10:00am Joint Committee on Revenue, Public Hearing

11:00am Department of Public Health Hearing, Via conference call

5:30pm End of Year Virtual Event for Senator and Lt. Governor Candidate Adam Hinds

‘Reckless’: New CDC quarantine guidelines met with mixed reactions from health experts » Boston Globe

Massachusetts Legislature’s Transportation Committee has leadership gap » MassLive

Maximum State Debt Increase Viable Next Year, Panel Says » State House News Service

Pandemic brings affordability to the forefront of child care sector » The Metro West Daily News

Driscoll listening as others pitch state bid » Salem News

Five GOP-led states extend unemployment aid to workers who lose jobs over vaccine mandates » Boston Globe

Dan Bongino and the Big Business of Returning Trump to Power » The New Yorker

Abortion rights groups say tech giants thwart ability to reach public » The Hill

PA: Philly will try to diversify real estate development by offering resources and training » Philadelphia Inquirer

CT: Gov. Lamont announces free COVID-19 at-home tests to be distributed across Connecticut as demand spikes for testing » Hartford Courant

NY: De Blasio to decide 'very soon' on possible gubernatorial bid » The Hill

Cable news lost plenty of viewers in 2021 » Boston Globe

What the Biden infrastructure bill could mean for public transportation in Mass. » Gazette Net

New Checks On Emergency Rental Aid Draw Protests » State House News Service

Ben Downing bows out of race for governor » WBUR

9 things we learned about American politics in 2021 » Boston Globe

Curley: Liberal outrage of Biden’s Brandon Christmas moment hypocritical » Boston Herald

Mass. Gas Prices Not Falling as Fast as Elsewhere » State House News Service

Boston Public Market is nearly full again, but foot traffic is taking much longer to rebound » Boston Globe

Storms caused $170 billion in damage this year » Boston Globe

Cambridge’s Brattle Square Florist to close » Boston Business Journal

In Nubian Square, supply chain problems pose existential threat to small businesses » WGBH

Two big stories dominated the Mass. cannabis industry in 2021 » Boston Business Journal

Desmond Tutu left his mark on New England » Boston Globe

Amherst Regional High School unveils new course offerings for next fall » Gazette Net

Guest Columnist Bart Bouricius: Commercial logging in state-owned forests is not climate wise » Gazette Net

Mayor Wu’s moonshot: The Boston Climate Challenge » Boston Globe

Goldberg wants Lottery protections in sports betting bill » Lowell Sun

St. Vincent Hospital reopens inpatient psychiatry beds ahead of striking nurses’ Jan. 3 vote to ratify tentative agreement with Tenet Healthcare » MassLive

Sturdy among Mass. hospitals receiving help from National Guard » The Sun Chronicle

Hospitals prepare for Omicron-fueled surge as Mass. approaches 1 million COVID cases since pandemic began » Boston Globe

St. Vincent Hospital reopens inpatient psychiatry beds, awaiting nurses return » Worcester Telegram

Opinion: The most neglected story of 2021? Immigration. » Boston Globe

NNE, Gazette union reach agreement on contract » Gazette Net

Gig worker petitions move one step closer to 2022 ballot » Boston Globe

Guild & Gazette Ink a Contract Three Tumultuous Years after Union Formed » Western Mass Politics and Insight

Northampton's inauguration ceremony beset with COVID restrictions » Gazette Net

Civil rights group criticizes Holyoke rule barring city employees from serving in elected office » Gazette Net

Fall River inauguration is set for Jan. 3, but COVID is forcing some changes » The Herald News

Chatham Votes to Opt-In For Opioid Settlement » Cape Cod Online

With Edwards’ exit, a possible scramble for a Boston council seat » Boston Globe

Two Boston researchers propose ‘circuit breakers’ to stem spread of COVID-19 » Boston Globe

Battenfeld: Biden bungles coronavirus testing crisis in a big way » Boston Herald

Long lines for free COVID-19 testing at Mercantile Center in Worcester » Worcester Telegram

Key dates for Michelle Wu’s new coronavirus vaccine policy for city workers, most indoor public spaces » Boston Herald

Editorial: Toking and driving just isn’t cool » Boston Globe

State Trooper fired for failing to comply with vaccine mandate for state employees, union says » Boston Globe

Michelle Wu defends vaccine mandate for Boston city workers as pregnant police officers push back » Boston Herald

Logan and Bradley Airport continues to cancel, delay flights as holiday travel is disrupted by COVID, omicron variant » MassLive

Regional transit authorities get state funds for new vehicles » Sentinel & Enterprise

More than 30 flights canceled at Boston’s Logan Airport amid omicron variant staffing crisis » Boston Herald

'People said this was never gonna happen': Brayton Point to reap benefits of offshore wind » The Herald News

Social Media Spotlight

bendowningma cityofboston

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CBS Boston CDC Releases New Guidance, Shortening COVID Isolation Time From 10 Days To Five WCVB Channel 5 Boston National Guard deployed to help dozens of Massachusetts hospitals during COVID-19 surge

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Podcast Spotlight

FiveThirtyEight Politics Podcast: What Americans Thought About COVID, Inflation And Britney Spears In 2021 NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: Despite Early Warnings Of An Omicron Surge, Testing Remains A Problem Nationwide Crooked Media Pod Save America: PSA Presents: The Pundies.

TechNet-Led Multi-Association Memorandum to Congress Expresses Concerns with the USTR’s 2024 National Trade Estimate Report » TechNet

Speaker Mariano’s Budget Bust Out » Mass Fiscal Alliance

Charles River Watershed Association Announces  New Board Members, Officers, and Staff » Charles River Watershed Association

ACTION NEEDED: Call Your Rep. to Support Budget Amendment #867 » Health Law Advocates