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Today on Beacon Hill

10:00am Joint Committee on Financial Services, Public Hearing

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

10:00am Joint Committee on Judiciary, Public Hearing

11:00am Joint Committee on Housing, Public Hearing

12:00pm Joint Committee on Election Laws, Public Hearing

2:00pm Commission on Structural Racism in the Massachusetts Parole Process, Virtual Hearing

“Following the letter and spirit of the law, the State of New Jersey’s Division of Investment, working with its independent consultant, ISS, conducted a review of the actions of Ben & Jerry’s and its parent company, Unilever, to determine whether such actions constituted a boycott of Israel or companies operating in Israel or Israeli-controlled territory. Following this review, the division reached a preliminary determination that Unilever’s actions did in fact constitute such a boycott and sent a letter to Unilever notifying the company of its provisional determination. Upon final determination, no pension fund assets may be invested in the company, and DOI shall take appropriate action to sell or divest any existing pension fund investments.”

Shoaib Khan, Director of the NJ Division of Investment

The $90 billion New Jersey pension fund on Sept. 14 announced plans that it may divest from Unilever, the parent corporation Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, following its decision over the summer to not sell any product in Israel-occupied Palestinian.
News By Category
Beltway Politics

Top general was so fearful Trump might spark war that he made secret calls to his Chinese counterpart, new book says » Boston Globe

Howie Carr: Turn off Joe Biden’s microphone more, please » Boston Herald

Grilled by GOP senators, Blinken defends Biden administration’s Afghanistan exit » Boston Globe

Trump advisers privately warned of ‘critical mistakes’ as pandemic loomed » Boston Globe

Business

With stimulus factored in, US poverty rate declined in 2020 » Boston Globe

Lightstone Ventures' raises $375M for its largest fund yet » Boston Business Journal

Massachusetts poverty rate approaches 10% as housing, medical costs explode, according to Census data » Boston Herald

Cannabis & Psychedelics

Here’s who sells the best cannabis in Mass., per the new Cultivator’s Cup » Boston.com

Education

Boston focusing on hiring drivers as ‘number’ of Massachusetts cities turn to National Guard amid shortage » Boston Herald

UMass students attend large gathering off campus after student tailgate lot was closed on Saturday » MassLive

WPI, Clark ranked among best national universities » Worcester Business Journal

Early Ed Overseers Eye Path To Build Workforce » State House News Service

UMass system receives two major donations totaling over $200 million in September » The Daily Collegian

Looking inside or outside? Worcester's search for new school superintendent begins » Worcester Telegram

Environment

South Hadley to avoid fine over 2019 sewage spill if it corrects deficiencies » Gazette Net

After years of planning, BPDA sets new rules for building in flood-prone parts of Boston » Boston Globe

Health Care

UMass Memorial goes on elevated alert, as 54% COVID case spike strains resources » Worcester Business Journal

Boston Children's gets $20M donation for new pediatric heart center » Boston Business Journal

Increase in COVID hospitalizations leads to strain on resources, greater wait times at Worcester’s UMass Memorial Medical Center » MassLive

Housing

Haverhill mayor appoints affordable housing task force » The Eagle Tribune

Judiciary

Federal lawsuit on Springfield courthouse withdrawn; suit combined with state court case » MassLive

Labor

Unions seek to organize ride-hailing drivers » The Andover Townsman

Western Massachusetts labor coalition seeks support for frontline workers, focuses on 2022 ballot question » Berkshire Eagle

Legislative

Bon Voyage, Boncore… but Who Will Fill the Gap on Transportation Panel? » Western Mass Politics and Insight

Local Government

Athol Selectboard briefed on Miller’s Woods/River Bend; Bialecki supports rent control » Athol Daily News

Leicester town meeting approves money to buy Becker College campus, ballot vote next week » Worcester Telegram

Politics

Public safety, trees, downtown design aired at Northampton mayoral forum » Gazette Net

Opinion: The sins we commit with words » Boston Globe

Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi-George declare victory in Boston mayoral preliminary » Boston Herald

Battenfeld: Kim Janey blows her incumbency advantage in losing effort » Boston Herald

Six quick takeaways from Boston’s mayoral preliminary results, so far » Boston Globe

5 takeaways after Newsom survives California recall attempt » Boston Globe

‘It’s a shame’: Some Black residents see lost opportunity as Janey, Campbell concede in Boston mayoral race » Boston Globe

Change will be on the ballot in November » Boston Globe

Michelle Wu, Annissa Essaibi George claim victory in mayoral race » Boston Business Journal

Secretary of State William Galvin opposes Massachusetts voter ID initiative petition » Fall River Reporter

UPDATED: Sisitsky & Spicer and Mallach & Janus Advance To November Election » Framingham Source

Voters across Greater Boston make decisions in preliminary mayoral races Tuesday » Boston Globe

Preliminary Results: Voters Across Mass. Cities Shape November Elections » WGBH

Boston voters seeking action on education, housing, Mass and Cass in historic race » Boston Herald

Boston Acting Mayor Kim Janey Concedes Mayoral Race » WBUR

Public Health

Massachusetts coronavirus breakthrough cases rise 3,919 last week, down from the previous week » Boston Herald

Opinion: The unvaccinated and the orphans they leave behind » Boston Globe

Charlie Baker says a lot of people got the COVID-19 outbreak in Provincetown all wrong » Boston.com

Public Safety

Boston Police seize 17 illegal off-road vehicles, ATVs » Boston Herald

Suffolk DA, state officials continue probe into BU professor’s death on stairway at JFK/UMass MBTA station » Boston Globe

Former Boston police clerk pleads guilty to overtime fraud » AP News

Lowell fire stations ‘woefully outdated’ » Lowell Sun

'Mass boys,' including Dalton squad, help save family's home in Louisiana » Berkshire Eagle

State Government

Official Dino Bill Strides Over First Hurdle » State House News Service

Transportation

After BU professor dies at stairs near MBTA stop, MassDOT gets ’emergency contract to further secure the site’ » Boston Herald

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Recipe of the Week

Tomato Tart With Whipped Ricotta

Arlyn Osborne — Serious Eats

Ingredients

All-purpose flour, for dusting

2 sheets frozen puff pastry (1 full box), thawed until pliable and cool

3/4 pound (12 ounces; 340g) tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1 1/4 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided; for table salt, use half as much by volume

1 cup (9 ounces; 255g) whole milk ricotta 

1 tablespoon (6g) finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Freshly ground black pepper

Coarse sea salt such as Maldon or fleur de sel

Fresh basil leaves, torn

Balsamic vinegar, to taste

Directions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, place one sheet of puff pastry directly on top of the other. Using a rolling pin, roll pastry into a 11- by 15-inch rectangle. Transfer pastry to prepared baking sheet. Poke pastry all over with a fork. Cover the pastry with a sheet of parchment and place another rimmed baking sheet on top. Bake until pastry is light golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Remove from oven, and remove the top baking sheet and parchment. Increase oven temperature to 500°F (260°C).  Return pastry to oven and continue to bake until crisp and deeply browned, about 10 minutes. Allow pastry to cool completely on baking sheet, about 1 hour 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, line a second rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Once pastry is nearly cool, arrange tomato slices in a single layer on prepared baking sheet, and sprinkle with the 3/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside for 15 minutes, then use additional paper towels or a second clean kitchen towel to blot excess liquid.

Combine ricotta and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add parsley and pulse to combine. Using an offset spatula, spread ricotta mixture evenly over puff pastry, leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides. Arrange tomato slices evenly over ricotta mixture. Season with pepper and sea salt, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle with basil. Cut into portions and serve.

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