THE MASS BRIEF

Monday, May 11, 2026

THE LEAD

Massachusetts Democrats are fighting each other over how to vote

A ballot question that would blow up the state's primary system has the Democratic Party at war with itself. The proposal, backed by Harvard professor and former gubernatorial candidate Danielle Allen, would eliminate traditional party primaries and replace them with a single "jungle primary" where all candidates compete together — and the top two vote-getters, regardless of party, advance to the general election.

Allen argues Massachusetts desperately needs this. Too many legislative races are decided in low-turnout Democratic primaries, leaving general election voters with no real choice. But the Democratic State Committee formally voted to oppose the measure last month, and progressive activists are now gearing up to spend money killing it. Their fear? That the new system would favor well-funded, establishment candidates and box out grassroots challengers who can't compete in expensive preliminary rounds. Even some Republicans are skeptical, despite the theoretical opportunity it creates for their party in a blue state. The irony is thick: a reform designed to increase competition is splitting the dominant party right down the middle, with Democrats on both sides claiming they're fighting for democracy itself.

Full story at Boston Globe →

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW

Violent weekend in Boston: one dead, four injured in three separate shootings

A man was killed on Woolson Street in Mattapan late Saturday night. Hours later, two people were shot on Geneva Avenue in Dorchester around 2 a.m. Sunday. Then Sunday evening, a man and woman were shot on Kingsdale Street in Dorchester — the woman suffered life-threatening injuries. Boston Police say the shootings appear to be targeted, not random, but no arrests have been made in any of the incidents. Superintendent Paul McLaughlin is asking anyone with information to contact the homicide unit.

Boston Globe →

The middle class is shrinking — and Massachusetts feels it acutely

New polling and reporting from CommonWealth Beacon captures what thousands of Bay Staters already know: the traditional markers of middle-class life — owning a home, saving money, sending kids to college — are increasingly out of reach even for families with steady incomes. Historian Andrew Seal, who studies middle-class identity, says the group has always been defined by precarity, but that anxiety is sharper now than in generations. In places like Billerica, residents describe being grateful for what they have while watching home prices make it nearly impossible for the next generation to stay.

CommonWealth Beacon →

Union Point gets a $35 million lifeline — and maybe a new name

The long-stalled redevelopment of the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station is finally moving forward with a massive state infrastructure grant and plans for 3,000 new homes. Developers from New England Development told the Weymouth Town Council the project has cleared major permit hurdles, including a conservation plan for the state's second-largest eastern box turtle habitat. The linchpin is a 6.7-mile MWRA water pipeline extension from Braintree through Randolph to Weymouth. Oh, and "Union Point"? That name might not survive — developers say they need to overcome "credibility issues" from two decades of false starts.

South Shore News →

Haverhill man charged with secretly recording nude victims in Halifax home

Brendan Tyler Traub, 37, pleaded not guilty Friday to charges he installed hidden recording devices in a Halifax residence and secretly photographed at least seven adult victims over multiple months in 2024. Halifax Police found the device in February; forensic analysis by the Plymouth County Sheriff's Department led investigators to Traub's cellphone. He was arraigned on five misdemeanor counts of nonconsensual nude photography and five felony wiretapping counts, then released on personal recognizance. Police say the investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed.

Boston Globe →

Dark money floods Longmeadow ahead of municipal internet vote

Longmeadow residents head to Town Meeting Tuesday to decide whether to put a debt exclusion for municipal fiber internet on the ballot — and Comcast isn't happy about it. A shadowy advocacy group called Mass Priorities, linked to a Minnesota entity, has been running Facebook ads opposing the town-owned network. Select Board member Vineeth Hemavathi says the goal is simple: provide fast, reliable internet at cost to residents tired of price spikes from the incumbent cable provider. The measure needs two-thirds support at Town Meeting to reach voters.

Western Mass Politics & Insight →

This Beverly company makes the gears that make the world go round

Harmonic Drive in Beverly has been manufacturing specialized "strain wave gearing" systems for more than half a century — precision components that power everything from surgical robots to space telescopes to semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The unique three-piece gear system allows for incredibly precise motion control, which is why the North Shore manufacturer's products end up in applications at least a million miles from Earth. It's a reminder that some of the most important manufacturing in Massachusetts happens quietly, making things most people will never see but absolutely depend on.

WCVB →

WORTH YOUR ATTENTION

Pembroke votes tomorrow on a $2 million operating override and regional school debt exclusion at Annual Town Meeting. Tensions are already running high after Select Board members clashed publicly over member conduct and the Town Manager's leadership style. South Shore News →

East Bridgewater takes a third swing at MBTA Communities Act compliance tomorrow, May 11, at Town Meeting. The town is being sued by Attorney General Andrea Campbell for missing the state rezoning deadline — twice — and officials decided against a formal presentation this time, figuring voters already know the stakes. South Shore News →

Duxbury moves forward with a "safety first" redesign of Hall's Corner, the business district that's been a pedestrian safety nightmare for thirty years. The Select Board reviewed conceptual plans for ADA-compliant crosswalks and slow zones while trying to preserve the street parking local businesses need to survive. South Shore News →

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 →

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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

• Brandon Wood — Senate, Middlesex & Suffolk — Filed: 5/8/2026
• James Seibel — House, 35th Middlesex — Filed: 5/4/2026

Change of Purposes

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

OCPF →

ONE MORE THING

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THE MASS BRIEF

Friday, May 08, 2026

Good morning. Governor Healey wants e-bikes, mopeds, and scooters off sidewalks and out of bike lanes—and riders might actually be on board with that.

THE LEAD

Massachusetts is finally regulating the chaos on two wheels. After years of close calls, crashes, and confusion about where exactly you're allowed to zip around on an e-bike or moped, Governor Maura Healey filed the Ride Safe Act this week—a sweeping set of rules to bring order to the micromobility wild west.

Here's the big shift: instead of regulating by device type, the new framework regulates by speed. Higher-speed devices—think souped-up e-bikes and mopeds—would be banned from sidewalks and bike lanes entirely. Moped riders would need to be at least 16. Enforcement would actually happen. The proposal builds on recommendations from a statewide commission and comes after what Healey's office describes as "too much reckless behavior, more crashes and close calls, and too many people, especially pedestrians and young riders" getting hurt.

What's surprising? E-bike enthusiasts are largely welcoming the crackdown. Christopher Schmidt, a Boston resident who owns 30 e-bikes and runs a "lending library" to get more people riding, told the Globe he's "happy to see Massachusetts taking the bull by the horns." The measure reflects a broader tension: e-bikes have exploded in popularity as a joyful, low-sweat way to get around cities, but the lack of rules has created real safety problems. Now the state is trying to keep the magic while ditching the mayhem. Expect pushback from delivery workers and gig economy riders who depend on these devices—and watch to see if the Legislature actually moves this forward or lets it languish. Boston Globe →

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW

The student loan overhaul is about to hit Massachusetts families hard. Federal lending limits kick in this July, and they're brutal: graduate students can borrow only $200,000 total for law or med school and $100,000 for other degrees. Parents are capped at $20,000 per year, down from the full cost of attendance. The Plus loan program for grad students? Gone. According to Boston-based startup Clasp, students nationwide are facing a $6.85 billion shortfall between college costs and what they can now borrow. The Trump administration says the cuts will force schools to lower tuition and prevent defaults. But for families trying to figure out how to pay for next fall, it's a scramble. Private loans, already more expensive, are suddenly the only option for many. Boston Globe →

Commercial drivers who are immigrants are losing their licenses—and their jobs. The Trump administration's September rule revoking non-domiciled commercial driver's licenses for refugees, asylees, and those with temporary protected status is now being enforced by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. That means school bus drivers, MBTA operators, and delivery drivers with legal status are being told they can't renew their CDLs. "I've lost my driver license. I lost everything," one Boston Public Schools driver named Daniel told GBH. Roughly 200,000 immigrants with legal status hold CDLs nationwide. The rule didn't immediately terminate active licenses, but states are now blocking renewals. GBH News →

Ed Markey's lead over Seth Moulton is shrinking fast. A new Emerson College poll puts Markey ahead by just 5 points in the Democratic Senate primary—37% to 32%, with 29% undecided. Previous polls have shown Markey with double-digit leads. Markey is strong with registered Democrats, women, and younger voters. Moulton does better with unenrolled voters and men. But here's the catch: women and younger voters are more likely to be undecided, meaning Markey's edge isn't as solid as it looks. The Moulton campaign is celebrating and pivoting to the general election. Markey's team will need to shore up support fast. GBH News →

Massachusetts just handed out tax breaks to an industry people are starting to hate. After 18 months of work, the state finalized a sales tax exemption for data centers on Thursday. Qualified facilities—at least 100,000 square feet, 100 jobs, $50 million invested—won't pay the 6.25% sales tax for 20 years on equipment, software, electricity, or construction. The timing is awkward: Lowell residents just sued state regulators over approvals for a large data center there last week, and the city enacted the state's first data center moratorium in March. The AI industry's resource demands are fueling backlash nationwide. Secretary of Economic Development Eric Paley says he's aware of the concerns and that centers must "internalize the overall externalities, particularly around electricity, but water, too." Translation: this fight is just getting started. CommonWealth Beacon →

The fight over auditing the Legislature just got a 30-day deadline. The Supreme Judicial Court ordered Attorney General Andrea Campbell to decide within 30 days whether she'll represent Auditor Diana DiZoglio in her lawsuit to force lawmakers to comply with an audit. During arguments Wednesday, justices made clear they're tired of watching DiZoglio, Campbell, and legislative leaders battle each other "to exhaustion." Justice Scott Kafker: "People have an interest in having that resolved, and this court ultimately decides whether that's constitutional." Nearly 72% of voters approved a 2024 ballot question giving DiZoglio the authority to audit the Legislature. Lawmakers say it violates separation of powers. Campbell says she needs more information before picking a side. Now she has a month to figure it out. Boston Globe →

A wrong-way crash on Route 1 killed a state trooper trying to save lives. Trooper Kevin Trainor, 30, died Wednesday morning when a Jeep traveling the wrong way on Route 1 in Lynnfield slammed into his unmarked SUV. The driver, 50-year-old Hernan Marrero, also died. Trainor's shift had just ended when the 911 call came in about a southbound driver on the northbound side. State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble said Trainor's actions saved other drivers. On Thursday, Trainor's fiancée Jessica laid flowers on his cruiser at the Danvers barracks. Hundreds lined the streets Thursday night for his dignified transfer from Boston to a Peabody funeral home. He leaves behind his fiancée, his mother Barbara, a sister, and three brothers. WBZ / CBS Boston →

WORTH YOUR ATTENTION

Ballot question mayhem continues: Massachusetts could see a record-breaking 11 ballot questions this November. The SJC heard challenges to four measures this week and already blocked a legislative stipend reform measure after ruling it unconstitutional. Campaigns now face a July deadline to collect additional signatures. CommonWealth Beacon →

The GOP primary pressure campaign: Mike Minogue won the Republican Party's endorsement for governor and is now running ads attacking Maura Healey while his supporters openly urge rival Brian Shortsleeve to drop out before the September 1 primary. Shortsleeve is not budging. Boston Globe →

Blue Line chaos: A man who decided to walk through the harbor tunnel forced a complete Blue Line shutdown Wednesday evening. Transit Police had to tase him after he refused to cooperate. He made it more than halfway under the harbor before they caught up to him. Universal Hub →

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

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

Change of Purposes

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

OCPF →

ONE MORE THING

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Good morning. The Healey administration just made e-bikes, mopeds, and scooters a lot easier to regulate — and harder to ride recklessly. Meanwhile, immigrant commercial drivers across Massachusetts are losing their livelihoods over a Trump administration rule, and the Senate race is getting tighter than anyone expected.

THE LEAD

Massachusetts is finally catching up to the e-bike boom — with rules that riders actually want.

Governor Maura Healey filed the Ride Safe Act this week, a sweeping set of regulations that would classify e-bikes, mopeds, and scooters by speed capability rather than device type. High-speed devices would be banned from sidewalks and bike lanes. Moped riders would need to be at least 16. And here's the surprising part: many cyclists and e-bike enthusiasts are thrilled about it.

Christopher Schmidt, who runs a 30-bike "lending library" in Boston, told the Globe he's "happy to see Massachusetts taking the bull by the horns." That's not your typical response to new government regulations. But after years of watching delivery riders barrel down sidewalks and close calls multiply, there's a growing consensus that the current free-for-all isn't working. The new rules build on recommendations from a statewide commission and aim to bring clarity to a market that's exploded without much oversight.

Healey says the current rules are "unclear and inconsistent," and she's right. What happens next: the Legislature will need to pass the bill, which could take months. In the meantime, expect more local communities to push for their own rules. This is one of those rare moments when regulation might actually make people safer and happier. Full story at Boston Globe →

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW

Federal student loan cuts are about to blow a $6.85 billion hole in college budgets. Starting in July, the Trump administration is capping parent borrowing at $20,000 per year and eliminating the Plus loan program for graduate students entirely. Graduate students studying law or medicine will be capped at $200,000 in total borrowing; everyone else gets $100,000. Schools and families are scrambling to figure out how to bridge the gap. The White House says it's trying to control the debt crisis. Critics say it'll just price people out of college altogether. Boston Globe →

Immigrant commercial drivers in Massachusetts are losing their licenses — and their jobs. The Trump administration is blocking non-domiciled commercial drivers licenses for refugees, asylees, and immigrants with temporary protected status. That includes school bus drivers, MBTA operators, and truckers who haul everything from vegetables to electronics. "I've lost my driver license. I lost everything," one Boston Public Schools driver told GBH. Massachusetts is following the federal rule, and roughly 200,000 immigrant CDL holders nationwide are affected. The impact on schools and transit systems could be massive. GBH News →

The Markey-Moulton Senate race is getting tight. A new Emerson College poll has Ed Markey leading Seth Moulton by just 5 points — 37% to 32% — with 29% of voters still undecided. That's a significant tightening from earlier polls, which showed Markey with double-digit leads. Markey is still strong among registered Democrats, women, and younger voters. Moulton is doing better with unenrolled voters and men. The Moulton campaign is already celebrating and treating this like a general election race. Primary day is September 1. GBH News →

The Supreme Judicial Court just gave Attorney General Andrea Campbell 30 days to decide if she'll represent Diana DiZoglio. The justices are clearly tired of watching Campbell and DiZoglio fight over whether the auditor can sue the Legislature to force an audit. During arguments Wednesday, Justice Scott Kafker told both sides: "You're both battling each other to exhaustion, and we're going nowhere." Voters approved DiZoglio's audit authority in 2024 by a 72% margin, but lawmakers say it violates separation of powers. Now the SJC wants Campbell to file a status report and say whether she's in or out. Boston Globe →

Data centers just got their 20-year tax break — right as public backlash is mounting. The state finalized regulations Thursday that exempt qualified data centers from the 6.25% sales tax on equipment, software, electricity, and construction costs. To qualify, facilities must be at least 100,000 square feet, create 100 jobs, and invest $50 million. The timing is awkward: Lowell residents sued state regulators last week over a large data center approval, and the city enacted the state's first data center moratorium in March. These AI facilities are resource hogs, and communities are pushing back. CommonWealth Beacon →

Mike Minogue wants Brian Shortsleeve to drop out of the GOP primary. Shortsleeve is not cooperating. Minogue won the party's endorsement at the GOP convention and is already running "general election" ads against Maura Healey. More than 60 Republican state committee members signed a letter urging unity behind Minogue. But Shortsleeve, a Barnstable County commissioner, isn't going anywhere. This is the Republican Party's latest round of internal dysfunction, and it's playing out in public. The primary is September 1. Boston Globe →

WORTH YOUR ATTENTION

Dangerousness hearing scheduled. Shawana Ann Leslie and Douglas A. Norris, charged with fentanyl trafficking and firearm possession after Taunton police allegedly found 140 grams of fentanyl and a loaded handgun, have dangerousness hearings coming up following their not-guilty pleas. Boston Globe →

Ballot question deadline approaching. Massachusetts could see 11 ballot questions this November — a state record — if they all survive court challenges and signature gathering. Campaigns face a July deadline to collect additional signatures. Four measures are already facing SJC scrutiny. CommonWealth Beacon →

Dignified transfer for Trooper Kevin Trainor. A solemn procession Thursday night honored Massachusetts State Police Trooper Kevin Trainor, 30, who was killed Wednesday by a wrong-way driver on Route 1 in Lynnfield. His fiancée laid flowers on his cruiser at the Danvers barracks. Funeral arrangements are pending. WBZ / CBS Boston →

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

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

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 with the news you need to know. Have a tip? Email us.

The Mass Brief • Powered by South Shore News

Get The Mass Brief every morning

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

Powered by South Shore News

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

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

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. Got a tip? Email us.

The Mass Brief • Powered by South Shore News

State Police Trooper Kevin Trainor, 30, had just wrapped up his shift around 2 a.m. Wednesday and was driving home to Georgetown when he heard the radio call: a Jeep traveling the wrong way on Route 1 in Lynnfield. He didn't have to do anything. He was off the clock. He responded anyway.

Seventeen seconds after troopers spotted the vehicle, it hit Trainor's SUV head-on near a Lynnfield Mercedes dealership. The wrong-way driver, Hernan Marrero, 50, of Roslindale, died at the scene. Trainor was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he later died. He leaves behind his fiancée Jessica, his mother Barbara, and four siblings. State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble said it plainly: "He saved lives this morning." Flowers have been piling up outside the Danvers barracks where Trainor worked ever since.

The question of what comes next is both personal and institutional. For Trainor's family, the Hundred Club of Massachusetts — a 60-year-old organization that supports fallen first responders' loved ones — has already stepped in. For the State Police, this loss lands while the agency is also dealing with four of its own academy instructors facing manslaughter charges in a recruit's death. It's a heavy moment for the department, and for the state.

The Supreme Judicial Court heard arguments Wednesday in the long-running standoff between State Auditor Diana DiZoglio and Attorney General Andrea Campbell over DiZoglio's voter-approved bid to audit the Legislature. The justices — openly frustrated — floated setting a hard deadline forcing both sides to either make progress or explain why they can't. "You're both battling each other to exhaustion, and we're going nowhere," Justice Scott Kafker told the room. Two years after 72% of voters approved the audit, not a single file has been reviewed.

A new MassINC Polling Group survey for CommonWealth Beacon and WBUR finds that housing costs rank as the single biggest financial pressure point for Bay State residents, ahead of healthcare, taxes, and higher education. The crunch hits hardest for people ages 35–44 — exactly the demographic trying to put down roots and raise families. The poll results land as towns like Marblehead are still dragging their feet on the MBTA Communities Act.

After the Supreme Judicial Court issued an advisory opinion declaring it unconstitutional, the attorney general's office has formally told Secretary of State William Galvin the measure cannot proceed to the ballot. The proposal would have cut legislative leaders' pay collectively by more than $500,000 and tied stipends to internal procedural requirements. The court ruled it was essentially a rules change dressed up as a ballot question — a line the constitution doesn't allow voters to cross.

Three candidates have cleared the 1,000-signature threshold to run for Suffolk County District Attorney in November: incumbent Kevin Hayden, attorney Linda Champion (a former member of Hayden's own leadership team), and former U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins, who previously held the DA seat before her rocky tenure in Washington. All three must submit final paperwork by the end of the month. This race will be worth watching closely — it will set the tone for prosecution priorities across Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop.

The annual water quality report cards for the Charles, Mystic, and Neponset Rivers all slipped into the B and C range for 2025, driven by increased rainfall overwhelming aging combined sewer systems that dump both stormwater and raw sewage into the water when it gets overwhelmed. Watershed groups say the state's current plans to limit pollutants don't go nearly far enough, and that a truly swimmable Charles River remains a distant goal without serious infrastructure investment.

Casey LaMonte pleaded not guilty to felony manslaughter in Worcester Superior Court. LaMonte, a senior member of the academy's Defensive Tactics Unit, reportedly helped write the lesson plan at issue. He joins Lieutenant Jennifer Penton and Troopers Edwin Rodriguez and David Montanez, all of whom have already been arraigned on the same charges. Delgado-Garcia, 25, died in September 2024 from brain injuries sustained during a mandatory boxing exercise at the academy.

Suffolk DA candidates have until the end of May to submit final signature paperwork to the state in order to appear on the November ballot — if you're following that race, the next few weeks will tell us who's actually in. GBH News →

The Boston City Council's education committee will take up a hearing order on whether Boston Public Schools should join nationwide federal litigation against the parent companies of Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Google over youth mental health harms — keep an eye on BPS for a response. Boston.com →

Casey LaMonte's pre-trial conference in the State Police academy manslaughter case is scheduled for June 16 in Worcester Superior Court. Boston Globe →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Big Spending This Week

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

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

Ballot Question Committees

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

OCPF →

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The Mass Brief • Powered by South Shore News

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

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Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Big Spending This Week

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

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

Ballot Question Committees

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

OCPF →

Get The Mass Brief every morning

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

Powered by South Shore News

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.

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Big Spending This Week

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• 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 →

The Mass Brief publishes every morning. Forward it to someone who actually wants to know what's going on.

The Mass Brief • Powered by South Shore News

Get The Mass Brief every morning

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

Powered by South Shore News

Big Spending This Week

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• 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 →

Get The Mass Brief every morning

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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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 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 →

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 →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Big Spending This Week

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• 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 →

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Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Big Spending This Week

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

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

Candidates

• 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 →

Get The Mass Brief every morning

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

• 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 →

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

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 →

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

• 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 →

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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

• 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 →

The Mass Brief publishes every morning. Forward this to someone who should be paying attention.

The Mass Brief • Powered by South Shore News

Get The Mass Brief every morning

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

Powered by South Shore News

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

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 →

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 →

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 →

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 →

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The Mass Brief • Powered by South Shore News

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 →

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 →

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'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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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The Mass Brief • Powered by South Shore News

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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