10:00am Department of Correction and Sheriff's Department Funding, Virtual Hearing

10:00am Joint Committee on Revenue, Public Hearing

10:00am Joint Committee on Public Service, Public Hearing

11:00am Ellen Story Commission on Postpartum Depression, Virtual Hearing

11:00am Joint Committee on Education, Public Hearing

1:00pm Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, Public Hearing

1:00pm Joint Committee on Environment & Natural Resources, Public Hearing

7:00pm Boston Mayor Michelle Wu on Greater Boston with Jim Braude, WGBH

Healey Campaign Reports Raising $400K in December » State House News Service

Massachusetts Legislature is pressured to ease burden of criminal records » Boston Globe

Massachusetts state Sen. Eric Lesser launches campaign for lieutenant governor » MassLive

Editorial: ‘People’s house’ still shuttered, but crucial work lies ahead » Boston Globe

Massachusetts public employee payroll tops $8.3B, as overtime riding high on MBTA » Boston Herald

Comptroller: FY '21 Revenues Smashed Estimates By $13 Billion » State House News Service

Lawmakers mull universal free meals for Massachusetts schoolchildren as more kids go hungry in pandemic » Boston Herald

Raytheon quietly resumed political donations to election deniers, report finds » Boston Globe

‘Really demoralizing and operationally very, very hard’: Child care providers try to stay open in COVID surge » Boston Globe

To ease staffing crunch, hospitals switch to five-day isolation after Covid » Boston Business Journal

NY: Omicron wreaks havoc on NYC, causes crippling staff shortages » New York Post

FL: DeSantis downplays COVID-19 vaccines, pushes antibody treatment unproven against omicron » Palm Beach Post

NJ: In major settlement, N.J. agrees to pay $52.9M to families over COVID deaths in state’s hard-hit veterans homes » NJ.com

NH: Bill Gardner, keeper of the N.H. primary, to retire after 45 years as secretary of state » Boston Globe

Another Far-Right Group Is Scrutinized About Its Efforts to Aid Trump » New York Times

Is the January 6 Committee Going to Haul Ivanka Trump In to Dish on Her Dad? » Vanity Fair

Democrats Blast Corporate Profits as Inflation Surges » New York Times

Trump Was Just '5 Rudys Short' Of A Coup, Warns Conservative Website Column » HUFFPOST

Trump Endorses Viktor Orban, Hungary’s Far-Right Prime Minister » New York Times

The Biden Consultants Working To Sink His Agenda » The Daily Poster

Biden pushed to speak out more as US democracy concerns grow » Boston Globe

In latest effort to combat rising prices, White House to offer $1 billion in aid for smaller meat industry producers » Boston Globe

Long-closed Chicopee Library may get new life as business incubator » MassLive

‘Tension is everywhere’: In Somerville, a tech cluster emerges with hope and worry » Boston Globe

Worcester gas prices fall to $3.37 per gallon » Worcester Telegram

COVID tests in Mass. schools: DESE able to provide only half the expected tests for teachers and staff » MassLive

As COVID cases surge, students, parents, and teachers worry whether schools can reopen — and stay open » Boston Globe

More than 155 Boston school staff, teachers test positive; officials tell parents to brace for cancellations » Boston Herald

Mass. schools delay reopening as they scramble to test staff during COVID surge » WGBH

Teachers at culture war front lines with Jan. 6 education » Boston Globe

Schools face staffing shortages as teachers ill with COVID » Commonwealth Magazine

Here's what Mass. colleges are doing to prepare for the omicron surge » Boston Business Journal

Baker, Department Of Education Defend KN95 Masks Given To Massachusetts Teachers » CBS Boston

Quincy students push for virtual learning amid COVID surge, local schools take precautions » Patriot Ledger

As schools reopen, Baker stresses value of in-person learning » WGBH

Learning disruptions caused by the pandemic reinvigorate debate over MCAS » The Metro West Daily News

Districts brace for staffing shortage as COVID in schools spike » WCVB

Infections Cut Into Workforce At Boston Schools » State House News Service

Most Mass. Schools Reopen Amid “Wave Of Infections” » State House News Service

Baker approves solar, truck emission initiatives » Commonwealth Magazine

ER providers are ‘overwhelmed’ amid Omicron surge » Boston Globe

COVID patients flood area hospitals » Gazette Net

People are moving out of Mass., while few are moving in, studies suggest » Boston Business Journal

NH Supreme Court suspends attorney suing Hingham, Carver over school mask mandates » Patriot Ledger

St. Vincent Hospital nurses overwhelmingly approve contract, officially ending strike » Worcester Telegram

Anti-vax protest nearly drowns out Boston City Council swearing-in ceremony » Boston Herald

James Nash named president of Northampton City Council » Gazette Net

Easthampton leaders start terms in Fire Department garage » Gazette Net

New Holyoke councilor Israel Rivera ends contention by quitting school job » Gazette Net

Wu inaugurates new Boston City Council near group protesting city's vaccine mandate » WGBH

'Promise and possibility': Mayor Linda Tyer lays out vision for Pittsfield's future in 2022 State of the City address » Berkshire Eagle

Chicopee Mayor John Vieau sworn in for 2nd term; hopes to focus on economic development, housing » MassLive

Amherst Town Council to meet in-person but without public present due to COVID » MassLive

Lenox raised over $2 million in hotel and restaurant fees in fiscal 2022 so far. The full year could be nearly twice as good » Berkshire Eagle

Worcester’s 2022 inauguration highlights most diverse council, school committee in city’s history » MassLive

Outside City Hall, new councillors take office in history-making ceremony » Dorchester Reporter

Fall River City Council see new president, vice-president » Fall River Reporter

Baker Swears in Fiorentini to 10th Term, Says Council and Mayor Differences Good for the City » WHAV

City councillors hold chilly outdoor inaugural, quickly reelecting Siddiqui and Mallon to lead » Cambridge Day

1st Cambodian American mayor in US takes office » AP News

Petty sworn in for record 6th term as mayor; most diverse council, School Committee in city history inaugurated » Worcester Telegram

Even without announcing gubernatorial bid, Attorney General Maura Healey now has $3.6M campaign war chest » MassLive

Undeclared Healey’s fundraising eclipses Democrats already in governor's race » WGBH

Most of State Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz’s gubernatorial fundraising in December came in increments of $100 or less » MassLive

Senator Eric Lesser announces run for Lt. Governor » Western Mass News

'Are you considering a run for governor,' Marty Walsh? » WCVB

‘We have to do better’: Massachusetts residents shiver in frigid cold for hours to get COVID tests, officials seek more testing sites amid omicron ‘log jam’ » Boston Herald

Massachusetts officials helping with Springfield’s COVID testing woes at Eastfield Mall — but details are murky » MassLive

ER providers are ‘overwhelmed’ as schools grapple with reopening amid Omicron surge » Boston Globe

Wu: Boston COVID Testing Lines ‘Absolutely Unacceptable' » NBC Boston

Waits persist for COVID-19 tests in Berkshires. One in five results coming back positive as cases surge » Berkshire Eagle

Police turn away crowds at COVID testing center in Springfield; Mayor Domenic Sarno calls for another testing site and National Guard assistance » MassLive

Facial Recognition Panel Misses Reporting Deadline » State House News Service

House Speaker Mariano asks for details on Gov. Baker's use of relief money on COVID surge » WBUR

‘It’s so important to remember the humans in the story.’ Logan flight cancellations continue amid staffing shortages, D.C.-area snowstorm » Boston Globe

MBTA may resume COVID testing for employees as omicron threatens staffing » WBUR

State Borrows from California to Speed Transition to Electric Trucks » State House News Service

DPU Order Expands Solar Power Program » State House News Service

Social Media Spotlight

cityofboston senjohnvelis

---

GBH News Which masks to wear when as COVID cases spike in Massachusetts WCVB Channel 5 Boston Superintendent addresses staff shortages at Boston schools

---

---

Podcast Spotlight

NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: US Democracy Is At Risk Of Failing, According To 64% Of Americans Crooked Media Pod Save America: “Happy Birthday to Coup.” CommonWealth Magazine The Codcast: Should we try a bit of Maryland in Mass.?

Ending the Tax Penalty Against Working Immigrants » Mass. Budget & Policy Center

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