10:45am House Session, Informal Session

11:00am House Session, Governor's Councillor-elect swearing-in

6:00pm The Path Forward hosted by Massachusetts Jobs with Justice, Via Zoom

6:00pm COVID Vaccine Rollout Discussion with Sen. Will Brownsberger, Via Zoom

Governor's FY22 budget due

How underrepresented candidates in Mass. communities can be squelched by electoral systems » Boston Globe Everett is one of several cities in Massachusetts where all local officials are elected at-large, and none by individual wards or districts. For years, civil rights specialists have called that a reci…

Massachusetts teachers slam drop in vaccine priority, say they feel like ‘pawns’ in a game » Boston Herald Teachers unions in Massachusetts are pushing back on the state’s updated vaccine administration plan, saying it delays vaccinations for educators, slowing down the safe return to in-person learning.…

Struck by a car in a freak mishap on Jan. 7, Larry DiCara is on the mend » Dorchester Reporter DiCara, 72, was injured on the afternoon of Thurs., Jan. 7, as he walked on a sidewalk near his part-time home. The motorist— later named as Scott Erdman, 74— appeared to have suffered a medical e…

Every Boston mayor has been a white man. Will 2021 change that? » Politico The departure of Marty Walsh for the Biden administration creates a rare open-seat opportunity in the city — and sets up an election that will be dominated by a debate about issues surrounding race.…

Letter: Even a voting rights organization can see need for fewer elections in Boston mayoral race » Boston Globe Boston residents would probably have to vote four times in a matter of months: twice in preliminary elections and twice in generals.…

After Senate defeat, Joe Kennedy III plots new path in politics » Boston Globe Kennedy’s new effort will seek to identify groups both in Massachusetts and nationally doing organizing work in underrepresented and disenfranchised communities and “lift them up” ....…

S.C. lawyer says he doesn’t hesitate to represent Trump: ‘It’s what I do.’ » Washington Post He was recommended by his longtime friend Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) as the lead attorney in the Senate trial, which is slated to begin Feb. 9.…

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Liked Posts Calling For Killing Democratic Politicians: Reports » HUFFPOST Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) repeatedly supported disturbing conspiracy theories and liked social media posts that suggested executing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and FBI agents, amon…

Read My Lips: $2,000 Now » The Daily Poster But the Democratic Party changed — it became an organization enchanted with best-and-brightest technocrats and business neoliberals whose obsession with hair-splitting precision and corporate fealty…

Forget Biden’s Bust of Cesar Chavez: Hunts Point Strike Is the Bold Labor Action the Country Needs » The Intercept Essential workers, ravaged by the pandemic as their bosses raked in millions, organized from the bottom up and won concessions.…

Opinion: Why is it so hard to deprogram Trumpian conspiracy theorists? » Washington Post Once people have gone far enough down the rabbit hole of conspiratorial thinking, it can be nearly impossible to get them back out.…

Baker delivers ‘very different’ State of the Commonwealth » Commonwealth Magazine A RESTAURANT OWNER feeding needy families, prompting his competitor to do the same. Aid groups feeding the growing number of economically insecure families. Grocery store workers, who checked people o…

The N.H.-Mass. tax fight could have implications that go far beyond our borders » Boston Globe Tens of thousands of New Hampshire residents could be affected, as could millions of other telecommuters, depending on the Supreme Court’s decision.…

Trump sends out new email with more to come » Boston Herald The address 45office.com is not spam. That’s the new account for former President Donald Trump. His first message states, in part, “Today, the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump,…

Opinion: Why didn’t Trump just say he’ll run in 2024? » Boston Herald Donald Trump would have left the Washington swamp people alarmed and depressed rather than jubilant and confident had he forcefully promised to run again for president.…

Joe Kennedy launches ‘Groundwork Project’ to help Democrats grow party » Boston Herald Fresh out of Congress and undeterred by his double-digit U.S. Senate primary loss to incumbent U.S. Sen. Edward Markey, the former 4th Congressional District representative is refocusing his political…

Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy returns home after hospital visit » Boston Globe Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy was taken to a hospital Tuesday evening after not feeling well and later sent home after tests, a spokesman said, hours after the 80-year-old Democrat began presiding over t…

No, President Biden isn’t having a political honeymoon. Donald Trump’s historic unpopularity just makes it feel that way » Boston Globe Yes, it feels like President Biden is having himself a bit of a political honeymoon since taking office less than a week ago.…

Nearly all GOP senators vote against impeachment trial for Trump, signaling likely acquittal » Boston Globe All but five Republican senators backed former president Donald Trump on Tuesday in a key test vote ahead of his impeachment trial, signaling that the proceedings are likely to end with Trump’s acqu…

‘Boring is a good thing’: A day in post-Trump Washington » Boston Globe With a stroke of his pen just before 12:20 p.m., President Biden had made it official: Another hallmark of the Trump administration — in this case, a ban on transgender people serving in the militar…

Amazon plans expansion of Boston Tech Hub to create 3,000 new jobs over next several years » The Republican Amazon’s presence in Massachusetts’ capital is expected to grow significantly in the years to come.…

Chef Mike Fucci: Charlie Baker’s war on small businesses » Lowell Sun Baker last week reversed 10 months of punitive executive orders that destroyed the lives and livelihoods of tens of thousands of Bay State business owners and the employees and families who depend upo…

Real estate firm Colliers hires longtime Roxbury nonprofit leader » Boston Globe For decades, the people who put together big real estate deals in this city have mostly been male and white. But that is slowly starting to change.…

What’s reopening in Boston? Here’s a list as the city moves to ‘Step One of Phase Three’ of coronavirus plan » Boston Herald The seals at the aquarium can now slip and slide for crowds as the city will move to “Step One of Phase Three” of the state’s reopening plan on Feb. 1.…

Boston reopens gyms after second coronavirus shutdown » Boston Herald Boston fitness pros are celebrating Mayor Martin Walsh’s decision to reopen gyms in February after weathering a six-week shutdown during the holiday surge of coronavirus cases.…

Drive-thrus and PPE — see the Covid costs now covered under the SBA's PPP loans » Boston Business Journal Congress expanded the costs covered under PPP loans to include a host of Covid-19 mitigation measures.…

Baker: State must ‘lean into’ post-pandemic business changes » Boston Business Journal If employees are going to continue to work remotely, the commonwealth needs to rethink how its handles housing, economic development and transportation, the governor said in his State of the State add…

Northampton to waive mitigation fees for pot shops » Gazette Net The city will no longer collect annual fees from marijuana businesses to mitigate their impacts, and it may be the first community in the state to do so.…

Baker: Policies Must Align With Future of Work » State House News Service Gov. Charlie Baker sought to reassure an impatient public Tuesday night that their chance to get vaccinated from COVID-19 would come, but the governor also used the unusual circumstances of his "State…

Worcester report: Commission needed to remedy inequities in Latino community » Worcester Telegram A report examining Latino educational attainment calls for an official commission on Latino affairs to rebuild trust, achieve racial/ethnic and gender equity, and more, to help the Latino community in…

Satanic Temple suing Boston over opening prayer » Boston Herald The Satanic Temple is giving the city hell, filing suit in an effort to force the City Council to allow them to give the opening blessing for a meeting.…

‘I Would Like the Shot Yesterday': Mass. Educators Push for Higher Vaccine Priority » NBC Boston Teachers and funeral workers are among those in Massachusetts who feel they should have access to the coronavirus vaccine sooner.…

Superintendent: Triton budget won't ask for much » Newburyport News Budget season for the Triton Regional School District will be begin with a School Committee workshop Wednesday night and the superintendent says he doesn’t plan to ask for too much.…

New zoning reform tied to school integration in Mass. » The Herald News New zoning reforms that make it easier to secure approval for housing development at the local level could also assist broader efforts to better integrate Massachusetts schools, experts said Tuesday.…

Teachers complain about bump down in vaccination line » Commonwealth Magazine TEACHERS UNIONS ARE criticizing changes Gov. Charlie Baker made to the vaccine schedule that elevate those over 65 but push educators and others lower on the priority list, a shift teachers say will d…

Harvard Cancels Course On Policing Techniques After Uproar » WGBH Harvard University's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences is canceling a new course focused on evaluating the efficacy of military-style counterinsurgency techniques used to fight crime in Sprin…

Editorial: Biden’s education secretary nominee is the right choice to lead on school reopenings » Boston Globe Miguel Cardona has the requisite sensitivity and proven expertise to guide schools through the coronavirus pandemic.…

Data Points to Second Year of College Enrollment Decline » State House News Service Concerned about the potential for another year of declines in college enrollment, especially among groups including students of color and those from low-income families, officials at state schools are…

Lowell School Committee votes to bring 3% of students back Feb. 22 » Lowell Sun In a joint meeting with the Board of Health Monday, the School Committee voted 5-2 to bring 3% of students back to in-person learning on Feb. 22, increasing to 25% on March 1.…

Baker Admin Makes Its Case Ahead of Climate Bill Vote » State House News Service Both branches of the Legislature plan to vote again Thursday on the climate policy bill that Gov. Charlie Baker vetoed at the end of last session, launching a back-and-forth most likely to end with an…

Governor, Mass. lawmakers in climate bill showdown » Worcester Telegram While the Legislature plans to resend Gov. Charlie Baker a climate change bill that he vetoed after the end of the last two-year session, Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Kathleen Theohar…

Opinion: Billionaire Trump doesn’t need a government pension » Boston Globe As you may have heard, things haven’t been going well for Donald Trump. He lost the election, he was impeached a second time, and as he vacated the White House his disapproval rating reached an all-…

UMass Medical School seeking teens to take part in Moderna clinical trial » Worcester Telegram UMass Medical School researchers are set to begin enrolling adolescents in a clinical trial to test the COVID-19 vaccine made by Moderna.…

Baystate Medical Center nurse practitioner Jaines Andrades highlighted in Gov. Charlie Baker’s State of the Commonwealth address » The Republican In his annual address to Massachusetts’ more than six million residents delivered Tuesday, Gov. Charlie Baker thanked the thousands of health care workers, police and firefighters and other essentia…

Rep. Moulton Urges Older Veterans To Skip State On Vaccine » Peabody Patch U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton said vets should consider enrolling in VA to get the coronavirus vaccine independent of the state rollout schedule.…

‘Silent suffering on that waiting list’: Holyoke Soldiers’ Home Coalition says state plan for new facility falls short » The Republican Leaders of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home Coalition have turned up the public heat on state officials over plans to build a new facility after the staggering COVID-19 outbreak at the long-term care faci…

Advocates make a case for new Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke » Gazette Net As a spring deadline approaches to apply for federal money, advocates for the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke are calling for a new facility and a greater number of beds than what was outlined in a report t…

Cooley Dickinson CEO stepping down » Gazette Net Cooley Dickinson Health Care announced Tuesday that Joanne Marqusee, its president and CEO of seven years, will be stepping down from her position in the next few weeks.…

Along the Way: Sturdy to hold vaccine forum » The Sun Chronicle Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro will be holding a virtual town hall from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 28 to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine.…

Independence House is awarded $122,000 state grant » Wicked Local The Independence House in Hyannis will receive $122,850 from the state to increase safety planning, crisis intervention, and counseling services as part of the statewide Violence Against Women Act (VA…

Massachusetts Launching Free COVID Testing For Child Care Providers » CBS Boston Starting next week, free COVID testing will be available for child care providers in Massachusetts. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito announced that the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) is launching t…

Report slams DCF for lack of language services » Commonwealth Magazine JUAN ABAD’S son was three months old when he was removed from his mother’s house and placed in a foster home after the boy’s twin was murdered. The boy turned five before Abad – who had no con…

Gov. Baker: Policies must align with future of work » News 22 WWLP.com Governor Charlie Baker delivered his 2021 State of the Commonwealth address Tuesday evening in a virtual ceremony.…

Uber, Lyft Look To Escape Mass. AG's Worker Status Suit » Law 360 Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. have fired back at the Massachusetts attorney general's state court lawsuit seeking employee status for drivers of the ride-hailing giants.…

Worcester city councilors seek guidance on elderly vaccine rollout » Worcester Telegram With less than a week before residents 75 or older become eligible to receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, city councilors said they have been getting anxious phone calls from residents a…

Councilor apologizes for talking down to Amherst working group on police services » Gazette Net A Town Council member's participation in a recent public forum that sought input about Amherst's policing from members of underrepresented communities is being called out as an act of racism.…

Boston councilors mull override of special mayoral election » Boston Herald Barely anyone spoke against the proposal to override the special mayoral election — but that didn’t stop the Boston City Council hearing about the matter from including some sharp criticisms about…

Hearing draws support for scrapping special election for Boston mayor » Commonwealth Magazine CITY COUNCILORS HEARD broad support on Tuesday for scrapping a possible special election for mayor in Boston, as the city prepares for the expected departure of Mayor Marty Walsh.…

Boston Council Tilting Against Special Election Requirement » State House News Service With a regular election already on the calendar for later this year, a proposal to eliminate the requirement of a special election if Boston Mayor Marty Walsh resigns his post prior to March 5 drew an…

Lynn Council puts diversity position in Mayor’s hands » Lynn Daily News Item The hiring of a diversity, equity, and inclusion officer proposed in Mayor Thomas M. McGee’s supplemental budget will be moving forward, after facing some initial pushback from the City Council abou…

Some Massachusetts Republicans want Gov. Charlie Baker censured for his support of Trump’s second impeachment » Boston.com As former President Donald Trump faces a second Senate impeachment trial, some Republicans in Massachusetts want to see Gov. Charlie Baker censured for expressing support for the effort.…

Opinion: Even a voting rights organization can see need for fewer elections in Boston mayoral race » Boston Globe We fully agree with your take in the Jan. 15 editorial, “One red hot mayoral race is enough.” It’s not often that MassVOTE — a voting rights organization — calls for fewer elections, but in …

Baker: 'We will beat this virus' and return to normal » WCVB Gov. Charlie Baker offered a message of hope to Massachusetts residents toward the end of his 2021 State of the Commonwealth address.…

Slow Start to Vaccine Rollout in Mass. Frustrates Local Leaders » NBC Boston With Massachusetts falling behind every other New England state in coronavirus vaccinations, leaders like Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone are speaking up about a need for improvement.…

Biden administration expanding vaccine distribution » News 22 WWLP.com The Biden administration plans to increase weekly vaccine distribution to states, triple the period of time that states receive vaccine supply forecasts, and purchase another 200 million doses by the …

Dr. Anthony Fauci On Massachusetts Vaccine Rollout, National Pandemic » WBUR "Thankfully, it is now beginning to plateau and the cases are starting to come down a bit, but they're still in a zone that's very troublesome."…

Proposal for Big E fairgrounds to be vaccination site rejected by Gov. Baker » News 22 WWLP.com Officials at the Eastern States Exposition expressed disappointment that the Eastfield Mall was chosen as a COVID-19 mass vaccination site over the fairgrounds.…

Why Massachusetts Is Vaccinating Young, Healthy Researchers Before Seniors » WGBH In Massachusetts, many young, healthy people who work remotely have been rolling up their sleeves to get the COVID vaccine. Meanwhile, many at-risk seniors have waited on the sidelines, not yet eligib…

A long night of waiting for Mass. residents 75 and older trying to get a vaccination appointment » Boston Globe Syracuse University student Ghael Fobes was among the lucky ones. Logging on right at midnight when some vaccination sites first opened sign ups for Massachusetts residents over 75, he managed to snag…

Amid frustration and confusion, Berkshire state delegation largely confident in local vaccine rollout » Berkshire Eagle With Phase Two vaccine registration scheduled to begin today, state representatives for the Berkshires want to assure residents that they will receive their doses when they are eligible.…

Mass. reports 2,215 new confirmed coronavirus cases, 41 new deaths » Boston Globe The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Massachusetts rose by 2,215 Tuesday, while the seven-day average was 3,931.…

Baker says Massachusetts ‘will beat this virus’ in State of the Commonwealth » Boston Globe Governor Charlie Baker on Tuesday night sought to reassure Massachusetts residents who’ve weathered a tumultuous year that better days are coming, using his annual State of the Commonwealth address …

Official: April Still the Goal for General Public Vaccination » State House News Service Although the Baker administration has described the vaccine rollout as "bumpy," a senior state Department of Public Health official said Wednesday that a target to make doses available to the general …

Howie Carr: Fat chance! Obese cons in line for early release in new bill » Boston Herald Rep. Ayanna Pressley just doesn’t want to make sure no murderers are executed, she’s also pushing the immediate release of all … fat prisoners.…

Fewer firearms seized under 'red flag' law » The Eagle Tribune Far fewer people have seen their weapons seized by police under the state's "red flag" law, according to new state data. The law was used to confiscate firearms belonging to nine people last year, a d…

Record-breaking jackpots propel Mass. State Lottery ticket sales » Boston Globe Lottery ticket sales in Massachusetts over the last four weeks more than tripled figures from the previous year, after jackpots for the Mega Millions and Powerball drawings neared record highs, lotter…

Gov. Baker leans on ‘rainy day’ fund in new budget proposal » Boston Business Journal Once again, the administration is not seeking any broad-based tax increases on businesses in fiscal year 2022.…

Baker Proposes Spending Cut in Pandemic Recovery Budget » State House News Service Eyeing the state's post-pandemic future, Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday proposed a $45.6 billion state budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1 that he said would make key investments and suppor…

It’s time to build a better, stronger Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker says in State of the Commonwealth address » The Republican In his annual address to Massachusetts residents, Gov. Charlie Baker had a clear message: Thank you.…

Charlie Baker concluded his State of the Commonwealth speech with an unexpected TV reference » Boston.com “The pandemic drove us inside, and the streaming services and cable networks took full advantage of that,” he continued. “The show that sticks with me is Ted Lasso. It’s positive, charming, he…

Baker Quotes ‘Ted Lasso' in State of the Commonwealth Address » NBC Boston In a nod to all the TV we’ve been watching amid the coronavirus pandemic, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker urged people to follow the wisdom found in the show “Ted Lasso” in the face of talking …

Baker sending up to 700 National Guard members back to Washington, D.C. for security to help Secret Service » Boston.com Governor Charlie Baker on Monday signed an order authorizing the deployment of up to 700 Massachusetts Air and Army National Guard personnel to Washington, D.C. to support the US Secret Service, offic…

Charlie Baker recaps ‘a year like no other’ and lays coronavirus vaccine priorities with pandemic ‘end in sight’ » Boston Herald Gov. Charlie Baker recapped “a year like no other” during his annual State of the Commonwealth address where he cast his sights on “better days” to come with coronavirus vaccinations a major f…

The Biden Factor: Key Policy Changes Affecting Mass. » WBUR We're almost one week into the Biden administration, and already there are a slew of changes. I mean, the president signed 17 executive orders in his first hours in office alone.…

T Socks Away Savings, Pays $82M In Overtime While Trimming Service » WBUR After another month of faring better financially than budgeted, the MBTA has set aside nearly $71 million in savings since the start of the fiscal year, though officials continue to stick to their pla…

The Trans-Commonwealth RR: Is a New Day Dawning for East-West Rail? » Western Mass Politics and Insight Despite officials in 413 mashing the accelerator as if on a clear stretch of Pike, East-West rail entered 2021 with only muted optimism. Governor Charlie Baker, hardly a proponent, had agreed to a stu…

National Grid seeks increase in gas bills » The Eagle Tribune National Grid customers could be digging deeper into their pockets to pay for upgrades to the utility's aging natural gas system.…

Vineyard Wind says project back on track » Cape Cod Times Vineyard Wind Chief Executive Officer Lars Pedersen said Monday the company notified the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management that it had no changes to its construction and operations plan.…

Social Media Spotlight

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MassGovernor Governor Baker Delivers 2021 State of the Commonwealth Address GBH News Concerns Linger About Mass. Vaccine Rollout, Despite Governor's Changes

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Podcast Spotlight

NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: Biden Rolls Out Limited Racial Equity Actions, Says More To Come Union of Concerned Scientists Got Science?: Ep. 101: A Roadmap to Restoring Federal Science

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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