Happening Today
Gaming Commission, Capuano on the air, Feast of the Blessed Sacrament
— State and U.S. flags are ordered to half-staff by Gov. Baker from sunrise to sunset in honor of Taunton’s Tech. Sgt. John Brady, who was killed in action in late 1944 when his plane was shot down over Germany; his remains were recently identified and he will be buried today in Saint Francis Old Cemetery in Taunton.
— Pension Reserves Investment Management Board Administration and Audit Committee meets withTreasurer Deborah Goldberg attending, 84 State St. – 2nd floor, Boston, 10 a.m.
— U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano is a guest on ‘Boston Public Radio,’ WGBH-FM 89.7, 12:30 p.m.
— Gaming Commission meets with an agenda that includes an ‘emergency item’ on the Legislature’s failure to pass an extension of horse racing and simulcasting in Massachusetts, MGM Springfield’s opening traffic plan presentation and other matters tied to the soon-to-open casino, MassMutual Center, 1277 Main St., Springfield, 12:30 p.m.
— Gov. Charlie Baker participates in the opening ceremony of the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament, Madeira Field, 50 Madeira Ave, New Bedford, 5 p.m.
For more calendar listings, check out State House News Service’s Daily Advances (pay wall – free trial subscriptions available) and MassterList’s Beacon Hill Town Square below.
Today’s Stories
New poll shows Capuano holding 13-point lead over Pressley
Despite high-profile endorsements from the likes of Attorney General Maura Healey and a jolt of enthusiasm when a fellow progressive toppled an incumbent in New York, Ayanna Pressley has yet to cut significantly into U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano’s lead among voters, a new WBUR poll finds. Fred Thys reports on the 48 to 35 percent lead enjoyed by the incumbent that is roughly the same as the margin Capuano enjoyed in February.
The numbers suggest Pressley would need a strong turnout of young and more diverse voters to unseat the longtime congressman. But who’s going to say that can’t happen during these crazy political times? Bottom line: She’s still in this race, though the current numbers don’t look good for her.
Airbnb tax-accord plan thrown into limbo after Baker makes changes
From Tim Logan and Matt Stout at the Globe: “Governor Charlie Baker on Wednesday proposed some minor changes to the bill regulating Airbnb and other short-term rentals that lawmakers passed this week. But those small changes could throw a big wrench into complex legislation that was years in the making. Baker proposed exempting homeowners who rent their properties 14 nights per year or less from the new taxes and insurance requirements.”
SHNS’s Matt Murphy at CommonWealth magazine has other qualms expressed by the governor. He also reports that lawmakers were forewarned by Baker about his concerns – and went ahead with a vote nevertheless. How this dispute gets resolved relatively soon is anyone’s guess. It’s probably too complex to be handled in an informal session, as the Globe and SHNS note.
Whoa Nellie: Lawmakers and regulators scramble to put horse racing back on track in Massachusetts
This one appears to have “informal session” written all over it. House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Karen Spilka say they’re aware that lawmakers sort of forgot at the end of the session to extend a law that legally permits horse racing and simulcasting at state tracks. But they say they’re working on an apparent quick fix. SHNS’s Colin Young at the BBJ and the Herald’s Brian Dowling have more on the issue, including how race tracks are freaking out and how the Gaming Commission plans to review the “emergency” issue later today at a meeting. Stay tuned.
Post-session tidbits: The budget delay, education blowback, housing, etc.
There are a lot stories out there are about what was, and wasn’t, passed in the waning hours of the legislative session on Tuesday. Here are some of those articles:
— Education advocates are blasting lawmakers for not passing a new education-funding bill, reports the Herald’s Kathleen McKiernan.
— Gov. Charlie Baker is blaming the delay in passing a new state budget for the late-session logjam of bills, reports Shira Schoenberg at MassLive.
— Though the Registry of Motor Vehicles is planning to implement a third gender option on state driver’s licenses, Senate President Karen Spilka is vowing to file new legislation on the matter, after her gender ‘X’ bill was dropped by lawmakers earlier this week, writes Tori Bedford at WGBH.
— The governor and others are vowing to tackle comprehensive housing legislation next session, after lawmakers failed to reach agreement this past session, reports SHNS’s Matt Murphy (pay wall).
— Sure, lawmakers didn’t pass major education, housing and health care bills due to the late-days logjam, but they did manage this session to approve major legislation dealing with family leave, the minimum wage, the opioids crisis and criminal-justice reform, among other things, reports Mike Deehan at WGBH.
— Finally, Shira Schoenberg at MassLive has a good list of all those “didn’t make it” bills in general.
About that economic-development bill that suddenly grew from $600M to $1.1B …
The Globe’s Joe Chesto and SHNS’s Katie Lannan (pay wall) take a look at what was inside that economic-development bill that magically ballooned from $600 million to $1.1 billion — and was introduced late Tuesday night and quickly passed without discussion. Bottom line: It includes a lot of earmark goodies for lawmakers’ districts, in addition to previously reported items, such as infrastructure improvements, the non-compete compromise and the sales tax holiday scheduled for later this month. Don’t worry too much about the bond bill busting the state budget. Gov. Charlie Baker has a lot of sway and say over when and where the money is spent over the coming year and even years.
Callum Borchers at WBUR, btw, has more on the bill’s non-compete and anti-‘patent troll’ provisions. The BBJ’s Greg Ryan reports how the bill doesn’t include Baker’s request for more tax-break funds to attract companies to Massachusetts
Mashee police launch investigation of high-speed chase that led to fatal Cotuit car crash
From the Herald’s Mary Markos: “Mashpee police are investigating their officers’ decision to continue a pursuit that led up to the head-on crash that killed three people on Cape Cod Saturday, including a young Marine combat vet who had just become a new father.” Tanner Stening at the Cape Cod Times has more.
Smith College police called to check on black student who looked ‘out of place’
Smith College officials say they will take a fresh look at school policies and culture after police were dispatched to question a black student who a caller said “seemed out of place” on the Northampton campus. Lucas Ropek of MassLive reports Oumou Kanoute, an undergrad with a summer job at the school, posted video of the incident on Facebook, where she wrote, “All I did was be black.” And that’s really all she did.
It’s true: Rep. DuBois is getting hammered for her ‘fake news’ claim
Marc Larocque at the Enterprise reports that Rep. Michelle DuBois is getting it from all directions for her recent Facebook assertion that the Enterprise had published “FAKE news” that turned out to be not so fake.
Big dreams: T releases list of ‘big idea’ projects, including downtown superstation and Blue Line extension to Longwood
From the BBJ’s Greg Ryan: “State transportation officials have published a draft investment plan for the next 25 years. Among the possibilities under consideration: an extension of the Blue Line to the Longwood Medical Area and a ‘downtown superstation’ connecting three train lines.” To emphasize: They’re merely “big ideas” that the T is contemplating, not planning.
The hush-hush BPL investigation, or whatever the police are calling it
The Herald’s Sean Philip Cotter reports that Boston police are “reviewing” a “personal matter” that may or may not be tied to the three Boston Public Library administrators who were recently put on unpaid leave. The Herald’s Joe Battenfeld is urging Mayor Marty Walsh to “get to the bottom of the mini-scandal” before it’s too late.
Baker was right: Offshore wind contract has ‘terrific pricing’
Gov. Charlie Baker wasn’t exaggerating when he said this past May that people would be “really surprised” by the “terrific pricing” offered by the state and nation’s first major offshore wind farm. Bruce Mohl at CommonWealth magazine reports that Vineyard Wind, a Danish backed company, has agreed to deliver electricity at an average price “far below what Cape Wind was offering nearly a decade ago and not much more expensive than hydro-electricity just procured from Canada.” Even Robert Rio, who handles energy issues at the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, said he’s “encouraged that the prices came in so low.” Mohl has the pricing details.
Fighting mad, fight back: Women pushes for changes after getting fired for smoking weed after work
The Globe’s Nestor Ramos has a good column this morning on a woman who smoked pot in her free time – and then got fired when her company later gave her a drug test. She’s fighting back, though the Legislature hasn’t helped her much so far.
Herald editorial sides with Trump in showdown with media
Here’s an item for possible discussion on Emily Rooney’s ‘Beat the Press’: In an editorial headlined ‘Biased media reap what they sowed with Trump,’ the Herald is basically siding with President Trump in his showdown with the media, downplaying invective aimed at the media at a recent Trump rally and saying media bias is the problem, not the president’s harsh rhetoric. Not once does the editorial mention the recent meeting between Trump and NYT publisher A.G. Sulzberger, who has expressed growing concern about potential violence aimed at the media. Not once does the editorial mention how members of a shady right-wing group are starting to show up at Trump rallies. See post immediately below.
Btw: All of this is not to say there isn’t media bias and obsessive coverage of Trump. But the president’s message on issues is getting out there. Check out Matt Viser’s story at the Globe about cable TV’s non-stop point/counter-point coverage of the legal investigation of the president.
Btw II:Dan Kennedy at WGBH has more on that Trump-Sulzberger meeting that didn’t go so well. He has a slightly different view on the Trump-media showdown.
Keep an eye on this group: ‘QAnon’
We offer up this national political-media story by Washington Post media critic Margaret Sullivan because we have an awful feeling that we’re going to be hearing more, unfortunately, about a cultish right-wing group, QAnon, whose members are really out there when it comes to deep-state conspiracy theories, anti-media vitriol and all things Trump.
MASSterList Campaign Ca$h
In MASSterList’s new feature, Campaign Ca$h, our research team this week takes a look at the finances in contested 3rd Congressional District race. This edition has information on Jeff Ballinger, Alexandra Chandler, sole Republican Rick Green, Abhijit Das and Rufus Gifford. Click the banner ad above to download a mobile-friendly, complete PDF list of their expenditures and donors since 1/1/2018. All information is from the Federal Election Commission (fec.gov).
Stay tuned for more races throughout the election cycle. If there’s a particular race that you’d like us to consider for upcoming coverage, email dart@massterlist.com.
View the report here (desktop)
Sun Chronicle latest local newspaper to change hands
Another local paper has changed hands. The Sun-Chronicle, which has been under continuous family ownership in the Attleboro area for nearly 50 years, was sold to TriboroMassachusetts News Media Inc., which is owned by Canadian newspaper executive Steven Malkowich. The Sun Chronicle—which in January reduced publication from seven to six days a week—reports there are no immediate plans for changes to local operations at the paper.
Tech. Sgt. John F. Brady, RIP
Michael C. Brady, 73, never knew his father, Tech. Sgt. John F. Brady, who perished when his B-17 was shot down over Germany in late 1944. But he will be presiding over his father’s burial today at the at St. Francis Old Cemetery in Taunton, after John Brady’s remains were recently discovered in Germany and identified by authorities. Charles Winokoor at the Taunton Gazette and Marie Szaniszloat the Herald have more on today’s solemn burial service that explains why state and U.S. flags will be at half-staff in Massachusetts.
Campaigns have added another tool to their digital arsenal: Text messaging
Universal Hub and its readers were discussing this topic earlier this week: How some are starting to get hit with unsolicited text message from, apparently, local political campaigns and/or political groups pushing candidates. Sure enough, the NYT is on the same text-messaging story, albeit on the national level. It’s a trend more than a few cell-phone users find intensely annoying, needless to say.
BBJ to hip bike and scooter rental firms: Grow up
With all the controversial news swirling around bike and electric-scooter rental companies these days in the Boston area, the BBJ has some friendly advice to entrepreneurs running the start-ups: Grow up. “We are supporters of a free market, and when business and government conflict, we’re the first to side with business,” the paper says in an editorial. “But the rush for first-mover advantage by these startups, and others in the region, undercuts their rhetoric about helping cities and towns, democratizing transportation and saving the environment. Worse, it reinforces the stereotypes of tech startups as brash and immature.”
Chelmsford businessman pays $30,000 fine in campaign finance scheme
Chelmsford businessman Michael Lupoli has agreed to pay a $30,000 fine after the Office of Campaign and Political Finance found he illegally funneled money to employees who then passed them on to a host of political candidates, Alana Melanson reports in the Lowell Sun. The nearly $13,000 in questionable donations went to a who’s who of MaPoli, including AG Maura Healey, Secretary of State William Galvin and at least two candidates in the 3rd District Congressional race.
City board approves plan to turn old Globe plant into R&D facility
From Universal Hub: “The Board of Appeals yesterday approved most of what developers asked for so they can turn the old Boston Globe plant on Morrissey Boulevard in Dorchester into a new office, research and manufacturing space aimed at high-tech companies.” There might even be a first-floor food hall open to the public.
Pilgrim will get new owner post-shutdown
Pilgrim Nuclear Station’s owners say they will sell the plant in 2020 after it is permanently shut down and the new owners say they will be able to fully decommission the plant within eight years—a fraction of the six decades allowed by federal law, Christine Legere reports in the Cape Cod Times.
Scale Up
Join the Boston Business Journal and BostInno for Scale Up: Boston sponsored by CDW.
Boston Business Journal and BostInno
2018 Summer Institute in Global Leadership: Advanced Public Speaking
Advanced Institutes bring together older students who are passionate about global issues and are in, or aspire to be in, leadership roles that demand advance communication skills. This week, students will work together to develop public speaking skills through the format of Model UN crisis simulations. There will be a particular focus on presentation tips and tricks and extemporaneous speaking.
United Nations Association of Greater Boston
2018 #FlipMyFunnel B2B Marketing and Sales Conference
Each year, more than 1,000 B2B marketing and sales professionals gather together to learn about the latest in B2B marketing and sales, network with one another and explore the latest technologies to power their programs.
NAIOP 8th Annual Harbor Cruise
Mix business with pleasure on the decks of the NAIOP Harbor Cruise, featuring networking, an 80’s theme party, and cocktails. Connect with friends and colleagues while enjoying a 360-degree view of Boston’s ever-changing waterfront.
The Business of Sports
Join us for our very first Business of Sports discussion!
Malden Democratic City Committee Annual Summer BBQ
We hope you’ll join us for our summer BBQ! This annual event is always a lot of fun and a great chance to catch up with old friends while supporting MDCC.
Malden Democratic City Committee
Today’s Headlines
Metro
A UMass Boston student is accused of stealing millions in a cryptocurrency scheme – Boston Magazine
Library talk hushed – Boston Herald
Massachusetts
Decision on permit for Long Island bridge project postponed again – Patriot Ledger
Town administrator disputes claims after Blandford police force resigns – Berkshire Eagle
Former state Rep. Jennifer Callahan of Sutton is named town manager in Oxford – Telegram & Gazette
Framingham panel recommends limit of six pot shops – MetroWest Daily News
Nation
As midterms near, fears grow that U.S. is not protected from Russian interference – Washington Post
Trump pushes for Mueller interview against legal advice – New York Times
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