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Today on Beacon Hill

10:00am Animal Protection Co-Sponsor Event, Grand Staircase, State House

12:00pm Governor's Council Meeting, Governor's Council Chamber, Room 360, State House

6:00pm Department of Environmental Protection Public Hearing, Via Zoom

Must-Reads
MASSACHUSETTS

New tax on high incomes could generate at least $1.4 billion next year, state officials project » Boston Globe

Primary care is just 8% of total medical spending — and dropping, new report shows » Boston Business Journal

Top budget officials still undecided on tax cuts » Commonwealth Magazine

Busing doesn’t improve academic outcomes for Boston students of color, study finds » Boston Globe

Healey Taps BMC President For HHS Secretary » State House News Service

Opinion: Katherine Clark and the myth of bad parenting » Boston Globe

Debate Begins On Surtax Segregation, Impacts » State House News Service

Massachusetts data shows drain of family doctors » Axios

Massachusetts lawmaker asked ChatGPT to write his floor speech » Boston Globe

'Ambitious and attainable': Mass. school officials defend new school accountability plan » WBUR

This state senator drafted legislation to regulate artificial intelligence technology — with some help from ChatGPT » Boston Globe

Former state Sen. Eric Lesser to join Boston law firm WilmerHale » Boston Business Journal

Boston police account for $31 million of city legal payouts since 2020, including $16 million for wrongfully convicted man » Boston Globe

THE OTHER 49

CT: Could Connecticut be the next state to legalize human composting? » CT Insider

CT: Republicans propose suspending cannabis sales, banning edible sales as part of plan to tighten regulations » Hartford Courant

FL: ‘Farewell, classroom library.’ Manatee teachers cover their books after new Florida law » Bradenton Herald

FL: Fulton DA says ‘decisions are imminent’ on indictments in Trump 2020 election interference » Florida Phoenix

IL: Chicago's cannabis industry needs seed money » Axios

MN: Here's what Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's budget proposal means for your bank account » Axios

WI: 2023’s Biggest, Most Unusual Race Centers on Abortion and Democracy » New York Times

CA: Hundreds of millions in child care funds go unused, even as some providers wait months for money » San Diego Union Tribune

CA: “It’s a Disgrace”: Gavin Newsom Rips Fox’s Gun-Violence Coverage After Another Mass Shooting in California » Vanity Fair

CO: 5 troubling numbers about the state of education in Colorado » Axios

NATIONAL

Congress comes for D.C. crime laws » Axios

Kevin McCarthy Denies Intelligence Committee Seats To Eric Swalwell And Adam Schiff » HUFFPOST

Pence documents complicate GOP attack lines on Biden » The Hill

Republicans Are Trying To Defund The IRS » The Lever

Inside the Slow Implosion of the Democratic Party’s Vaunted Campaign Tech Firm » The Intercept

Google accused of monopolizing $250B U.S. digital ad market » Politico

Trio of polls show Trump clawing back momentum from DeSantis » Axios

Dems mobilize to defend Omar in face of GOP defections » Politico

2024 Senate Race Ratings » The Cook Political Report

“I think it’s really important that as we talk about this, to push back on the idea that it’s intelligence, because it’s not intelligence, it’s word prediction,” Auchincloss said. “I think if we ensure that it’s put in that context, we can have a richer conversation about how this tool can be better for amplifying creativity and for productivity, and also what ethical guidelines we need to put in place.”

Congressman Jake Auchincloss

Auchincloss is set to deliver a speech written by an artificial intelligence program, ChatGPT, the first time an AI-generated speech will be given on the House floor, according to his office.

News By Category
Beltway Politics

Lapses persist for Capitol Hill panic buttons two years after insurrection » Boston Globe

Business

Senators grill Ticketmaster after Taylor Swift fiasco » Boston Globe

Developer seeks to convert downtown Boston office building to labs » Boston Business Journal

Lego exits Enfield after 50 years; town hopeful for reuse following ‘unfortunate loss’ » MassLive

How Boston pieced together the Lego headquarters move » Boston Herald

Business good but employers worried, Greater Boston Chamber says » Boston Herald

Here’s why some young workers want to ditch ‘corporate-speak’ » Boston Globe

Raytheon to reorganize four business units into three » Boston Business Journal

Worcester-based Peterson Oil under new scrutiny from attorney general » Boston Globe

Boston Chamber CEO Sees Lots Of Work To Do » State House News Service

Civil Rights

Harvard completes repatriation of Native remains from eastern Massachusetts » New England Public Media

Neo-Nazis on South Coast: Local LGBTQ+ group concerned but says ‘we will move forward’ » New Bedford Light

Education

Lawmakers push for universal free school meals » The Eagle Tribune

Parent group blasts ACLU over book ban stance » Newburyport News

Ed Officials Adjust Plans To Measure Recovery From Pandemic » State House News Service

Boston city councilors continue push for cops in schools following report, fight » Boston Herald

Opinion: Ron DeSantis’s fear of American history » Boston Globe

Environment

Vineyard Wind opponents ask federal judge to halt project over environmental concerns » Boston Globe

A consultant suggests planting 34,000 trees in Worcester. What would that cost? » Worcester Telegram

Health Care

Legislation addresses root causes of health disparities in the state » Boston Globe

Up for the challenge: Somerville city councilor looks to abolish medical debt » Boston Herald

Opinion: Doctor doesn’t buy the line that drug ads seek ‘target patient’ » Boston Globe

Gov. Maura Healey taps Kate Walsh for health and human services secretary » MassLive

Maura Healey appoints new secretary of health and human services » Boston Globe

Housing

Housing Check: Gov. Maura Healey and affordable housing » WBUR

Fireside Tavern to Make Way for 9-Unit, Mixed Use Apartment Building » Jamaica Plain News

Human Services

South Station is giving homeless people the cold shoulder » Boston Globe

Labor

December Brought Mass. Close to Pre-Pandemic Employment » Banker & Tradesman

Legislative

Margaret Scarsdale: Serving you is the honor of a lifetime » Lowell Sun

State Rep. Jenny Armini aims to focus on veterans » Lynn Daily News Item

Local Government

Holyoke mayor seeks ouster of Historical Commission chairwoman » Gazette Net

Boston Eyesore? City Hall Nearly the Ugliest Building in US, Survey Says » NBC Boston

Haverhill Councilors Change Date of Consentino School Special Election Because of MCAS Conflict » WHAV

Politics

Stacia Kraft enters mayor's race » Salem News

Howie Carr: The tale of an epic betrayal by payroll patriots » Boston Herald

Public Health

FDA proposes limits for lead in baby food » Boston Globe

Springfield announces expansion of opioid response initiatives and programs » MassLive

Public Safety

Fall River police sued again: Man says he was hurt when cops barged into wrong apartment » The Herald News

Editorial: Monterey Park: Yes, it can happen here » Boston Globe

State Finance

Millionaire’s tax adds a new variable in uncertain state budget cycle » WGBH

Taxation

Legislators Still Feeling Sting From 62F » State House News Service

Analysts See Tax Revenues Holding At Elevated Levels » State House News Service

Transportation

Cape Cod bridge project cost worth looking at, Healey says it’s a priority » Boston Herald

Commission reviews economic, environmental impacts of rail system » The Recorder

Lawmakers pushing for MBTA to electrify Commuter Rail by 2035 » Boston Herald

Greenfield calls for more passenger rail to Boston as commission mulls how to get the trains rolling » MassLive

Editorial: Mass. Dems must get on board bus buy plan » Boston Herald

‘Terrible,’ ‘inconvenient,’ ‘aggravating’: Some commuters use ‘all the bad words’ for North Station’s new fare gates » Boston Globe

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Recipe of the Week

Beef Barley Soup With Lemon

Melissa Clark — New York Times Cooking

Ingredients

1 pound beef stew meat, cut into ½-inch cubes

2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), plus more as needed

1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 celery stalks, diced

3 small or 2 large leeks, thinly sliced

1 fennel bulb, diced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

¾ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon sweet paprika

Large pinch of cayenne (optional)

1 quart beef or chicken stock

3 sage sprigs

2 rosemary sprigs

2 bay leaves

2 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks

2 parsnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks

2 large turnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

¾ cup pearled barley

8 cups baby spinach or baby kale (8 ounces)

¼ cup chopped parsley

Finely grated zest of 1 small lemon, plus fresh lemon juice to taste

Thinly sliced jalapeños or other chiles, for serving (optional)

Directions

Season beef with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Let mixture stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add meat and cook in batches, turning occasionally, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Drizzle in more oil if the pan seems dry. Transfer the browned meat to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

Add garlic, celery, leek and fennel to the pan; cook until soft, about 7 minutes, adjusting the heat if necessary to prevent burning. Push the vegetables to one side, and, if the pan looks dry, add a bit more oil. Add tomato paste and spices to the cleared spot and cook until tomato paste is darkened and caramelized, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir together vegetables and tomato paste.

Return meat to the pot. Pour in stock and 8 cups water. Using kitchen string, tie sage, rosemary and bay leaves into a bundle and drop into pot. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, partly covered, for 1 hour.

Stir in the carrots, parsnips, turnips, barley, 1 teaspoon salt and remaining ½ teaspoon pepper. Simmer until barley is cooked through and meat is tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour more. Pull herb bunch from pot and discard.

Stir spinach and parsley into pot until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes (kale may take a few minutes longer), then stir in lemon zest and juice. If soup is too thick, thin it with a little water. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Serve with chiles, if you like.



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