R.I. resident irked by high Mass. camping rates
By 
Kristine Barraco, who lives in Coventry, Rhode Island, was planning to spend some time on Cape Cod this summer camping at Nickerson State Park.
But then she looked into what it would cost. While Massachusetts residents are charged $22 a night, people from out of state are charged $70 plus a $5-a-night surcharge. She thought the price differential was way too high.
“Doesn’t Massachusetts want out-of-state budget travelers anymore?” she asked.
Similar complaints surfaced last year when the higher fees were first implemented. The state Department of Conservation and Recreation canceled all camping reservations for the entire summer on June 4 due to the coronavirus pandemic. On July 1, the state began accepting a limited number of reservations for the season at the higher rates for out-of-state travelers. The new rates were supposed to be temporary, but it looks like they are sticking around. Officials at DCR could not be reached for comment immediately.
At inland campgrounds, including Myles Standish State Forest in Plymouth and Wompatuck State Park in Hingham, the charge for a campsite is $17 for Massachusetts residents and $50 for non-state residents.
Most states charge non-residents more to use campgrounds, but Barraco says the Massachusetts charges are excessive. Rhode Island, for example, charges residents $18 and non-residents $36 for campsites.
According to news reports, the last time camping fees increased in Massachusetts was in 2017, when the out-of-state charge at coastal campgrounds rose from $27 to $35. News stories from the time said fees for state residents increased, but didn’t say by how much.
State officials at the time were quoted as saying the fee hikes had been authorized by the Patrick administration and implemented by the fee-averse Baker administration. Officials said the fee hikes were a way for the agency to cover more of its costs with fees from the public.
BRUCE MOHL
FROM COMMONWEALTH
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FROM AROUND THE WEB
BEACON HILL
The Legislature is taking another look at the Host Community Agreements that communities sign with marijuana businesses. (Patriot Ledger)
A Globe editorial backs legislation filed on Beacon Hill that would ban the manufacture of assault-style weapons in the state. Public safety consultant Jim Jordan made the same case in this recent CommonWealth commentary piece.
MUNICIPAL MATTERS
A New Bedford church sues Gov. Charlie Baker and the city of New Bedford over continuing COVID capacity restrictions placed on houses of worship. (Standard-Times)
Boston magazine catches up with a local dirt biker well-known on YouTube who says riders just want to have fun — and would welcome an off-road area in Franklin Park to motor around.
HEALTH/HEALTH CARE
Two months into a nurses’ strike, St. Vincent plans to hire permanent replacement nurses, which means striking nurses may have to wait before returning to their jobs once the strike ends. (Telegram & Gazette)
WASHINGTON/NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL
House Republicans follow through and oust Rep. Liz Cheney from her leadership post, casting their lot with the “Big Lie,” as she has termed former president Donald Trump’s false claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him. (Boston Globe)
ELECTIONS
Question 1 — the ballot measure approved by voters in November that would give independent car repair shops access to a car’s “telematic” data — is now in limbo as car makers file suit to block its implementation. (Boston Globe)
Framingham Mayor Yvonne Spicer is seeking reelection. She has one challenger so far — former city councilor and selectman Charlie Sisitsky. (MetroWest Daily News) Meanwhile, the race for mayor in Lynn is getting crowded. (Daily Item) The same is true in Northampton. (Daily Hampshire Gazette)
Residents in the South End and Roxbury neighborhoods that adjacent to the troubled Mass Ave. and Melnea Cass Boulevard corridor say they want to hear tangible solutions from Boston mayoral candidates to the problems they face from the area. (Boston Herald)
BUSINESS/ECONOMY
Businesses urge Gov. Charlie Baker to restore work search requirements for people getting unemployment insurance. They say it is hard to find workers since there is little incentive to get off unemployment benefits. (Salem News)
EDUCATION
The Boston School Committee voted to raise graduation standards to require all students to pass MassCore, a set of courses necessary for admission to the state’s public university system. (Boston Globe)
Students in Boston Public Schools with disabilities who are also English learners are often not being served adequately by the district. (Boston Globe)
ARTS/CULTURE
Somerville city councilors are considering taking a local armory long used as an arts center by eminent domain to ensure that arts have a permanent home in the building. (Boston Herald)
Movie theaters, including the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, are reopening to the public. The Coolidge has been closed for 14 months. (WBUR)
TRANSPORTATION
A new MassDOT report looks at the worst intersections for car crashes. (MassLive)
It’s received much less attention than it would otherwise because ridership is down so sharply, but the MBTA’s Orange Line — facing a series of problems with new cars that are supposed to replace its 40-year-old fleet — is a mess, writes Joan Vennochi. (Boston Globe)
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/COURTS
Eighteen Worcester community groups are calling for a civilian review board with subpoena powers to oversee the Worcester Police Department. (Telegram & Gazette)