Massachusetts News & Current Events

2023 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year Dani Charbonneau, who runs the Project Vine Alternative Program at Martha's Vineyard Regional High School, is the first Martha's Vineyard teacher to win the state's top award for educators. (MTA)

MA Teacher of the Year: “There’s Room for Alternatives”

Massachusetts, like other states, continues to struggle with a shortage of teachers. But for one English teacher at Martha's Vineyard Regional High …

The VOTES Act also ensures the Commonwealth joins the Electronic Registration Information Center, or ERIC, a multi-state consortium which aims to keep voter registration rolls up to date, encourage voter registration and prevent voter fraud. (Adobe Stock)

Funds Aim to Support Municipalities With Expanded Mail Voting

Voting rights advocates in Massachusetts are applauding Governor Maura Healey's budgetary backing of new policies stemming from last year's passage of…

New polling from the Massachusetts Teachers Association finds 83% of respondents favored establishing a state commission to study and make recommendations on a better student assessment system, one that considers more than just standardized test scores. (Adobe Stock)

Public Supports Changes to High-Stakes Testing for MA Students

As educators across Massachusetts prepare to administer high-stakes tests for students this spring, new polling shows the public supports changes to …

New data found for the third year in a row, the number of overall white supremacist propaganda incidents on U.S. college campuses dropped from 232 in 2021 to 219 in 2022, the lowest since the Anti-Defamation League began tracking campus incidents in 2017. (Adobe Stock)

White Supremacist Gatherings, Incidents Hit All-Time High in New England

Incidents involving white supremacist propaganda reached an all-time high last year in the U.S., including a dramatic surge of incidents across New …

According to Extinction Rebellion, at least eight activists have been arrested at the construction site of the East Boston substation since Eversource began work on January 11. (Extinction Rebellion)

Protests, Construction Continue at East Boston Substation

Environmental activists are calling on Gov. Maura Healy to end construction of the Eversource electrical substation in East Boston, and move it to …

Members of the group, Marked By Covid lobby for passage of HD.3821, to formally recognize Covid Remembrance Day. Bereaved community members will gather for a Covid Remembrance Day Interfaith event on Saturday, March 11 at 3:00 pm ET at the Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity in Florence. (Ritz Sullivan)

Efforts Underway to Formalize COVID-19 Remembrance Day in MA

Family members of those lost to Covid are urging lawmakers to pass legislation to formally recognize the first Monday in March as Covid Remembrance Da…

Nearly 60% of Massachusetts' incarcerated population is Black - but Black residents make up less than 20% of the Commonwealth's population, according to the Democracy Behind Bars Coalition. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Bills Aim to Restore Vote for People Incarcerated for Felony Convictions

Lawmakers in the Commonwealth are considering legislation to restore voting rights for people incarcerated on felony convictions. One bill would …

New England enjoys a diverse climate that is not often associated with drought. Yet in 2000, 2016, 2020 and 2022, New York and the six New England states experienced historic drought conditions not seen since the 1960s. (Adobe Stock)

New England Coordinates Regional Response to Climate Change

The six New England states are joining forces to ensure their emergency responders are well-trained to handle a predicted increase in the number of cl…

The Environmental Protection Agency proposes to lower the annual soot standards from 12 mcg/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter of air) to a range of 9-10 mcg/m3, despite the agency's independent Scientific Advisory Committee recommending a standard between 8-10 mcg/m3.(Adobe Stock)

EPA Encouraged to Strengthen Air-Quality Standards for Soot

Environmental and health advocates say the Environmental Protection Agency's most recent proposal to strengthen national air-quality standards for soo…

The Post Disaster Mental Health Response Act will help those who experience multiple forms of trauma, including natural disasters, which for children are associated with a 16% increase in a mental health or substance use disorder by adulthood. (Adobe Stock)

Boston Marathon Bombing Survivors Celebrate Passage of Mental Health Law

Advocates for mental health are applauding the passage of a new law which will expand mental health support for survivors of natural disasters and ter…

Tax Loophole Could Be Costly for MA Public Schools, Transportation

The Commonwealth could lose up to $600 million in annual revenue meant for public schools and transportation if lawmakers fail to close a tax loophole…

MA 'Baby Bonds' Bill Aims to Close Racial Wealth Gap

Legislation introduced in the Commonwealth aims to reduce the racial wealth gap by creating a statewide "Baby Bonds" program. The investments are …

In the past two decades, the number of students taking out loans to attend a four-year public university in Massachusetts jumped by 105%, while those borrowing to attend a community college increased by 45%, according to the Hildreth Institute. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Affordability Limits MA’s Higher-Ed Attainment Goals

Massachusetts is not only the most educated state, it also had some of the highest increases in educational attainment between 2019 and 2021…

U.S. Department of Labor data show parents in two Massachusetts counties, Middlesex and Norfolk, pay the third-highest childcare prices in the nation. The annual cost of more than $26,000 takes nearly 20% of a median family budget. (Adobe Stock)

MA Lawmakers Press for Federal Childcare Relief Legislation

Massachusetts lawmakers joined advocates for early childhood education and child care workers on Tuesday to press for federal child care relief legisl…

Roughly 30,000 individuals across the Commonwealth access the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites, resulting in $60 million in tax credits for taxpayers each year. (Adobe Stock)

Bill to Expand Tax Credits Draws on Children's Health Data

A bill to increase tax credits in the Commonwealth is backed up by research showing the credits lead to better nutrition for working families and bett…

Nearly 24% of households in Massachusetts reported speaking something other than English at home as their primary shared language, which is higher than the national average of nearly 22%. (Adobe Stock)

MA Legislation Aims to Improve Language Access for All

Lawmakers and immigrants-rights activists in the Commonwealth are hoping to pass the Language Access and Inclusion Act, which would dramatically …

Callers to the newly launched Abortion Legal Hotline at 833-309-6301 can leave specific call-back or messaging instructions and someone will call or message that person back within two to three business days to gather information about the caller's legal questions. (Adobe Stock)

MA Launches Free Legal Advice Hotline Regarding Abortion Care

The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office has announced the launch of a new hotline for abortion-care providers and people seeking confidential lega…

Facial-recognition technology companies, which originally partnered with law enforcement, are now working with schools and universities to increase safety and prevent shootings by denying campus access to people who have been banned, or to monitor activity inside school buildings. (Adobe Stock)

MA Bill Would Tighten Restrictions on Facial Recognition Technology

Lawmakers in the Commonwealth are considering legislation to ensure police use of facial-recognition technology also protects people's privacy and civ…

The Center for State Policy Analysis found the Massachusetts millionaires' tax would raise about $1.3 billion in 2023 alone, and do so in a

MA Advocates of Higher Ed Set Goals for Fair Share Revenue

Advocates for higher education in the Commonwealth will gather today to collaborate on how to use revenue generated by the Fair Share Amendment which …

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs is working to identify cost-effective ways to ensure the state reduces greenhouse gas emissions by at least 85% by 2050 and achieves net-zero emissions. (Adobe Stock)

MA Leads Nation in 'Green' Building Development

Massachusetts ranks number one in the nation for "green" building development. The ranking is based on what's known as LEED certification, which is …

Unburned gas from stoves and building pipelines collected in the greater Boston area contained twenty-one different hazardous air pollutants known as volatile organic compounds, including benzene, which increases risks for asthma, cancer, and other illnesses. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Ventilation Key to Reducing Health Risks from Gas-Burning Stoves

The health risks associated with gas-burning stoves have caused a recent stir and unfounded fears of a government ban on the appliances, but …

A Poor People's Campaign report examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic found the 300+ counties with the highest death rates have a poverty rate of 45%, which is 1.5 times higher than in counties with lower death rates. (PPC)

Advancing MLK’s Dream of Economic Justice in MA

Advocates for low-income workers in the Commonwealth said today is a reminder of the need to continue to advance Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream …

Members of MAPA's Raytheon Antiwar Campaign have participated in dozens of demonstrations at Raytheon facilities, as well as campus career fairs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Northeastern University, where Raytheon works to recruit a new generation of weapons analysts and engineers. (MAPA)

MA Activists Campaign to End Raytheon Weapons Sales to Saudi Arabia

Anti-war activists say one of the world's greatest humanitarian disasters has connections to one of the Commonwealth's largest employers, Raytheon …

The final report of the select committee to investigate the attack on the U.S. Capitol states,

MA Residents Mark Anniversary of Jan. 6 Insurrection

Events to mark the two-year anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol take place today across the Commonwealth, including in …

Starting in 2023, the pay rate for tipped service workers in the Commonwealth will increase from $6.15 an hour to $6.75, while time-and-a-half pay on Sundays and holidays will be eliminated completely. (Adobe Stock)

MA Minimum Wage Hike Not Enough for Costly Housing Market

At least 25 states are raising their minimum wage in the new year - including Massachusetts, where the minimum wage increases to $15 per hour…

study
by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation estimates a gross state product increase of about $25 billion over five-years if the Commonwealth were to eliminate the racial disparities of wages, housing, investments, and wealth. (Adobe Stock) ">

Baby Bonds Aim to Close Racial Wealth Gap in MA

A task force assembled by the state treasurer's office said investing in government-issued Baby Bonds could help close the racial wealth gap in the Co…

The median net worth for white households in the Greater Boston area is $247,500, but for Black households it is just $8, according to a 2015 Federal Reserve study. (Adobe Stock)

Direct Cash Payments Work to Lift Families Out of Poverty

Advocates for low-income families in the Commonwealth said data showed direct cash payments to families helped bring childhood poverty to a record low…

Consumer advocates say the power-wheelchair market is dominated by two national suppliers, both of which are owned by private equity firms, able to increase profits by limiting what they spend on technicians and repairs. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

MA Lawmakers Urged to Strengthen Wheelchair Warranty Protections

Advocates for people with disabilities say lawmakers in the Commonwealth must strengthen wheelchair warranty protections to ensure wheelchair users ar…

Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., supports the Good Jobs for Good Airports Act, which would apply to any airport receiving any of the $11 billion in airport funding each year, including $3.2 billion in Airport Improvement Program grants, $3.5 billion airports receive from passenger facility charges, and $4 billion in funds under the bipartisan infrastructure law. (32BJ SEIU)

Sen. Markey Rallies with Unions, Airport Workers in D.C.

Airport service workers rallied in Washington, D.C., Thursday to demand Congress pass legislation ensuring they receive a livable wage with stronger …

Service workers employed by Swissport USA at Boston's Logan International Airport take part in a strike on December 8th, 2022 citing wage theft and unfair labor practices. (32BJ SEIU)

Logan Airport Service Workers Strike, Citing Unfair Labor Practices

Some service workers at Logan International Airport went on strike today to protest alleged unfair labor practices. The non-union airplane cabin …

Harvard's Peabody Museum has posted an apology on its website for what it calls

Harvard’s 'Hair Collection' Triggers Demand for Legislative Action

Indigenous activists in the Commonwealth are calling on state lawmakers to pass legislation to strengthen protections for Native American remains…

The city-run Engagement Center is a low-barrier day facility, which serves a few hundred people each day from the nearby

Engagement Center Finding Success Near Boston’s Troubled 'Mass and Cass'

Boston's 'Mass and Cass' area, with its large homeless population and open-air drug market, remains a trouble spot for city officials, but staff at …

It is said founding father Alexander Hamilton once remarked,

Wild Turkeys in MA: A Model for Conservation Efforts Nationwide

Wild turkeys are not only the official game bird of the Commonwealth but the latest champion of conservation efforts in Congress, where …

Community members work on a peace mural for the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute. Along with the Boston Public Health Commission, the group offers a Survivors Outreach Services program to deliver coordinated services to families affected by homicide. (Louis D. Brown Peace Institute)

Group Works to Build Peace Out of Despair in Boston

While community activists in some of Boston's south side neighborhoods have declared a state of emergency following a string of fatal shootings…

Supporters of Question 4 say granting licenses to drivers without legal status in the United States would reduce unnecessary arrests and reduce the time police spent when an immigrant without status gets pulled over. (Adobe Photo)

MA Advocates Laud Increased Resources for Non-English Speakers

On the heels of the midterm election, and passage of Question 4, which upheld a law allowing immigrants without legal status in the U.S. to receive …

The manufacturing industry regained 63% of the jobs lost during the pandemic, but the remaining 570,000 had not been added back by the end of 2020, despite a near-record number of job openings in the sector. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br /><br /> The manufacturing industry regained 63% of the jobs lost during the pandemic, but the remaining 570,000 had not been added back by the end of 2020, despite a near-record number of job openings in the sector. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br /><br />

Voc-Tech Schools in MA Help Reduce Skills Gap

Educators say Masschusetts's system of vocational-technical high schools could serve as a model for other states struggling with a critical shortage o…

1st Lieutenant Joe Mondello, U.S. Army (Retired), at Fort Sill Artillery and Guided Missile Center in Oklahoma, 1956. President Joe Biden declared July 16 as National Atomic Veterans Day to remember the service and sacrifices of America's atomic veterans. (Photo courtesy Joe Mondello)

Atomic Veterans in Massachusetts Seek Greater Recognition

The majority of atomic veterans who participated in America's nuclear bomb testing program between 1945 and 1962 are now gone, but one from …

Massachusetts voters approved the Fair Share Amendment, also known as the

MA Educators Celebrate Passage of Fair Share Amendment

Educators across the Commonwealth say voters showed their commitment to public education in the midterm election by passing the Fair Share Amendment…

Cambridge parent and Baby University graduate Shirley Elliott learned about her daughter Asira's emotional, physical and cognitive-linguistic growth in the course, setting her up for success in school and later in life. (Elliott)

'Baby University' Offers Life Skills, Community to New Parents in Need

Parenting was challenging even before the COVID pandemic, but a unique program in Cambridge teaches new parents the skills they need to nurture their …

Research from the National Institute on Aging links social isolation and loneliness to higher risks of high blood pressure, depression and cognitive decline. (Citizens for Citizens)

Retired MA Seniors Bring Life Experience, Hugs to Kids at School

A program matching low-income seniors with area schools in need of additional help is providing some retirees with a new outlook on life. The Foster …

The average value of home weatherization installation, including appliance replacement, attic insulation and more, is over $4,000, according to National Grid. (Adobe Stock)

Keeping Out the Cold: Weatherization Help for Those in Need

Community service agencies say many low- and moderate-income homes in the Commonwealth are unprepared for the winter cold and could benefit from a num…

According to the Campaign for HIP Funding, the Healthy Incentives Program has resulted in an additional $61 million in local economic impact across the Commonwealth. (Atlas Farms)

Farmers Markets Help MA Shoppers Eat Healthier, Beat Inflation

Some low-income shoppers might assume farmers markets, with their specialty products, are out of reach. But more of these markets in the Commonwealth …

In previous years, a typical election saw only about 3% to 5% of Massachusetts voters cast their ballots by mail. In 2020, the number of voters using mail-in ballots jumped to 41.7%. (Adobe Stock)

Make a Plan to Vote: Early Voting in MA Begins Oct. 22

Massachusetts early voting begins Oct. 22, and voting-rights advocates say it is important to have a plan for when, where and how you will cast your …

Despite having one of the lowest uninsured rates in the country, more than one in four Commonwealth residents reported that their families had unmet health-care needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Adobe Photo) <br /> <br /><br />

Open Enrollment for ACA Health Coverage Begins Nov. 1 in MA

Massachusetts continues to have the lowest uninsured rate in the country, at just under 2.5%, but folks still looking for a health plan - or who want …

The Massachusetts Teachers Association says high-stakes testing in schools is diverting precious time and energy needed for teaching and supporting students mental-health needs. (Adobe Stock)

Not Enough School Counselors to Meet Needs of MA Students

In Massachusetts schools, the counselor-to-student ratio is critically high, with one counselor for every 364 students. Some 70% of public schools …

According to MASSCAP, a single-family household in the Commonwealth could be facing more than $3,000 in home heating-oil costs to make it through the winter. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

Preparing for Low Temperatures, High Energy Costs in MA

Community service agencies say requests for home heating assistance were increasing even before National Grid - the power company that serves many in …

In addition to a bill to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day, there is legislation in Massachusetts to protect Native American heritage, remove racist mascots from schools, and teach Native American culture and history. (Adobe Stock)

Backers of Indigenous Peoples Day Vow to Keep Working for MA Recognition

While the Commonwealth still recognizes today as Columbus Day, backers of replacing it with Indigenous Peoples Day said it would be an important …

The state of Massachusetts is soliciting proposals for 5,600 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2027, a vast increase from the 1,600 megawatt goal in the 2016 Act to Promote Energy Diversity.(Adobe Stock)

MA Working Through Fishing Industry Concerns About Offshore Wind

With many states working on becoming more carbon-neutral, Massachusetts is looking to offshore wind for its sustainable future. According to a 2021 …

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