9:00am Metropolitan Area Planning Council's Winter Council Meeting, Via Zoom

10:00am Governor's Council Meeting, State House, Room 157

11:00am Department of Agricultural Resources Public Hearing, Via Zoom

Birthdays: Rep. Susannah Whipps

AG Maura Healey’s war chest exceeds $4.2 million as candidates disclose February fundraising hauls » MassLive

Federal audit slams local districts and Mass. education department’s oversight of emergency aid » Boston Globe

Massachusetts legislators ask treasurer to divest from Russia, who punts back to Legislature » Boston Herald

Kate Campanale, former rep. in 17th Worcester District, to make bid for lieutenant governor » Worcester Telegram

The Rev. Miniard Culpepper announces run for state Senate after two decades at HUD » Boston Globe

So Long, Charlie. RIP, GOP. » Boston Magazine

The minimum salary to be happy in Massachusetts is $139,125, according to Purdue study » MassLive

Liberty Mutual completes purchase of Ohio insurer » Boston Globe

RI: Providence mayor forms reparations commission » AP News

NY: State pension fund may divest $111 million in Russian assets » Albany Times Union

NY: Food banks, pantries in high demand as inflation surges ahead of pandemic's third year » Gothamist

NJ: NJ prisons have a geriatric problem » NJ Spotlight News

TX: Texas Progressive Greg Casar Wins Contentious House Primary » HUFFPOST

Ketanji Brown Jackson isn't a radical — despite what the GOP wants you to think » WBUR

Secretary Raimondo tapped as designated survivor during State of the Union » Boston Globe

Boebert receives condemnation after heckling Biden about Afghanistan deaths while discussing late son » Boston Globe

Let’s recall what exactly Paul Manafort and Rudy Giuliani were doing in Ukraine » Raw Story

McConnell clashes with Rick Scott over Republican agenda » Politico

Marco Rubio is tweeting through the Russia-Ukraine war — for a reason » Politico

GOP leader won't condemn Greene, Gosar with cameras rolling » The Hill

Five takeaways from Biden’s first State of the Union » Boston Globe

‘I personally think he’s unhinged’: Analysts question Putin’s mental state after Ukraine invasion » Boston Globe

Amid fast-changing events, Biden looks ahead in State of the Union » Boston Globe

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds uses GOP response to blast Biden over ‘runaway inflation’ » Boston Globe

Supreme Court nominee Jackson heading to Capitol Hill » Boston Globe

Opinion: To avoid Ukraine’s fate, Taiwan needs nuclear missiles — now » Boston Globe

Opinion: History’s long shadow in Ukraine’s fight for its democracy » Boston Globe

Howie Carr: Stodgy climate as John Kerry won’t share payroll — until 2024 » Boston Herald

US is banning Russian aircraft from its airspace, Biden says in his first State of the Union as Russia invades Ukraine » Boston Herald

Population, Investment Trends Spur Worry In Rural Communities » State House News Service

16 new Latino-owned businesses open at the Eastfield Mall » News 22 WWLP.com

Countries rush to release emergency reserves as oil prices soar » Boston Globe

Sen. Ed Markey seeks to choke off $20B in Russian oil imports to US that help ‘fuel Putin’s despicable war on Ukraine’ » MassLive

Petition calls on UMass to make campus safer after student killed » Gazette Net

Boston School Committee to sign superintendent’s separation agreement Wednesday night » Boston Herald

Mass. no longer requiring masks on school buses for K-12 students, officials say » Boston Globe

Encore’s ‘expansion’ starts to raise tricky questions » Commonwealth Magazine

Treehouse branching out with aid of $2M in rescue funds » Gazette Net

Wellforce changes its name to Tufts Medicine » Boston Globe

Moderna faces new lawsuit over lucrative coronavirus vaccine » Washington Post

Justices seem to favor doctors convicted in lucrative opioid plots » Boston Globe

Massachusetts’ coronavirus hospitalizations drop to lowest patient tally in more than 6 months » Boston Herald

FEMA reimbursing BMC for some pandemic-related costs » Berkshire Eagle

Health system Wellforce changes name to Tufts Medicine » Boston Business Journal

New Flagship Pioneering startup to hunt for causes of disease using AI » Boston Business Journal

Lawmakers push Biden administration to give Ukrainians temporary protection » WGBH

Editorial: When an attorney’s racism tilts the scales of justice, the courts must correct with a new trial » Boston Globe

Opinion: Judge Shelley Joseph shouldn’t be tried. She should be celebrated. » Boston Globe

Newton Judge Shelley Joseph faces trial after appeals court rejects dismissal » Boston Herald

Workforce Dropouts Add Variable To Economy » State House News Service

Amherst Town Council nixes solar project moratorium » Gazette Net

Open meeting complaint against Franklin school board resolved » Wicked Local

Michelle Wu defends move to get rid of early-morning protesters at her home » Boston Herald

Texas primary sets up Abbott-O’Rourke race as midterms begin » Boston Globe

GOP gubernatorial hopeful Chris Doughty picks former lawmaker as running mate » Boston Globe

Jeffrey Morneau has announced his candidacy for Mary Hurley Governor’s Council seat » MassLive

Jay McMahon enters Republican race for Mass. attorney general while rebuking AG Maura Healey » MassLive

Jay McMahon announces AG run in unusual fashion » Commonwealth Magazine

With Hurley out, Fenton among Candidates in for Gov’s Council » Western Mass Politics and Insight

Campanale LG Bid Adds Dimension To Diehl-Doughty Battle » State House News Service

Boston to drop indoor mask mandate for businesses, health chief says » Boston Herald

Do at-home COVID-19 antigen tests detect the omicron variant as well as delta? UMass researchers now have a better idea » Boston Herald

Health officials report an overdose death at Roundhouse » Boston Globe

Boston to lift mask mandate for some indoor spaces Saturday » Boston Globe

Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe homicide case discovery process too slow, defense says » Boston Herald

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno appoints 5 to Police Commission; disappoints those who sought community input » MassLive

Nearly 60 Massachusetts lawmakers want state pension funds divested from Russia-owned companies » MassLive

Massachusetts lawmaker files bill to divest pension fund of Russian assets » Boston Business Journal

Two protesters arrested at State House » Boston Globe

Two Arrested At State House Checkpoint » State House News Service

On first day of fare-free bus pilot, Wu boards 29 bus for celebratory ride » Boston Globe

Merrimack Valley buses begin 2 years of free fare Tuesday, ‘a game-changer’ for riders, officials say » MassLive

New offshore wind bill drops electric bill charges » Commonwealth Magazine

House Rallying Behind New Supports For Offshore Wind » State House News Service

AG awards heating assistance grants » Lowell Sun

Social Media Spotlight

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CBS Boston Keller @ Large: President Biden Delivers First State Of The Union WCVB Channel 5 Boston Officials OK dropping Boston’s indoor mask mandate

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Podcast Spotlight

NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: At The State Of The Union, Biden Wooed Moderates And Slammed Putin Crooked Media Pod Save America: "The World Rallies Behind Ukraine." Union of Concerned Scientists Got Science?: Ep. 129: Tips for Buying an Electric Car

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