11:00am Future of Work Commission, Virtual Hearing

11:00am The Official Seal and Motto of the Commonwealth, Virtual Hearing

11:00am Joint Committee on Municipalities & Regional Government, Public Hearing

11:00am House Session, Informal Session

11:00am Senate Session, Informal Session

1:00pm Special Legislative Commission on Structural Racism in Correctional Facilities of the Commonwealth, Virtual Hearing

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

2:00pm Joint Committee on Transportation, Public Hearing

Birthdays: Rep. Peter Capano

Physicians call for hospital bed tracking system » The Eagle Tribune

Wrentham Republican said to be mulling race for governor » Boston Globe

Charlie Baker files $5 billion bond bill for workforce development, cybersecurity, public safety » Boston Herald

Labor unions top PAC fundraising » Commonwealth Magazine

Mass General Brigham lays out five-year, $8.3B capital plan » Boston Business Journal

A new look at how turmoil is defining the lives and politics of Generation Z » WBUR

Party Caucuses To Get Ball Rolling On 2022 Elections » State House News Service

Mass. seeks to claw back at least $2.7 billion in jobless benefits it says were incorrectly paid » Boston Globe

Opinion: Ex-prosecutor’s comments raise questions about pursuit of justice » Boston Globe

Mean customers, panic attacks, and thousands of COVID vaccines: Retail pharmacists struggle with pandemic burden » Boston Herald

Sullivan Launches Campaign for Secretary of State » State House News Service

NJ: Price-gouging complaint highlights stubbornly high costs for medical marijuana in N.J. » NJ.com

Aafia Siddiqui, the federal prisoner at the center of the Texas synagogue hostage situation, has Boston ties » Boston.com

Rise of right-wing apps seen worsening midterm disinformation » Roll Call

NY: NYC Education Department Quietly Opens Door For Teachers To Allow More Remote Learning » Gothamist

CA: Advocates drum up support for ranked-choice voting in San Jose » San Jose Spotlight

U.S. Political Party Preferences Shifted Greatly During 2021 » Gallup

NY: NY lawmakers slam $10 billion public subsidies, tax breaks for corporations » New York Post

TX: How Exxon is leveraging Texas courts to silence its climate critics » The Guardian

Trump-DeSantis tensions ratchet up » The Hill

Seven states to watch in the 2022 push to restrict voting rights » Georgia Recorder

After Biden’s first year, the virus and disunity rage on » Boston Globe

Sinema, Manchin slammed as Senate begins voting bill debate » Boston Globe

Who Is King of Florida? Tensions Rise Between Trump and a Former Acolyte. » New York Times

Restaurants call for more federal aid as business plummets amid the Omicron surge » Boston Globe

Scientist behind key CAR-T advances co-founds new biotech » Boston Globe

For some Mass. businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed changes for the better » Boston Globe

McGovern, Perry join call for voting rights at Northampton rally » Gazette Net

Historian urges us to resist the 'cuddly' version of MLK and remember true legacy » WBUR

Grants to bring nature programs to 10 area schools » Gazette Net

Families in Alabama have free, full-day prekindergarten while many Mass. families can only dream of it » Boston Globe

State to provide schools with rapid COVID-19 at-home tests on a weekly basis » Boston Globe

Polls indicate mental health of children remains a concern » Commonwealth Magazine

'The struggle is real': Educators work to keep classrooms open despite COVID surge » WBUR

War between energy titans could shape New England climate » E&E News

After China, Mass General Brigham is hungry to grow back home » Boston Globe

As Massachusetts hospitals flounder with COVID surge, Gov. Charlie Baker announces emergency actions » MassLive

What Mass General Brigham cost analysis overlooks » Commonwealth Magazine

Baker Administration Rolls Out More Acute Care Center Measures » Cape Cod Online

Sheriff Tompkins still ‘ready to assist’ on Mass. and Cass » Boston Globe

Some insurance brokers enroll people in ACA plans without consent » WBUR

Editorial: Search for a ‘clean slate’ remains elusive » Boston Globe

Western Massachusetts needs District Court judges: Governor’s Councilor Mary Hurley signals glut of openings » MassLive

Grant helps Easthampton better detect and avoid cyberthreats » Gazette Net

South Hadley Select Board approves $95K for virus testing, contact tracing » Amherst Bulletin

Gloucester Mayor Greg Verga promises reset of City Hall » Commonwealth Magazine

Longtime aide William Tranghese parts ways as Neal’s chief of staff » Gazette Net

Analysis: Why Neal Appears Set to Remain—Majority or Not » Western Mass Politics and Insight

Springfield Technical Park opens COVID testing site » News 22 WWLP.com

Almost two-thirds say US handling of COVID ‘going badly,’ new poll shows » MassLive

Should I take a rapid coronavirus test or a PCR? Public health experts breakdown the facts » Boston Herald

After a rough first year, CDC director Rochelle Walensky tries to correct course » Boston Globe

For marginalized groups, COVID testing shortages a bigger burden » Boston Globe

Boston-area coronavirus wastewater data keeps dropping: ‘I’m cautiously optimistic’ » Boston Herald

Misinformation is fueling the overdose crisis » Commonwealth Magazine

In the omicron crush, some people pay whatever it costs to get tested » WBUR

Battenfeld: Is Michelle Wu ready to face ugly ramifications of her strict vaccine mandate? » Boston Herald

Attleboro area fire departments to get over $170k to purchase variety of safety equipment » The Sun Chronicle

In Brookline, questions abound for the future of its police department » Boston Globe

Opinion: Bill to combat marijuana-related impaired driving should be rejected » Boston Globe

Commission, Co-Chaired by Rep. Vargas, Finds More Minorities in Prisons, But No Parole Disparities » WHAV

Social Media Spotlight

rep_paul_mark soniachang_diaz

---

GBH News Boston Mayor Michelle Wu promises this Mass. and Cass shutdown will be different. But will it? WCVB Channel 5 Boston Mass. COVID-19 hospitalizations still increasing despite lower case trends

---

---

Podcast Spotlight

NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: How Successful Was The Biden Administration In Addressing Racial Equity So Far? Crooked Media Pod Save America: "Spar-a-lago: Ron v. Don." WBUR Radio Boston: Boston pastors reflect on MLK's legacy, 'radical love' and striving for a better world CommonWealth Magazine The Codcast: 2 mayors explain their ARPA spending strategies

Audit Identifies Barriers to Access in Operational Services Division » MA Office of the State Auditor

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden Pays $5,000 Civil Penalty for Violating Conflict of Interest Law » MA State Ethics Commission

A Call for Climate Justice at the InterAmerican Court of Human Rights » Union of Concerned Scientists

Congresswoman Trahan Announces $3 Million In Head Start Funding For Making Opportunity Count In Fitchburg » Office of Congresswoman Lori Trahan

Whip Clark Statement on the Passing of Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. » Office of Congresswoman Katherine Clark

Administration opens Destination Development grant program » Mass. Municipal Association

Release: Airlines to disclose fees up front, give automatic refunds for cancellations, delays » MassPIRG

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