11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

11:00am House Session, Informal Session

12:30pm Congressman Richard Neal on WGBH Boston Public Radio, WGBH Studios, 1 Guest Street, Brighton

Spilka: State Exploring “New Ways” to Pass Budget » State House News Service "That is one thing we absolutely need to take care of -- a budget, whether in pieces or in whole," Spilka told the News Service. "I think that, as I've said before, these are unprecedented times and t…

State moving forward with nursing home relocation, despite problems » Boston Globe Governor Charlie Baker said Wednesday that the state hopes the new “step-down facilities” will handle about 1,000 patients who’ve been released from critical care before they return home.…

Charlie Baker announces new coronavirus rules to prevent grocery store crowding » Boston.com The new order issued by the Department of Public Health caps the number of people allowed inside a grocery store at a time to 40 percent of the building’s legal occupancy, in order to encourage “i…

Small colleges 'could be the Lehman Brothers of this recession,' says economist » Boston Business Journal Moody’s Investors Service recently said that the outlook for the higher education sector is changing to negative from stable. Schools with thin operating performance and lower liquidity have less fl…

Lawmakers to Field COVID-19 Liability Legislation » State House News Service Gov. Charlie Baker is expected to file legislation Wednesday afternoon that would extend liability protection to health care workers during the coronavirus pandemic to address a fear of some front-lin…

Mass. unemployment rate could hit 25% in June, new report says » Boston Business Journal The Massachusetts unemployment rate could spike to 25.4 percent in June, up from February’s 2.5 percent, according to a new report from the Pioneer Institute, a local think tank.…

FL: Trump condemns vote-by-mail, but the Florida GOP is counting on it to win » Politico President Donald Trump this week condemned absentee voting as “corrupt," but mail-in ballots are a central Republican get-out-the-vote strategy in Florida, a state the president will need to win in …

The 11 most logical picks for Joe Biden’s vice president, ranked » Washington Post We already know one thing about that pick: It will be a woman, as Biden pledged in a recent debate. Below is a ranking of who makes the most sense to be that running mate.…

‘Just madness’: Governors mull consortium to end chaos over medical supplies » Politico The nation‘s governors are in talks about creating a multistate consortium to oversee the purchase and distribution of medical supplies across the country — a direct response to the White House’…

Mass. Has No Racial Or Ethnic Information On Two-Thirds Of Coronavirus Cases » WGBH "The data on race and ethnicity is far too incomplete in far too many cases," she said. "We are taking steps to improve the submission of these key data points. We are issuing an order today requiring…

Ed Markey vs. Joe Kennedy in coronavirus era? No contest » Boston Herald The deadly coronavirus crisis has upended the marquee U.S. Senate race of Joe Kennedy III versus incumbent Ed Markey, but only one candidate is keeping on top — Kennedy.…

OPINION: The Unholy Alliance of Trump and Dr. Oz » New York Times Oz, mind you, is not a virologist. Not an epidemiologist. His actual specialty — cardiothoracic surgery — isn’t the most immediately relevant to the coronavirus. But his real specialty is using …

As pandemic deepens, Trump cycles through targets to blame » AP News NEW YORK (AP) — First, it was the media that was at fault. Then, Democratic governors came under fire. China, President Barack Obama and federal watchdogs have all had a turn in the crosshairs. And …

Thank You, Bernie Sanders » Jacobin Bernie Sanders took socialism out of the margins and into the American mainstream for the first time in generations. His contributions to the struggle for a better world cannot be overstated.…

Block evictions during the crisis, or just delay them? Lawmakers must decide » Boston Globe At the beginning of the month, Monica Rey missed making April’s rent payment for her Jamaica Plain apartment. A graduate student and mother, Rey had taken a census job to help pay the bills. But tha…

These are the trade-offs we make when we depend on billionaires to save us » Vox But for all the wealthy’s good deeds, this status quo raises alarming questions about the long-term dangers of this dependency on this private sector and its generosity, especially about the world w…

Joe Biden will have a very hard time winning over the Berniesphere » Vox The real talk, however, is that Biden’s problem with the left isn’t about anything that is or isn’t in his platform, it’s about who he is. The left doesn’t trust Joe Biden…

New rules for grocers to slow virus’s spread » Gazette Net Longer lines, mandatory hand washing, one-way aisles and other additional preventative measures against COVID-19 are in local grocery shoppers' immediate futures as health officials implement new rule…

SBA official blasts big banks over failure to quickly distribute loans » Boston Globe Big banks that received taxpayer bailouts during the global financial crisis a decade ago are now too slow in helping small businesses seeking assistance through a $349 billion emergency lending progr…

Waltham biotech lands big partnership with Roche » Boston Globe Arrakis Therapeutics is working on small molecule drugs for cancer and other diseases.…

Expansion of liquor licenses in Boston faces pushback from restaurant group » Boston Globe The coronavirus has temporarily shut down most of the restaurant industry here. The age-old debate over liquor licenses in Boston? Not even a pandemic can stop that, apparently.…

More job cuts hit Boston’s tech sector as coronavirus effects spread » Boston Globe The economic shock from the COVID-19 pandemic is now reaching deeper into Boston’s once-booming tech industry, with two of the region’s most promising companies announcing layoffs and furloughs of…

Ashland Republican Committee Wants Gov. Baker To Deem Firearm Retailers Essential » Framingham Source The Ashland Republican Town Committee unanimously voted to send a letter to Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker to “categorize ammunition and firearm retailers’ as essential businesses, during th…

Biotech Firms May Be Key To Beating The Coronavirus, But They're Not Immune To Financial Worry » WBUR Scott Robinson used to be an investment banker, so he has a pretty good idea why it's tough these days to raise money for his Cambridge biotechnology startup, MicroQuin — even though the company bel…

Lawmakers heading Sportsmen's Caucus want gun shops, shooting ranges declared essential » Worcester Telegram The co-chairmen of the legislative Sportsmen's Caucus are calling on Gov. Charlie Baker to make gun shops an essential service, and open shooting ranges that they say can easily accommodate social dis…

An inside look into New Balance’s quest to produce face masks » Boston.com When Governor Charlie Baker ordered all non-essential businesses to close amid the coronavirus outbreak, footwear company New Balance complied and temporarily shuttered its factories and retail stores…

Faneuil Hall landlord reverses stance on April rent » Boston Business Journal The reversal was prompted by a Boston Globe article and a conversation with Boston Mayor Marty Walsh.…

Recreational marijuana companies sue Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker over shutdown » Boston Globe A group of marijuana businesses and consumers sued Governor Charlie Baker on Wednesday, saying his decision to shut down recreational cannabis operations amid the coronavirus pandemic was an illegal o…

Recreational pot shops sue Gov. Baker over closures » Boston Business Journal Five cannabis dispensaries and a medical marijuana patient seeking to open a recreational dispensary have sued Gov. Charlie Baker over his decision to ban all recreational sales during the coronavirus…

Baker to pot firms: I’m focusing on surge » Commonwealth Magazine GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Wednesday fended off questions about his decision to declare recreational marijuana businesses non-essential by saying he’s focused on the expected surge in COVID-19 cases and …

If Liquor Stores Are “Essential,” Why Aren’t Marijuana Dispensaries? » Boston Magazine The state's uniquely unequal treatment of pot shops is giving the cannabis industry déjà vu.…

As I See It: Gun shops essential? Exposing fallacies in Constitutional argument » Worcester Telegram Gov. Charlie Baker’s decision not to categorize gun shops as “essential businesses” that may remain open during the current state of emergency has been met with strong opposition from pro-gun ad…

Report card from Zoom University » Boston Globe Students are trying to make the best of a troubling situation, as they peer into a future that is much murkier than any of us could imagine when the spring semester began.…

Northeastern students have left town, but those who lived in private dorm must still pay rent » Boston Globe Northeastern University moved to online education last month amid the pandemic and told its students to return home, promising them a refund on room and board. But students living in the university’…

Gov. Baker: Too Soon to Make Any Decisions About Canceling School Year » NBC Boston Gov. Charlie Baker said Thursday that he thinks it's still too early to make any decisions about the remainder of the school year.…

Nature Alert: Trustees Will Reopen 76 Properties To The Public Around Massachusetts » WBUR With so many of us rarely peering past our computer screens or house walls while cooped-up at home, news from the preservation organization known as The Trustees offers the promise of more expansive, …

Everyone is learning how to work remotely. Lawmakers should, too. » Washington Post If ever there were a time when it was crucial that the legislative branch be able to do its job, this is it.…

Federal Support Ends For Coronavirus Testing Sites As Pandemic Peak Nears » NPR Some local officials are disappointed the federal government will end funding for coronavirus testing sites this Friday. In a few places those sites will close as a result. This as criticism continues…

Massachusetts nursing homes fighting coronavirus are ‘teetering on the edge of collapse’ » Boston Herald Senior care facilities are “teetering on the edge of collapse” without enough protective gear, testing and funding to keep Massachusetts’ most vulnerable populations alive as coronavirus spreads…

Pop-up hospitals in Massachusetts set to open this week to handle influx of coronavirus patients » Boston Globe A Worcester location will accept patients Thursday, followed by sites in Boston and on the Cape.…

Lawmakers demanding more PPE distribution throughout state » News 22 WWLP.com Western Massachusetts lawmakers are calling on the state for more personal protective equipment.…

Here's how many health care workers tested positive for coronavirus » Boston Business Journal Nearly 1,000 health care workers at hospitals across Massachusetts have tested positive for coronavirus, though where they contracted the virus is up for debate.…

A vaccine that could cure diabetes to be tested at MGH against coronavirus » Boston Business Journal A generic vaccine that's shown promise in reversing type 1 diabetes long-term in trials at Massachusetts General Hospital will soon have a new target: the COVID-19 coronavirus.…

Bill would free doctors facing life or death choices amid pandemic from liability » Boston Herald Gov. Charlie Baker is taking steps to shield doctors, nurses and some health care facilities on the front lines from liability as a possible surge in coronavirus cases is expected.…

Frontline Health Care Workers, Bracing For A Surge, Issue Another Plea For Help To Gov. Baker » WBUR More than 900 doctors, nurses, physician assistants and other caregivers have signed a second petition to Gov. Charlie Baker demanding more help as the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 cl…

Mass. releases guidance to hospitals on how to ration ventilators, ICU beds » Boston.com Responding to requests from health care leaders, Massachusetts public health officials have released guidelines for how hospitals can navigate “tragically difficult decisions,” such as rationing v…

Coronavirus fallout: Lawmakers call for more transparency from Life Care Center of Nashoba Valley in Littleton after 5 deaths and 65 COVID-19 cases reported » The Republican State lawmakers are calling for more transparency from the Life Care Center of Nashoba Valley after five deaths and 65 positive coronavirus cases were reported there.…

Coronavirus: Massachusetts school nurses are a ‘ready and willing workforce,’ Sen. Eric Lesser says » The Republican While some school nurses have gotten authorization to help their local boards of health with COVID-19 tracing, lawmakers say a directive from the Baker administration would help streamline the process…

Milford legislators call for PPE donations, distribute them to medical centers » Milford Daily News State Sen. Ryan Fattman, R-Webster, said he and his colleagues have collected and delivered more than 30,000 gloves, 5,000 masks and other medical supplies.…

Local officials call for transparency from Life Care as COVID-19 cases mount » Lowell Sun he Littleton Board of Selectmen and local elected representatives are calling for transparency at Life Care Center of Nashoba Valley (LCC-NV), where 65 residents have tested positive for COVID-19.…

Federal stocks of protective equipment nearly depleted » Boston Globe The Strategic National Stockpile is nearly out of the N95 respirators, surgical masks, face, shields, gowns and other medical supplies desperately needed to protect front-line medical workers treating…

COVID-19 ravaging long-term care facilities » Commonwealth Magazine THE CORONAVIRUS APPEARS to be cutting a wide swath through many of the state’s long-term care facilities, infecting staff and patients at an accelerating pace and causing an increasing number of dea…

Psychiatric Hospital In Springfield Facing COVID-19 Cases In Close Quarters » New England Public Radio A state-affiliated psychiatric hospital in Springfield, Massachusetts, is dealing with several COVID-19 cases.…

Convention Centers Fill With Beds For COVID-19, Including 500 For Boston's Homeless » WBUR For the last five days, workers from Teamsters Local 25 filled the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center with rows of walls and curtains. Where it was empty a week ago, the floor will now bustle wit…

Hampshire College opening residence hall to homeless » Gazette Net An isolation shelter for any homeless individuals unable to stay at the town's overnight shelter in case of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis could be coming to the Hampshire College campus.…

Maura Healey calls on auto insurers to cut rates during low-traffic coronavirus » Boston Herald With fewer drivers on the roads and fewer crashes during the coronavirus shutdown, Attorney General Maura Healey and others are calling on auto insurers to give back some of the money they’re saving…

Massachusetts Prosecutors Should Use Their Power To Dismiss Cases Now » The Appeal COVID-19 spreads through jails like wildfire. The infection rate at Rikers Island in New York City is more than 12 times that of the devastated Lombardy region in Italy. In Massachusetts, 45 prisoners…

Another 6.61 million Americans seek unemployment aid as economic damage from coronavirus spreads » Boston Globe But US jobless claims for the past week dipped from the previous week. In Massachusetts, claims fell 23 percent.…

Baker Working to Implement Stricter Guidelines for Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic » NBC Boston Following the death of a grocery store employee from COVID-19, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is working on new guidelines to protect employees.…

What if we always loved supermarket workers as much as this? » Boston Globe In the midst of the pandemic, supermarket clerks and other low-wage workers have joined the pantheon of American heroes. Let’s keep them there.…

Record 16.8 million have sought US jobless aid since virus » Boston Herald With a startling 6.6 million people seeking jobless benefits last week, the United States has reached a grim landmark: More than one in 10 workers have lost their jobs in just the past three weeks to …

Unprecedented rush for unemployment benefits staggers state system » WCVB There is growing anxiety among people out of work who are not able to get help with their claims from the state Department of Unemployment Assistance.…

Self-employed and gig workers asked to hold off applying for unemployment benefits » Western Mass News Thousands of workers in Massachusetts are applying for unemployment both through the state and the additional $600-a-week federal payment through the CARES Act.…

Third Wave of Jobless Claims Crashes Nationwide » State House News Service New unemployment claims remained at near-historic levels this week in Massachusetts and nationwide, and the Federal Reserve on Thursday morning took sweeping action to direct $2.3 billion in relief lo…

Gov. Baker: Over 600 people working on unemployment calls » WCVB Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker says the increased staff is making 6,000 calls a day and has been working 7 days a week to reach out to claimants.…

Massachusetts hit with another wave of unemployment claims » Boston Business Journal Nearly 140,000 more people filed new claims for unemployment benefits in Massachusetts last week, putting the number of the claims statewide over a three-week period at nearly half a million.…

State Sen. Rausch to host virtual office hours April 10 » Wicked Local Franklin State Sen. Rebecca Rausch, D-Needham, will host her next virtual office hours from 10 a.m. to noon April 10. Conversations with the Senator and her staff will take place over Google Hangouts, Skype an…

Legislature focuses on bills responding to COVID-19 » Leominster Champion It is without a doubt that the month of March 2020 has been one of the most unforeseen challenges in American history; with COVID-19 moving the world to a lockdown. It is no surprise that the only pri…

Delaying before, New Bedford council now votes to go virtual at a live meeting » South Coast Today City councilors’ seats were empty Tuesday night while the councilors themselves were strategically seated six feet apart from each other on the benches that wrap around city council chambers at a Ci…

Mayor Charles Kokoros invites residents to participate in National Census Day » Wicked Local Braintree With National Census Day, Mayor Charles Kokoros would like to share the three different ways residents can fill out the 2020 census.…

Arlington residents pay tribute during funeral parade for Air Force veteran without kin » Boston Globe When it became their turn to stand up for strangers, Arlington’s residents and first responders were there.…

Amid pandemic, Walsh unveils $3.6 billion budget proposal » Boston Globe With the city staring down economic troubles brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, Mayor Martin J. Walsh is proposing a $3.65 billion budget for the next fiscal year, calling for a 4.4 percent budge…

Framingham officials take 'wait-and-see' approach to fiscal '21 budget » The Metro West Daily News “We’re anticipating some hits on revenues, but we haven’t seen big hits thus far,” Thatcher Kezer, Framingham’s chief operating officer, told city councilors on Tuesday.…

Haverhill to fine social distancing scofflaws » Boston Globe The Haverhill City Council passed an emergency ordinance Tuesday night allowing police to fine those who fail to comply with social distancing guidelines to curb the coronavirus, an official said.…

Coronavirus Updates For Western New England: Sarno Calls B.S. As State Refuses N95s For Police, Fire » New England Public Radio Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno is lashing out at federal and state officials after the city was denied N95 respirator masks for police officers and firefighters.…

Tyngsboro postpones Town Meeting, election » Lowell Sun The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously Monday to postpone the town’s annual election and Town Meeting, with new dates to be determined as soon as possible.…

Would-be Kennedy successors could miss ballot as COVID-19 hampers signature push » WPRI.com Some of the candidates running to succeed Congressman Joe Kennedy III are in jeopardy of missing the ballot if state leaders don’t extend next month’s deadline to collect signatures because of the…

Army vet, AHS grad running for state rep » Athol Daily News Along with friends and supporters, William LaRose of Athol spent this past weekend gathering the signatures the political newcomer will need to seek the Democratic nomination for state representative …

Mass. reports 1,588 new coronavirus cases, 77 new related deaths; Baker says state still on ‘upward slope’ of pandemic » Boston Globe Governor Charlie Baker said Wednesday that Massachusetts is still “on the upward slope" of the coronavirus pandemic and a period of “serious strain” on the health care system is still ahead.…

Hospitals brace for a surge of coronavirus patients, but how accurate are the projections? » Boston Globe At some point over the next two weeks, hospitals across Massachusetts are expected to confront a significant surge in the number of coronavirus patients, putting their capacity under enormous strain a…

More time keeping our distance » The Haverhill Gazette It likely came as no surprise that Gov. Charlie Baker has extended the state’s stay-at-home order, originally set to end April 7, through May 4.…

Vincent Supports Baker’s Decision to Close Parking on Beach » Revere Journal State Rep. RoseLee Vin­cent can look out her win­dow and see Revere Beach in all its glory. She has been a chief protector of the beach’s environment in her years in the state legislature and befo…

Baker’s supermarket capacity order a welcome measure » Boston Herald Gov. Charlie Baker’s new guidelines for supermarkets, which require grocery stores to limit occupancy to no more than 40%, is a boost for social distancing measures. But it’s also a boon for custo…

Mass. Still Climbing “Upward Slope” of Pandemic » State House News Service With the surge of coronavirus infection weeks, if not days, away from washing over Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday said the state had not yet seen the peak and urged residents not to gr…

Coronavirus death projection for Massachusetts drops, but models are ‘not perfect’ » Boston Herald The Massachusetts coronavirus death toll projection from a leading national model dropped significantly on Wednesday, likely because of intense social distancing in the Bay State, infectious disease e…

Tisbury requires masks to enter supermarkets » Martha's Vineyard Times Once again, an Island town is taking regulations a step further than the state in an attempt to keep Islanders safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.…

Century-old tuberculosis vaccine could offer virus protection, MGH doc says » Boston Herald A century-old tuberculosis vaccine that also offers protection against a variety of other infections could play a role in preventing coronavirus deaths or severe illness from the disease that has rava…

Massachusetts sewage suggests more than 100K coronavirus cases in state: MIT lab » Boston Herald Just one section of Massachusetts could have more than 100,000 coronavirus cases — many times more than the entire state has identified at this point, according to an MIT-associated study of local s…

State releases sparse coronavirus race and ethnicity data, making virus’s impact hard to assess » Boston Globe Massachusetts for the first time Wednesday made public racial and ethnic information about the victims of the new coronavirus…

Is someone coughing in 11F? Amid coronavirus, condo and apartment buildings have turned into towers of fear » Boston Globe Elevator buttons that might be contaminated. Neighbors breathing on you in the hallway. Even the laundry room doesn’t feel clean.…

Time to plan for a phase-two battle against the coronavirus » Washington Post GLIMMERS OF hope are emerging that the coronavirus pandemic is slowing. Washington state and California have flattened the curve with social distancing to such an extent that they are offering spare v…

New Harvard Study Links COVID Deaths and Air Pollution: An Interview with Study Author Dr. Francesca Dominici » Union of Concerned Scientists A new study was made public yesterday that sheds light on the connection between COVID-19 health impacts and air pollution. I sat down (virtually of course) with Dr. Francesca Dominici, author and Dir…

Big E fairgrounds to serve as state's next first responder coronavirus testing center » WCVB Gov. Charlie Baker announced Wednesday that the Big E fairgrounds will serve as the next coronavirus testing center for Massachusetts public safety personnel.…

Coronavirus response: ‘Get me those N95 and KN95 masks,’ Springfield’s mayor says to state officials as city’s supply to first responders dwindles » The Republican The mayor of Springfield drew upon the governor of New York Wednesday, who has received national attention for using forceful language in demanding a stronger response to the surge in coronavirus case…

Nearly 17,000 In Mass. Have Tested Positive For Coronavirus, But Gov. Baker Offers Glimmer Of Hope » WBUR Despite the rise in the number of people in Massachusetts dying from the coronavirus, Gov. Charlie Baker says he is seeing some positive signs.…

If you survive COVID-19, are you immune? » Commonwealth Magazine COLE TURNO, a physician assistant from Medford, probably picked up COVID-19 in the emergency room of Massachusetts General Hospital, where he works. Turno’s symptoms have been mild, and after 17 day…

Ed Markey is ‘deeply concerned’ about the White House’s reported interest in a coronavirus surveillance network » Boston.com Experts say that rigorously tracing the contacts of those infected by the novel coronavirus is an integral part of any strategy to stem the spread of the contagious disease — and that digital tools …

MIT Researchers Developing App To Notify People If They've Been Near Someone With COVID-19 » WBUR Imagine if your smartphone could alert you if you've recently been near someone infected with COVID-19. A team of MIT researchers is working to develop such a system.…

Second US study for coronavirus vaccine uses skin-deep shots » Boston Globe U.S. researchers have opened another safety test of an experimental COVID-19 vaccine, this one using a skin-deep shot instead of the usual deeper jab.…

Mass. Begins Releasing Race Data On Coronavirus, But Only A Third Of Cases Have Info » WBUR Massachusetts on Wednesday began providing data on the race and ethnicity of those who test positive or die from the coronavirus, but, as health officials warned, the data is incomplete.…

Mass. Hospitals To Launch Trial Of Japanese Drug Aimed At Fighting COVID-19 » WBUR Three Massachusetts hospitals will soon launch the first U.S. clinical trials of a Japanese antiviral drug, to see if it works in treating COVID-19.…

Maura Healey warns vaping and smoking increases coronavirus risks » Boston Herald Vaping or smoking could increase a person’s chance of getting coronavirus and developing a severe case, a warning from Attorney General Maura Healey and Massachusetts General Hospital said.…

Netflix's 'How To Fix A Drug Scandal' Elevates Process Over Personality » WBUR True crime documentaries typically champion individuals, turning suspects into heroes, disavowing the seemingly innocent, or exposing sociopaths. The stories that stick may have winners and losers but…

Seventh inmate tests positive for COVID-19 at Billerica jail » Boston Globe A seventh inmate at the Middlesex Jail & House of Correction in Billerica has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the Middlesex sheriff’s office said Wednesday.…

2 staffers test positive for Covid-19, says sheriff’s office » Commonwealth Magazine TWO STAFF MEMBERS from the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office have tested positive for COVID-19 as a federal judge continued to release more immigrant detainees from the Bristol House of Correction out…

State Budget Fallout: 'A Hurricane That Hits All Over the Country' » Governing The revenue drop from COVID-19 is barely starting to show up in official figures, but already furloughs and major shortfalls are common in state and local governments around the country. The pain may …

Logistical Hurdles Compound State Budget Challenges » State House News Service In an alternate universe, Beacon Hill is anxiously waiting to see which direction the House will take when it rolls out its fiscal year 2021 budget next week and lawmakers are busy preparing hundreds …

AG Maura Healey launches investigation into Holyoke Soldiers’ Home over coronavirus deaths » Boston Herald Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey is launching an investigation into the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home where at least 25 veterans have died amid a coronavirus outbreak.…

AG Healey Will Also Investigate Holyoke Home » State House News Service Attorney General Maura Healey launched her own investigation Wednesday into the state-run Holyoke Soldiers' Home, where at least 25 veterans have died since late March amid an outbreak of the coronavi…

Staffing issues still plague Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke despite National Guard presence and state assurances » Boston Globe For a week, caregivers at the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke battled the fast-moving contagion, unprotected and severely outmanned. But last Monday, when state officials learned of the deadly outbreak an…

Deadline for House seat signatures still set for April 28 » Dorchester Reporter Nomination papers for this year’s state election continue to circulate with a looming April 28 deadline to file signatures with local election officials now less than a month away.…

Our Leaders Are Being Tested By A Pandemic. What Does Good Leadership Look Like In A Crisis? » WBUR Gov. Charlie Baker's daily coronavirus briefings have become a staple of Massachusetts life. So have those by our neighbor, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who's updates are watched across the country. Al…

Virus notes: Healey to probe Holyoke vets home outbreak » Commonwealth Magazine ATTORNEY GENERAL Maura Healey will launch her own probe into what went wrong at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, separate from an investigation being conducted by an attorney recruited by Gov. Charlie Ba…

Suspended Super Says He Flagged Holyoke Home Problems » State House News Service The suspended superintendent of the Holyoke Soldiers' Home, where more than two dozen veterans have died amid a coronavirus outbreak, pushed back Thursday on Gov. Charlie Baker's suggestion that the h…

Spilka Still Seeking “Consensus” To Address Ballot Access Concerns » State House News Service Senate President Karen Spilka has a BYOP policy for the nomination papers sitting on a table on her porch -- bring your own pen.…

JetBlue Cuts And Consolidates Flights In Boston And R.I. » WBUR The airline announced Wednesday that it will suspend flights from T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, R.I. and only operate flights in the region out of Boston Logan Airport for the next several weeks.…

Utilities move to delay rate case proceedings during pandemic » Utility Dive When utilities are early on in their rate cases, "that's when they're most vulnerable to regulators, to regulatory pressure," Eric Selmon, co-head of utilities and renewable energy research at SSR LLC…

Social Media Spotlight

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MassGovernor COVID-19 Update: Testing Site Expansion, Grocery Store Restrictions, Crisis Standards of Care WGBH News As Death Toll Reaches 27 At Soldiers’ Home In Holyoke, Longtime Staffer Says She Doesn’t Feel Safe

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Podcast Spotlight

MASSterList Keller At Large: Beacon Hill's Technical Difficulties Bloomberg Baystate Business: Virtual Racing Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith, and Stephanie Murray The Horse Race: Flour Power WPKZ 105.3FM/AM1280 The K-Zone: Fitchburg Mayor Stephen DiNatale WBUR CommonHealth: Gov. Baker Says Social Distancing Measures May Be Helping 'Flatten The Curve' As State Reports 77 Additional COVID-19 Deaths WBUR CommonHealth: On Hubris, Isolationism And Distrust During The Pandemic WBUR CommonHealth: Nearly 17,000 In Mass. Have Tested Positive For Coronavirus, But Gov. Baker Offers Glimmer Of Hope

Massachusetts Weekly Unemployment Claimant Data 06-10-21 » MA Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development

Senate Passes Post-Retirement Work Waiver Extension » Massachusetts Retirees

Tremont Strategies Group Welcomes New Additions To Government Affairs Team » Tremont Strategies Group

$4.6 Million Rapid Reemployment Grant Program Launches in Massachusetts » MA Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development

MassDOT, MAPFRE Insurance Reminder: Summer Road Safety » MassDOT

Upcoming Wellington Circle Study Virtual Public Meeting » MassDOT

MassDEP Assesses Penalty to Sira Naturals for Environmental Violations at its Milford Manufacturing Facility » MA Department of Environmental Protection

What a Week It’s Been » Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance

Led by Sen. Lewis, Fair Share Amendment Advances to the Ballot » Office of MA State Senator Jason Lewis

MMA urges House to protect local control of municipal reprecincting process » Massachusetts Municipal Association

New Measures to Boost Home Ownership, Wages, and Economic Equity in Boston » City of Boston

Boston Police Department Police Reform Policy Update » City of Boston

On the Anniversary of 1982 Nuclear Weapons Freeze Rally in Central Park, Senator Markey and Rep. McGovern Reintroduce Expansive Legislation to Halt Dangerous 21ST Century Global Nuclear Arms Race » Office of U.S. Senator Ed Markey

Senator Markey Reintroduces Legislation to Protect Dr. Anthony Fauci, Research Institute Heads From Politically Motivated Termination » Office of U.S. Senator Ed Markey

AG Healey Sues Orthodontist for Illegally Charging MassHealth Patients for Missed or Cancelled Appointments » Office of MA Attorney General Maura Healey

Drawing Democracy Coalition Urges MA Senate to Pass Reprecincting Bill to Ensure Equitable Redistricting Process: » Massachusetts Immigration and Refugee Advocacy Coalition

Drought Conditions Improve in Some Commonwealth Regions, Worsen in Others » Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency