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Fitch: Mass. Jobless Picture Worse Than It Appears » State House News Service

“WE ALL COULD USE A VACATION AFTER THAT”: JARED AND IVANKA ARE PLANNING SOME MUCH-NEEDED TIME OFF AFTER WRECKING THE COUNTRY » Vanity Fair

Enemies, a Love Story: Inside the 36-year Biden and McConnell Relationship » Politico

‘Incredibly bittersweet,’ Gov. Charlie Baker says of MassDOT Secretary Stephanie Pollack being tapped for role in Biden administration » The Republican

Rep. Pressley backs move to override Boston's special election rule » Dorchester Reporter

Mayoral race will take place in a changed city » The Bay State Banner

SJC takes up local control of marijuana licensing » Commonwealth Magazine

NY: Cuomo’s Tax Hike Friendlier to the Rich Than Advertised, Budget Experts and Legislators Say » New York Focus

FL: Who is Joseph Biggs, Ormond Beach man and Proud Boys organizer arrested in Capitol riot? » Orlando Sentinel

Trump steps out of the White House and into a company in crisis » Washington Post

RI: AARP criticizes RI COVID vaccination effort, demands focus on older residents » Providence Journal

Biden Preserves Key Ethics Loopholes For New Appointees » The Daily Poster

OPINION: Democrats, Here’s How to Lose in 2022. And Deserve It. » New York Times

Speed should not be focus of Trump impeach trial » Boston Herald

Opinion: John Roberts shouldn’t preside over impeachment trial. Nor should Kamala Harris » Boston Globe

Opinion: For democracy to really prevail, there must be accountability » Boston Globe

Six under-the-radar changes from the Trump administration to Biden’s » Boston Globe

Senate Democrats call for ethics investigation into Cruz, Hawley » Boston Globe

Biden unveils a national pandemic response that Trump resisted » Boston Globe

EBMS, Local Real Estate Developers Distribute Second Round of Funding as Part of the New ‘Eastie Strong’ Program » East Boston Times-Free Press

CarGurus puts new CEO in driver's seat » Boston Business Journal

Kraft: “Real shot” at Gillette hosting fans next season » News 22 WWLP.com

Massachusetts restaurants welcome end of 9:30 p.m. curfew, stay-at-home advisory » Boston Herald

Restaurant reservations are off 78 percent, business foot traffic is down 50 percent. Should Boston loosen COVID-19 restrictions? » Boston Globe

Barbara Erickson, CEO of Trustees of Reservations since 2012, dies from rare form of cancer » Boston Globe

Early Business Closure In Mass. Lifts On Monday » WBUR

Baker lifted his 9:30 p.m. curfew, but will it help restaurants? » Boston Globe

Attorney General Makes New Appointment To Cannabis Control Commission » Cape Cod Online

Fighting sexual assault, misconduct on Massachusetts campuses » Wicked Local

Boston’s exam schools adopt stricter camera mandates, frustrating some students » Boston Globe

934 COVID cases reported in Massachusetts schools in past week » The Republican

Council: City could be vulnerable to lawsuits due to School Committee vote on superintendent » South Coast Today

1,900 coronavirus vaccine doses wasted at Jamaica Plain VA Hospital after freezer unplugged » Boston Herald

Antibody drug shown to prevent coronavirus at nursing homes, reduce risk by 80% for residents » Boston Herald

Boston hospitals ‘challenged’ by coronavirus as city data shows beds almost full » Boston Herald

’It was a total collapse’: State health secretary Marylou Sudders testifies in hearing on Holyoke Soldiers’ Home outbreak » The Republican

Vaccinations continue at Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke » Gazette Net

Biden’s great immigration undoing » Commonwealth Magazine

President Biden’s flurry of actions to protect the environment reignites a controversy about the Atlantic’s only marine monument » Boston Globe

Editorial: Biden takes on a long-deferred overhaul of immigration » Boston Globe

Gov. Baker vetoes Barnstable County commissioner recall bill » Cape Cod Times

If he gets it, Baker seen likely to sign the Home Rule Petition » Dorchester Reporter

FY22 Tewksbury Budget: Montuori Proposes 2.7% Tax Increase » Brookline Patch

COVID hasn't slowed down New Bedford mayor; still, he encourages residents to be cautious » South Coast Today

Boston ‘Straight Pride Parade’ organizer, facing charges in connection with Capitol siege, ordered to stay away from Massachusetts State House » Boston Herald

New Bedford’s Biggest Political War Chests of Cash [OPINION] » WBSM

Andrea Campbell grew up a few blocks away from ‘Mass. and Cass.’ Here’s her plan to address the troubled area. » Boston.com

Mass. reports 4,821 new confirmed coronavirus cases, 75 new deaths » Boston Globe

Bristol Community College campus selected as regional vaccine site » The Herald News

222 Massachusetts cities and towns at high risk for coronavirus transmission, down from last week » Boston Herald

Howie Carr: Without Trump to blame, coronavirus turns the corner » Boston Herald

Massachusetts coronavirus vaccine rollout: 306,646 people have received at least first shot » Boston Herald

After A Year Battling COVID-19, Drug Treatments Get A Mixed Report Card » WBUR

Two More Mass. Prisoners Die Of COVID, DOC Reports » WBUR

Massachusetts saw 27% drop in new COVID cases last week; 4,821 new cases, 75 more deaths reported Thursday » The Republican

Governor Baker hopes Biden administration will provide more vaccine doses; wants to expand sites » Boston Globe

Vaccine Delivery Speeds Up In Mass. » WBUR

Pressley calls for better coordination in getting vaccine shots to city neighborhoods » Dorchester Reporter

Study Finds No Increase In Suicides In Mass. During First Months Of Pandemic » WBUR

‘We’re watching people walk out the door’: Six Northampton police officers have resigned since funding cuts » The Republican

Boost to $1.1 billion in unrestricted local aid planned for Massachusetts communities » The Republican

Search for top campaign finance regulator resumes Friday » News 22 WWLP.com

Stephanie Pollack of MassDOT to join Biden administration, Federal Highway Department » Boston Herald

MassDOT bridge operator clocked $103,000 in OT last year » Boston Herald

Funding reinstated for MBTA project in Winchester » Wicked Local

MassDOT Secretary Stephanie Pollack named head of Federal Highway Administration for Biden administration » The Republican

Pollack Departure Creates Transportation Choice for Baker » State House News Service

Getting Gateway Cities back on the bus » Commonwealth Magazine

Social Media Spotlight

senwarren senspilka

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MassGovernor COVID-19 Update: Extension of Gathering, Capacity Limits; New Small Business Grants GBH News MGH Doctor Calls On Governor Baker To Speed Up Vaccinations, Immediately

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Podcast Spotlight

WBUR Radio Boston: Secretary Stephanie Pollack Is Heading To Washington Mass Climate Action Network The Climate Minute: A new day in America: The Climate Minute The MassINC Polling Group The Horse Race: Episode 165: Get Out on the Highway NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: The Fifty-Fifty Senate Is Going To Be A Little Bit Weird Crooked Media Pod Save America: “Joe Biden is President.”

HB5250 - An Act enabling partnerships for growth

HB5248 - An Act authorizing and accelerating transportation investment

SB2984 - An Act promoting a resilient health care system that puts patients first

HB4887 - An Act enabling partnerships for growth

SB2995 - An Act creating a next-generation roadmap for Massachusetts climate policy

Whip Clark Statement on the Passing of Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. » Office of Congresswoman Katherine Clark

Administration opens Destination Development grant program » Mass. Municipal Association

Release: Airlines to disclose fees up front, give automatic refunds for cancellations, delays » MassPIRG

Ending the Tax Penalty Against Working Immigrants » Mass. Budget & Policy Center