Happening Today
Third Congressional debate, Question 1 debate, Go Sox!
— Faculty and librarians represented by the Mass. State Colleges Association hold an informational picket at Bunker Hill Community College, where the state Board of Higher Education is holding a meeting, over contract issues, outside Health and Wellness Center gym, Bunker Hill Community College, 9:30 a.m.
— Board of Higher Education meets to review strategic plans of Mass. Bay Community College and Quinsigamond Community College; a presentation on early college at Bunker Hill Community College; fall fiscal 2019 early enrollment report; and an update on performance measurement system, Bunker Hill Community College, Health and Wellness Center Gymnasium, 250 New Rutherford Avenue, Boston, 10 a.m.
— Boston Mayor Martin Walsh holds a press conference with Boston Police Chief William Gross to share public safety plans ahead of the Sox-Dodgers World Series game tonight, Eagle Room, Boston City Hall, 10 a.m.
— The Legislature’s Afterschool and Out-of-School Time Coordinating Council releases a report assessing the state’s after school and summer learning programs, with Sen. Brendan Crighton, Rep. Jennifer Benson and others are expected to attend, Room 222, 10 a.m.
— House Speaker Robert DeLeo joins Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Leo Roy for a ground-breaking ceremony on “facility improvements,” 230 Revere Beach Boulevard, Revere, 10:30 a.m.
— Gov. Charlie Baker joins Reps. Frank Moran and Carlos Gonzalez, Latino Advisory Commission Chair Josie Martinez, Latino Advisory Commission Vice Chair Bob Harnais, El Mundo Founder Alberto Vasallo and others to announce the 2017-2018 Report on Priorities & Recommendations of the Governor’s Latino Advisory Commission, Year Up, 45 Milk Street, Boston, 10:30 a.m.
— Dr. Rachel Adatto, a former member of the Israeli Knesset and an adviser to Israel’s health minister, speaks at an event on ‘intersection of gender and public policy’ sponsored by House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Senate President Karen Spilka, Rep. Ruth Balser, Sen. Cindy Creem, Sen. Nick Collins, Rep. Kay Khan and the Caucus of Women Legislators, House Members’ Lounge, 12 p.m.
— Gov. Charlie Baker joins U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Secretary of Education James Peyser, Commissioner of Higher Education Carlos Santiago, Vertex CEO Dr. Jeffrey Leiden, Northeastern University President Joseph Aoun and others for an announcement on the Northeastern University & Middlesex Community College Biotech Scholarship Initiative, Interdisciplinary Science Engineering Complex Atrium, Northeastern University, 805 Columbus Avenue, Boston, 3:30 p.m.
— Lori Trahan, Rick Green and Mike Mullen participate in the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce/Eagle Tribune Third Congressional District debate, Northern Essex Community College, Hartleb Technology Center, 100 Elliott St., Haverhill, 7 p.m.
— Jim Braude moderates a Question 1 debate between Kim Stevenson of the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association (opposed) and Massachusetts Nurses Association president Donna Kelly-Williams (in support), WGBH-TV Ch. 2, 7 p.m.
— The Boston Red Sox host Game 1 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Fenway Park, 8:09 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
The Galvin-Amore debate: ‘Liar’ and ‘faker’ and more
One can usually count on Secretary of State Bill Galvin to provide high political entertainment when he debates anyone – and yesterday’s debate between Galvin and Republican candidate Anthony Amore didn’t disappoint. From WGBH’s Mike Deehan: “The two traded barbs and ad hominem attacks on everything from election security, President Trump’s immigration policies and the frequency with which Amore did — or didn’t — vote. The debate ended with the challenger calling the 20-year incumbent a ‘liar’, and Galvin calling Amore a ‘faker.’” A video of the ‘GBH debate accompanies Deehan’s piece.
And there was another tense debate yesterday – over Question 1
The Globe’s Joshua Miller reports on yet another tense debate yesterday, this one between a supporter and opponent of the nurse-staffing Question 1. Meanwhile, the Globe, in an editorial, is coming down against Question 1, noting that “making medical staffing decisions at the ballot box is an inherently suspect idea.”
Better late than never: Gonzalez launches first TV ad, taking aim at Baker’s handling of the T
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jay Gonzalez, far behind in the polls and fundraising, has managed to scrape up enough money to finally launch his first TV ad of the campaign, going after Republican Gov. Charlie Baker’s handling of the MBTA and transportation issues in general. Gintautas Dumcius at MassLive has the details. It’s a good issue to emphasize, albeit tardily so.
Splinter conservative group urges Republicans not to vote for Baker
The Republican Assembly, a conservative GOP group that backed the gubernatorial campaign of Scott Lively, is urging conservative voters to leave their ballot blank in the race between Gov. Charlie Baker and Democrat Jay Gonzalez, as payback for Baker’s “betrayal” of conservative causes, Christian Wade reports at the Salem News. As Wade notes, such an appeal might be more worrisome to Baker if the race were closer.
Kennedy, Capuano et gang push for dismissal of City Hall corruption case
This is an odd one, to say the least: Attorneys acting on behalf of U.S. Reps. Michael Capuano, Joseph Kennedy III, Stephen Lynch and Katherine Clark have filed an amicus brief asking that the dismissal of federal charges against two top aides of Mayor Walsh be upheld, “arguing the prosecution’s theory of Hobbs Act extortion could put other government officials at risk of indictment,” reports the Herald’s Laurel Sweet.
‘The week identity politics ate itself’
Niall Ferguson, a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and former history professor at Harvard, couldn’t have asked for more: In the same week, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s DNA ancestry gambit partially blew up in her face and the Harvard admissions-discrimination trial started in Boston. “It was the week identity politics ate itself,” Ferguson writes at the Globe. “Savor last week. It may mean that we have reached a long overdue turning point.” … Fyi: Ferguson’s piece was one of the most-viewed stories in the Globe as of earlier this morning.
Harvard-rejected judge presiding over Harvard discrimination case?
Niall Ferguson has another thing to savor: The NYT reports on how the big Harvard admissions-discrimination trial in Boston is being overseen by Judge Allison D. Burroughs, who herself was rejected by Harvard many moons ago. Though Burroughs has previously disclosed that she had applied to Harvard and been rejected, the connection became an issue at yesterday’s court hearing in Boston. The NYT’s Anemona Hartocolllis explains.
‘Harvard’s vast wealth and privilege are also on trial’
And one last savory Harvard morsel for the day: The Globe’s Deirdre Fernandes reports that data revealed in the Harvard admissions-discrimination trial shows how so few low-income students get into and attend the prestigious school, a fact that suggests “Harvard’s vast wealth and privilege are also on trial.”
MIT and Raytheon on the spot in wake of journalist’s death
The Globe’s Martin Finucane reports that MIT is now taking a second look at its extensive ties to Saudi Arabia following the grisly death of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Meanwhile, Waltham-based Raytheon has its own extensive ties to Saudi Arabia, a country linked to the murder – and the Globe’s Joan Vennochi wonders if the firm and other companies are putting profits ahead of principle.
Fall River Mayor Correia: Political Death of a Salesman?
The Globe’s Evan Allen and Laura Crimaldi have a major profile of the ‘boy wonder’ mayor of Fall River, Jasiel F. Correia II, now charged with multiple counts of fraud by the feds and fighting for his political life. Allen and Crimaldi report on all the early warning signs “that he was more gifted at flash than substance and that he valued his career over the struggling city.” Former Mayor Sam Sutter says Correia was, and is, merely an extraordinary salesman, for himself, of course.
Btw: Prior to Correia’s recent arrest by the feds, the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance cited his legal defense fund for improper reporting, according to the Herald News.
Meanwhile, Fall River recall efforts stumble out of the starting gate
Jo C. Goode at the Herald News reports that the city clerk’s office has now rejected two initial petitions by residents seeking to recall Mayor Jasiel Correia, who was arrested earlier this month on multiple federal fraud charges. No, it’s not a conspiracy against the recall. Instead, the petitions’ wording and notarization procedures apparently weren’t followed properly. Meanwhile, Goode also reports that the city council may have to delay once again any action to oust the mayor because one councilor is not expected to be in attendance at a planned meeting tonight.
Commission urges expansion of after-school and summer learning programs
This is not a lot of money for potentially big returns. From James Vaznis at the Globe: “A legislative commission is recommending a major expansion of after-school and summer learning programs in an effort to reduce gaps in achievement between poor and affluent students, according to a report being released Tuesday. … The report determined that the state would need to increase spending for after-school and summer programs to $5.5 million to accommodate the nearly 8,000 low-income students who sit on a waiting list for such programs. The current state budget calls for $4.3 million.”
Dodgers cross hotel picket line by sneaking in the back door
Like the Yankees, they shall pay for this. From Sean Philip Cotter at the Herald: “The head of the local hotel workers’ union says the Los Angeles Dodgers struck out before the World Series even started by sneaking in the back door of the Ritz-Carlton past their striking union compatriots.”
Back for more: Weld and Birmingham say the fight to expand charter schools is far from over
Despite the drubbing charter schools took in a ballot question two years ago, former Gov. Bill Weld and former Senate President Tom Birmingham write at CommonWealth magazine that expanding charters schools is the only viable option right now to close the student achievement gap in schools across Massachusetts.
Is the Seaport gondola plan back in play (at least theoretically)?
It gets confusing. But the BBJ’s Catherine Carlock reports that Massport has struck a deal to allow a Malden company to redevelop a key parcel in the industrial section of Boston’s waterfront, in a move that could free up space for a proposed aerial gondola system to transport commuters over traffic clogged streets in the Seaport area. She has the details.
Finally, New Bedford’s terminal has a customer: Vineyard Wind
The state’s $133 million terminal has sat largely empty over the past four years. But Bruce Mohl at CommonWealth magazine reports the staging terminal for offshore wind developers finally has its first customer: Vineyard Wind, which has signed an 18-month, $9 million lease with the facility.
Maybe Amazon is just not that into us?
Amazon officials have reportedly made second follow-up visits to Chicago, New York and even Newark, N.J., for heaven’s sake, as they try to determine which city shall win the company’s HQ2 sweepstakes. But Boston, as far as anyone call tell, hasn’t gotten a second look – and that’s making some people in Boston nervous, reports the Globe’s Tim Logan.
Kennedy, Warren and activists slam Trump’s transgender re-definition move
There’s a lot of outrage here and elsewhere over the Trump administration’s plan to redefine and rollback federal protections for transgender people. Shannon Young at MassLive has separate stories on the reactions of U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, while the Globe’s Michael Levenson and Matt Stout report that LGBTQ advocates say the Trump action merely underscores the importance of upholding the state’s transgender-rights law in a ballot question next month. The Globe’s Renée Graham says the Trump move is an “act of bottlomless cruelty.”
So Seth Moulton is a more than a little ambitious. So what?
Richard North Patterson at the Globe rides to the defense of U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, who some say (privately, of course) is a little too ambitious for his own good. Patterson: “But since when is ambition a political novelty? Perhaps the real question is what kind of leader Moulton aspires to be. His life story provides arresting clues.”
Residency and property ownership are the latest issues in nasty Cape Senate race
The already contentious race for the Cape and Islands Senate seat between incumbent Julian Cyr and his Republican challenger John Flores is getting nastier as election day draws closer, Geoff Spillane reports at the Cape Cod Times. The latest flare-up is over residency and property taxes: Flores has alleged in campaign mailers that Cyr does not live or own property in the district; Cyr says he has long lived on the Cape but admits he has never owned property there, saying he couldn’t afford the down payment on a house.
EMILY’S List flexes its muscles in support of Chalifoux Zephir
SHNS’s Michael Norton reports that Democrat Sue Chalifoux Zephir is cashing in on endorsements from the national women’s group EMILY’s List and five statewide women’s groups. She’s one of four Massachusetts legislative candidates endorsed by EMILY’s List, with the others being Sen. Cindy Friedman of Arlington, Allison Gustavson of Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Tram Nguyen of Andover.”
Chalifoux Zephir could certainly use the help in her tough battle to unseat Republican state Sen. Dean Tran, in a race that has more than once erupted into a “war of words,” as the Sentinel & Enterprise recently put it.
SHNS (pay wall — free trial subscription available)
Avenatti gives boost to new PAC pushing centrist Dems
Shira Schoenberg at MassLive and Amanda Burke at the Sentinel & Enterprise report on how two Massachusetts Democratic activists are launching a new PAC to help centrist Democrats in elections – and they’re getting support for their cause from Democratic attorney Michael Avenatti, who’s eyeing a possible presidential run and who’s the lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels.
Fyi: The new Left of Center PAC is not meant to counter the growing power of progressives within the Democratic Party, but rather to make sure Democrats support moderates in key swing states and other regions where progressives aren’t all that popular, say its organizers. It makes a lot of political sense.
CIRs to the rescue of confused voters?
Future versions of the ‘Information for Voters’ guide published by the Secretary of State’s office could include “citizens’ statements” prepared by a panel of actual voters if some lawmakers have their way. WGBH’s Gabrielle Emanuel reports on the trial run of the “Citizens’ Initiative Review,” or CIR, approach being tested on Question 1.
Baker signs bill requiring improved dyslexia screening in schools
From SHNS’s Katie Lannan at Wicked Local: “State education officials will be tasked with issuing new guidelines for dyslexia screening in local schools under a new law Gov. Charlie Baker signed Friday afternoon. Based on bills originally filed by Sens. Barbara L’Italien of Andover and Bruce Tarr of Gloucester, the bill (S 2607) also adds a dyslexia advocate to an existing early education expert panel.”
The end is near: First votes cast in midterms – and in large numbers
Finally: Election Day may still be a few weeks away, but voters in Mass. have already begun doing their thing. Katherine Isbell at the Patriot Ledger reports hundreds of South Shore voters took advantage of the state’s second-ever early voting window on Monday, including 230 voters in Quincy alone, although officials in Braintree reported half as many first-day votes as in 2016.
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.
Belmont Savings Bank and Boston Business Journal: Maximizing the Value of Your Board
Join the Boston Business Journal, Belmont Savings Bank and distinguished industry experts for an exciting panel discussion and an outlook on how to maximize the value of your board and learn from the local experts who made it happen.
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
Massport taps Malden firm to develop key parcel in Boston waterfront – Boston Business Journal
Cambridge school aide fired after using racial slur around student – Boston Globe
Massachusetts
Worcester DA Early, challenger Rubin trade barbs – Telegram & Gazette
Mayor says Union Point’s future depends on ex-CEO’s ouster – Patriot Ledger
Nation
Supreme Court halts Wilbur Ross deposition – Politico
Is Fraud Part of the Trump Organization’s Business Model? – New Yorker
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