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Today on Beacon Hill

9:00am Joint Committee on Municipalities & Regional Government, Public Hearing

10:00am Board of Fire Prevention Regulations Public Hearing, Department of Fire Services, State Road, Stow

10:00am 250th Anniversary Celebration of the American Revolution, Virtual Hearing

1:00pm Governor's Council Meeting, Governor's Council Chamber, Room 360, State House

5:30pm Ellen Story Commission on Postpartum Depression, Virtual Hearing
Must-Reads
MASSACHUSETTS

Scientific journal investigating UMass hydrogen study after revelations of gas industry influence » Boston Globe

Plugging Massachusetts' housing assistance gap » Axios

Report: Expand Rental Aid To Address Housing Crisis » State House News Service

Behind passage of Fair Share Amendment, Massachusetts Teachers Association lays out five legislative goals for coming session » WAMC

Governor’s Councilors skeptical of Amirault pardons » Commonwealth Magazine

Teamsters plan to strike at St. Vincent Hospital Dec. 26 over stalled contract » Worcester Telegram

Recreational cannabis prices in Mass. plummet as dispensary owners weigh future » Boston.com

“They Don’t See Us”: Ayanna Pressley Won’t Let Women Be Ignored by the Republican Majority » Vanity Fair

On the SJC docket: A 1950s Mass. gun law and 27,000 DUI cases » WGBH

Western Mass. cannabis dispensary becomes first in the state to close » Boston Business Journal

Gov. Charlie Baker frustrated over lack of immigration reform measures » MassLive

Globe journalist is forced to testify at bribery trial of former Harvard fencing coach and parent » Boston Globe

THE OTHER 49

RI: Providence school closures 'not part of the purview' of School Board » The Associated Press (AP)

CT: Connecticut gets $5.7 million to plan broadband deployment, develop ‘digital equity plan’ » Hartford Courant

NY: Inside the Albany fight over how electric vehicles are sold in New York State » The Buffalo News

NY: Close Rikers? Correction officials say they may have too many New Yorkers to incarcerate. » Gothamist

NJ: Bill to revamp campaign finance laws clears Assembly hurdle » New Jersey Monitor

NJ: N.J. sued over plan to reorganize Horizon as advocates warn it may force premium hikes » NJ.com

FL: DeSantis calls for grand jury to investigate Covid-19 vaccines » Politico

FL: On top of homeowner premiums, policyholders could face a new tab coming soon: Flood insurance » Florida Phoenix

AZ: Arizona Set to Require Names of Donors for Independent Expenditures » MultiState

NATIONAL

Despite Modest G.O.P. Gains, Democrats Maintain Grasp on Suburbs » New York Times

QAnon is finding new life in Elon Musk’s conspiracy theories » Washington Post

Antiabortion movement sets sights on putting people in jail » Washington Post

Ron DeSantis outflanks Trump on the right with his call for Covid vaccine probe » NBC News

McConnell steps up attacks on a weakened Trump » The Hill

The AP Interview: Hutchinson says Trump worst choice for GOP » AP News

Trump in trouble: Republican support for his 2024 bid falls amid political, legal setbacks » USA Today

Calls to abolish private Medicare Advantage plans accelerate as scandals mount » Raw Story

“This price increase represents pure and deadly greed on the part of the company, and could result in the COVID-induced fatalities of many uninsured Americans that may be unable to afford the vaccine,”

Elizabeth Warren

Warren is blasting Pfizer over its plan to increase prices for its COVID-19 vaccines next year, accusing the pharmaceutical giant of trying to make a profit off the life-saving medicine.
News By Category
Beltway Politics

Russian prisoner Paul Whelan is 'more than a talking point,' his sister says » WGBH

Lawmakers announce ‘framework’ on bill to keep federal government open » Boston Globe

Lowry: Elon Musk nation’s top culture warrior » Boston Herald

Business

McCaughey: Biden does end run around Americans’ 401(k)s » Boston Herald

New life for old plans to revive the long-empty Alexandra Hotel » Boston Globe

Fed is expected to push forward with more interest rate hikes despite fear that battle against inflation risks economic damage » Boston Globe

Latest plan for Dot Bay City adds a waterside ‘Esplanade,' drops large building » Dorchester Reporter

Massachusetts’ blue industry benefits from new state investments » The Center Square

MassDevelopment Adds Three Years To CEO Contract » State House News Service

Meet some of Boston's top Black tech founders » Boston Business Journal

Cannabis & Psychedelics

Cannabis gold rush: The politically connected lead the stampede for lucrative pot shop licenses » Contrarian Boston

Northampton marijuana shop The Source closes; 1st shutdown for state’s cannabis industry » MassLive

Civil Rights

Biden signs gay marriage law, calls it ‘a blow against hate’ » Boston Globe

Education

Loan repayment program draws robust interest » The Eagle Tribune

City watchdog urges Boston Public Schools to delay awarding transportation contract to the only bidder » Boston Globe

State awards $5 million for new STEM Tech academies » Boston Globe

Assumption cybersecurity program receives validation from NSA » Worcester Business Journal

Northeastern expands again, this time with a campus in Miami » Boston Business Journal

Baker visits Essex Tech for last round of capital skills grants as governor » Salem News

Haverhill Council Signs Off on $160 Million for New Consentino School; How to Pay on Next Week’s Agenda » WHAV

Financial Aid Boost Eyed To Lift College Ranks » State House News Service

Environment

Nahant faces heat for plan to kill aggressive coyotes: ‘Stop the killing’ » Boston Herald

Restoring a ‘priceless resource’: Franklin Park set for major revamp » WGBH

Boston officials outline a host of potential improvements for Franklin Park » Boston Globe

Gaming

WynnBet wins state approval for first online sports betting license » Boston Globe

Regulators Explore Intent on Taxing Promo Play Credits » State House News Service

Health Care

Takeda acquires Boston biotech’s experimental autoimmune disease pill for $4 billion » Boston Globe

Merck-Moderna mRNA vaccine for melanoma shows promise in study, companies say » Boston Globe

Diversity on Health Policy Commission is needed to address equity, leaders say » Boston Business Journal

Housing

Worcester renters increasingly cost-burdened, neighborhoods still see impact of redlining » Worcester Telegram

As Rents Spike, So Does The Push For Rent Control » BisNow

Pittsfield, Williamstown Developments to Receive Housing Tax Credits » iBerkshires

New state law offers relief for some elderly Worcester homeowners » Worcester Telegram

Human Services

For Christmas in the City, the future looks merry and bright » Boston Globe

Insurance

MassHealth Chief Departing In Early January » State House News Service

Judiciary

Some Councilors Balk At Amirault Pardon Bid » State House News Service

The defense rests: Alan Rubin, a public defender for five decades, is winding down his prolific career this month » Gazette Net

Council Warm To Murderer’s Commutation Case » State House News Service

Local Government

Howie Carr: Bowtied bum kissers out to rewrite history, their way » Boston Herald

New Bedford surrenders to army of chewing squirrels » The New Bedford Light

City Council gets down to business in its weekly meeting » Lowell Sun

Ware Planning Board to hear request for marijuana delivery business » MassLive

Plymouth Town meeting can now be virtual and in-person under new legislation » Wicked Local

City Council to vote Wednesday to start replacing almost the entire zoning board » Universal Hub

Politics

Healey made her first Cabinet picks. She’s also gauging whether some Baker officials might stay, sources say. » Boston Globe

Driscoll to resign after delivering last State of City » Salem News

Massachusetts women will hold key power positions in coming year » BU News

Teacher plans run for District 3 Council seat » Dorchester Reporter

Sharp words in Brookline politics? Par for the course. So it goes. » Boston Globe

Public Health

Warren rips Pfizer for vaccine price hike » Gloucester Times

‘No one really wants to talk about alcohol’: Alcohol abuse costs Mass. more than $5 billion yearly, new analysis finds » Boston Globe

Mass. officials plan to distribute 3.5 million free COVID rapid tests » MassLive

Massachusetts sending millions more free at-home COVID tests to cities and towns » CBS News

Public Safety

Officers with past complaints recertified by state policing commission amid first batch of names released » WGBH

Editorial: Taking aim at gun sales: enforcement matters » Boston Globe

South Hadley’s Fire District 1 violated Open Meeting Law, state finds » Gazette Net

Boston, Regional Police Dodge Transparency Ordinance In Bolstering Surveillance Network » Dig Boston

State Government

Dewar Now In Line For Acting AG Post » State House News Service

Taxation

Policy group urges tax reduction efforts for incoming administration » The Center Square

Transportation

Green Line derailment highlights MBTA’s transparency problem » Boston Herald

Risks of cannabis-impaired driving to be added to Mass. driver’s education curriculum » Boston Globe

At-grade I-90 Allston project called ‘preferred alternative’ » Commonwealth Magazine

Lawmakers tasked with probing MBTA will release final report in January » Boston Herald

Utilities

Battery power: Outer Cape backup energy source is fully operational » Cape Cod Times

Job Board
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Recipe of the Week

Peppermint Brownie Cookies

Vaughn Vreeland — New York Times Cooking

Ingredients

4 ounces/113 grams semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (¾ cup)

½ cup/42 grams unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed

½ cup/113 grams unsalted butter

2 large eggs, at room temperature

¾ cup/150 grams granulated sugar

½ packed cup/107 grams dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)

1½ teaspoons peppermint extract

¾ cup/90 grams all-purpose flour

¼ cup/41 grams crushed peppermint candy

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Put chocolate and ¼ cup/21 grams cocoa powder in a small heatproof bowl or glass measuring cup. Melt butter in a skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat until bubbly but not browned, and pour over the chocolate. Without stirring, let the mixture sit so the residual heat can melt the chocolate thoroughly while you whip the eggs and sugar.

Put the eggs, both sugars and the salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on medium-high speed until the mixture is pillowy and the sugars have begun to dissolve, 6 to 8 minutes.

Stir the chocolate mixture until glossy and smooth. If any solid pieces remain, you can microwave the mixture in 10-second bursts until everything is melted.

With the mixer on low speed, add the peppermint extract and then the chocolate mixture. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula, then add the flour and remaining ¼ cup/21 grams cocoa, and mix on low until a few streaks of flour and cocoa remain. Use the spatula to finish folding in the dry ingredients to avoid overmixing. The dough will be looser than traditional cookie dough but not as thin as brownie batter.

Use a ¼-cup cookie scoop or measuring cup to scoop 12 (2-ounce) balls of batter onto the prepared sheets and bake. After 10 minutes, take the sheets out of the oven and bang them once on the counter to create a craggy surface and dense texture. Sprinkle a bit of crushed peppermint candy in the center of each cookie and return to the oven for another 2 minutes.

Let cool completely on the baking sheets. The cookies will keep for 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

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