The GOP's lieutenant governor nominee is out, but he's not off the ballot.

Shawn Oliver, the New Bedford city councilor and Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, pleaded not guilty Monday in New Bedford District Court to drunken driving, negligent operation, a marked lanes violation, and speeding. Police say he plowed into five parked cars on Dartmouth Street late Saturday and flipped his Lincoln Navigator. According to a police report, he admitted to drinking "at least" two alcoholic beverages beforehand. He was released on personal recognizance, his license is suspended, and he's due back in court Nov. 16.

Politically, the damage is already done and can't be undone. Oliver suspended his campaign Sunday only after running mate Mike Minogue, the GOP nominee for governor, publicly called him out and pressured him to step aside. But hundreds of thousands of mail ballots have already been cast and early in-person voting is open through Oct. 30, so Oliver's name stays on the ballot next to Minogue's. Minogue says he'd ask for Oliver's resignation if they somehow won.

That's a long shot. A new UMass Amherst/WCVB poll, conducted before the Oliver news, has Gov. Maura Healey at 57% to Minogue's 32%. The practical effect of the scandal is less about the governor's race and more about the Republican brand down-ballot, in a year when the party already has little to cheer about on Beacon Hill. Expect Democratic Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll to cruise, and expect MassGOP chair Amy Carnevale to spend the next two weeks trying to change the subject.

Full story at Boston Globe →

Nine ballot questions, one very long ballot. Massachusetts voters face a record-tying nine statewide questions on Nov. 3, the most in more than three decades. WBUR rounded up all nine explainers and collected tips from election officials on tackling the multipage ballot. The League of Women Voters says it's fielding more requests for help than usual, so you're not the only one feeling overwhelmed. WBUR →

Question 1 would open the governor's office and Legislature to public records requests. Massachusetts is the only state that exempts all three branches of government from its public records law. Under the measure, communications between lawmakers and constituents and policy-development materials would stay exempt. The UMass/WCVB poll found 84% support. Legislative leaders have been negotiating a narrower alternative behind closed doors, and it's unclear how that would interact with the ballot question. GBH News →

Question 2 asks whether public defenders can unionize. About 800 employees of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, roughly half attorneys and half support staff, lack the collective bargaining rights most state workers have, thanks to a technicality in state law. SEIU Local 888 tried the Legislature for six cycles before turning to voters. As one analyst put it, it's a narrow issue that landed on the ballot because it couldn't move any other way. GBH News →

Follow the money: $21.6 million raised on the ballot questions. Twenty-one committees have collectively spent $16.7 million to support or oppose the nine questions, according to the latest campaign finance records. Several committees cover multiple questions, which makes per-question fundraising hard to untangle. Boston.com →

Medford hired a music teacher with a buried past. Michael Dampier led Medford's marching band for 16 months before an anonymous email alerted officials that he resigned from a Florida teaching job nearly a decade ago while under investigation for a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student. It was reported in local media at the time, and a phone call to his prior employer likely would have caught it. The Globe's reporting raises hard questions about whether background checks alone are enough. Boston Globe →

Suspicious mail hit several Massachusetts lawmakers' offices. A parcel containing an unknown powdery substance went to Rep. Seth Moulton's Salem office Friday. Similar mailings reached Secretary of State Bill Galvin and the district offices of Reps. Jake Auchincloss, Katherine Clark, Stephen Lynch, Ayanna Pressley, and Lori Trahan. The FBI and Postal Inspection Service are investigating a nationwide series of such mailings. Boston.com →

• Early in-person voting runs through Oct. 30. Election Day is Nov. 3. The Globe's voter guide covers the races for US Senate (where Ed Markey faces John Deaton, Shiva Ayyadurai, and Joe Tache), governor, and more. Boston Globe →
• Question 3 on all-party primaries is the most contested of the nine. CommonWealth Beacon posted audio of its Oct. 13 debate between Danielle Allen and Jordan Berg Powers. CommonWealth Beacon →
• Shawn Oliver returns to New Bedford District Court on Nov. 16. CBS Boston →

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THE MASS BRIEF

Sunday, October 18, 2026

The Lead

Early voting is open, and both parties are scrambling to define the final stretch

Saturday was the first day of early voting in Massachusetts, and the campaign trail looked like it. Gov. Maura Healey, Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue, Sen. Ed Markey, and Senate challenger John Deaton all made appearances at rallies, protests, and events around the state, per WBZ. In Boston, the No Kings network skipped the giant stage it used in March and opted for smaller gatherings from Back Bay to Dorchester. About 50 people turned out on the Common, where Mass 50501's Rebecca Winter, dressed as suffragist Lucy Stone, framed the work as voting, knowing your rights, and having a plan if the election is interfered with.

That small-bore approach is the story within the story. Organizers are betting that a turnout operation beats a photo-op, and the quiet logistics matter: early voting runs through Oct. 30, with Boston City Hall as the main hub and neighborhood sites open this weekend and through the final week, per Boston 25. Expect both campaigns to push hard on banking votes early, since every ballot cast now is one less thing to worry about on Nov. 3.

Then there's the Republican ticket's weekend. Lt. Gov. candidate and New Bedford City Councilor Shawn Oliver was arrested on an OUI charge Sunday morning after a crash on Dartmouth Street, according to the Bristol County Sheriff's Office. He was released on bail and declined to comment. Oliver has been campaigning statewide alongside Minogue, whose campaign had not yet responded when The Light published. Watch how the campaign handles this in the next 48 hours, with early ballots already being cast.

Full story at The New Bedford Light →

What Else You Should Know

Question 7 gets the Keller treatment. WBZ's Jon Keller hosted a debate on the zoning ballot question, which would legalize single-family homes on lots of 5,000 square feet or more. Andrew Mikula argued in favor and Adam Chapdelaine against. If you're still undecided on one of the more consequential housing votes in years, the full debate is worth a watch. WBZ / CBS Boston →

The marijuana question nobody's asking. Ahead of Question 8, which would repeal legal recreational sales, a group of health care professionals argues the state has failed to educate the public about cannabis's health effects or monitor its impact, especially on young people. Sales hit a record $1.65 billion in 2025, with $289 million in state tax revenue, and Healey signed a June law that doubled purchase and possession limits. The authors aren't taking a side on repeal; they're saying oversight has lagged the boom. CommonWealth Beacon →

East Bridgewater wants Healey to reconsider grant penalties. The School Committee tabled a joint letter with the Select Board protesting the town's ineligibility for state education grants, a consequence of failing to comply with the MBTA Communities zoning law. The draft cites fiscal 2027 grants including two literacy awards ($162,000 and $62,100), a $50,000 Hate Crime Prevention grant, and a $14,000 Safe Routes to School grant. It goes back for rewording, with a vote planned Oct. 26. South Shore News →

Pelham's mail-in ballots came up short. Roughly 280 voters in the Hampshire County town received packets with two copies of page one and no page two, which includes the last two referendum questions. Town Clerk Melissa Hibbard says a vendor hired by the Secretary of the Commonwealth caused the error. Affected voters can swap their ballots during early voting at town offices, and the originals will be spoiled. If you're elsewhere in the state and voting by mail, check that you have both pages. Daily Hampshire Gazette →

Cohasset's surveillance bylaw gets a rewrite. Residents revised their citizen petition on oversight of surveillance technology, including the town's four Flock Safety license plate cameras, after the Select Board (4-1) and Advisory Committee (6-1-1) declined to recommend the original. The new version still requires public disclosure and Select Board approval before departments acquire such tech. Neighboring Norwell already shut off its program last month. Town Meeting votes Oct. 26. South Shore Times →

Warren stumps in Maine for a Plan B. Sen. Elizabeth Warren rallied in Portland, Maine, for Democrat Troy Jackson, who is challenging Republican Sen. Susan Collins. It's déjà vu: Warren delivered a nearly identical speech in April for Graham Platner, whose campaign collapsed after a series of scandals. Jackson, the party's replacement pick, is playing catch-up in a race polling as close. Boston Globe →

Worth Your Attention

• Early voting continues through Oct. 30. Boston neighborhood sites are open today (Sunday) 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and City Hall opens Monday at 9 a.m. Boston 25 →
• Oct. 26: Cohasset Town Meeting takes up the surveillance bylaw. South Shore Times →
• Oct. 26: East Bridgewater School Committee is scheduled to vote on its letter to Healey. South Shore News →

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THE MASS BRIEF

Friday, October 16, 2026

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The Birchmore trial is putting a failed investigation on display.

Day three of testimony in the federal trial of Matthew Farwell, the former Stoughton police detective accused of killing 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore, is underway. A friend of Birchmore's took the stand Thursday to describe going to police after her death and urging them to look at Farwell. (Content warning: the case involves the sexual abuse of a child, and Birchmore's death.) Before that, jurors heard a Stoughton police sergeant describe changes in Farwell's behavior in the months leading up to February 2021, when Birchmore was found dead in her Canton apartment, 8 to 10 weeks pregnant.

The most uncomfortable thread running through the trial is how little the first investigation caught. State Police Trooper Matthew Dunne testified Wednesday that Farwell allegedly lied to investigators about his relationship with Birchmore in a parking-lot interview just after her death. Despite that, the state medical examiner ruled it a suicide, and the Norfolk district attorney declined to bring charges. The medical examiner has since changed the manner of death to undetermined. It took an FBI investigation to produce the indictment, which is why Farwell faces two federal charges: killing a witness or victim, and killing a child in utero.

The defense maintains Birchmore died by suicide after Farwell ended their relationship. Prosecutors must prove he killed her to keep her from reporting a crime. If convicted, he faces life in prison. Expect the testimony to keep circling one question: who knew what, and when, and why nobody acted on it.

Full story at Boston Globe →  |  Boston.com's live coverage →

State moves to yank licenses from a dozen RegalCare nursing homes. The Department of Public Health issued a notice of intent to revoke the licenses held by RegalCare CEO Eli Mirlis after a Boston Globe Spotlight investigation found he cut resident-care spending while moving money to his other businesses. Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein told the Public Health Council Mirlis is "not suitable nor adequately responsible" to run long-term care facilities here. The Globe's reporting also noted that regulators let him keep acquiring facilities as conditions declined, which is the part worth sitting with. WBUR →

New rules give the state a closer look at who runs nursing homes. More than two years after Gov. Maura Healey signed a long-term care oversight law, the Public Health Council approved regulations that add suitability reviews of owners, license transferees, and management companies. They go to Secretary of State William Galvin's office for promulgation, expected in early November. Timing is notable given the RegalCare news. WBUR →

Boston Public Schools wants a bell-to-bell ban on personal devices. Superintendent Mary Skipper's proposal goes well beyond phones, covering laptops, tablets, smartwatches, and smart glasses, all locked away for the full school day starting in fall 2027. School-issued laptops and devices required by IEPs would be exempt, and individual schools would pick their own storage methods. The School Committee votes in January. Boston is catching up to Brockton, Cambridge, Fall River, and Newton while a statewide ban stalls on Beacon Hill. Boston Globe →  |  Boston 25 →

The state is spending $1.75 million to teach kids healthy social media habits. Healey announced the grants at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School, funding classroom instruction, educator training, and family resources. It's a workaround of sorts: social media legislation remains stuck in closed-door negotiations, so the administration is doing what it can without the Legislature. CommonWealth Beacon →

Lieutenant governor candidates sparred over Trump. In the only LG debate, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and Republican Shawn Oliver, a New Bedford city councilor, mostly traced the same fault lines as the Healey-Minogue showdown. Driscoll blamed "headwinds" from Washington on affordability and immigration; Oliver argued the administration's refusal to work with the president has hurt the state. On cuts, Oliver pointed to waste and fraud rather than naming programs. WBUR →

Ex-Healey aide faces new federal charges. LaMar Cook, fired last October after a cocaine trafficking and firearm arrest, is now charged with SNAP and wire fraud for allegedly collecting more than $500 a month in benefits while claiming no income, all while out on bail. Prosecutors say he'd received a payout of his salary and vacation time when fired, and the state is separately suing to recover the vacation money paid in error. He was released on personal recognizance. WBUR →  |  Boston.com →

A BPS security official is charged with rape on the Vineyard. Edward J. Brown, 27, an assistant director of security at Boston Public Schools, pleaded not guilty to a rape charge stemming from an Aug. 15 incident at the State Police barracks in Oak Bluffs, where he was staying with a trooper friend. Prosecutors say a passing motorist found the woman naked in the road. Brown's attorney says he maintains his innocence. BPS has placed him on leave pending a termination hearing, and he's held on $10,000 cash bail. Boston Globe →  |  WBZ →

• Oct. 24: Last day to register to vote in the general election; WBUR's voting guide covers mail-in and early voting options.
• Nov. 17: Next hearing for Quincy construction executive Lee Kennedy, who pleaded not guilty to assaulting a 69-year-old anti-ICE demonstrator on Nantucket. Boston Globe →
• January: The Boston School Committee votes on the device ban. If you have opinions, there will be a comment window. Boston Globe →

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The Sandra Birchmore trial is putting the original investigation on the stand, too.

Testimony resumed Wednesday in federal court in South Boston in the trial of Matthew Farwell, the former Stoughton police detective accused of strangling Sandra Birchmore, 23, in her Canton apartment in February 2021 and staging it to look like a suicide. Prosecutors say Farwell began abusing Birchmore when she was a teenager in the Stoughton police Explorers program. She was 8 to 10 weeks pregnant when she died. Farwell has pleaded not guilty to killing a witness or victim and to causing the death of an unborn child; conviction carries a mandatory life sentence.

What makes the trial so uncomfortable is the scrutiny of how the case was first handled. State Police Trooper Matthew Dunne, one of the original investigators who treated the death as a suicide, testified that he never reported it as suspicious, didn't speak to anyone who lived next door, and didn't preserve certain items in the apartment. Meanwhile, Birchmore's boss at Sharon schools told jurors the suicide theory made no sense to her. "She was so excited to have that baby," she said.

The defense contends Birchmore took her own life after Farwell ended the relationship. Expect the jury to hear from a friend of Birchmore, a Stoughton detective, and the former Stoughton police chief in the coming days. Beyond the verdict, the case raises hard questions about how a death like this was ruled a suicide in the first place.

Full story at CBS Boston →

State moves to yank licenses from all 12 RegalCare nursing homes. Regulators on Tuesday moved to revoke every Massachusetts license held by the New Jersey-based chain, days after a Globe Spotlight investigation detailed deep cuts to nursing care while money flowed to businesses tied to CEO Eli Mirlis. The company says it will fight, which triggers a hearing. For now, the homes stay open under enhanced state monitoring. If the state wins, Mirlis is barred from running nursing homes here for a decade. Boston Globe →

Former Healey aide LaMar Cook hit with federal SNAP fraud charges. Cook, already facing state drug and gun trafficking charges, was arrested Wednesday. Federal prosecutors say he claimed zero income and under $100 in the bank while collecting about $500 a month in food benefits, when his account held thousands. His mother's roughly $1 million lottery win is also part of the story. Cook has pleaded not guilty in the state case. Boston Globe →

Markey and Deaton meet in their only debate. Sen. Ed Markey, 80, tried to bind Republican John Deaton to President Trump, naming him dozens of times. Deaton, 59, insisted he has never voted for Trump and called both parties corrupt. A late-September UNH poll has Markey up 23 points, so Deaton needed a breakthrough he may not have gotten. WBUR →

Healey wants your utility refund now, not next May. With winter coming and her own reelection on the ballot, the governor demanded that Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil immediately refund customers for years of excessive transmission profits. A federal ruling put roughly $1.5 billion in refunds owed across New England, but the deadline was pushed to May 2027. WBUR →

Lawrence council moves toward a no-confidence vote on Mayor DePeña. The council, sitting as a committee, voted 5-2 to advance the resolution, with a final vote next Tuesday. It carries no legal force, and Mayor Brian DePeña, who pleaded not guilty Tuesday to state wiretapping and witness intimidation charges on top of federal pandemic-loan fraud charges, says he's staying. Boston Globe →

Auditor's report calls the liquor license system "bonkers." Diana DiZoglio's 172-page report finds that tying license numbers to population leaves many of the state's 351 cities and towns with a mismatch between supply and demand. It makes a strong case for returning local control to municipalities. Boston Globe →

Fewer kids in class, and the reasons vary by region. Statewide K-12 enrollment hit 867,825 this year, the lowest since 1994. Rural areas are aging, cities lost the immigration boost, and suburbs aren't replacing graduating classes, all as lawmakers prepare to revisit the school funding formula. CommonWealth Beacon →

• Tuesday, Oct. 20: The Lawrence City Council takes its final vote on the no-confidence resolution against Mayor DePeña. Boston Globe →
• Nov. 3: Election Day. Beyond the Senate race, nine ballot questions await, including Question 3 on all-party primaries (43% support, 36% opposed in a recent poll) and Question 7 on statewide minimum lot sizes for housing. CommonWealth Beacon →
• Through Thursday: "Operation Wicked Safe" puts extra State Police patrols on I-90, I-93, I-95, and other major routes. Mind the speedometer. Boston.com →

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Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña pleaded not guilty Tuesday to state wiretapping and witness intimidation charges, adding a second criminal case to the federal one already hanging over City Hall.

In Essex Superior Court in Salem, DePeña faced 14 counts of distributing a wiretapped communication and one count of witness intimidation. Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell's office alleges he installed private cameras in his City Hall office that recorded audio as well as video, which the city's own security cameras don't do. One camera allegedly caught a hallway conversation between two municipal employees, at least one of whom didn't know they were being recorded. Prosecutors say DePeña then shared the recording with 14 people, including local radio hosts, political allies, and city councilors. They also allege he intimidated a witness in August.

This comes on top of a federal indictment accusing him of fraudulently obtaining $1.6 million in pandemic relief loans, to which he also pleaded not guilty. His attorney, Neil Faigel, argued outside court that the mayor "is not an IT person" and had no idea how the cameras worked. DePeña was released on personal recognizance, his next hearing is Dec. 9, and he has repeatedly said he won't resign.

So what happens next? The City Council delayed a no-confidence vote last week, and a second indictment makes that vote harder to keep postponing. A no-confidence vote has no legal force, but it would add real pressure on a mayor who has so far shrugged off the first indictment. Watch whether the council moves in the coming weeks.

Full story at Boston Globe →

Former Steward clinicians face financial ruin as their malpractice insurer collapses. TRACO, Steward Health Care's in-house malpractice insurer, is effectively broke after being looted by Steward executives. That leaves doctors like 82-year-old Haverhill physician Dr. Peter Rees, who's facing a February trial, exposed to legal fees and potentially multimillion-dollar judgments. A coalition of clinicians is now asking Governor Maura Healey's administration for emergency action to backstop their coverage. Two years ago, state officials called these same workers "true heroes." Boston Globe →

Question 4 would let you register to vote on Election Day. Right now, you have to register at least 10 days ahead. If voters approve the measure, eligible citizens could register at their polling place starting in 2028, showing proof of residency and signing an oath under penalty of felony. Supporters say it helps renters and students who move often. Opponents say it weakens safeguards against errors and fraud. WBUR →

Question 3 would scrap party primaries. The measure would create a single primary where the top two vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of party. WBUR's Tiziana Dearing talked through the tradeoffs with Evan Horowitz of Tufts' Center for State Policy Analysis. WBUR →

The state hasn't produced its required traffic-stop racial profiling reports since 2024. The 2019 hands-free driving law required annual analysis of demographic data from traffic stops, a provision pushed by the NAACP and ACLU. Public Safety Secretary Gina Kwon told a Senate committee the last round of bids "greatly exceeded" the state's budget. Two reports have come out so far, covering 2020 through 2022. WBUR →

John Deaton's biggest hurdle against Sen. Ed Markey may be the man in the White House. The Republican challenger is pitching himself as an independent-minded problem-solver, telling a Malden retirement home he'll back good ideas "progressive or conservative." Polls show him well behind, and the state hasn't elected a Republican senator since Scott Brown in 2010. Some independents at his stop were open to him, but the national party label is the weight he has to carry. WBUR →

Three red states are suing Massachusetts over its abortion shield law. Louisiana, Arkansas, and Alabama have asked the US Supreme Court to strike down shield laws in Massachusetts, California, and New York that protect providers who mail abortion medication to patients in states with bans. BU law professor Nicole Huberfeld says the intensity of the clash was entirely predictable. CommonWealth Beacon →

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• Maria Desposito — City Councilor, Malden — Filed: 10/8/2026
• Steven Comei — City Councilor, Haverhill — Filed: 10/7/2026

Change of Purposes

• Cari-Ann Knight — House, 3rd Worcester → Mayoral, Fitchburg — Filed: 10/7/2026

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• Zuhair Syed (Democratic) — City Councilor, Lowell — Filed: 10/9/2026
• Maria Desposito — City Councilor, Malden — Filed: 10/8/2026
• Steven Comei — City Councilor, Haverhill — Filed: 10/7/2026
• Warren Samuels — City Councilor, New Bedford — Filed: 10/6/2026

Change of Purposes

• Cari-Ann Knight — House, 3rd Worcester → Mayoral, Fitchburg — Filed: 10/7/2026

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Candidates

• Zuhair Syed (Democratic) — City Councilor, Lowell — Filed: 10/9/2026
• Maria Desposito — City Councilor, Malden — Filed: 10/8/2026
• Steven Comei — City Councilor, Haverhill — Filed: 10/7/2026
• Warren Samuels — City Councilor, New Bedford — Filed: 10/6/2026

Change of Purposes

• Cari-Ann Knight — House, 3rd Worcester → Mayoral, Fitchburg — Filed: 10/7/2026

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THE MASS BRIEF

Saturday, October 10, 2026

The Lead

A fatal police shooting in Stoughton, and more questions than answers

Stoughton woke up to a death on Monk Street. Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey confirmed that a man was fatally shot early Saturday in an incident involving police, and that the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to his office is investigating. Officials haven't named the man or the officers involved, and haven't said what led up to the shooting or what role police played. Stoughton police referred all questions to the DA.

What we do have is thin. Police radio traffic reviewed by WCVB described a chaotic scene involving a man who may have been armed, and a vehicle that may have been involved. Those are scanner fragments, not findings, and they should be treated that way until investigators say more.

Here's what to watch: the identity of the deceased, whether body-camera footage exists and when it might be released, and whether the officers involved are placed on leave, which is standard. Stoughton is also in the news this week for a very different police matter, with the federal murder trial of former officer Matthew Farwell in the Sandra Birchmore case beginning with opening statements Friday. It's a heavy week for the town and its department. This is a developing story, so expect updates through the day.

Full story at Boston Globe →  |  WCVB →

What Else You Should Know

Healey and Minogue trade blows in their first debate. Affordability dominated Thursday's WBZ-TV face-off. Governor Maura Healey invoked President Trump more than 30 times, blaming tariffs and federal cuts for rising costs, while Republican Mike Minogue argued that four years of a Democratic Legislature and record budgets haven't fixed Beacon Hill's own spending, taxing, and regulation problems. The core dispute: is the cost-of-living squeeze made in Boston or in Washington? New Bedford Light →

Eversource donations land awkwardly next to Healey's pipeline push. Campaign finance records show Eversource employees gave Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll nearly $10,000 in September, including $1,000 from CEO Joseph Nolan Jr., weeks before Healey urged federal regulators to speed review of a gas pipeline expansion in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Eversource says the money had no influence, and Nolan has given the maximum in most years. Climate advocates are still raising eyebrows at the timing. Boston Globe →

Poll: voters overwhelmingly back ending the statute of limitations on child sexual abuse suits. A MassINC Polling Group survey found 84 percent support, with Democrats, Republicans, and independents all well above 70 percent. It lands days after Attorney General Andrea Campbell's 203-page report on clergy abuse in three Catholic dioceses, which recommended the change. The House's primary care bill already includes the language, so there's a real shot this reaches Healey's desk. Boston Globe →

The anonymous site needling Wu has a name attached. The Globe identified Simon Pacheco, 36, a Boston software engineer, as the man behind Mass Daily News, a right-leaning, largely AI-generated site that has driven viral cycles aimed at City Hall and Beacon Hill. He previously ran the @AntiWuCoalition account and says he saw an underserved populist audience. Expect a debate about disclosure and AI-written news. Boston Globe →

MBTA yanks ads slamming Boston schools, and the group is trying again. Next Chapter Boston's campaign says BPS is "failing" students, citing that 70 percent of third graders aren't at grade level in reading or math. The T pulled the ads within about a day, saying they didn't meet its guidelines. The city says it wasn't behind the removal but objects to the message. WBUR →

Most Massachusetts voters belong to no party at all. Of 5.1 million registered voters, about 67 percent are unenrolled, versus roughly 24 percent Democrats and under 8 percent Republicans. Only one of the state's 351 municipalities has a Democratic majority. The "blue state" label is more about how people vote than how they register. WCVB →

Worth Your Attention

• Sunday evening: Rain from the remnants of Hurricane Isaias is expected to reach Massachusetts around 4 p.m., heavier overnight, clearing Monday morning. WCVB →
• Nov. 9: Christian Peebles, 18, is due back in court after being charged with murder in the Hyde Park gas station shooting of Darryl Aleo, 20. Boston Globe →
• Ongoing on the South Shore: Hull's Select Board is weighing its master plan with MAPC, which it was told would waste $90,000 to abandon midstream. South Shore News →

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Candidates

• Zuhair Syed (Democratic) — City Councilor, Lowell — Filed: 10/9/2026
• Maria Desposito — City Councilor, Malden — Filed: 10/8/2026
• Steven Comei — City Councilor, Haverhill — Filed: 10/7/2026
• Warren Samuels — City Councilor, New Bedford — Filed: 10/6/2026

Change of Purposes

• Cari-Ann Knight — House, 3rd Worcester → Mayoral, Fitchburg — Filed: 10/7/2026

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Healey and Minogue square off, and Donald Trump gets top billing

If you tuned into Thursday night's first gubernatorial debate on WBZ-TV and kept a running tally of how often one name came up, you'd have run out of fingers fast. Gov. Maura Healey invoked President Trump more than 30 times, starting about two minutes and forty seconds in. Her pitch: tariffs, a war, and federal program cuts are driving up the cost of living, and her Republican challenger, Mike Minogue, is Trump's guy. Minogue, a medical device executive and first-time candidate, never said the president's name. He ran the opposite play, arguing that Healey has had four years, a Democratic Legislature, and record budgets to fix affordability and hasn't. "You keep blaming somebody in DC, and we know who it is," he said.

The central question of the night was whose fault the cost crunch is: Beacon Hill or Washington. Healey touted tax cuts, a housing law she says will bring 100,000 homes online, health care cost caps, and free community college. Minogue hit the state's rankings on health care, electricity, and child care costs. There were also sharper exchanges over a federal scholarship tax credit and the state's proposed $2 billion Springfield courthouse.

What happens next? A second debate is coming within a week, so expect both camps to sharpen these lines. The structural reality is stiff for Minogue: Massachusetts voters have a long history of electing Republican governors as a check on a Democratic Legislature, but they also tend to find Trump unappealing. Minogue's challenge is making this a referendum on Healey while Healey makes it a referendum on the president. Whoever wins that framing fight probably wins the race.

Full story at GBH News →

More takeaways: Boston Globe → | CommonWealth Beacon → | WBZ's Jon Keller →

Opening statements loom in the Matthew Farwell trial. After days of intense jury screening, in which potential jurors recounted painful stories of suicide and self-harm, opening statements are expected this morning. The former Stoughton police officer is accused of killing Sandra Birchmore. Chief US District Judge Denise Casper will let lawyers make their final jury cuts first. Boston Globe →

Lindsay Clancy's lawyer wants a real hearing. Attorney Kevin Reddington is asking Judge William Sullivan to let him call witnesses and present evidence at the Nov. 2 hearing on whether to dismiss murder charges on double jeopardy grounds. The September mistrial came after jurors deadlocked 11-1 over a holdout who admitted doubts about her guilt. Reddington argues that deciding on filings alone would deny Clancy a meaningful opportunity to be heard. Boston Globe →

Eversource's CEO says the utility bashing is just election-season noise. At a September 30 industry conference, CEO Joe Nolan said Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll told him "nothing personal" about their attacks on utility profits, and predicted the "volume is going to go right down" after Election Day. That's a notable contrast with Healey's campaign pitch about taking on utility "greed." CommonWealth Beacon →

Lawrence's corruption saga gets a harder look. Mayor Brian DePeña faces federal fraud and money laundering charges plus state wiretapping and witness intimidation charges, with an arraignment set for Oct. 13. That's on top of his chief of staff's conviction and a state takeover of last year's municipal election. Columnist Yvonne Abraham argues the damage goes beyond headlines, in a city of 89,000 where just 11,379 voters picked its mayor. Boston Globe →

More rail for the Berkshires. MassDOT and CSX have reached an agreement to fund a new siding and track improvements around Pittsfield, easing freight-passenger conflicts and supporting permanent seasonal weekend Berkshire Flyer service. It's another step toward the long-discussed East-West Rail vision, though the administration didn't say what CSX itself committed to. GBH News →

Question 9 is on your ballot. The referendum on the 2024 gun reform law (Chapter 135) is worth understanding before you vote: a yes vote keeps the law, a no vote repeals it. It expanded the "assault-style firearm" definition, cracked down on ghost guns, and broadened courts' ability to remove guns from people deemed dangerous. Boston.com →

Remembering Margaret Hamilton. The Cambridge computer scientist who led the MIT team that wrote the onboard flight software for NASA's Apollo program died Sept. 30 at 90. Her work helped make the moon landings possible, and she became an enduring symbol of women in technology. WBUR →

• Oct. 13: Mayor Brian DePeña's arraignment on state wiretapping and witness intimidation charges in Lawrence. Boston Globe →
• Oct. 13-15: Operation Wicked Safe, a six-state crackdown on speeding, distracted, and impaired driving on I-90, I-93, I-95, and other interstates. Boston Globe →
• Nov. 2: Plymouth Superior Court hearing on dismissing Lindsay Clancy's murder charges. Boston Globe →

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Recent filings with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance:

Candidates

• Zuhair Syed (Democratic) — City Councilor, Lowell — Filed: 10/9/2026
• Maria Desposito — City Councilor, Malden — Filed: 10/8/2026
• Steven Comei — City Councilor, Haverhill — Filed: 10/7/2026
• Warren Samuels — City Councilor, New Bedford — Filed: 10/6/2026

Change of Purposes

• Cari-Ann Knight — House, 3rd Worcester → Mayoral, Fitchburg — Filed: 10/7/2026

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THE MASS BRIEF

Thursday, October 8, 2026

Good morning, Massachusetts. Debate night, a ballot-question brawl before anyone has voted, and a very sad morning in Reading.

The Lead

Healey and Minogue square off tonight, and the question is whether this is a real race.

Governor Maura Healey and Republican challenger Mike Minogue meet at 5:30 p.m. on WBZ-TV in Brighton for the first of two debates in a single week. Some voters already have mail-in ballots in hand, so the clock is running faster than usual. The polling picture is lopsided: Healey has led by double digits all year, often more than 20 points. A new University of New Hampshire poll trimmed her edge to 16, and a super PAC backing Minogue is touting an internal poll showing a much tighter contest. Take the internal numbers with a shaker of salt.

Watch the gas pumps. Regular unleaded averages $4.34 a gallon, and both candidates have floated a pause on the state's 24-cent fuel tax. Minogue floated his version first. Healey, who dismissed the idea in March, followed with a two-month moratorium. Expect Republicans to call it flip-flopping and Democrats to call it responsiveness. Either way, the Legislature would have to sign off, and it has shown little appetite.

GBH's Adam Reilly argues the real question is whether Minogue, who has put roughly $17 million of his own money into the race, can pivot toward the political center. A candidate down double digits usually needs a breakout moment, and tonight is the biggest stage he'll get before Election Day. For Healey, the job is to look like an incumbent with nothing to prove and nothing to fear.

Full story at Boston Globe → | GBH News →

What Else You Should Know

Reading woman found fatally shot; police seek her son. Andria Hanafin, 49, was found dead in the kitchen of her Central Avenue home early Thursday by her husband, who returned from a 12-hour shift. Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan identified the couple's 22-year-old son, Ryan Hanafin, as a person of interest. Police call him potentially armed and dangerous, and say he may be driving a black 2010 Dodge Charger, plate 2PSY15. His gun license, issued in 2024, was suspended Thursday. If you see him, don't approach; call police. Boston Globe → | WBUR →

Question 1 isn't on the books yet, and the lawsuit talk has started. State Auditor Diana DiZoglio says she would "absolutely" consider suing if lawmakers answer a passed public-records ballot measure with a narrower bill of their own, calling it a potential "constitutional crisis." The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance is already talking to national groups about litigation. Healey wouldn't say whether she'd sign a competing bill, so the fight could land in her lap right after Election Day. WBUR →

Question 3 makes strange bedfellows. Former governors Charlie Baker (R) and Deval Patrick (D) are backing "Yes on 3," which would replace party primaries with all-party primaries, sending the top two finishers to the general election. Meanwhile, Rep. Ayanna Pressley came out against it, and both the state Democratic and Republican parties oppose it, which tells you who loses power if it passes. Boston.com →

Question 7 would override local lot-size rules. The measure would allow single-family homes on lots of at least 5,000 square feet where public water and sewer exist. For more than half of single-family-zoned properties, current rules demand about an acre. Supporters say it unlocks affordable starter homes; opponents say it guts local control. WBUR →

Chelsea eyes ending parking minimums. The city requires 1.5 spaces per unit in larger buildings and two per single-family home. Officials will hold two community meetings this month on scrapping those mandates, joining a growing list of Massachusetts cities betting that less asphalt means more housing. CommonWealth Beacon →

Plymouth's former school food chief heads to prison. Patrick Van Cott, 64, got six months for stocking his Sandy Neck Beach "Snack Shack" with school-district food and equipment, including refrigerators, a freezer, and a grill, for over a decade. He reports to federal prison by Dec. 16. Boston Globe →

Sterling parents want answers after a "Death Note" scare. A middle schooler's notebook, inspired by the anime series, prompted a police response at Chocksett Middle School on Sept. 30. Investigators found no threat and no charges are planned, but some parents say they want more transparency. Boston.com →

Worth Your Attention

• Tonight, 5:30 p.m.: The Healey-Minogue debate airs on WBZ-TV, with a second one coming within the week. WBZ →

• This month: Chelsea holds two community meetings on eliminating parking minimums. Check the city's site for dates. CommonWealth Beacon →

• Nov. 3: Election Day. Nine ballot questions await, and mail-in ballots are already out. Boston.com →

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Recent filings with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance:

Candidates

• Maria Desposito — City Councilor, Malden — Filed: 10/8/2026
• Steven Comei — City Councilor, Haverhill — Filed: 10/7/2026
• Warren Samuels — City Councilor, New Bedford — Filed: 10/6/2026
• William Falcetano (Republican) — Governor's Council, 5th District — Filed: 10/2/2026

Change of Purposes

• Cari-Ann Knight — House, 3rd Worcester → Mayoral, Fitchburg — Filed: 10/7/2026

OCPF →

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THE MASS BRIEF

Wednesday, October 7, 2026

The Lead

Brigham nurses are one week from an indefinite strike, and Gov. Maura Healey is publicly leaning on Mass General Brigham to blink.

Nearly 4,000 nurses at Brigham and Women's Hospital are set to walk out October 14 unless a deal materializes. This isn't a repeat of July's five-day work stoppage, which failed to break the stalemate. This one has no end date. The Massachusetts Nurses Association has filed its required 10-day notice for an "unfair labor practice" strike, and the nurses are asking for cost-of-living raises, affordable health insurance, limits on temporary travel nurses, and patient-care protections. MGB says its nurses already get annual raises and that it has proposed a new increase for those at the top of the wage scale.

Healey, who tried and failed to broker peace behind closed doors in July, is now going public. "MGB needs to reopen negotiations now," she told reporters in Everett, adding that health care workers "need to be treated fairly." Note what she's not doing: threatening anyone or announcing a plan. That's a governor applying pressure from the podium because her private diplomacy already struck out once.

What to watch: whether MGB reopens talks before the 14th, and what contingency planning looks like for one of the state's flagship hospitals. An open-ended strike at this scale would ripple through the entire Boston-area health system, from patient transfers to surgery schedules. Both sides know the clock is ticking, and both know the governor is watching.

Full story at CommonWealth Beacon →

What Else You Should Know

Hopkinton assisted living death raises hard questions. An 86-year-old resident of Golden Pond Assisted Living & Memory Care was found dead September 30 in a room where the thermostat read 99 degrees. The facilities manager said the building had just switched from A/C to heat and suggested she may have mistakenly used the "cool" setting. But employees who spoke anonymously to WBZ say many rooms were dangerously hot after the switchover. Multiple authorities are investigating. Boston Globe → | WBZ →

Mass Save's future is up in the air. The House wanted to slash next year's budget for the energy-efficiency program by $1 billion; the Senate said no. Now lawmakers are haggling over whether to cut it, cap it, or leave it alone as part of a larger energy bill aimed at lowering ratepayer costs. Meanwhile, planners are drafting the next three-year Mass Save plan without knowing whether the Legislature will blow it up before January 5. CommonWealth Beacon →

Lawrence council punts on the mayor. City councilors considered a no-confidence vote on Mayor Brian DePeña, who faces 26 state and federal charges, but decided Tuesday night to hold off. DePeña has pleaded not guilty and says he won't resign. A separate resident-led recall effort is underway, and a no-confidence vote could help it. WBZ →

Trump's school choice plan splits Massachusetts. Under the proposal, taxpayers could donate up to $1,700 to scholarship organizations and claim a federal tax credit. Teachers unions call it a voucher scheme that will drain district budgets. Supporters, including the Eos Foundation, say public school families could use the money for tutoring, extended-day programs, and special education services. Boston Globe →

HubSpot cuts 660 jobs. The Cambridge tech company is laying off about 7% of its staff as it pivots toward an AI-focused strategy. CEO Yamini Rangan said the cuts are "not driven by AI-related efficiencies," though the shift is reshaping product and pricing. Laid-off workers get at least 20 weeks of severance. WBZ →

Worcester diocese echoes an old playbook. Newly reported details show the Diocese of Worcester planned to transfer Rev. Alan Martineau to another parish after a girl accused him of inappropriate touching, until a diocesan social worker called the state instead. Martineau became the lone priest prosecuted from the attorney general's multi-diocese investigation. Boston Globe →

Worth Your Attention

• Nine ballot questions are coming. That ties the state record, and election officials warn of longer waits and ballots running up to four pages in some towns. Plan accordingly on November 3. WBZ →
• Question 1 would open the governor's office and Legislature to public records requests. Massachusetts is one of just two states where both branches claim a blanket exemption. Boston.com →
• Question 6 would dedicate existing sales tax revenue to land conservation, somewhere between $65 million and $100 million a year depending on who's counting. WBUR →

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Recent filings with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance:

Candidates

• Warren Samuels — City Councilor, New Bedford — Filed: 10/6/2026
• William Falcetano (Republican) — Governor's Council, 5th District — Filed: 10/2/2026

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Healey declares an "energy emergency" four weeks before she asks voters for a second term.

Governor Maura Healey signed an executive order Monday in Everett declaring a state of energy emergency. The package is aimed at the winter heating season, with heating oil prices at four-year highs. About 50,000 middle-income households that heat with oil (those earning between 60% and 100% of the state median income) can get one-time help worth up to $680. The order also expands heating aid for roughly 156,000 low-income households and temporarily trims two charges on electric bills, including one that supports solar projects. It also tells state agencies to watch for price gouging on petroleum products.

Healey pinned the squeeze squarely on the war in Iran and the Trump administration, which fits the politics of a reelection year. She's facing Republican Michael Minogue, and voters tend to judge incumbents by what's happening at the pump and on the utility bill. She's also been candid about the limits here. Most of these steps are temporary or one-time, and a governor can only do so much about global energy prices. Her earlier push to suspend the gas tax went nowhere with lawmakers, and the heavier lifts, like energy legislation, still sit on Beacon Hill.

What to watch next: whether the electric-bill relief shows up quickly enough to be felt this winter, and whether the Legislature moves on the bigger energy proposals Healey keeps asking for. Expect Minogue to argue the package is too little, too late. Expect Healey to say it's a start.

Full story at Boston Globe → | Boston.com's take →

Jury selection begins in the Matthew Farwell trial. The former Stoughton police detective is accused of strangling Sandra Birchmore in 2021 and staging it as a suicide. Prosecutors say he began abusing her when she was a teen in a police youth program, and that he killed her to keep her from exposing him. Farwell has pleaded not guilty, and the defense says she took her own life. Dozens of prospective jurors filled out questionnaires Tuesday. Opening statements could come as soon as Friday, and the trial is expected to run about five weeks. Boston Globe → | WBUR →

Lawrence councilors take a symbolic swing at their mayor. The City Council votes tonight on a no-confidence measure against Mayor Brian DePeña, who faces 26 state and federal counts and says he's staying put. Council President Jeovanny Rodriguez acknowledged the council can't force a resignation. The vote is about "accountability," and the city has also hired an outside firm to assess governance and internal controls. Boston Globe →

Question 3 collects two former governors. Republican Charlie Baker has joined Democrat Deval Patrick in backing the all-party primary ballot question, which would replace party primaries with a single open contest. The state Democratic and Republican parties both oppose it. Supporters say it widens choice and competition, while opponents say it would do the opposite. California and Washington are the only states with top-two primaries for statewide offices. CommonWealth Beacon → | WBUR →

Question 9 puts the 2024 gun law to a vote. Voters will decide whether to keep the wide-ranging firearms law Healey signed in 2024. GBH visited a Falmouth gun club where "No on 9" stickers are making the rounds, with members calling the law an infringement on their rights. GBH News →

Campbell keeps the pressure on the Worcester diocese. The attorney general said on Boston Public Radio that she's "not taking our foot off the pedal" in pushing Bishop Robert McManus to release names of credibly accused priests. The state's other three bishops have done so. Her report counted 90 clergy facing allegations in the diocese, though her team didn't verify how many were credible. GBH News →

Downtown Boston doesn't feel safe, businesses say. A survey from the Downtown Boston Neighborhood Alliance found 56% of respondents feel less safe than they did in January, up from 35% last October. Restaurateur Babak Bina put it simply: "Perception is reality." Business owners want more police presence. GBH News →

• Tonight, 7 p.m.: The Lawrence City Council meets to vote on its no-confidence measure against Mayor DePeña. Boston Globe →
• Tonight, 7 p.m.: Susan Collins and Troy Jackson open the first of four Maine Senate debates in two weeks, in a race polling shows is a toss-up. Boston Globe →
• Nov. 3: Election Day, with nine statewide ballot questions to sort through. Boston.com's free Ballot Brief newsletter can help. Boston.com →

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Candidates

• Warren Samuels — City Councilor, New Bedford — Filed: 10/6/2026
• William Falcetano (Republican) — Governor's Council, 5th District — Filed: 10/2/2026

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THE MASS BRIEF

Monday, October 05, 2026

The Lead

Healey declares an "energy emergency," and the campaign trail just got warmer

Gov. Maura Healey declared a "state of energy emergency" Monday and signed an executive order aimed at taking some of the sting out of what's shaping up to be an expensive winter. Standing in Everett, she noted that one in five Massachusetts households heats with oil, and that the price has jumped from about $3.52 a gallon last year to roughly $6.08. A single tank fill-up, she said, could run as much as $700 more than it did a year ago. She blamed the war in Iran and the Trump administration for the spike.

The package is substantial. A new benefit for roughly 50,000 "middle-income" households (those earning 60 to 100 percent of state median income, with a family of four eligible up to $170,000) offers up to $680 per household starting in December. Existing low-income heating aid gets a boost of 15 to 20 percent, depending on fuel type. And for three months starting in January, the SMART solar charge disappears from electric bills, while the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard charge gets cut in half. The administration pegs the total at nearly $150 million in savings, with roughly 85 percent of ratepayers seeing some relief. Healey also activated price-gouging protections for petroleum products and asked Congress for another $3 billion for the federal heating assistance program.

Now, the politics. Healey faces voters in less than a month, and energy costs have become a central theme against Republican Mike Minogue. Critics will note that these are temporary fixes to a structural problem: Massachusetts families pay some of the highest energy prices in the country. Watch whether Minogue, and the Legislature, argue she's treating the symptoms rather than the disease. Details are at mass.gov/heatinghelp.

Full story at Boston Globe →

What Else You Should Know

Two governors, one ballot question. Former Republican Gov. Charlie Baker has joined former Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick in endorsing Question 3, which would create all-party primaries and end guaranteed general-election slots for Democrats and Republicans. Both state parties and legislative leaders oppose it, so this is a genuine party-versus-reformers fight. The two men ran against each other in 2010; now they're on the same side. WBUR →

Farwell trial gets underway. Jury selection begins Tuesday in federal court for Matthew Farwell, the former Stoughton police detective accused of killing Sandra Birchmore and staging it as a suicide. Chief Judge Denise Casper suggested opening statements could come as soon as Friday. Legal analysts say scrutiny of jurors following last month's hung jury in the Lindsay Clancy case could make seating a panel harder. Boston Globe →

After the clergy abuse report, all eyes turn to Beacon Hill. Attorney General Andrea Campbell wants lawmakers to end the statute of limitations on civil child sexual abuse claims and eliminate the $20,000 damages cap for charities like the dioceses. The Church's clout at the State House has faded, but WBUR reports another heavyweight opponent: the insurance industry. WBUR →

Canada trade war hits home. Jim Knott, CEO of Riverdale Mills in Northbridge, says he's squeezed from both directions: a 50 percent tariff on the Canadian steel he buys for lobster-trap wire, and a 50 percent tariff on what his customers buy from him. Business groups warn that's just the tip of the iceberg for the state economy. GBH News →

Downtown Crossing feels less safe. A survey of nearly 400 residents by the Downtown Boston Neighborhood Alliance found 56 percent feel less safe than at the start of the year, up from 35 percent last October. Business owners want more police presence, and restaurateur Babak Bina put it plainly: "Perception is reality." GBH News →

Babson student's deportation case reaches the First Circuit. Nearly a year after Any Lucia Lopez Belloza was detained at Logan on her way to surprise her family for Thanksgiving, her lawyers asked the appeals court to let her case be heard in federal district court. A judge dismissed it in March after she declined to fly back on a government plane, fearing re-detention. Boston Globe →

Ad fight over Boston schools. A $1.5 million campaign from MassPotential's Next Chapter Boston, featuring children and the slogan "BPS IS FAILING THEM," went up across the MBTA on Wednesday. The T had them coming down by Thursday, objecting to the copy. Expect a First Amendment sideshow to the larger debate over Boston's schools. WBUR →

Worth Your Attention

• Tuesday: Jury selection begins in the Farwell trial at the federal courthouse in the Seaport. Boston Globe →
• Wednesday, Oct. 7: East Bridgewater holds a special town meeting, where a petitioned surveillance technology bylaw leads the warrant, and town counsel is already flagging legal limits on it. South Shore News →
• Nov. 3: Election Day, with Question 8, which would repeal recreational marijuana sales in a market that grossed over $1.65 billion last year, on the ballot. Boston.com →

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Recent filings with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance:

Candidates

• William Falcetano (Republican) — Governor's Council, 5th District — Filed: 10/2/2026

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Union bosses go after Minogue's bank account as the governor's race enters its final month

With 30 days to go until Election Day on Nov. 3, labor leaders gathered in a Dorchester parking lot Saturday to make the case that Republican nominee Michael Minogue is trying to buy the corner office. At a rally outside the IBEW Local 103 hall, AFL-CIO president Chrissy Lynch, a key Healey ally, called Minogue an "out-of-touch mega millionaire" who is spending his own money to look like a moderate. Minogue, a veteran who made his fortune running the medical device company Abiomed before its 2016 sale to Johnson & Johnson, has been pouring cash into television advertising as the race heads into its final stretch.

Minogue's response shows where he thinks the opening is. He accused Healey and her union backers of "political theater" meant to keep members from asking why their pensions are in jeopardy, a charge he pins on what he calls the governor's mismanagement. The exchange is revealing: Healey's team wants this race to be about wealth and Trump (Lynch's "MAGA Mike" label is no accident), while Minogue wants it to be about whether state government is delivering for people who feel squeezed.

Watch the airwaves. Self-funded candidates can flood the zone in October in a way that's hard to match, and a labor rally is as much about turning out the base as about attacking an opponent. The question for the next four weeks is whether the "millionaire" framing sticks, or whether voters care more about the cost-of-living message Minogue is paying to repeat.

Full story at Boston Globe →

Brigham nurses set an open-ended strike date. Nurses at Brigham and Women's Hospital have picked Oct. 14 as the day they walk out, and this time they're not putting an end date on it. If no deal comes together before then, the strike continues until one does. Universal Hub →

Healey wants Washington to hurry up on a gas pipeline. In a letter to Energy Secretary Chris Wright, the governor asked federal officials to set firm timelines and coordinate reviews for the Algonquin pipeline expansion, which her administration says could save about 600,000 Massachusetts customers an estimated $40 million a year. It's a notable pitch from a Democrat who also touts solar, wind, and storage: her "all-of-the-above" energy line now includes more gas, and she's asking the Trump administration for help. Boston.com →

Heating aid may not stretch far enough this winter. The average household is projected to spend $1,030 to heat its home this winter, up $82 from last year, while the average LIHEAP benefit was $467 in fiscal 2025. That could leave families more than $500 short unless Congress boosts funding, which advocates are pushing for. WCVB →

Abington hits the brakes on new development over water. Under a MassDEP emergency declaration that runs at least through Jan. 30, the Abington-Rockland Joint Water Works has stopped approving water for new projects, though accessory dwelling units and bedroom-adding renovations are still allowed. Officials are weighing a roughly $500,000 Brockton bypass now and an $8 million pipeline later. Level four restrictions remain in place, with fines of $100 for a first offense and $300 after. South Shore News →

Marshfield sees a budget squeeze coming. A preliminary forecast shows a $2.765 million gap in fiscal 2028 if school and town budgets each grow 2.5%. Under the revenue-sharing formula, schools would get a 0.7% bump and town departments would have to shrink 3.7%. A projected 39% jump in the town's South Shore Vocational assessment is a big driver. South Shore News →

Whitman-Hanson football game turns ugly. Hanson police are pursuing charges after two fights at Friday's game against Silver Lake. One student allegedly assaulted officers, and in a second fight one student allegedly stomped on another's head. A knife may have been brandished but wasn't used. Boston Globe →

• Oct. 14: Brigham and Women's nurses' strike deadline. Universal Hub →
• Nov. 3: Election Day. The ACLU of Massachusetts and partner groups are training nonpartisan poll monitors for more than 200 cities, including Boston and Cambridge. Cambridge Day →
• Ballot questions: CommonWealth Beacon is collecting listener questions about the 2026 ballot for an upcoming podcast. Leave a voicemail at (617) 858-0510. CommonWealth Beacon →

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Recent filings with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance:

Candidates

• William Falcetano (Republican) — Governor's Council, 5th District — Filed: 10/2/2026
• Diego Leonardo — House, 16th Essex — Filed: 9/28/2026
• Emily Doran (Democratic) — City Councilor, Somerville — Filed: 9/28/2026
• Raymond Boutin (Democratic) — City Councilor, Lowell — Filed: 9/28/2026

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Track all bills →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

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Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

Recent filings with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance:

Candidates

• William Falcetano (Republican) — Governor's Council, 5th District — Filed: 10/2/2026
• Diego Leonardo — House, 16th Essex — Filed: 9/28/2026
• Emily Doran (Democratic) — City Councilor, Somerville — Filed: 9/28/2026
• Raymond Boutin (Democratic) — City Councilor, Lowell — Filed: 9/28/2026

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Brigham nurses set a strike date, and this one has no end date

The Massachusetts Nurses Association says 4,000 registered nurses at Brigham & Women's Hospital will walk off the job October 14 unless they reach a deal with Mass General Brigham. The union is calling it the largest open-ended nurse strike in state history. Two weeks is not much runway.

Remember July: a one-day strike, followed by a four-day lockout, because the hospital had already contracted replacement nurses for five days. That was the largest healthcare strike the state had ever seen. An open-ended walkout is a different animal. The last big one, at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester in 2001, dragged on for 301 days. Nobody wants a repeat, least of all patients at one of the region's biggest teaching hospitals.

The fight is over money. The union says MGB, the state's most profitable hospital system, wants nurses to accept a multiyear pay freeze, and it is also fighting over health insurance costs. MGB says its nurses are already among the best-paid in the country and will keep getting annual step raises. The union says MGB has shut the door on talks; the hospital says it takes the situation seriously. Watch for state officials to start leaning on both sides in the next few days, and for Brigham to start talking about patient transfers and elective procedure schedules. This one affects a lot of people.

Full story at WBZ / CBS Boston →

Healey wants Trump's help with a gas pipeline. Yes, really. Gov. Maura Healey sent a letter to U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright asking the feds to speed up review of Project RARE, a modest expansion of the Algonquin pipeline that Enbridge says would lower costs for 600,000 customers. Healey is running for reelection in a race defined by affordability, and she's stressing that "moving quickly does not mean cutting corners." Expect climate advocates to have feelings about it. CommonWealth Beacon → | WBUR →

Her gas tax holiday is a tougher sell on Beacon Hill. House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz was noncommittal on Healey's proposal to suspend the gas tax, which rides along in her $2.24 billion closeout supplemental budget. He did note the House has voted down similar ideas several times, "pretty significantly." Opponents, mostly Democrats, worry about the lost revenue and the state's bond rating. GBH News →

Mayor Wu endorses Healey and Driscoll. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu formally backed the reelection of Gov. Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll Thursday, citing a "partnership." The two aren't known to be especially close; they backed opposite candidates in a couple of last month's state Senate primaries. Still, it's a useful photo op for the governor as October kicks off. CommonWealth Beacon →

Who is bankrolling the push to kill partisan primaries? The ballot question campaign has raised more than $5.6 million, making it the top-funded question this cycle, and the money comes largely from people tied to private equity and investment firms, including Bain Capital and Berkshire Partners alumni. Opponents say it's an attempt to "buy elections." The donors' exact motivation is unclear, and there's no obvious ideological pattern. Boston Globe →

Anti-BPS ads got yanked from the T. A new nonprofit, Next Chapter Boston, raised over $1.5 million for a campaign declaring "BPS IS FAILING HER," citing state data showing most Boston third graders below grade level in reading and math. The MBTA pulled the ads, saying its ad contractor placed them without the required review. Organizer Mary Tamer, a former School Committee member, called it censorship. Boston Globe →

AG's church abuse report comes with a legislative to-do list. After a state probe found nearly 1,000 children were abused by Catholic leaders in the Springfield, Worcester, and Fall River dioceses, Attorney General Andrea Campbell is pushing three changes: scrap the $20,000 charitable immunity cap on payouts from nonprofits like the church, eliminate the civil statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse, and create an indefinite "lookback" window. GBH News →

Roxbury businesses burned out of the Edison Building get help. After Monday's six-alarm fire gutted the 103-year-old Nubian Square complex, the city says it may have found temporary space for the five displaced businesses. The property manager plans to rebuild. For owners like Darlin Velasquez, who said "we lost everything," the timeline can't come soon enough. Boston Globe →

• Oct. 6: Jury selection begins Tuesday in the federal trial of former Stoughton police officer Matthew Farwell, accused in the 2021 death of Sandra Birchmore. Opening statements could come as early as Oct. 9. WCVB →
• Oct. 14: The Brigham nurses' strike deadline. Keep an eye out for any bargaining sessions before then. WBZ / CBS Boston →
• Oct. 26: The Fields Corner post office is set to "temporarily" close, and Dorchester residents are understandably skeptical about that word. Universal Hub →

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Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

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Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

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Recent filings with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance:

Candidates

• William Falcetano (Republican) — Governor's Council, 5th District — Filed: 10/2/2026
• Diego Leonardo — House, 16th Essex — Filed: 9/28/2026
• Emily Doran (Democratic) — City Councilor, Somerville — Filed: 9/28/2026
• Raymond Boutin (Democratic) — City Councilor, Lowell — Filed: 9/28/2026

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Track all bills →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Big Spending This Week

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

Recent filings with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance:

Candidates

• Diego Leonardo — House, 16th Essex — Filed: 9/28/2026
• Emily Doran (Democratic) — City Councilor, Somerville — Filed: 9/28/2026
• Raymond Boutin (Democratic) — City Councilor, Lowell — Filed: 9/28/2026

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THE MASS BRIEF

Wednesday, September 30, 2026

THE LEAD

A state investigation finds nearly 1,000 children were abused in three Massachusetts dioceses.

Attorney General Andrea Campbell released a long-awaited report Wednesday concluding that more than 270 Catholic clergy members abused nearly 1,000 children across the Fall River, Springfield, and Worcester dioceses over roughly a century. The investigation began in 2019 under then-AG Maura Healey. It found that diocesan leaders repeatedly failed to act on allegations and warning signs, and in some cases moved accused priests to other parishes without disclosing why. Most of the known abuse predates 2002, the year the Globe's reporting cracked open the scandal in the Archdiocese of Boston. Campbell's office calls this the first comparable public accounting for the three western and southeastern dioceses.

The report stops short of indictments, but it isn't toothless. Campbell called out the Worcester diocese as the only one in the state that has never released a list of credibly accused priests, and she wants it to do so. She's also pushing legislation to make it easier for survivors to bring civil claims against their abusers. "This investigation was not about demonizing a faith or a church," she said at a press conference. "Rather, it was about seeking justice."

What to watch: whether Worcester bends on the list, and whether the Legislature takes up the survivor-lawsuit bill. For survivors who have waited years for this document, the report is validation. For the dioceses, it's a reputational reckoning with a clear to-do list attached.

Full story at Boston Globe →  |  Read the full report via Boston Globe →  |  WBUR coverage →

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW

Voters blame Trump and utilities, not Healey, for sky-high energy bills. A new CommonWealth Beacon/MassINC poll of 800 likely voters finds 32 percent pin energy costs on President Trump and 28 percent on the utilities. Just 13 percent blame the governor. That's notable in an election year dominated by affordability, in a state where residents pay double the national average for electricity. CommonWealth Beacon →

The ballot question picture: a tight race on all-party primaries, little appetite for a cannabis ban. MassINC polling shows 43 percent of voters plan to vote yes on all-party primaries for state elections, a slight plurality. On other questions, including ending the recreational cannabis program, respondents favor the status quo by wide margins. WBUR →

Auditing the Legislature: still 72 percent, still not budging. Despite two years of pushback from legislative leaders, support for letting the state auditor examine the House and Senate is exactly where it was in 2024: 72 percent in favor, 7 percent opposed. Auditor Diana DiZoglio's reaction to the poll was, reportedly, a chuckle. CommonWealth Beacon →

Nursing home oversight rules get a push after a Spotlight investigation. The Globe reported that DPH hasn't denied a nursing home acquisition or revoked a license in at least seven years, repeatedly approving deals by RegalCare, a New Jersey chain whose owner acknowledged a role in a Medicare/Medicaid fraud scheme. Homes in Quincy and Taunton fell from five-star to one-star federal ratings after the takeovers. The Healey administration says regulations implementing a 2024 law will go to the Public Health Council on Oct. 14. WBUR →

Question 5, explained: what happens to your tax refunds? The ballot measure would change how the state calculates its tax-revenue cap under the 1986 law known as Chapter 62F, resetting the baseline each year to the prior year's actual collections. That could mean more frequent taxpayer rebates, but less predictable ones. The cap has been exceeded only twice, in 1987 and 2022. Boston.com →

Worcester's schools take on racism in student sports. Six months after online racist attacks targeted a girls' basketball team, Worcester Public Schools, the local NAACP, and the YWCA launched a Stand Against Racism campaign at a rally with more than 700 students. Superintendent Brian Allen said the district is drawing "a line in the sand," and AG Campbell joined in support. GBH News →

WORTH YOUR ATTENTION

• Oct. 14: The Public Health Council is expected to take up the nursing home oversight regulations. WBUR →
• Nov. 2: Lindsay Clancy's Plymouth Superior Court hearing on motions, including a defense bid to dismiss, a request to investigate the holdout juror, and a prosecution request for a gag order. Both sides also discussed a retrial date. WBZ / CBS Boston →
• Election Day is five weeks out, and treasurer candidate Elizabeth Dionne (R) is pitching herself as a "bullhorn" for local aid against incumbent Deborah Goldberg. CommonWealth Beacon →

Track all bills →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Big Spending This Week

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

Recent filings with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance:

Candidates

• Diego Leonardo — House, 16th Essex — Filed: 9/28/2026
• Emily Doran (Democratic) — City Councilor, Somerville — Filed: 9/28/2026
• Raymond Boutin (Democratic) — City Councilor, Lowell — Filed: 9/28/2026

PACs

• Recall Mayor Brian Depena Political Action Committee — N/A, N/A — Filed: 9/24/2026

OCPF →

ONE MORE THING

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