Happening Today
Governor’s Council, Healey-McMahon debate and more
— The Department of Revenue is expected to report on state tax collections for the month of September, the third month of the fiscal year.
— The Health Policy Commission’s Market Oversight and Transparency Committee meets with an agenda to review an analysis of the potential cost impact of nurse-staffing Question 1, a new analysis of pharmacy gag clauses and potential savings from lower cost prescription drugs for consumers, 50 Milk St., Boston, 9:30 a.m.
— The state’s Gaming Commission meets to set the agendas for future commission meetings, 101 Federal St., 12th floor, Boston, 10 a.m.
— Governor’s Council holds a confirmation hearing on Gov. Baker’s nomination of attorney Carol-Ann Fraser as a District Court circuit judge, Council Chamber, 11 a.m.
— Boston Mayor Martin Walsh, Liberty Mutual CEO David Long, MassDevelopment president Lauren Liss and Kara Buckley, head of global grooming communications at Procter & Gamble, participate in the Artists For Humanity Expansion Ribbon Cutting, Artists For Humanity, 100 West Second St., Boston, 11 a.m.
— Governor’s Council holds their weekly assembly with a vote possible on Gov. Baker’s proposed transfer of Judge Susan Sard Tierney from the probate and family court in Suffolk County to the Barnstable County Probate and Family Court, Council Chamber, 12 p.m.
— Gov. Charlie Baker joins Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash, Sen. Eric Lesser, Reps. Bud Williams, Carlos Gonzalez and Angelo Puppolo, New England Farm Workers Council CEO Herbie Flores and others for an announcement about the rehabilitation of the Paramount Theater, 1700 Main Street, Springfield, 2:45 p.m.
— Senate President Karen Spilka speaks to the New England chapter of the National Academy of Arbitrators, Wellesley, 4 p.m.
— U.S. Senate candidate Geoff Diehl announces an endorsement, 295 Freeport Street, Boston, Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association office, 4 p.m.
— Attorney General Maura Healey and her Republican challenger attorney Jay McMahon meet in their first debate, co-moderated by Jim Braude and Margery Eagan, WGBH-TV Ch. 2, 7 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
Breaking news: First hotel strike in Boston history launched, as workers walk off job at seven Marriot hotels
This just in from the Globe’s Katie Johnston: “Hotel workers walked off the job at seven Marriott hotels in Boston Wednesday morning, launching the first hotel strike in the city’s history following months of fruitless contract negotiations. The job action involves more than 1,500 Marriott International employees, from housekeepers to bartenders to bellmen at the Aloft Boston Seaport District, Element Boston Seaport District, Ritz-Carlton Boston, Sheraton Boston, W Hotel Boston, Westin Boston Waterfront, and Westin Copley Place.”
Commission poised to issue the state’s first pot-shop licenses
It’s taken longer than commissioners had expected. But Scott Brown at WBUR and Dan Adams at the Globe report that the Cannabis Control Commission finally appears ready to issue the state’s first retail marijuana licenses – one in Leicester and the other in Northampton – perhaps tomorrow or next Tuesday. They have the details. Meanwhile, the BBJ’s Jessica Bartlett (pay wall) takes a look at all those side deals local towns are cutting with marijuana companies before approving pot operations in their communities. A slideshow accompanies the piece.
Officials are ‘hell bent’ on restoring gas by Nov. 19 in Merrimack Valley
Some say it can’t be done. But don’t tell that to Joe Albanese, chief executive of Commodore Builders, a retired U.S. Navy officer and the chief recovery officer for the Merrimack Valley in the wake of last month’s gas-line disaster. He says recovery officials are “hell bent” on meeting their self-imposed gas-restoration deadline of Nov. 19, reports Zoe Matthews at the Eagle-Tribune.
In related gas-line news, the Globe’s Milton Valencia reports that close to 200 construction crews will hit the streets across Greater Lawrence by the end of this week in an effort to reach the Nov. 19 goal. In a Globe op-ed, Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera praises the people in the area for helping others during the crisis. SHNS’s Colin Young at WBUR reports that the Greater Lawrence Disaster Relief Fund will begin accepting applications today for financial aid from residents. And, finally, Peter Goonan at MassLive reports that state Rep. Bud Williams is seeking gas-line hearings in western Massachusetts.
Willie Lantigua’s latest campaign: Encouraging people to file lawsuits in Lawrence – and infuriating current mayor
Speaking of the gas-line disaster in the Merrimack Valley, former Lawrence Mayor Willie Lantigua, who’s planning to run yet again for mayor in 2021, is annoying the heck out of his old political nemesis, current Mayor Daniel Rivera, by encouraging people to join in a class-action suit against Columbia Gas. But Willie says it’s all about helping people, not politics. Adam Reilly at WGBH has the details.
DeLeo: So how much is the National Grid lockout costing us?
The National Grid-union standoff is getting more politicized by the day. From SHNS’s Matt Murphy: “House Speaker Robert DeLeo on Tuesday asked the Baker administration to put a price tag on National Grid’s months-long lockout of 1,250 gas workers, requesting an analysis of the public benefit costs of workers needing health care and other assistance.”
Meanwhile, the DPU has found 29 instances in which National Grid may have violated federal gas pipeline safety regulations since early July and regulators said further investigation or other action may be necessary, according to a SHNS report at CommonWealth magazine.
SHNS (pay wall — free trial subscription available)
About Gov. Baker’s son A.J., Part II
First it was the Herald’s Howie Carr. Then it was the Globe’s Joan Vennochi. Now it’s back to the Herald, with Joe Battenfeld the latest local pundit to say the public has the right to know what has happened to those groping allegations against Gov. Charlie Baker’s son A.J. Democrats are saying the same thing — and Battenfeld says they’re right to make it an issue.
Baker and Gonzalez to face off at environmental forum
Speaking of the governor: What’s the difference between a one-on-one political debate and a one-on-one political forum? We’ll soon find out. Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and Democratic gubernatorial rival Jay Gonzalez have already agreed to some debates. But next Thursday, Oct. 11, the two will also take part in an environment forum to be moderated by CommonWealth magazine’s Bruce Mohl. SHNS’s Matt Murphy (pay wall) has the details.
War drums: Boston and Quincy square off over Long Island Bridge dispute
The UN Security Council may have to intervene if this isn’t resolved soon. From the Herald’s Brooks Sutherland: “The heated battle over reconstruction plans for the Long Island Bridge stands as a legal squabble, as Boston city officials yesterday laid out a tentative building timeline and the mayor of Quincy vowed to ‘do everything in his power not to see it happen.’” Erin Tiernan at the Patriot Ledger has more on the looming border war.
South Weymouth developers’ donations become an issue in state Senate race
State Sen. Patrick O’Connor said during a candidates forum that he will give away $20,000 worth of donations his campaign received from employees of troubled South Weymouth Naval Air Base redeveloper LStar — if the company doesn’t meet the demands of town officials or if anyone from the company is charged with criminal activity, Jessica Trufant reports in the Patriot Ledger. It’s just the latest flashpoint in the ongoing saga over the redevelopment of the former military base. See post below.
And speaking of the troubled South Weymouth Naval Air Station redevelopment project …
It’s one of the largest redevelopment projects in the state, in terms of geographic size, and all is not well among the squabbling developers of the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station. Last week, Jessica Trufant at the Patriot Ledger reported on the legal infighting among Union Point’s main players. Today, Jon Chesto at the Globe reports on the Union Point mess in general — and how what was once a promising massive redevelopment plan is “still largely a big blank canvas.”
Dueling tax-records stories: Trump versus Warren
Mere coincidence? The New York Times today digs into decades-old Trump family tax records and other documents and finds “suspect schemes” by the president’s father to enrich himself and his family.
The Boston Herald, meanwhile, just so happens to dig into U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s tax records, finding that Warren, a potential president candidate, and her husband have “written off hundreds of thousands of dollars in charitable deductions in recent years — decreasing their tax burden by thousands just by claiming donated clothes, tax records show.” The Herald’s Howie Carr is jumping all over the Warren tax story, mentioning it in contrast to the NYT’s “magnum opus” Trump tax story.
Both are legitimate stories, we suppose. But the timing of the Herald’s package sure looks as if it’s meant to blunt news of the Trump family taxes. Of course, we could be wrong – or maybe not.
Patrick slowly wades into the presidential political waters
From Mary Markos at the Herald: “In the latest sign he’s eyeing a White House run, former Gov. Deval Patrick is sounding off against Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court and describing his trips to support other Democrats in Mississippi and Texas.” If he’s sounding off, then he’s sounding off in a calm, reasoned manner. Here’s his Medium column in question. You decide.
But there’s no question about this, via SHNS’s Matt Murphy (pay wall): A PAC indirectly tied to Patrick has made its first round of endorsements, backing candidates in Texas, California and New York.
Campaign 2018: Women candidates embrace, glorify and deploy anger and outrage
The Globe’s Victoria McGrane reports how Elizabeth Warren, Ayanna Pressley and other female candidates are channeling anger and outrage in these #MeToo/Brett Kavanaugh times. It should be noted it’s mostly Democratic women who are determined to break the “old rules of emotional engagement.”
Harvard law profs: Kavanaugh’s angry partisan outburst shows he’s unfit to sit on bench
If judicial recusal guidelines mean anything, Laurence H. Tribe, a professor of constitutional law at Harvard Law School, wonders at the NYT how Brett Kavanaugh can now serve on the U.S. Supreme Court after the high-court nominee’s tirade against the “frenzy on the left” and Democrats in general. Tribe cites past court rulings to bolster his contention that Kavanaugh is too partisan to hear many cases at the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, Nancy Gertner, a retired federal judge and also a professor at Harvard Law School, says roughly the same thing in an op-ed at the Globe, though she doesn’t cite legal cases.
Galvin accused of mixing politics with voter guide
Secretary of State William Galvin is taking heat for including stories of how he recouped lost funds for victims of securities fraud in the annual voter’s guide, which is created with taxpayer money and mailed to 4.5 million voters, Christian Wade reports in the Salem News. Galvin’s Republican challenger, Anthony Amore, called the move “brazen” and “beyond the pale” while the head of the state’s League of Women Voters said the text about Galvin’s regulatory wins “doesn’t really belong” in the guide.
Report: Fake Facebook accounts were pumping up Ayyadurai’s Senate campaign
Facebook has removed at least four allegedly fake accounts that appear to have been set up as part of a coordinated effort to bolster the third-party U.S. Senate candidacy of Shiva Aayadurai, Nina Jankowicz of Buzzfeed reports. Facebook also removed a page tied to a campaign volunteer in what appears to be a mini version of the flood-the-zone approach to political discourse used to influence the 2016 presidential election. Asked about the accounts, Aayaduai chose instead to lash out at Jankowicz, calling her a “racist.”
Enrollment down 27 percent at Quincy College, but that’s good
After the state put the kibosh on Quincy’s College’s nursing program, school leaders and observers knew the school would take a major enrollment hit. Sure enough, enrollment is down 27 percent this year. But some say the decline isn’t as bad as feared. Erin Tiernan at Wicked Local has more on why bad might be good in this case.
Except for a brave few, most pols are keeping their distance from State Police scandals
Attorney General Maura Healey and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jay Gonzalez may be going after the State Police amid seemingly non-stop scandals and controversies at the agency. But Peter Lucas at the Lowell Sun writes that most pols – including Gov. Charlie Baker, Auditor Suzanne Bump and lawmakers on Beacon Hill – are diving for political cover. He explains why.
Federal jury says DOC did not violate rights of quadriplegic murderer
A federal jury ruled yesterday that the Mass. Department of Corrections did not violate the constitutional rights of convicted murderer Timothy Reaves by keeping him confined to an infirmary at Bridgewater State Hospital, Brad Petrishen reports at the Telegram. Reaves was left paralyzed after a car crash that occurred while he was fleeing the scene of the 1994 murder of a New Bedford teen.
‘This really, really didn’t need to happen’
In a post headlined ‘The pointlessness of that aggressive Cambridge skatepark arrest,’ Spencer Buell at Boston Magazine rips into the State Police for the arrest of two skateboarders at a skatepark in Cambridge the other night: “Long story short, two young men who weren’t hurting anybody ended up in police custody, and one could have a mark on his record permanently, thanks to a signage technicality and the suspect decision-making of a state trooper. Great job, everybody.” The story is accompanied by a video of the incident. So you decide.
How to make a bad hospital merger work …
Paul A. Hattis, associate professor at Tufts University Medical School and a former member of the Health Policy Commission, makes it clear: He doesn’t like the proposed Beth Israel-Lahey Health hospital merger. Not at all. But if there has to be a merger, he proposes at CommonWealth magazine some conditions that might make the deal somewhat palatable.
Missed building-boom opportunity: One out of five new buildings are energy inefficient in Boston
Boston could have made major energy conservation strides during the current building boom in the city. But Molly Boigon at WGBH reports how one out of five newly constructed buildings in Boston are energy inefficient – and now some say it’s time to strengthen city codes to get better results.
Architects line up for right to oversee Worcester ballpark project
Seven architectural firms are bidding to become part of the team that designs and constructs a new minor league baseball park in Worcester, including one that has worked on improvements at Fenway Park, Zachary Comeau reports in the Worcester Business Journal.
Demystifying Lobbying
Join Civic Series for this special HUBWeek event to better understand lobbying and how you can be more effective communicating to your elected officials. You’ll hear what it’s like to be on the other side of the lobbying and learn how to effectively communicate to elected officials and become a reliable advocate for your issues. This session includes plenty of time for your questions.
A Reception in Support of Jay Gonzalez for Governor
Please join Former Treasurer Steve Grossman; Former Mayor Setti Warren; Senator Cindy Creem; Representatives Ruth Balser, Kay Khan; Councilors Vicki Danberg, Josh Krintzman, Rick Lipof; Newton DCC Chair Shawn Fitzgibbons, DSC Member Martina Jackson; Hosts Dennis Kanin, Mike Offner for a reception in support of Jay Gonzalez for Governor.
Jay Gonzalez: Democrat for Governor
Get in the Know
Boston School Finder’s “Get in the Know” event will break down recent education data from a variety of sources, taking these insights from ideation to action by enlisting the help of parents and families. The goal is to equip parents and families with the information necessary to advocate for changes within schools and to work toward equitable opportunities for all students in Boston.
11th Annual Public Performance Conference
Please join us for the 11th Annual Public Performance Conference. The goal of the conference is to examine and discuss performance management research and models for the adoption and implementation of compelling practices in the public sector.
Negotiating Skills: Art, Science or Luck?
Learn how to identify the appropriate tactics and counter tactics employed for any type of negotiators to reach a more leveraged position (even when you think you’re at a disadvantage).
Fight Night Boston: Demetrius Andrade vs Billy-Joe Saunders
Matchroom Boxing USA and Murphys Boxing Promotions announce a major world championship boxing event to be held at Boston’s TD Garden on October 20, 2018.
Matchroom Boxing USA and Murphys Boxing Promotions
18th Annual Meeting on Oral Care & Oral Cancer (CSE)
18th Annual Meeting on Oral care & Oral cancer (Oral care 2018) scheduled to be held during Oct 24-25, 2018 at Boston, USA. This Oral care conference includes a wide range of Keynote presentations, Oral talks, Poster presentations, Symposia, Workshops, Exhibitions and Career development programs.
Boston Trade Compliance and Policy Seminar
International trade regulations change constantly—old rules are updated and new regulations are added every day. Attend one of the full-day seminars in a location close to you to stay up to date on the latest information. Learn about changing international trade regulations with industry experts—C.H. Robinson’s Kevin Doucette —who is passionate about this subject.
We The People’s For Creators, By Creators
We The People, the world’s only multi-channel crowdfunding retail chain and community, is hosting a kick-off crowdfunding event where local entrepreneurs from companies such as Rocketbook, Think Board and allocacoc will provide tips on how to leverage crowdfunding to launch products. They will also discuss how to create crowdfunding campaigns and some lessons learned.
Global Summit on Agriculture, Food Science and Technology (CSE) AS
The annual Food & Beverage Conference continues to be the premier environmental event for the food industry, bringing together senior environmental managers from food and beverage companies to share their experiences with sustainable practices, environmental compliance and new technologies and approaches.
Real Estate Finance Fundamentals Onsite Course
This is a two part course that will be held on October 26, 2018 and November 2, 2018. This 2-day course will focus on debt and equity financing of income-producing real property. The course will look at both the private debt and equity markets for real estate finance, and the commercial mortgage-backed securities market for debt financing.
Back from the Brink: A Call to Prevent Nuclear War (Gonson Lecture)
Experts say we are closer to accidental or intentional nuclear war than at any time since the 1950s – and yet, at the same time, also closer than ever to an international ban to dismantle all of these immoral weapons. Come hear about the race for human survival, and what citizens can do to help.
Cambridge Center for Adult Education
Today’s Headlines
Metro
Exemptions for Brockton pot shop moratorium flame out at City Council – Brockton Enterprise
Boston ready for ‘fight’ with Quincy over Long Island Bridge – Patriot Ledger
Massachusetts
Seafood industry lobbies state leaders to ‘buy local’ – Gloucester Times
Police halt marijuana parties, seize 19 plants in Westport – Standard-Times
Worcester councilors irked by unfinished street, sidewalk projects – Telegram & Gazette
Students pack UMass teach-in on racism – Daily Hampshire Gazette
Displaced voters urged to seek absentee ballots – Eagle-Tribune
Nation
Michael Bloomberg jolts Senate battle with $20 million for Democrats – Washington Post
Trump engaged in suspect tax schemes as he reaped riches from his father – New York Times
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