Andy Metzger

Guest Contributor

Stories by Andy Metzger

House revamps voter-approved pot law

Drugs/ Politics

House revamps voter-approved pot law

Ups tax rate, addiction funding and steers jobs to minority community

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STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE AFTER SEVERAL YEARS of ceding marijuana policy-making to a voting public eager to adopt a more permissive approach to the once completely illegal drug, House lawmakers on Wednesday took the reins of the sticky issue, passing a bill to overhaul how the state will regulate the retail market of the intoxicant.(...)

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T says pension problem worsening

Tracking Transportation/ Transportation

T says pension problem worsening

Union chief says early retirements boosting retirement costs

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STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE MBTA PENSION FUND’S problems have been festering for years, but T officials this year did not include $9 million in funds needed to pay retirees and now say they’ll have to find room in their budget for that payment. MBTA Chief Administrator Brian Shortsleeve told T officials about the funding(...)

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Logan signs parking deal with CLF

Tracking Transportation/ Transportation

Logan signs parking deal with CLF

Promises to reduce emissions in return for 5,000 spaces

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STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE AGENCY THAT MANAGES LOGAN AIRPORT agreed Thursday to invest in reducing emissions from cars and planes as part of its plan to create 5,000 new parking spaces at the East Boston air hub. If the parking plan is permitted, Logan would install ample electric vehicle charging stations throughout its facilities,(...)

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SJC hears case on holding immigrant detainees

Politics

SJC hears case on holding immigrant detainees

Chief Justice Gants asks source of state authority to detain people

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STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS have the “inherent” authority to arrest and hold immigrants scheduled for deportation, a Department of Justice attorney argued in court on Tuesday. The Supreme Judicial Court has called into question a tool federal immigration authorities use to gain custody of immigrants in the country illegally: requests for(...)

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Baker pushes 2-track S. Coast rail approach

Tracking Transportation/ Transportation

Baker pushes 2-track S. Coast rail approach

Pacheco fears Middleborough approach may doom Stoughton line

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STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE The Baker administration has agreed on a course for the first phase of long-promised commuter rail service to the South Coast, working under an approach that contemplates diesel service along an existing Middleborough/Lakeville rail line while engineering, design and permitting work continues on a possible electric service route through Stoughton. Transportation(...)

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T offers up other paratransit options

Tracking Transportation/ Transportation

T offers up other paratransit options

Disabled users demand withdrawal of proposed service cut

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STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE LAST WEEK MBTA OFFICIALS presented some tough medicine the agency could take to zero-out its $42 million structural deficit for the coming fiscal year, including slashing weekend commuter rail trips and special service for disabled passengers. On Monday, MBTA officials offered up some options that might make the paratransit service reductions(...)

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Rosenberg likens Trump travel ban to Nazi Germany

Politics

Rosenberg likens Trump travel ban to Nazi Germany

Senate president says Dems will caucus to discuss the order

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STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE DRAWING LINKS TO Nazi Germany, the president of the Massachusetts Senate condemned the Trump administration’s move to bar entry into the country of nationals from seven countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Senate President Stan Rosenberg, who is Jewish, said the issuance of President Donald Trump’s executive order on(...)

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Baker plans to let Keolis contract expire

Tracking Transportation/ Transportation

Baker plans to let Keolis contract expire

At end of 8 year period, a new selection process would start

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STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE WHILE IT’S UNCLEAR who will be in charge of state transportation policy in six years, Baker administration officials said Thursday their plan would be to allow the MBTA’s contract with Keolis Commuter Services to expire once the eight-year contract term ends in June 2022. Officials said they would hope to go(...)

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House, Senate OK delay in marijuana law

Drugs/ Politics

House, Senate OK delay in marijuana law

Bill rushed through in scarcely attended mid-holiday session

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STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE HOUSE AND SENATE on Wednesday passed a bill (S 2524) that would delay the licensing of retail marijuana outlets by six months, which could push the regulated sale of pot well into 2018. Possession, use, and marijuana home-growing provisions of the law took effect Dec. 15 and those aspects of(...)

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T preparing to privatize call center

Tracking Transportation/ Transportation

T preparing to privatize call center

Agency has received unsolicited offers from firms

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STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE MBTA PLANS to go out to the market for private bidders to run its call center operations, which will likely be privatized, according to a member of the T’s control board. Earlier this fall the T received an unsolicited proposal from Ameridial, an Ohio company, that claimed it could run(...)

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