11:30am Youth Summit hosted by Sen. Rausch, Nurses Hall, State House, Boston

12:00pm 2024 Victim Rights Awards Ceremony, Grand Staircase, State House, Boston

Birthdays: Rep. Brian Ashe

Critics pile on Mass. transportation official who called for tolls at the border » MassLive

Senate ready to disrupt competitive electricity sector » News 22 WWLP.com

Spilka Pledges "Comprehensive Climate Bill" In Senate » State House News Service

The best high schools in Massachusetts, according to U.S. News & World Report » Boston.com

Teamsters Jump Into Drivers' Rights Fight » State House News Service

Some migrants flown by DeSantis to Martha’s Vineyard qualify for victim visas, feds say » The Miami Herald

Feds approve Mass. request to use Medicaid funds for shelter crisis » MassLive

Fetterman backs call for Romney to be Harvard’s next president » The Hill

Editorial: How Mass. community colleges reversed falling enrollment » Boston Globe

RI: To tackle Rhode Island’s rise in homelessness, Governor McKee proposes $16.6m for one-time fund » Boston Globe

NY: Pressure rises amid Columbia protests, as lawmakers call on university president to resign » Politico

NJ: Governor’s plan for funding NJ Transit is getting scrutiny » NJ Spotlight News

NJ: IVF and tech-assisted fertility treatments would be protected in New Jersey under new bill » New Jersey Monitor

VA: Richmond's 30-day public housing eviction freeze » Axios

IL: CTA chief Dorval Carter faces mounting calls for his termination » Axios

CA: San Francisco Celebrates Its New Public Toilet » New York Times

CA: Xavier Becerra plots political future after Biden administration » Politico

WA: Seattle hospital won’t turn over gender-affirming care records in lawsuit settlement with Texas » AP News

Advocates fear AI bills don’t go far enough » Pluribus News

America's campuses reach boiling point » Axios

The Pentagon’s 30-Year Lobbying Swindle » The Lever

Defendant Trump Is Not Helping Candidate Trump » Vanity Fair

Biden leans on one-time battleground Florida as a cautionary tale » Politico

TikTok ban expected to become law, but it's not so simple. What's next? » WBUR

Tulsi Gabbard repeats false Hillary Clinton ‘grooming’ claim in new book » The Guardian

Patients are being denied emergency abortions. Courts can only do so much. » Politico

Rep. Neal looks back on $95B Ukraine foreign aid package, ahead to more GOP rancor » MassLive

Robbins: Elitism and arrogance could doom Democrats » Boston Herald

Editorial: Voters deserve a few robust debates » Boston Herald

Trump could avoid trial this year on 2020 election charges. Is the hush money case a worthy proxy? » Boston Globe

Governor Healey wants Massachusetts to be the global hub for climate tech » CNBC

John Krasinski’s brother in hot water over his Massachusetts nonprofit: ‘Cease and Desist all activities’ » Boston Herald

Court rules that company has to pay taxes on billboards it runs on MBTA property in Boston » Universal Hub

GA: Bill to regulate hemp products in Georgia awaits governor’s signature while some hope for veto » Georgia Recorder

Robert Kraft ‘not comfortable supporting’ Columbia University amid anti-Israel ‘virulent hate’ protests » Boston Herald

Emerson, MIT, Tufts students camp out in solidarity with Columbia pro-Palestinian protest » Boston Globe

‘Please come get me’: Braintree special ed. student has grueling first day back at school » Boston Globe

LightHouse Holyoke to buy Gateway City Arts, expand offerings and enrollment at alternative school » Gazette Net

Boston-area students set up encampments to protest war in Gaza » WBUR

Harvard suspends pro-Palestinian student group » Boston Globe

Springfield school superintendent search stagnates; member calls for it to be scrapped, restarted » MassLive

Boston-area colleges see pro-Palestinian encampments pop up » Axios

Former DEI director at Providence College files discrimination charge » Boston Globe

Solar Farm Controversy Flares In Springfield » State House News Service

Climate activists block traffic on Moakley Bridge during Earth Day demonstration » Boston Globe

Rallies planned in Steward hospital communities » Sentinel & Enterprise

Massachusetts' migrant shelter funding still in flux » Axios

How a $500 monthly stipend is helping more than 100 Springfield-area families » MassLive

Neighbors lifting neighbors: Demand at South Hadley’s food bank spiking as more families seek help » Gazette Net

FL: Supreme Court weighs bans on sleeping outdoors as Florida, other states await decision » News 4 Jax

‘Really meaningful’: Some migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard by DeSantis now on path to legal status » Boston Globe

Governor Healey swears in Wolohojian to Supreme Judicial Court » Boston Globe

Ex-DA Rachael Rollins was in charge of policing taxpayer-funded P-card use in her office » Boston Herald

First day of Trump's hush money trial kicks off with opening statements and a witness » WBUR

Felix Arroyo sexual harassment case returns to court ahead of May trial » Boston Globe

Wolohojian sworn in, bringing SJC to full strength » News 22 WWLP.com

Mayor Michelle Wu has clinched some wins with Boston unions, but with bumps along the way » Boston Globe

'Raise the age' bill, free community college are top priorities for the state Senate » WGBH

On tap for the Mass. House: a budget debate including about 1,500 amendments » New England Public Media

Senate may reform trio of consumer laws: competitive electricity, used car sales, heating oil leaks » Gazette Net

South Hadley residents will pay more for trash, wastewater rates next fiscal year » Gazette Net

Leverett Town Meeting voters will decide cease-fire call, budgets, town elections » Gazette Net

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu fires head of commission that criticized her administration » Boston Herald

Jonathan Sylbert resigns as Sandisfield town manager with one day's notice » Berkshire Eagle

Wolohojian Sworn In, Bringing SJC To Full Strength » State House News Service

NY: NYC GOP energized by record number of Asian-American candidates ‘stepping up’ for statehouse runs » New York Post

Could helicopter parenting and a decline in ‘free play’ be causing the youth mental health crisis? » Boston Globe

The case against alleged 'serial rapist' Alvin Campbell » WBUR

Wu spoke with police leaders after report on alleged serial rapist » WBUR

Tolls at the Massachusetts border? Not happening, Healey says » CBS News

Healey nixes Tibbits-Nutt border toll idea » Commonwealth Beacon

Idea of adding tolls to Mass. borders met with swift backlash » Boston.com

Spilka: Mass. Tolling System "Not Fair At All" » State House News Service

Battenfeld: Healey delivers rebuke to transportation czar, saying no to new tolls on the border » Boston Herald

Rep. Neal, MassDOT reaffirm commitment to West/East rail » Spectrum News

Aloisi comes to defense of Tibbits-Nutt » Commonwealth Beacon

Senate president intrigued by border toll idea » Commonwealth Beacon

Bill takes aim at retail energy suppliers » The Eagle Tribune

Social Media Spotlight

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GBH News ShotSpotter aims to detect gunshots instantly. The ACLU says it's ineffective. CBS Boston College students in Boston, across country protest war in Gaza

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Podcast Spotlight

WBUR Radio Boston: Wu spoke with police leaders after report on alleged serial rapist New York Times The Daily: A Salacious Conspiracy or Just 34 Pieces of Paper?

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