Rodrigues, a ‘boring middle’ Dem, named Senate budget chief

Westport lawmaker headed Ethics Committee during Rosenberg investigation

By Bruce Mohl Massachusetts Legislature, Senator President Karen Spilka 0 Comments Feb 14, 2019

SENATE PRESIDENT KAREN SPILKA handed out leadership assignments on Thursday, shaking up some committee posts and giving the job of Ways and Means chair to Sen. Michael Rodrigues of Westport, a self-described moderate Democrat. Spilka did not come out of her office to talk to reporters after her leadership slate was approved by a Democratic(...)

Politics

DeLeo taps Michlewitz of Boston for budget-writing post

House leadership has less diversity at the top than last session

By Andy Metzger Massachusetts Legislature, State Government 0 Comments Feb 14, 2019

REP. AARON MICHLEWITZ will become the new face of the House budget-writing committee, taking on the powerful position of Ways and Means chair on Thursday afternoon. A 40-year-old Democrat from Boston’s North End, Michlewitz most recently co-chaired the Committee on Financial Services, helping to craft regulations and a taxation system for short-term home rentals and(...)

Education/ State government

UMass Boston scores big revenue gain with Bayside lease

Developer may pay as much as $235m for 99-year lease

By Katie Lannan Higher Education and Adult Learning 0 Comments Feb 14, 2019

STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS on Thursday tapped Boston-based Accordia Partners to develop the former Bayside Expo Center site, agreeing to a deal that university officials said could generate a transformational $235 million in revenue for its Boston campus. The university bought the 20-acre property adjacent to UMass Boston in 2010 for(...)

Environment/ Politics

Markey leery of McConnell move on Green New Deal

Mass. Democrat calls voting on the proposal an act of ‘sabotage’

By Andy Metzger Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ed Markey, Gov. Charlie Baker, Green New Deal, Joe Battenfeld, Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi, Scott Sloofman, Sherrod Brown 0 Comments Feb 14, 2019

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER Mitch McConnell wants to turn the Green New Deal into a new green wedge, and that has rankled US Sen. Ed Markey, a co-sponsor of the policy idea. The so-called GND has become a plank in the platform of several Democrats, including presidential contenders, but Republicans see an opening to create divisions(...)

The Download

Markey leery of McConnell move on Green New Deal

By CommonWealth Staff Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Amy McGrath, Andy Barr, Charlie Baker, Chuck Schumer, Climate change, Global Warming, Joe Battenfeld, Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi, Sherrod Brown, The Download, The Green New Deal, US Sen. Ed Markey 0 Comments Feb 14, 2019

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wants to turn the Green New Deal into a new green wedge, and that has rankled US Sen. Ed Markey, a co-sponsor of the policy idea. The so-called GND has become a plank in the platform of several Democrats, including presidential contenders, but Republicans see an opening to create divisions(...)

Health Care

Worcester man can’t believe doctor removed kidney in error

Mistaken-identity medical case still waiting court resolution

By Colman M. Herman Health Care 0 Comments Feb 13, 2019

ALBERT HUBBARD of Worcester said he woke up from kidney-removal surgery in 2016 with his doctor sitting about a foot away from him with a “god-awful look on his face.” The doctor, urologist Ankur Parikh, informed Hubbard that taking out his kidney had been a mistake – that there was nothing wrong with it. “He(...)

Tracking Transportation/ Transportation/ Opinion

MassDOT’s ramp proposal is a poor excuse for a plan

If state officials have concerns, go ride the 111 bus from Chelsea

By Ari Ofsevit MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments Feb 13, 2019

EVERY MORNING, at 4:57, the first 111 bus leaves Chelsea and makes its way up the ramp from Everett Avenue to the upper deck of the Tobin Bridge, before merging left and joining the bridge traffic for the trip to Haymarket. Seven minutes later, the next bus follows. By the last trip at 12:48 the(...)

Education/ Opinion

Mass. must do more to boost early education workforce

Low pay driving shortage of educators for youngest children

By Anne Douglass Early Childhood Education 0 Comments Feb 13, 2019

WHEN IT COMES TO education bonafides, Massachusetts has a lot to brag about. Horace Mann, the reformer who popularized the idea of free, universal education grew up in Franklin and served as the state’s first secretary of education from 1837 to 1848. The Bay State frequently tops popular lists by US News & World Report(...)

Transportation

News you knew: Boston traffic stinks

New report sets off calls for action, not more talk

By Michael Jonas Bob Dylan, Boston traffic, Chris Dempsey, Gov. Charlie Baker, Jeff Jacoby, Jim Aloisi, Stephanie Pollack, Sue O’Connell, The Download 0 Comments Feb 13, 2019

JUST AS BOB DYLAN said you don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows, there was probably no need for another study to tell Boston drivers that traffic here is worse than bad. But that’s what we got, and whether it ends up being a helpful prod or just cause for more teeth-grinding,(...)