10:00am Office of Medicaid Public Hearing, Via Zoom

11:00am Special Legislative Commission to Study and Examine the Civil Service Law, Virtual Hearing

1:00pm Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Study Commission, Virtual Hearing

Birthdays: Rep. Jerald Parisella

Nurses at Beth Israel Lahey Health sites take step closer to strike » Boston Globe

With gas tax cut off the table, Beacon Hill mulls other options » WBUR

A ‘demographic perfect storm’: Suffolk County had one of the steepest population declines in the US, census data show » Boston Globe

‘She needs a forum to improve’: Chang-Díaz challenges Healey to debate before June, signaling shift in strategy » Boston Globe

Beacon Hill must ensure sports betting legislation is equitable for Black and Brown businesses, senators told in new letter » MassLive

Dropkick Murphys ‘SMASH’ neo-Nazis with cease and desist » Boston.com

Clark 'prepared to engage' in process of unionizing after graduate workers voted in favor » Worcester Telegram

RI: FBI joins investigation into controversial ILO consulting contract » WPRI.com

NY: Inside New York City’s Decision to End Vaccine Mandate for Pro Athletes » New York Times

NY: Advocates: New York's nursing home ombudsman program is failing » Albany Times-Union

GOP lawmakers push historic wave of bills targeting rights of LGBTQ teens, children and their families » Washington Post

Opinion: The GOP displayed its inner bigot during Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmation hearings » Florida Phoenix

“Plan B Is Complete F*****g Chaos”: What Will Dems Do If Biden Doesn’t Run? » Vanity Fair

The Senate's Supreme Court charade » Axios

Virginia Thomas urged White House chief to pursue unrelenting efforts to overturn the 2020 election, texts show » Washington Post

Pivotal week kicks off for Amazon unionization campaigns » The Hill

The Return of the Machine Gun » The Trace

John Kerry sued, slammed over ‘absurd’ refusal to share details of his Climate staff » Boston Herald

Morning Joe calls out Merrick Garland for ignoring 'damning' evidence against Trump's 'unpatriotic seditioners' » Raw Story

Mike Pompeo sounds like presidential candidate in Sarasota speech that slams 'woke left' » Herald-Tribune

NH: Sununu calls allegations against Spofford 'serious,' says they should be investigated » NHPR

Trump sues Hillary Clinton for $24M over ‘unthinkable’ Russia ‘plot’ » Boston Herald

Opinion: You can always tell a Harvard man, but you can’t tell him much » Boston Globe

To-go cocktails, expanded outdoor dining likely here to stay in Massachusetts for at least another year » MassLive

Sons of Boston loses entertainment license in wake of killing of former Marine » Boston Globe

In the North End, the kerfuffle over outdoor dining continues » Boston Globe

Price gouging is rare. But about that $70 COVID test... » Boston Globe

Edward C. Johnson III dies; his leadership of Fidelity helped transform investing » Boston Globe

There was something about Ned » Boston Globe

Editorial: Ditch the outdoor dining fee for North End restaurants » Boston Herald

UMass neighbors object to removal of two big trees » Gazette Net

Massachusetts coronavirus cases climb again, K-12 schools report 2,594 cases » Boston Herald

POLITICO-Harvard poll: 40 percent of parents believe masks at school harmed their kids » Politico

UMass Chan Medical School looking to fill 600 positions in Worcester » MassLive

2,594 new coronavirus cases reported in Massachusetts schools in past week » Boston Herald

Martin J. Walsh to give commencement address at Endicott College » Boston Globe

Boston hospital reports zero coronavirus patients in ICU for first time since pandemic started » Boston Herald

Somerville renters say the new MBTA stations could price them out of the neighborhood » WBUR

Saugus passes height variance for Kowloon site » Lynn Daily News Item

Project LEARN opens new Youth Innovation Space » Lowell Sun

With $300,000 grant, Chelsea’s La Colaborativa celebrates » Boston Globe

Massachusetts groups prepare to welcome refugees from Ukraine » Boston Globe

Gov. Charlie Baker talks repairs, not replacement, of troubled Roderick Ireland Courthouse » MassLive

SJC says franchises must comply with independent contractor law » Commonwealth Magazine

SJC rules 7-Eleven franchisees can be considered employees » Boston Globe

Low-income workers will soon receive $500 checks from Massachusetts –⁠ here’s who qualifies » Boston Herald

$500 bonus payment to reach half a million Mass. residents » WBUR

Baker’s $4,000 employer hiring bonus called ‘deeply misguided’ » Commonwealth Magazine

Here’s who voted for and against the gas tax suspension amendment » Boston Herald

North Adams now has a Women's History Month Hall of Fame » Berkshire Eagle

Muni Matters: Making of a Mayor » State House News Service

In Everett, reaction to a racist meme reveals a clash of old and new » WGBH

MCLA a Hotbed for Political Candidates? » The Beacon

These are the candidates so far in major 2022 Massachusetts elections » Boston.com

Sonia Chang-Diaz challenges Maura Healey to 3 debates » Boston Herald

Wastewater data sends mixed signals amid dip in Boston-area COVID-19 cases » WGBH

Tents long gone, but Mass. and Cass crime still a big problem » Boston Globe

Mass and Cass crowds ‘not acceptable,’ Wu administration says, vowing ‘decentralization’ » Boston Herald

Five Franklin County towns receive grants to explore shared police, EMS services » The Recorder

Russian Divestment Emerges as Focus in Senate Spending Bill » State House News Service

Senate rejects gas tax holiday » The Eagle Tribune

Gas tax vote fails in Massachusetts Senate as Connecticut lawmakers unanimously suspend it » Boston Herald

Howie Carr: Massachusetts Dems to drivers: Drop dead! » Boston Herald

Fattman's amendment to suspend state's 24-cent gas tax fails » Worcester Telegram

MBTA releases first five-year spending plan since pandemic began totaling $9.4B » Boston Globe

Despite ‘positive’ conversations, east-west rail pace ‘probably frustrating to some,’ Gov. Charlie Baker says » MassLive

MBTA Riding Diesel-Electric Bridge To Clean Buses » State House News Service

N.Y.C.’s New Subway Chief Comes From Boston and Doesn’t Own a Car » New York Times

Charlie Baker touts success of rural broadband push » Boston Herald

‘Like running water’: Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito celebrate state’s success bringing broadband internet to rural towns » MassLive

Social Media Spotlight

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GBH News What would a Russian cyber-attack look like? WCVB Channel 5 Boston Massachusetts charities prepare to welcome Ukrainian refugees

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Podcast Spotlight

Five Thirty Eight Politics Podcast: The Partisan Grandstanding At Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Hearings Tech Freedom Tech Policy Podcast: #315: Social Media “Transparency” as First Amendment Violation NPR The NPR Politics Podcast: How Much Sway Does Donald Trump Hold In Republican Primaries? Crooked Media Pod Save America: "Attack of the Racist Babies."

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