The Doncev family from Greenfield was heading south on I-95 with a car full of homemade desserts, on their way to a wedding in South Carolina. Dmitri and Ecaterina, their 13-year-old daughter Emily, and 7-year-old son Mark never made it. Just after 2:30 Friday morning, a charter bus barreling through a work zone near Quantico, Virginia, slammed into their Acura. A fifth Massachusetts resident, Priscilla Mafalda, 25, of Worcester, was killed in a separate vehicle in the same chain-reaction crash. Forty-four others were injured.

The bus driver, Jing Sheng Dong, 48, of Staten Island, was arrested Saturday at a Virginia hospital and charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. Stafford County prosecutor Eric Olsen said there was probable cause to establish that Dong caused the crash through criminally negligent driving. Additional charges are pending. Dong will appear in court after his hospital release — and he'll be held without bond until then.

The Doncev family wedding did go forward in South Carolina on Sunday, now also a funeral of sorts for people who never arrived. There's no adequate frame for that. What comes next is a criminal case in Virginia — and almost certainly a civil one too — that will raise hard questions about bus driver fatigue, work zone safety, and oversight of motorcoach operations. Massachusetts families will be watching.

Full story at Boston Globe →

Senator Ed Markey walked out of the Massachusetts Democratic Party convention in Worcester on Saturday with 73 percent of delegate support, a commanding win against Representative Seth Moulton in what's shaping up to be the marquee race of the state's primary season. Moulton, who cleared the 15 percent threshold needed to stay on the September 1 ballot, spun his 27 percent as a moral victory against "the establishment." Markey, for his part, got his mic cut for going over time — and his wife had to physically carry his speech binder off the stage. Eighty years young, folks. Boston Globe →

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is quietly revisiting an idea she shelved in 2023: short-term tax abatements for developers who can break ground within 18 months. The discussions are preliminary, but they signal a notable shift for an administration that has long prioritized affordability mandates over market-rate incentives. Boston's housing construction has slowed significantly even as rents keep climbing — and with a rent control ballot question potentially freezing new development further, Wu may be running out of runway to course-correct. Developers are already saying it might be too little, too late. Boston Globe →

This one is infuriating: the MBTA never notified state or federal regulators after a man died in an escalator incident at Davis Square. According to NBC Boston's reporting, regulators only found out when the news broke publicly. It's a troubling reminder that the T's accountability problems aren't just about delays and derailments — they extend to how the agency handles, and apparently conceals, the most serious outcomes. Universal Hub →

While the Markey-Moulton showdown dominated the conversation in Worcester, Democrats also formally endorsed Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll for second terms at the convention. Healey is aiming to become only the second Democrat reelected governor in Massachusetts in the past 40 years — a stat that should probably get more attention than it does. WWLP Western MA →

Incumbent Representative Marjorie Decker and challenger Evan MacKay squared off Thursday in their first-ever debate, centered on a topic that drives reform advocates crazy: the opacity of the Massachusetts state legislature. MacKay, former president of the Harvard Graduate Students Union, leaned on their organizing background and called out "systemic corruption" on Beacon Hill. Decker pointed to her newsletter and social media posts as evidence of accountability. The two nearly split their district in 2024 — this rematch will be one to watch. Cambridge Day →

September 1 primary ballot is now set — With Moulton clearing the delegate threshold at Saturday's convention, the Markey-Moulton Democratic Senate primary is officially on for September 1; mark your calendar now if you want a say in who represents Massachusetts in Washington for the next six years. GBH News →

Boston housing policy worth watching — Mayor Wu's preliminary tax abatement conversations with developers are informal for now, but if they harden into policy, expect a public process — and a fight over how much the city is willing to give up in exchange for units. Boston Globe →

Full budget details →

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• Josh Bowdridge (Republican) — House, 4th Worcester — Filed: 5/28/2026
• Corey Lambo — House, 3rd Berkshire — Filed: 5/26/2026

Change of Purposes

• Karen Hayes — City Councilor, Malden → Mayoral, Malden — Filed: 5/28/2026

OCPF →

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Full budget details →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• Josh Bowdridge (Republican) — House, 4th Worcester — Filed: 5/28/2026
• Corey Lambo — House, 3rd Berkshire — Filed: 5/26/2026

Change of Purposes

• Karen Hayes — City Councilor, Malden → Mayoral, Malden — Filed: 5/28/2026

OCPF →

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

Powered by South Shore News

Full budget details →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• Josh Bowdridge (Republican) — House, 4th Worcester — Filed: 5/28/2026
• Corey Lambo — House, 3rd Berkshire — Filed: 5/26/2026

Change of Purposes

• Karen Hayes — City Councilor, Malden → Mayoral, Malden — Filed: 5/28/2026

OCPF →

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With the FIFA World Cup kicking off in less than two weeks, you’d expect the city of Boston and state transportation officials to have their act together. Not quite. Mayor Michelle Wu’s administration and MBTA leadership remain deadlocked over a seemingly straightforward question: who controls a stretch of Summer Street in front of South Station on match days?

The T wants to close that block to vehicle traffic for up to 10 hours at a time on game days — a reasonable-sounding ask given that up to 20,000 fans per match could be funneling through South Station to catch trains to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. MBTA General Manager Phil Eng put it bluntly in a letter to the city: it’s a matter of necessity for pedestrian safety. But Boston officials have pushed back, and after days of closed-door meetings, neither side has budged. The MBTA board was expected to address the standoff at its monthly meeting Thursday morning.

Here’s why this matters beyond the bureaucratic squabble: Boston sold the world on its ability to host a global mega-event. Seven games will be played at Gillette. The eyes of billions will be on this region. If the first match brings a crush of confused fans and a gridlocked Summer Street because two government agencies couldn’t coordinate a street closure, that’s not just embarrassing — it’s a genuine safety problem. Someone needs to blink, and fast.

Wu axes her own green infrastructure office — then says she doesn’t know the details. Mayor Wu laid off Max Rome, the city’s director of green infrastructure, and eliminated his office entirely — a striking move for a mayor who built her political identity around climate action and who released a 2030 Climate Action Plan just last month that mentions green infrastructure dozens of times. When reporters asked Wu about it Wednesday, she said she wasn’t familiar with the specifics. That answer is going to follow her. Boston Globe →

House Republicans come for Boston’s sanctuary policies. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan and immigration subcommittee Chair Tom McClintock sent letters Wednesday demanding extensive records from Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox, Suffolk DA Kevin Hayden, and Sheriff Steven Tompkins — all related to the city’s immigration enforcement policies going back to 2022. The agencies have until June 10 to respond. This is the latest front in an ongoing federal-vs.-Boston battle, and it lands at a particularly awkward moment given that the Republican-controlled Congress is also scrutinizing cities nationwide. Boston Globe →

Rachael Rollins is officially back. The former Suffolk DA who resigned as U.S. Attorney in 2023 amid ethics violations has confirmed she’s running to reclaim her old job, turning in nomination papers with more than 1,600 certified signatures. She’ll face current DA Kevin Hayden and former Hayden staffer Linda Champion in what’s shaping up to be a crowded and complicated race. Rollins is leaning into community trust as her message — but hasn’t yet directly addressed the scandals that ended her federal career. Boston.com →

Healey’s municipal tax flexibility bill dies again — quietly. For the second legislative session in a row, Governor Maura Healey’s attempt to give cities and towns more revenue flexibility — including optional surcharges on meals, lodging, and car excise taxes — has died on Beacon Hill without a vote. With municipalities across the state laying off staff and canceling fireworks (more on that below), the Legislature’s continued reluctance to expand local revenue tools is worth noting. GBH News →

YIMBY legislation gets a boost from Driscoll. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll showed up at a Beacon Hill rally Wednesday to back legislation that would allow up to five housing units by right on lots served by water and sewer, eliminate parking minimums near transit, and make it easier to build on smaller lots. The bills, sponsored by Sen. Brendan Crighton of Lynn and Rep. Andy Vargas of Haverhill, have real momentum — and Driscoll’s presence signals the Healey administration is willing to push harder on housing supply this session. CommonWealth Beacon →

Carney Hospital site could become 500 apartments and a health campus. Developer HYM Investment Group and Dorchester nonprofit My City at Peace have filed a letter of intent with Boston’s Planning Department to redevelop the shuttered Carney Hospital campus on Dorchester Avenue into a mixed-use site with housing, healthcare, retail, and open space connecting to Dorchester Park. It’s early-stage, but this is one of the more significant redevelopment proposals the neighborhood has seen in years. Universal Hub →

MBTA Board Meeting — Today. The T’s board meets this morning and is expected to address the South Station/World Cup standoff; it’s worth watching for any resolution or further escalation. Boston Globe →

Massachusetts Democratic Convention — This Weekend in Worcester. Delegates gather at the DCU Center to weigh in on the Markey-Moulton Senate race; Alex Rikleen has already dropped out and endorsed Markey, who leads in the latest Emerson poll 37% to 32%. CommonWealth Beacon →

Cape Cod Commuter Rail proposal moves forward. State Senator Dylan Fernandes and transportation advocates are actively pushing a plan to extend commuter rail service from Middleboro to Bourne — a step toward giving the Cape a year-round transit connection to Boston for the first time. Public attention on this one will matter. WBZ / CBS Boston →

Full budget details →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• Josh Bowdridge (Republican) — House, 4th Worcester — Filed: 5/28/2026
• Corey Lambo — House, 3rd Berkshire — Filed: 5/26/2026

OCPF →

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Mayor Michelle Wu was supposed to return to her alma mater Wednesday to deliver the Class Day address at Harvard Law School — a feel-good homecoming story for a mayor who graduated from both Harvard College and HLS. Instead, she's staying home. Wu pulled out of the ceremony rather than cross the picket line of the Harvard Graduate Students Union-UAW, which has been on strike for five weeks. Her office says they spent days trying to broker a workaround and came up empty.

The optics here cut two ways. For labor, this is a genuine win — a sitting mayor of a major American city choosing solidarity over a marquis speaking slot. For Wu, it's a reminder of how carefully she's threading the needle right now: the same day she skipped commencement, roughly 200 protesters were chanting "Shame on you, Mayor Wu" outside City Hall over her $4.9 billion budget proposal that would cut grants for food pantries, immigrant services, and youth jobs programs. Canceling Harvard earns her goodwill on the left. But the community groups demanding she restore those cuts aren't feeling the love.

What happens next: the budget fight is the real story. The City Council deadlocked last week on a vote to push back on Wu's spending plan, and a marathon hearing stretched late into Tuesday night with over 100 residents signed up to testify. The council has until late June to act, and the pressure isn't going away.

Full story at Boston Globe →

Marlborough bus drivers walk off the job. Teamsters Local 170 members who drive for NRT Bus — which handles transportation for Marlborough Public Schools — went on strike Wednesday morning, forming a picket line outside the company's Hudson yard. The sticking point: affordable health care coverage. NRT says a tentative deal was reached last weekend before the union reversed course; the union says the company's "last and final" offer fell short. The school district says all routes are running as scheduled, suggesting replacement drivers are in play — which means this one could get uglier before it gets better. Boston Globe →

Rachael Rollins is back on the ballot. The former Suffolk County DA — who later became U.S. Attorney before her career imploded in an ethics scandal in 2023 — has officially qualified for the Democratic primary to reclaim her old job. She'll face incumbent DA Kevin Hayden and attorney Linda Champion. Meanwhile, the Norfolk County DA race is shaping up as a wide-open eight-person field after 50-year veteran Michael Morrissey decided not to seek reelection. Primary season just got a lot more interesting. Boston Globe →

World Cup watch parties: full speed ahead (probably). After months of bureaucratic limbo, Governor Maura Healey says more than a dozen Massachusetts communities awaiting FIFA public viewing licenses should have them in hand this week. Some towns had already given up and scaled back their plans — Framingham and Weymouth have bowed out entirely — but Healey's assurance should unblock the rest. The games start June 11. If your town is still planning something big, now's the time to find out. Boston Globe →

Lowell avoids firefighter layoffs — barely. A two-hour conversation at a café between Lowell's firefighter union president and City Manager Tom Golden produced a last-minute deal that preserved all 203 positions in the fire department. The agreement came just weeks after a massive Centralville fire displaced 44 residents and made the prospect of cutting six firefighter jobs politically toxic. Golden acknowledged the budget pressure isn't over, saying he hopes to revisit some cuts after the state finalizes its own budget. Boston Globe →

Cambridge drops ShotSpotter; police push back hard. The Cambridge City Council voted 5-2 last week to end the city's contract with ShotSpotter, the gunfire-detection technology it's used since 2014, citing privacy concerns and worries about federal law enforcement accessing the data. Now the Cambridge Police Patrol Officers Association — representing about 200 officers — is firing back, calling the move a threat to public safety that "sets the city back more than a decade." The vote came just weeks after a shooting on Memorial Drive. Expect this debate to keep going. GBH News →

The Hanscom private jet expansion keeps slipping. The controversial proposal to add 17 new aircraft hangars and fuel storage at Hanscom Field — already sent back for further environmental review nearly two years ago — still hasn't produced its required supplemental environmental impact report. Developers had targeted October 2025, then year-end, then Q1 2026, then "around June." Now that's in doubt too. For the activists and officials who've been fighting this expansion over noise and emissions concerns, delays are a partial win. But the project hasn't gone away. CommonWealth Beacon →

Boston City Council budget hearings are ongoing — if you want to weigh in on Mayor Wu's proposed cuts to community grants, keep an eye on the council's schedule at cityofboston.gov.

The school cellphone ban is now in a House-Senate conference committee; the Legislature's informal deadline is end of July — a key moment to watch for anyone with kids in Massachusetts public schools. CommonWealth Beacon →

June 2 is the deadline for candidates to file nomination papers for statewide races, meaning the ballot picture — including that Rachael Rollins comeback — could still shift before the week is out. Boston Globe →

Full budget details →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• Corey Lambo — House, 3rd Berkshire — Filed: 5/26/2026

OCPF →

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Boston firefighter Robert “Bobby” Kilduff Jr. fell from a third-story window battling a Dorchester house fire Saturday night and never came home. He was 53, a Marine Corps veteran, a 24-year veteran of the Boston Fire Department, and — in one of those details that hits you in the chest — a third-generation firefighter. His department called him “BK.” Fire Commissioner Rodney Marshall said he “embodied the courage, commitment, and selflessness that define this profession.” That’s not boilerplate. That’s a guy people knew.

The fire at 18 Treadway Road sent flames through all three floors and burned through the roof before crews knocked it down. Kilduff’s death is a gut-punch reminder that firefighting remains one of the most dangerous jobs in America, and that the people who run toward burning buildings are often the ones who’ve watched their fathers and grandfathers do it first. The city is mourning. The department is mourning. Over Memorial Day weekend, that mourning felt especially heavy.

Watch for a formal tribute in the coming days — these things tend to bring the full weight of Boston’s civic life to bear. In the meantime, Kilduff’s family, colleagues, and the Dorchester and West Roxbury communities are carrying something that no ceremony fully addresses.

Full story at Boston.com →

About 70,000 Uber and Lyft drivers in Massachusetts are now officially members of the App Drivers Union — the first certified rideshare union in the entire country. The Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations issued the certification last week, 18 months after voters approved it at the ballot. Governor Maura Healey is on board. Next step: actually bargaining a contract with the companies, which have promised to cooperate. The hard part starts now — and economists note that higher driver wages will likely mean higher fares for riders.

WBZ / CBS Boston →

Federal law — the Trump administration’s sweeping 2025 tax-and-spending package — stripped subsidized health coverage from roughly 30,000 lawfully present immigrants in Massachusetts on January 1. The state has been aggressive in some areas, but this particular gap remains unfilled. Legal advocates warn the full impact could ultimately leave 300,000 Massachusetts residents uninsured and cost the state $3.5 billion a year in lost federal revenue. Victoria Poulos of the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute laid it all out on CommonWealth Beacon’s Codcast.

CommonWealth Beacon →

When Union Hospital closed in 2020, Lynn lost its only hospital. Now, five acres of that site are being transformed into Solimine House — 150 units of affordable housing for residents 62 and older, with incomes up to 60% of area median income. The $85 million project broke ground in December and should be ready in late 2027. It’ll connect directly to a next-door PACE health center serving Medicaid and Medicare patients. It’s exactly the kind of adaptive reuse that cash-strapped Gateway Cities need more of.

CommonWealth Beacon →

State Auditor Diana DiZoglio is widely loathed in Beacon Hill offices, has sued Democratic leadership over her right to audit the Legislature, and accused the attorney general of running interference. She’s also cruising to reelection with zero serious challengers from either party. The Globe’s profile paints a portrait of a politician who has turned institutional friction into a brand — and found that it plays well across party lines, especially in rooms full of people who already assume Beacon Hill is hiding something. Whether her audit crusade is principled or performative probably depends on who you ask.

Boston Globe →

Mayor Jon Mitchell told New Bedford residents a few weeks ago the city faced a $13 million deficit. Then the number became $32 million — with layoffs, a possible fire station closure, and tax increases on the table. The New Bedford Light digs into how the numbers ballooned so fast, and the picture that emerges is one of healthcare and public safety costs outpacing projections, plus a city council that says it learned the real number the same time the public did.

New Bedford Light →

The Marshfield Select Board met last week with just two members — one seat is vacant — and deadlocked 1-1 on sending voter-approved charter amendments to Beacon Hill. Residents had overwhelmingly backed expanding the board from three to five members and creating a town finance director, but without a third vote, the board can’t act. The vacant seat is creating a genuine governance crisis, and it comes just ahead of Annual Town Meeting.

South Shore News →

Two arraignments Tuesday: Sean Brewer, 58, of Winthrop faces manslaughter charges in East Boston Municipal Court after allegedly shooting his wife Jacklyn Berry during an argument Sunday morning; and Tyler Halley, 21, of Lawrence is expected in Lawrence District Court on a murder charge after a woman was found with a fatal head wound at a Canal Street apartment Saturday. WBZ / CBS Boston →

App Drivers Union celebration at the State House: Union and state leaders gathered today to mark the official certification of the App Drivers Union — the first step before bargaining begins with Uber and Lyft. WCVB →

New Bedford City Council budget deliberations continue: With a $32 million deficit on the table and potential layoffs and fire station closures in play, watch for the council to push back on Mayor Mitchell’s proposed budget in the coming weeks — this one is far from settled. New Bedford Light →

Full budget details →

Full hearing schedule →

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The Mass Brief • Powered by South Shore News

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Full budget details →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• Tony King (Democratic) — Senate, Norfolk, Plymouth and Bristol — Filed: 5/19/2026

OCPF →

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Governor Maura Healey is running for reelection on cost of living — that's been the central pitch from day one — but she's refusing to leave abortion rights at the door. In a new Boston Globe interview, Healey made an argument you'll be hearing a lot more: that abortion access isn't just a social issue, it's an economic one. Women who can't access reproductive care face real financial consequences, she argues, and that framing lets her thread a needle — speaking to voters anxious about their wallets while also holding ground against two Republican opponents who both claim they wouldn't change Massachusetts law, but whom Healey clearly doesn't trust to protect it.

It's a savvy move, and it's not accidental. Massachusetts has become a major destination for abortion care from out-of-state patients since the Dobbs decision, and federal rulings threatening mail-order abortion pills put this state squarely in the crossfire of national policy fights. Healey has been vocal on that front — press conferences, public statements, the works. The question is whether the framing lands with voters who are still primarily worried about rent, groceries, and childcare.

What happens next: Her Republican challengers will almost certainly push back on the framing and try to redirect every conversation to kitchen-table costs. Watch for polling on whether the "abortion is economic" argument cuts through, or whether Healey needs to sharpen her cost-of-living message further as the race heats up.

U.S. District Court Judge Leo Sorokin didn't mince words this week, using nearly every page of a 30-page ruling to torch ICE for what he called a "complete disregard" of the truth, the Constitution, and basic human decency in the case of an Ecuadorean woman with epilepsy. Sorokin ordered ICE to leave her alone permanently, pay all her legal costs, and document to senior Boston ICE leadership exactly why the court lost faith in them. That's not a slap on the wrist — that's a judge putting consequences on paper.

A 58-year-old man died Saturday afternoon after driving his Jeep Cherokee around a lowered crossing gate at the Grove Street crossing in Braintree, directly into the path of an oncoming MBTA commuter rail train. Transit Police Superintendent Richard Sullivan confirmed all safety warnings were active at the time. The incident disrupted Kingston and Fairmount line service for hours and is now under investigation by Transit Police and the Norfolk District Attorney's office. Crossing safety remains a persistent and deadly problem across the commuter rail network.

The flagship state university has partnered with American Campus Communities — one of the country's largest student housing developers — to overhaul its residential facilities in phases, keeping students on campus throughout construction. The move comes as the Pioneer Valley faces the same housing crunch squeezing the rest of Massachusetts, and as UMass enrollment keeps climbing. Chancellor Javier Reyes says the plan will preserve affordability while modernizing dining, retail, and living spaces.

After two years of negotiations and a two-day strike, Lesley University's 82 core faculty members unanimously ratified a new contract this week, winning higher minimum salaries, two percent annual wage increases retroactive to January 2025, and new course-size limits. Meanwhile, the mood at Harvard and MIT is considerably less celebratory — graduate student workers at both Cambridge institutions are planning pickets at upcoming commencement ceremonies as their own contract talks stall.

A new opinion piece in CommonWealth Beacon digs into last week's landmark desegregation lawsuit filed on behalf of students from Boston and several Gateway Cities. The authors push back on fears of mandatory busing, noting the plaintiffs are largely seeking more magnet and vocational schools — and argue the real fix may require revitalizing urban neighborhoods themselves, not just reshuffling students between districts. Worth reading if you care about education equity in Massachusetts.

The Scituate School Committee voted unanimously to move toward making Interim Superintendent Dr. Tom Raab the permanent hire, citing his dual expertise in school finance and building operations and the trust he's built over two years in the district. An independent consultant's evaluation backed up what the committee already knew — sometimes the right person is already in the building.

Memorial Day Monday — If you're planning to be outside, plan around the rain: StormTeam 5 is tracking steady showers Sunday through Monday afternoon, with temps stuck in the low 50s and wind gusts near 25 mph. Get your outdoor time in early or reschedule. WCVB →

Hingham School Buildings Review — The Hingham School Committee and School Building Committee are actively weighing capital improvement decisions — including roof replacements and HVAC upgrades — based on a recent structural assessment showing the district's buildings have "very good bones." If you're a Hingham resident, watch for budget implications coming to town meeting. South Shore News →

Full budget details →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• Tony King (Democratic) — Senate, Norfolk, Plymouth and Bristol — Filed: 5/19/2026
• Margie Palladino (Democratic) — Governor's Council, 3rd District — Filed: 5/18/2026

OCPF →

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If you own a small business in Massachusetts — or work for one — here's a number to ruin your Saturday morning coffee: 13 percent. That's the average premium increase health insurers are seeking for next year in the state's "merged market," which covers nearly 700,000 members across small businesses and individuals. It would be the second consecutive year of double-digit hikes, landing at a moment when the economic mood across the state is already sour and employers are making hard choices about whether they can keep offering coverage at all.

Eileen McAnneny, president of the Employer Coalition on Health, didn't mince words: employers are "at a breaking point." And she's not wrong. These proposals are just the opening bid — state regulators at the Division of Insurance will now spend months negotiating the final numbers — but the direction of travel is unmistakable. Health care costs keep climbing, and small businesses, which don't have the leverage of large corporations to push back, keep absorbing the hit. Governor Maura Healey called last year's increases "simply unsustainable." Now the same dynamic is playing out again, heading into an election cycle where affordability is the dominant issue.

Watch for this to become a flashpoint on Beacon Hill this summer. Legislators who've been talking about cost containment will face pressure to actually do something — whether that's rate regulation, bulk purchasing, or taking a harder look at hospital contracts that drive so much of the underlying cost. For now, small business owners are left doing the math and wondering what they can afford to cut.

Full story at CommonWealth Beacon →

The federal government is moving to bar most noncitizens from adjusting their immigration status inside the United States — a dramatic shift that has been standard practice for decades. Local immigration attorneys say thousands of people in Massachusetts are now in limbo: students, temporary visa holders, and others who had been in the process of applying for permanent residency and now face having to return to their home countries to do so. "It makes no sense," one attorney told GBH. This is a big deal, and it's happening fast.

GBH News →

The Supreme Judicial Court moved the long-running standoff between State Auditor Diana DiZoglio and the Legislature one step closer to resolution this week — but "closer" is doing a lot of heavy lifting in that sentence. The SJC gave Attorney General Andrea Campbell a hard deadline to decide whether to represent DiZoglio in her lawsuit to compel legislative cooperation. Campbell said yes — but only through outside counsel, high-profile attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan, who will take the case pro bono. DiZoglio kept jabbing at Campbell anyway. This fight has more chapters left.

CommonWealth Beacon →

A motion to outright reject Mayor Michelle Wu's fiscal year budget proposal failed on a 6-6 tie vote at the Boston City Council this week, exposing real fractures among members over how hard to push back on proposed spending cuts. Six councilors wanted to send Wu a message; six others called that move fiscally irresponsible. With Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata out on maternity leave, there was no tiebreaker. The underlying frustrations aren't going away — expect this tension to simmer right through the summer budget deadline.

Boston.com →

Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey and Representative Ayanna Pressley released a report this week making the case that ending Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants wouldn't just be a humanitarian disaster — it would crack the state's already-strained health care workforce. About 45,000 Massachusetts residents rely on Haitian TPS to live and work here, and many are employed in hospitals, nursing homes, and care facilities. A Supreme Court ruling on whether the Trump administration can dismantle TPS is expected soon.

Boston.com →

An 18-year-old from Randolph was taken into custody Thursday night after allegedly brandishing a semi-automatic pistol in the parking lot outside the South Shore Technical High School prom at Indian Pond Country Club in Kingston. Adrian Arroyo, who was not a student but was known to attendees, threatened to run over a student before pointing the weapon skyward and appearing to chamber a round. Police found him at his Randolph home and he surrendered peacefully. No one was hurt. Charges are expected.

Boston.com →

Beacon Mutual Insurance, a Warwick, R.I.-based workers' compensation insurer that also operates in Massachusetts and Connecticut, has begun notifying 162,000 customers that their personal data — including Social Security numbers, financial account info, and medical records — was stolen in a January ransomware attack. The hacker group INC Ransom has claimed responsibility. If you have workers' comp coverage through Beacon Mutual, check your mail and watch your accounts.

Boston Globe →

Rain is coming for your Memorial Day weekend plans. Sunday looks like a genuine washout — soaking rain from sunrise to sunset — with another round of showers Monday morning before things (hopefully) clear by afternoon. Southeastern Mass. could see up to two inches total. WCVB →

The Healey administration announced $24.5 million in CommonWealth Builder awards to fund 123 new affordable homes for first-time buyers in Boston (Beacon Hill, Mission Hill, Roxbury) and Brockton — worth keeping an eye on as the state's housing push continues to take shape project by project. State House News Service →

A judge ordered an immigrant released after ICE showed up to court with essentially nothing — no arrest warrant, no documentation, no justification for the detention. Federal judges are increasingly moving fast on these cases as ICE detention cases flood the courts. Universal Hub →

Full budget details →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• Tony King (Democratic) — Senate, Norfolk, Plymouth and Bristol — Filed: 5/19/2026
• Margie Palladino (Democratic) — Governor's Council, 3rd District — Filed: 5/18/2026

OCPF →

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The Mass Brief • Powered by South Shore News

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Full budget details →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• Tony King (Democratic) — Senate, Norfolk, Plymouth and Bristol — Filed: 5/19/2026
• Margie Palladino (Democratic) — Governor's Council, 3rd District — Filed: 5/18/2026

OCPF →

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Barney Frank died Tuesday at 86, and Massachusetts lost one of its most consequential political figures — a man who managed to be both a liberal lion and genuinely fun to watch. Frank, who represented Newton and the South Shore in Congress for 32 years, was the first member of Congress to voluntarily come out as gay, a milestone that landed with enormous force in 1987 and helped shift American politics in ways still unfolding today. He was also the co-architect of Dodd-Frank, the sweeping 2010 financial reform law that reshaped Wall Street regulation after the 2008 collapse. Not a bad résumé.

Governor Maura Healey ordered flags to half-staff and called Frank "a giant in public life" — which is the kind of thing politicians say, except in this case it was simply accurate. Frank had been in hospice care in Maine since early May. Senate President Karen Spilka put it plainly: "He stood out and stood up and was a voice for so many people when they had no voice." That's the Frank legacy in a sentence.

What happens next is, of course, the ongoing argument over that legacy — and whether today's Democratic Party, locked in its own Massachusetts Senate primary drama, can produce anyone with Frank's combination of sharp intellect, blunt delivery, and willingness to take an unpopular position in a crowded room. That feels like a high bar right now.

Nearly two years after recruit Enrique Delgado-Garcia died from injuries suffered during a boxing exercise, the Massachusetts State Police Academy is postponing its next training class while it implements 22 urgent reforms from a damning independent report. The review found a "highly disciplined and rigorous, but also overwhelmingly punitive" culture, volatile instructors operating without adequate oversight, and recruit attrition rates significantly higher than other academies nationwide. Four instructors have already been indicted on involuntary manslaughter charges. Col. Geoffrey Noble says all 103 recommendations will eventually be adopted, with outside monitoring to hold the agency accountable.

Mayor Michelle Wu's $4.9 billion budget proposal survived a council challenge Wednesday when a vote to reject it deadlocked 6-6, with Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata out on maternity leave. The split exposed a genuinely odd coalition — conservative members and some progressives — united in frustration but divided on strategy. Councilor Brian Worrell wants to send the whole thing back; others prefer surgical amendments. The council has until the end of June to act, so this fight is far from over.

A coalition of nine students and four community organizations filed suit Wednesday arguing that Massachusetts is illegally maintaining racially segregated schools by assigning students based solely on home address — effectively mirroring housing segregation in the classroom. The plaintiffs are from Springfield, Holyoke, Boston, Lawrence, Brockton, Lynn, and Worcester, all districts that border wealthier, predominantly white communities. The state's education department responded that it lacks authority to change district boundaries — which is either an honest legal assessment or a very convenient answer, depending on your perspective.

Seven employees at a MassDOT facility in Charlestown are on administrative leave after a 231-day Boston 25 News investigation found a "systemic pattern of questionable overtime billing." Reporters tracked vehicle departure times from the yard and compared them to timesheets obtained through public records — finding workers repeatedly left hours before their reported shifts ended. MassDOT says anyone found to have misused taxpayer dollars "will be held accountable." Given the state's fraught history with transportation agency accountability, we'll be watching.

A Suffolk County grand jury indicted Boston Police Officer Nicholas O'Malley on a voluntary manslaughter charge Wednesday in the March shooting death of Stephenson King Jr., a carjacking suspect who was fleeing in a stolen vehicle. Prosecutors say O'Malley had no legal justification for firing at a moving car. O'Malley's attorney, David Yannetti — who successfully defended Karen Read — says the case will turn on "who the aggressor really was." The case now moves to Superior Court.

A Boston Globe dispatch from Salem captures the current state of the Markey-Moulton race: inside Seth Moulton's campaign office, enthusiastic volunteers are making calls; outside, a guy eating Hawaiian pizza half a mile away has no idea who's running for Senate. Senator Ed Markey's strategy has notably involved not acknowledging he has a challenger. With the state party convention coming up and both campaigns fighting for activist support, expect the volume to finally — finally — start rising.

Memorial Drive Shooting Suspect in Court Today — Tyler Brown, accused of firing more than 60 shots at cars and buildings on Memorial Drive on May 11, appears before a judge Thursday for a dangerousness hearing; notably, Brown was on probation for a 2020 shooting when the attack occurred. WCVB →

Harvard/MIT Assault Suspect Still at Large — Cambridge police are searching for a white male, approximately 5'9", who attacked a Harvard student in Lowell House Tuesday evening and was then spotted entering an MIT graduate dorm; if you see him, contact MIT or Harvard University police. Boston.com →

Sail Boston 2026 Is Coming — Mark Your Calendars — The Healey administration announced a $4 million investment Wednesday in Sail Boston 2026, a gathering of more than 60 tall ships from over 20 countries set for July 11–16 in Boston Harbor as part of America's 250th anniversary celebrations. State House News Service →

Full budget details →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• Tony King (Democratic) — Senate, Norfolk, Plymouth and Bristol — Filed: 5/19/2026
• Margie Palladino (Democratic) — Governor's Council, 3rd District — Filed: 5/18/2026
• Leslie St.George — City Councilor, New Bedford — Filed: 5/15/2026

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After years of dysfunction, drama, and a soap-opera-worthy legal battle over who was even in charge, Gov. Maura Healey has hit the reset button on the Cannabis Control Commission — hard. Under a new law passed last month that overhauled and shrunk the agency, Healey announced Tuesday that she's bringing in Christopher Harding, who ran the state Department of Revenue under Gov. Charlie Baker, as the new CCC chair. She also named two other fresh faces. The notable part: not a single sitting commissioner made the cut. Not even Chair Shannon O'Brien, who famously got removed by Treasurer Deb Goldberg in 2024, fought her way back through the courts, and then lasted only a few months before the whole structure changed around her.

Healey didn't mince words: "Given everything that's gone on, I think it's important to have a fresh start." That's as close to "this place was a mess" as you'll hear from a sitting governor about her own appointees. The cannabis industry has been waiting years for stable, predictable regulation, and operators — many of whom have watched licenses, inspections, and rule-making grind through bureaucratic molasses — will be watching closely to see whether a revenue veteran can bring order to an agency that's been anything but orderly.

The real test comes fast. The CCC has a backlog of licensing decisions and unresolved policy questions, and the legal cannabis market is maturing while regulatory uncertainty lingers. Harding's background is in tax administration, not cannabis — which could be a feature, not a bug, if the goal is professionalizing the operation rather than relitigating culture wars about the plant itself.

Full story at GBH News →

Starting June 29, the T will run a new F10 "Harbor Loop" ferry connecting North Station, the Aquarium, the Seaport, and Logan Airport on weekday mornings and evenings. Tickets run $2.40 for full-fare riders, service runs every 30 minutes during peak hours, and Commuter Rail passes are valid on board. One catch: your CharlieCard is no good here, same as all MBTA ferry routes. This is a genuinely useful addition for commuters moving between Boston's busiest corridors — assuming the T can keep the boats running on time.

Boston.com →

Sunny Manhertz, a 40-year-old Canadian citizen and longtime legal permanent resident of Saugus, was arrested Tuesday on charges of unlawful voting by an alien and casting a fraudulent ballot. Federal prosecutors say Manhertz registered to vote in 2016 by falsely claiming U.S. citizenship, then cast ballots in the 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024 elections. Worth noting: this appears to be the one case Homeland Security turned up after reviewing Massachusetts voter rolls — which puts the scale of the alleged problem in some perspective, even as the charges themselves are serious.

Boston Globe →

The Massachusetts House is scheduled to vote Wednesday on legislation that would ban the manufacture, sale, possession, or operation of any weaponized drone or robotic device by civilians — with mandatory prison sentences of 18 months to five years. A companion measure would restrict police use of surveillance drones without a warrant on private property. This is genuinely forward-looking policy, and the fact that it's moving now reflects how quickly autonomous technology is outpacing existing law.

CommonWealth Beacon →

Canadian energy giant Enbridge announced a proposal Tuesday to expand the Algonquin pipeline — which already runs natural gas into Massachusetts — under a project it's calling "Project Beacon." The company claims it could generate $2 billion a year in savings by easing supply bottlenecks. But the proposal lands squarely in the crossfire of a heated debate between environmentalists, who want the state to move away from fossil fuels, and families struggling with electric bills that are roughly double the national average. For Gov. Healey, who's already getting heat from green groups for talking too much about affordability, this is another hot potato.

CommonWealth Beacon →

The Cambridge City Council voted Monday to shut down its ShotSpotter gunshot detection network within 90 days, overruling its own police chief. Five of nine councilors sided with critics who argued the technology is unreliable, can encourage overpolicing, and — in a notable wrinkle — could provide data useful to federal immigration enforcement. The vote came just one week after a shooting in Cambridge injured two people, which gives you a sense of how fraught the timing is. The debate over surveillance technology in progressive cities isn't going away.

Boston Globe →

With a $4.5 million budget gap and six major union contracts heading to negotiation, Somerville Mayor Jake Wilson has brought in former Massachusetts AFL-CIO president Steve Tolman as a key labor advisor — taking a page from Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who pioneered the approach in 2022. The idea is to keep what could be contentious talks from turning into public battles. Whether it works in a tight budget year will be worth watching.

Boston Globe →

The Massachusetts House holds a formal session today where votes on the drone weaponization ban and police drone surveillance restrictions are expected — keep an eye on how the final language comes out. CommonWealth Beacon →

The final Markey-Moulton U.S. Senate primary debate is set for August 20, hosted by WCVB, WBUR, and The Boston Globe — mark your calendars, because the September 1 primary is closer than it feels. WCVB →

The Senate FY2027 budget debate is ongoing and being livestreamed, with amendments this week including $600,000 for downtown revitalization grants and $500,000 for school-based mental health services through MCPAP. State House News Service →

Full budget details →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• Tony King (Democratic) — Senate, Norfolk, Plymouth and Bristol — Filed: 5/19/2026
• Margie Palladino (Democratic) — Governor's Council, 3rd District — Filed: 5/18/2026
• Leslie St.George — City Councilor, New Bedford — Filed: 5/15/2026

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Full budget details →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• Margie Palladino (Democratic) — Governor's Council, 3rd District — Filed: 5/18/2026
• Leslie St.George — City Councilor, New Bedford — Filed: 5/15/2026
• Tony Rodrigues (Democratic) — House, 10th Plymouth — Filed: 5/13/2026

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Opening statements began this morning in the rape trial of Alvin Campbell Jr. — and the case carries weight that extends well beyond the courtroom. Campbell, 45, is accused of sexually assaulting nine women between 2017 and 2019, often by posing as a rideshare driver and targeting women leaving Boston bars. He has pleaded not guilty to rape, kidnapping, and indecent assault and battery charges, among others. His initial arrest came in January 2020, meaning survivors have been waiting more than six years to see this go to trial.

The unavoidable context: Campbell is the elder brother of Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell. She has said she is “praying for the survivors and all those affected,” adding that she carries the weight of the situation “including in my prayers for my brother.” That’s a genuinely difficult position, and Campbell has handled it with measured language — but the trial’s prominence is going to make this a sustained news story for the AG’s office whether she wants it to be or not.

What happens next: jury selection is complete and opening statements are underway today. The prosecution will need to build its case across nine alleged victims, which means this trial could run for weeks. Watch for how the defense frames the rideshare angle — and whether the AG’s office faces any pressure to make a public posture beyond what Campbell has already said.

Full story at Boston.com →

Commissioner Michael Cox is publicly raising alarms about a prior sentencing in the case of Tyler E. Brown IV, who allegedly opened fire on motorists along Memorial Drive earlier this month. Brown had previously received a five-year sentence after prosecutors said he fired at Boston police officers in 2020 — and was released last year. “It doesn’t seem like the sentence matches the seriousness of the offense in any way, shape, or form,” Cox said Sunday. Cox stopped short of naming the judge, but the message was clear.

Boston Globe →

The Gloucester community gathered Sunday to honor the seven crew members lost when the fishing vessel Lily Jean sank in January — a tragedy that still has no final resolution, with investigation ongoing and some victims not yet recovered. Governor Maura Healey and state Sen. Bruce Tarr have asked the U.S. Navy to assess whether recovery of the vessel is even possible. The fundraiser brought together families still processing unimaginable grief alongside neighbors showing up in force. “It’s been paralyzing for 3.5 months not knowing how I feel, and I still feel numb,” said Dean DeCoste, a relative of two victims.

WBZ / CBS Boston →

The Plymouth Select Board voted 3-1 to sell the historic Simes House on Manomet Point Road for just $40,000 — a property that opponents say is worth closer to $1 million. Dissenting board member Bill Keohan called it giving away a municipal asset for “pennies on the dollar” and argued the town should have pursued a long-term lease instead. The vote drew sharp public pushback, and this one is likely to keep echoing at town meetings.

South Shore News →

The Scituate Select Board unanimously approved a fuel storage license for 8,500 gallons of underground propane at a 40B affordable housing development on Old Oaken Bucket Road, even as neighbors packed the room calling the tanks a potential “bomb” next to their yards. Board members said their hands were legally tied by Chapter 40B, the state’s affordable housing law that sharply limits local zoning authority. It’s a preview of fights you’ll see playing out in towns across the state as 40B projects accelerate.

South Shore News →

After a glorious weekend — Boston hit 90 degrees Sunday, the first of the year — the good news fades fast. WCVB has declared Wednesday an “impact weather day,” with heat, humidity, and a real risk of severe thunderstorms arriving late in the day. Enjoy today’s sunshine; it’s going to get interesting by midweek.

WCVB →

Rep. Seth Moulton has made veteran-candidate endorsements a cornerstone of his political identity — and his Senate campaign pitch. So it’s raised eyebrows that he has yet to back Graham Platner, a fellow Marine running against Sen. Susan Collins in Maine in what’s considered Democrats’ best Senate pickup opportunity this fall. Both men are 40-something Marines running on generational change. Moulton says he’s “considering it.” The clock is ticking.

Boston Globe →

Lakeville pipe bomb investigation ongoing — State Police safely disposed of a PVC pipe bomb found Saturday near Egger Bog Pond; anyone with information should contact Lakeville Police Detective Robert Schiffer at 508-947-4422. Boston.com →

Norwell School Committee results are in — Jana McCarthy and Elizabeth Bersell won two open seats in Saturday’s election, while voters rejected ballot questions that would have eliminated or reduced the town’s 3% Community Preservation Act surcharge. WATD →

Company Theatre’s “Scene, Song, and Sip” is June 5 — The Norwell theater is hosting an interactive fundraiser night where audience members can join performers on stage; it’s a cash bar, Mad Libs, and live theater all at once, supporting stage restoration. South Shore Times →

Full budget details →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• Leslie St.George — City Councilor, New Bedford — Filed: 5/15/2026
• Tony Rodrigues (Democratic) — House, 10th Plymouth — Filed: 5/13/2026

OCPF →

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Saturday's round of town elections across the South Shore produced one of the more telling political snapshots of the year: residents deeply anxious about property taxes, deeply divided on what they're willing to pay for, and increasingly skeptical that town meeting votes speak for the broader public. The centerpiece drama was the South Shore Vocational Technical High School building project — a regional effort to construct a new facility in Hanover — and it exposed a genuine fault line between towns willing to fund shared regional infrastructure and those that aren't.

Hanover said yes, with nearly 65% approval. Abington said yes to almost everything on the menu. But Pembroke, Whitman, and Halifax all said no — with Pembroke's result being the most striking. Just four days after a packed town meeting enthusiastically voted to join the South Shore Tech district, the broader electorate voted it down nearly 2-to-1 at the ballot box. That's not a close call — that's a message. The gap between who shows up to town meeting and who shows up to vote is alive and well, and it has real consequences for regional planning. Meanwhile, Halifax rejected all four of its ballot questions, including a $1.5 million operating override and three proposals to convert elected positions to appointed ones. In Plymouth, incumbents Kevin Canty and Richard Quintal Jr. held off challengers in what the Plymouth Independent described as an unusually acrimonious race full of accusations and mysterious "Can Canty" signs with no known sponsor.

What happens next: Pembroke's rejection leaves students without a guaranteed path to South Shore Tech — a significant blow to families who were counting on that access. Whitman's "no" on the vo-tech debt exclusion creates a funding gap the district will have to address. And in Abington, town hall itself is staring down staffing cuts and reduced hours after being the lone casualty in an otherwise successful menu-override night. These results will land on the desks of town administrators Monday morning with no easy solutions attached.

A sharp opinion piece in CommonWealth Beacon lays out a damning picture of Boston Public Schools: only 3 in 10 students in grades 3–8 are reading or doing math at grade level, and outcomes are actually worse than they were a decade ago — even as per-pupil spending has soared to $36,000, among the highest in the country. The author argues the problem isn't how much Boston is spending but how it's spending it, with central administration absorbing a growing share of the new $1.7 billion budget. It's an opinion piece, but the underlying data is hard to argue with.

MBTA Transit Police are investigating a Friday night attack inside Nubian Square station where a man allegedly slashed another man in the neck during a verbal dispute, then fled. The victim tracked down Transit Police himself and was taken to the hospital with a serious wound. Transit Police Superintendent Richard Sullivan confirmed the investigation is ongoing. Another reminder that rider safety on the T remains a persistent concern.

Firefighters responded just after midnight Saturday to Byrider South Attleboro on Washington Street, where they found two cars fully engulfed in flames — started, apparently, by a dumpster fire. Crews knocked it down quickly and prevented a much larger loss, but investigators say the cause is suspicious. No injuries reported.

Hingham Public Schools is juggling a sharp rise in special education enrollment — now at 19.1% of students — alongside a list of compliance directives from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education following a comprehensive review. Executive Director of Student Services Christine Panarese presented a state-monitored restructuring plan at the May 11 School Committee meeting. With 207 initial referrals already logged this year and 205 high schoolers on 504 plans, the district is under real pressure.

The Healey-Driscoll administration is marking a milestone: more than 1,000 farms have now been preserved through the state's Agricultural Preservation Restriction program, which pays farmers to permanently protect their land from development. It's the kind of quiet, long-running program that rarely makes headlines but quietly shapes what Massachusetts looks like — and what gets to stay farmland instead of becoming a subdivision.

⚡ Severe Weather Window Wednesday — WCVB is flagging an "impact weather" alert for Wednesday, when temperatures could hit the low 90s and scattered thunderstorms are possible after a stretch of unseasonable heat; plan accordingly if you have outdoor events midweek. WCVB →

🗳️ Plymouth's Acrimonious Select Board Race — The Full Backstory — If you want to understand the full drama behind Saturday's Plymouth election — the accusations, the factions, the mysterious signs — the Plymouth Independent has the deep dive. Plymouth Independent →

🥞 Springfield's World's Largest Pancake Breakfast — If you're in the Pioneer Valley this weekend, downtown Springfield hosted the World's Largest Pancake Breakfast on Saturday with associated road closures — worth knowing if you're heading through. WWLP Western MA →

Full budget details →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• Leslie St.George — City Councilor, New Bedford — Filed: 5/15/2026
• Tony Rodrigues (Democratic) — House, 10th Plymouth — Filed: 5/13/2026
• Jon Hall — Sheriff, Franklin County — Filed: 5/11/2026

PACs

• GOP 8 PAC — N/A, N/A — Filed: 5/11/2026

OCPF →

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The Mass Brief • Powered by South Shore News

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Full budget details →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• Leslie St.George — City Councilor, New Bedford — Filed: 5/15/2026
• Tony Rodrigues (Democratic) — House, 10th Plymouth — Filed: 5/13/2026
• Jon Hall — Sheriff, Franklin County — Filed: 5/11/2026

PACs

• GOP 8 PAC — N/A, N/A — Filed: 5/11/2026

OCPF →

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The Healey administration drew a sharp line with federal immigration authorities this week, with the Registry of Motor Vehicles declining to issue confidential and undercover license plates to ICE agents conducting civil immigration arrests. The state will only provide them to Homeland Security investigators who certify the vehicles will be used in criminal — not civil — investigations. The Justice Department responded Tuesday with a letter from Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate calling the policy "deeply dangerous" and "blatantly unlawful," and threatening consequences if it isn't reversed immediately.

Governor Healey isn't blinking. "Massachusetts is not going to allow state resources to be used to help ICE operate in secret while they are violating people's rights and making us all less safe," her spokesperson Jacqueline Manning said. The distinction the state is drawing — criminal enforcement yes, civil immigration sweeps no — tracks with Massachusetts' longstanding policy of limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities, but the undercover-plates angle is new terrain. When federal agents can't blend into traffic undetected, their ability to conduct surprise civil arrests gets a lot harder.

What happens next is likely a legal fight. Shumate's letter suggests the feds may try to use this as leverage in broader funding battles with Massachusetts — a familiar playbook. Healey has fought it before. Expect this one to escalate quickly.

Full story at GBH News →

Mayor Michelle Wu is holding firm on her $4.9 billion spending plan, telling city councilors in a letter Thursday that she will not increase the bottom line — even if a majority votes to reject the budget next month. Councilor Erin Murphy says there's "strong appetite" among at least seven councilors to push back, but Wu says raiding the city's $1 billion emergency reserve or inflating revenue projections would be "fiscally irresponsible." This is shaping up to be the defining political fight at City Hall this summer. Boston Globe →

A new MassINC poll shows Governor Healey with an underwater approval rating, and the MBTA is a big reason why. A striking 82% of Massachusetts voters say the state's transportation system is in fair or poor condition, and only 21% say they've seen any improvement — worse numbers than in either of the past two years. Healey has made the T a centerpiece of her administration, which makes these numbers a genuine problem heading toward her reelection horizon. Boston.com →

Four months after the fishing vessel Lily Jean sank off Gloucester and killed all seven people aboard — including the captain, crew members, and a federal fisheries observer — families still don't know what happened. Now Healey and state Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr are asking Navy Secretary Hung Cao to help recover a video recorder believed to be intact on the ocean floor, which could capture the ship's final moments. The Navy's also being asked to assess recovering the remains of the six crew members whose bodies have never been found. GBH News →

Here's one that will matter to a lot of people immediately: Healey's Division of Insurance finalized new regulations this week eliminating prior authorization requirements for a broad range of routine and essential care — think cancer scans, asthma inhalers, diabetes medications, and heart disease treatments. Anyone who has ever waited weeks for an insurance company to approve a prescription their doctor already ordered knows exactly why this is a big deal. State House News Service →

Anne Brensley, who won the Republican Party's endorsement for lieutenant governor with 56% of delegate votes, won't appear on the primary ballot after failing to collect the required 10,000 valid signatures. Her campaign says a paid signature gatherer — Joe Bronske, who chairs the Weymouth Republican Town Committee — took $15,000 and apparently delivered thousands of forged or invalid signatures. Town clerks from three communities flagged forgery concerns to Secretary of State Bill Galvin's office. Brensley is asking for a two-week extension. Don't hold your breath. Boston.com →

Patrick Van Cott, 64, of Sandwich, pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to running a years-long scheme in which he stole food and commercial kitchen equipment from Plymouth Public Schools' lunch program to supply his private seasonal business, the "Snack Shack" on Sandy Neck Beach in Barnstable. Van Cott ran Plymouth's food services operation from 2003 until last June. The scheme ran from 2014 onward. Sentencing is set for August 19. State House News Service →

Cambridge Shooting Dangerousness Hearing: Tyler Brown, the man accused of opening fire on random drivers along Memorial Drive on Monday, was arraigned from his hospital bed Thursday and is being held pending a dangerousness hearing — watch for that date to be set in the coming days. WCVB →

Boston City Council Budget Vote: The council is expected to take up Mayor Wu's $4.9 billion spending plan next month — if you care about city services, school funding, or grants in your neighborhood, now is the time to find out where your councilor stands. Boston Globe →

Firefighter Benefits Bill on Beacon Hill: Governor Healey's legislation to give injured Chelmsford firefighter Nick Spinale full pay and benefits while he recovers will need to move through the Legislature — a bill worth watching for anyone who cares about how the state treats workers injured in the line of public service. Boston Globe →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• Tony Rodrigues (Democratic) — House, 10th Plymouth — Filed: 5/13/2026
• Jon Hall — Sheriff, Franklin County — Filed: 5/11/2026

PACs

• GOP 8 PAC — N/A, N/A — Filed: 5/11/2026

OCPF →

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Tyler Brown, 46, sat in a hospital bed Wednesday — arraignment delayed because he wasn’t yet medically cleared — facing two counts of assault with intent to murder and a stack of firearms charges after allegedly opening fire on rush-hour traffic along Memorial Drive on Monday, wounding two people including an MBTA driver who was shot in the head and somehow drove himself to the hospital. That driver, a husband of 37 years and father of eight, is reportedly recovering. A vigil outside Cambridge City Hall drew residents still processing how this happened in broad daylight on one of the city’s busiest roads.

The question everyone is asking isn’t really about Brown’s guilt — it’s about the cascade of failures that preceded the shooting. Brown was on parole for a 2020 shooting involving four Boston police officers. He was released from a psychiatric hospital just last Friday. He called his parole officer before the attack and reportedly told him he was in crisis. He was using crack cocaine and was reportedly suicidal. State Trooper Landon Veney arrived first, came face-to-face with Brown, took fire, and returned it — joined by an armed Marine veteran who happened to be nearby. Fifty to sixty rounds were fired in total. The fact that only two people were seriously wounded is, in a grim way, extraordinary.

What happens next will play out on two tracks: the criminal case against Brown, now scheduled for arraignment in Cambridge District Court with a public defender appointed, and the political reckoning over how someone with this history, this mental state, and this record had access to a high-powered rifle on a Friday-to-Monday timeline. Expect the Legislature to hear about it.

Governor Maura Healey built her first-term coalition on labor support, but heading into her reelection campaign, some of her biggest backers are sitting on their hands. The Massachusetts Teachers Association, the Nurses Association, and the SEIU Massachusetts State Council — all of which endorsed her four years ago — haven’t pulled the trigger on endorsements yet. Sticking points include her administration’s embrace of AI in state government, her opposition to a labor-backed MCAS ballot question, and a general sense that her messaging has drifted toward business interests. She’ll almost certainly get their backing eventually, but the enthusiasm gap is real and it matters.

Voters could weigh in on a record 11 ballot questions this fall — covering everything from slashing the state income tax to repealing the recreational cannabis law to ending traditional party primaries. But before any of that happens, the Supreme Judicial Court is playing gatekeeper, already knocking one measure out and weighing legal challenges to at least four more. The court’s decisions will have more impact on the November ballot than any campaign ad.

After years of standoff between Auditor Diana DiZoglio and the Legislature she’s been trying to audit, Attorney General Andrea Campbell said her office will allow DiZoglio to hire an attorney and proceed — at least on four narrowed areas of Senate finances. This follows a Supreme Judicial Court order giving Campbell a 30-day deadline to act. Nearly 72% of voters approved giving the auditor this authority, so watching it stall for years has been a civics lesson in the power of legislative self-preservation. It now appears the dam may finally be breaking.

Chelmsford firefighter Nick Spinale, 28, nearly died in April after falling 40 feet at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy in Stow. Because he was working as a part-time state instructor — not on active Chelmsford duty — his town couldn’t put him on injury leave, forcing him to burn through sick time while he relearned how to walk at Spaulding Rehab. Governor Healey filed legislation this week to ensure Spinale receives full pay and benefits during his recovery. It’s a narrow fix for one man, but it also exposes a gaping hole in how the state handles injuries to workers who straddle municipal and state roles.

A new UMass Donahue Institute report argues that real estate transfer fees on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket — where median home prices hit $1.4 million and $3.7 million respectively last year — would generate millions for affordable housing without meaningfully denting sales or prices. Opponents have long warned of market disruption, but the report points to the Hamptons, where similar fees were added in 2023 and sales volumes held steady. The bills remain stuck in committee, but this analysis gives advocates fresh ammunition.

A federal judge grilled Justice Department attorneys Wednesday over their lawsuit targeting Boston’s Trust Act, which bars police from holding immigrants on civil ICE detainer requests without a criminal warrant. US District Judge Leo Sorokin pointedly noted the government had previously conceded that municipalities may comply with detainer requests but aren’t required to — undermining the DOJ’s core argument. Boston’s attorney called it a federal attempt to “force the city to carry out its immigration agenda.” No ruling yet, but the judge’s skepticism was hard to miss.

Tyler Brown’s Arraignment — Brown was not medically cleared Wednesday; check Cambridge District Court for a rescheduled date as the case moves forward. WCVB →

SJC Ballot Question Rulings — Keep an eye on the Supreme Judicial Court for decisions on legal challenges to the income tax cut, rent control repeal, cannabis rollback, and open primaries questions — any of which could reshape November’s ballot. Boston Globe →

Evening Commute Warning — Heavy rain is expected to hit Massachusetts this afternoon and slow the evening commute significantly; conditions improve by the weekend. WCVB →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• Tony Rodrigues (Democratic) — House, 10th Plymouth — Filed: 5/13/2026
• Jon Hall — Sheriff, Franklin County — Filed: 5/11/2026
• Brandon Wood — Senate, Middlesex & Suffolk — Filed: 5/8/2026

PACs

• GOP 8 PAC (Democratic) — N/A, N/A — Filed: 5/11/2026

OCPF →

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Monday’s midday rampage on Memorial Drive — Tyler Brown allegedly firing more than 50 rounds at random motorists with a semi-automatic rifle, critically wounding two drivers — would be horrifying enough on its own. But the details that have emerged since make it one of those stories that forces an uncomfortable conversation about how the criminal justice system, mental health care, and parole supervision all intersect, and what happens when they fail simultaneously.

The timeline is damning. Brown’s parole officer knew he had relapsed on crack cocaine, had just been discharged from McLean Hospital the previous Friday, and had actually shown the officer the rifle over FaceTime while saying “I’m not going back to prison.” Police were already hunting for him when he opened fire on Cambridge’s busiest riverside road. A retired judge is now defending the 2021 sentence that released Brown after about four years — arguing Judge Janet Sanders followed the guidelines and couldn’t predict the future. That’s technically true. It’s also beside the point. The deeper question isn’t whether one judge made a bad call; it’s whether the entire web of supervision, mental health follow-up, and early intervention failed a man who was, by every available signal, in acute crisis for hours before the shooting.

A State Police trooper and an armed Marine veteran who happened to be on scene stopped Brown before anyone was killed. The two wounded drivers are expected to survive. What happens next: expect legislative hearings on parole supervision protocols, loud calls to revisit sentencing guidelines, and a very long look at the gap between someone leaving a psychiatric facility on Friday and shooting up a highway on Monday.

Full story at Boston Globe →

📊 The income tax cut looks great — until you read the fine print. A new MassINC poll finds about two-thirds of Massachusetts voters support a ballot question that would drop the state income tax from 5% to 4%. That support collapses to 40% when voters are told it would mean deep cuts to education, health care, and local aid — and that the biggest savings go to the wealthiest residents. The Massachusetts Municipal Association is already sounding the alarm. This one is going to be a fight all the way to November.

GBH News →

⚖️ The Legislature audit standoff inches forward. Attorney General Andrea Campbell said Tuesday she’ll allow State Auditor Diana DiZoglio to hire an outside attorney to pursue her lawsuit against the House and Senate — but only if DiZoglio refiles a narrower version of the complaint, consistent with last week’s Supreme Judicial Court guidance. Voters approved DiZoglio’s authority to audit the Legislature back in 2024. It has taken this long just to get into court. The Legislature, for its part, has continued to simply… not comply.

CommonWealth Beacon — DiZoglio/Campbell →

🌬️ Healey’s climate credibility is fraying. A sharp new piece lays out the growing tension between Governor Maura Healey’s reelection positioning and her climate commitments. Environmentalists who once formed a reliable donor base are holding back — a planned spring fundraiser was scrapped after organizers couldn’t cobble together enough support. Healey has picked up a key endorsement from the Environmental League of Massachusetts, which is calling her a pragmatist. Others are calling it something less flattering. With energy prices still high and the Markey-Moulton primary reshaping the left flank of the Democratic Party, this is a fault line worth watching.

CommonWealth Beacon →

🏢 Downtown Boston’s return-to-office moment is real. Fidelity’s full-time return-to-office mandate for its 6,000-plus Boston employees kicks in September, and now TD Bank is doubling its downtown footprint to nearly 39,000 square feet at International Place to accommodate a four-day-a-week in-office policy. Mayor Michelle Wu called Fidelity’s announcement “great news” for small businesses. It genuinely is — lunch spots, coffee shops, and dry cleaners near South Station have been limping along for years. The commuters are coming back.

Boston.com →

🗳️ The Markey-Moulton money primary is on. Business leaders in Massachusetts are being forced to pick a side in the Senate primary between incumbent Senator Ed Markey and Congressman Seth Moulton — and a notable slice of the Boston business community is breaking toward Moulton. Ginkgo Bioworks CEO Jason Kelly summed up the sentiment: “If we keep doing the same thing, it is not going to get better.” Some donors are hedging, giving to both. Nobody wants to be caught on the wrong side, but the race is closer than people expected, and the money is starting to reflect that.

Boston Globe →

🚔 Trial begins for man accused of posing as Uber driver to assault nine women. Jury selection is underway in Suffolk Superior Court in the case against Alvin R. Campbell Jr., 45, who prosecutors say spent nearly two years pretending to be an Uber driver and targeting intoxicated women leaving Boston-area bars and nightclubs. The case carries an added layer of public attention because Campbell is the brother of Attorney General Andrea Campbell, who has said she is “praying for the survivors.”

Boston Globe →

Parole Board nominee hearing: Governor Healey’s pick Vincent DeMore faces continued scrutiny from more than 400 opponents who say his prosecutorial background doesn’t fit the board’s rehabilitative mission — watch the Governor’s Council for next steps. Boston Globe →

DiZoglio’s lawyers have until Monday to refile a narrowed version of the legislative audit lawsuit, per Attorney General Campbell’s office — a quiet but consequential deadline that will determine whether this standoff finally moves toward resolution. GBH News →

Heads up for Thursday commuters: StormTeam 5 has flagged Thursday evening as an impact weather day, with heavy rain and possible thunderstorms expected to make the PM commute messy across Massachusetts. Plan accordingly. WCVB →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• Jon Hall — Sheriff, Franklin County — Filed: 5/11/2026
• Brandon Wood — Senate, Middlesex & Suffolk — Filed: 5/8/2026

PACs

• GOP 8 PAC (Democratic) — N/A, N/A — Filed: 5/11/2026

Change of Purposes

• Charles Delaney — City Councilor, Boston → House, 4th Suffolk — Filed: 5/7/2026

OCPF →

The Mass Brief publishes every morning. Forward it to someone who should be reading it.

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THE MASS BRIEF

Tuesday, May 12, 2026

THE LEAD

A man walked down Memorial Drive with an assault rifle and opened fire. Two people are fighting for their lives.

Tyler Brown, 46, spent Monday afternoon terrorizing drivers on one of Cambridge's busiest streets, firing 50 to 60 rounds at passing cars in broad daylight. Two men — one an MBTA Ride driver — were struck and remain in critical condition at Boston hospitals. At least a dozen vehicles took gunfire. Drivers abandoned their cars mid-street and dove for cover beneath them.

Here's what makes this more infuriating: Boston Police knew Brown was dangerous hours before he opened fire. His parole officer reported that morning that Brown — who pleaded guilty in 2020 to attempting to murder Boston police officers — had made suicidal statements and was seen on FaceTime brandishing an assault rifle. An officer safety bulletin went out. Officers tried a welfare check at his Dorchester home around 12:30 p.m. By 1:06 p.m., he was in Cambridge, walking down the center lane of Memorial Drive, rifle raised.

A Massachusetts State Police trooper and a civilian — reportedly a former Marine — shot Brown before he finally dropped the weapon. He's hospitalized under guard. The trooper and civilian are being hailed as heroes, and they are. But the question investigators will face: Why was a man on probation for shooting at cops, flagged as an active threat that morning, able to cross the river with a military-style weapon and terrorize a city before anyone could stop him?

Full story at GBH News →

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW

Business leaders are lining up behind Seth Moulton's Senate challenge. When a long-serving senator faces a primary, you'd expect the business community to stick with the incumbent. Not this time. Moulton is building surprising support among business leaders frustrated with what they see as federal policies undermining the Massachusetts economy — and hungry for generational change within the Democratic Party. The Sept. 1 primary between Moulton and Senator Ed Markey is shaping up to be more competitive than many expected.

Boston Globe →

Rhode Island's clean energy progress is under threat from its own governor. Governor Dan McKee wants to gut the state's Renewable Energy Standard, replacing a clear path to 100% renewable electricity by 2033 with a watered-down 75% target by 2050. The proposal would keep Rhode Island families and businesses hooked on expensive gas infrastructure while utility companies profit. The General Assembly needs to reject this amendment if Rhode Island wants to avoid locking in decades more of volatile energy costs and carbon pollution.

Boston Globe →

Brookline voters saved their schools — and it wasn't close. Nearly 60% of voters approved a Proposition 2½ override that will raise property taxes 18% over three years but avoid cutting 240 full-time positions from schools and public safety. The $23 million in new revenue protects teachers, police, firefighters, school music and language programs, and basic infrastructure investments. Turnout hit 35% — the highest ever for a local election in Brookline — suggesting residents understand what's at stake when communities try to maintain services under outdated state tax caps.

Boston.com →

The Suffolk DA race is officially a three-way fight. Kevin Hayden, Rachael Rollins, and Linda Champion have each cleared the signature threshold to appear on the September primary ballot. Rollins, who resigned as U.S. Attorney in 2023 amid controversy, is mounting a comeback. Champion left Hayden's office to challenge him. Hayden has the fundraising edge with $60,000 cash on hand, but Rollins and Champion are close behind. This will be the first real test of whether Boston voters are willing to give Rollins a second act.

Boston.com →

Massachusetts Senate passes immigrant protection bill — but key differences remain with the House version. The Senate voted 37-3 last week to restrict ICE operations at sensitive locations like courthouses, hospitals, and schools, and to create new civil liability for federal agents who violate constitutional rights. But the Senate and House bills differ on key enforcement mechanisms, and lawmakers must now negotiate a compromise before Governor Healey can sign. Republicans warn the bill will face legal challenges. Democrats say Massachusetts won't be complicit in family separations.

Boston.com →

Reentry programs that keep people out of prison are about to lose state funding. The Community Empowerment and Reinvestment Grant program, created in 2020, sends millions to 66 organizations across Massachusetts that provide job training, housing help, addiction treatment, and mentorship for people returning from incarceration. Unless lawmakers add $15 million to next year's budget, the program disappears. Organizations like Dorchester's MissionSafe have already seen their grants cut in half. Now they're staring at zero. Advocates say this is exactly backward: reentry programs save money and lives by keeping people out of the system.

GBH News →

WORTH YOUR ATTENTION

A wake for Massachusetts State Police Trooper Kevin Trainor will be held this evening in Peabody. Trainor, 30, was killed last week when his cruiser was struck by a wrong-way driver on Route 1 in Lynnfield. His funeral is scheduled for Wednesday. WCVB →

The Rhode Island Senate Judiciary Committee votes Thursday on whether to ask the state Supreme Court for an opinion on the constitutionality of opening a "revival window" for previously expired civil claims against institutions that enabled clergy sexual abuse. The House already passed the bill 68-5. The Senate is punting. Boston Globe →

Smith College students and alumni are demanding the school fight back against the Trump administration's investigation into the college's policy of admitting transgender women. Petitions are circulating calling on Smith to use its $2.7 billion endowment to mount a legal defense rather than cave to federal pressure. Boston Globe →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• Jon Hall — Sheriff, Franklin County — Filed: 5/11/2026
• Brandon Wood — Senate, Middlesex & Suffolk — Filed: 5/8/2026

PACs

• GOP 8 PAC (Democratic) — N/A, N/A — Filed: 5/11/2026

Change of Purposes

• Charles Delaney — City Councilor, Boston → House, 4th Suffolk — Filed: 5/7/2026

OCPF →

ONE MORE THING

The Mass Brief publishes every morning. Have a tip or story idea? Email us.

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

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