5:30pm Birthday Fundraiser for Springfield City Council Candidate Lezlie Campbell

5:30pm Campaign Fundraiser for Worcester City Council Candidate Rick Cipro

Birthdays: Rep. Russell Holmes

Legislators, advocates call for Mass. prison reforms after Spotlight investigation into excessive force allegations » Boston Globe

NJ: Democratic workers form union, seek more time off 11 weeks before Election Day » New Jersey Globe

RI: Sen. Gayle Goldin to step down for post in Biden administration » The Associated Press (AP)

FL: DeSantis 2024 -- No Hospital Beds, But Plenty of Death » Real Clear Politics

'We Need To Hear Black Women's Voices': Study At Boston Hospitals Looks At Wide Disparity In Maternal Deaths » WGBH

U.S. to Advise Boosters for Most Americans 8 Months After Vaccination » New York Times

Want to know what we could have done with all of the money we’ve wasted in the last 20 years​? Look at China » Raw Story

State’s Share of Casino Revenues Hits Record in July » State House News Service

Many council hopefuls support return to elected school committee » Dorchester Reporter

Andrea Campbell Ramps Up Criticism Of Janey, Citing 'Missteps Or Inaction On Major Crises' » WGBH

More carbon pricing could enable state to meet climate goals, report says » Berkshire Eagle

‘I stand squarely behind my decision.’ Biden defends withdrawal amid deadly chaos in Afghanistan » Boston Globe

Democrats largely back Biden on Afghanistan but press for speedy evacuation of US personnel and allies » Boston Globe

Biden admits he’s surprised by ‘rapid collapse’ in Afghanistan after Taliban takeover, stands behind decision to pull out » Boston Herald

Fall of Afghanistan raises new 9/11 terror concerns » Boston Herald

Battenfeld: Afghanistan debacle is permanent stain on Biden presidency » Boston Herald

Opinion: The Taliban seizure of Afghanistan was long — and invisible — in the making » Boston Globe

Editorial: Chaotic US exit from Afghanistan demands swift action » Boston Globe

State Street says goodbye to Manhattan offices, but does not intend to bail on Boston » Boston Globe

US will investigate Tesla’s autopilot system after crashes » Boston Globe

Fidelity bites on bitcoin » Boston Globe

PTC becomes latest large Mass. firm to require vaccinations for U.S. workers » Boston Business Journal

Concepcion says 'personal experience' will shape her work on cannabis commission » Boston Business Journal

Cannabis Connoisseurs Called to Choose Cup Champions » State House News Service

Advertising Restrictions Lead Cannabis Companies to Get Creative » State House News Service

Mass. leaders hope this school year will be back to normal — with no remote learning. Is that realistic? » Boston Globe

North Adams School Committee Approves Universal Mask Policy » iBerkshires

Tewksbury School Committee To Discuss Reopening Wednesday » Tewksbury Patch

West Springfield to hold public meeting on COVID-19 protocols for students » News 22 WWLP.com

Massachusetts doctor on how schools should decide masking decisions » WCVB

Groton-Dunstable regional school district requiring masks this fall » Lowell Sun

Braintree, Hingham and Hull receive climate change grants from state » Patriot Ledger

Marion, Mattapoisett to receive coastal resiliency funding » Sippican Week

UMass Medical Center reopens COVID-19 command center as cases rise » Boston Globe

Infrequent COVID reports on long-term care knocked » News 22 WWLP.com

Seven North Adams Commons residents die of COVID-19 » Berkshire Eagle

Area hospitals mindful of COVID uptick » Gazette Net

Food stamp benefits to increase by more than 25 percent in October » Boston Globe

Holyoke Soldiers’ Home workers file class action lawsuit against former leaders over physical, emotional fallout from COVID outbreak » MassLive

‘Anger, sadness, fear’: Veterans of Afghan war react to collapse » Boston Globe

Medfield native inspires people with disabilities » Fox 25 News

Child-care providers are facing a staffing crisis, forcing some to close with little notice to parents » Boston Globe

Original coalition member not on board with app-based driver ballot Q » News 22 WWLP.com

Doctors ask Baker to step in on nurse strike in Worcester » WHDH

Opponents Call for Healey to Strike Driver Ballot Question » State House News Service

'It Shocks the Conscience': Afghanistan Withdrawal Hits Home With Some Legislators » State House News Service

Former soldier and state rep., Naughton says he's 'devastated' by chaos in Afghanistan » Worcester Telegram

Somerset seeing exodus of town officials » Commonwealth Magazine

Melrose Middle School Emerges As Preferred Fall Voting Location » Brookline Patch

Elected school committee proposal to be filed by city councilors » Boston Herald

Medford gets state money in Complete Streets grant to improve Haines Square » Wicked Local

Bill on Northampton city charter changes heads to governor » Gazette Net

Auditor's race focuses on Beacon Hill accountability » The Eagle Tribune

Opinion: For Andrea Campbell, leadership means facing up to difficult issues » Boston Globe

Gold withdraws from Northampton School Committee race, candidate forums on tap » Gazette Net

With A Month To Go Before Boston's Mayoral Primary, Wu And Campbell Target Key Neighborhoods » WBUR

Wu claims “most support from Beacon Hill” » News 22 WWLP.com

Baker 'Not Considering' New Mask Guidance » WBUR

No plans to change COVID mask guidance, Gov. Charlie Baker says; ‘can’t compare’ rest of US to Massachusetts based on vaccination rates, case counts » MassLive

Biden administration to announce most Americans will need coronavirus vaccine booster shots » Boston Globe

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy continues to be nationwide problem » News 22 WWLP.com

Why Massachusetts isn’t following the CDC’s mask guidelines » Boston.com

Massachusetts coronavirus cases spike 2,996 over the weekend, hospitalizations keep climbing » Boston Herald

Charlie Baker won’t order mask mandate, Massachusetts ‘dramatically different’ » Boston Herald

Sources: US to recommend COVID vaccine boosters at 8 months » Boston Herald

Coronavirus vaccine booster: Pfizer seeks approval for third dose to ‘maintain a high level of protection’ » Boston Herald

Opinion: Boston is getting vaccinated, but there is much more work to do » Boston Globe

Virus cases climbing as vaccinations decline; Attleboro area trailing state in shots » The Sun Chronicle

Mask mandate debate starts back up after CDC’s weekend recommendation » Fox 25 News

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra to visit healthcare hubs in Lawrence, Lowell Tuesday for COVID discussions » Boston Globe

2 local firefighters among MA crew deployed west to battle fires » Western Mass News

Sisters of woman fatally shot by Saugus police say the officers did not have to kill her » Boston Globe

‘We’re all on board’: Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee mayors pledge regional crackdown on illegal dirt biking » MassLive

Governor Baker criticizes ‘catastrophe’ in Afghanistan, suggests Mass. will accept Afghan refugees » Boston Globe

Weekend commuter rail off to good start » Commonwealth Magazine

Bondholders suing MBTA for more than $8 million over delayed Wollaston project » Patriot Ledger

Enviro. Group Draws Lessons From Local Clean Energy Projects » State House News Service

Social Media Spotlight

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GBH News Event Venues Make Up Their Own Vaccine Rules As Mass. Resists Mandate WCVB Channel 5 Boston Massachusetts governor 'not considering' new mask guidance amid COVID case surge

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Podcast Spotlight

Five Thirty Eight Politics Podcast: What Americans Think About Ending The War In Afghanistan NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: Biden: Americans Shouldn't Die In A War That Afghans Aren't Willing To Fight Crooked Media Pod Save America: “The Taliban takes Afghanistan.” Union of Concerned Scientists Got Science?: Ep. 116: Too Hot to Work: How Climate Change Threatens Outdoor Workers

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