10:00am Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, Public Hearing

1:00pm Joint Committee on Public Service, Public Hearing

6:00pm Fundraiser for New Bedford City Council Candidate Leo Choquette

A New Report Says The COVID Recession Has Pushed Social Security Insolvency Up A Year » WBUR

Janey and health officials ban evictions in Boston, even as moratoriums come under fire » Boston Globe

Madison Cawthorn Is Openly Talking About Civil War at This Point » Vanity Fair

Texas’s six-week abortion ban takes effect, after Supreme Court doesn’t act to block it » Washington Post

‘We’re being set up for failure’: Massachusetts’ hard line against remote learning this year has left some families feeling hopeless » Boston Globe

Editorial: Offshore wind could die in the regulatory doldrums » Boston Globe

Protesters decry Moderna, Pfizer for 'pandemic profiteering' » Boston Business Journal

NH:Gail Huff Brown, wife of Scott Brown, considering run for Congress in New Hampshire » Boston.com

Sheriff Steve Tompkins endorses Boston mayoral candidate Michelle Wu » Boston Globe

TX: Texas legislature approves voting overhaul » The Hill

FL: An escalating legal war could be on the horizon for school boards and masks mandates in FL schools » Florida Phoenix

Hate Crimes Reach The Highest Level In More Than A Decade » NPR

Corporate America launches massive lobbying blitz to kill key parts of Democrats’ $3.5 trillion economic plan » Washington Post

Go-to lawyer for Capitol riot defendants disappears » Boston Globe

Lottery Couriers Operating “Outside The Law” » State House News Service

On Lenox visit, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito applauds 'strong, supportive' efforts in face of COVID » Berkshire Eagle

State Sen. Joe Boncore to head up MassBio as CEO » Boston Business Journal

Stephen Lynch Says He’d Still Vote To Ban Sex-Selective Abortion » New Boston Post

‘An Unconstitutional Attack': Local Lawmakers React to Texas Abortion Ban » NBC Boston

State Board Agrees to Early Education Mask Policy » State House News Service

Masks now required for five-year-olds, staff in early childhood education settings » Boston Herald

‘We don’t want to die with a lot of money in the bank’: UMass system gets $50 million gift, the largest in its history, aimed to close inequities » Boston Globe

Faculty members push back against Boston College’s decision not to require masks in classrooms » Boston Globe

Mold problem disrupts start of year at South Hadley, Northampton high schools » Gazette Net

After backlash, Amherst College eases heavy COVID restrictions » Gazette Net

Greater Lowell Tech receives $90,000 state training grant » Lowell Sun

New NSCC president rolls into Lynn » Lynn Daily News Item

Mayor filing order to consider search for new school superintendent; Binienda blames politics » Worcester Telegram

Baker Urges Lawmakers To Move On Climate Projects » State House News Service

Guest columnist Dr. Stephen C. Frantz: Pesticide regulatory reform needed » Gazette Net

With Ida Flooding New Orleans, Baker Pushes For More Storm Resiliency Funding » WGBH

Provincetown town manager named to EPA advisory committee » Cape Cod Times

Proposed $25 million equine center would bring horse racing, sports betting to Sturbridge » Worcester Telegram

Baker Expanding Vaccine Requirement For Caregivers » State House News Service

Methadone Mile ‘comfort station’ permanently closed, Boston says » Boston Herald

Northampton organization ready to aid Afghan refugees » News 22 WWLP.com

Worcester nonprofit receives $2.5M to address food insecurity due to COVID-19 » Worcester Telegram

As war ends and Afghans arrive, Biden braces for intensifying refugee debate » Boston Herald

Gov. Baker says state will be 'as helpful as we can be' for Afghan refugees » Milford Daily News

Working to resettle Afghan refugees will take coordination, patience, funding (Editorial) » MassLive

Governor Baker comments on Springfield courthouse mold issue » News 22 WWLP.com

State lawmakers propose bill requiring reappointment of judges » News 22 WWLP.com

Uber, Lyft-backed gig worker ballot initiative certified by AG Healey » Boston Business Journal

Gig workers question clears first hurdle before 2022 ballot » Boston Globe

2020 census shows Holyoke lost residents while Springfield increased » News 22 WWLP.com

Springfield and Chicopee show slight gains in population » The Reminder

BPCD hopes to present zoning changes at fall town meeting » Athol Daily News

Hitler photo ‘highly offensive,’ Williamstown’s top board says. But it lacks power to fire him » Berkshire Eagle

Special election nomination papers available in Rowley » Newburyport News

Williamstown Select Board Names Three to DIRE Committee » iBerkshires

Vineyard receives vulnerability preparedness grants » Martha's Vineyard Times

Howie Carr: Charlie Baker’s Cape fundraiser a real geezer gathering » Boston Herald

Steve Tompkins endorses Michelle Wu for Boston mayor » Boston Herald

A Boston-area state senator is stepping down, kicking off a wide-open race to take his place » Boston.com

Acting Mayor Kim Janey was absent from 30 of 60 mayoral forums held since April » Boston Globe

AG Review Leaves Large Field of Potential Ballot Questions » State House News Service

Consumption Site Bills Idling On Overdose Awareness Day » State House News Service

Massachusetts coronavirus breakthrough cases up 3,704 last week, more than 500 fully vaxxed people a day » Boston Herald

How does the delta variant affect children? Could be more severe in kids, Harvard expert says » Boston Herald

Dr. Robert Finberg, leading COVID-19 vaccine researcher at UMass Medical School, dies unexpectedly » Worcester Telegram

Sen. Keenan sees drug consumption sites in action » Wicked Local

Cape Cod sees uptick in violence, despite overall decrease in crime during pandemic » Boston Herald

Judge rules Northampton police lieutenant’s case against city, department can proceed » Gazette Net

Mayor Needs to Take Care of New Bedford Police Sergeant’s Family [OPINION] » WBSM

Rep. Lynch 'surprised and disappointed' by planned closure of Scituate Coast Guard station » Patriot Ledger

Charlie Baker again pressures lawmakers to OK $2.9 billion ARPA spending plan » Boston Herald

Analysis: Galvin Says the Quiet Part Out Loud on the 413 & Its Economy » Western Mass Politics and Insight

Shutdowns To Accelerate Upgrades Part of T’s Regular Playbook » State House News Service

Poftak: Lack of T board not an issue over the summer » News 22 WWLP.com

Governor Baker visits Becket to highlight “Last Mile” program » News 22 WWLP.com

Baker touts Becket broadband » Berkshire Eagle

Social Media Spotlight

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MassGovernor Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Grant Award Announcement CBS Boston Keller @ Large: Will Endorsements Make Difference In Boston Mayoral Race?

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Podcast Spotlight

Five Thirty Eight Politics Podcast: The War In Afghanistan Is Officially Ending. Now What? NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: After Two Decades And More Than A 150,000 Dead, America Has Left Afghanistan

Directions

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