Happening Today
Veterans Day holiday
Today is Veterans Day and many government entities and some private businesses will be closed.
‘Patriot Homes’ for veterans
Boston Mayor Martin Walsh and City Councilor William Linehan are scheduled to participate in a ribbon-cutting dedication of Patriot Homes, 24 new “affordable Veterans-preference apartments” redeveloped at South Boston’s former District 6 police station, 273 D St., South Boston, 9 a.m.
Baker at Veterans Day ceremony
Gov. Charlie Baker joins Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Secretary of Veterans’ Services Francisco Urena to attend the Commonwealth’s official Veterans Day ceremony, Memorial Hall, 9:45 a.m.
State House Veterans Day Ceremony
The Department of Veterans’ Services has reserved the second floor of the State House for its annual Veterans Day ceremony. Attorney General Maura Healey will attend the event, which honors veterans and military families, State House, House Chamber, 10 a.m.
Moulton’s Veterans Day Town Hall
U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton will host a Veterans Day Town Hall, the second year he has hosted the event which drew more than 150 veterans and non-veterans last year, Abbot Hall, 188 Washington Street, Marblehead, 11 a.m.
Mass Fallen Heroes
Gov. Baker joins Boston Mayor Martin Walsh to participate in the Mass Fallen Heroes Veterans Day Ceremony, 85 Northern Avenue, Boston, 2 p.m.
Today’s Stories
Newton’s Warren sparks 2018 speculation
Newton Mayor Seti Warren said Thursday he will not run for another term leading the city, sparking instant speculation that the next time his name appears on a ballot it will be during the 2018 campaign for governor of the Commonwealth. Matt Stout of the Herald reports that Democrat operatives see Warren,46, as a potential rising star in the party, citing his military experience and working knowledge of Washington (he served in the Clinton administration). Warren has some significant fundraising ground to make up if he decides to take on Gov. Baker: Warren’s campaign account currently stands as less than $30,000, compared to the $4.3 million in Baker’s bulging war chest.
Neal: Dems need to reconnect with working-class, cut dependence on big donors
The Democratic Party has to find a way to embrace its “former supporters’’ in the working class and promote pro-growth economic policies, reports SHNS’s Colin Young at MassLive. “When I look at our messaging, I often wonder what is in it for our former supporters. I think on the economic side we’ve become more hostile to growth,” Neal said at a New England Council breakfast meeting. He added: “It’s no secret that we’re more dependent on big donors from California and places like that. Simultaneously as we’re dependent on big donors we’ve become more and more the party of the very wealthy.”
Speaking of Dems and the working class
Perhaps Richard Neal can share with his Dem colleagues this excellent analysis piece by the NYT’s Peter Goodman on how the political establishment in both the U.S. and Europe have lost touch with those who haven’t benefited from economic globalization, i.e. the working and middle classes. Here’s one passage that jumped out at us:
“In Britain, affluent communities of professionals who hire Romanians to clean their homes and who enjoy getaways to Spain overwhelmingly voted to stay in the European Union. Industrial communities that have lost jobs as manufacturing has shifted east — to Eastern Europe, Turkey and Asia — generally voted to leave.
“In the United States, college-educated urbanites making a comfortable living in the quintessential trades of globalization — finance, technology and media — disdained Mr. Trump. People in the center of the country who lack degrees and have seen jobs transferred to China and Mexico played a leading role in delivering the White House to Mr. Trump. “
‘Working class guy’ Meehan buys $1M condo
Saying sky-high Boston rents were the equivalent of “throwing money down the drain,” UMass President Marty Meehan has purchased a $975,000 condo on the Boston waterfront, Christopher Scott of the Lowell Sun reports. Meehan, who receives a $60,000-a-year housing allowance as part of his contract, said the rent increased recently at the Beacon Street apartment he was renting. “”I’m a working class guy from Lowell,” he said, “and I don’t like throwing money down the drain.”
The cost of keeping Keolis
The company that operates the T’s commuter rail was “on the verge” of walking away from its $2.7 billion contract before the agency agreed to pony up an additional $66 million over the next six year, Bruce Mohl of CommonWealth Magazine reports. T Fiscal Management and Control Board member Brian Lang tells Mohl that—contrary to public statements from others on the board—the additional cash for Keolis Commuter Services stemmed from the difficult negotiating situation the T was in: “As it turns out, the contract was not adequate for Keolis to actually continue to operate. They were on the verge of walking away from it. We were beholden to them, so in that context we negotiated the best deal that we could, but the result was another $66 million for them.”
These 24 towns really didn’t want to legalize marijuana
MassLive has a slide show of the towns that clearly opposed Tuesday’s Question 4, the marijuana-legalization initiative that passed overwhelmingly across the state, except in these and a few other communities. The thing that stood out to us: Only one city, Lawrence, is listed. The rest are mostly suburban and small towns.
New Balance gets hot footed
It’s obvious there were many angry Americans in the wake of Tuesday’s national election and Boston’s own New Balance may have put its foot in its mouth by being among the first to cheer the election of president-elect Donald Trump. A spokesman’s quote to the Wall Street Journal about the election of Trump being a move “in the right direction” sparked an outcry on social media that was soon followed by posts of New Balance owners setting their running shoes aflame, Cady Lang reports in Fortune. New Balance later sought to clarify, saying its comment was focused on Trump’s likely termination of the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership, which the sneaker maker has said made its life harder because its shoes are made in America.
Women gain three seats in Legislature – and group is already pushing for more
Though Hillary Clinton did quite well in Massachusetts, the Democratic presidential candidate’s coattails apparently weren’t long enough to sweep a lot of women into the State House, prompting the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus to start early recruiting efforts for the next election, the group announced yesterday. In all, women saw a net gain of three seats in the Legislature on Tuesday, pushing the female count on Beacon Hill to 26 percent.
Warren: ‘This wasn’t a pretty election’
U.S. Elizabeth Warren still has harsh words for how Donald Trump conducted a campaign of “hatred and fear” and vowed to oppose any bigotry he may promote as president. But she did acknowledge in a statement to supporters that everyone, including Democrats, need to understand Americans’ craving for reforms: “If we have learned nothing else from the past two years of electioneering, we should hear the message loud and clear that the American people want Washington to change. It was clear in the Democratic Primaries. It was clear in the Republican Primaries. It was clear in the campaign and it was clear on Election Day. The final results may have divided us – but the entire electorate embraced deep, fundamental reform of our economic system and our political system.”
UMass offers grief counseling to students following Trump’s election
The University of Massachusetts in Amherst is offering grief counseling to student and staff following the surprise election of Republican Donald Trump as president on Tuesday, reports Patrick Johnson at MassLive. The service is usually offered to students after a traumatic event – and apparently a Trump election qualifies as traumatic to the folks in Amherst. “We’re starting to see student reactions — students and staff,” said Oscar Collins, co-director of the Center of Multicultural Advancement and Student Success. “People need space to pause and discuss. And one of the best ways we see is to come together and support each other.”
Senate sends electric vehicles bill to House
From SHNS’s Michael Norton at the Berkshire Eagle: “Twenty-five percent of vehicles purchased annually by state government must be zero emission vehicles by 2025, under legislation approved by the Massachusetts Senate on Thursday. The bill (S 2505) also authorizes cities and towns to establish special rules to foster parking opportunities for the operators of electric vehicles.”
Will Worcester go to the dogs?
Worcester City Manager Edward Augustus is sending a plan to the city council that calls for the creation of at least seven dog parks, Nick Kotsopolous of the Telegram reports. Two dog parks would be built by next year, at a cost of $325,000 while four more would deb built in a second phase with a price tag of $525,000. The seventh proposed park actually sits in neighboring Paxton, on a parcel owned by the city.
Sunday public affairs TV
CEO Corner, NECN 11:30 a.m. Jim Koch, Sam Adams brewer and chief executive Boston Beer Company, discusses the beer industry; Bev Armstrong, the winner of a Brewing the American Dream Award, discusses her Brazo Fuerte brand
This Week in Business, NECN, 11 a.m. A look at how the national and Massachusetts election results affect the economy and the business community. Shirley Leung, Boston Globe business columnist, and Boston Business editor Doug Banks talk through the issues.
On The Record, WCVB TV Channel 5, 11 a.m.. Guest: Senate President Stan Rosenberg, who talks anchor Ed Harding and State House reporter Janet Wu.
CityLine, WCVB TV, Channel 5, 12 p.m. With host Karen Holmes Ward, this week’s focus: Matters of the Mind: A Health Checkup.
Today’s Headlines
Metro
Mayor’s discussion on race to begin next Saturday – Boston Globe
Marty Walsh touts passage of ballot Question 5 – Boston Herald
Cambridge chamber picks city councilor as new CEO – Boston Business Journal
Massachusetts
Meehan, citing high rental costs, buys $1M Boston waterfront condo – Lowell Sun
People burn their New Balance shoes after the company praised Trump – Boston Globe
Grow-your-own shops say there’s a budding demand – Boston Globe
Kristen Hughes claims enough support for state GOP chairmanship – Boston Globe
Hingham Town Clerk: Bill Belichick hasn’t voted in past five years – Boston Herald
Gubernatorial run may be in the cards for Setti Warren – Boston Herald
Worcester city manager eyeing 7 dog parks – Telegram & Gazette
Wait times, care continue to improve at VA in Central Mass. – Telegram & Gazette
Candidates to lead Mass. Democratic Party dissect election meltdown – MetroWest Daily News
New Bedford seeks state help in regulating off-road vehicles – Standard-Times
Nation
Trump recruiting among the lobbyists he once denounced – New York Times
Howard Dean: I’m running for DNC chair – Politico
Donald Trump’s lawyers to begin settlement talks on Trump University – Associated Press
Warren charts a course for the left in Donald Trump’s Washington – Boston Globe
How to Contact MASSterList
Send tips to Matt Murphy: Editor@MASSterList.com. For advertising inquiries and job board postings, please contact Dylan Rossiter: Publisher@MASSterList.com or (857) 370-1156. Follow @MASSterList on Twitter.