9:30am Executive Office of Health & Human Services Public Hearing, Via Webex

9:30am MassWildlife Public Hearing, Via Zoom

5:00pm Close of Comment Period for Proposed Department of Elementary & Secondary Education Regulatory Changes,

Birthdays: Rep. Brian Ashe

Governor Marks Earth Day With Order Targeting Greenhouse Gas » U.S. News & World Report

Massachusetts Senate to debate $600M bond bill for new Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, statewide veterans services » The Republican

Democrats divided over GOP infrastructure offer » The Hill

FL: Opinion: Thanks to DeSantis’ fascist policies, civil-rights lawyers have their hands full in Florida » The Associated Press (AP)

GA: Who stayed home in Georgia’s Senate runoffs? Rural white Republicans » Georgia Recorder

Faces of the gig economy » Boston Business Journal

Democrat Manchin backs Republican Murkowski's reelection » Politico

FL: Florida Legislature advances environmental preemption bills on Earth Day » Politico

Editorial: Policing the police makes a comeback » Boston Globe

Health Insurer Pressured Employees To Fight State Public Option » The Daily Poster

“This Is Going to Be a Global Moment”: All Eyes Are on Facebook as It Weighs Whether to Ban Donald Trump for Life » Vanity Fair

Massachusetts ‘happy’ to take coronavirus vaccines turned down by other states » Boston Herald

Editorial: D.C. statehood a bid for Congress-packing » Boston Herald

Opposition grows over proposed gun shop in Newton: ‘A gun store will make us all less safe’ » Boston Globe

Rockland Trust inks billion-dollar deal to buy East Boston Savings Bank » Boston Globe

Owners of Bay Windows, South End News put the papers up for sale » Boston Globe

A New England company is fighting Zoom Video's plans to trademark 'ZOOM' » Boston Business Journal

Springfield Chamber Outlook lunch goes virtual; ABC’s Ann Compton will give keynote speech » The Republican

Rockland Trust to acquire East Boston Savings in $1.15B deal » Boston Business Journal

Chamber of Commerce gets state grant for visit-Arlington campaign » Your Arlington

What recession? Big Boston law firms earned massive profits in 2020 » Boston Business Journal

Taxing unemployment and PPP loans would set Rhode Island apart from almost every other state » Boston Globe

Grillo’s Pickles acquired by King’s Hawaiian » Boston Business Journal

COVID Has Created 'New Customers' In The Cannabis Industry, Says Co-Owner Of Boston's First Recreational Dispensary » WGBH

GCC receives $175K grant for collaborative pilot program » The Recorder

While most Boston schools remained closed, McKinley opened its doors. Yet almost no one came » Boston Globe

Mass. Colleges Rush To Vaccinate Students Before Semester Ends » WBUR

Senator Eric Lesser says state leaders on track to include Student Opportunity Act in budget » Spectrum News

MV politicians support fully funded, locally controlled schools » The Eagle Tribune

UMass Amherst will require COVID vaccines for students, plans to return to normal operations for fall semester » The Republican

Earth Day 2021 celebrated in Western Massachusetts with climate change initiatives, science experiments » The Republican

Proposed new bill embraces environmental justice, solar equity and expansion, utility accountability and nature-based solutions » Sentinel & Enterprise

Opinion: Bringing Boston into the wild » Boston Globe

As part of Earth Week, Governor Baker plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at Mass. facilities » Boston Globe

Baker Order Outlines Greenhouse Gas Requirements for State Agencies » State House News Service

Report: Air Quality Improving In Mass., Even Before The Pandemic » WBUR

At J Street event, progressive Democrats seek conditions on US aid to Israel, others push back » Jewish News Syndicate

Report: Taxpayers left to pay hefty charges to MassHealth by pharmacy benefit managers » Boston Herald

MGH pushes ahead with nearly $2 billion expansion » Boston Globe

Mass General Brigham faces major opposition in $2B expansion » Boston Business Journal

Pharmacists blame middlemen for high drug costs » Commonwealth Magazine

Warren joins push for more housing help from DC, seeking nearly $500 billion for 3 million new homes » U.S. News & World Report

Where’s the puppy love? Massachusetts rep fights to fund service dogs for veterans » Sentinel & Enterprise

Terminated Commissioner Sues State in Wake of Fraternity Controversy » State House News Service

Three nominated for appeals and district court judgeships » Gazette Net

Unions say more flexibility needed for front-line workers struggling to find vaccines » Boston Herald

U.S., Massachusetts Jobless Claims Fall To Another Pandemic Low » WBUR

Our Opinion: Lawmakers should have say in how $4.5B is spent » Berkshire Eagle

Few contested races as Pepperell, Townsend residents head to the polls Monday » Sentinel & Enterprise

Worcester won’t fight lawsuit aimed at diversifying school committee » Boston Globe

Asian Republicans Charge Massachusetts GOP With Discrimination » WGBH

Baker Tours Vaccination Site at Berkshire Community College » iBerkshires

Baker: Feds should match vaccine distribution to demand » Turn to 10

The Checkup for April 22: State removes Lee, Williamstown from high-risk list; Adams remains » Berkshire Eagle

COVID hospitalizations, positive test rate down in Mass. » Milford Daily News

Charlie Baker expects to announce COVID-19 rule changes ‘before the end of April’ » Boston.com

‘We’re going to be ready’: Renewed call for more COVID vaccine doses made by Berkshire leaders, Gov. Charlie Baker » The Republican

Further COVID-19 reopening not top-of-mind for Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker » WCVB

CDC ‘looking at’ possibility of changing mask-wearing guidelines when people are outdoors » The Republican

COVID-19 hospitalizations tumble among US senior citizens » Boston Globe

1,431 confirmed cases, 17 deaths, 94,047 vaccinations: See today’s COVID-19 data from Mass. » Boston Globe

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey demands OfferUp to stop the sales of fake COVID vaccine cards, saying it ‘threatens the health of our communities’ » The Republican

Dracut police chief hits town with discrimination complaint » Lowell Sun

Barnstable sites added to vaccine preregistration » WHDH

State legislators want regional equity in vaccine distribution » News 22 WWLP.com

Charlie Baker wants the federal government to reallocate vaccine doses from states with excess supply to Massachusetts » Boston.com

These 48 Massachusetts communities are at high risk for COVID-19, a decrease from 59 last week » Boston Globe

Baker has no plans to lift mask mandate » The Salem News

48 Massachusetts cities and towns at high risk for coronavirus transmission, a decline » Boston Herald

Massachusetts ‘happy’ to take coronavirus vaccines turned down by other states » Boston Herald

Encouraging signs are beginning to emerge in Mass. and R.I. coronavirus data. Still, experts urge caution » Boston Globe

Baker: Feds should redeploy vaccines to Mass. » Commonwealth Magazine

Coronavirus vaccine availability concerns on Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard as some go off-island for shots » Boston Herald

COVID hospitalizations, active infections in Mass. continue to fall as 32% of state now fully vaccinated » The Republican

Biden Administration Looks For Help With Next Phase Of Pitching COVID Vaccines » WBUR

Gov. Charlie Baker's remarks on Chauvin verdict » Wicked Local

Kim Janey defends administration handling of Patrick Rose case under criticism » Boston Herald

In Boston’s mayoral race, the Patrick Rose BPD scandal becomes a central theme » Boston Globe

State lawmakers collaborate on police reform bill » Western Mass News

Fall River police: Outside investigator will probe errant Facebook post » The Herald News

Racial Disparities Persist In Boston Police Interactions » WBUR

Editorial: When the taxes move higher, the taxed get moving » Boston Herald

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan supports effort to help motorists avoid “rabbit hole” » Lowell Sun

Opinion: Free bus is tempting, but low-income fares better address affordability » Boston Globe

Social Media Spotlight

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MassGovernor COVID-19 Update: April 22, 2021 Boston Herald Massachusetts Republican fights to fund service dogs for veterans Boston City TV COVID-19 Media Availability 4-22-21

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Podcast Spotlight

WBUR Radio Boston: Did Massachusetts' COVID-19 Restrictions Actually Work? Five Thirty Eight Politics Podcast: Nonreligious Americans Are A Growing Political Force NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: World Leaders Convene (Virtually) For White House Climate Summit Crooked Media Pod Save America: “Accountability today, justice tomorrow.”

2024 ‘State of the Air’ Report Reveals Most ‘Hazardous’ Air Quality Days in 25 Years » American Lung Association

Environmentalists and Youth Group Sue Maine for Failure to Act on Climate Change » Conservation Law Foundation

Senate President Spilka Pledges "Comprehensive Climate Bill" In Senate » American Council of Engineering Companies of Mass.

NEW VIDEO: Maura Healey's Embattled Secretary of Transportation » MassFiscal Alliance

MMA webinar reviews digital equity planning and programs » Mass. Municipal Association

Pressley, Warren Celebrate $1M Secured for Black Economic Council of Massachusetts » Office of Congressman Ayanna Pressley

Southcoast Health Recognized by the White House for Sustainability Efforts » Southcoast Health

House Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Protect America’s National Security, Support U.S. Allies, Surge Humanitarian Aid to Gaza » Office of Congresswoman Lori Trahan