9:00am The Future of Higher Ed hosted by the Boston Business Journal, Via GoToWebinar

11:00am Special Joint Committee on Redistricting, Public Hearing

11:00am House Session, Informal Session

Birthdays: Rep. Michelle DuBois

OPINION: ‘Graphic and unedited:’ Police violence against Black people is no mistake » Boston Globe

State child welfare agency also investigated Patrick Rose decades ago. It, too, believed the union chief had abused a child » Boston Globe

Senate President pressed on big fee on businesses for unemployment benefits » Boston Globe

Spilka pushes for intergenerational care centers to alleviate ‘caregiving crisis’ » Boston Business Journal

JARED KUSHNER AND IVANKA TRUMP ARE ALREADY WORKING ON THEIR NEXT GRIFT » Vanity Fair

State proposes sweeping change to vocational school admissions » Commonwealth Magazine

Baker, Sununu targeted by EMILY’s List as 2022 governor races loom » Boston Herald

Jennifer Flanagan announces she’s stepping down from Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, ending 25-year career of public service » The Republican

FL: Florida House condemns Democratic Socialism in resolution » AP News

NJ: Lawmakers ‘nervous’ about new Murphy free college program » Politico NJ

NY: Stefanik raises 7 figures again as she mulls governor run » Politico

NV: A Republican election official just got censured for not buying into the Big Lie » CNN

Biden, lawmakers pay tribute to slain Capitol Police officer » Boston Globe

Opinion: A GOP unity cruise hits the Great Trump-Barrier Reef » Boston Globe

Capitol Police told to hold back on insurrection response on Jan. 6, report finds » Boston Globe

Biden aims for bipartisanship but applies stealthy pressure » Boston Globe

Florida GOP senators say it’s too soon to weigh in on Gaetz’s future » Boston Globe

Howie Carr: George Jetson’s got nothing on Joe Biden » Boston Herald

Massachusetts businesses push back against ballooning unemployment taxes following COVID-related claims » The Republican

Region’s Courses Have to ‘Make the Game Sticky’ » Business West

A trio of gigantic cargo cranes are headed to South Boston port from Shanghai » Boston Globe

ArcLight Cinemas at Hub on Causeway will not reopen » Boston Globe

Opinion: Is this heaven? No, it’s Worcester » Boston Globe

Senate President pressed on big fee on businesses for unemployment benefits » Boston Globe

Cronig’s set to reopen up-Island store » Martha's Vineyard Times

SPAC attack: Third Rock-founded Tango to go public in $353M deal » Boston Business Journal

You Can't Scallop Over Zoom: New Bedford Works to Vaccinate Seafood and Fishing Communities » WGBH

You may not know the name of this hotel yet, but soon it will be a standout in the Boston skyline » Boston Globe

Extravaganja’s Greenfield move on hold for second year due to pandemic » Gazette Net

Flanagan’s early departure adds to CCC turnover » WHDH

Senate poised to advance measure aimed at hate crimes against Asian Americans » Boston Globe

Massachusetts woman accused of using Crystal’s Day Spa in Revere as front for sex trafficking, organized criminal enterprise » The Republican

State Lawmakers Want To Offer Free School Meals Permanently » WBZ

Mount Greylock District Builds Diversity Training Days Into 2021-22 Calendar » iBerkshires

Editorial: Boston’s interim exam-school admission plan deserves a shot » Boston Globe

Key Moments From Elizabeth Warren’s Blockbuster Hearing On Student Loans » Forbes

Asian American families overwhelmingly reject full-time return to BPS classrooms this month » Boston Globe

Warren, Pressley, Healey push to cancel student loan debt runs into resistance at hearing » Boston Herald

Boston Public Schools fundraising data reveals major differences between schools » Boston Herald

Debate growing on what students need » The Bay State Banner

Pool Testing in Schools Could be National Model » State House News Service

Mass. businesses line up behind state's early college programs » Boston Business Journal

UMass trustees approve in-state tuition freeze for 2021-22 school year » The Republican

Guest columnists David. J. O’Neill and Deb Markowitz: Biden is going big on climate action, but let’s go bigger » Gazette Net

Atlantic White Shark Conservancy’s Shark Center opening for season ahead of ‘very busy summer’ on Cape » Boston Herald

Booster vaccines against variants show promise in early studies, says Moderna » Boston Business Journal

Housing Organization Honors Rep. Vargas for Role in ‘Significant Zoning Reforms’ » WHAV

Families Brace For Evictions As End Of Federal Moratorium Nears » WGBH

Spilka calls for major investment in caregiving to help women return to workforce » Lowell Sun

McGovern, leaders join coalition's virtual roundtable 'No Recovery Without Immigrants' » Worcester Telegram

Lawmakers: Use Fed Funds to Address UI “Sticker Shock” » State House News Service

Lawmakers say federal funds should be used for unemployment tax 'sticker shock' » Boston Business Journal

Cyr, Constant win Select Board seats in South Hadley; Matos, Cooke to join School Committee » Gazette Net

Kim Janey’s Boston budget proposal would cut police overtime further, add officers » Boston Herald

Falmouth's Virtual Town Meeting Passes Budget, Funds New Fire Station Design » The Bourne News

Worcester sued over voting rights in talks that may change school election system » Worcester Telegram

Angry Somerset residents elect ally to select board » Commonwealth Magazine

Janey unveils $3.75 billion operating budget for Boston » Boston Globe

Baker, Sununu targeted by EMILY’s List as 2022 governor races loom » Boston Herald

Baker Among Emily’s List “Republican Targets” » State House News Service

Rep. Auchincloss raises over $460,000 during first 3 months in DC » WPRI.com

One-on-one with Secretary Walsh: ‘I've left the city in a really strong position’ » Dorchester Reporter

Sequencing Key in “Race” Against Variants, Experts Say » State House News Service

1,401 confirmed cases, 7 deaths, and 90,144 vaccinations: See today’s new COVID-19 data from Mass. » Boston Globe

Halt in J&J shots deepens vaccination uncertainties at a critical time » Boston Globe

At Beacon Hill hearing on variants, Massachusetts medical experts express concern about vaccine hesitancy amid Johnson & Johnson pause » Boston Herald

How serious is this Johnson & Johnson scare? Here’s what we know » Boston Globe

COVID Variants Raising Questions About Mass. Reopening, Safety » NBC Boston

If I got the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, should I be concerned? » Boston Herald

In race between vaccines and variants, Massachusetts may be seeing an ‘uncoupling’ of COVID-19 cases and deaths » Boston.com

Vaccinations, genome sequencing and COVID testing: How Massachusetts can contain coronavirus spread as new variants emerge » The Republican

Gov. Charlie Baker confident Massachusetts can vaccinate 2 million residents by end of the week » The Republican

Governor Baker joins Red Sox president to provide COVID-19 vaccination update » News 22 WWLP.com

Charlie Baker expects ‘minimal disruptions’ to vaccinations due to Johnson & Johnson pause » Boston Herald

New Bedford police stopped, frisked, or questioned Black people at significantly higher rates than white people, report says » Boston Globe

Court weighs request for criminal charges against Milton police officer » Boston Globe

State awards funds to prevent criminals from reoffending » News 22 WWLP.com

Acting Mayor Janey names head of new police accountability office as critics rap her budget plan » Boston Globe

Facing gridlock in Washington, police reformers press locally » Christian Science Monitor

House Budget Proposes Higher Spending Than Baker’s Plan » State House News Service

Mass. House leaders unveil $47.6b spending plan that forgoes broad-based tax hikes » Boston Globe

House lawmakers file $47.6 billion budget with no new taxes » Boston Herald

Massachusetts House lawmakers propose $47.6 billion fiscal 2022 budget with no plans to take in sports betting revenue » The Republican

Redistricting slowed by census delay » The Salem News

Westfield business owner charged in connection with scheme to defraud state of sales tax on meals » News 22 WWLP.com

Massachusetts RMV extends inspection sticker grace period through May as vendor still hasn’t repaired issues » The Republican

RMV Extends Grace Period For Expired Inspection Stickers » NBC Boston

I-Team: Revere Residents Upset Over New Parking Meters, Lack Of Outreach » CBS Boston

Social Media Spotlight

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GBH News What Does The J&J Vaccine Pause Mean? Boston City TV Public Safety Press Conference 4-13-21

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Podcast Spotlight

WBUR Radio Boston: Johnson And Johnson Vaccine Rollout Comes To A Crashing Halt Tech Freedom Tech Policy Podcast: The History, Use, and Abuse of the Fairness Doctrine NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: White House Says It Will Meet Vaccine Goals Despite Pause In Johnson & Johnson Use Union of Concerned Scientists Got Science?: Ep. 107: What Bill Gates Has Wrong About “Advanced” Nuclear Reactors

Directions

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