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

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

5:00pm Close of Comment Period for Department of Elementary & Secondary Education Proposed Regulatory Changes, Submit via email to mary.e.morales@mass.gov

5:00pm Close of Comment Period for Executive Office of Housing & Economic Development Regulatory Repeal, Submit via email to Robert.McGovern@mass.gov

5:00pm Close of Comment Period for Department of Housing & Community Development Regulatory Changes, Submit via email to Chris.McClave@mass.gov

House Eyes More Transparency From Advocacy Groups » State House News Service

Massachusetts House will review its rules, citing concerns about the rise of ‘opaque’ advocacy groups » Boston Globe

With Latinos Dying At Higher Rates From COVID, Brigham And Women’s Hospital Intervenes » WBUR

Rep. Lori Trahan says she has tested positive for COVID-19 » The Eagle Tribune

Rep. Ayanna Pressley Pushes Gov. Baker To Ensure Vaccine Equity » WGBH

Let’s try this (climate change bill) again » Commonwealth Magazine

Mass. GDP rises again, closing in on pre-pandemic levels » Boston Business Journal

ANGRY HEDGE FUND BILLIONAIRE LEON COOPERMAN IS MAD AT GAMESTOP REDDITORS FOR “ATTACKING WEALTHY PEOPLE” » Vanity Fair

AOC TELLS TED CRUZ TO TAKE HIS GAMESTOP BIPARTISANSHIP AND SHOVE IT UP HIS ASS » Vanity Fair

Jayapal pushes Biden to go further on progressive priorities » Politico

Biden’s sign language interpreter has translated far-right misinformation » Washington Post

FL: Gov. DeSantis health budget wins praise — mostly » FLAPOL

NJ: Bill would create state government unit to investigate sexual misconduct in politics » POLITICO

The Antipope of Mar-a-Lago » Politico

Trump team hires 2 ex-prosecutors with ethics experience » Boston Globe

Former Obama aide to be tapped as Iran envoy, angering a highly polarized community of experts » Boston Globe

Trump isn’t president. He isn’t even on social media. But he is still everywhere in the news » Boston Globe

Pelosi wants security money to face ‘enemy’ within House » Boston Globe

Stimulus check update: Reps. Ayanna Pressley, Jim McGovern join House progressives in pressing for recurring payments ‘to those who need it most’ » The Republican

Judge won’t block Mass. men’s extradition to Japan in case of former Nissan CEO’s escape » Boston Globe

Sec. Bill Galvin To Mass. Investors After GameStop Stock Surge: 'Be Careful. Be Very Careful' » WGBH

Restaurants struggling with capacity restrictions » Lowell Sun

Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin calls for 30-day suspension of GameStop stock trading after shares skyrocket » The Republican

Secretary Of The Commonwealth William Galvin Addresses Stock Market Concerns » CBS Boston

Revolutionary Clinics drops lawsuit over cannabis license restrictions in Cambridge » Boston Business Journal

Falmouth Selects Kairav S. White As Project 351 Ambassador » The Bourne News

Report: Future Of Education Lies In Community Collaboration » WBUR

School Committee refuses to release records related to potential lawsuits associated with superintendent » South Coast Today

Amherst school officials, union navigating path to in-person learning » Gazette Net

Goshen joins effort to get New Hingham teachers vaccinated now » Gazette Net

Letter: Governor Baker needs a scientific reality check » Worcester Telegram

Take Two: Lawmakers Again Send Climate Bill to Baker » WBUR

Jiminy Peak a model for renewable energy tax incentives, Rep. Neal says » Berkshire Eagle

‘Don’t let them intimidate you’: Massachusetts police department gives residents tips for dealing with aggressive turkeys » The Republican

Rep. Neal talks renewable energy, pandemic, DC politics at Berkshire East » Gazette Net

State regulators expect casino crowds to return with 24-hour operations » The Republican

Marlborough Adult Day Care Fined Over Billing Practices: AG » Brookline Patch

J&J vaccine, developed with Beth Israel, is 66 percent effective globally » Boston Globe

Johnson & Johnson 1-dose shot prevents coronavirus, but less than some others » Boston Herald

AG: Lowell adult day care center fined for improperly billing MassHealth » Lowell Sun

Marlborough facility agrees to pay for improper MassHealth billing » The Metro West Daily News

COVID-19 vaccination site to open at Mercantile Center, for UMass Memorial patients » Worcester Telegram

FDA Issues Warning to Drug Compounding Company PCCA » State House News Service

One of Boston’s largest landlords launches program to sharply cut evictions » Boston Globe

Walsh leads city’s annual census of the homeless » Boston Globe

Is the coronavirus vaccine free? Charlie Baker says yes but state asking for health insurance info anyway » Boston Herald

‘This is how our system works’: Public defender Randy Gioia charges Springfield Mayor Sarno, Police Commissioner Clapprood with stoking fear » The Republican

Mass. recovers $252 million from thousands of fraudulent unemployment claims » Fox 25 News

House delays rules debate amid transparency push » Commonwealth Magazine

Holden state Rep. Kimberly Ferguson joins House GOP leadership » Worcester Telegram

Opinion: Arm yourself against conspiracy theories » Boston Globe

Annissa Essaibi-George announces mayoral run » Boston Herald

In Boston mayoral race, Essaibi-George says she’s in and Gross says he’s out » Boston Globe

Opinion: New Year Brings Same Old Political Nonsense » The Valley Patriot

Mass. will offer more help for people struggling to get vaccination appointments » Boston Globe

Call center coming soon for vaccine appointments, but Massachusetts has no plans to centralize online registration for now » Boston Herald

192 Massachusetts communities at high risk for coronavirus transmission, continuing decline » Boston Herald

Barnstable County expects delay in phase 2 vaccine rollout » Cape Cod Times

Coronavirus variant from South Africa detected in U.S., all 3 variants are ‘probably’ already in Massachusetts » Boston Herald

Inequities plague Massachusetts coronavirus vaccine rollout » Boston Herald

Mass. reports 4,222 new confirmed coronavirus cases, 43 new deaths » Boston Globe

Springfield librarians, elder affairs workers will assist residents in registering online for COVID vaccines » The Republican

Seniors 75+ are eligible for vaccination, but demand exceeds availability—for now » Harvard Press

Lawmaker 'stunned' by state’s silence on funeral director vaccinations » Worcester Telegram

Raymond V. Mariano: Massachusetts' inadequate vaccine rollout has been a Titanic shipwreck » Worcester Telegram

Massachusetts needs to speed up pace of vaccine rollout, Congresswoman Katherine Clark says » The Republican

AG Healey says Baker should adopt “wartime” approach in vaccination battle » Lowell Sun

Phase 2 vaccinations are set to begin Monday. But many cities and towns say they have no way to make that happen » Boston Globe

Vaccine appointment site knocked as "maze of links" » Dorchester Reporter

Baker urges frustrated residents to keep checking for coronavirus vaccination slots, says call center will open next week » Boston Globe

Massachusetts lawmakers call on Charlie Baker to create a centralized website and phone number for vaccine appointments » Boston.com

Western Mass. to get 3,000 more COVID vaccine doses per week as legislators demand ‘fair share’ » The Republican

At Least for Now, Fenway Is the People’s Park » Boston Magazine

‘Should have been done yesterday’: Legislators call for better COVID vaccine registration system; governor says hotline in the works » The Republican

State’s hope of vaccinating almost everyone by the end of summer depends on a lot going right » Boston Globe

Berkshires lead in vaccine administration, even amid statewide registration, supply issues » Berkshire Eagle

AG: Gov. not communicating vaccine plan well enough » News 22 WWLP.com

192 Massachusetts cities and towns now at ‘high risk’ for COVID spread, down from 222 last week » The Republican

Massachusetts reports 4,222 new COVID cases, 43 new deaths on Thursday as active cases drop below 80K » The Republican

Baker: Over 35,000 New Vaccination Appointments Added, But Many Are Already Booked » NECN

Johnson & Johnson Sees “Promising Moment” for Vaccine Candidate » State House News Service

Worcester officials seeing declines in COVID-19 cases » Worcester Telegram

Dear Jo with Sen. Jo Comerford: Meeting this crisis moment: COVID-19 vaccines » Gazette Net

Local health departments say they could use many more COVID-19 vaccine doses » Gazette Net

Four area towns in state’s highest-risk category with COVID-19 case numbers » The Recorder

Batter Up: Fenway Ready For Mass Vaccinations » State House News Service

Editorial: Biden must not miss the urgency of the moment on criminal justice reform » Boston Globe

Opinion: Federal executions — cruel and too usual » Boston Globe

Boston’s next police commissioner says top priority is continuing reforms » Boston Herald

After Michelle Carter texting suicide case, bill would penalize those who press others to die by suicide » The Republican

Bill inspired by case of Plainville's Michelle Carter refiled on Beacon Hill » The Sun Chronicle

DOES THE FORMER BPD COMMISSIONER EVEN LIVE IN BOSTON? » Dig Boston

Howie Carr: Vaccine mess shades of RMV, state police OT scam and more » Boston Herald

Healey hopes to play more offense under Biden admin » News 22 WWLP.com

Tax Assistance Program Seen as Difference Maker » State House News Service

State reps try to ban Comcast data cap and price hikes until pandemic is over » Ars Technica

New Massachusetts Bill Would Ban Broadband Caps During the Pandemic » Vice

Social Media Spotlight

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MassGovernor COVID-19 Update: $45 Million More in Small Business Grants GBH News Rep. Ayanna Pressley On Her Push To Ensure Vaccine Equity, End The Federal Death Penalty, And More CBS Boston Boston Police Commissioner William Gross Announces Retirement

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Podcast Spotlight

Mass Climate Action Network The Climate Minute: A big day for the planet : The Climate Minute Five Thirty Eight Politics Podcast: How The Georgia Runoffs Changed The ‘Polling Is Broken’ Narrative NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: Interview: Tired Of Gridlock, GOP Sen. Rob Portman Won't Seek Reelection Crooked Media Pod Save America: “Go Big or Lose Small.”

HB5250 - An Act enabling partnerships for growth

HB5248 - An Act authorizing and accelerating transportation investment

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

MBTA Celebrates Autism Acceptance Month with Inaugural Participation in the Autism Transit Project » MBTA

MMA’s 2nd ‘Climate Action’ webinar focuses on planning » Mass. Municipal Association

Massachusetts Gaming Commission Grants $1.5M in Workforce Development Initiatives to Boost Career Training across Commonwealth Grants Funded by Community Mitigation Fund » Mass. Gaming Commission

Union Carpenters Hold Rally at Polar Park » North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters

MassHousing Announces New Round of Neighborhood Stabilization Program Capital Grants » MassHousing

Fossil Fuel Companies Make Billions in Profit as We Suffer Billions in Losses: 2024 Edition » Union of Concerned Scientists

City of Boston and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Announce BlueBikes Support During 2024 MBTA Closures » Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

Time to Speed Up the Pace of the Legislature » Progressive Mass