10:00am Agriculture Day at the State House, Second Floor, State House, Boston

4:00pm Joint Committee on Housing, Committee Hearing

Birthdays: Rep. Joan Meschino

Multiple derailments quickly follow MBTA leadership change » Boston Herald

Strained by housing crisis, Mass. funneling millions of dollars each month to shore up shelter system for homeless families » Boston Globe

House Adds Cap Gains, Biz Cuts To $1.1 Bil Tax Relief Plan » State House News Service

BPS miscalculated GPAs, wrongly informing students of their exam school eligibility » Boston Globe

Poll: More than half of Mass. Republicans considered leaving state over past year » Boston.com

For Wu and Healey, reproductive rights become a selling point » Commonwealth Magazine

Debate emerging on Beacon Hill over bill that would limit job security for veteran teachers to preserve educator diversity » Boston Globe

Massachusetts rural school districts to receive additional transportation funding » New England Public Media

Lawmakers criticize proposed Title IX changes guiding trans athletes » Axios

Mayor Michelle Wu to roll out $4.28 billion budget, highlighting ‘sustained investments’ » Boston Globe

RI: RI lags Massachusetts in education. Here's how McKee says the state will catch up by 2030. » The Providence Journal

RI: It sure looks like a Biden aide is running for Congress in Rhode Island » Boston Globe

NY: State Senate leader contemplates ending Commission on Judicial Nomination » Albany Times Union

NJ: Cannabis consumption lounges on the way to Atlantic City » The Press of Atlantic City

NJ: Rutgers faculty strike expected to go to third day, as fourth union considers joining in » NorthJersey.com

OH: Central Ohio's ongoing childcare crisis poses bevy of workforce challenges, poll shows » Boston Business Journal

OH: Ohio AG Yost signs on to try to stop billions in student loan debt from being forgiven » Ohio Capital Journal

IL: Inside Chicago’s intense, behind-the-scenes effort to secure the DNC » Politico

MI: Michigan’s anti-texting and driving laws may get a modern facelift » MLive.com

TN: Tennessee governor calls for law removing guns from dangerous people » Politico

TN: How Tennessee Became the Poster State for Political Meltdown » Politico

GA: Georgia continues charging so-called tampon tax despite latest legislative repeal effort » Georgia Recorder

FL: Tampa lawmaker’s bill to defer prison time for pregnant women advances » Tampa Bay Times

FL: How Ron DeSantis waged a targeted assault on Black voters: ‘I fear for what’s to come’ » The Guardian

OK: Oklahoma set to consider nation’s first religious charter school » Boston Globe

CA: Could California decide control of Congress? A Democratic super PAC plans to spend $35 million in the state » Los Angeles Times

CA: California’s reparations task force could face uphill battle in legislature » Cal Matters

Big-City Mayors Have to Stand Up to Big-City Unions » Bloomberg Politics

Housing politics divide the suburbs » Axios

Birth Control and Vaccines Could Be Next If SCOTUS Upholds the Texas Ruling Against Abortion Medication » Vanity Fair

Thomas Pushed To Kill Disclosure Laws While Getting Secret Billionaire Gifts » The Lever

50 mayors open up about their battles with crime, gun violence » Politico

Jet-Setting With Clarence Thomas Puts Spotlight on an Eccentric Billionaire » New York Times

STDs are at record levels. It could get much worse. » Politico

Biden to remake U.S. auto industry with toughest emissions limits ever » Washington Post

‘That’s simply not true’: Six dubious statements from the Texas abortion pill ruling, according to experts » Boston Globe

White House Designates Animal Sedative as an ‘Emerging Drug Threat’ » New York Times

Opinion: The end of the Republican Party » Boston Globe

Editorial: Fighting fentanyl shouldn’t take budget back seat to solar panels » Boston Herald

Howie Carr: RFK Jr., the outcast Kennedy, has Dems reeling » Boston Herald

Why the Fed’s inflation fight may end in all pain and no gain » Boston Globe

Malden company accused of deadly delay in reporting window awning problems » Boston Globe

Opinion: Bankrolling subsidy megadeals or investing in affordable housing » Boston Globe

Amid the wipeout of local news publications, Brookline.News is just beginning » WGBH

Finley: Auto exec issues warning on EVs future » Boston Herald

Opinion: Curaleaf complies with transparency in cannabis » Boston Globe

Mel King remembered as ‘humble and generous humanist’ for justice » Commonwealth Magazine

‘Being nice can change a life’: Mel King remembered at funeral as titan of Boston » Boston Globe

Testy meeting in Easthampton ends with new superintendent choice » Gazette Net

Soccer star Briana Scurry named UMass commencement speaker » Gazette Net

Regional Schools Still Waiting For State To Keep Promise » State House News Service

Former Lt. Gov, Karyn Polito speaks to students at Nichols College » Spectrum News

UMass Lowell Inaugurates Chancellor Chen Thursday With Address by Gov. Healey » WHAV

Lasell University elects its first African American president » Boston Globe

West Springfield recognized for AP course access » The Reminder

Harvard to rename arts and sciences school after $300M donation » Boston Business Journal

Riverbend Park decision sure to get more debate, with proponents placing hope in new DCR leader » Cambridge Day

Williamstown 'Off the Hook' for Remaining Cost of Trail Overrun » iBerkshires

Islandwide nip ban approved » Martha's Vineyard Times

Driscoll Hopes For “Quick” Filling Of Housing Post » State House News Service

Worcester City Council goes against affordable housing advocates’ recommendations in inclusionary zoning vote » MassLive

Paul Tucker speaks at Lynn Rotary » Lynn Daily News Item

Former employee claims Table Talk Pies underpaid workers in class action lawsuit » MassLive

Oliveira, Saunders visit Ludlow Board of Selectmen » The Reminder

Somerset elects newcomer to Select Board » Commonwealth Magazine

Hadley Select Board considers feasibility study for Russell School that could trump $1.25M stabilization vote » Gazette Net

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu proposes $4.28B city budget » Boston Herald

During the pandemic, cities opened their streets to pedestrians. So what now? » Boston Globe

Tax override passed, offshore wind debated: First night of Falmouth Town Meeting » Cape Cod Times

Arrigo Steps Down April 21, Keefe To Take Over As Acting Mayor » Revere Journal

Online vitriol against Easthampton School Committee turns into real-life threats » MassLive

Former Worcester Superintendent Maureen Binienda looking to run for school committee » MassLive

Editorial: Investigations of what appear to be serious campaign finance violations can’t simply sink into a swamp of inertia » Boston Globe

Guanci drops out of mayor's race after Twitter revelations » Salem News

Belsito: Technology can help reduce maternal mortality rate » Boston Herald

Federal embezzlement trial of four Boston police officers accused of overtime scam is underway » Boston Globe

How UMass Amherst mobilized to procure the state’s 15,000 mifepristone doses » Boston Globe

Why did UMass buy 15,000 abortion pills? » Boston Herald

Springfield diocese, Planned Parenthood react to federal judge’s ruling on abortion medication » Western Mass News

Healey Sees Issues Sharpening State’s Competitive Edge » State House News Service

House tax cut plan tops governor’s offering, would change rebate law » Boston Herald

House’s billion-dollar tax plan echoes Healey’s ‘competitiveness’ goals through tax cuts, credits, and policy overhauls » Boston Globe

Editorial: Poll: Healey correctly reads taxpayer pulse » Lowell Sun

Worcester Airport director: new routes, bigger planes will help with demand » Worcester Telegram

One man killed by MBTA train, another escapes injury on tracks » Salem News

Rail Benefits Eyed As T Completes $255 Mil Land Deal » State House News Service

MBTA welcomes new general manager with derailments on consecutive days » WCVB

MBTA completes $255M purchase of Widett Circle for future rail yard » Boston Herald

Eversource to cut Mass. natural gas rates by up to 20% » The Eagle Tribune

Social Media Spotlight

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GBH News 4 killed at Kentucky bank in America’s latest mass shooting. What will it take for lawmakers to act? WCVB Channel 5 Boston Lawmakers say tax reform will make state more affordable

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Podcast Spotlight

NPR Morning Edition: Biden administration says fentanyl-xylazine cocktail is a deadly national threat Mass Climate Action Network The Climate Minute: Hydrogen for home heating is a dead end solution WGBH The Wake Up: Four Days a Week Wall Street Journal EPA Proposes Toughest Ever Tailpipe Emissions: Minute Briefing

Pioneer Institute Study Finds Massachusetts Saw Four-Fold Loss of Income to Net Outmigration » Pioneer Institute

Small Business Saturday to Kick off Free Parking at Select Locations on Saturdays Through Dc. 28 to Promote Local Engagement » City of Worcester

The Mass Leads Act Gains Momentum: Extending Permits and Offering Protections for Developers » Bowditch & Dewey

MTA statement on implementing new high-school graduation requirement » Massachusetts Teachers Association

MMA webinar covers key legal issues related to holiday displays » Mass. Municipal Association

Resident Charged with Arson in Apartment Complex Fire » MA Department of Fire Services

Critical Drought Declared Across Massachusetts » MA Department of Fire Services

Healey-Driscoll Administration, UMass Lowell and Boston University Launch New Initiative to Advance Clean Energy and Build Geothermal Workforce » MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

Governor Healey Signs Executive Order Granting State Recognition to Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe » Office of Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll

MSA Honors Individuals at 2024 Law Enforcement & Corrections Awards Ceremony » Mass. Sheriffs’ Association