Michael Jonas

Executive Editor, CommonWealth

About Michael Jonas

Michael Jonas has worked in journalism in Massachusetts since the early 1980s. Before joining the CommonWealth staff in early 2001, he was a contributing writer for the magazine for two years. His cover story in CommonWealth's Fall 1999 issue on Boston youth outreach workers was selected for a PASS (Prevention for a Safer Society) Award from the National Council on Crime and Delinquency.

Michael got his start in journalism at the Dorchester Community News, a community newspaper serving Boston's largest neighborhood, where he covered a range of urban issues. Since the late 1980s, he has been a regular contributor to the Boston Globe. For 15 years he wrote a weekly column on local politics for the Boston Sunday Globe's City Weekly section.

Michael has also worked in broadcast journalism. In 1989, he was a co-producer for "The AIDS Quarterly," a national PBS series produced by WGBH-TV in Boston, and in the early 1990s, he worked as a producer for "Our Times," a weekly magazine program on WHDH-TV (Ch. 7) in Boston.

Michael lives in Dorchester with his wife and their two daughters.

About Michael Jonas

Michael Jonas has worked in journalism in Massachusetts since the early 1980s. Before joining the CommonWealth staff in early 2001, he was a contributing writer for the magazine for two years. His cover story in CommonWealth's Fall 1999 issue on Boston youth outreach workers was selected for a PASS (Prevention for a Safer Society) Award from the National Council on Crime and Delinquency.

Michael got his start in journalism at the Dorchester Community News, a community newspaper serving Boston's largest neighborhood, where he covered a range of urban issues. Since the late 1980s, he has been a regular contributor to the Boston Globe. For 15 years he wrote a weekly column on local politics for the Boston Sunday Globe's City Weekly section.

Michael has also worked in broadcast journalism. In 1989, he was a co-producer for "The AIDS Quarterly," a national PBS series produced by WGBH-TV in Boston, and in the early 1990s, he worked as a producer for "Our Times," a weekly magazine program on WHDH-TV (Ch. 7) in Boston.

Michael lives in Dorchester with his wife and their two daughters.

Stories by Michael Jonas

A clash of housing visions

Economy/ Housing

A clash of housing visions

Pro-growth ‘YIMBY’ conference arrives in Boston, faces pushback from tenant activists

By , , , , , 0 Comments

SEVERAL HUNDRED ADVOCATES from across the country are descending on Roxbury Community College beginning Friday for a conference committed to the idea of building more housing to relieve a crunch that is pricing people out of booming coastal cities like Boston. The YIMBYtown convention is the national ingathering of a new movement – this is(...)

Read More »

For tax plan, Gonzalez’s gives it the college try

Politics

For tax plan, Gonzalez’s gives it the college try

Cool reception for idea of taxing big endowments

By 0 Comments

THE MASSACHUSETTS REPUBLICAN PARTY has hammered Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jay Gonzalez for not releasing details of how he would pay for an ambitious agenda that calls for new spending on education and transportation. Gonzalez has answered that with a plan — but he’s now getting hammered over the details of it. Gonzalez is proposing a(...)

Read More »

Superintendent showdown

Education

Superintendent showdown

Groups don’t want interim Perille to seek job

By 0 Comments

MAYOR MARTY WALSH quickly sought to stabilize the Boston Public Schools in late June by tapping local education nonprofit leader Laura Perille as interim school superintendent to replace Tommy Chang, who exited abruptly with two years left on his contract in the face of mayoral displeasure with his tenure. But that move is now running(...)

Read More »

Conley will resign DA’s post early

Criminal Justice/ Politics

Conley will resign DA’s post early

Suffolk prosecutor will join high-powered Boston law and lobbying firm

By , , , 0 Comments

SUFFOLK COUNTY District Attorney Dan Conley will resign later this month to take a lobbying and litigation job with one of the city’s most high-powered firms. Conley, who said in February that he would not seek reelection this fall, announced at a briefing Wednesday afternoon that he’ll assume the title of special counsel with the(...)

Read More »

Disagreeing agreeably

Media/ Politics

Disagreeing agreeably

Nassour and Mermell talk politics across the partisan divide  

By 0 Comments

“POLITICS, IDEAS & CIVIC LIFE IN MASSACHUSETTS” has been the tagline describing the focus of CommonWealth’s coverage since the magazine was launched 22 years ago. We didn’t say it explicitly, but the goal also was to promote a civil civic life here. A robust exchange of views and ideas, argued vigorously but respectfully, seemed then(...)

Read More »

DeLeo spins a positive tale

Politics

DeLeo spins a positive tale

Speaker calls election a ‘good night’ despite defeat of key lieutenants

By 0 Comments

HOUSE SPEAKER ROBERT DELEO dutifully sidled up to the state’s other top Democrats at a “unity” gathering yesterday morning in Dorchester, where party pooh-bahs reveled in their victories — and tried to paper over any divisions from primary races that saw some of them on the losing side of big races. Asked after the event(...)

Read More »

Rollins rolls to big win in Suffolk DA race

Criminal Justice/ Politics

Rollins rolls to big win in Suffolk DA race

Outsider Harrington topples Berkshire DA, Ryan reelected in MIddlesex

By , , , , , , , , , , , , 0 Comments

AGAINST THE BACKDROP of a national rethinking of criminal justice policies, Suffolk County residents voted for big change in the district attorney’s office as Rachael Rollins, a former federal prosecutor running on strong reform platform, topped a five-way Democratic primary field in the contest to replace incumbent Dan Conley, who did not seek reelection. Change(...)

Read More »

Pressley leads changing of the guard

Politics

Pressley leads changing of the guard

Defeat of Capuano ushers in new face of Democrats

By and , , , , , 0 Comments

CHANGE HAMMERED ON US Rep. Michael Capuano’s door at about 9:15 Tuesday night after making the rounds at a few other stops. It couldn’t wait. For Ayanna Pressley, the 44-year-old Boston City Councilor who defeated the 10-term incumbent by a surprisingly wide 59 to 41 margin, the result justified the politically risky decision she made(...)

Read More »

Liberal groups boost Sanchez challenger

Politics

Liberal groups boost Sanchez challenger

Backing for Elugardo has House budget chairman running scared

By , , , 0 Comments

IF THERE IS a campaign equivalent to the see-through pane in front of a fire alarm marked, “In case of emergency, break glass,” Jeff Sanchez has put his fist through it. Two weeks ago, the chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee pulled together a group of local community leaders in Jamaica Plain(...)

Read More »

Palfrey and Tingle on the quest to be the Dems’ No. 2

Politics

Palfrey and Tingle on the quest to be the Dems’ No. 2

LG candidates bring very different backgrounds to primary race

By 0 Comments

WHEN THE SUBJECT of the lieutenant governor’s office comes up, there’s an old saw in Massachusetts political circles that is offered to explain its place in the state’s political firmament: There once was a woman who had two sons. One was lost at sea, the other became lieutenant governor, and neither was ever heard from(...)

Read More »

1 2 3 4 5 >>|