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

7:30am Operation ABLE Annual Breakfast Fundraiser

9:00am Lobby Day for Animals, Great Hall, State House

11:00am Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, Committee Hearing

12:00pm Governor's Council Meeting, Governor's Council Chamber, Room 360, State House

6:00pm Women of Color and Public Leadership: Impacts and Successes hosted by the UMass Boston Center for Women in Politics & Public Policy, Via Zoom

Birthdays: Rep. Aaron Michlewitz

Must-Reads
MASSACHUSETTS

Report: Many Mass. Towns Flouting CPA’s Housing Requirements » State House News Service

How long will the smoke last in Massachusetts? ‘It’s going to stick with us’ as state issues air quality advisory » Boston Herald

Transfer Tax Bill Would Give All Communities New Option » State House News Service

State’s largest insurer has doubled spending on mental health care since start of the pandemic » Boston Globe

Two Republicans to jump into race for open Senate seat last held by Anne Gobi » Boston Herald

Former Gov. Swift and daughter testify at State House on hurdles to access medication » WBUR

‘People cannot afford to go to school’: Enrollment at Massachusetts community colleges plummets » The New Bedford Light

Legislators are working to make size discrimination illegal in Mass. Here’s what that means. » Boston.com

State moves to bring sex education out of the ‘90s » Commonwealth Magazine

Another wind farm developer — SouthCoast — says it will back away from plans in waters south of Mass. » Boston Globe

Yep, the Mass. legislature is slower than usual » WBUR

Feds offer little help with asylum seeker costs » The Eagle Tribune

Serial rapists hate women but can’t be charged with a hate crime in Massachusetts » Boston Globe

THE OTHER 49

RI: Number of Rhode Islanders experiencing homelessness during annual winter count up 15 percent over last year » Boston Globe

CT: Connecticut’s tax-cutting, $51 billion bipartisan budget wins legislative approval » Hartford Courant

NY: Roadblocks and Red Tape: New York’s Cannabis Effort at a Crossroads » New York Times

NY: With new bill, Clean Slate looks closer than ever to becoming law » City & State New York

NJ: NJ Transit, other railroads want Madison Square Garden changes to fix Penn Station., new report says » NJ.com

NJ: Murphy aides condemn legislative leaders' 'StayNJ' plan as inequitable, unsustainable » POLITICO Pro

FL: How Ron DeSantis found a home in Florida’s swamp » NBC News

FL: Federal court halts Florida’s transgender care ban for families who sued » Orlando Sentinel

FL: Florida’s home insurance rates rising faster than any state, nearly triple U.S. average » Miami Herald

CO: Denver eyes safe parking site expansion for people experiencing homelessness » Axios

CO: Mike Johnston wins Denver mayoral race, Kelly Brough concedes » Axios

CA: Dream of reparations hits political reality in California » Politico

CA: Newsom’s feud with DeSantis turns ugly » The Hill

NATIONAL

Making Manufacturing Great Again » New York Times

How This Year’s Supreme Court Term Could Be Its Most Damaging to Date » Vanity Fair

RFK Jr.’s rising profile sparks Democratic jitters » The Hill

Small business lending environment is getting worse, fast » Boston Business Journal

Ron DeSantis’ Crusade Against Campaign Finance Laws » The Lever

Pence kicks off 2024 run, beginning extraordinary showdown with Trump » Washington Post

Rebranding rift guts Blue Dog Dem ranks » Politico

North Dakota’s Doug Burgum wages a long-shot bid to shake up 2024 race » Washington Post

“Democrats would be foolish to mock or belittle RFK Jr. Every time we make fun of those who hold fringe positions, we lose,” said Michael Ceraso. “The Democratic Party acting smug never works.”

Michael Ceraso, a Democratic strategist

Democrats are growing concerned that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s profile is rising just as President Biden embarks on a challenging campaign to keep the White House out of Republican control.

News By Category
Business

Vantage Travel is negotiating a sale of the company amid cancellations » Boston Globe

Owner of popular Cape Cod restaurant accused of using racial slurs during confrontation » Boston.com

While other states, countries have biotech envy, Massachusetts can’t find enough workers » Boston Globe

Competitor States Take Stock Of Mass. Bio Climate » State House News Service

Putting women, nonbinary entrepreneurs on the map » Gazette Net

Healey Commits To Extending Life Sciences Law » State House News Service

Calling Inflation Reduction Act 'draconian,' Biogen CEO hints at lawsuit » Boston Business Journal

Disparities in funding mean ‘something is wrong,' agency head says » NBC Boston

Civil Rights

Opinion: The rise in antisemitism should concern us all » Boston Globe

Why should people move to Massachusetts? Healey adds LGBTQ+ rights to the list » WBUR

Education

Wu, Skipper propose big changes to BPS high schools » Boston Globe

Will bold plan for Boston high schools get traction this time? » Commonwealth Magazine

UMass challenged by cost, enrollment trends » Lowell Sun

Somerville students to be released for summer break on time even after concrete crumbled and closed their school » Boston Herald

Wu: West Roxbury school to be rebuilt as 'state of the art' O'Bryant STEM school; Madison Park to expand into old O'Bryant building » Universal Hub

Wu, Skipper plan to expand one school, move another as part of new vision for Boston high schools » Boston.com

Wu, Skipper propose big changes to BPS high schools » Boston Globe

Wu, Skipper look to move O’Bryant school to closed West Roxbury complex » Boston Herald

‘The world needs you’: GCC celebrates 135 graduates » Gazette Net

Environment

'How are the citizens to know?' Critics of EPA's Housatonic plan take fight to federal appeals court » New England Public Media

Opponents of a PCB landfill in Lee made their case in federal appeals court. The judges seemed unmoved » Berkshire Eagle

New Invasive Tick Discovered On Nantucket » Nantucket Current

As ships continue to strike and kill right whales, a top New England Aquarium scientist pushes for a solution » Boston.com

Health Care

Top Lawmakers Fed Up With Drug Makers, Benefit Managers » State House News Service

Merck sues over law empowering Medicare to negotiate with drug makers » Boston Globe

Editorial: We need some new drugs » Boston Globe

Former governor Jane Swift testifies at legislative hearing to rein in health care spending » Boston Globe

Housing

Deal with the state opens more affordable housing opportunities in New Bedford » South Coast Today

Local funds meant to support housing are sometimes used to block it, report finds » Boston Globe

Human Services

Swampscott/Lynn DAV general will serve veterans » Lynn Daily News Item

Worcester board approves small homeless shelter amid shouts in opposition » MassLive

Judiciary

Boston lawyer who was considered for Massachusetts U.S. Attorney appointed as a lead prosecutor at The Hague » Boston Herald

Editorial: All victims deserve timely DNA evidence testing » Boston Herald

Labor

Mass. postal workers rally to protest cuts, warn of moves to privatize » Worcester Telegram

Healey announces $50M workforce training program for 'high-growth' industries » Boston Business Journal

Tax Credit Pitched To Entice Small Biz Hires » State House News Service

Local Government

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu involved in car crash » Boston Herald

Chicopee paid insurance premiums for employees after they died or resigned » MassLive

Virtual meetings are bad for business, Boston Council president says » Boston Herald

Politics

Incumbent city councilors face challenges in Holyoke municipal races » MassLive

Tavares wins race for at-large city council seat in Attleboro » The Sun Chronicle

GOP Rep. Peter Durant expected to announce bid to succeed Gobi Wednesday » The Gardner News

Public Health

Lawmaker eyes task force to aid drink-spiking victims in Massachusetts » WGBH

Lawmaker wants hospitals to have test kits on hand amid drink spiking concerns » Boston Herald

Public Safety

How severe is the US gun violence epidemic? » WGBH

State Finance

The state Senate's $55.9 billion budget proposal includes earmarks for Berkshire County. Here's a look at some of them » Berkshire Eagle

State Government

Should jaywalking fines be taken off the books? » WGBH

State Rep. Pignatelli pushes for small town equity in state among larger cities » the Berkshire edge

Taxation

Howie Carr: Taxachusetts – it’s back » Boston Herald

Transportation

‘Way more consistent and faster’: As T struggles, commuter rail gains » Boston Globe

Are tickets cheaper than parking? Maybe not, but readers will risk it. » Boston.com

Utilities

SouthCoast Wind report suggests pricey future for offshore wind » Commonwealth Magazine

Editorial: Ban predatory energy suppliers, not entire industry » Lowell Sun

Job Board

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

Sesame Cucumber and Avocado Salad

Hetty McKinnon — New York Times Cooking

Ingredients

For the Sesame Dressing:

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 ½teaspoons soy sauce or tamari

½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes

For the Salad:

2 ripe avocados

1 pound cucumbers (such as Persian or English), trimmed and thinly sliced

2 green, red or purple scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

Toasted sesame seeds, for topping

Directions

Make the dressing: Place the sesame oil, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, sugar, soy sauce and red-pepper flakes into a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of water and whisk until emulsified. Taste, and adjust seasonings. (Dressing should taste acidic, a little sweet and salty.)

When you’re ready to eat, prepare the salad: Halve the avocados and discard the pits. Using a small paring knife, carefully score the avocado flesh into ½-inch cubes, avoiding cutting through the skin. Use a large spoon to scoop out the avocado flesh (in one spoonful, if possible), as close to the skin as possible. Transfer avocado cubes to a large bowl and add the dressing; toss gently.

Add the cucumbers and scallions and toss everything together. Season with salt and black pepper, top with more sesame seeds, and serve immediately.



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.