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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Candidates

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

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