion of the recent spike in Massachusetts coronavirus cases, and acknowledged that the state’s own efforts to trace th…

Pass the stuffing on Zoom this year » Commonwealth Magazine GOV. CHARLIE BAKER urged Massachusetts residents to celebrate Thanksgiving differently this year, limiting any gatherings to people you live with or with whom you are regularly in contact.…

Massachusetts reports 1,025 new COVID cases as updated numbers show 33% increase last week » The Republican State health officials confirmed another 1,025 coronavirus cases on Tuesday, bringing the statewide tally to just shy over 150,000. That’s based on 13,727 new molecular tests, according to the Depar…

No Symptoms? Boston Mayor Walsh Says Get a COVID-19 Test Anyway » WGBH Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is encouraging all city residents to get tested for coronavirus, even if they have no symptoms.…

28 coronavirus cases tied to cluster outbreak at Crossroads Church in Fitchburg » The Republican Fitchburg health officials said on Tuesday that there are 28 confirmed coronavirus cases tied to an outbreak at the Crossroads Church.…

'A perfect storm': Pandemic is making it harder to kick drugs » Patriot Ledger This three-day series looks at how the Quincy Police Department’s Narcan program continues to save and change lives. Today: The ongoing coronavirus crisis has overshadowed an epidemic that has been …

Mass. coronavirus cases top 1,000 for 5th day; 36 deaths reported » Boston Globe The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Massachusetts climbed by 1,137 on Wednesday, the fifth day in a row the daily tally has exceeded 1,000, the state reported.…

Editorial: Rachael Rollins takes bold step with guns » Boston Herald Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins has taken a lot of heat for her progressive policies, in particular her list of “no-prosecute” crimes.…

Third Interim Budget Buys More Breathing Room » State House News Service With Monday's signing of a $5.4 billion interim budget, Gov. Charlie Baker and the Legislature have so far agreed to more than $27 billion in spending authorizations to keep state government open and …

Baker Outlines Vision for “Pretty Decent” FY22 Budget » State House News Service Gov. Charlie Baker, while still hoping that lawmakers will deliver him an overdue fiscal 2021 state budget by the end of November, looked ahead to next year on Wednesday, forecasting a "pretty decent"…

Howie Carr: Charlie Baker, a quagmire for our time » Boston Herald What Vietnam was for LBJ, the COVID panic is turning into for Gov. Charlie Baker. The bust-out pol that Joe Biden calls “Charlie Parker” went out there again Tuesday and said that everything would…

State Announces Land Use Planning Assistance Grants » iBerkshires The Baker-Polito Administration announced $1,152,500 in grants for 29 projects to improve municipal land use planning and development through the Planning Assistance Grant Program.…

Baker: Application-Based Vote-by-Mail "Really Effective" » State House News Service Gov. Charlie Baker suggested Tuesday that he would be open to keeping in place at least some elements of the law that this year allows people to vote by mail without an excuse in order to encourage pa…

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker would support a vote-by-mail system beyond the 2020 elections » The Republican Massachusetts' new vote-by-mail law, promoted as a way to prevent spread of COVID-19, expires at the end of the year. Gov. Charlie Baker, however, is among those who would support making vote-by-mail …

Governor's Council Goes Remote After Brush with COVID » State House News Service The Governor's Council will be conducting its business entirely online Wednesday after worry over a potential COVID-19 exposure at last week's hearing, two members of the panel that vets judicial cand…

New York, Connecticut Travel Advisories “Bad Idea,” Baker Says » State House News Service As Massachusetts residents find other governors warning their constituents not to visit the Bay State as COVID-19 transmission rates climb, Gov. Charlie Baker said Wednesday he told New York and Conne…

Massachusetts parking meter plan to meter 1,700 spots in Fenway, Revere draws opposition » Boston Herald Frustrated residents and officials in Boston and Revere say the state’s plan to meter more than 1,000 spaces has ignored local concerns and will place an unfair burden on neighbors.…

Coronavirus Testing Starts At Boston Logan Airport » WBUR Travelers will soon be able to get tested for the coronavirus at Boston's Logan Airport. Health and wellness company XpresSpa Group is opening a testing facility Wednesday in Terminal E, according to …

Social Media Spotlight

thembta jimmcgovernma cityofboston

---

MassGovernor COVID-19 Update: Thanksgiving Guidance GBH News What Does The SCOTUS Confirmation Of Amy Coney Barrett Mean For The Election, Health Care, And More?

---

Lindsay Sabadosa @SabadosaMA Julian Cyr @JulianCyr Elizabeth Warren @ewarren

---

Podcast Spotlight

WBUR Radio Boston: Coronavirus Cases Are On The Rise Again in Massachusetts Five Thirty Eight Politics Podcast: The Decision Desk Won’t Project The Winner Of A State Until It’s 99.5% Sure NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: Here's How The Associated Press Declares A Winner

Directions

MIRA Responds to Presidential Determination on Historically Low Refugee Admissions Number » Mass. Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition

$17.2 Million Renovation of the Roxbury Library Branch Completed » City of Boston

MassDOT Advisory: Mass Central Rail Trail Feasibility Study » MassDOT

Legislature Passes Legislation to Extend Unemployment Benefits to 17,000 Low-Income Recipients » Office of Senator Joan Lovely

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Over $1 Million in Land Use Planning Assistance Grants » Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

AG Healey Co-leads 22 States in Opposing Trump Administration’s Drastic Limits on International Student Visas » Office of Attorney General Maura Healey

ADL Statement on Philadelphia Police Shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. » Anti-Defamation League

Museum of American Bird Art Awarded $48,000 Grant For ‘The Nest’ » Mass. Audubon

Smokers, especially those who begin young, are three times more likely to die prematurely » American Heart Association

Get ready to start defending the election on Nov. 4 » 350 Mass.

Clark, Pascrell, Swallwell Warn Barr: Stop Protecting Trump, Start Protecting Our Elections » Office of Congresswoman Katherine Clark

MHSA Member Agency Father Bill's & MainSpring is Seeking a Director of Property Management » Mass. Housing and Shelter Alliance