Galvin gets less secretive about tax credit recipients

By Bruce Mohl Ethics and Open Government, Growth and Development, State Government 0 Comments Apr 13, 2010

secretary of state William Galvin is starting to lift the veil of secrecy surrounding his management of the state’s historic rehabilitation tax credit program, which provides financial incentives for developers to restore historic buildings. Galvin recently posted on his state website the names of companies and projects receiving tax credit awards during the latest round(...)

Economy

Ka-ching!

A Pennsylvania city finds out what happens when a casino moves into the neighborhood

By Alison Lobron Employment, Growth and Development 0 Comments Apr 13, 2010

UPDATE: On April 7, after two months of deliberation, Pennsylvania’s gaming control board renewed the Sands’ operating license and approved the casino’s application to introduce table games in Bethlehem. At the same hearing, the Sands announced that the community would not have to wait much longer for the long-stalled hotel; construction will resume in May.(...)

Health Care

Misdiagnosis

The ratings given to Bay State nursing homes are not as informative, or as consistent, as they may first appear

By Lisa Chedekel 0 Comments Apr 13, 2010

it’s one thing to use five-star ratings to rank restaurants and movies, but is it possible to rate nursing homes the same way? The federal government thinks it is. Just over a year ago, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched a new five-star rating system, available on its Nursing Home Compare website,(...)

Politics

Number 41

As a first-term senator, Scott Brown is likely to burnish his credentials
as an independent

By Shawn Zeller 0 Comments Apr 13, 2010

with his election win in January, Scott Brown disappointed a lot of Democrats. But aside from his opponent, Attorney General Martha Coakley, no one lost more in that election than Ben Nelson. A Nebraska Democrat, Nelson was considered the Democrats’ 60th vote before Brown knocked him down a peg. After Brown’s upset victory, Nelson is(...)

Politics

Hidden treasure

The state's library and archives are underfunded, understaffed, and inaccessible to both researchers and ordinary citizens

By Colman M. Herman Ethics and Open Government 0 Comments Apr 13, 2010

A sense of awe envelops Nancy Powell as she waxes eloquently about The Birds of America, a multi-volume set of John James Audubon’s hand-painted prints of life-size images of 435 birds like the ruff-necked hummingbird, the cerulean warbler, and the gold-winged woodpecker. IMAGES FROM THE BIRDS OF AMERICA, COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY(...)

Politics

Political preview 2010

By Robert David Sullivan 0 Comments Apr 13, 2010

the surprise election of Republican Scott Brown as US Senator in January (get complete town-level results here) was only the beginning of what promises to be a tumultuous year of politics in Massachusetts. We’ve put together some stats on some of the major factors in statewide politics in the past and future. party down Democrats(...)

Criminal Justice/ Education

Boarding school behind bars

The Department of Youth Services is charged with educating our incarcerated youth, but the hurdles it faces are enormous

By Jack Sullivan Elementary and Secondary Education 0 Comments Apr 13, 2010

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Economy

Raised stakes

By Robert David Sullivan Growth and Development, Taxes and Budget Issues 0 Comments Apr 13, 2010

any debate over the possible arrival of casinos in Massachusetts (see “Ka-ching”) has to take into account how much we already rely on the state lottery, and whether scratch ticket sales will suffer against a rival outlet for gambling. In FY 2008, according to the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries, the Bay(...)

Politics

A dynasty’s demise

The Kennedy name is no longer enough to launch a political career

By Alison Lobron 0 Comments Apr 13, 2010

i have decided not to run for Congress. So you may stop reading and instead check msnbc.com to see what the talking heads are saying about me — unless you’re wondering why I imagine my decision to be worthy of a news story. Of course it’s not, since my name is Lobron. But if my(...)

Uncategorized

Redefining parents

By Robert David Sullivan Demographics 0 Comments Apr 13, 2010

by traditional definitions, the percentage of children living in “single-parent” households has risen steadily over the past few decades, both nationally and in Massachusetts. One measure is the share of all births to unmarried mothers; nationally, that’s gone from 28 percent in 1990 to 34 percent in 2000 to an estimated 40 percent in 2007.(...)