10:00am Executive Office of Health & Human Services Public Hearing, Via Zoom

10:00am Department of Correction Public Hearing, Via Zoom

11:00am MassHealth Public Hearing, Via Zoom

State Tax Revenue Hole Widened In December » State House News Service

Boston landlords are ready to fight the city on building values » Boston Business Journal

Ruthzee Louijeune, Boston City Council's first Haitian-American president, outlines priorities » WBUR

Advocacy group challenges Donald Trump’s ballot eligibility in Massachusetts » Boston Herald

Boston Public Schools tells principals it won’t close half its buildings » Boston Globe

As Mass. greens its electric grid, state looks for ways to help ease bills on low-income customers » Boston Globe

State tax revenues coming in much lower than forecast » Commonwealth Beacon

State's ex-transportation chief was paid for months after stepping down, records show » WBUR

Carrying fentanyl test strips could lead to arrest. Now, Mass. lawmakers could legalize them. » Boston Globe

RI: Ex-RI state cop sues, saying he was wrongly fired amid mental-health crisis. What to know. » The Providence Journal

CT: Denied aid in dying in Connecticut, these cancer patients prepare their out of state deaths » CT Insider

NY: Hochul proposes expanding paid leave to prenatal care » Pluribus News

NY: Eric Adams sues for $700 million from Texas bus companies in latest move against Gov. Abbott » Politico

NJ: New Jersey considered $5 million to handle migrant influx but didn’t follow through, records show » Politico

PA: 22 states raised their minimum wage this week. Pennsylvania’s is still just $7.25. » The Philadelphia Inquirer

OH: Ohio GOP lawmakers cutting winter recess short to override veto of anti-transgender bill » Raw Story

FL: Florida ready to follow Ohio and secure abortions rights » Politico

CO: Colorado hires first incarcerated professor to teach inmates » Axios

CO: Boebert hit by hometown newspaper for interview bereft of local knowledge » Raw Story

CA: Jewish protesters calling for cease-fire in Gaza disrupt first day of California legislative session » Boston Globe

MN: Minnesota Uber, Lyft drivers promise new debate over minimum wage and job protections » Axios

Joe Biden’s chances do not look good. The Democrats have no plan B » The Economist

Extremism in the Military Is a Problem » The Atlantic

The man supposed to stop Donald Trump is an unpopular 81-year-old » The Economist

DeSantis smacks Trump and other takeaways from 2 CNN town halls » Politico

State government buildings face bomb threats for second consecutive day » NBC News

US added 216,000 jobs in December, blowing past expectations » The Hill

Trump meets with Teamsters boss, who says 45 agreed to sit down with union » Boston Herald

Former Capitol Police officer who testified before Jan. 6 panel announces run for Congress » The Hill

The Unpredictable But Entirely Possible Events That Could Throw 2024 Into Turmoil » Politico

The Case for Disqualifying Trump Is Strong » New York Times

House Democratic leadership practiced being agents of chaos in 2023. Can they force a repeat in 2024? » Boston Globe

Opinion: A frustrated president struggles with his limitations » Boston Globe

Jeff Speck, Chris Dempsey team up to launch new urban design firm » Boston Globe

Downtown Boston faces unique struggles filling retail vacancies » Boston Business Journal

US plans to award chip supplier $162 million to bolster critical industries » Boston Globe

Black entrepreneurs reflect on business since NAACP convention » WGBH

Franklin County women try in vain to deliver peace petitions to Boston consulates » Greenfield Recorder

NY: Mayor Adams, NYPD say gun seizures in 2023 curbed shootings, murders, other NYC violent crime » Daily News

Editorial: America must not forget Jan. 6 » Boston Globe

Conservative activists celebrate Gay’s ouster as a victory in their campaign against DEI » WGBH

MIT president calls for a review of student discipline policies » Boston Business Journal

UMass students barred from studying abroad in wake of arrests at October sit-in » Gazette Net

Scheinmann: Elite universities’ culture problem must be solved » Boston Herald

Howie Carr: Harvard, the Bud Light of universities » Boston Herald

Rebuffing Calls to Resign, Penny Pritzker ’81 Will Stay in Top Harvard Corporation Post » The Harvard Crimson

Harvard’s federal funding likely isn’t in danger, but it’s leverage for lawmakers to push changes amid controversy » Boston Globe

How does Harvard choose its president, anyway? » Boston Globe

Healey planning to release Head Start funds » News 22 WWLP.com

Seven Communities Cleared For Fossil-Fuel Free Building Pilot » State House News Service

Local Environmental Nonprofit Receivers Governor’s Citation For Efforts To Ban Single-Use Plastic » Cape Cod

What to know about this weekend's snowstorm » WBUR

Responsible Gambling Conference Planned to Chart New Course » State House News Service

Massachusetts governor seeks IVF coverage for veterans in same-sex relationships » The Advocate

Senate Approves New Protections For Wheelchair Users » State House News Service

Wheelchair warranty bill clears Senate alongside fentanyl test strip legalization, blue envelope bill » Boston Herald

Novo signs $1.1 billion obesity R&D deals with two biotechs » Boston Globe

Devoted Health has raised $2 billion » Boston Globe

Even luxury apartments could help the housing crisis, advocates say » The New Bedford Light

Wheelchair repairs can take months; Mass. Senate passes bill aimed at fixing that » WBUR

Auditor uncovers $12.3M in welfare fraud in FY23 » The Eagle Tribune

NY: Lawmakers eye ideas to aid migrants amid federal inaction » NY State of Politics

Massachusetts is spending $1.5 million on Great Barrington and Pittsfield hotels to shelter migrant families » Berkshire Eagle

SJC takes another swing at Uber ‘clickwrap’ contracts » Commonwealth Beacon

Western Mass. Governor’s Council member Jacobs to hold hearing on probate and family court judicial nominee » WAMC

Training center for life science jobs opens on Morrissey Blvd. » Dorchester Reporter

US applications for unemployment benefits fall again as job market continues to show strength » Boston Globe

Mass. Gov. Healey taps Plymouth Co. lawmaker for new workforce post » MassLive

Cutler Leaving House To Join Healey Team » State House News Service

Boston city councilor told to retake the oath of office after viral video » Boston Herald

Bomb Threat Evacuates Nantucket Town & County Building » Nantucket Current

Do-it-all facilitator MacMellon leaving Amherst Senior Center » Gazette Net

Zoning rebellion: Milton will vote 'whether this town will violate the law or not' » Patriot Ledger

New Lawrence council president pledges transparency, dialogue » The Eagle Tribune

Amherst Town Council leadership intact as new members seated » Gazette Net

Democrat Dylan Fernandes draws donations from Beacon Hill colleagues in Senate bid » Boston Herald

Ned Bristol: How will women fare in 2024? » The Sun Chronicle

Complaint Challenges Trump's Ballot Access In Mass. » State House News Service

Editorial: Warren waters down ‘steadfast’ support of Israel » Boston Herald

Massachusetts has low COVID-19 vaccination rate, cases on the rise » News 22 WWLP.com

Senators Say Test Strip Bill Can't Be End Of Opioid Action » State House News Service

Springfield police, lawmakers show support for Dakota’s Law » News 22 WWLP.com

Former Stoneham police officer sentenced for defrauding landlords » MassLive

Report: Domestic violence murder rate up 55% » The Eagle Tribune

Meet Murphy, the English black lab training to comfort and support Webster students » Worcester Telegram

‘It is maddening’: Grief, anxiety over rising violence among young people in Lynn » Boston Globe

‘A huge success story:’ Leyden’s Fire Department continues to grow » Greenfield Recorder

Why we should stop building jails and prisons in Massachusetts (Commentary) » MassLive

‘He just wants a bone and a toy;’ proposed law would help cover veterinary costs for retired K9s » MassLive

Opinion: Sheriff Paul Heroux has made a significant difference » Dartmouth Week

State revenue slide continues into sixth month; budget authors wary » Boston Herald

State revenue hole grows to $769M in December » Boston Business Journal

Clouding budget picture, Mass. tax revenues slipped again in December » MassLive

NY: UFT, Staten Island borough president sue to block congestion pricing » City & State New York

More State Money Means Free MeVa Buses Start Running Sundays This Weekend » WHAV

The state of solar: In final forum, experts debate best ways to implement solar projects » The Recorder

Social Media Spotlight

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GBH News Housing, schools and budget are among the priorities for Boston's new city council president WCVB Channel 5 Boston 5 Mass. voters fight to remove Donald Trump from Mass. ballots

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Podcast Spotlight

Mass. Continuing Legal Education MCLE This Week: Launching & Advising Limited Partnerships: Hot Topics Washington Post Post Reports: Attacks in Beirut and Baghdad, and fears of a wider war

HB2030 - An Act to amend the Williamstown town charter by making all gender references therein gender neutral

HB4165 - An Act establishing a sick leave bank for Anthony Fannoh, Jr. an employee of the Department of Mental Health

HB3979 - An Act authorizing Cynthia Falzone to purchase creditable service from the Norfolk county retirement board

HB4047 - An Act relative to establishing a trust to administer a Length of Service Award Program for the Swansea Fire Department

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