8:00am FOCUS2025: MassBudget's Inaugural Policy Conference, Devens Common Center, 31 Andrews Parkway, Devens

10:00am Joint Committee on Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure, Committee Hearing

10:00am New Tools for Engaging the Public in Legislation: MAPLE, Great Hall, State House, Boston

10:00am Breast Cancer Awareness Month Kickoff, Grand Staircase & Great Hall, State House, Boston

10:00am Governor's Council Assembly, Governor's Council Chamber, Room 360, State House, Boston

10:00am Board of Higher Education Meeting, Via Zoom

10:00am Cannabis Control Commission Public Meeting, Via Microsoft Teams and in-person, Union Station, Worcester

10:30am Joint Committee on Financial Services, Committee Hearing

1:00pm Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Coordinating Council (EVICC) Meeting, Via Zoom

‘No margin for error’: State economic check-in spotlights tricky balancing act » Commonwealth Magazine

Republicans refuse to swear in newly elected Democrat, delaying success of Epstein petition » The Hill

Trump is Still Unpopular in Our Poll. Why Aren't Democrats Doing Better? » New York Times

Moulton calls Hegseth speech ‘frightening,’ ‘borderline fascist’ » Boston Globe

Dorchester Reporter » Dorchester Reporter

Sherrill, Warren reintroduce child care affordability legislation » The Hill

Digital, First Tech credit union merger gets green light from regulators » Boston Business Journal

Read the ruling by a Mass. federal judge on the lawsuit brought over free speech issues » Boston Globe

Experts now rate the U.S. as a "mixed" or "illiberal" democracy » Strength in Numbers

Trump Gave the Military's Brass a Rehashed Speech. Until Minute 44. » New York Times

Trump administration seeks to make Harvard ineligible for federal funding » Reuters

Harvard says Trump officials made factual errors in antisemitism finding » Washington Post

Cape Cod Community Celebrates Major Groundbreaking In Resiliency Project » Patch

Barnstable County celebrates new clean water project » Cape Cod Online

New Belchertown festival to shine spotlight on Lake Wallace » Daily Hampshire Gazette

Mountain lions in your neighborhood could be just what you need » Washington Post

No Wonder We Have a Shutdown » The Contrarian

Mass. federal workers stranded during shutdown » Axios

Inquiry raises questions about sports betting wager limits, ceilings » State House News Service

Mass. lottery delivers $1B+ to state for 5th straight year, despite revenue dip » MassLive

Mass General Brigham plans new inpatient tower at Brigham and Women's » Boston Business Journal

Opinion: We compromised on zoning reform because it was better for Cambridge » Cambridge Day

Towns face funding cuts over housing mandate defiance » Axios

Developer withdraws plan to demolish Harwich church, create year-round workforce housing » Cape Cod Times

Feds put Mass. on notice: Don’t discriminate against Christian foster parents » Boston Globe

New Bedford asylee back home after weeklong ICE detention » The New Bedford Light

Appeals court judges hear arguments in Öztürk and Mahdawi ICE arrest cases » WGBH

Worcester-Holden sewer fight heads to SJC as costs mount » The Worcester Guardian

Judge excoriates Trump in blistering decision calling efforts to deport pro-Palestinian academics illegal » Politico

Mass. awards tax credits that would create 800 life sciences jobs » Boston Business Journal

Leaders at Cambridge Super Pacs say candidates for City Council overstate organizations’ impact » Cambridge Day

Brockton elections director in hot water over Rodrigues endorsement letter. What happened? » The Enterprise

Longmeadow Daze: Voters’ Give Thumbs up to Merger in the Middle (Schools)… » Western Mass. Politics and Insight

DePena tries to reverse Lawrence council vote against mail-in ballots » The Eagle Tribune

Worcester City Council to vote on pay increases for snow removal work » Worcester Telegram

Northampton mayoral candidates debate school budget » WWLP 22

Debate, backlash as Mass. lawmakers push safe injection centers for drug users | Harvard deal near, Trump says | Mass. MCAS scores tank | Stop saying Boston is the safest big city - it's not » Contrarian Boston

Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Sparks Right-Wing Backlash Over Rapper’s Anti-ICE Activism » Forbes

Gov. Healey says Dems need strong messaging in shutdown fight » WGBH

Independent audit finds Everett mayor received $31K cost-of-living adjustment » WCVB

The government has shut down. What does this mean for Massachusetts residents » Worcester Telegram & Gazette

GBH launches $225M fundraising campaign as CPB shuts down » Axios

Healey visits, talks public safety wins thanks to state grants » MassLive

Cohasset Faces $18.4 Million Ask for Public Safety Building After Project Costs Nearly Triple » South Shore News

‘It injures us all.’ Allegations against sheriffs nudge Massachusetts’ obscure elected post into spotlight. » Boston Globe

Mass. is ‘less safe: Healey slams Trump for cutting $7M in public safety funding » MassLive

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu wants to talk about crime » WBUR

Abortions declining for first time since Dobbs: research » The Hill

Lottery sales, local aid got boost from summer jackpot » State House News Service

Healey: The state's mulling next steps after company walks away from highway plaza contract » WBUR

Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ could see Massachusetts lose $650M in tax revenue » Boston Herald

Governor talks next steps for "major" highway service plaza contract in Massachusetts after deal falls through » CBS News

Plymouth residents likely face even higher utility bills this winter » Plymouth Independent

Battery storage facility proponents talk plans for Wendell project » Greenfield Recorder

$11M for New Housing in Hyannis » MassDevelopment

$300K Massachusetts Technology Collaborative Grant Fuels Initiative to Grow Cyber Resilience and Specialized Workforce Throughout the Region » UMass Lowell

Cindy Fitzgibbon, Ro Dooley Webster to be inducted into the prestigious Silver Circle by NATAS » WCVB

Healey-Driscoll Administration Invests Over $5.5 Million to Strengthen Public Safety Across Massachusetts » Mass. Office of Grants and Research

Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $1.1 Million to Protect Coastal Water Quality and Restore Habitat » Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM)

Healey-Driscoll Administration Launches $2.5 Million Employer Child Care Innovation Fund » Mass. Executive Office of Education

Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $7.5 Million in Grants for Trail Improvements Across the State » Mass. Department of Conservation & Recreation

Governor Healey Issues Statement on Two-Year Anniversary of October 7th Attack » Office of Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll

AG’s Office Secures Court Order Preventing Two Waste Management Companies from Dumping Solid Waste into Blackstone Wetlands » Office of Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell

Office of Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll » Federal Funding Dashboard Update Shows Trump’s Billions of Dollars in Cuts to Massachusetts

Department of Public Health’s Tewksbury Hospital and Tewksbury Police Department Strengthen Partnership to Enhance Safety and Security » Mass. Executive Office of Health and Human Services

State Fire Marshal, Fire Chiefs Make Statewide Push on Expired Smoke Alarms » Mass. Department of Fire Services

Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $7.4 Million to Train and Place Over 1,100 Workers in Industries Statewide » Mass. Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development

Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards Over $2.6 Million to Protect Massachusetts Nonprofits from Extremist Violence » Mass. Executive Office of Public Safety and Security

Healey-Driscoll Administration Declares October “Massachusetts Cranberry Month” » Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources

Governor Healey Supports Blue Star Family License Plate Legislation » Massachusetts State Police

Cynobacteria Bloom in Charles River Expands » Charles River Watershed Association