The Mass Brief — Wednesday, May 06, 2026

THE MASS BRIEF

Wednesday, May 6, 2026

The Lead

The SJC Takes Up the DiZoglio Audit Fight — And It’s Complicated

Years of standoff between state Auditor Diana DiZoglio and the Massachusetts Legislature arrive at their first real reckoning today, as the Supreme Judicial Court hears arguments in what has become one of the more procedurally tangled disputes on Beacon Hill. DiZoglio, who won a 2024 ballot question explicitly empowering her office to audit the Legislature, has been stonewalled ever since — and when she sued legislative leaders to force compliance, Attorney General Andrea Campbell moved to dismiss that lawsuit, arguing DiZoglio didn’t have the authority to file it in the first place. DiZoglio responded by trying to appoint outside counsel and sidestep Campbell’s office entirely. So now the SJC is being asked to referee a fight about the fight.

Here’s the catch: the court isn’t yet ruling on whether DiZoglio actually can audit the Legislature — the central constitutional question that voters thought they answered at the ballot box. Instead, today’s arguments focus on procedure: Can DiZoglio hire her own attorney to sue? Can Campbell kill the lawsuit? Justice Dalila Argaez Wendlandt, a Baker appointee, thought the questions serious enough to kick to the full court. Whatever the SJC decides will set the table for the much bigger confrontation to come. If DiZoglio can’t even get her lawsuit to the starting line, the Legislature may have found its loophole. If she can, expect the constitutional fireworks to follow.

Full story at Boston Globe →

What Else You Should Know

A State Trooper Is Fighting for Their Life After a Wrong-Way Crash on Route 1

Around 2 a.m. Wednesday, a wrong-way driver traveling south in the northbound lanes of Route 1 in Lynnfield slammed into a responding State Police cruiser. The trooper was rushed to a Boston hospital with life-threatening injuries; the other driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Route 1 north remains closed at Walnut Street in Saugus as of this morning — avoid the area if you can. WBZ / CBS Boston →

The Senate Budget Is Here — And It Has Something for Everyone to Argue About

State Senate Ways and Means Chairman Michael Rodrigues unveiled a $63.3 billion fiscal year 2027 budget Tuesday that closely tracks the House’s version but adds some notable differences — including a $53 million increase in local aid (significantly more than the House proposed) and a significant overhaul of how county sheriffs get funded, after the Inspector General flagged the current system as “opaque, chaotic and deeply flawed.” Oh, and they want to make it easier for you to cancel that streaming service you forgot you subscribed to. GBH News →

Half of Massachusetts Residents Say They Can’t Afford Housing — And It’s Reshaping Lives

A new MassINC poll for CommonWealth Beacon and WBUR finds that housing costs are the single biggest financial pressure point for Massachusetts residents — outranking healthcare, taxes, and higher education. The crunch is hitting 35-to-44-year-olds hardest, and researchers say it’s not just straining budgets but actively delaying major life milestones and pushing younger residents to question whether they can afford to stay in the state at all. CommonWealth Beacon →

Legislators Keep Killing Bills Without Voting — And Transparency Reforms Haven’t Fixed It

Last session, Massachusetts lawmakers promised more transparency after a messy end to formal session and a bruising at the ballot box. But a new Boston Globe analysis finds that hundreds of bills — roughly 800 in the House and 100-plus in the Senate through mid-April — have been quietly killed without a single public vote, using a procedural workaround that violates the spirit, if not the letter, of the new rules. Rep. Ken Sweezey, a Duxbury Republican, put it plainly: “The people that come and testify deserve to know where we stand.” Boston Globe →

The Feds Are Coming for Smith College

The U.S. Department of Education opened a Title IX investigation Monday into Smith College’s policy of admitting transgender women, the latest in a string of Trump administration actions targeting trans students and the institutions that welcome them. Smith, a private all-women’s college in Northampton, has admitted trans women since 2015 — a policy shared by several peer institutions. The school has not yet publicly responded to the investigation. Boston.com →

The State Had a Very Good April for Tax Collections

Despite months of gloomy warnings about federal cuts and proposed ballot-box tax reductions, Massachusetts pulled in $7.4 billion in tax revenue in April — nearly $1 billion, or 14 percent, above projections. The state is now running about $1.6 billion ahead of forecast with two months left in the fiscal year. Budget watchers are cautiously relieved but not popping champagne yet: the numbers are encouraging, but don’t fully answer whether the broader Massachusetts economy is actually healthy. Boston Globe →

Worth Your Attention

SJC arguments in DiZoglio v. Everyone happen today — if you want to follow along, watch for coverage from the Globe and GBH as arguments wrap up. Boston Globe →

Trooper Casey Lamont is arraigned this afternoon at 2 p.m. in Worcester Superior Court on charges related to the 2024 death of State Police Academy recruit Enrique Delgado-Garcia, who died after being allowed to box a day after showing concussion-like symptoms — the fourth instructor charged in the case. WCVB →

Heads up if you’re near Bourne: Foundation pile-driving for the new $2.1 billion Sagamore Bridge is underway and MassDOT is literally apologizing in advance for the noise and ground-shaking — expect it during weekday business hours for the next two to three months. WBZ / CBS Boston →

💰 Money Watch

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

$1,762.54	John (Jay) Walsh, Lynn, MA → John (Jay) Walsh [Loan Forgiveness]
$1,000.00	Bruce Goldie (Goldie Group), Natick, MA → David Linsky [Individual]
$1,000.00	Jay Mofenson (Belkin Family Lookout Farm), Weston, MA → David Linsky [Individual]

Big Spending This Week

$15,872.13	Mike Kennealy paid PAYCHEX — INC. PAYROLL [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$10,005.01	Maura T. Healey paid Execupay 01R921/OBC IMPOUN [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$10,000.00	Isaac Mass paid Isaac Mass — Repayment of Loan [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$7,770.74	Mike Kennealy paid Hilton Garden Inn — Political Campaign Event: Venue Rental & Catering [Credit Card Charge]
$6,857.80	Mike Kennealy paid PAYCHEX — TPS TAXES [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$6,609.60	Michael Minogue paid GUSTO — TAX [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$6,026.89	Republican State Committee paid 125 Front Street Worcester LLC — WIRE [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$5,420.00	Republican State Committee paid Axiom Strategies — WIRE [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$5,225.41	Maura T. Healey paid Execupay 01R924/TAX IMPOUN [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$5,000.00	Hannah Kane paid Town of Shrewsbury — Shrewsbury 300th anniv. Platinum sponsor [Bank Reported Expenditure]

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

This Week on Beacon Hill

Wednesday, May 06, 12:00 PM

None

Topic: Special Legislative Commission to Study the Future of Payments and Sales Transactions by Credit Card and the Impacts for Small Businesses

Location: Gardner Auditorium , Boston

Thursday, May 07, 1:00 PM

Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses (2 bills)

Topic: Community Development

Location: A-2 , Boston

H5187: An Act creating the engaging neighborhoods, organizations, unions, governments a (Filed by Kate Lipper-Garabedian)
S3022: An Act creating the engaging neighborhoods, organizations, unions, governments a (Filed by Sal N. DiDomenico)

Monday, May 11, 10:00 AM

Joint Committee on Aging and Independence (4 bills)

Topic: Joint Committee on Aging and Independence Hearing

Location: A-1 , Boston

H5243: An Act relative to medication administration in rest homes (Filed by Thomas M. Stanley)
H5376: An Act relative to assisted living residences in the Commonwealth (Filed by Thomas M. Stanley)
S3056: An Act relative to medication administration in rest homes (Filed by Michael O. Moore)
S3057: An Act relative to assisted living residences in the Commonwealth (Filed by Patricia D. Jehlen)

Full hearing schedule →

New on the Ballot

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

Candidates

James Seibel — House, 35th Middlesex — Filed: 5/4/2026

Ballot Question Committees

Voter Rights MA — N/A, N/A — Filed: 5/1/2026

OCPF →

One More Thing

Marblehead finally — finally — passed MBTA Communities Act zoning this week, after years of rejections, reversals, and legal threats from the AG’s office. The new multifamily overlay district is centered largely on... a golf course. One resident named David, blessed with the energy of a man who has been to too many town meetings, summed it up perfectly: “Are we kinda being pricks?” The crowd laughed. The golf course remains. Boston.com →

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#15

May 6, 2026

The Mass Brief — Tuesday, May 05, 2026

The Mass Brief

Tuesday, May 5, 2026

The Lead

Legislature's Transparency Promise Is Already Full of Holes

After voters sent an unmistakable message at the ballot box last fall about their frustration with Beacon Hill's opacity, state lawmakers rolled out a series of rules promising more sunshine on how they handle bills. Nice idea. The execution? Less impressive.

The Boston Globe is out this morning with a sharp look at how roughly 900 bills have already been quietly killed this session — about 800 in the House and 100-plus in the Senate — without a single public vote. The trick: under the new rules, committees have 60 days after a hearing to act on a bill, with one 30-day extension available. But once those deadlines pass with no action, the bill simply dies. Quietly. No roll call, no accountability, no fingerprints. State Rep. Ken Sweezey of Duxbury, a Republican who had his own gun law repeal bill meet this fate, put it plainly: "The people who come and testify deserve to know where we stand." Hard to argue with that.

This matters because transparency reform only works if lawmakers can't just route around it. Leadership in both chambers signed on to the new rules after last year's chaotic formal session ended badly. But creating a deadline loophole big enough to swallow 900 bills is less "reform" and more rebranding. Watch whether advocacy groups and good-government types start naming names and making this an issue in the fall campaign.

Full story at Boston Globe →

What Else You Should Know

Senate Wants to Boost Local Aid — But Not Enough, Say Cities and Towns

Senate President Karen Spilka announced Monday that the Senate's budget proposal would increase unrestricted local aid by $53 million, calling it the highest such investment in state history at nearly $1.38 billion total. Local officials are greeting the news with cautious applause — Fitchburg Mayor Samantha Squailia summed it up as "not enough" — since it falls well short of the $351 million increase municipalities actually requested as federal aid shrinks and costs climb. Expect this gap to be a major point of contention in budget negotiations this summer. Boston Globe →

Smith College Under Federal Title IX Investigation Over Trans Admissions Policy

The Trump administration's Department of Education announced it has opened a Title IX investigation into Smith College in Northampton for its 11-year-old policy of admitting transgender women. The Office of Civil Rights says it will examine Smith's allowance of "biological men" in women-only campus spaces. Smith says it's aware of the investigation and committed to compliance with civil rights law — but isn't commenting further. This is the latest in a string of federal actions targeting Massachusetts institutions, and it won't be the last. Boston Globe →

Citizenship Applications in Boston Drop by Half

Boston's annual Citizenship Day event, held Saturday at the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury, saw 158 completed naturalization applications — exactly half of last year's 316. Organizers at Project Citizenship point to the Trump administration's escalating barriers: a longer civics exam, fewer payment options, and expanded "good moral character" reviews that have made even eligible permanent residents nervous about stepping forward. The chilling effect on naturalization is now showing up in the numbers. GBH News →

That Income Tax Cut Ballot Question Has a Hidden Cost for Nonprofits

A ballot initiative aiming to cut Massachusetts' income tax from 5% to 4% over three years sounds straightforward — but it comes with a wrinkle that's alarming the state's nonprofit sector. Under existing law, the charitable donation deduction is tied to a 5% tax rate; drop the rate and the deduction disappears. Jim Klocke, CEO of the Massachusetts Council of Nonprofits, estimates that would raise the cost of charitable giving by $480 million by 2031. Fewer donations to food banks, social services, and arts organizations could be the quiet price tag of a tax cut. GBH News →

Kalshi Sports Betting Fight Reaches the SJC

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court heard arguments Monday in Attorney General Andrea Campbell's lawsuit against Kalshi, the fast-growing prediction market platform Campbell says is operating an illegal sportsbook without a license. Kalshi argues it's a federally regulated commodity exchange — not a sports betting app. The SJC justices didn't sound impressed with that framing, with signals that Kalshi is "swimming upstream." The outcome could shape how prediction markets are regulated nationally. CommonWealth Beacon →

GOP Primary: Minogue Wants to Debate Healey, Not Shortsleeve

Republican gubernatorial frontrunner Mike Minogue is calling on Governor Maura Healey to debate him twice before Labor Day — while notably making zero mention of his primary opponent, Brian Shortsleeve. Shortsleeve, who barely cleared the 15% delegate threshold at last month's convention, says Minogue is ducking a primary debate and should make his case directly to GOP voters first. The tension between the two reflects a broader Republican calculation: can Minogue skip the primary fight and go straight to general election mode? Boston.com →

Worth Your Attention

Boston City Council Budget Hearings Continue Today — The Planning Department goes before the Council at 10 a.m., followed by youth employment programs at 3 p.m.; the Boston Police Department's budget hearing is up Thursday morning and afternoon. Boston Policy Institute →

Hull Annual Town Meeting — Hull voters are being asked to approve an additional $4 million for the Town Hall relocation project, bringing the total to $7.14 million — more than double the original authorization. South Shore News →

Wind Advisory in Effect Today — A wind advisory runs from noon to 10 p.m. for Eastern Mass. and Rhode Island, with gusts expected to hit 40–50 mph by late afternoon. It'll be warm — near 80 — but hold onto your hat. WBZ/CBS Boston →

💰 Money Watch

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

$1,621.24	CTE Barry Finegold, Andover, MA → Barry R. Finegold [Non-Contribution]
$1,000.00	Paul Andrews (Markley), Lynnfield, MA → Kimberley Driscoll [Individual]
$1,000.00	Michael H. Blank (Braintree Street Realty LLC), Framingham, MA → Barry R. Finegold [Individual]
$1,000.00	Adam Burnham (Markley Group), Cohasset, MA → Kimberley Driscoll [Individual]
$1,000.00	Jacob Citrin (Cargo Ventures LLC), Greenwich, CT → Kimberley Driscoll [Individual]
$1,000.00	James Davis (New Balance), Brighton, MA → Kimberley Driscoll [Individual]
$1,000.00	Paul Derba (Derba Realty), Osterville, MA → William F. Galvin [Individual]
$1,000.00	Felicia Ellsworth (WilmerHale), Wellesley, MA → Kimberley Driscoll [Individual]
$1,000.00	Daniel Goldstein (Not Employed), Spofford, NH → Kimberley Driscoll [Individual]
$1,000.00	Diane Hessan (Salient Ventures), Palm Beach Gardens, FL → Kimberley Driscoll [Individual]

Big Spending This Week

$25,000.00	Martin J. Walsh paid EMPATH — DONATION [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$25,000.00	Andrea Joy Campbell paid SignatueDrive.com — ACH Return Debit [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$25,000.00	Andrea Joy Campbell paid SIGNATUREDRIVE.COM-02163 — BEB WT DR [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$22,150.34	Retired Public Employees PAC paid MASS RETIREES ASSOC — RENT [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$10,012.93	Andrea Joy Campbell paid 4C PARTNERS, LLC/SALE [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$10,005.01	Maura T. Healey paid Execupay 01R921/OBC IMPOUN [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$10,000.00	Isaac Mass paid Isaac Mass — Repayment of Loan [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$7,000.00	Sokhary Chau paid SAMPAO MEAS HALL — CAMPAIGN FUNDRAISER [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$6,845.00	Retired Public Employees PAC paid MAAS RETIREES ASSOC — CONSULTING [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$5,225.41	Maura T. Healey paid Execupay 01R924/TAX IMPOUN [Bank Reported Expenditure]

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

This Week on Beacon Hill

Tuesday, May 05, 1:00 PM

Joint Committee on Education (2 bills)

Topic: Miscellaneous

Location: A-1 , Boston

H3895: An Act expanding career and technical education opportunities for Lynn students (Filed by Sean Reid)
H5157: An Act relative to safer schools (Filed by Lindsay N. Sabadosa)

Wednesday, May 06, 12:00 PM

None

Topic: Special Legislative Commission to Study the Future of Payments and Sales Transactions by Credit Card and the Impacts for Small Businesses

Location: Gardner Auditorium , Boston

Thursday, May 07, 1:00 PM

Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses (2 bills)

Topic: Community Development

Location: A-2 , Boston

H5187: An Act creating the engaging neighborhoods, organizations, unions, governments a (Filed by Kate Lipper-Garabedian)
S3022: An Act creating the engaging neighborhoods, organizations, unions, governments a (Filed by Sal N. DiDomenico)

Monday, May 11, 10:00 AM

Joint Committee on Aging and Independence (4 bills)

Topic: Joint Committee on Aging and Independence Hearing

Location: A-1 , Boston

H5243: An Act relative to medication administration in rest homes (Filed by Thomas M. Stanley)
H5376: An Act relative to assisted living residences in the Commonwealth (Filed by Thomas M. Stanley)
S3056: An Act relative to medication administration in rest homes (Filed by Michael O. Moore)
S3057: An Act relative to assisted living residences in the Commonwealth (Filed by Patricia D. Jehlen)

Full hearing schedule →

New on the Ballot

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

Candidates

James Seibel — House, 35th Middlesex — Filed: 5/4/2026
Henry Bousquet (Republican) — House, 9th Bristol — Filed: 4/29/2026

Ballot Question Committees

Voter Rights MA — N/A, N/A — Filed: 5/1/2026
Democratic Socialists for Rent Control — N/A, No office — Filed: 4/29/2026
Democratic Socialists Against Austerity — N/A, No office — Filed: 4/29/2026

Change of Purposes

Karla Miller — Senate, 1st Middlesex → House, 16th Middlesex — Filed: 4/29/2026

OCPF →

One More Thing

A 21-year-old Worcester man led Millbury police on a chase Saturday night — in a front-end loader, at a top speed of 10 to 15 miles per hour. Officers eventually blocked the loader with a cruiser and took Kelvin Ucles-Flores into custody. He was charged with drunk driving. In Massachusetts, apparently, if you're going to flee, you commit. WBZ/CBS Boston →

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#14

May 5, 2026

The Mass Brief — Monday, May 04, 2026

THE MASS BRIEF

Monday, May 4, 2026

Smart, straight talk about what’s happening in Massachusetts — every morning.

The Lead

Biden Jumps Into the 6th District Race — and Tests His Own Relevance

Former President Joe Biden is officially back in campaign mode, and Massachusetts is his first real proving ground. Biden endorsed Dan Koh — who served in his administration for nearly the full four years — in the crowded seven-way Democratic primary to replace Representative Seth Moulton in the Sixth Congressional District. The endorsement came via a video of what appeared to be a phone call between the two, in which Biden praised Koh as “one heck of a congressman” in waiting and even offered to come stump for him in person.

The big question here isn’t really about Koh — it’s about Biden. After a bruising 2024 exit and a Democratic Party still sorting out what went wrong, his former allies have been quietly distancing themselves while charting their own political futures. By contrast, Koh is leaning in hard, betting that North Shore Democratic primary voters still feel warmth toward the 46th president. That’s an open empirical question, and this race will start to answer it.

The Sixth District field is packed, the primary is months away, and every other candidate is now on notice that Koh has a prominent backer willing to show up. Whether that’s an asset or something more complicated in the current Democratic mood — well, that’s exactly what we’re all about to find out.

Full story at Boston Globe →

What Else You Should Know

Barney Frank, in Hospice, Has a Few Things to Say

The former Massachusetts congressman and longtime liberal lion is in hospice care for heart failure, but his mind is fully engaged. In a Sunday interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper from his Maine home, the 86-year-old Frank warned Democrats against making the most divisive pieces of their agenda into political litmus tests — pointing to transgender rights as a recent example. He remains hopeful, citing the history of the gay rights movement as proof that the system can work. He’s also still finishing a book due out in September.

Boston Globe →

Boston’s New Climate Plan: Congestion Pricing Is the Flashpoint

Mayor Michelle Wu last week released a 217-page, five-year climate action plan targeting a 50% emissions reduction by 2030 and net-zero by 2050. The proposal getting the most attention — and pushback — is a study of congestion pricing, which would charge drivers fees for entering busy parts of Boston at peak times. The plan is light on specifics right now, but in a city already wrestling with affordability, the mere mention of new driving fees is enough to start a fight.

Boston.com →

Baystate Health Moving to Acquire Mercy Medical in Springfield

In a significant reshaping of western Massachusetts healthcare, Baystate Health announced it will acquire Mercy Medical Center from Trinity Health of New England, with the transition targeted for November 1 — pending regulatory approval. The deal is meant to keep patients from having to leave the region for care, but it will dramatically consolidate the medical landscape in Springfield. State regulators and the Massachusetts Nurses Association will both be watching closely.

Western Mass Politics & Insight →

Hull Residents Head to Town Meeting Tonight With a $7M Surprise

Hull’s Annual Town Meeting kicks off tonight at Hull High School, and voters are facing a significantly bigger bill than expected for the relocation of Town Hall. What started as a $3 million project approved in 2024 has ballooned to $7.14 million, with officials asking for an additional $4 million. Town Manager Jennifer Constable argues it’s still a bargain compared to building from scratch — but taxpayers will have to decide if they agree.

South Shore News →

Plymouth Town Manager Pulls Services from Airport in Escalating Feud

The ongoing power struggle between Plymouth Town Manager Derek Brindisi and the town’s Airport Commission took a remarkable turn last week, when Brindisi ordered a halt to most municipal services at Plymouth Municipal Airport — including IT support, public records handling, vehicle insurance, and financial services. This came after a Superior Court judge told him to stop interfering in airport operations. Airport Commission lawyers are now pursuing a contempt finding. The word “horrified” was used.

Plymouth Independent →

New Bedford Fighting a Cop’s PTSD Disability Retirement

Three state-appointed physicians unanimously agreed that New Bedford police officer Jacob Oliveira, 38, has permanent PTSD from 14 years on the job — witnessing suicides, decomposing bodies, and being shot at. The city is appealing anyway, based on a city-paid doctor’s opinion that treatment could return him to full duty. It’s a story about how hard it can be for first responders to get out, even when the evidence is on their side.

New Bedford Light →

Worth Your Attention

Hull Annual Town Meeting is tonight at Hull High School — voters will weigh in on the $7.14 million Town Hall relocation and a contested restructuring of the Municipal Light Plant’s governance. South Shore News →

Stefon Diggs assault trial begins jury selection today at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, where the former Patriots wide receiver faces felony strangulation charges after an alleged altercation with his private chef last December. WCVB →

Amherst police are actively investigating racist letters left on residents’ vehicles last week, targeting the Black and African American community and signed by an unknown group calling itself the “Advancement of American Civilization” — which no hate-group tracking organization has been able to identify. Boston.com →

💰 Money Watch

Big Spending This Week

$7,000.00	Sokhary Chau paid SAMPAO MEAS HALL — CAMPAIGN FUNDRAISER [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$5,000.00	Hannah Kane paid Town of Shrewsbury — Shrewsbury 300th anniv. Platinum sponsor [Bank Reported Expenditure]

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

This Week on Beacon Hill

Monday, May 04, 9:00 AM

Joint Committee on Revenue (10 bills)

Topic: Miscellaneous & Late Files II

Location: Written Testimony Only, Boston

H3931: An Act establishing a real estate transfer fee upon the transfer of residential (Filed by Thomas W. Moakley)
H5035: An Act relative to Grafton's senior tax exemption (Filed by David K. Muradian, Jr.)
H5103: An Act authorizing the town of Reading to establish a means tested senior citize (Filed by Bradley H. Jones, Jr.)
H5160: An Act establishing a Commission Regarding Distribution of Lottery Revenue (Filed by Adam J. Scanlon)
H5260: An Act relative to equal state tax treatment for foreign Social Security-equival (Filed by Lindsay N. Sabadosa)
... and 5 more bills

Monday, May 04, 9:00 AM

Senate Committee on the Census

Topic: Privacy Protection, Data Sharing, and Governance of the Census

Location: A-1 , Boston

Monday, May 04, 1:00 PM

None

Topic: Special Commission on Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration Meeting

Location: 428 , Boston

Tuesday, May 05, 1:00 PM

Joint Committee on Education (2 bills)

Topic: Miscellaneous

Location: A-1 , Boston

H3895: An Act expanding career and technical education opportunities for Lynn students (Filed by Sean Reid)
H5157: An Act relative to safer schools (Filed by Lindsay N. Sabadosa)

Wednesday, May 06, 12:00 PM

None

Topic: Special Legislative Commission to Study the Future of Payments and Sales Transactions by Credit Card and the Impacts for Small Businesses

Location: Gardner Auditorium , Boston

Thursday, May 07, 1:00 PM

Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses (2 bills)

Topic: Community Development

Location: A-2 , Boston

H5187: An Act creating the engaging neighborhoods, organizations, unions, governments a (Filed by Kate Lipper-Garabedian)
S3022: An Act creating the engaging neighborhoods, organizations, unions, governments a (Filed by Sal N. DiDomenico)

Full hearing schedule →

New on the Ballot

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

Candidates

Henry Bousquet (Republican) — House, 9th Bristol — Filed: 4/29/2026
Kayla Kittredge — Lieutenant Governor — Filed: 4/28/2026
Daniel Kelly (Republican) — House, 2nd Essex — Filed: 4/28/2026
Edward Walsh (Democratic) — House, 3rd Bristol — Filed: 4/28/2026

Ballot Question Committees

Voter Rights MA — N/A, N/A — Filed: 5/1/2026
Democratic Socialists for Rent Control — N/A, No office — Filed: 4/29/2026
Democratic Socialists Against Austerity — N/A, No office — Filed: 4/29/2026

Change of Purposes

Karla Miller — Senate, 1st Middlesex → House, 16th Middlesex — Filed: 4/29/2026

OCPF →

One More Thing

A man driving a front-end loader led Millbury police on what may be the most Massachusetts chase of the year — topping out at a blistering 10 to 15 miles per hour, swerving toward utility poles, and ultimately being boxed in by a cruiser on a residential street. It took a firetruck-sized metaphor for law enforcement to finally bring things to a stop. Boston Globe →

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#13

May 4, 2026

The Mass Brief — Sunday, May 03, 2026

THE MASS BRIEF

Sunday, May 4, 2026 · Good morning, Massachusetts

The Lead

The Mifepristone Mail Ban: What It Means for Massachusetts

A federal appeals court dropped a bombshell Friday that ripples well beyond the states with abortion bans: the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that mifepristone — the most common medication used in abortions — can no longer be mailed or prescribed by telehealth providers anywhere in the country. That means patients in Massachusetts, a state that has actively worked to protect and expand abortion access, now face new obstacles to a medication they were previously able to obtain from home.

The ruling, which stems from a lawsuit brought by Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, overrides FDA regulations and requires that mifepristone be dispensed only in-person at clinics. The practical effect: patients who relied on mail-order prescriptions — often those who face the biggest logistical, financial, or safety barriers to in-person care — are now shut out, regardless of where they live. Massachusetts lawmakers and advocates will be under immediate pressure to respond, whether through state-level workarounds, funding for clinic access, or jumping into the legal fight that's almost certainly headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

This isn't the final word. The ruling is in effect while appeals proceed, and given the current Supreme Court's track record, nothing is guaranteed. But for now, this is the biggest single rollback of abortion access since Dobbs — and it hits states that thought they were protected just as hard as everyone else.

Full story at Boston.com →

What Else You Should Know

Saints, Taxpayers, and the SJC: Quincy's Church-State Fight Goes to the High Court

Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch wants to spend $850,000 in public money to plant giant bronze statues of Saint Michael and Saint Florian outside the city's new police and fire headquarters. The ACLU and local residents sued to stop it. On Wednesday, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court takes up the case — and the outcome could signal whether the commonwealth is willing to hold the line on church-state separation even as federal courts retreat from it. This one is worth watching closely.

Boston Globe →

A Promise to People with Mental Illness — Now at Risk

In 2024, Massachusetts signed the Marsters v. Healey settlement, a federal court-backed commitment to move at least 2,400 people with serious mental illness out of nursing facilities and into community-based care over eight years — a $1 billion-plus pledge. A new opinion piece from a veteran of the state's health and human services system warns that proposed budget cuts are already threatening to hollow out that promise before it's even gotten started.

CommonWealth Beacon →

South Shore Towns Vote: Mixed Results on Big Spending

Saturday's local elections and town meetings delivered a clear message across the South Shore: voters will open their wallets, but only so far. In Hingham, a $29.9 million Center for Active Living was rejected at the ballot box — failing to crack 44% — after it had already fallen short of the two-thirds threshold at Town Meeting. Meanwhile in Marshfield, Rick Smith won a landslide Select Board victory (over 70% of the vote) on a platform of fiscal discipline, as the town faces a $7.4 million budget deficit and a punted Town Meeting.

South Shore News → | South Shore News →

Plymouth's Old Benny's Plaza Could Become Assisted Living

A partnership of Boston's HYM Investment Group and Denver-based NexCore Group is expected to announce plans Tuesday to redevelop the long-vacant Benny's Plaza on Court Street in Plymouth into an assisted living facility, along with mixed-use commercial space and public green area. HYM has done this before — they converted the Newbury College campus in Brookline into senior living — so they know the playbook. Community engagement and permitting hurdles still lie ahead.

Plymouth Independent →

Essex Water Rescue: Body Cam Footage Shows Just How Close It Was

Essex Police released dramatic body cam video Saturday of Friday night's rescue of two brothers — ages 28 and 30 — and their dog from the sinking sailboat Jenny Lee in the Essex River. The men had been wading in frigid, chest-deep water for up to two hours. One had to be carried 250 yards through sand dunes on an officer's shoulders. Both men are expected to recover. The dog is fine.

Boston Globe →

Worth Your Attention

Wednesday, May 6 — The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court hears oral arguments in the Quincy saints statues case; it's the most significant church-state case before the state's highest court in recent memory. Boston Globe →

Sunday, May 4 — Cohasset's Annual Town Meeting votes on a $21.7 million borrowing request for a long-overdue public safety building — the final piece of a $32 million project two decades in the making. South Shore News →

Saturday, May 9 — Somerville Porchfest returns for its 15th year with 530 performers — about 100 more than last year — spread across the city's famous porches. Cambridge Porchfest host and performer registration opens Monday, May 4. Cambridge Day →

💰 Money Watch

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

$1,000.00

Jennifer Kurtz, Darien, CT → John Barrett [Individual]

Big Spending This Week

$7,000.00	Sokhary Chau paid SAMPAO MEAS HALL — CAMPAIGN FUNDRAISER [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$5,000.00	Hannah Kane paid Town of Shrewsbury — Shrewsbury 300th anniv. Platinum sponsor [Bank Reported Expenditure]

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

This Week on Beacon Hill

Monday, May 04, 9:00 AM

Joint Committee on Revenue (10 bills)

Topic: Miscellaneous & Late Files II

Location: Written Testimony Only, Boston

H3931: An Act establishing a real estate transfer fee upon the transfer of residential (Filed by Thomas W. Moakley)
H5035: An Act relative to Grafton's senior tax exemption (Filed by David K. Muradian, Jr.)
H5103: An Act authorizing the town of Reading to establish a means tested senior citize (Filed by Bradley H. Jones, Jr.)
H5160: An Act establishing a Commission Regarding Distribution of Lottery Revenue (Filed by Adam J. Scanlon)
H5260: An Act relative to equal state tax treatment for foreign Social Security-equival (Filed by Lindsay N. Sabadosa)
... and 5 more bills

Monday, May 04, 9:00 AM

Senate Committee on the Census

Topic: Privacy Protection, Data Sharing, and Governance of the Census

Location: A-1 , Boston

Monday, May 04, 1:00 PM

None

Topic: Special Commission on Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration Meeting

Location: 428 , Boston

Tuesday, May 05, 1:00 PM

Joint Committee on Education (2 bills)

Topic: Miscellaneous

Location: A-1 , Boston

H3895: An Act expanding career and technical education opportunities for Lynn students (Filed by Sean Reid)
H5157: An Act relative to safer schools (Filed by Lindsay N. Sabadosa)

Wednesday, May 06, 12:00 PM

None

Topic: Special Legislative Commission to Study the Future of Payments and Sales Transactions by Credit Card and the Impacts for Small Businesses

Location: Gardner Auditorium , Boston

Thursday, May 07, 1:00 PM

Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses (2 bills)

Topic: Community Development

Location: A-2 , Boston

H5187: An Act creating the engaging neighborhoods, organizations, unions, governments a (Filed by Kate Lipper-Garabedian)
S3022: An Act creating the engaging neighborhoods, organizations, unions, governments a (Filed by Sal N. DiDomenico)

Full hearing schedule →

New on the Ballot

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

Candidates

Henry Bousquet (Republican) — House, 9th Bristol — Filed: 4/29/2026
Kayla Kittredge — Lieutenant Governor — Filed: 4/28/2026
Daniel Kelly (Republican) — House, 2nd Essex — Filed: 4/28/2026
Edward Walsh (Democratic) — House, 3rd Bristol — Filed: 4/28/2026

Ballot Question Committees

Voter Rights MA — N/A, N/A — Filed: 5/1/2026
Democratic Socialists for Rent Control — N/A, No office — Filed: 4/29/2026
Democratic Socialists Against Austerity — N/A, No office — Filed: 4/29/2026

Change of Purposes

Karla Miller — Senate, 1st Middlesex → House, 16th Middlesex — Filed: 4/29/2026

OCPF →

One More Thing

After the Artemis II crew's trip around the moon last month, a ten-year-old from Northborough named Matteo McMahon summed up the national mood pretty well after completing a Mission to Mars simulation at the Christa McAuliffe Center in Framingham: "The moon is cool again." The center's director says interest in space science among young students has spiked — which, given everything else going on, feels like exactly the kind of news we needed this Sunday morning.

Boston Globe →

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#12

May 3, 2026

The Mass Brief — Saturday, May 02, 2026

THE MASS BRIEF

Saturday, May 2, 2026

Your morning briefing on what matters in Massachusetts — published every morning.

THE LEAD

The $5 Billion Ballot Question Nobody Saw Coming Has a Plot Twist

Massachusetts Democrats have spent months dreading a November ballot question that would cut the state income tax from 5% to 4% over three years — a move that budget analysts at Tufts and the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation say could strip more than $5 billion annually from state coffers. But now, just before the Supreme Judicial Court hears a legal challenge to the measure on Monday, state budget analysts have surfaced two consequences that nobody in the campaign had apparently noticed: if the tax cut passes, it would also eliminate a long-awaited charitable deduction that many residents have been counting on — and inadvertently raise a tax that hits small businesses.

That's a rough surprise for a measure being marketed as a clean, simple tax relief win. The backers — influential business groups — will have some explaining to do, and lawmakers who've already been grumbling (House Speaker Ron Mariano called the approach "ham-fisted") now have fresh ammunition. The SJC case itself turns on a technical petition challenge, and legal observers say those rarely succeed. So unless the court pulls the question off the ballot Monday, voters will likely have their say in November — but now they'll be voting on something messier than the brochure suggests.

Watch Monday's arguments closely. If the SJC lets it proceed, this becomes the defining fiscal fight of the fall — and the legislature may respond with a tax increase of its own to hedge against the revenue loss. The politics here are only getting stranger.

Full story at CommonWealth Beacon →

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW

Saints, Separation of Church and State, and One Very Determined Quincy Mayor

The SJC has a busy week: on Wednesday it will also hear arguments over Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch's plan to install massive bronze statues of Saint Michael and Saint Florian — patron saints of police and firefighters, respectively — outside the city's new public safety headquarters. Koch, a devout Catholic in his seventh term, commissioned the statues largely on his own, and Hobby Lobby's lawyers are now helping him defend the idea. The case has real implications for how Massachusetts draws the line between civic and religious expression, especially as federal courts have been loosening those boundaries.

Boston Globe →

Boston's Artists Are Fighting a 27% Budget Cut

Mayor Michelle Wu's proposed FY27 budget, shaped by a nearly $50 million city deficit, would slash funding for the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture by $1.2 million — a 27% reduction. At a City Council hearing Thursday, community leaders and nonprofit directors pushed back hard, arguing that arts funding isn't a luxury: it provides safe spaces, youth employment, and economic activity that the city can't afford to lose. The council hasn't voted yet, and advocates are hoping the pushback changes the math.

GBH News →

Lowell Residents Sue Over a Data Center Deal They Say Happened Behind Closed Doors

In what appears to be the first lawsuit of its kind in Massachusetts, a group of Lowell residents has filed suit against the state Department of Environmental Protection and data center owner Markley Group, alleging that state regulators approved the facility's air quality permits through an "undisclosed agreement" that sidestepped public opposition. The case lands as scrutiny of data centers — power-hungry, AI-fueling infrastructure — is intensifying nationwide. Massachusetts has relatively few of them, but that's changing fast.

CommonWealth Beacon →

Healey Pushes Back on Federal Student Loan Caps

Governor Maura Healey this week condemned a new Trump administration rule that sharply limits access to low-cost federal graduate loans in fields like nursing, social work, education, and physical therapy — professions the feds apparently don't classify as sufficiently "professional." Healey called it a direct threat to the state's health care and education workforce pipeline, and pointed to Massachusetts programs — including a $15 million state loan repayment fund for early education workers — that are trying to fill the gap Washington is widening.

State House News Service →

A South Boston Landmark Gets a Second Life

The former Marian Manor nursing home on Dorchester Street in South Boston — which served the community for 70 years before closing in 2024 — is slated to become 204 rental apartments under plans filed with the Boston Planning Department. Developer Joey Arcari is proposing a full gut renovation of the seven-building campus, with at least 18% affordable units and a memorial honoring the site's history. It won't solve the housing crisis, but 204 units in a transit-accessible neighborhood is nothing to sneeze at.

Boston.com →

May Day, With a Lot on the Line

Hundreds gathered on Boston Common Friday for a May Day demonstration organized by the LUCE Immigrant Justice Network, including undocumented workers who shared firsthand accounts of ICE encounters. Protesters acted out scenes of workplace exploitation and simulated immigration arrests. It was a notably charged event given the current federal deportation climate — and a reminder that immigration enforcement isn't an abstract policy debate for a significant slice of Massachusetts' workforce.

GBH News →

WORTH YOUR ATTENTION

Monday at the SJC: The Supreme Judicial Court hears arguments on the legal challenge to the income tax cut ballot question — if you want to follow along, watch for coverage from CommonWealth Beacon and the Globe. CommonWealth Beacon →

Wednesday at the SJC: Oral arguments in the Quincy saints statue case — a church-state showdown with statewide implications. Boston Globe →

Tewksbury Hospital Security Update: The state Department of Public Health has agreed to return non-lethal tools to security officers at Tewksbury Hospital weeks after taking them away — worth watching as the union (Massachusetts Nurses Association) says this sets a precedent for safety staffing. WBZ / CBS Boston →

💰 Money Watch

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

$1,000.00	Paul Bertoli (Owner), Lincoln, NH → Terrence W. Kennedy [Individual]
$1,000.00	William Fitzpatrick (Not Employed), Boston, MA → Terrence W. Kennedy [Individual]
$1,000.00	Roland Hughes (Self), Stoneham, MA → Terrence W. Kennedy [Individual]
$1,000.00	Martin Kane (Self Employed), Boston, MA → Terrence W. Kennedy [Individual]
$1,000.00	Patrick McPhee (Not Employed), Ashby, MA → Terrence W. Kennedy [Individual]
$1,000.00	Anne Marie Miles (self), Chicago, IL → Neil Miller [Individual]
$1,000.00	heather sandor (A and C Gem Trading Corp), South Orange, NJ → Neil Miller [Individual]

Big Spending This Week

$7,000.00	Sokhary Chau paid SAMPAO MEAS HALL — CAMPAIGN FUNDRAISER [Bank Reported Expenditure]
$5,000.00	Hannah Kane paid Town of Shrewsbury — Shrewsbury 300th anniv. Platinum sponsor [Bank Reported Expenditure]

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

This Week on Beacon Hill

Monday, May 04, 9:00 AM

Joint Committee on Revenue (10 bills)

Topic: Miscellaneous & Late Files II

Location: Written Testimony Only, Boston

H3931: An Act establishing a real estate transfer fee upon the transfer of residential (Filed by Thomas W. Moakley)
H5035: An Act relative to Grafton's senior tax exemption (Filed by David K. Muradian, Jr.)
H5103: An Act authorizing the town of Reading to establish a means tested senior citize (Filed by Bradley H. Jones, Jr.)
H5160: An Act establishing a Commission Regarding Distribution of Lottery Revenue (Filed by Adam J. Scanlon)
H5260: An Act relative to equal state tax treatment for foreign Social Security-equival (Filed by Lindsay N. Sabadosa)
... and 5 more bills

Monday, May 04, 9:00 AM

Senate Committee on the Census

Topic: Privacy Protection, Data Sharing, and Governance of the Census

Location: A-1 , Boston

Monday, May 04, 1:00 PM

None

Topic: Special Commission on Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration Meeting

Location: 428 , Boston

Tuesday, May 05, 1:00 PM

Joint Committee on Education (2 bills)

Topic: Miscellaneous

Location: A-1 , Boston

H3895: An Act expanding career and technical education opportunities for Lynn students (Filed by Sean Reid)
H5157: An Act relative to safer schools (Filed by Lindsay N. Sabadosa)

Wednesday, May 06, 12:00 PM

None

Topic: Special Legislative Commission to Study the Future of Payments and Sales Transactions by Credit Card and the Impacts for Small Businesses

Location: Gardner Auditorium , Boston

Thursday, May 07, 1:00 PM

Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses (2 bills)

Topic: Community Development

Location: A-2 , Boston

H5187: An Act creating the engaging neighborhoods, organizations, unions, governments a (Filed by Kate Lipper-Garabedian)
S3022: An Act creating the engaging neighborhoods, organizations, unions, governments a (Filed by Sal N. DiDomenico)

Full hearing schedule →

New on the Ballot

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

Candidates

Henry Bousquet (Republican) — House, 9th Bristol — Filed: 4/29/2026
Kayla Kittredge — Lieutenant Governor — Filed: 4/28/2026
Daniel Kelly (Republican) — House, 2nd Essex — Filed: 4/28/2026
Edward Walsh (Democratic) — House, 3rd Bristol — Filed: 4/28/2026

Ballot Question Committees

Voter Rights MA — N/A, N/A — Filed: 5/1/2026
Democratic Socialists for Rent Control — N/A, No office — Filed: 4/29/2026
Democratic Socialists Against Austerity — N/A, No office — Filed: 4/29/2026

Change of Purposes

Karla Miller — Senate, 1st Middlesex → House, 16th Middlesex — Filed: 4/29/2026

OCPF →

ONE MORE THING

"All of a sudden the moon is cool again." That's Irene Porro, director of the Christa McAuliffe Center at Framingham State, describing the surge of interest from young people following last month's Artemis II mission. Middle schoolers are now running full Mars landing simulations at the center — and a 10-year-old from Northborough named Matteo marveled that the real astronauts have to follow all the same safety procedures he did. If that doesn't make your Saturday, nothing will. Boston Globe →

The Mass Brief publishes every morning. Forward it to someone who wants to actually understand this state.

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Massachusetts politics, development, and daily life — straight to your inbox.

Powered by South Shore News

#11

May 2, 2026

The Mass Brief — Friday, May 01, 2026

THE MASS BRIEF

Friday, May 1, 2026

Your morning read on what’s happening in Massachusetts — every morning.

The Lead

The Senate’s Immigration Bill Is the One to Watch

The Massachusetts Senate unveiled its immigration protection bill Thursday, and it goes further than what the House passed in March. Where the House’s PROTECT Act focused on banning ICE civil arrests in courthouses, the Senate version extends those protections to schools and childcare facilities — places where the chilling effect of immigration enforcement has been most viscerally felt by families across the state. Senate leaders are expected to vote on it next week, after which the real action begins: a House-Senate conference that will determine just how strong the final law actually is.

The timing is pointed. A new report out this week from the Deportation Data Project found that nearly 45 percent of ICE arrests in Massachusetts since the start of the Trump administration involved people with no criminal conviction or pending charges — directly contradicting the federal government’s own talking points. More than 7,000 people have been detained in the state. That’s not an abstraction; that’s families, coworkers, and neighbors. Governor Maura Healey has filed her own immigration bill with similar protections, so there’s broad Democratic alignment here — the question is just how much legal muscle the final legislation carries when it hits her desk.

Also worth noting: a Boston federal judge this week ordered ICE to release a 45-year-old Jamaican national — who came to the U.S. at age 9 — ruling that the agency failed to follow its own regulations and provide evidence of an imminent deportation. The courts remain one of the most active fronts in this fight.

Full story at Boston Globe →

What Else You Should Know

Massachusetts’ unemployment system is still a disaster — and real people are paying for it. One year after the state launched a modernized unemployment benefits platform, the system has cratered so badly that Massachusetts ranked last in the nation for benefit delivery. A Worcester father of three who lost his job in July 2025 still hasn’t received a single payment, nearly ten months in. His car broke down. His partner had a stroke. He’s out of savings. This is the face of a bureaucratic failure that hasn’t gotten nearly enough attention on Beacon Hill.

CommonWealth Beacon →

The House passed a $63.4 billion state budget — now it’s the Senate’s turn. The vote was 149-9, which tells you everything about how much real debate happened. House Speaker Ron Mariano has called FY2027 a “very, very difficult fiscal year,” and Democrats blocked Republican bids for tax cuts or deeper spending reductions. The budget now heads to the Senate, where the harder negotiations begin — and the shadow of federal funding uncertainty looms over all of it.

CommonWealth Beacon →

After a bus crashed into two Medford homes, the T is launching a fatigue awareness campaign. The March incident — which happened just before 2 a.m. on a Sunday, with a driver showing signs of being asleep at the wheel — was one of 15 “major safety events” on the T’s bus network that month alone. Eight of those were collisions. A fatigue campaign sounds reasonable, but riders will want to know what structural changes are coming to scheduling and oversight — not just a poster in the break room.

GBH News →

Brian Shortsleeve isn’t going anywhere. After Mike Minogue won more than 70 percent of GOP delegate support at last weekend’s Massachusetts Republican convention, pressure mounted on former MBTA chief Shortsleeve — who barely cleared the 15 percent threshold to make the September primary ballot — to drop out and unite the party. His campaign fired back Thursday, calling the convention crowd “less than 1% of the people who will vote in September.” The primary is officially on, which means Healey’s team gets to watch Republicans spend the summer fighting each other.

Boston.com →

A Chelmsford firefighter fell 40 feet during academy training — and now faces a benefits fight. Nick Spinale, 28, fell from the upper floor of a burn building at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy in Stow and landed on concrete. He’s now walking again at Spaulding Rehab, which is remarkable. Less remarkable: because of a legal loophole tied to his role as an academy instructor rather than an on-duty Chelmsford firefighter, he may not qualify for the full injury leave protections his colleagues would receive. His family and union are pushing for a fix.

WBZ / CBS Boston →

A Raynham man is suing prediction market platform Kalshi, alleging it’s running an unlicensed sportsbook in Massachusetts. Nickolas Smith says he lost “tens of thousands” of dollars on sports wagers that Kalshi dressed up in financial derivatives language — calling bets “futures” and “options” — to dodge state licensing requirements. State Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell filed a similar suit against the company last fall. The class action could pull in others who lost money through the platform.

Boston Globe →

Worth Your Attention

Massachusetts Senate immigration bill vote is expected next week — watch for the floor debate and any amendments that might water down protections for schools and daycares. Boston Globe →

The War Powers Resolution’s 60-day deadline on the Iran conflict falls today, May 1 — Congress is leaving town without acting, and Republicans are deferring to the White House. Massachusetts lawmakers’ positions on this are worth tracking. WCVB →

A five-year-old aspiring astronaut named Jack — “obsessed with space,” per his family — is meeting the Artemis II crew at a town hall today. Sometimes the schedule has good things on it. WBZ / CBS Boston →

FY2027 Budget Tracker

Current stage: House passes budget

Governor

House

Senate

Conference

Signed

Governor's Budget (H2)

House Budget (H5500) | 1744 amendments filed

❌ [April 29] Amendment 1233 rejected

❌ [April 29] Amendment 1218 rejected

Full budget details →

💰 Money Watch

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

$1,000.00	Susan Ash (Not Employed), Danvers, MA → Kimberley Driscoll [Individual]
$1,000.00	Marylou Batt (Not Employed), Belmont, MA → Maura T. Healey [Individual]
$1,000.00	Kyle R Bowen (National Grid), Boston, MA → Maura T. Healey [Individual]
$1,000.00	Sam Bowen (Samuels & Associates), Boston, MA → Maura T. Healey [Individual]
$1,000.00	Jim F Boyle (Sustainability Roundtable Inc.), Concord, MA → Maura T. Healey [Individual]
$1,000.00	Kirsten Bradley Yepez (Not Employed), Plymouth, MA → Jessica Rushing [Individual]
$1,000.00	Paul Brady (Arbella Insurance), Medfield, MA → Andrea Joy Campbell [Individual]
$1,000.00	Dartagnan Brown (EMBARC), Boston, MA → Kimberley Driscoll [Individual]
$1,000.00	Robyn Carpenter (Sonrise Christian School), Philips Ranch, CA → Kimberley Driscoll [Individual]
$1,000.00	Robyn Carpenter (Sonrise Christian School), Phillips Ranch, CA → Maura T. Healey [Individual]

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

This Week on Beacon Hill

Monday, May 04, 9:00 AM

Joint Committee on Revenue (10 bills)

Topic: Miscellaneous & Late Files II

Location: Written Testimony Only, Boston

H3931: An Act establishing a real estate transfer fee upon the transfer of residential (Filed by Thomas W. Moakley)
H5035: An Act relative to Grafton's senior tax exemption (Filed by David K. Muradian, Jr.)
H5103: An Act authorizing the town of Reading to establish a means tested senior citize (Filed by Bradley H. Jones, Jr.)
H5160: An Act establishing a Commission Regarding Distribution of Lottery Revenue (Filed by Adam J. Scanlon)
H5260: An Act relative to equal state tax treatment for foreign Social Security-equival (Filed by Lindsay N. Sabadosa)
... and 5 more bills

Monday, May 04, 9:00 AM

Senate Committee on the Census

Topic: Privacy Protection, Data Sharing, and Governance of the Census

Location: A-1 , Boston

Monday, May 04, 1:00 PM

None

Topic: Special Commission on Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration Meeting

Location: 428 , Boston

Tuesday, May 05, 1:00 PM

Joint Committee on Education (2 bills)

Topic: Miscellaneous

Location: A-1 , Boston

H3895: An Act expanding career and technical education opportunities for Lynn students (Filed by Sean Reid)
H5157: An Act relative to safer schools (Filed by Lindsay N. Sabadosa)

Wednesday, May 06, 12:00 PM

None

Topic: Special Legislative Commission to Study the Future of Payments and Sales Transactions by Credit Card and the Impacts for Small Businesses

Location: Gardner Auditorium , Boston

Thursday, May 07, 1:00 PM

Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses (2 bills)

Topic: Community Development

Location: A-2 , Boston

H5187: An Act creating the engaging neighborhoods, organizations, unions, governments a (Filed by Kate Lipper-Garabedian)
S3022: An Act creating the engaging neighborhoods, organizations, unions, governments a (Filed by Sal N. DiDomenico)

Full hearing schedule →

New on the Ballot

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

Candidates

Henry Bousquet (Republican) — House, 9th Bristol — Filed: 4/29/2026
Kayla Kittredge — Lieutenant Governor — Filed: 4/28/2026
Daniel Kelly (Republican) — House, 2nd Essex — Filed: 4/28/2026
Edward Walsh (Democratic) — House, 3rd Bristol — Filed: 4/28/2026

Ballot Question Committees

Democratic Socialists for Rent Control — N/A, No office — Filed: 4/29/2026
Democratic Socialists Against Austerity — N/A, No office — Filed: 4/29/2026

Change of Purposes

Karla Miller — Senate, 1st Middlesex → House, 16th Middlesex — Filed: 4/29/2026

OCPF →

One More Thing

An Oregon man named John Irmer, now 71, pleaded guilty Wednesday to the 1979 Back Bay murder of 24-year-old Susan Rose — a case that went cold for over four decades before Irmer walked into an FBI field office in 2023 and confessed, saying he’d gotten sober and “found Jesus.” Rose’s sister delivered a victim impact statement describing her as adventurous and driven, with dreams of becoming a lawyer. Forty-seven years is a long time to wait for any measure of justice — but it came.

Boston.com →

The Mass Brief publishes every morning. Forward it to someone who’s trying to keep up.

The Mass Brief • Powered by South Shore News

Get The Mass Brief every morning

Massachusetts politics, development, and daily life — straight to your inbox.

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#10

May 1, 2026

The Mass Brief — Thursday, April 30, 2026

THE MASS BRIEF

Thursday, April 30, 2026

Good morning. Here's what matters in Massachusetts today.

The Lead

The Everett Mayor Corruption Case Just Got Very Real

For years, the controversy surrounding Carlo DeMaria was background noise in Massachusetts politics — something Everett City Council members grumbled about while the longtime mayor kept winning elections. That changed Wednesday, when the State Ethics Commission's Enforcement Division formally accused DeMaria of violating conflict of interest law by pocketing excessive bonuses he then buried in the city's budget. According to the state inspector general's findings from last year, DeMaria improperly collected $180,000 in bonus payments — more frequently and at higher amounts than he was authorized to receive.

This isn't a resignation-in-disgrace story that ends quietly. The Ethics Commission has launched an "adjudicatory proceeding," which means an actual quasi-judicial process with real stakes: penalties of up to $10,000 per violation, plus potential restitution. DeMaria, characteristically, is calling it a dispute over the "interpretation of a poorly written" policy — which is a creative defense for someone who allegedly set up the payments himself and then hid them. The fact that he established a legal defense fund just weeks before these findings dropped suggests he knew this was coming.

What happens next: the adjudicatory process plays out before the commission, DeMaria fights it, and Everett — now under new leadership — continues reckoning with the legacy of a six-term mayor who apparently treated the city budget like a personal bonus pool.

Full story at Boston Globe →

What Else You Should Know

🔌 Vineyard Wind's Contracted Prices Are Now Live

All 62 turbines are installed, and as of Friday, Vineyard Wind is selling electricity to Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil at locked-in contracted rates — averaging $69.50 per megawatt hour over 20 years, compared to the January wholesale average of more than double that. Gov. Maura Healey says the deal will save ratepayers $1.4 billion over the life of the contract. That's the headline number; the fine print is that Vineyard Wind is simultaneously suing turbine manufacturer GE Renewables to keep the project from unraveling further.

GBH News →

🚨 DCF Caseworker Charged with Raping a Client

A Department of Children and Families caseworker named Richard Magrath, 31, of Quincy, was arraigned Wednesday in Boston Municipal Court on two counts of rape, accused of assaulting a Boston mother during a home visit earlier this month. A judge set bail at $20,000 and ordered Magrath to stay away from all of his former clients. This is as serious a breach of public trust as it gets — a man sent by the state to protect vulnerable families allegedly used that access to commit a violent crime.

Universal Hub →

💉 AG Campbell Wins $5M Settlement Over Deceptive Health Plans

Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced a $5 million settlement with Texas-based Adroit Health Group, which prosecutors say sold thousands of Massachusetts residents health plans that didn't meet state or federal requirements using deceptive tactics. Adroit is now permanently barred from selling health plans in the Commonwealth, and a significant chunk of the settlement will go back to affected consumers. If you bought a health plan through Adroit, watch your mail.

State House News Service →

🏔️ Virginia Rejoins RGGI — a Win for the Regional Climate Compact

Massachusetts is a founding member of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the Northeast's cap-and-trade program for power plant emissions, and the compact just got a bit stronger. Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed off on regulations reinstating the state's participation, effective July 1. Virginia left RGGI under its previous Republican governor; it's back now, adding 11.48 million allowances to the program. More states, more market pressure on carbon — that's the theory, anyway.

State House News Service →

🏦 Three Boston-Area Banks Robbed in One Day — Suspects Still at Large in Two

Tuesday was a rough day for local bank tellers. Two connected armed robberies — at a Santander in Roxbury and a TD Bank in Roslindale — were pulled off by masked gunmen who remain unidentified. A separate crew allegedly robbed an Eastern Bank in Everett with a gun and a machete; those two suspects were quickly arrested. Boston police are asking for the public's help identifying the Roxbury and Roslindale suspects.

WBZ / CBS Boston →

Worth Your Attention

Social media restrictions for kids are moving through the State House — the House has already passed a bill banning social media for children under 14 and requiring parental consent for teens 14-15. CommonWealth Beacon has a sharp opinion piece out arguing the legislation raises serious First Amendment concerns and could create more privacy problems than it solves. Worth reading before this clears the Senate. CommonWealth Beacon →

The Massachusetts GOP's next chapter starts taking shape this week — 600 supporters gathered in Danvers Wednesday night for a "unity rally" behind endorsed gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue, following his 70% convention win Saturday. The September primary still features Brian Shortsleeve; the general election matchup against Healey is shaping up as the defining political contest of 2026 in the Commonwealth. State House News Service →

Heads up for your commute this morning — rain is moving through Massachusetts Thursday, with temperatures stuck in the low 50s and a wet morning drive expected. The weekend may bring more of the same. WCVB →

FY2027 Budget Tracker

Current stage: House passes budget

Governor

House

Senate

Conference

Signed

Governor's Budget (H2)

House Budget (H5500) | 1744 amendments filed

❌ [April 29] Amendment 1579 rejected - 26 YEAS to 132 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 177)

❌ [April 29] Amendment 1582 rejected - 27 YEAS to 130 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 178)

❌ [April 29] Amendment 1583 rejected - 26 YEAS to 131 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 179)

✅ [April 29] Consolidated amendment F (Energy and Environmental Affairs and Housing) adopted - 158 YEAS to 0 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 180)

❌ [April 29] Amendment 1234 rejected - 25 YEAS to 133 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 181)

❌ [April 29] Amendment 1304 rejected - 25 YEAS to 131 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 182)

❌ [April 29] Amendment 1306 rejected - 25 YEAS to 133 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 183)

❌ [April 29] Amendment 1307 rejected - 24 YEAS to 134 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 184)

Full budget details →

💰 Money Watch

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

$1,000.00	Joseph Aiello (Joseph Aiello), Winthrop, MA → Kevin Hayden [Individual]
$1,000.00	Maureen Banks (Not Employed), Beverly, MA → Maura T. Healey [Individual]
$1,000.00	Paula Benton know-smith (Not Employed), Sudbury, MA → Maura T. Healey [Individual]
$1,000.00	Linda Brainerd (Not Employed), Weston, MA → Kevin Hayden [Individual]
$1,000.00	Kerry Brennan (Not Employed), West Roxbury, MA → Maura T. Healey [Individual]
$1,000.00	J W Carney Jr (Carney Gaudet & Carney), Chestnut Hill, MA → Kevin Hayden [Individual]
$1,000.00	Renee Chan (Not Employed), Boston, MA → Latoya Gayle [Individual]
$1,000.00	Michael Chung (Aerospace), Andover, MA → Linda Champion [Individual]
$1,000.00	Ann Cipullo (M Holland and Sons Construction Inc.), Weymouth, MA → Maura T. Healey [Individual]
$1,000.00	John Cipullo (M. Holland & Sons Construction), Weymouth, MA → Maura T. Healey [Individual]

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

This Week on Beacon Hill

Thursday, April 30, 11:00 AM

None

Topic: Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities - Workforce Supports Subcommittee Meeting

Location: Virtual Hearing , Boston

Monday, May 04, 9:00 AM

Joint Committee on Revenue (10 bills)

Topic: Miscellaneous & Late Files II

Location: Written Testimony Only, Boston

H3931: An Act establishing a real estate transfer fee upon the transfer of residential (Filed by Thomas W. Moakley)
H5035: An Act relative to Grafton's senior tax exemption (Filed by David K. Muradian, Jr.)
H5103: An Act authorizing the town of Reading to establish a means tested senior citize (Filed by Bradley H. Jones, Jr.)
H5160: An Act establishing a Commission Regarding Distribution of Lottery Revenue (Filed by Adam J. Scanlon)
H5260: An Act relative to equal state tax treatment for foreign Social Security-equival (Filed by Lindsay N. Sabadosa)
... and 5 more bills

Monday, May 04, 9:00 AM

Senate Committee on the Census

Topic: Privacy Protection, Data Sharing, and Governance of the Census

Location: A-1 , Boston

Monday, May 04, 1:00 PM

None

Topic: Special Commission on Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration Meeting

Location: 428 , Boston

Tuesday, May 05, 1:00 PM

Joint Committee on Education (2 bills)

Topic: Miscellaneous

Location: A-1 , Boston

H3895: An Act expanding career and technical education opportunities for Lynn students (Filed by Sean Reid)
H5157: An Act relative to safer schools (Filed by Lindsay N. Sabadosa)

Wednesday, May 06, 12:00 PM

None

Topic: Special Legislative Commission to Study the Future of Payments and Sales Transactions by Credit Card and the Impacts for Small Businesses

Location: Gardner Auditorium , Boston

Full hearing schedule →

New on the Ballot

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

Candidates

Henry Bousquet (Republican) — House, 9th Bristol — Filed: 4/29/2026
Kayla Kittredge — Lieutenant Governor — Filed: 4/28/2026
Daniel Kelly (Republican) — House, 2nd Essex — Filed: 4/28/2026
Edward Walsh (Democratic) — House, 3rd Bristol — Filed: 4/28/2026
Jennifer Spadafora (Democratic) — Mayoral, Malden — Filed: 4/24/2026

Ballot Question Committees

Democratic Socialists for Rent Control — N/A, No office — Filed: 4/29/2026
Democratic Socialists Against Austerity — N/A, No office — Filed: 4/29/2026

Change of Purposes

Karla Miller — Senate, 1st Middlesex → House, 16th Middlesex — Filed: 4/29/2026

OCPF →

One More Thing

A Hadley woman named Rebecca "Rorie" Woods — who was arrested in 2022 wearing a full beekeeper's suit while allegedly unleashing swarms of honeybees on sheriff's deputies during an eviction — has finally been convicted. It took nearly four years, but justice (if not honey) has been served. We don't know what's more Massachusetts: the beekeeper suit, the eviction dispute, or the fact that this ended up in court at all.

Boston Globe →

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#9

April 30, 2026

The Mass Brief — Wednesday, April 29, 2026

THE MASS BRIEF

Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Your morning guide to what’s happening in Massachusetts — delivered every morning.

The Lead

Strange bedfellows: Republicans are rallying around a Democrat — and she’s loving it

At the Massachusetts Republican Party convention in Worcester on Saturday, the loudest applause wasn’t for any GOP candidate. It was for Diana DiZoglio — a Democrat. The state auditor’s years-long crusade to audit the Legislature has made her the unlikely darling of a party that’s spent decades searching for traction in this state. When US Senate candidate John Deaton bellowed “Where the hell is our audit?” from the convention stage, the delegates reportedly lost their minds.

This is the strange political weather Beacon Hill has created. DiZoglio’s audit push earned 72 percent of the vote in 2024 — a margin that cuts across every demographic and zip code in the Commonwealth. And yet legislative leaders, most of them fellow Democrats, have stonewalled her at every turn, forcing her into court and onto social media singing parody songs about government transparency. The more they dig in, the more she looks like a reformer, and the more Republicans get to borrow her credibility for free.

What happens next is worth watching closely. DiZoglio’s fight is still unresolved in court, and the Legislature shows no signs of rolling out the welcome mat. But every day this drags on, the optics get worse for Democratic leadership — and more useful for anyone trying to make the case that Beacon Hill operates like a closed club.

Full story at Boston Globe →

What Else You Should Know

Boston pays $850,000 for 2020 protest violence — six years later

The city has agreed to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit brought by four people who say Boston police officers beat them with batons and pepper-sprayed them while they were peacefully leaving a George Floyd protest on Boston Common in May 2020. None of the four were charged with any crime. Officers Michael Burke, Edward Nolan, and Michael McManus were named in the suit; the city did not admit wrongdoing.

Boston Globe →

Healey’s social media bill is drawing fire from unexpected corners

Governor Maura Healey is defending her proposed legislation that would require platforms to install “age assurance” systems and restrict features like infinite scroll and algorithm-driven feeds for users under 18. Critics — including digital rights advocates who protested outside the Boston Public Library on Tuesday — say the bill could actually require kids to hand over government IDs or face scans just to use the internet, creating new privacy risks in the name of safety.

Boston.com →

A federal judge in Boston just ordered ICE to release a Brockton man it’s held for nearly a year

The court ordered the release of Manuel Maria Loja Loja, an Ecuadorian national married to a U.S. citizen with three children, after finding that an ICE report justifying his detention had misread Brockton District Court records and ignored testimony from his family and church. He’d been locked up at the Plymouth County jail since May of last year.

Universal Hub →

Lynn’s $120 million sewer fix is a big deal for the North Shore — and a model for Gateway Cities

The Lynn Water and Sewer Commission just completed a project separating the city’s stormwater and sewer systems in West Lynn, ending decades of combined sewage overflows that were dumping raw waste into the Saugus River and Lynn Harbor during heavy rains. Mayor Jared Nicholson says it unlocks real waterfront investment. More than 40 similar overflow sites still exist along the Charles, Mystic, and Boston Harbor.

CommonWealth Beacon →

Boston has been sitting on a flood insurance discount for 6,000 residents — and keeps pushing the deadline back

The city’s new climate action plan quietly extends Boston’s target to join a FEMA flood insurance discount program to 2030 — a program it was supposed to join by 2021, then 2026. The delay has already cost nearly 6,000 residents and businesses a combined $785,000 in unnecessary premiums. The city’s chief climate officer says he still plans to apply this year, but the new plan’s language gives them room to slip again.

CommonWealth Beacon →

Somerville has been trying to fire a cop since 2018. He’s collected over $535,000 in leave pay.

Detective Dante DiFronzo was fired for allegedly withholding evidence and lying in reports — then reinstated by an arbitrator, then won a federal lawsuit claiming retaliation. He still hasn’t returned to work, and the Middlesex DA’s office has essentially blacklisted him from testifying in court. The city is appealing. The meter is still running.

Boston.com →

Worth Your Attention

Boston City Council hearing on data centers: Councilor Ed Flynn is requesting a hearing today on whether Boston should consider a moratorium on new data centers, citing concerns about their enormous water and electricity demands during an affordability crisis.

Universal Hub →

PROTECT Act in the Senate: Immigration advocates from a 58-organization coalition are pressing the Massachusetts Senate to strengthen the House-passed PROTECT Act with provisions banning information sharing with ICE and expanding virtual court access — watch for committee movement in the coming weeks.

GBH News →

FY2027 Budget Tracker

Current stage: House floor debate

Governor

House

Senate

Conference

Signed

Governor's Budget (H2)

House Budget (H5500) | 1742 amendments filed

❌ [April 28] Amendment 1388 rejected - 26 YEAS to 129 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 169)

✅ [April 28] Consolidated amendment C (Public Safety and Judiciary) adopted - 156 YEAS to 0 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 170)

✅ [April 28] Consolidated amendment D (Public Health and Mental Health and Disability Services) adopted - 158 YEAS to 0 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 171)

❌ [April 28] Amendment 1230 rejected - 15 YEAS to 143 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 172)

❌ [April 28] Amendment 1482 rejected - 34 YEAS to 119 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 173)

❌ [April 28] Amendment 1587 rejected - 27 YEAS to 131 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 174)

❌ [April 28] Amendment 1325 rejected - 26 YEAS to 132 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 175)

✅ [April 28] Consolidated amendment E (Constitutional Officers and State Administration and Transportation) adopted - 158 YEAS to 0 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 176)

Full budget details →

💰 Money Watch

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

$9,986.16	All $50 or Less. Voluntary Membership Contributions, → Local 103 Pol Action Comm International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers [Voluntary Payroll Deduction]
$1,417.00	Massachusetts Teachers Association, Quincy, MA → Massachusetts Teachers Association Independent Expenditure Political Action Committee [Union/Association]
$1,000.00	Anthony Bova (Self-employed), Boston, MA → Joseph Markey [Individual]
$1,000.00	James Costello (Self), Watertown, MA → Adrian Madaro [Individual]
$1,000.00	John DiGiovanni (Trinity Property Management), Cambridge, MA → Marc C. McGovern [Individual]
$1,000.00	Zach Fredin (Novo Foundation), Hurley, NY → Carey McDonald [Individual]
$1,000.00	Julia Freedman (Windsor Assoc), Boston, MA → Maura T. Healey [Individual]
$1,000.00	John Keefe (Tkck Law), Lowell, MA → Joseph Markey [Individual]
$1,000.00	Susan Kendall (Tkck Law), Winchester, MA → Joseph Markey [Individual]
$1,000.00	Michelle Lebretton (Linden Ponds), Hingham, MA → Adrian Madaro [Individual]

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

This Week on Beacon Hill

Wednesday, April 29, 11:00 AM

Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development (1 bills)

Topic: Late Filed bills

Location: B-1 , Boston

H5188: An Act establishing a special commission to study access to unemployment insuran (Filed by Hadley Luddy)

Thursday, April 30, 11:00 AM

None

Topic: Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities - Workforce Supports Subcommittee Meeting

Location: Virtual Hearing , Boston

Monday, May 04, 9:00 AM

Joint Committee on Revenue (10 bills)

Topic: Miscellaneous & Late Files II

Location: Written Testimony Only, Boston

H3931: An Act establishing a real estate transfer fee upon the transfer of residential (Filed by Thomas W. Moakley)
H5035: An Act relative to Grafton's senior tax exemption (Filed by David K. Muradian, Jr.)
H5103: An Act authorizing the town of Reading to establish a means tested senior citize (Filed by Bradley H. Jones, Jr.)
H5160: An Act establishing a Commission Regarding Distribution of Lottery Revenue (Filed by Adam J. Scanlon)
H5260: An Act relative to equal state tax treatment for foreign Social Security-equival (Filed by Lindsay N. Sabadosa)
... and 5 more bills

Monday, May 04, 9:00 AM

Senate Committee on the Census

Topic: Privacy Protection, Data Sharing, and Governance of the Census

Location: A-1 , Boston

Monday, May 04, 1:00 PM

None

Topic: Special Commission on Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration Meeting

Location: 428 , Boston

Tuesday, May 05, 1:00 PM

Joint Committee on Education (2 bills)

Topic: Miscellaneous

Location: A-1 , Boston

H3895: An Act expanding career and technical education opportunities for Lynn students (Filed by Sean Reid)
H5157: An Act relative to safer schools (Filed by Lindsay N. Sabadosa)

Full hearing schedule →

New on the Ballot

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

Candidates

Kayla Kittredge — Lieutenant Governor — Filed: 4/28/2026
Daniel Kelly (Republican) — House, 2nd Essex — Filed: 4/28/2026
Edward Walsh (Democratic) — House, 3rd Bristol — Filed: 4/28/2026
Jennifer Spadafora (Democratic) — Mayoral, Malden — Filed: 4/24/2026
Ronald Heiseler (Republican) — House, 15th Essex — Filed: 4/23/2026

OCPF →

One More Thing

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu had a genuinely good line when told that GOP gubernatorial frontrunner Mike Minogue called the city’s office-to-residential conversions “the next slum” — she responded: “It sounds frankly like someone running for governor has not spent time in our neighborhoods.” Running for statewide office while apparently never setting foot downtown is a bold strategy.

GBH News →

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#8

April 29, 2026

The Mass Brief — Tuesday, April 28, 2026

The Mass Brief

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Good morning. Here's what matters in Massachusetts today.

The Lead

The SJC Just Threw a Wrench Into Two Big Ballot Questions

Massachusetts voters were supposed to get to weigh in this November on two proposals that would shake up life on Beacon Hill: one tying lawmakers' stipends to internal procedural requirements, the other finally dragging the Legislature and the governor's office under the public records law. Both campaigns say they're still pressing forward — but Monday's advisory opinions from the Supreme Judicial Court just made that a lot harder.

On the stipends question, the justices were blunt: this looks more like an internal legislative "rule" than a "law," and under Article 48 of the state constitution, rules can't be the subject of ballot initiatives. The Senate's lawyers called it a win. On the public records proposal, the court left key questions unresolved — which is its own kind of answer. Neither opinion is binding, but both campaigns now face a fork in the road: either the Legislature acts before its May 5 deadline, or this heads to court after Election Day, where the SJC's roadmap will be very hard to ignore. Reformers had momentum. Now they have homework.

Full story at Boston Globe →

What Else You Should Know

🗳️ House Democrats draw their line on tax cuts

With the FY2027 budget debate underway on Beacon Hill this week, House Democrats shot down a series of Republican amendments Monday — including proposals mirroring November ballot questions to cut the income tax rate from 5% to 4% and cap state revenue. House Speaker Ron Mariano has been direct: if those ballot questions pass, expect significant cuts to state services, and possibly tax hikes elsewhere to compensate. The floor fight this week is a preview of what the fall campaign will look like.

Boston Globe →

🗂️ New report flags Mass. police-ICE cooperation

A new report from Citizens for Juvenile Justice — built on more than 90 public records requests to law enforcement agencies statewide — finds that Massachusetts police are sharing information with federal immigration agents more than most residents probably realize. The authors are pushing for state laws to more tightly restrict that cooperation, as well as limits on surveillance tools like license plate readers and facial recognition that have been used for immigration enforcement purposes. In a blue state, the details may surprise you.

Boston Globe →

🗳️ Trump's mail-ballot order hits Massachusetts

Between 34 and 62 percent of Massachusetts voters cast mail ballots in any given election — and a March 31 executive order from President Trump now threatens to upend that system. The order directs the Postal Service to deliver mail ballots only to voters on a federal citizenship list, with states that don't comply facing funding cuts and the potential for criminal prosecution of election officials. At least four lawsuits have been filed, including one in Massachusetts federal court. CommonWealth Beacon's Codcast breaks down what's at stake locally.

CommonWealth Beacon →

🌊 Boston releases new climate plan — without federal help

Mayor Michelle Wu unveiled a five-year climate action plan Monday targeting a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, with full carbon neutrality by 2050. The plan includes electric-only city vehicle purchases, expanded coastal flood infrastructure, more trees, and pilot programs to move restaurants off gas stoves. The catch: the Trump administration has clawed back more than $105 million in climate funding to Boston since 2025. Wu is framing the plan as exactly the kind of local leadership that fills a federal vacuum.

GBH News →

⚖️ Suffolk County corrections officer held on child rape, trafficking charges

Richard Kielczweski, 41, of Hanson — a corrections officer with the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department since 2015 — was arraigned Monday in Plymouth District Court on a deeply disturbing list of charges: child rape, human trafficking, witness intimidation, and production of child sexual abuse material involving a 15-year-old boy. The charges span multiple Plymouth County towns. He was held pending a dangerousness hearing Thursday. The Sheriff's Department says it has indefinitely suspended him.

Boston Globe →

🏢 Boston's office-to-housing conversions: promising, but early

Boston's office-to-residential conversion program — launched in 2023 and extended twice — has now approved 29 buildings for conversion, with a pipeline of 1,730 units. Only one project on Franklin Street is actually complete. The city is offering developers a 29-year, 75% tax abatement and streamlined permitting to make the math work. With downtown office vacancy still hovering around 20%, the program is more proof-of-concept than solution — but it's a start.

Boston.com →

Worth Your Attention

📅 The Legislature's May 5 deadline is the last chance for the House and Senate to act on the legislative stipends and public records ballot initiatives before the SJC's constitutional doubts become November's problem — or the courts'.

📅 Richard Kielczweski's dangerousness hearing is scheduled for Thursday in Plymouth District Court, where a judge will determine whether the suspended Suffolk County corrections officer remains held ahead of trial. Boston Globe →

📅 The U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments this week on the Trump administration's effort to terminate Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and Syrians — a decision with enormous stakes for tens of thousands of people in Massachusetts, including families who have lived and worked here for over a decade. GBH News →

💰 Money Watch

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

$97,000.00	Robert Jubinville, Milton, MA → Robert Jubinville [Candidate Loan]
$48,510.00	Sean Curran, Springfield, MA → Sean Curran [Loan Forgiveness]
$30,000.00	Robert Jubinville, Milton, MA → Robert Jubinville [Candidate Loan]
$1,000.00	Andrew Dolben (The Dolben Company, Inc.), North Hampton, NH → Barry R. Finegold [Individual]
$1,000.00	Deane H. Dolben (The Dolben Company, Inc.), North Andover, MA → Barry R. Finegold [Individual]
$1,000.00	Jennifer Eddy (Not employed), Ipswich, MA → Kimberley Driscoll [Individual]
$1,000.00	Brett S. Harwood (PI Alley Garage), Maplewood, NJ → Barry R. Finegold [Individual]
$1,000.00	Logan Huffman (Eastland), Worcester, MA → Kimberley Driscoll [Individual]
$1,000.00	Scott Hutchens (Raw Seafood), Fall River, MA → Jon Mitchell [Individual]
$1,000.00	Stephen Immerman (Not Employed), Salem, MA → Kimberley Driscoll [Individual]

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

New on the Ballot

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

Candidates

Jennifer Spadafora (Democratic) — Mayoral, Malden — Filed: 4/24/2026
Ronald Heiseler (Republican) — House, 15th Essex — Filed: 4/23/2026
Nathan Boudreau (Republican) — House, 2nd Worcester — Filed: 4/22/2026

OCPF →

One More Thing

Boston Globe reporter Aidan Ryan went to Washington to cover a dinner celebrating the First Amendment — and ended up on the floor of a ballroom as gunshots rang out outside the White House Correspondents' Dinner. "My instinct was just to try to protect myself," he told WBZ. He then texted his parents, got up, and got back to work. That's the job.

WBZ / CBS Boston →

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#7

April 28, 2026

The Mass Brief — Monday, April 27, 2026

THE MASS BRIEF

Monday, April 27, 2026

THE LEAD

The GOP’s Big Gamble on Mike Minogue

Massachusetts Republicans emerged from a chaotic Saturday convention in Worcester with their endorsed candidate for governor: Mike Minogue, a former medical device CEO who has never held elected office and has already pumped $12.5 million of his own money into the race. He walked away with roughly 70% of delegate votes — a decisive win that nonetheless came at the end of a day so disorganized that more than 150 frustrated delegates left before the final vote was even tallied.

The convention was also a tale of two losers. Former economic development secretary Mike Kennealy didn’t crack the 15% threshold needed to stay on the September primary ballot, ending his run. Former MBTA General Manager Brian Shortsleeve barely squeaked through at 15.5%, meaning he’ll be on the ballot but starts from a significant deficit. Shortsleeve’s pitch — that he gutted waste at the T and can do the same to state government — will get a road test in the primary, but Minogue’s financial advantage is enormous.

What happens next: Minogue will face Shortsleeve in the September 1st primary before taking on Governor Maura Healey in November. The convention’s chaos — long lines, vote-tallying problems, delegates heading for the exits — didn’t exactly project a party ready to take on an incumbent with strong approval numbers. But Minogue has the money to run a serious campaign, and Healey can’t afford to take that lightly. The “Are you ready to retire Maura Healey?” line got a roaring response. Whether it translates beyond a convention hall is the question that will define Massachusetts politics this fall.

Full story at Boston Globe →

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW

A Wellesley Mother Is Charged With Killing Her Two Young Children

This is the story that will weigh on a lot of people this week. Janette MacAusland, 49, is charged with killing her 6- and 7-year-old children, whose bodies were discovered Friday night after a Vermont police department requested a well-being check at the family’s Edgemoor Avenue home. MacAusland was arrested in Vermont and faces a fugitive from justice hearing there Monday. The children — Ella and Kai — attended Schofield Elementary School, and the district has a crisis team standing by for families and staff.

Boston Globe →

A Suffolk County Corrections Officer Arrested on Child Rape and Human Trafficking Charges

Richard Kilchevsky, 41, of Hanson — a corrections officer with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department since 2015 — was arrested Friday on seven charges including child rape, human trafficking, and creating child sexual abuse material. The alleged abuse of a 15-year-old boy spanned multiple South Shore towns. The Sheriff’s Department has indefinitely suspended Kilchevsky, who is being held on $250,000 bail.

WCVB →

A Federal Judge Expands Protections for Massachusetts Colleges

U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor has extended his earlier ban — which blocked the federal Education Department from demanding racial data from public university systems — to now cover private colleges across the country, including virtually every four-year school in Massachusetts. The administration had been pressing schools to hand over data in what critics say was an attempt to build a case that colleges discriminate against white applicants.

Universal Hub →

Hampshire College Closure Is a Warning Sign for Western Mass

Hampshire College’s board voted earlier this month to shut down the Amherst institution after years of financial and accreditation struggles. The closure means hundreds of layoffs hitting Hampshire County directly — but the broader concern is what it signals for a regional economy that leans heavily on education and healthcare, both of which are under mounting pressure from federal funding cuts and political attacks.

Western Mass Politics & Insight →

South Shore Towns Head Into Fiscal Crossroads

Saturday’s local elections on the South Shore set the stage for some high-stakes budget fights. In Abington, three new Select Board members were just elected — and they’ll immediately have to steer the town through a May 4 Town Meeting featuring a $1.6 million school override question. In Cohasset, schools are staring down a $1 million deficit despite a nearly 5% funding increase from the town, with officials eyeing a fall override vote.

WATD → | South Shore News →

$100K Market-Rate Housing in Boston? One Proposal Says Yes.

A team from the architectural firm Payette and Greater Grove Hall Main Streets has put forward a plan that would use Boston’s 158-plus “sliver lots” — small city-owned vacant parcels — to build modular triple-deckers priced around $100,000 per unit. It’s an opinion piece, not a policy, but in a city where the cost-structure of housing construction is the real villain, it’s worth reading.

CommonWealth Beacon →

WORTH YOUR ATTENTION

Abington Town Meeting — Monday, May 4: Voters will decide on a $1.6 million school override and six other funding questions that will determine the shape of town services for the coming year. South Shore News →

Cambridge Porchfest — July 11–12: Mark your calendars — Cambridge’s second annual Porchfest is expanding to three neighborhoods plus its two largest business districts. Free outdoor music, no crowds quite as feral as Somerville’s yet. Boston Globe →

Missing in Cambridge: Police are still searching for Toshiaki Takenaka, last seen near his apartment at 151 N. First Street on April 21 and possibly headed toward Lechmere station. His father’s message to anyone who spots him: “Just let him know everything is okay.” If you see him, please contact Cambridge Police. Cambridge Day →

New on the Ballot

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

Candidates

Jennifer Spadafora (Democratic) — Mayoral, Malden — Filed: 4/24/2026
Ronald Heiseler (Republican) — House, 15th Essex — Filed: 4/23/2026
Nathan Boudreau (Republican) — House, 2nd Worcester — Filed: 4/22/2026
Olivia Gilligan Corsetti (Democratic) — House, 27th Middlesex — Filed: 4/21/2026

OCPF →

ONE MORE THING

When a little boy showed up at Maddie’s ice cream truck on the South Shore without any money, owner Maddie didn’t hesitate — he got whatever he wanted, extra toppings included. The moment went viral, donations poured in, and now Maddie has set up a “No More Tears Fund” to cover free ice cream for every kid who can’t pay, all summer long. In a week full of hard news, that one lands.

WCVB →

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#6

April 27, 2026

The Mass Brief — Monday, April 27, 2026

THE MASS BRIEF

Monday, April 27, 2026

The Lead

The GOP's Mike Moment

Massachusetts Republicans emerged from Worcester's DCU Arena on Saturday with a clear direction — and a messy process. Former Abiomed CEO Mike Minogue steamrolled his way to the party's gubernatorial endorsement, pulling 70 percent of delegate votes and leaving very little doubt about who the GOP base wants to send against Governor Maura Healey in November. Minogue, a Gloucester resident who has pumped $12.5 million of his own money into the race and hosted Vice President J.D. Vance at a fundraiser last year, leaned hard into immigration, affordability, and faith. The crowd ate it up.

The convention itself was a bit of a mess — long lines, vote-tallying hiccups, and a delay so extended that one candidate started buying delegates drinks at the bar. More than 150 delegates apparently gave up and went home before the gubernatorial vote, which may have skewed the final numbers. Former MBTA chief Brian Shortsleeve scraped onto the September primary ballot with just 15.5 percent, barely clearing the threshold. Former Baker administration official Mike Kennealy finished at 14 percent, ending his campaign. So the September 1st primary will be a two-man race: Minogue vs. Shortsleeve.

What happens next is the real question. Minogue has the money, the endorsement, and the energy of a base that's clearly moved in a more Trumpward direction since Charlie Baker's era. But Massachusetts is still a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans by a wide margin, and Healey enters the fall as an incumbent with strong approval numbers. Shortsleeve will argue he's the more electable, tested candidate — and he's not wrong that the general election math is brutal for a convention darling. Watch for the Shortsleeve campaign to go directly at Minogue's political inexperience over the next four months.

Full story at CommonWealth Beacon →

What Else You Should Know

Wellesley Children Killed in Alleged Custody Case Murder

In a heartbreaking development that shook the state this weekend, Janette MacAusland, 49, of Wellesley, is accused of killing her two young children — 7-year-old Kai and 6-year-old Ella — amid a contentious divorce and custody dispute. MacAusland was apprehended in Vermont and is expected in Bennington County Superior Court Monday on a fugitive from justice charge while Massachusetts authorities seek her extradition. The children attended Schofield Elementary School.

Boston.com →

ICE Cooperation Is the Norm in Mass. Police Departments, New Report Finds

A new report from nonprofit Citizens for Juvenile Justice finds that cooperation with federal immigration authorities is widespread across Massachusetts law enforcement — despite the state's reputation as a sanctuary haven. Of 62 police departments surveyed, 28 had explicit policies allowing or requiring collaboration with ICE, while only three had rules restricting it. The findings complicate the narrative around Massachusetts as a protective state for immigrants, and will likely fuel renewed debate on Beacon Hill.

GBH News →

Hampshire College Closure Should Alarm Western Mass

Hampshire College's board voted earlier this month to permanently close the Amherst institution, triggering hundreds of layoffs and sending a warning signal about the fragility of Western Massachusetts's education-heavy economy. The region has fewer and smaller colleges than Greater Boston, meaning each closure hits harder — and comes at a moment when federal attacks on higher education and health care funding are squeezing institutions statewide.

Western Mass Politics & Insight →

Marshfield Is in a Full-Blown Governance Crisis

The town of Marshfield is juggling a $7.4 million budget deficit, a Select Board chair facing a recall election, and a deadlocked board that can't even agree on appointing an interim Town Administrator. At a recent meeting, Chair Eric Kelley declined to set a date for his own recall election — citing a need for legal consultation — even after signatures were officially certified. With a May 2nd election for an open Select Board seat just days away, voters will have a say in who helps steer the town out of the mess.

South Shore News →

Weymouth Threads the Budget Needle

While neighboring South Shore communities are wrestling with potential tax overrides, Weymouth Mayor Mike Molisse presented a $227.4 million FY2027 budget that fully funds town services without asking residents for more. Acting CFO Ted Langill credited a decade of aggressive new growth attraction — including $20 million in new revenue — for keeping the town in what Molisse called "great shape" while others are in crisis.

South Shore News →

Davis Square's 26-Story Tower Just Got a Redesign

The developer behind the proposed Copper Mill project in Somerville's Davis Square will present revised, shorter designs tonight after state agency MassHousing pumped the brakes on a 26-story, 502-unit building that towered over a neighborhood zoned for four stories. The project still includes 126 affordable units, and the developer is trying to use the state's Chapter 40B process to bypass local zoning — but the state wants changes before that can move forward.

Cambridge Day →

Worth Your Attention

Tonight: Pembroke Select Board Forum — WATD hosts four candidates vying for two Select Board seats, running from 7–8 p.m.; stream it live at 959watd.com or submit questions by noon today at [email protected]. WATD →

Tonight: Davis Square Copper Mill Redesign Presentation — The developer will present new building designs at the Davis Square Neighborhood Council meeting; community members can offer feedback on the revised, shorter proposal. Cambridge Day →

May 2nd: Marshfield Town Election — With a $7.4 million deficit looming and the Select Board in disarray, voters choose among Rick Smith, Joe Pecevich, and Frank Doran for an open board seat that could meaningfully shift the town's direction. South Shore News →

New on the Ballot

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

Candidates

Jennifer Spadafora (Democratic) — Mayoral, Malden — Filed: 4/24/2026
Ronald Heiseler (Republican) — House, 15th Essex — Filed: 4/23/2026
Nathan Boudreau (Republican) — House, 2nd Worcester — Filed: 4/22/2026
Olivia Gilligan Corsetti — House, 27th Middlesex — Filed: 4/21/2026

OCPF →

One More Thing

New Bedford's Housing Court has a quiet, underreported lifeline: volunteer "Lawyer of the Day" attorneys from South Coastal Counties Legal Services who show up on mediation days to help tenants who would otherwise face eviction proceedings entirely alone. It won't solve the housing crisis, but it's the kind of thing that actually changes individual lives — and it's worth knowing it exists if you or someone you know ever needs it.

New Bedford Light →

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April 27, 2026

The Mass Brief — Sunday, April 26, 2026

THE MASS BRIEF

Sunday, April 26, 2026

Your morning briefing on what matters in Massachusetts

The Lead

The Republican Party Has a Nominee — and a Lot of Work to Do

After a convention that reportedly tried the patience of even the most dedicated party faithful, Massachusetts Republicans emerged from the DCU Center in Worcester on Saturday with a clear choice for governor: Michael Minogue, a former medical device CEO and first-time candidate who has already written himself a $12.5 million check to make the race competitive. Minogue captured roughly 70 percent of delegate votes — a commanding margin that tells you how thoroughly he's consolidated the party's energy around his outsider-businessman brand. Former MBTA general manager Brian Shortsleeve barely cleared the 15 percent threshold required to stay on the September primary ballot, while former economic development secretary Mike Kennealy got knocked off entirely.

The chaos of the day — long lines, vote-tallying delays, and at least one candidate opening bar tabs to keep restless delegates from walking out — is almost beside the point now. What matters is that Massachusetts Republicans head into the fall with a self-funded, politically untested nominee going up against Governor Maura Healey, who enters as a significant favorite in a state that hasn't elected a Republican governor since Charlie Baker in 2018. Minogue's pitch is familiar: affordability, anti-corruption, immigration — the greatest hits. Whether that message cuts through in Massachusetts is the question the next six months will answer.

The real subtext here is money. Minogue can fund himself, which solves one chronic problem for a party that's been plagued by debt and thin infrastructure. Whether $12.5 million (or more) is enough to make a Democratic incumbent in Massachusetts sweat is another matter entirely.

Full story at Boston Globe →

What Else You Should Know

A Wellesley Mother Is Charged in the Deaths of Her Two Young Children. Janette MacAusland, 49, was charged Saturday in the deaths of her 6- and 7-year-old children, whose bodies were discovered Friday night during a well-being check at the family's Edgemoor Avenue home. MacAusland was found in Vermont and is being held there pending extradition proceedings. The children attended Schofield Elementary School, and the district says a crisis team will be ready when school reopens Monday. Boston Globe →

A Suffolk County Sheriff's Officer Is Accused of Child Rape and Human Trafficking. Richard Kilchevsky, 41, a corrections officer from Hanson, was arrested Friday on charges including child rape, human trafficking, and creating child sexual abuse material — allegations stemming from incidents in Hanson, Halifax, and Middleborough involving a 15-year-old boy. The Suffolk County Sheriff's Department has indefinitely suspended Kilchevsky, who earned over $112,000 in his most recent year on the job. He's being held on $250,000 bail. WCVB →

A Federal Judge Expands Protections for Massachusetts Colleges Against Federal Fishing Expeditions. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor has broadened an earlier order to cover virtually every four-year college in Massachusetts, barring the Department of Education from demanding records as part of what the court has characterized as a poorly defined investigation into whether schools discriminate against white students. The ruling now extends beyond the UMass system to include private institutions across the state. Universal Hub →

Hampshire College's Closure Is a Warning Sign for Western Mass. The April 14 board vote to shut down Hampshire College in Amherst isn't just the end of an unusual educational experiment — it's a preview of the economic pain that could hit the Pioneer Valley if federal funding cuts continue to squeeze higher education and healthcare, two sectors that prop up the region's economy far more than they do Greater Boston's. Hundreds of layoffs are expected, and analysts say the hit will be felt disproportionately in Hampshire County. Western Mass Politics & Insight →

Could Boston Build Market-Rate Homes for $100,000? A proposal from Greater Grove Hall Main Streets, developed with Boston architectural firm Payette, argues yes — by using city-owned "sliver lots," modular construction, and triple-decker design principles to produce entry-level ownership housing at a fraction of typical costs. Boston owns more than 1,200 underutilized parcels, including at least 158 small lots already identified as suitable for infill development. It's an opinion piece, but it's the kind of specific, buildable idea that doesn't show up often enough in the housing debate. CommonWealth Beacon →

South Shore Towns Shuffle Their Leadership Boards. Saturday brought local election results across several communities: In Abington, Daniel Eddy Jr. and William Cormier Jr. won three-year Select Board seats ahead of a critical May 4 Town Meeting that includes a $1.6 million school override vote. In Bridgewater, newcomer Michaela Spagone unseated incumbent councilor-at-large John Loretti — and voters there firmly rejected a proposal to give town councilors stipends, 1,422 to 503. In Carver, a Planning Board incumbent lost his seat to newcomer Alan Germaine. WATD →

Worth Your Attention

Abington Town Meeting — May 4: Residents will vote on seven separate funding questions, including a $1.6 million school department override; the new Select Board members elected Saturday will have precious little time to get up to speed. South Shore News →

Cambridge Porchfest — July 11-12: Mark your calendars now — Cambridge's second annual Porchfest is expanding to three neighborhoods plus its two largest business districts, giving Somerville's legendary event some genuine local competition. Boston Globe →

Plymouth's Shallow Pond Road Dispute: The Select Board is expected to continue weighing whether to accept 40-year-old private subdivision roads as public ways — a decision with real financial consequences for nearly 180 households paying full property taxes with no town maintenance. South Shore News →

New on the Ballot

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

Candidates

Jennifer Spadafora (Democratic) — Mayoral, Malden — Filed: 4/24/2026
Ronald Heiseler (Republican) — House, 15th Essex — Filed: 4/23/2026
Nathan Boudreau (Republican) — House, 2nd Worcester — Filed: 4/22/2026
Olivia Gilligan Corsetti — House, 27th Middlesex — Filed: 4/21/2026

OCPF →

One More Thing

A Massachusetts ice cream truck operator named Maddie gave a little boy a free cone when he showed up without money — and when the video went viral, her followers responded by funding what she's calling a "No More Tears Fund." Free ice cream all summer, for every kid who needs it. In a week that included some genuinely dark news, that one lands nicely.

WCVB →

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April 26, 2026

The Mass Brief — Saturday, April 25, 2026

The Mass Brief

Saturday, April 25, 2026

The Lead

The MassGOP Picks Its Horse — or Tries To

The Massachusetts Republican Party descended on the DCU Center in Worcester today for its nominating convention, and the 2026 governor's race is suddenly real. Three candidates — former Baker administration economic development secretary Mike Kennealy, former MBTA General Manager Brian Shortsleeve, and former biotech executive Mike Minogue — are all competing for the chance to challenge whoever the Democrats put up in November. To make the primary ballot, each needs 15% of the 2,378 registered delegates in the room.

The optics here are interesting. All three candidates have leaned into support for President Trump — a notable calculation in a state where Trump remains deeply unpopular. Convention-goers heard a lot about Beacon Hill corruption, legislative audits, and the perils of one-party rule. That's a coherent message. Whether it's a winning message in Massachusetts is the question that will define the entire fall campaign. In a state where registered Democrats and unenrolled voters dwarf Republicans, the GOP nominee will need to run as a credible alternative — not just a protest vote.

Also at the convention: attorney and cryptocurrency advocate John Deaton was nominated for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Ed Markey. The race is shaping up to be a test of whether Republican energy, combined with voter frustration over affordability, can actually move the needle in deep-blue Massachusetts.

Full story at WCVB →

What Else You Should Know

AG Campbell sues EPA over soot standards

Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell joined 11 other states in suing the Trump administration's EPA for refusing to implement a 2024 Clean Air Act rule tightening limits on fine particulate matter — the tiny combustion particles that slip past your lungs and into your bloodstream. Massachusetts is one of the states most affected by pollution drifting in from upwind industrial sources, so this isn't just symbolic. Expect this case to move slowly through federal courts.

State House News Service →

Plymouth police chase ends in fatal crash on Route 3A

A domestic violence call Friday morning in Plymouth turned deadly after the suspect fled police in a blue Volvo, driving erratically on Route 3 before officers ended the pursuit — only to have the Volvo slam head-on into a Porsche Macan on Warren Avenue moments later. The suspect died; the Porsche driver, a woman, was hospitalized with four broken ribs, a punctured lung, a fractured vertebrae, and a concussion. Her family says she's expected to survive. The incident remains under investigation by State Police.

WBZ / CBS Boston →

Voters heading to the polls on the South Shore today

It's local election day in several South Shore communities. In Bridgewater, three candidates are battling for one District One Town Council seat. In Carver, School Committee and Planning Board races are contested. In Abington, three candidates are vying for two open Select Board seats with no incumbents running. Polls are open today — check your town's hours before you head out.

WATD →

Harvard poll: Young Americans have almost completely lost faith

A new Harvard Youth Poll finds that only 13% of Americans ages 18–29 think the country is on the right track, and trust in the federal government has hit 15% — the lowest level in the poll's 26-year history. Perhaps more alarming for anyone thinking about 2026 turnout: only a third of young people believe the upcoming elections will even be conducted fairly. John Della Volpe, who runs the Harvard Kennedy School poll, says we may be witnessing a fundamental break from belief in the system itself — not just dissatisfaction with who's running it.

Boston Globe →

State awards $2.15M to help homebuyers and prevent foreclosures

The Healey-Driscoll administration's Division of Banks announced $2.15 million in grants to 24 organizations statewide for first-time homebuyer education and foreclosure prevention counseling. In a housing market this brutal, that kind of practical support — helping people understand what they can afford, or avoid losing what they have — matters. A new UNH poll out this week also found that 59% of Massachusetts voters support lowering the state income tax, with housing and cost of living cited as the top concerns by a wide margin.

State House News Service →

Salem human trafficking bust follows months of undercover work

Three people — including two from Peabody and one from Shrewsbury — were arrested and arraigned this week after Salem police spent months investigating two businesses on Boston Street suspected of operating a prostitution and human trafficking ring. Police chief Lucas Miller called it "as much a rescue operation as it is a criminal investigation." All three defendants pleaded not guilty and are being held on bail.

Boston.com →

Worth Your Attention

Bridgewater, Carver, and Abington town elections are TODAY — polls are open now, closing between 4 and 8 p.m. depending on your town; find your polling location at your town clerk's website. WATD →

Plymouth's May 16 municipal election is shaping up as a referendum on the town's new ICE cooperation restrictions — a community letter is urging voters to re-elect Town Meeting members who supported the Community Trust bylaw passed at Town Meeting. Plymouth Independent →

Massachusetts DPU has opened a rulemaking proceeding on rideshare safety regulations — the proposed rules would update oversight of Uber, Lyft, and other TNCs operating across the state, and public comment will be part of the process. State House News Service →

New on the Ballot

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

Candidates

Jennifer Spadafora (Democratic) — Mayoral, Malden — Filed: 4/24/2026
Ronald Heiseler (Republican) — House, 15th Essex — Filed: 4/23/2026
Nathan Boudreau (Republican) — House, 2nd Worcester — Filed: 4/22/2026
Olivia Gilligan Corsetti — House, 27th Middlesex — Filed: 4/21/2026

OCPF →

One More Thing

At a Roxbury early education center Friday, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez read aloud from Ambitious Girl to a room full of preschoolers: "You may be the first someday. But don't be the last. Make space for more." Whatever your politics, that's a pretty good line to start a Saturday with.

Boston Globe →

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April 25, 2026

The Mass Brief — Friday, April 24, 2026

The Mass Brief – Friday, April 24, 2026

The Mass Brief

Friday, April 24, 2026

Good morning. Here's what Massachusetts needs to know today.

The Lead

Boston's Street Safety Stalemate Is Becoming a Political Crisis for Wu

It's been a full year since Mayor Michelle Wu put virtually every road safety project in Boston on hold for what was described as a "30-day review." That review is long over. The projects are not moving. And now city councilors are running out of ways to explain it to constituents who are watching people die at dangerous intersections.

At a Boston City Council hearing Wednesday, residents and advocates didn't hold back. One man who described himself as a former Wu campaign volunteer said he felt "profoundly foolish" for voting for her — twice. Councilor Ben Weber pointed to the death of Glenn Ingrahm, struck by a car while crossing on a green light near Forest Hills station, and told Wu administration officials flat out: "I don't know what to tell my constituents." Wu officials insisted Wednesday that "nothing is on pause" — a claim that landed somewhere between tone-deaf and darkly comedic, given that at least one project has been pushed back to 2031. That's not paused; that's abandoned.

The political stakes here are real. Wu built her brand on progressive urbanism and safer streets. If she heads into a reelection cycle having quietly shelved the bike lane and pedestrian safety agenda she ran on — without explanation, without a replacement plan, and with people still getting hurt — that's a story that writes itself. The question now is whether the pressure from the council forces her hand, or whether this becomes one of those things that slowly defines a mayor's legacy in ways they didn't intend.

Full story at GBH News → | More detail at Universal Hub →

What Else You Should Know

Beacon Hill Eyes Making Ballot Initiatives Harder to Pull Off

Lawmakers frustrated by a record 12 citizen initiatives heading toward the 2026 ballot are floating reforms that would make it more difficult for outside groups to use the process. The core complaint: paid signature gatherers undermine what's supposed to be a grassroots mechanism. Advocates for the initiative process say those gatherers are essential for working people who can't organize armies of volunteers. This fight is old, but it's getting louder — and with the Legislature's deadline for action on pending petitions hitting May 5, it's about to get louder still.

CommonWealth Beacon →

Federal Marijuana Reclassification Is Now Official — Here's What It Means for Massachusetts

The Trump administration completed a long-anticipated move Thursday, shifting state-licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under federal law. It doesn't legalize anything new, but it delivers a meaningful tax break to licensed cannabis operators and opens more doors for research. Massachusetts, with its mature recreational and medical market, stands to benefit from eased financial pressures on the industry. The administration also announced a June hearing to begin addressing broader reclassification.

Boston.com →

UMass Amherst Rocked by Murder on Campus

A woman was found dead inside a hotel on the UMass Amherst campus Wednesday evening, beaten to death, police say, by her husband — a chef at the university who confessed to the crime and was held without bail on murder charges. Both the victim and Jeffrey MacDonald worked for the school. The chancellor told students there is no threat to the campus community, but students and faculty are shaken, and questions are already being raised about what, if anything, the university could or should have done differently.

WCVB →

Allston Still Has No Post Office, and Now a Deal Has Collapsed

The US Postal Service has abruptly backed out of a fully negotiated lease to open a new branch inside a proposed housing and retail development at 25–39 Harvard Avenue in Allston — blindsiding developer Eden Properties and the neighborhood that has been without a post office since 2019. USPS had written to Mayor Michelle Wu last June affirming its intent to return. City Council President Liz Breadon, who has championed the effort, called the reversal "deeply frustrating." No explanation has been provided.

Boston Globe →

Voters Back Kids' Social Media Ban — By a Lot

New polling from the UNH Survey Center shows 72% of Massachusetts voters support the legislation the House passed earlier this month banning social media for kids under 14 and requiring parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds. The bill also bans student phones during the school day. Support crossed party lines, with 89% of independents on board. It now heads to the Senate, where the real negotiation begins.

State House News Service →

Banking Protest Hits Citizens Over ICE Ties

Brown University's graduate and undergraduate union announced it's pulling nearly $500,000 from Citizens Bank over the bank's financial relationships with CoreCivic and GEO Group, the private prison companies that run many ICE detention facilities. A coalition of Boston-area churches said they'll follow with $1 million in withdrawals if Citizens leadership doesn't meet with them within a week. About 300 people demonstrated outside Citizens' Providence headquarters Thursday.

Boston Globe →

Worth Your Attention

•

Ballot initiative deadline — May 5: The Legislature must act on pending citizen initiative petitions by May 5, or campaigns must begin collecting a second round of signatures to keep their proposals alive. CommonWealth Beacon →

•

South Shore schools restructuring: Hanover's School Committee has already voted to shift to rotating bell schedules for the 2026–2027 school year while also planning for a "structural deficit" projected by 2029 — worth watching if you have kids in the district or follow municipal finance. South Shore News →

•

Norfolk DA race heating up: Djuna Perkins, a veteran prosecutor with more than 30 years of experience including stints at the AG's office and Suffolk DA, has formally launched her campaign for Norfolk County District Attorney. State House News Service →

New on the Ballot

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

Candidates

Ronald Heiseler (Republican) — House, 15th Essex — Filed: 4/23/2026
Nathan Boudreau (Republican) — House, 2nd Worcester — Filed: 4/22/2026
Olivia Gilligan Corsetti — House, 27th Middlesex — Filed: 4/21/2026

OCPF →

One More Thing

A 16-year-old South Shore Charter Public School student named Kaylee Joaquim went on a college campus tour a few weeks ago, came home, and spent the next week bedridden. She has long COVID. "I'm never going on a field trip again," she said. "That's kind of sad." An estimated six million American children are in some version of her situation — and researchers are still figuring out why it hits kids differently than adults. It's a quiet crisis that deserves more attention than it gets.

Boston Globe →

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April 24, 2026

The Mass Brief — Thursday, April 23, 2026

The Mass Brief – Thursday, April 23, 2026

The Mass Brief

Thursday, April 23, 2026

Good morning. Here's what Massachusetts needs to know today.

The Lead

A Doctor Facing 81 New Charges. A Murder at UMass. Boston Kids Hit by a Car. It's a Heavy Day.

Let's start with the story that deserves the most attention: Dr. Derrick Todd, a 52-year-old Wayland rheumatologist, was back in a Boston courtroom Thursday to face 81 new indictments — charges that include rape, indecent assault and battery, and assault with intent to rape, involving 22 alleged victims. He pleaded not guilty. This comes on top of charges already filed against him from a previous grand jury indictment. The scale of the alleged abuse is staggering, and the number of victims keeps growing. Todd formerly practiced at a local medical office where patients trusted him with their most vulnerable moments. This case is going to be with us for a long time.

Meanwhile, in Amherst, a UMass chef named Jeffrey C. MacDonald, 36, was charged with murder after police found his wife, Emma MacDonald, 31 — also a UMass employee — dead inside a room at Hotel UMass Wednesday night. According to the police report, MacDonald admitted to intentionally beating her to death. He pleaded not guilty and was ordered held without bail. UMass Chancellor Javier Reyes told the campus community there is no ongoing threat, but the tragedy of two university employees and what happened behind that hotel room door will hang over Amherst's campus for a long time.

And in Boston's South End, four children and one adult were struck by a vehicle Thursday morning as they crossed the street at Harrison and East Brookline Streets. All five were taken to the hospital with what police described as possible minor injuries. The driver stayed on scene. It's a jarring reminder — on a day when advocates were literally testifying about street safety at City Hall — that these aren't abstract policy debates. People are getting hurt.

Full story at WCVB →

What Else You Should Know

Boston Residents Tear Into Mayor Wu Over Stalled Street Projects

About 50 residents and transit advocates packed a City Council hearing Wednesday to demand Mayor Michelle Wu's administration start moving again on street safety projects — speed humps, bike lanes, bus lanes — that have been frozen for more than a year. One speaker described himself as a former Wu campaign volunteer who said he now feels "profoundly foolish." The projects stalled after Wu quietly required her personal sign-off on nearly all road design changes, a policy shift that came as she faced political heat over bike lanes during her reelection campaign. She won in a landslide. The projects are still stuck.

GBH News →

Federal Government Reclassifies Medical Marijuana — And It Matters Here

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche on Thursday signed an order moving state-licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I (alongside heroin) to Schedule III (alongside ketamine and some painkillers). This doesn't legalize anything new in Massachusetts, where both medical and recreational marijuana are already legal under state law. But it's a big deal nationally: it opens the door to more research, hands cannabis businesses a meaningful tax break, and signals a broader rethinking may be coming — the feds announced a hearing on wider reclassification for late June.

Boston Globe →

Beacon Hill Eyes Making Ballot Initiatives Harder to Pass

Legislators frustrated by a record 12 citizen initiatives headed for the 2026 ballot are quietly exploring ways to tighten the initiative petition process — possibly by cracking down on paid signature gatherers. Rep. Michael Day of Stoneham says paid collectors "pervert" what the 1918 law was designed to do. Advocates counter that signature gatherers are essential for working people who can't spend their days collecting signatures. Whatever you think of the specific ballot questions in play, changing the rules while the game is being played deserves serious scrutiny.

CommonWealth Beacon →

AG Campbell Tells Gas Companies: Get Serious or Pay Up

Attorney General Andrea Campbell filed a sharp brief before state regulators this week, warning that Massachusetts' five gas companies — Eversource, National Grid, Unitil, Berkshire Gas, and Liberty — submitted "completely inadequate" climate compliance plans that amount to business as usual. Campbell wants the Department of Public Utilities to impose financial penalties if the companies don't come back with substantively reworked plans showing how they'll transition customers off natural gas without dumping the costs onto ratepayers. The state's 2050 climate goals hang in the balance.

CommonWealth Beacon →

Swansea Parents Face 13 Charges After Second-Grader Brings Gun to School

Christopher Spangler, 51, and Heather Spangler, 43, were arraigned Wednesday in Fall River District Court after police say their young child brought a gun to Mark G. Hoyle Elementary School in Swansea and showed it to classmates. A search of the family's home turned up five unregistered, unsecured firearms — no locks, no storage boxes. Both parents pleaded not guilty and were released; they're due back in court June 9.

Boston Globe →

A South Shore Teen Living With Long COVID — and She's Far From Alone

Kaylee Joaquim, 16, a student at South Shore Charter Public School, has spent the last four years navigating life with long COVID — fatigue, pain, and a body that punishes overexertion. A recent field trip left her bedridden for a week. Researchers say nearly 6 million American children may be affected, and symptoms in kids often look different than in adults, making diagnosis and treatment even harder. It's a quiet crisis that doesn't get enough attention.

Boston Globe →

Worth Your Attention

Clean Slate legislation is moving through the State House — a bill that would automatically seal certain nonviolent criminal records — and advocates with the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts are pushing hard for a vote. Follow the debate at GBH News →

The ballot initiative petition deadline of May 5 is approaching fast — campaigns that haven't cleared the first signature threshold need to get moving, and Beacon Hill is watching closely what qualifies. CommonWealth Beacon →

Massachusetts ranks 25th nationally in preschool access for four-year-olds and near last in per-pupil spending, according to a new report from Rutgers' National Institute for Early Education Research — a data point that should land with a thud in a state that prides itself on education. Worth watching whether Beacon Hill responds. State House News Service →

New on the Ballot

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

Candidates

Ronald Heiseler (Republican) — House, 15th Essex — Filed: 4/23/2026
Nathan Boudreau (Republican) — House, 2nd Worcester — Filed: 4/22/2026
Olivia Gilligan Corsetti — House, 27th Middlesex — Filed: 4/21/2026

OCPF →

One More Thing

Secretary of State Bill Galvin — who is, in fact, running for reelection — has been appearing in a wave of publicly funded TV ads celebrating America's 250th anniversary, replete with AI-generated patriotic imagery and Revolutionary War history lessons. A Newton viewer noticed the ads run constantly on every channel but contain zero information about how to register to vote or find a ballot question. Galvin oversees elections. Make of that what you will.

WBZ/CBS Boston →

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#1

April 23, 2026

Mass Brief

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