Sign up to receive the day's curated top stories, legislative schedule, press releases, and other daily features every morning in your inbox!

MassInsider
Jump To...
Go to our Job Board
MassInsider introduces our free Job Board.
Please contact jobs@instatrac.com to post open positions.
Today on Beacon Hill

10:30am COVID Remembrance Day, Nurses Hall, State House

11:00am House Session, Formal Session

Must-Reads
MASSACHUSETTS

Healey’s tax relief plan won’t spur the economic development Mass. needs, analysts say » MassLive

Baker's home still covered by state police details » Salem News

Healey: Tax Changes Intended To Keep Residents In Mass. » State House News Service

Free community college plan unveiled by Healey ahead of budget release » Boston Herald

As Prices Soar, Fossil Fuel Industry Looks After Its Interests On Beacon Hill » Dig Boston

State finds Boston Public Schools transportation issues violated students’ right to special education services » Boston Herald

Some top Mass. officials got $40,000 raises this year. Now they’re some of the highest paid in the country. » Boston Globe

State Board Approves Controversial Worcester Cultural Academy » State House News Service

TikTok's time may be running out on state-owned devices » Worcester Telegram

Ed board eases hiring policies for administrators » The Eagle Tribune

THE OTHER 49

RI: Seth Magaziner’s rise is coming faster than anyone thought » Boston Globe

NY: MTA jobs are a track to generational wealth for Black New Yorkers – but executives remain predominantly white » Gothamist

RI: RWU class looks at how race shapes the law » The Providence Journal

NJ: Murphy budget plan makes helping seniors a priority » NJ Spotlight News

NY: Hochul Calls for Rail Safety Regulations — After Vetoing Keystone Rail Safety Bill » New York Focus

PA: Cuts to SNAP benefits spark "economic riptide" for Philadelphians » Axios

OH: How Ohio enacted the most restrictive voter ID law in America » Raw Story

IL: Lori Lightfoot ousted in Chicago mayoral election » Axios

TN: Tennessee Lobbyists Oppose New Lifesaving Exceptions in Abortion Ban » ProPublica

TX: Texas Governor Says Most Gun Crimes Involve Illegally Owned Weapons. That’s Not True for Mass Shootings. » ProPublica

KS: How an Anti-Abortion Law Firm Teamed Up With a Disgraced Kansas Attorney to Dispute the 2020 Election » ProPublica

CA: Undoing the past: Lawmakers seek to mend California neighborhoods sliced by highways » Cal Matters

NATIONAL

'This is a nightmare': How the GOP became an 'autocratic movement' that doesn't believe in democracy anymore » Raw Story

They’re lobbying for Ukraine pro bono – and making millions from arms firms » The Guardian

Trump's February bump » Axios

America's growing hurricane wind problem » Axios

Eli Lilly Says It Will Cut the Price of Insulin » New York Times

30 years later, Waco siege still resonates – especially among anti-government extremists » The Conversation

Low-Income Families Brace for End of Extra Food Stamp Benefits » New York Times

Democrats step up pressure on Biden to reverse Trump’s decision on space HQ » Politico

Rail Lobbyists Pay Politico To Tout Train Safety » The Lever

How the judge who could ban the abortion pill won confirmation in the U.S. Senate » Georgia Recorder

Social Security and Medicare Have Always Been on the Chopping Block » The Bulwark

Opinion: Hunter Biden Has Some Explaining to Do » New York Times

"It's amazing, right, that somehow, the Orange Line screws up a commute even when it's not on the rail,"

Governor Maura Healey

Last week a trailer transporting one of the new Orange Line cars from Springfield to Medford detached from its truck on Interstate 495 in Chelmsford, snarling traffic.

News By Category
Beltway Politics

It might not be obvious, but Ron DeSantis just soft launched his 2024 presidential campaign » Boston Globe

Business

Westborough land off Route 9 goes for $2.65M to car styling entrepreneur » Worcester Telegram

Howie Carr: The kinked grocery cart under Biden’s America » Boston Herald

Democracy

Opinion: Civic honor is in short supply in America » Boston Globe

Education

State inspector general instructs Boston schools to crack down on late buses » Boston Globe

Warren, Pressley call on Supreme Court to uphold loan forgiveness program » Boston Globe

Free community college for Mass. adults is a key part of Governor Healey’s budget proposal » Boston Globe

Controversial Old Sturbridge Village-affiliated Worcester charter school approved by state board » MassLive

Editorial: Last year’s BPS agreement with the state begins to bear fruit » Boston Globe

Student loan debt cancellation could be on thin ice as Supreme Court takes up case, Massachusetts lawmakers push for relief » Boston Herald

‘Weak district accountability:’ Report finds widespread Boston Public Schools data collection issues » Boston Herald

BPS defies federal court order for English learners, civil rights group says » Boston Globe

Mass. Board of Elementary and Secondary Education OKs Worcester charter school » Worcester Telegram

Override vote for new Amherst elementary school set for May 2 » Gazette Net

Healey Offers Major Funding Boost For Public Higher Ed » State House News Service

Environment

How good is water quality of Worcester's lakes, ponds? Report gives answers » Worcester Telegram

Health Care

Sanofi to halt COVID vaccine production and lay off workers in Framingham » Worcester Business Journal

Women are much more likely to say no to cholesterol-lowering drugs, Boston researchers find » Boston Globe

'Overdue changes' in long-term care eyed for early House action » Cape Cod Times

As questions loom over the expected closures of nursing homes in Chicopee, Springfield, Westfield, the state will hold public hearings » MassLive

Housing

Boston lands $1.8M to look at reconnecting Chinatown split by 1960s highway construction » Boston Herald

Barnstable County Commissioners approve allocation of $11.4M for housing efforts » Cape Cod Times

Throwing an elderly disabled woman out of her apartment is never a good look » Boston Globe

Human Services

Community center for young adults with autism approved on Lake Street in Brighton » Universal Hub

Immigration

Fla. Gov. DeSantis moves to get Martha’s Vineyard migrant lawsuit dismissed » MassLive

Judiciary

Hire at Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s Office loses job after old racist, sexist tweets emerge » Boston Herald

Labor

Former state labor secretary reflects on pandemic benefit payouts: ‘A bit like Hunger Games’ » Boston Globe

Local Government

DeSimone pulls off surprise win in Attleboro special mayoral election » The Sun Chronicle

A new hurdle for Wu’s BPDA revamp: the City Council » Boston Globe

Rural challenges: Hilltown officials outline bevy of concerns in a visit by state auditor » Gazette Net

Amherst resident alleges discrimination in building code enforcement » Gazette Net

Politics

Salem mayoral candidates agree on need to improve public transportation but differ on how » MassLive

Revere Mayor Brian M. Arrigo won’t seek reelection » Boston Globe

Salem mayoral candidates meet for SSU forum » Salem News

Shawn Oliver wins New Bedford's Ward 3 city council seat over Carmen Amaral » South Coast Today

New Massachusetts GOP chair Amy Carnevale looks to rebuild the party from the ground up » WBUR

Framingham Democratic Committee to keep chairman who made harmful comments about students with disabilities » Boston Herald

Jews, politicians taking action to ‘heal the world’ » Gazette Net

Public Health

COVID-19 testing site at Mercantile Center to close March 30 » Worcester Telegram

Public Safety

Boston invests $1 million to help people returning from prisons and jails » WGBH

An alleged drug trafficker, a detective trying to take him down, and the woman caught in the middle » Boston Globe

State Finance

House Panel Loads Spending Bill With $585 Mil In Borrowing » State House News Service

Healey unveils first state budget proposal, plans for $1 billion in ‘millionaires tax’ revenue » Boston Globe

Transportation

JetBlue flight at Boston Logan had a ‘close call’ with a Learjet a day after ‘aborted landing’ » Boston Herald

MBTA says transformer malfunction caused power problems that snarled morning commute » Boston Globe

FAA investigating close call at Logan Airport; JetBlue pilot takes evasive action to avoid collision with Learjet » Boston Globe

MBTA temporarily freezes subway service after power failure » Boston Herald

Utilities

DPU Approves Further Cut In Gas Rates » State House News Service

Mass. Department of Public Utilities announces gas supply rate reduction » Western Mass News

Job Board

Looking for jobs? Check out our Job Board
Hiring? Email us at jobs@instatrac.com
Recipe of the Week

The Best Vegetarian Bean Chili

J. Kenji López-Alt — Serious Eats

Ingredients

3 whole sweet dried chiles like costeño, New Mexico, or choricero, stems and seeds removed

2 small hot dried chiles like arbol or cascabel, stems and seeds removed (optional)

3 whole rich fruity dried chiles like ancho, mulato, negro, or pasilla, stems and seeds removed

1 quart water

2 whole chipotle chiles in adobo sauce with 2 tablespoons sauce from can

2 (14-ounce) cans chickpeas

1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes packed in juice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane grater

1 1/2 tablespoons cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon marmite or vegemite

2 (14-ounce) cans dark red kidney beans, drained, liquid reserved separately

2 tablespoons vodka or bourbon

Kosher salt

2 to 3 tablespoons masa

Directions

Add dried chiles to a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or stock pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until slightly darkened with intense, roasted aroma, 2 to 5 minutes. Do not allow to smoke. Remove chiles to small bowl and set aside. Alternatively, place dried chiles on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high power in 15-second increments until pliable and toasted-smelling, about 30 seconds total. Transfer to a 2-quart microwave-safe liquid measuring cup or bowl. Add water and chipotle chiles, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high power until gently simmering, about 5 minutes. Remove from microwave and set aside. Transfer chiles and liquid to blender and blend, starting on the lowest possible setting and gradually increasing speed to high (make sure to hold the lid down with a clean kitchen towel or a potholder to prevent it from blowing out). Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.

Drain chickpeas, reserving liquid from can. Transfer chickpeas to a food processor and pulse until just roughly chopped, about three 1-second pulses. Set aside.

Roughly squeeze tomatoes through your fingers into approximate 1/4-inch pieces. Add to chickpea water along with any juices.

Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and dried oregano and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add puréed chiles, soy sauce, and marmite and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add reserved chickpea/tomato water mixture and stir to combine. Add chopped chickpeas and kidney beans. Stir to combine.

If beans are sticking out of the top, add reserved kidney bean liquid until just barely submerged. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a bare simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and rich, about 1 1/2 hours, adding more reserved kidney bean liquid as necessary if chili becomes too thick or sticks to the bottom of the pan.

When cooked, add vodka or bourbon and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and whisk in masa in a slow steady stream until desired thickness is reached. For best results, allow chili to cool and refrigerate for at least one night and up to a week. Reheat to serve.

Serve, garnished with cilantro, chopped onions, scallions, avocado, lime wedges, and warm tortillas as desired.



45 Bromfield Street, 11th Floor, Boston, MA 02108
About Us
Privacy Policy
Connect With Us
Phone: (617) 292-1800

You have received this message because you are signed up for MassInsider. Click here to unsubscribe. Email us at info@instatrac.com. We appreciate any feedback or suggestions.

Copyright © 2024 Instatrac, Inc. All Rights Reserved.