Happening Today
Voter registration deadline, Baker-Gonzalez debate, Keating-Tedeschi debate
— The Health Policy Commission‘s annual cost trends hearing continues into a second day with expected remarks from Attorney General Maura Healey, Suffolk Law School, Tremont Street, Boston, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
— MassINC hosts its sixth annual Gateway Cities Innovation Institute Summit and Awards Luncheon, with a keynote address by Alan Berube, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program, New Bedford Whaling Museum, 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, 10 a.m.
— Wednesday is the last day to register to vote to participate in the Nov. 6 election and Secretary of State William Galvin plans to hold a media availability in connection with that deadline and other election-process issues, Room 116, 11 a.m.
— State Sen. Cynthia Creem speaks at the Harvard Women’s Law Association’s annual fall conference on criminal justice reform legislation, Hauser 102, Harvard Law School, 1585 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 12 p.m.
— Governor’s Council meets in their weekly assembly, with a vote possible on Gov. Baker’s nomination of attorney Valerie Yarashus to the Superior Court bench, Council Chamber, 12 p.m.
— Boston City Council President Andrea Campbell and Councilor Kim Janey plan to introduce a hearing order on the admissions policies of the city’s elite exam schools, 5th floor, Boston City Hall, 12 p.m.
— Third Congressional District Democratic nominee Lori Trahan is a guest on ‘Radio Boston,’ WBUR-FM 90.9, 3 p.m.
— To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice honors Anita Hill and hosts U.S. Rep. John Lewis and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren as honorary event chairs, Moakley Courthouse, One Courthouse Way, Boston, 6 p.m.
— Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and his Democratic opponent Jay Gonzalez hold their second gubernatorial debate, moderated by Boston Public Radio hosts Jim Braude and Margery Eagan before a studio audience, WGBH studios in Brighton, broadcast on WGBH-FM 89.7 Boston, WGBH-TV Ch. 2 Boston, WGBY-TV Ch. 57 Springfield, WGBHNews.org, 7 p.m.
— Republican Peter Tedeschi, former CEO of Tedeschi Food Shops, and incumbent Democratic Congressman Bill Keating participate in their second debate for the Ninth Congressional District seat, Falmouth High School Auditorium, 874 Gifford St, East Falmouth, 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
After heated meeting, Fall River councilors back off move to oust embattled mayor
It was standing room only and tensions were high last night at a public meeting over whether the city council should oust Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia after his arrest last week on federal fraud charges. In the end, councilors temporarily punted on the issue after they were bluntly warned they don’t have the authority to force out a sitting mayor who’s not been convicted of anything, according to reports at the Herald News and the Boston Globe and MassLive.
As for Correia’s big pre-hearing press conference yesterday: He once again vowed that he won’t resign. And, btw, the 26-year-old mayor noted that his SnoOwl software really does work, despite what the feds say. Spencer Buell at Boston Magazine has the details. Btw, II: This could be the straw that broke the camel’s back (via the Enterprise): ‘Brockton mayor says his Fall River counterpart should resign.”
BPS eyes major push to close, consolidate and renovate schools across the city
After the recent furor over early starting times for school students in Boston, one has to wonder how this will be received by parents. From the Globe’s James Vaznis: “Boston school officials are planning to build or extensively renovate a dozen schools, gradually phase out middle schools, and merge several elementary schools over the next decade, under a proposal being presented to the School Committee Wednesday night. The most immediate actions call for closing two high schools in West Roxbury — Urban Science Academy and West Roxbury Academy — in June, due to deteriorating building conditions.”
Universal Hub focuses on the West Roxbury closings, with a lot of comments already.
Is Warren trying too hard to out-trump Trump?
A day after releasing her DNA ancestry results, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren was most definitely on the defensive yesterday, as even some Democrats started lobbing criticism at her for allowing her 2020 presidential ambitions to get in the way of next month’s big mid-term elections. Warren is defending her actions, saying she was merely responding to repeated attacks by President Trump, reports the Globe’s Victoria McGrane. The Herald’s Joe Battenfeld writes that Warren’s heavy-handed DNA offensive could end up harming her both next month and in any future presidential race.
Meanwhile, Eileen McNamara, the Pulitzer Prize-winning former Globe columnist, is blasting Warren at WBUR for “walking into Trump’s trap” by focusing so much on the controversy over her Native American heritage. WGBH’s David Bernstein writes that Warren’s focus on her family has been a big mistake so far and that she’s coming across as inauthentic and opportunistic. Needless to say, conservative pundits Jeff Jacoby at the Globe and Howie Carr at the Herald are also piling on this morning. And the Washington Post reports that Native American leaders are not impressed with Warren’s DNA offensive.
But Warren does have her share of supporters, including Susan Ryan-Vollmar, a former editor at Bay Windows and the Boston Phoenix, who writes at WGBH that the media has learned nothing from 2016. Last but not least: We found this Associated Press article at Yahoo interesting, on how Warren seems to be trying to out Trump Donald Trump. It doesn’t seem to be working.
Warren’s fundraising far outpaces that of one rival but not the other
Shannon Young at MassLive has a report on U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s fundraising juggernaut that hauled in another $1.8 million during the last reporting period, bringing her total cash balance to $15 million. By comparison, Geoff Diehl, her Republican opponent in the U.S. Senate race, raised $467,000, but he had only $282,000 in the bank after expenditures.
Warren’s war chest may be impressive, but it doesn’t even compare to the “well-oiled, fully weaponized battle station” operated by President Trump, whose campaign committee has disclosed that it has raised more than $100 million, the Washington Post reports.
Is the MBTA ready to adopt ‘staggered’ fares for riders?
The T is considering (just considering) implementing a “staggered fare” structure that sounds like a hybrid of congestion-pricing and miles-driven pricing now talked about for roadways. The Globe’s Adam Vaccaro has the details on what could amount to charging people more for longer rides and more for rides during rush hour. It would be a big change, driven largely by advances in fare-system technologies.
Mysterious polio-like illness hits nation and Mass.
This bears very close watching: Federal and state officials are warning of a mysterious polio-like illness that mostly strikes children and can cause paralysis, reports the Washington Post and the Herald’s Alexi Cohan. So far this year, there have been 127 confirmed or suspected cases nationwide and two cases of the disease, called “acute flaccid myelitis,” confirmed in Massachusetts.
No thanks to national Dems, Gonzalez mulls TV ads in governor’s race
The Globe’s Joshua Miller reports that Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jay Gonzalez, far behind in polls and fundraising, is mulling a last-ditch TV advertising campaign with what little money he has left in his campaign coffers. Meanwhile, SHNS’s Matt Murphy at the Sentinel & Enterprise reports that national Democrats have all but written off Gonzalez, while national Republicans continue to funnel millions of dollars to Republican Gov. Charlie Baker’s re-election campaign.
Green: Pelosi fundraiser for Trahan was merely a ‘bribe’ for leadership support
Republican Third District candidate Rick Green is asserting that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s stop in Concord yesterday to help Democrat Lori Trahan raise funds was merely a way for Pelosi to secure Trahan’s backing in a future leadership fight in the House, reports Mary Markos at the Herald. But Dems say the fundraiser was actually a smart move by Trahan.
The Globe’s Matt Stout has more on Pelosi’s national barnstorming that’s indeed seen as an attempt to boost her House leadership position as well as help other Democrats.
Columbia Gas: Go ahead, keep those pellet stoves and space heaters
In a reversal of its position, Columbia Gas, now desperately trying to restore gas service for thousands of homeowners and businesses in the Merrimack Valley, says all the “temporary heating solutions” given to people to keep warm — including pellet stoves, space heaters and electric boilers – can be permanently kept by those who got one, reports Kiera Blessing at the Eagle-Tribune.
Meanwhile, the Globe’s John Ellemont reports that Columbia Gas has reach the hallway point in rebuilding the Merrimack Valley’s gas pipeline system.
Healey: Connecticut utility’s bait-and-switch scheme overcharged 100K Mass. residents
Speaking of utilities, from the Globe’s Jon Chesto: “Attorney General Maura Healey has sued a Connecticut company that allegedly used deceptive bait-and-switch tactics to get more than 100,000 Massachusetts residents to switch energy suppliers and then overcharged them for electricity.”
Local Democrats blast GOP suggestion that Social Security and Medicare are causing the nation’s deficit
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell yesterday blamed government entitlement programs for the nation’s ballooning budget deficit – and not recent GOP-approved tax cuts that most every economist in the nation says is the real culprit. Local Democrats – including U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey and U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton – ripped McConnell’s remarks and accused Republicans of looking for any excuse to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Shannon Young at MassLive has the details.
Holyoke mayor vetoes yard-sign restrictions, citing free-speech rights
Holyoke Mayor Alex B. Morse has vetoed a council order that would limit when and how long temporary yard signs could stay in front of a home or business, saying it restricts people from “exercising their rights to free speech,” reports Dennis Hohenberger at MassLive. The order appears to have been aimed at “for sale” signs and the like, not necessarily political signs.
Cannabis commission poised to OK key marijuana-testing labs, clearing way for pot shops
This is encouraging. From the BBJ’s Jessica Bartlett: “The Cannabis Control Commission will review final licenses for two recreational marijuana testing labs at its hearing on Thursday, inching the industry ever closer to launch. … CDX Analytics in Salem, and MCR Labs in Framingham, are both up for review. Both have already received provisional licenses, and have already been testing for the medical marijuana market.”
All signs point to another health-care reform push on Beacon Hill
Lawmakers couldn’t get it done last session, so they’ll be back again this coming session with the latest attempt to overhaul the state’s health-care system. The BBJ’s Jessica Bartlett has the details on the plans of House Speaker Robert DeLeo et gang.
Meanwhile, Jack Sullivan at CommonWealth magazine has a report that suggests overreliance on emergency room care by patients remains a major problem in Massachusetts.
After voting twice for nurse staffing limits, DeLeo is now not so sure about Question 1
Even though he’s supported nurse-staffing requirements in the past, House Speaker Robert DeLeo said yesterday he hasn’t decided yet how he’ll vote on Question 1 because he hasn’t had time to give it thought, considering all the other elections he’s involved with on behalf of Democrats. SHNS’s Colin Young has the details.
SHNS (pay wall — free trial subscription available)
Thinking outside the box: Local leaders getting excited about Fight Night Boston
Former Lt. Gov. Tom O’Neill, head of O’Neill & Associates, is definitely psyched. So is MikeTrotsky, executive director and chief investment officer for the state’s pension system, is also pumped up (see third item in Globe piece). What’s all the excitement about? Fight Night Boston this Saturday at TD Garden. “It’s great to see the sport (of boxing) return in such a big way,” writes O’Neill at this blog. “The fight card is literally stacked: three world-championship matches.”
Another Democrat-turned-Republican candidate for statewide office: Anthony Amore
First Geoff Diehl. Now Anthony Amore. They’re two Republican candidates for statewide offices this year who, until somewhat recently, were Democrats. Shira Schoenberg at MassLive has more on why Amore, the GOP candidate for secretary of state, switched parties only six years ago. … Remember: One more makes a trend.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Beer prices could double because of climate change?
This is alarming and could change everything. Bill Chappell at WBUR has the details on how climate change could impact beer prices via higher malted barley costs.
Have a baby, collect $50: Goldberg and Walsh announce new college savings plan
This is actually a nice idea, privately financed and designed to get people to start saving early for their children’s college years: SeedMA Baby, a state-backed 529 savings program that will pay a $50 seed deposit for parents of newborns or adopted children, beginning in 2020. Carrie Jung at WBUR has the details of the plan announced yesterday by Treasurer Deb Goldberg and Mayor Marty Walsh.
For what it’s worth: Moulton describes his dream 2020 candidate
U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton tells Katie Glueck of McClatchy Newspapers that he’s not running for president, House speaker or the U.S. Senate—at the moment—and proceeds to describe his ideal 2020 Democratic standard-bearer as a “statesman” who’s nothing like Trump—and ideally not from the elder generation of national Democratic figures. Glueck didn’t press him on it, but this sure doesn’t sound like a description of his delegation-mate, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Nor Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden, for that matter.
Amid new competition, Plainridge casino sees a dip in revenues
Uh-oh. Revenue at Plainridge Park Casino fell by $1 million in September from the month before, just as new casinos opened in Springfield and Rhode Island, reports Jim Hand at the Sun Chronicle. Still, Plainridge pumped $7 million into staff coffers—the same amount as the much larger MGM Springfield added to the till—and has now generated $264 million in taxes since it opened.
Worcester learned from Amazon bid in luring Paw Sox
The work that Worcester did to prepare a long-shot bid for the Amazon HQ2 project helped it when it set out to lure the Pawtucket Red Sox to the city, Grant Welker reports at the Worcester Business Journal. A review of city emails also found officials went to great lengths to keep talks out of the public view.
Three South Shore towns look to join plastic-bag ban brigade
Three South Shore towns are among the latest poised to enact bans on single-use plastic bags, Mary Whitfill reports at the Patriot Ledger. Scituate, Milton and Pembroke are poised to join some 80 communities that have already outlawed the flimsy bags.
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.
Divest to Invest: Divesting from the Prison Industry to Invest in Our Communities
Please join New Leaders Council Boston and community organizers, including the Corrections Accountability Project and College Bound Dorchester, on Thursday, October 18th to discuss a Boston-wide campaign to divest public and private funds from the prison industrial complex.
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
Financial Experience Design Conference
The 2018 FXD Conference, a one-and-a-half-day conference, is a select gathering of more than 150 executives, experts, visionaries, and progressive thinkers from across the insurance, banking, wealth management, and fintech industries.
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.
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
Harvard admissions dean says University changed procedures after previous bias claims – WBUR
Boston plans to build or renovate a dozen schools – Boston Globe
Massachusetts
SSA raises rates, but not on islanders – Martha’s Vineyard Times
Northampton health board wants to expand smoking ban – Daily Hampshire Gazette
ER visits continue to impact health costs – CommonWealth Magazine
Nation
Federal deficit jumps 17 percent as tax cuts eat into government revenue – NPR
America’s most famous pimp, poised for elected office, dies – Associated Press
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