SE Mass. officials seek “tweak’ in wind policy

Say emphasis on price is hurting onshore industry-building

By Bruce Mohl Electricity, Energy 0 Comments Mar 15, 2019

NEARLY 50 ELECTED AND BUSINESS officials from southeastern Massachusetts are urging the Baker administration to tweak the contracting process for the next offshore wind procurement to give a greater emphasis to onshore development investments. Gov. Charlie Baker has repeatedly marveled at the low bid Vineyard Wind made to secure the first wind farm contract in(...)

Environment/ Opinion

Climate change: It’s about us

For students of today, the issue is not about future generations

By 26 UMass Boston students Climate change, Environment 0 Comments Mar 15, 2019

YOUNG CLIMATE ACTIVISTS from at least 98 countries are boycotting schools Friday – one of the biggest environmental protests in history and another step in reframing the climate debate in this country. We’ve gotten used to hearing about the challenges future generations will face. Deadly heat waves – mega-storms – rising sea levels – new pathogens –(...)

Criminal Justice/ Education

School discipline comes to light after arrest

North Andover schools use ‘safety plan’ after assault

By Andy Metzger Breanna Edelstein, Brooke Randall, Eliezer Tuttle, Gregg Gilligan, North Andover, Scarlett Knight Academy 0 Comments Mar 15, 2019

A HORRIFIC CRIME in New Hampshire has cast a harsh light on the North Andover school district where a victim of sexual assault was warned to avoid her attacker and even to stay off of Main Street in front of the high school. On February 17, 18-year-old Eliezer Tuttle picked up someone he had met(...)

The Download

School discipline comes to light after arrest

By CommonWealth Staff Breanna Edelstein, Brooke Randall, Eliezer Tuttle, Gregg Gilligan, North Andover, Scarlett Knight Academy, The Download 0 Comments Mar 15, 2019

A horrific crime in New Hampshire has cast a harsh light on the North Andover school district where a victim of sexual assault was warned to avoid her attacker and even to stay off of Main Street in front of the high school. On February 17, 18-year-old Eliezer Tuttle picked up someone he had met(...)

Rolling the Dice/ Gambling

Settlement paves way for release of Wynn report

Casino mogul succeeds in excluding some information

By Andy Metzger Casinos 0 Comments Mar 14, 2019

THE MASSACHUSETTS GAMING COMMISSION released a lightly redacted legal settlement with Steve Wynn on Thursday that paves the way for the unveiling of a long-awaited report on the suitability of Wynn Resorts’ Boston-area casino license. The commission also released heavily redacted minutes from the commission’s recent closed-door executive sessions on the legal negotiations, which delayed(...)

Drugs/ Opinion

State shouldn’t define pharmaceutical ‘value’

Baker drug-pricing proposal is shortsighted

By Leslie Wood Charlie Baker, Pharmaceuticals 0 Comments Mar 14, 2019

THERE’S A REASON that Americans get access to new cancer medicines two years earlier, on average, than patients in Europe: prices in the United States respond to medical needs and market demands, not public commissions using inflexible formulas. Unfortunately, Gov. Charlie Baker’s budget proposal fails to take this into consideration and could put cutting-edge treatments(...)

Housing/ Opinion

It’s time to act on housing

Here’s a four-step agenda for what to do

By Joseph Kriesberg and Vanessa Calderón-Rosado Affordable housing 0 Comments Mar 14, 2019

THE 347 FAMILIES living in the Fairlawn apartments in Mattapan have good reason to be scared. Last year, when the owner put the property on the market, city officials worked with a well-respected non-profit developer with the intent to buy the building and keep it affordable for the residents. Instead, the owner sold the building(...)

Tracking Transportation/ Transportation/ Opinion

Use VW settlement to electrify bus fleet

Deadline for applying for funds is fast approaching

By Christine P. Barber, Jonathan Hecht, Maria Robinson and David Rogers Climate change, MBTA 0 Comments Mar 14, 2019

IMAGINE WALKING down a city street and being able to take a deep breath without inhaling tailpipe exhaust left and right from cars, buses, and trucks. If you live in a car-congested area, the experience of being surrounded by tailpipe emissions from gas-guzzling and greenhouse gas-emitting, toxin-spewing vehicles is so much a part of your(...)

Courts/ Criminal Justice/ Education

Is the college admissions scandal really shocking?

There’s the side door, the back door, and the trap door

By Sarah Betancourt Boston Federal Court, Daniel Golden, Judge Rya W. Zobel, Richard Kahlenberg, Rugile Pekinas, William “Rick” Singer 0 Comments Mar 14, 2019

THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS AND BRIBERY SCANDAL is riveting, side-glance worthy, but definitely not shocking. The back door and side doors described by the instigator of the college admissions scandal have been bolted shut to middle and working class students, regardless of their academic acumen, since the dawn of higher education in this country. “There is(...)